Cloud Kitchen Feasibility Calculator

Cloud kitchen setup: ₹3–10 lakhs for kitchen equipment and fit-out, ₹25,000–75,000 per month rent for 200–400 sqft commercial kitchen, FSSAI licence ₹2,000–8,000, packaging initial stock ₹10,000–20,000, and 2–3 months working capital. Total investment ₹5–15 lakhs for a well-equipped cloud kitchen.

A cloud kitchen with ₹1.5 lakh monthly fixed cost, 30% food cost, and ₹350 average order value needs: Contribution per order = ₹350 × 70% = ₹245. Break-even = ₹1,50,000 / ₹245 = 612 orders per month = 20 orders per day. Profitability target is typically 40–60 orders per day.

Platform commission: Swiggy 18–25%, Zomato 18–25%, direct ordering 5–8%. Direct ordering through WhatsApp or own app gives best margins but requires marketing investment. Most successful cloud kitchens target 30–40% direct orders within 6 months of launch to reduce aggregator dependency.

High-performing categories: Biryani (highest order volume), North Indian, South Indian tiffin, Healthy diet meals, Korean-Japanese fusion, Desserts and cakes, and Breakfast delivery. Single-cuisine focus with operational efficiency consistently outperforms multi-cuisine complexity for cloud kitchens under 2 years old.

Required: FSSAI Food Safety Licence (Basic for up to ₹12L turnover, State for ₹12L–20Cr), Fire safety NOC, local municipal trade licence, GST registration if turnover exceeds ₹20 lakhs, and PAN for business. Commercial kitchen requires specific ventilation and hygiene compliance under FSSAI regulations.