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Setting up an Internet Cafe?
"What kind of set up did you start off with: 10 computers, 256kbit DSL, a dedicated T3 or something else? I am currently looking at 8 computers with some form of DSL (this should be the most cost effective solution). Cable might be available, but it depends on the location.
This internet cafe is primarily aimed at gamers, and I am interested to know how much success small internet cafes have had with bulk software purchases (say X = number of computers (8 to 10), X licenses for Half-Life and X licenses for Starcraft etc). I think I can get into contact with suppliers in Australia, but X licenses may still not be enough to be bulk. What suppliers (in the Australia/Pacific region) have other internet cafes delt with and bought software from? Please pass along any lessons learned if so.
What kind of times are the most popular? Being open all day costs a lot, so I was thinking of being open 5~6pm to about 11pm, seven days a week, and also having an 'all night special' on friday nights. What times do you run your internet cafe? What kind of special all night things do you have? For the readers out there, what times would be optimal for you and what kind of 'specials' would you want?
I am also interested how you deal with security. I have been thinking of basically hiring a bouncer to deal with gatecrashers and such (but this is rather expensive). Is security this much of a problem? I mean, how do you deal with a car of five drugged and drunken idiots intent on (as in smashing window/door down intent) getting some counterstrike goodness (or just seeing what happens when you stick someones head inside a broken monitor)? Do internet cafes attract this kind of person? I was talking to my parents, and they were saying that drunken people just drive around looking for a joint to gatecrash, and being open at 11pm just sounds like trouble to me. So does your internet cafe hire bouncers or some other form of security?
I had thought I would get people to 'register' first, and then book appointments beforehand - perhaps even some sort of video security system on the front door (or maybe even fingerprint ID/keycards). Has anyone tried anything like this and has it been successful? Can you recommend any such systems in existence? Any kind of 'register' before use system will always cause hassles for new users, and put off the casual gamer, which is also a problem...
The security situation also has a lot to do with location. I am currently looking at an area close to the local university, and also a location within the university. Getting a site within university would solve a lot of the security problems (university has its own security staff) so this would help, but I am not sure if there is a space currently for rent.
What kind of system should I run? Obviously
most games are only going to run on windows, (and wine is a bitch, and imagine the bitchiness multiplied out against X machines), but I don't want to buy windows licenses (and I also don't want to pirate software) so where can I pick up some second hand windows 98SE licenses for a small cost? Would it be legal, if I was to advertise I will pay $20 for your win98SE license? Or would I be better off buying X licenses for Micro$oft Super Advanced Multigaming iExecution eServer Special Edition?
Anyway, I am not sure I have even thought through all the issues yet, and I am sure there may be something I have forgotten something, but this is just an idea I had, and the figures work out pretty nicely on paper, for a student income ^_^.
If you have any suggestions, please write me! I will be very interested to hear what you think.
Samuel Williams
coolfr3ak@gmx.net
http://utopia5.mine.nu/"
By far the best internet cafe I've been to is one in Cambridge, UK, called CB1.
The reason it was great is that it was a viable business as a cafe, as a second-hand bookshop and as an internet access point, or ANY SINGLE ONE of those.
In fact, the computers almost seemed like an afterthought. The first day I went there, I was greeted by the proprietor behind the bar with a smile and friendly conversation, with no pressure to buy coffee, books or internet time. I stayed for hours, and came back the next day (and the day after, etc.)
I ended up spending most of my summer holiday hanging out there, getting to know the regulars, helping out with all the newbies, playing chess and reading the daily newspaper freely supplied.
A number of the regulars were reasonably big names in the Cambridge internet community, who just found this place to hang out at, where they could check their email occasionally, just in case.
We were all techie types, attracted initially by the internet connectivity (this was back in 1995!), but kept there by the friendly atmosphere. Think of it like 'Central Perk' on 'Friends'.
From what Dan (the proprietor) said, the business was profitable from day one.
In comparison, the worst types of internet cafe are the heavily chromed and exposed cable ducting places like Cyberia, which were sterile, unfriendly places.
