How to Start a Successful Lemonade Stand

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Make, price, and sell delicious lemonade at your very own stand

Co-authored by Trent Larsen, CFP®

Last Updated: October 4, 2024 Approved

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Planning

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Setting Up

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Selling

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Q&A

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Tips

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Things You'll Need

There's nothing like an ice-cold glass of lemonade when summer is on its hottest day. A lot of kids have earned money by selling lemonade on sweltering summer days. Finding the right location and advertising your stand are two perfect ways to get lots of business. Most importantly, offer delicious, fresh drinks, such as lemonade, that will keep people coming back for more. You should also sell other treats to keep the customers happy, and possibly convince them to tell their friends about your stand. To find out how to start a successful stand, read on!

Things You Should Know

Find a spot where you’re allowed to set up a stand and where you see a lot of foot traffic.
Set a price for your lemonade that’s around $0.25-$1.00. Then, make an inviting, colorful sign that advertises your lemonade.
Talk to people as they walk by and politely ask them if they want a cup of lemonade.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Planning

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1
See where you're allowed to set up a stand. Did you know there are laws about where you can set up a stand? Before you even start considering setting up, make sure it isn't against the rules in your area. To find out if you're allowed to set up a stand, see if you need to get a permit or comply with any laws. ^{[1]
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- Ask your parents to find out whether you can set up a stand. Let them know that you need a permit in many states.
- Or find out yourself by calling your local Better Business Bureau to get more information. ^{[2]
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Choose a popular spot. If you live on a dead-end street or a small road, you might want to try a place that gets more foot traffic. Intersections are also good spots, since you have people passing from more than one direction. Make sure the spot you choose is safe. Don't set up too close to streets or highways.
- Setting up in your front yard or home area is a great option. This works especially if you live on a busy street or in a big apartment complex. Plus, you would be able to get supplies easily rather than carrying them all the way to another location.
- Be careful about setting up in public parks or outside sporting events. Many states have passed laws against letting people sell lemonade in these areas without any sort of permission. ^{[3]
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3
See if any friends or neighbors want to get involved. Try to have someone help you so you can take turns doing different jobs. It's also more fun to have someone else there.
- If you are planning a long day of selling, make sure you seriously trust the person taking shifts not to steal any money. An untrustworthy business-partner can ruin your stand!
If it's a long day and you're thirsty, you'll end up drinking all the lemonade and eating all the snacks (if you made any).
You would want to make it not too expensive so no one would buy your products, and not too cheap so you would barely make any money. If you're using fresh lemons, fresh ice, and large glasses, you could probably charge $1.00 to $1.25 per cup. If you're using a powdered mix and serving up small glasses, people probably won't pay more than $0.25 to $0.50. Often, lemonade stands are either under- or overpriced, and the kids running them don't earn much money . Be sure to start out with some coins and bills for change.
6
Make a sign . Get some poster board and markers so you can make a big, inviting, and colorful sign to hang on your stand. The sign should say what you're selling and how much it costs. Use cheerful hand lettering that's neatly done. You might want to draw a picture of lemons or lemonade to make your sign more attractive.
- You can also make signs to post around the neighborhood. Tell people where to go to buy lemonade.
- If you do this, make sure you take down the signs when you take down your stand.
7
Have a plan on what exactly you will sell. This can include:
- Multiple flavors of lemonade
- Other beverages (such as soda)
- Small treats (either homemade or store-bought) such as cookies
If it is a very hot day outside, you should consider putting up some shade, chairs, and foldable tables too. You won't believe how much more inviting your stand would look. If you can, you could even get a TV or a large tablet and hang it up so customers can watch any programs such as sports games going on. Get creative! The more creative, the more likely people will come to your stand!

