20 advice before abrir a restaurant

2 March 2009 - 16:49

We see next a list of 20 advice or recommendations that we would have to take before initiating a restaurant:

1. To define the style of the restaurant

Before creating a restaurant, we must have or in clear which will be the type of restaurant that we are going abrir, and which will be the style or concept that we are going to give to him.

We must have well in clearly if, for example, we are going abrir to a restaurant fine type gourmet of food, familiar type, one of fast food, etc.

But most important, we must determine which will be the style or concept that we are going to give to him, which must be in agreement with our personality and our tastes, without letting influence us by the others, and trying that are a style or concept differentiator, that does not exist in other restaurants.

2. To investigate the market

Like in any business, before abrir a restaurant we must investigate the market well, trying to know which are the preferences and tastes of the consumers, and assuring to us that we will count on the sufficient demand like so that our restaurant is successful.

A form to do it, is realizing surveys to people who journey by the zone where we will abriremos the restaurant, where we consult on its preferences or tastes to them, if they would go to a new restaurant of the type that we are going to create, and how much they would be arranged to spend in each visit.

3. To determine the objective public

Within the investigation of market that we will do, an important point is to define clearly which will be our objective public, that is to say, which will be the type of consumer to who we are going away to direct.

That way, we will be able to analyze its characteristics, and to focus our business and the strategies that we will use in this type of consumer, for example, we must analyze if they are people with haste when eating, or if they enjoy to take its time, if they are arranged to cross a certain distance to go to a good restaurant, if they are arranged to pay a good price by a good plate, etc.

4. To begin by a small menu

If just we began in the businesses of the restaurants, is recommendable to begin with a small menu so that, that way, to be able to specialize us in few plates, and to be able to reduce our costs of operation.

And more ahead, as it begins to grow the business, to already increase the variety of our plates.

5. To visit the competition

Before abrir a restaurant, we must visit all the restaurants of the competition that exist.

It will allow us, on the one hand, to observe its strengths and weaknesses, so that we pruned to compete efficiently with them.

On the other hand, it will allow us to observe his successes and errors and, that way, to learn of them.

And, on the other hand, it will allow us to observe the preferences, tastes and habits of the consumers, and to orient our restaurant according to it.

6. To work in the competition

If this will be ours first experience in abrir a restaurant, we must consider of which a restaurant is a business in which much work is needed and disciplines.

A recommendation before this situation, is the one to look for a use in some restaurant so that, that way, not only to know either the operation the business, but also, of being able to have or in clear to that it is what we are going away to dedicate.

7. To avoid low prices

When one is to determine the price of our products, we do not have to doubt if we want to put to him prices somewhat high.

When one is foods, the people are prepared to pay well, as long as the plates taste good, good presentation, there is a total hygiene, and a service to the quality is offered client.

It does not matter that they exist restaurants that use the same consumptions, and count very on prices below ours; the consumers always will choose to us if we counted on these mentioned factors.

8. Good location

A determining factor in the success of a restaurant is its location, we must take well our time when choosing its location.

We can choose a centric place where we will have the advantage to be in view of a greater number of consumers, but the disadvantages of the high costs of the premises, and having to fight with a greater competition.

If we chose a place not so centric, we will have the advantages to have low costs in the rent or buys of the premises, and a smaller near competition, but the disadvantage of which we will not be in view of the consumers, although if our publicity is good, and we counted on a good product, it will not be problem.

9. Ample space

Besides the space of the dining room, in which our clients must feel comfortable and to taste, we do not have to forget that the restaurant must count on a good cooked space of, where the cooks and the personnel of kitchen can evolve efficiently and without risks of suffering accidents, and where he counts himself on a good space to store the consumptions.

10. Parking

Also, when choosing the location of the premises of our restaurant, we do not have to forget to us that this one must count on sufficient parking like the amount of clients who we calculate, will visit us in its vehicles.

11. To reduce investment

Like in all business, when abrir a restaurant, always we must try to reduce the investment, but without it means to have to sacrifice the quality.

