Many people have a dream to start their own business, and it shouldn’t be a surprise that a lot of people have the dream of running their own restaurant.
It might be because you have past experience such as catering or maybe in the front of house side of things, or it could be that you just have a love for food. Whatever the inspiration it might be time to take that dream and make it a reality. But how do you do it and what should you consider?
Here are some tips to help you get started.
#1 Get POS Software
#2 Find the right location
One of the first things to think about would be making sure that you find the right location for the restaurant. This can either make or break you but don’t be too disheartened if you can’t get a prime location on the high street.
Not everyone can afford the expensive leases that a prime location can be, so it might be worth thinking a little outside of the box and finding the right balance between the purse strings and the location. Do what feels right for your venture.
#3 Decide on your theme
What’s your theme? Often the big defining thing for your theme could be the type of cuisine that you are offering but doesn’t be afraid to look beyond that a little when it comes to the type of look you are going for with the interior.
Authentic Italian food, for example, does not need the red and white chequered cloths on the tables and empty wine bottles on the shelves. Unless of course, that is what you would like. You could have authentic food with an ultra modern dining area. Or modern food with a vintage feel in terms of the looks. Think outside the box and dare to be different.
#4 Take time with the business side of things
The business side of things can often be the area that gets overlooked, so make sure you take time to consider what it is you need to do. It might be getting the buying of ingredients right, and making sure your distributors are using catch weight management software and inventory capture to ensure that you know exactly what you have and the costs involved.
Further to that, you also need to understand the costs versus how much you sell the meals for and the overall experience. This is when the business side of things can take over the dream aspect of running a restaurant.
#5 Hire the right staff
The next thing to think about would be whether or not you are hiring the right staff. In the kitchen, you want talented people that take pride in the work they do.
In the fort of house and dining area, you want people that understand that the customer experience is important and that they can have a hand in how a customer feels inside of the restaurant. It is all about making the customer experience a priority, and hiring the right people could help you achieve that.
Let’s hope that these tips help you when it comes to running a restaurant.