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Setting Up

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A small card table should be big enough to fit your lemonade pitcher, glasses, napkins, and any treats you're offering. Get a chair for each person who will be running the stand with you. To attract more customers, use a pretty (but not distracting) tablecloth, and tape your sign to the front. Bright colors will get people to look at your table, and they'll think, "Hey, it seems like they put in a lot of effort making that stand! I bet the drinks and snacks taste as good as this stand looks!" .
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Make lemonade. Not all lemonade is created equal. It's worth coming up with a tasty recipe so you don't disappoint your customers. Be sure to sample each batch to make sure it has just the right amount of sweet and sour flavors before you try to sell it. Always serve your lemonade with ice to keep it cold. Here are three ways to make lemonade: ^{[4]
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- Make it from scratch with fresh-squeezed lemons. For one gallon of lemonade, you need 2 cups of fresh lemon juice and 2 cups of white sugar. Mix well so the sugar dissolves.
- Make it from concentrate. You can buy a can of frozen lemonade concentrate in the freezer aisle of your grocery store. Mix it with water according to the instructions on the package.
- Make it from powder. Get a can of powdered lemonade. Follow the instructions to dissolve the powder in cold water.
Small paper cups are a popular choice, but they are bad for the environment as they will have to be burnt in waste disposal plant that pollutes the air. Ask your parents for old lemonade glasses, bring dishwasher fluid and a dishcloth and find a location near a public fountain where you can do your dishes when you run out of clean glasses. Don't give people napkins, but refer them to a public drinking fountain or toilet. Make sure to properly clean the glasses or customers won't come back!
Why stop at lemonade? Since you're setting up a stand, you might as well offer other treats, too. Cookies , brownies and other baked goods are fun to sell. You could also offer a bigger variety of drinks. Strawberry lemonade, iced tea or fruit punch are refreshing drinks customers might enjoy. Some websites let you sign up to start a lemonade stand or bake stand, and donate part of your profit to help end hunger.

Part 3

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Selling

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If you sit quietly, they may not feel encouraged to come to your table and buy lemonade. Smile and say, "would you like a cup of lemonade?" That way people will notice your table and be more likely to buy something. Be prepared to answer questions if they ask. Make sure to talk loudly. Even if they don't buy anything, don't be shy to say "Have a good day!".
Potential customers won't want to buy anything if you get irritated with them. If they have kids, talk to them and pay them a compliment. If they are just adults, act joyful and polite and just be yourself. If they decide not to buy anything, just smile and politely tell them "Have a good day!" as they leave.
When customers want to buy some lemonade, carefully pour a cup and hand it to them with a napkin. Once they have the lemonade in their hands, take their money and place it in your cash register. Don't forget to thank them. After all, they just bought something from your lemonade stand. With luck, they'll tell their friends to visit your stand. Remember to always be nice to your customers, a common expression is "the customer is always right." While they're good exceptions to this rule (like a customer asking you to fire a completely professional employee), it is a good guideline.

Community Q&A

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Question

How do I know if I should write down or draw out a menu?

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If you have multiple things for sale, at different prices, a menu is very helpful. It can be customized, and under each item can list things people might be allergic to. Menus also can have combos and labels like "Chocolate brownies are best with fruit punch" to make people want to buy both. You can even throw in some combos, like, "Buy two drink and treat pairs, get one free".

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Tips

If you are putting up signs by the road, make sure the letters are big enough to be seen by people in their cars.

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If you want to sell more lemonade, make homemade lemonade. In the cooler you put the ice in, store cut lemon slices or mint sprigs for decoration.

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Make sure you don't leave the lemonade out long enough so all the ice melts. Make sure your mom or dad will make another batch or two. And don't forget to taste it.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Make a sign that has a goal number of sales or amount of money that you want to make, then make another sign where you can mark off how far you’ve gotten. This can entice customers to help you make your goal.
Keep your stand clean and always wash your hands before you make the lemonade. You don't want other people to get sick, and customers will likely be drawn to a neat and tidy stand.
Use the colors red and yellow on your stand, since they’re appetizing.

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Warnings

Make sure the money is in a safe place. Use a register that you can latch shut, and always have at least one person at the stand at all times.

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If you make baked goodies, make sure you have made the recipe right. Try them before you sell them.

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Make sure that your products are not too overpriced or underpriced. You want to make a profit, right? Charge about 25 cents to 75 cents per cup, and $1 to $2.50 for baked goods (if you sell baked goods, too)

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Avoid setting up your stand in public places. There are many laws prohibiting you from setting up your stand in places such as near stores, parks, parking lots, houses that are not yours, and businesses and rec areas without any permission, especially if you live in the U.S.

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Test your lemonade first. Those lemons you used in your lemonade could have expired over two months and you wouldn't even know it. Test to make sure your product is safe and tasty.

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Never try to set up things on your own. Have an older sibling or parent help you set up the lemonade stand, especially if you are going to set up tents and foldable tables. Otherwise, you seriously risk injury.

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Make sure to take down everything when you are finished with the stand, you don't want any animals coming to mess it up, especially if you live in a rural area.

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Never leave the stand unattended. This will not only risk your potential customers drawn being away, but people may be tempted to try and steal your money.

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Things You'll Need

Sturdy table (metallic, if possible)
Tablecloth
Chairs
Posterboard
Markers
Tape
Pitcher
Lemons
Sugar
Water
Ice
Glasses
Money register
Extra cash and coins for change
Jar for donations or tips
Plates, if needed

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How to Start a Successful Lemonade Stand

Things You Should Know

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Planning

Setting Up

Selling

Community Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

Things You'll Need

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