The restaurant. A place we like to frequent ourselves and spend a good amount of money for our friends, family, and dates when we have them. Yet, if you’re a good cook, chances are you’ve thought about creating your own decisions in a professional space. So we’ve all had the dream of opening our own restaurant from time to time, especially after cooking one good dinner and thinking this could be the start of an illustrious career, there’s no judgement there! Either way, if you’re serious or not about your cookhouse plans, they don’t have to only be a dream on the horizon.
When it comes to running any kind of business, you’re going to have a lot to contend with. When you’re working in the customer service industry, you have to go above and beyond for the people who walk though your doors. When you’re working directly with hospitality, you’re going to need to make sure everything is perfect for the people who frequent your establishment. A good experience is key to retaining customers after all!
Maybe you’re finding yourself sitting around in the evenings, imagining everything you could be doing with your own restaurant, either cooking up a storm yourself or sitting in the back office ordering in all of the delicious ingredients in which you can impress your diners with. It’s time to make those dreams a reality, and here’s some good considerations for you when it comes to finally building up the restaurant you were meant to own!
Know You’ll Go the Extra Mile
Business takes a lot of time and effort, so don’t go into the prospect blind. You’re going to have to go above and beyond for your restaurant, and probably lose out on a lot of free time and sleep when you desperately need it. Restaurants, more than anything, can be very tricky to get off the ground. People are very picky with what they like to eat, and if you’re in a metropolitan or urban area, you’re going to have a lot of competition. However, sticking at it and advertising over and over again about what you offer and why you’re better is going to take you far.
No one should open a business without believing in it first, as it’s this love for what you do that keeps you coming back for the future. Make sure you know where you want to take your business at the end of the day, and don’t ever give up on it; this is your dream after all! Have a drive to see your ideas through to the end and you’ll never need to blame yourself for not trying hard enough to make it in the game.
Finding a Suitable Space
You don’t have to even buy the space if you’re looking to run a restaurant, and when you’re renting on a short term lease, you can test the waters with a pop up shop. So go looking amongst the market for a good while. A suitable space is going to be a place that you know you can thrive in, most of all. All the other considerations can fall in after that, as you need to be able to expand on your business plan and bring in enough money to keep you open. These technicalities are always going to be important, so make sure they’re kept in mind when you’re choosing your space from the high street real estate.
If you’re just starting out, you may not even have all the equipment you need, but you can always consider commercial kitchen rental if you just need somewhere to start. Renting another restaurant’s kitchen gives you access to all of the equipment you need without having to buy everything yourself, allowing you to get your business established.
There’s a lot of factors you’re going to need to keep an eye out for when you’re selecting your space. People need to be able to locate you quickly, and all kinds of people need to find you accessible if you’re truly going to service the market. Everyone needs to eat after all, and too small a space isn’t going to bring anyone in, let alone the crowds you want and need! Don’t let yourself rush this consideration, as going in too soon can mean you’re bankrupt within the month.
You also need to make sure you’re not surrounded by too many competitors, or that your restaurant at least serves a different kind of food to those around you. People need variety, and cooking up the same kind or burgers as the shop next door when they have more of a legacy than you is going to be a money sucker.
Designing the Floorplan to Customer Specification
The floorplan is where your customers wine and dine, and having enough room to eat comfortably and socialise in their own space is the only way you’re going to keep them coming back to sit down with you. If people are too close together, there’s simply no elbow room to use a knife and fork! Design something you know you’d feel comfortable in, as drawing from personal experiences is a lot more reliable than simply working with what you think looks best on paper.
Try to use the space to your advantage. Design around the property you’re working in, as it’s this idea that makes moments in your restaurants feel intimate and private amongst your patrons. So if you have a split level to your floor plan, open up the lower space with some bright lighting and tables within close proximity of each other. In the upper space, make things a little more secluded, and use candles and wall lights rather than the overhead variety.
Kitting Out the Kitchen
The kitchen is the place you’re really going to shine, despite the fact that the customers are never going to see it. You see, when you’re spinning out plates of food to the masses, you’re going to be judged most of all on your taste, presentation, and customer service. But if you don’t have a strong foundation to work off of (i.e. the kitchen…), you’re going to fall down in all of these areas!
Make sure you can cook all kinds of food to really open up your menu and make the most amount of money when you need to. Unless you’re really committed to one kind of food, and you only specialise in one area of the multiple pallets we have in our world, cater to all walks of life. For example, you can view fish scaler machines here if you’re thinking of having a seaside themed menu section, or you’re living anywhere near the coast and fish is a popular option on late Saturday nights out on the town. Simply knowing where you live, and what the people in your area like the most, is going to count a lot towards your turn over at the end of the month.
Get the Right Kind of Employees
The employees that are right for your business are the people you get on with yourself. If you find someone friendly and approachable, with plenty of smiles and casual conversation to go around, make sure you hire them. A lot of patrons love it when their server can strike up a quick conversation with them whilst still retaining their professionalism, and it garners a lot of great reviews after every meal.
If you’re looking to hire staff, make sure you have a training program in place so you’re staff can work to the high standard you require. You can find out how to hire guides tailored to different roles online so you can be sure you’re securing the right staff for your business. Simply showing someone around a kitchen isn’t enough; you’ll need to make sure they can handle customer complaints and know how to deliver orders to the people. Customer satisfaction depends on these people being at the top of the game, so don’t penalise them for any mistakes! Just make sure they know what to do.
Get Stuck In!
If you started a business, it’s good practice to make sure you’re active in that business. Simply sitting back and expecting the cash to roll in for you isn’t good for anyone involved in your company, so make sure you’re just as acquainted with the shop floor as your staff. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty, and cook some dishes up in the kitchen from time to time. If you know how to make a mean chili con carne, or your lemon sauce is second to none, this is where you can shine.
It also means you’ll be around to deal with any serious customer complaints when they occur, and they will, and you can jump in behind the till or as the host whenever you need to. Because of all of that, you’re going to be a better restaurant owner, and you’re going to become a lot more well known in your community. Reputation is everything after all!
Your restaurant dreams don’t have to stay that way, and it’s time to start taking them seriously. You keep dreaming about them for a reason, so at least look into the possibility to see how well it could go for you. A lot of the time people are looking for a little more food variety in their local area, and when you’re convenient, you’re extremely lucrative. Know your area and you’ll go far!
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