20 Tips Before You Open A Restaurant
Let’s look at a list of 20 tips or recommendations should be taken before starting a restaurant:
1. Set the style of the restaurant
Before creating a restaurant, we must be clear what the type of restaurant you are going to open, and what the style or concept that we will give.
We must be clear if, for example, let’s open a restaurant, gourmet fine dining, family style, one fast food, etc..
But more importantly, we must determine what the style or concept that we will give, which should be in accordance with our personality and our tastes, while influenced by others, and trying to be a distinctive style or concept that does not exist in other restaurants.
2. Market research
Like any business, before opening a restaurant we investigate well the market, trying to know what the preferences and tastes of consumers, and making sure that we will have enough demand for our restaurant a success.
One way of doing this is conducting surveys to people traveling through the area where we open the restaurant, where they were consulted about their preferences or tastes, if you would go to a new restaurant of the kind that we create, and how much would be willing to spend on each visit.
3. Determine the target audience
Within the market research that will, an important point is to clearly define what our target audience, ie what the type of consumer that we’re going to direct.
Thus, we can analyze their characteristics, and our business focus and strategies we will use in this type of consumer, for example, we assess their people in a hurry to eat, or enjoy taking your time, if they are willing to travel some distance to go to a nice restaurant if they are willing to pay a good price for a good meal, etc.
4. Start with a small menu
If we first started in the restaurant business, you should start with a small menu so that, thereby, to specialize in a few dishes, and to reduce our operating costs.
And later, as it begins to grow business, increase the variety of our dishes.
5. Visit the competition
Before opening a restaurant, we visit all the restaurants in the competition there.
This will enable us, first, to observe their strengths and weaknesses, so that we can compete effectively with them.
On the other hand, we can observe their successes and mistakes and thereby learn from them.
And on the other hand, we can observe the preferences, tastes and habits of consumers, and our restaurant guide accordingly.
6. Work on competition
If this is our first experience on opening a restaurant, keep in mind that a restaurant is a business which requires hard work and discipline.
A recommendation to this situation, is to find a job in a restaurant so that thereby not only familiar with the operation of the business, but also to be clear on what we’re going to spend.
7. Avoid low prices
When trying to determine the price of our products, we should not hesitate if you want to put a somewhat higher price.
In the case of food, people are willing to pay well, if the dishes are tasty, well presented, has a total hygiene, and to offer quality customer service.
Never mind that there are restaurants that use the same inputs, and have prices well below ours, consumers will always choose us if we have these factors.
8. Good location
A determining factor in the success of a restaurant is its location, we should take our time well when choosing a location.
We can choose a central location where we have the advantage of being in the light of a growing number of consumers, but the disadvantages of high local costs, and having to deal with increased competition.
If we choose a place not so central, we have the advantages of low costs in the rental or purchase of premises, and less competition nearby, but the disadvantage that we are not the view of consumers, even if our publicity is good, and have a good product, it will not be problem.
9. Ample space
In addition to the dining space in which our customers should feel comfortable and at ease, we must not forget that the restaurant should have cooked a good space, where the cooks and kitchen staff to perform efficiently and without risk for accidents, and where with a good space to store supplies.
10. Parking
Similarly, when choosing the location of the premises of our restaurant, we should not forget that it must have sufficient parking and the number of customers that we calculate, we will visit in their vehicles.
11. Reduce investment
As in any business, to open a restaurant, we always seek to reduce investment, but without thereby having to sacrifice quality.
In the case of restaurants we can reduce the investment in the local scenery, which consumers generally do not take into account, as long as they offer good food, there is a total health and good care.
Another way to reduce investment in a restaurant, is starting to rent the equipment and furniture, or seeking agreements with vendors that provide them, for example, in exchange for advertising.
12. Spare no expenses
By investing in the creation of the restaurant should not skimping when it comes to supplies or offers variety of concerns.
But even as regards design and furniture, for example, by purchasing second-hand furniture, and in a state not very good.
We must always remember the saying that says that “what it calls poor poor.”
13. Quality inputs
If we sell quality products, our raw materials must also be of good quality.
We always use fresh products, which in some foods such as fish should be purchased the same day that will be used.
We must also select either our suppliers. For restaurants, it is advisable to have several of them, that because some providers do not always count on fresh products.
14. While budget
In the case of restaurants, there are usually many hidden costs, causing it to start the investment is common that end I missing money.
As our budget to make investment, we must take our time and count our costs well and, if possible, try to book a small budget that it will help us if we end missing more investment.
15. Hygiene
Another key factor in the success of a restaurant, is hygiene.
Maybe our restaurant is small and we do not have much decor, but offer a good product, good service and, above all, show a total hygiene, it is likely that the restaurant is successful.
Hygiene must be based on an obsessive quest, it must be present in the dining room floor, in bathrooms, in the cooked, the staff (do not forget the hair short or tied) in the uniform of the staff (not forget the beanie chef, etc.).
16. Select either the cook
Another important decision in building a restaurant is the selection of the chef, who not only must have a good flavor, but must be flexible enough to adjust the menu style you want to give to our restaurant.
If the cook says he has worked in fancy restaurants, and is not willing to change its flavor or style to match that we want to give our menu, then we must look for another cook.
17. Well defined functions
For our restaurant operate efficiently, we must clearly define in advance what the roles and responsibilities of our staff.
Some of the functions and responsibilities of a cook, be liable for any loss or damage to equipment, do not let in anyone other than the kitchen, make a list of formal inputs, etc.
Some features of the kitchen staff (kitchen help, cleaning): assist in the decoration of dishes, cleaning and maintenance, inventory daily, etc..
18. Create expectations
A good marketing strategy to start a restaurant, you create anticipation before opening, this can include designing posters, ads, or flyers in which he announced the early opening of the restaurant.
Or it may be to send invitations to friends and acquaintances for opening day.
This will create anticipation for the time to try a new restaurant.
19. Customer service
Customer service is another factor that will determine the success of a restaurant.
We train all our staff to offer a friendly, helpful and caring show, be quick on care, maintaining good personal hygiene and presentation, show a sincere smile, greet politely, saying “please” and “thank you”, etc. .
20. Patience and dedication
Assembling and managing a restaurant is not a simple task, it is estimated that approximately one third of new restaurants go bankrupt or closed.
It is also estimated that in the case of restaurants are just now beginning to profit from the sixth month.
Added to this, we must take into account the work in a restaurant started in the early hours of the morning, where they must buy the supplies, then continues with the preparation of the dishes, and preparing for lunch, then continues with the cleaning and preparation for lunch time or dinner, and ends late at night, cleaning and having to get everything ready for the next day.
And we must also take into account that a restaurant does not just work all day, but every day (including Saturday and Sunday), and in many cases, including holidays.
As we see, create and manage a restaurant is not an easy task, but if we are passionate about good food, and service to the people, then we should not hesitate to open one.
But yes, we must realize that to succeed we will need much patience and perseverance (to overcome problems or difficulties that may happen), and hard work, discipline and dedication (to overcome all the work involved in running a restaurant .)
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