The restaurant business is on fire at the moment, and so more and more people are exploring this as a viable option to start a new business venture. Whether you have experience in the restaurant trade or not, it can be the dream to have a restaurant with your name above the door and feeling proud of the food you serve.
However, it is also a very tough business to be in, and many can find that it is a real struggle to get things right. Many restaurants open the doors only to find they are closing them very soon after because they haven’t made the right connection or decision at the very first point of deciding on opening a restaurant. So I thought I would share with you some of the key things to think about when opening up your first restaurant.
Finding the right location
First of all, you need to think about having the right location for your restaurant. The building itself needs to have the right level of capacity to fit the amount of customers or servings you want to cover in one evening. Of course, you have times to think about as well, but think about how much the kitchn in that building could handle and make better use of the space. You restaurant also needs to be seen and easily found. I get that a high street prime location may have huge overhead at the eggingin, but thinking outside of the box and choosing at least a location on a busy road or within easy access of public transport could be the right port of call.
Having the right theme and purpose
The next thing to think about would be having the right theme in place for your business. The restaurant business can be be rife with competition, and so it is important to realize that the theme you have for your restaurant could set you apart from everyone else. It might be that you focus on a cuisine. A changing menu where you pride yourself on using locally sourced in season produce or even things like the type of atmosphere you want to create. These are all things that can be used to develop your theme and your purpose for your restaurant and definitely could be something that helps you on your way to success.
Sourcing the right ingredients
The next thing you need to think about would be to source the right ingredients for your restaurant. This is especially important if you are priding yourself on using ingredients that are locally sourced and/or in season. You need to ensure that you have everything you need in your kitchen to cook the meals to high standards for your restaurant. You might also want to think about getting some great relationships going when it comes to things like trade deals and buying in bulk. It can work out a little cheaper in the long term.
Having the right equipment
Before you can do any cooking though you need to ensure that you have the right equipment in your kitchen. The kitchen area needs to be large enough for you to be able to prep food safely, as well as having the right sort of cooking space for equipment such as an oven and stove. Of course, you also need to think about storing food and this is when things like a commercial cold room can come in handy. Enabling you to keep food and ingredients fresh. Equally you may want to have a similar sized freezer to keep things for a longer period of time. When it comes to equipment you also want to ensure that you can prepare food quickly as in a restaurant you tend to be cooking for high numbers of people, as well as having a station where you can prepare and garnish the food ready for service. The commercial kitchen needs to have a lot more in it than you might initially think, but it is well worth ensuring that your kitchen is well equipped.
Focusing on customer service
Customer service is a huge part of your job when it comes to running a restaurant, so you may want to think about how you ensure that the customer gets the experience they are hoping for. Authentic customer service is something that should come natural to you, because the end goal of what you want to achieve is that somebody enjoys there time in your restaurant and wants to come back time and time again. It is also about creating the right atmosphere and eminence in the restaurant itself. From the soft lighting to how people and your waiting on staff speak to the customers. It is ensuring that everyone knows all of the right information such as the wine options, the specials and any questions are answered well.
Making the experience memorable
Finally, when people eat out, it can often be because it is some sort of special occasion and an opportunity to spend time with the people they love and create the memories. Your restaurant is potentially going to pay a huge part in this, so you may want to try and think of ways that you can make the visit to your restaurant memorable. Which again adds to the customer experience and service and could potentially encourage them to back again. There are some great tips and advice online but things like live music and themed nights can always go down well. Creating the emperor able experience means that they will also share their joy with friends and family and spread the message, which is advertising that money just cannot buy.
I hope that this has given you some inspiration and motivation to take that leap of faith and open up your first restaurant. It could be one of the greatest moves that you make and certainly could pave the way for future careers and expansions in terms of more restaurants or a greater location in the future. Often getting it right at the beginning helps you to get it right for the future.