How to open a pizzeria in Uzbekistan: startup capital and payback

Startup capital

• Rent (3-month deposit + 1 month upfront): 60–150 million UZS depending on the district.
• Renovation and zoning: 80–200 million UZS.
• Equipment (wood-fired or electric oven, dough mixer, refrigerators, prep table): 90–180 million UZS.
• Furniture and interior: 30–80 million UZS.
• Initial food inventory: 15–25 million UZS.
• Licenses and registration: 3–8 million UZS.
• Launch marketing: 20–40 million UZS.
• 3-month operating reserve: 100–200 million UZS.
• TOTAL: 400 million – 1 billion UZS.

Operating costs

• Rent: 8–25 million UZS/month.
• Payroll (5–8 people): 25–55 million UZS/month.
• Ingredients (30% food cost): 50–100 million UZS/month on 170–330 million in revenue.
• Utilities and supplies: 5–10 million UZS/month.
• Marketing: 10–25 million UZS/month.
• Software (Zoomda + iiko + other): 3–8 million UZS/month.

Payback

At 170 million UZS/month in revenue and with solid management (30% food cost, 25% labor), a pizzeria generates 30–40 million in net profit a month.

Payback on 500–700 million in startup capital: 14–18 months. That’s normal for F&B.

Key risks

• A weak location — behind 60% of all pizzeria closures.
• High food cost from poor controls — eats your profit within 6–8 months.
• No online channel from day one — you lose 30–40% of your potential.
• A weak kitchen team — cooks leave, quality drops, guests don’t come back.