Key points
- Choose the format first (takeaway or with seating), then the premises.
- Six criteria to check: footfall, visibility, access, surroundings, condition of the premises and lease terms.
- Count passers-by yourself, at several times of the week.
- Check with the municipality that a café is allowed before signing.
An average café on a good street often does better than an excellent café on a bad one. Location is the hardest decision to correct afterwards: you can change a menu in a week, not an address. Here is how to assess premises before signing.
Start from the format, not the premises
The right location depends on what you will sell there.
- A takeaway coffee shop lives on footfall. It needs a steady flow of people in a hurry: office exits, stations, universities, main shopping streets. A small surface is enough.
- A café-restaurant with seating lives on time spent on site. It needs space, a terrace if possible, and a neighbourhood where people come to sit: lively residential areas, shopping centres, seafronts.
Looking for premises without having set the format is like visiting flats without knowing the size of your family.
The six criteria to check
1. Footfall
Count passers-by yourself, in front of the door, at several moments: a weekday morning, lunchtime, late afternoon, a Saturday evening. Note who passes. Students, office workers and families don't consume the same things or at the same times.
2. Visibility
Can the premises be seen from a distance? A street corner, a wide glass front or a spot facing a pedestrian crossing beats a recessed shop window. Also check what signage you are allowed to install.
3. Access
Is it easy to stop? A wide pavement, parking nearby, a tram or bus stop. For a takeaway format, a few seconds of detour are enough to lose a customer.
4. Surroundings
The best neighbours for a café are those that bring people throughout the day: offices, higher-education schools, clinics, public administrations, shops. Also look at other cafés. A street that already has several proves there is demand; what remains is knowing what you will bring that is different.
5. The premises themselves
- The surface and its shape, including room for preparation and storage.
- Whether a terrace is possible and the permits it requires.
- Water supply, drainage and available electrical power.
- Extraction, essential if you cook on site.
- General condition, which directly affects the cost of works.
6. The lease
Rent is only one line of the lease. Also read the term, the rent review conditions, the deposit, how charges and works are shared, and the activity permitted on the premises. Check that the building rules and the municipality do allow a café. A key money payment may be added to the rent in sought-after areas.
Cities and their neighbourhoods
Each Moroccan city has its own logic. Casablanca concentrates business districts and main avenues. Rabat mixes administrations, universities and residential areas. Tangier and Marrakech add visitors to the local clientele. In medium-sized cities, rents are often more affordable and competition less dense.
In every case, think at the scale of the street, not the city. Two sides of the same boulevard can give very different results.
The most common mistakes
- Choosing on rent alone. Low rent on an empty street costs more than high rent on a busy one.
- Visiting only once. A street that is lively on Saturday can be deserted on Tuesday morning.
- Forgetting the works. Premises that need bringing up to standard can blow the budget. See the items of the opening budget.
- Signing before checking permits. Ask the municipality before committing.
The advantage of being supported
A brand that has already opened several outlets knows how to recognise a good location for its concept, and a bad one too. Many help their franchisees look for premises and approve the address before the lease is signed. Ask the question at the first meeting. See the franchises recruiting.
Frequently asked questions
What surface do you need for a coffee shop?
It depends on the format. A takeaway outlet fits on a small surface, while a café-restaurant with seating and a kitchen needs much more. The franchisor specifies the surfaces suited to each of its concepts.
Is it better to set up in a shopping centre or on the street?
A shopping centre guarantees footfall and set hours, with rents and charges that are often higher. The street offers more freedom and a loyal neighbourhood clientele, but footfall depends entirely on the address.
Do you need premises before contacting a brand?
No. You can apply with or without premises. If you already have some, the brand will check that they suit its concept.