Are you planning to start your own hookah lounge business? You must be hunting for ideas to maximize your profits, and why not? Every business, no matter which sector or industry it is, seeks profits. No business is meant for charity. When you invest heavily in a business, you must also plan how you’re going to make returns on that so that your business thrives in the long run. Here, we have enlisted a few effective strategies to boost your profit margins if you start a business of shisha lounge in Dubai:
- Never underestimate the power of ice: one of the most lucrative and easy upsells in a hookah lounge is to add ice with an additional charge of $2-$5. It is quite easy to add ice to the ice bucket that is attached to the stem or the base. What’s more, having an ice maker at your disposal means all those extra dollars go straight to your bank account. Customers also enjoy the cool smoke, besides appreciating the bang for the buck they are getting. You can also consider going for ice hoses when it comes to shisha outsourcing in Dubai.
- Base additives do the trick: extras such as soda, fruit, liquor, etc. can enhance the flavor or effect of the hookah. If you want to promote hookah consumption conspicuously in your club or shisha lounge in Dubai, you can fill the base with some fruit pieces/slices for it to look eye-pleasing. Another effect that adds to the visual appeal is food coloring. You can also go for wine or liquor for that extra kick, or maybe flavor enhancers such as juices and soda. Just ensure the hoses are cleaned thoroughly after use.
- Give a shot to fruit heads: if you’re looking for an interesting way of serving shisha with a tropical vibe, fruit heads are a must-try! The most popular options include apples, oranges, melon, and pineapples. Simply make out a hollow space for the shisha tobacco, and then punch a hole in the lower part of the fruit, where the hookah stem can be inserted. All you need to do is fill the fruit as if it is a normal bowl and put a foil on the top. YouTube has plenty of tutorials to guide you through and you can also Google for some reference pictures.
- Glass hookahs for your hookah lounge: while most lounges use Egyptian-style hookahs of commercial grade for most hookah rental businesses, you can give a shot to extra glass hookahs for an improved hookah experience. Alternatively, you can consider hookahs that are extra large or made of premium wood.
- Limit the number of users per hookah: it is important to set the maximum number of people who will use a particular hookah in your shisha lounge in Dubai. If you allow big groups to come in, share one or two hookahs, occupy excessive space without ordering ample food or drinks, will only lead you to incur losses. On the other hand, you can get your customers to spend more money by fixing a limit of 3 per hookah on weekdays and 2 per hookah during peak hours or weekends. Worried about losing customers? Well, just think that we’re talking about patrons who are not willing to split $20 hookah amongst 3 people.
- Package deals are always a hit: you can club drinks along with hookah as a package deal. Say you charge $3-$5 more per hookah, but maybe allow them to choose between 2 drinks with their order. The package deal will cost you a few cents per bottled drink, but think about how it will compel your customers to spend that extra cash. Also, it’s not a good idea to let people bring in food or drinks from outside.
- Charge a premium price for premium shisha: you must make space for some fancy and costly shisha brands on your menu! Every shisha lounge is expected to offer a premium section for costlier shisha that is priced 50-75% more than the regular shisha brands. Do keep this in mind as far as shisha outsourcing in Dubai is concerned.
- Don’t underestimate Heat Management Devices (HMDs): unknown to many, a session with Kaloud Lotus and Vitria Bowl can give you twice the bang for your buck. This is because, firstly the HMD produces a more even heat, thus ensuring that the customers get to enjoy a more even session throughout. The bowl traps the heat and extends the life of the charcoal, which saves you money in the long run. Besides, these hookahs are not as high-maintenance, so you need not put in too much labor to operate your lounge. Even better, if you choose to go exclusively to HMD, you can make back the money quicker besides saving labor costs. This is because you need not change or rotate coals for all the customers constantly.
- Use disposable hoses: who wouldn’t like to have a fresh hose for their hookah session? After all, it allows them to enjoy the pure, undiluted flavor without any remnants from the last customer. Besides, if your customer is germaphobic, this option will certainly be more reassuring purely from the hygiene/sanitary point of view. Most disposable hoses are priced at a dollar or even lesser, which means with each hose you sell, you can make a few extra dollars. Your customer can keep it and bring it back on the next visit if they please.
- Go for bigger bowl upgrades: customers looking for a session that lasts longer will ideally want to have larger bowls with a capacity of holding a greater quantity of tobacco. Think about it on these lines- you may find it easier to get a $5 upfront for a bigger bowl with more shisha instead of selling a “refill” hookah for a discounted price after smoking for an hour or more.
By following these tips and tricks, you can surely lay the foundation of a successful hookah lounge business. While some of these cost nothing, some may need negligible upfront investment from your end. But eventually, you’ll be able to reap significant benefits. So think no further, and go ahead with your business idea. Given the skyrocketing popularity of hookah lounges these days, you’re sure to rake in the moolah in no time.
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