Christan Cafe 'advice from real business owners'?
Rent a place for $900 and get ready to open. Visit in person at the County Health Dept. Sometimes they will do an "audit" to get you to understand how their rules work. Call the City Treasurer and ask about any tax or permits. Get IRS rules at www.irs.gov about withholding taxes for employees. Buy restaurant equipment at Restaurant Depot or attend bankruptcy auctions of restaurants that have closed; the Bankruptcy Court has lists of items for sale. Pay $10 at the Secretary of State's Office to buy a Trade Name. Buy some food and open for business..
Do restaurant owners look for help in pricing their menu?
Nope. If they cannot do this, they are dead in the water.My constant advice is that you need to understand two things with utmost fluency:Costing / Pricing, making planned gross margin (GM)Selling enough dishes or drinks, based on 1, to cover your overhead.The first is pretty much pure accounting, on the back of menu design. The second is sales, marketing and reputation management.Let’s set up a key difference here. Costing is the money you pay in terms of direct purchased ingredients, waste and inventory issues to make a dish or to provide a beverage. Pricing is about the money the customer pays you for that menu item. The element of contribution or margin between, is the gross margin. Calculating your cost has to be done at a scientific level. There is no messing to be done with cost. Ingredients leave the stores by usage, waste, marketing, gifts, theft or poor management. Depending on the cause, the cost of that reduction in revenue will hit kitchen / bar cost or overhead.Pricing is a mixed bag.If you work in a market that is price sensitive then you will be looking to your competition for comparison. This is the commodity end of the curve. Pricing is the key factor. At this end, the pricing needs more of the science as you’ve applied to your costing. Every menu item, happy hour, discount, coupon or offer will need to be factored very carefully along with the sales of extras from your menu or bar that happen alongside.The other end of the market is more quality / reputation sensitive. Managing those factors means that pricing can be an art rather than a science or even a craft. People will pay a lot more at this end but you have to deliver the goods to get the premium.
What is an important piece of advice for a new restaurant owner?
Make one person responsible for cooler and freezers. Lock them. surprising how much food can disappear. Try to have enough working capital to see you through a year. Old advice Location! Location! Location. Some remote restaurants might do well if they had enough advertising and superior product. Keep in mind incidentals like napkins, condiments, linens, carry out dishes and others can quickly add up or you could also run out. Introduce yourself and greet customers personally. Dirty kitchens, window and restroom are a big no no. High traffic carpets that don’t show stains are good or tile. Make your employees feel like they are a part of the operation. Complement them on services performed well and ask for their input. do your shopping and paper work during slow hours. Train staff and looks for most efficient ways to run kitchen. Avoid accidents. Instruct new staff on safety such as alerting each other they are behind them. Most experienced are already aware of the phrase, "behind you." In and out doors are good if you can afford that luxury. Cuts and burns are very common in the kitchen. Emphasize care. Meat slicing machine blades are disastrous and very common they should always be handled with a towel. Stress the importance of cleaning spills immediately and the dangers of wet floors. Grates help in this area. This is all I can think of now.
Who is the go to person that restaurant owners listen to for advice?
The problem is with the kind of advice they want. If you start in the restaurant business with no cooking, accounting, marketing, selling, interior design, legal, HR, operations, security, planning, food hygiene, people skills, reputation management, maintenance or any other manner of things, you are truly ###### (screwed).Very few know it all and we all have to keep a black book of contacts. I know some excellent PR folks but I know probably more about reactive reputation management than they do. They know a shed load more journalists than I do, so it’s working out who knows what and building that network.Don’t ask your bank manager for advice though. Very few of them actually have any business skills these days, apart from trying to sell you shit. I had an overdraft review with a complete waste of organs a few years back.Him: “If restaurants are so successful, why do you need an overdraft?”Me: “Because on a regular basis we kind of see peeks and troughs in our trading”Him: “And you didn’t predict them?”Me: “Your bank didn’t and that’s why our country is f##ked because the government now owns you”Him: quietLook to networks and maybe even forums to build contacts, but there are few people who can cover all the stations in the restaurant, so you need to know what the problem is first and then find someone who can help.
What are some good management tips for restaurant owners?
A restaurant manager works in a fast-paced environment, and his job description ranges from the mundane to the most challenging. In fact, the restaurant manager is most times the difference between the success and failure of a restaurant.Best Management Tips & Tricks for Restaurant Managers & OwnersAttitudeThe mood of the manager of a business has a way of affecting the staff, and same applies to a restaurant. A negative attitude on your part as a manager can trickle down through your employees and seep into your guests, making them have a terrible dining experience.2. Create stability alwaysThe restaurant business is quite unpredictable because of the many challenges that crop up frequently. One day can differ from the next which can, in turn, differ from the next. This can wear away at employee efficiency because they have no idea what to expect from day to day3. Delegate effectivelyThe job of a restaurant manager is never done. There are always a thousand and one little details waiting for your attention. This is why it is important to learn to delegate. Start by delegating the less-critical day-to-day chores to trusted employees you know can get the job done4. Let customer satisfaction always come firstCustomers come with a lot of preferences, and sometimes those special requests take a toll on the staff, but you have to inculcate into your staff that customer satisfaction should always come first no matter what5. Modify your websiteA latest research shows that 9 in 10 smartphone owners use their devices when deciding where to eat. And 88% seek directions and hours, followed by the menu. To ensure your website is functional, it has to show these essentials first, and must be able to automatically adjust to the screen size of a smartphone.Proper restaurant management is critical to the success of a restaurant. Follow the tips mentioned above diligently and see how it streamlines your entire restaurant operations which in turn helps you to have overflowing cash registers in your restaurant.For more information on the same refer to Effective Restaurant Management Tips to Run a Successful Restaurant in Singapore
Trial shift as a waitress at a restaurant tomorrow - any advice?
