Food business over corporate job? Khadak Singh Da Dhaba CEO Shares ₹75,000+ Salary Warning, Risks & Rewards | Today’s news
Managing Director of Khadak Singh Da Dhaba Kawaljeet Singh warned corporate employees not to rush into the grocery store after leaving their jobs, especially those who are earning. ₹75,000 and above per month.
Sharing his views on X, Singh said that many corporate employees feel like they are “wasting their lives” and believe that starting a food truck could offer a better lifestyle. However, he pointed out that the reality of running a food business can be very different from what appears on the surface.
“The grass is always greener on the other side,” noted Singh, before listing a few pros and cons that aspiring food entrepreneurs should consider before making the switch.
Why a dining cart can be attractive
Singh said one of the biggest advantages of the grocery business is the relatively low capital requirements. According to CEO Khadak Singh Da Dhaba, unlike opening a full-fledged restaurant or shop, a cart can be started with a comparatively lower investment.
He also said that entrepreneurship does not necessarily require extensive prior business knowledge. Singh noted that a good location can solve several big problems by bringing in a steady stream of customers.
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Singh highlighted the possibility of net profit margins of around 10-35% of sales, adding that family members can help reduce labor costs. Food carts may also have lower compliance costs compared to full-size stores.
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Affordable prices can help attract mass-market customers and reduce the need for extensive marketing, he said. Another benefit is flexibility: the cart can potentially be relocated if a particular location isn’t generating enough business, noted the Delhi-based entrepreneur.
Unlike grocery businesses that rely heavily on delivery platforms, cart owners can also avoid online commissions and advertising costs, which Singh says allows them to maintain higher retail margins.
Hidden challenges
However, the CEO said that the low entry barrier itself can become a problem because too many people can enter the business with relatively little capital.
He also cautioned that a food cart may look like a five- or six-hour evening job from the outside, but preparation often begins in the morning; this can effectively make it a 12-hour day.
Unlike restaurants listed on food delivery platforms, carts are heavily dependent on the physical number of people. That makes the business vulnerable to weather conditions, while regulatory uncertainty and reliance on local authorities can add another layer of difficulty, he said.
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Singh also pointed to the absence of proper rental agreements in many cases and said the cart could potentially lose its location without notice. He advised entrepreneurs to maintain enough working capital to survive for at least three to four months, warning that a lack of funds could result in a quick loss of invested capital.
There is also no guarantee of sales or profits even if the owner works throughout the month, said co-founder Khadak Singh Da Dhabha, further believing that the business can remain heavily dependent on the owner’s physical presence, leaving little flexibility in working hours.
Singh’s ₹75,000 Salary Notice
In another post, X Singh highlighted what he described as a major factor he initially missed: social perception.
“The trucking industry will never respect you white collar,” he wrote, adding that people will only realize this after the transition.
He suggested, “If you earn >=75,000 hours from your work, don’t plan to enter the basket business.”
