Becoming a Restauranteer
Many of our readers know how their way around a kitchen; even if you're not a good chef, you probably know at least one or two recipes you can turn into a delicious meal. If you or those you cook for think your food is tasty, won't others? Of course they will. So, open up a restaurant!
You might be thinking of how many restaurants fail. Most do, right?
Certainly they do. Of course they do! They're started by great chefs, too! And, that is the problem. Why? A restaurant cannot be started by a great chef alone; it must be started by a great businessman.
Isn't it a wonder that so many big restaurant chains have such mediocre food, yet the small restaurants with outstanding food often go out of business? Clearly, then, the quality of the food isn't important; or, at least, it's not the only important thing.
So, stop improving your food; don't make the same mistake that most restaurant owners make. Think about it; if people like your food when you cook at home, then people will like your food in your restaurant. Your food is good enough. Stop worrying about it. You need to focus on the rest of your restaurant.
If you're a good enough cook to make tasty food, then you're a good enough cook for your restaurant. Don't worry about the food anymore. The rest of your restaurant needs your attention.
Restaurants are composed of many different parts. To begin, you should get a basic understanding of accounting. Many of you will want to hire a bookkeeper instead; remember, however, that you have limited funds.
Inventory is the next thing you'll want to tackle. A restaurant cannot function if the owner does not keep track of its stuff. Many owners operate their restaurant kitchen like their home kitchen. This will work, but only to a certain degree. Your restaurant will only grow to the size of your home kitchen. You obviously don't want that. So, write down instructions on how to do everything. Make systems.
Next is inventory. Keeping track of everything in your restaurant is important! If you run it like your home kitchen, your restaurant will function, yes. However, it won't be able to grow much bigger than your kitchen. Make everything systematic. Write everything down.
You'll need to do a lot of work to find a good supplier, too. The cheaper, the better, but only if they have quality supplies. Don't be lazy like lots of owners. It pays to do some searching.
We move on to your suppliers, as you need supplies to run your restaurant. Obviously, you should find the cheapest supplier who still fills your needs. Most restaurant owners, however, are lazy here. If you put in a good amount of work, you will be able to find a good deal.
On we go to advertising. You simply must advertise. You must. Newspapers are good, and so is television. However, stay away from television while you have little money - it won't be worth it. Local radio can be good if you can afford it. Systems are a must. Every area we just mentioned needs a system. Without firm, strong systems, your restaurant will survive, but it will not grow.
Weak systems are analogous to cracks in a foundation for a building. The larger the building gets, the more pressure is put on those cracks. Eventually, the cracks will be so large the building will collapse. With a strong foundation, however, the building can be very large. Be sure your systems are strong!