The restaurant is kind of upscale, but I wouldn't call it fine dining. I don't have any waitressing experience but managed to get myself a trial shift. I'm so worried I'm going to be awful and they won't hire me. I've worked in clothes/boutique stores for years and know how to give good customer service, but waitressing is different. I'm thinking that I meet customers at the door, I seat them, (how do I know WHERE to seat them?!) I give them menu's, ask if I can get them anything to drink, bring them their drinks (precariously, on a tray), ask if they would like to order any starters, - do I ask them if they are ready to order their main course or is it too early? should I walk away and come back in a few minutes? if so, do I need to tell them I'll be back in a few minutes? So they order their main course, I write it down, take it to the kitchen, bring them their food when it's ready, keep an eye on their drinks (when they are getting low, say on wine, say "Can I get you another glass of wine?" ??) and then a few minutes later go back and ask if everything is okay, can I get them some water? Am I on the right track with all of this? My trial shift is at 5pm - are they likely to want me to start serving right away? I did a trial shift once where I just cleaned knives and forks. I didn't get the job. HELP!??
How long do restaurant owners monitor his new restaurant everyday?
All day every day for at least a year and until such a time that you are certain that the management team you have will look after your, and their interests in the business. You need to be certain of every single bit of cash and inventory that comes in or goes out of your business, and thus will be checking your financials daily.We have a CCTV system that covers the whole restaurant, including the kitchen, bars and dining area. This system can be accessed remotely, and it will amaze you what you see even when you are not looking for something in particular.This is not "big brother is watching you", this is me looking after my huge investment in a business that has to succeed...I have noticed during the many years that I have been in the restaurant industry that clients love seeing the owners on the floor during busy service periods. It seems to give the client the feeling that, yes, the owners do actually care that I am spending my money here, and that they deserve that personal attention.The longer you spend at you restaurant, the quicker you get to know your regular clients by name, and there is nothing better than this in terms of your marketing strategy.So be prepared to "live" at your new restaurant for at least a year after you open your doors for the first time.This investment in time and effort will pay off in the long run...
I want to open a restaurant...?
Given below points helps you to start restaurant business. 1. Decide the menu you will be serving. This will determine the type of location you will need, along with the type of restaurant equipment you must obtain to prepare and serve the menu. 2. Find a suitable location. If you plan to serve alcohol some locations will not be suitable. For example, some local codes do not allow liquor served within a certain proximity to a school or church. 3. Educate yourself on the type of restaurant equipment you will need. If you are serving fried or grilled foods, you will need an overhead hood with an exhaust system. This is expensive to install, which means you are often better locating a commercial building that is already set up as a restaurant. 4. Attend to the business of business. As with all businesses, you will need to obtain a business license, insurance, workers compensation insurance, consider incorporation to limit your liability, arrange for a payroll service and hire a business accountant and attorney. 5. Arrange for funding. There are different funding options available when starting a restaurant, which will vary, depending on if you are leasing, purchasing or building. Unless you have prior restaurant experience you may have difficulty obtaining financing. 6. Locate vendors. You will need to locate restaurant vendors. These are usually separate companies, including dairy, bread, liquor, cleaning supplies and general foods. 7. Meet with the local health department. You will need a local health permit. Many areas require restaurant employees take and pass a food handler's course. 8. Make a list. There are numerous tasks to complete before opening a restaurant. They include: decorating the dining room, setting up the kitchen, hiring and training employees, setting up a cash register or computer ordering system, marketing and ordering menus and dishware.
What are the best forums/blogs for restaurants owners/managers out there?
Coming across useful pro resources may be tricky in the abundance of websites made for those who simply love to eat. These blogs are practical and inspiring, and I actually read them despite being swamped in my daily routine.Toast Restaurant Management BlogToast is a POS-management system developed by a team from Boston, MA. These guys know the challenges people face in the kitchen. Every aspect of restaurant management is being covered by the members of Toast’s team or guest experts.Open for business“Open for business” is supported by Opentable—an online service that allows customers to make reservations at restaurants in a few clicks. Their blog focuses on interviews with chefs and managers, and it gives you a valuable sense of real people’s struggles. The team also shares links to noteworthy industry news on a weekly basis.Modern Restaurant ManagementThis independent blog aims to be a “go-to resource” for every restaurant industry professional. Posts are often supported with elaborate infographics. Don’t miss their regular section that offers restaurant marketing ideas for the next month—it can be an excellent aid in planning your promo activities.The Restaurant ExpertIf reading isn’t your thing and you prefer watching or listening, give this blog a try. It’s supported by a training company that helps restaurateurs fix their businesses and achieve their potential. These guys are used to talking—so they choose to shoot videos instead of writing long posts.Dodo Pizza StoryThis blog is supported by our team. Unlike many other bloggers, we’re not consultants—we’re practitioners aiming to build a chain of next-level pizza deliveries in the US. Having opened our books to the public, we share everything we learn while growing our business.EaterI couldn’t—and actually didn’t want to—resist the temptation to add to this list just one site that’s made for consumers. Having a broader view of what’s going on in the eating world in general never hurts. Eater gives you exactly that.A few more:Restaurant EngineAaron, Allen & AssociatesQuick Service RestaurantsPMQ Pizza MagazineFastCasual