I don't think you can make money from internet connectivity alone, but treat it as an added feature to an already viable friendly meeting place and cafe, and you're onto a winner.
Not sure about Internet Caffes, but I think a Gameing Caffe would go down a bomb.
Switch the games each hour, and allow as many or as few to link together.
Rotate the starting game through the week and have a newbies night.
The sight of 2 dozen game heads should put off even the most drunken thug so security while open should not be a problem.
Keep at least one day a week back for private parties.
The advantage is that you don't need an internet connection, and most modern games will allow you to network them selves together without having to have a disk in every machine.
As to security of the machines them selves.
Don't install a floppy drive and see if you can find some way of padlocking the CDROM drive.
Don't supply speakers, but do supply headphones.
Hope this helps
The Pilgrim
Wouldn't it be nice if schools got all the money they wanted and the army had to hold jumble sales for guns
An established cafe (as in coffee) here, which happens to be across the street from a university, has just begun offering network access, yet they provide no computers.
The cafe got a DSL line and simply provides ethernet jacks to it's customers for very reasonable prices. The customers pay 4.00 USD to have all-day access and can pay 16.00 USD for all-week access. Students bring in their laptop computers, pay their fee, sit down and plug in.
The beautiful thing is that students can browse the web but can also play net games over the local ethernet and the cafe does not have to pay for expensive computers and the software licenses, only for the DSL line and the network switch and cable and jacks.
It seems to be working out very well. The cafe has noticed that the environment is now more studious with people sitting longer and drinking more coffee. If they spill coffee on the keyboard, at least it is their computer and not yours.
Ouch! The truth hurts!
Hi,
:-)
I worked at in Internet cafe in 1994-5.
First off, if you are serious about the cafe bit, you've got a lot more work to do. You'll need a license to sell food and drink, you'll need hygeine certificates, someone to wash up, and a lot of money for the kitchen fittings, cappucino machine etc. etc.
So, think hard about if you want to offer 'real' food. You might find a refrigerated cabinet with cans of soft drinks and maybe sandwiches etc. is a whole lot easier.
Secondly, the computers. Different users have massively different needs. Take a look at easyeverything in the UK (http://www.easyeverything.com/). They have about 500 terminals in a single building, and they cater for people who want to use the Internet. No games, no paninni, no comfy chairs and sofas. They are open 24hrs. They are dirt cheap. (as in 1 UKPS / 2-3hrs at low demand times).
The cafe I worked in catered for the small time user - people who maybe needed their CV printed, or wanted to check flight prices, and didn't have a PC at home. Those people suck. They often need help to do stuff, they don't hang around long, and they aren't rich.
Game cafe's can work, but think about how much people are willing to pay. Is DSL common / cheap in your area? If so, many may be fine playing at home. Are there lots of kids in the area that maybe can't afford the latest games, but could afford to play a few hours at a time?
I never ran a game cafe (unless you count MUDs, and many of our best customers were kids playing MUDs). However I would guess:
1. Hardware turnover. Gamers tend to be brutal to keyboards, mice and joysticks, but they'll expect them to be in top condition. Likewise, they'll expect monitors in good condition. think about replacement costs.
2. Games eat bandwidth. 8 ppl playing half-life is a load more bandwidth than 8 ppl using hotmail.
3. The cafe I worked in stayed open till 11, and it wasn't a great part of town, either. We never had any trouble at all. Unless you are downtown in a bad area, and maybe placed very near a local kids hangout, you shouldn't have trouble.
4. Insurances costs were massive, and the insurers demanded very expensive locks / alarms to be fitted.
5. Dead time eats your profits very fast. You pay the same rent regardless of what your openning hours are.
6. Technology is the least of your worries, just keep it simple. I'd tell anyone who's thinking Linux and thin clients and anything sexy and clever to head over to the real world, then head over to easyeverything.com to see how to do it properly.
7. People will ask for printing/CD-Rom burning/Floppy access etc so decide in advance how/if you are going to offer it.
8. Don't invest anything in a small business like this that you can't afford to lose. 2/3 of small businesses fail within a year.
Mail me if you want more info.
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