Restaurant
Checklist
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Restaurant Opening Checklist — Qatar
Opening a restaurant in Qatar involves company formation, food safety licensing, premises fit-out, and staff visa processing. This checklist takes you from formation to first customer.
Company & Licensing
- Register company with food/restaurant activity codes
- Obtain CR and Trade License
- Apply for food establishment license from MME
- Get Civil Defense fire safety clearance
- Municipality signboard permit
- Shisha permit if applicable
Premises & Fit-Out
- Secure commercial premises with kitchen exhaust and grease trap capability
- Design kitchen layout per MME food safety standards
- Install commercial kitchen equipment
- Set up cold storage with temperature monitoring
- Interior fit-out and furniture
- POS system and payment terminals
Staff & Operations
- Recruit kitchen and service staff
- Process work visas and QIDs
- Obtain food handler health cards for all staff
- Register on delivery platforms (Talabat, Snoonu)
- Set up accounting and inventory management
- Pass final MME inspection before opening
Pro Tip
Start staff visa processing during fit-out — not after. Visa processing takes 2-3 weeks, and you want your team ready for training before opening day.
FAQ
CR, Trade License, food establishment license from MME, Civil Defense clearance, and signboard permit. Shisha requires an additional permit.
3 to 6 months total: company setup (2-4 weeks), fit-out (4-8 weeks), food license (2-4 weeks), and staff visas (2-3 weeks per batch).
Not necessarily. Restaurant activities generally qualify for 100% foreign ownership. A local partner can help with location and market insights.
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