It’s no secret that the restaurant industry is tough to get into. Which is why it’s important that you thoroughly consider the amount of work and money that it can cost to start a restaurant business before taking the leap. If it’s something that you’re prepared for, however, if done correctly it can be very profitable.
If you’re still stuck on where to start, however, the prospect can be very daunting. To help ease the stress, here is a list of 6 essential things that you should consider investing in both initially and over time if you want to stand out from the crowd. At the end of the day, of course, it’s your choice as to which you invest in. But by following this advice, along with other resources, you could feel a lot more organised ahead of open day.
1. Marketing
Marketing is a vital part of any small or large restaurant business. A way of getting the word out about your new business, it can grab your customer’s attention. Whether you opt for social media or more traditional forms of marketing such as through print or an advert, it’s essential if you want a wider audience to know what you have to offer. Through marketing, you can inform them of the opening, along with a snippet of your menu and any other upcoming events you might have.
You could also harness it to invite local food bloggers to opening night. They can be very influential and a great way of marketing your business to others. It’s important that you only invite food bloggers when you’re happy with the menu, however, as a poor review could cause havoc on your restaurant.
2. Stylish Furniture
You want your customers to be amazed when they walk through the doors. Which is why it’s a good idea to invest in good-quality furniture for your restaurant. From stylish chairs to hard-wearing tables, eye-catching wallpaper and glamorous lighting fixtures, it will set the tone. If you’re lacking in inspiration, you can use resources such as Pinterest to help find the perfect decor for your restaurant.
It could also be influenced, however, by the cuisine that you offer – e.g if you offer Japanese cuisine, you should fit your restaurant with traditional decor, such as Mizuki tables.
3. Trained Staff
Your staff could be the difference between your restaurant business becoming a success or a failure. Which is why it’s so vital to hire trained staff who have experience in working in restaurant settings. This is particularly important if you’re starting a luxury restaurant business in the capital or another main city. They need to be skilled and able to deliver excellent customer service every day.
In terms of kitchen staff, you also want to ensure that you hire highly-skilled chefs, sous chefs, etc. so that every dish that’s prepared is done so to a high standard.
4. The Right Equipment
Before opening your doors, you want to make sure that you have all of the right equipment both in your kitchen and in the dining room. Whether you need a pizza oven (did you know that the average brit will eat 731 pizzas in their life?), slow cookers, a POS system, etc. it will ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible and you can deliver your customers a service that they will never forget.
5. Quality Ingredients
You want to impress your customers every day. Therefore, it’s a good idea to invest in quality ingredients, both at the start of your business and throughout its lifetime. You want to be known as offering high-quality meals, not skimping on ingredients simply because you want to save a few pounds here and there.
Constantly evaluate the quality of your meat and work with the head chef to make sure that only the best is being served – this is especially critical if you want to run a restaurant that’s considered to be more luxurious.
6. Bookkeeping Services
As your business grows, you need to keep up to date with your accounts. And although you might do this yourself at first, over time, it could become too much to handle. Which is why so many restaurant owners opt to outsource their bookkeeping. An affordable move, it will save you time and ensure that all of your accounts are taken care of.
Whilst this isn’t an exhaustive list, we note the ambition to start a restaurant business shouldn’t be underestimated. Expenses can quickly get out of control albeit, the reward can also be big if planned well!