Making Your Restaurant a Delicious Success
The restaurant industry is both fast-paced and exciting, and to be successful, it requires a team of professionals working in tandem to deliver exceptional customer service. Before you dive in, create a business and marketing plan that exemplifies the vision you have in mind for your new eatery.
Business Formation
Food establishments are a bit unique when compared to other businesses like home-based ventures or brick-and-mortar retail operations. In addition to appropriate licensing, you’ll also be subject to health inspections. Of course, you’ll want to ensure you're protected from liability. Start with forming a limited liability company (LLC) or other appropriate corporate entity. Your secretary of state’s office or state department of business and industry can provide you with guidelines specific to your state. A formation services company can aid you in the process and save you from doing the legwork yourself or paying for a pricey attorney.
Getting Ready To Launch
Opening a restaurant is an exciting endeavor that has a lot of moving parts that have to align in advance of a successful debut. Making this leap into entrepreneurship includes assessing all of your startup needs, developing finance and operational budgets, and hiring and training staff. You’ll also need to secure appropriate licensing, insurance, and technology, as well as purchase all necessary equipment. Additional to-do items include identifying vendors and securing contracts and, if you’re planning to serve alcohol, securing a liquor license and purchasing inventory.
Tech and Equipment
Depending on the type of restaurant you’re opening, you'll need to secure kitchen essentials from Spoiler Alert Food Safety, as well as computers and credit card processing systems. You may also utilize software programs that allow for digital entry of orders and possibly even table-side ordering and payment options. Entertainment is another feature, whether you plan to have television screens, ambient music, or live entertainment.
According to BB Blanc, other things to consider include decor for the ambiance you’re looking to create, as well as basic necessities around cutlery, table and glassware, and space design that allows for a good flow of traffic and an enjoyable dining experience. An interior designer can help, and most of the supplies you need can be purchased from a restaurant supply company.
Hiring Staff
The staff in your restaurant is of critical importance to creating an enjoyable customer experience. From the host or hostess that greets your customers to the chef who prepares food to the waitstaff that serves, you’ll want to hire (and keep) the best and most experienced pros for your particular type of restaurant. You can take some of the guesswork out of screening candidates by utilizing an agency that can handle these critical functions on your behalf. You may want to conduct background checks, particularly for people who will be handling cash and financial transactions. According to FSR Magazine, advanced training, especially around menu items, is crucial. Reference checks are also important, as they can help you determine an individual’s reliability, professionalism, and people skills.
Business and Marketing Objectives
When your restaurant is ready to open and serve, it’s time to put your marketing plan into place to attract customers. Signage and menus are important, as is a comprehensive website. You might consider traditional forms of advertising like newspaper and TV ads, as well as social media, neighborhood publications, and dining guides to help promote your business. Once you have a stream of happy customers, word-of-mouth advertising is likely to expand, so ensure your customer service is exceptional to keep people coming back and bringing their friends. You might also consider participating in local food festivals as a way to expand your reach to new audiences.
Starting a restaurant requires careful pre-planning, and hiring the right people for your team is a critical ingredient to long-term success. See how Spoiler Alert Food Safety can ensure food safety techniques for your restaurant.
By Kelli Brewer,
Kelli Brewer is proud of her military family and is passionate in supporting military families. Together with her husband, they created DeployCare to offer understanding and support to our service members and their families before, during, and after deployments.
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