In the case of the restaurants we can reduce investment in the scenery of the premises, which the consumers usually do not take very into account, as long as he offers good plates, is a total hygiene, and a good attention.

Another form to reduce the investment in a restaurant, is beginning to rent to the equipment and the furniture, or looking for agreements with suppliers that provide to us with them, for example, in exchange for publicity.

12. Not to scrimp in expenses

When investing in the creation of our restaurant we do not have to scrimp costs in which to consumptions or variety of supplies one talks about.

But either in which to design and furniture respecta, for example, when acquiring furniture of second hand, and in a state not very good.

We always must remember the saying that indicates that “the poor flame to the poor man”.

13. Consumptions of quality

If we want to sell quality products, our consumptions also must be of good quality.

We must always use fresh products, which, in some foods like the fish, must be bought the same day in which they will be used.

Also, we must select to our suppliers well. In the case of the restaurants, he is recommendable to have several of them; this because some of the suppliers, not always will count on fresh products.

14. To budget well

In the case of the restaurants, usually there are many hidden costs, which causes that when beginning with the investment, it is common that in the end ends up lacking money.

Reason why when doing our budget of investment, we must take our time and to enter well our costs and, to be possible, to try to reserve a small budget that serves to us as aid in case ends up to us lacking a greater investment.

15. Hygiene

Another one of the fundamental factors in the success of a restaurant, is the hygiene.

Perhaps our restaurant is small and that we do not tell by far decorated, but we offer a good product, a good attention and, mainly, we showed a total hygiene, is very probable that the restaurant is successful.

The hygiene must be cradle in an obsessive search, this one must be present in the dining room, the floor, the baths, the cooked one, the personnel (not to forget the short or moored hair), in the uniform of the personnel (not to forget the gorrita the cook), etc.

16. To select to the cook well

Another important decision in the creation of a restaurant is the selection of the cook, which not only must count on a good season, but must have the sufficient flexibility like adapting in the style of the menu that we want to give to him our restaurant.

If the cook says to us that he has worked in luxury restaurants, and that are not arranged to change to its season or its style so that it adapts to which we want to give to him our menu, then we must look for another cook.

17. To define the functions well

So that our restaurant works efficiently, we must previously define clearly which will be the functions and responsibilities of our personnel.

Some of the functions and responsibilities of a cook: to be responsible by any loss or deterioration of the equipment, not to allow the entrance of personnel other people's to the kitchen, to make the list of requirement of consumptions, etc.

Some of the functions of the kitchen personnel (mess attendant and cleaning): to help in the decoration of plates, cleaning and maintenance of equipment, to inventory, etc. daily.

18. To create expectation

A good strategy of marketing when initiating a restaurant, is to create expectation before abrir it, this can consist of the design of posters, announcements or steering wheels where we announce the quick inauguration of the restaurant.

Or it can consist of sending invitations to well-known friendly and for the day of the inauguration.

This will create expectation to prove the season of a new restaurant.

19. The service to the client

The service to the client is another one of the factors that will determine the success of a restaurant.

We must enable to all our personnel in offering an amiable treatment, being helpful and I solicit, to be fast in the attention, to maintain a good presentation and personal hygiene, to show a sincere smile, to salute courteously, to say “please” and “thanks”, etc.

20. Patience and dedication

Mounting and administering a restaurant are not a simple task, esteem that approximately one third part of the new restaurants breaks or closes.

Esteem also that, in the case of restaurants, just begins to obtain utilities as of sixth month.

Added to this, we must take into account from which the work in a restaurant begins first hours in the morning, where are due to buy the consumptions, soon it continues with the elaboration of plates, and in the preparation for lunch time, soon it continues with the cleaning and the preparation for the hour of lonche or dinner, and finishes to high times of the night, with the cleaning and having to leave all ready one for the following day.

And we must take in account also, that a restaurant not only works all the day, but every day (including Saturdays and Sunday) and, in many cases, including the holidays.

As we see, to create and to administer a restaurant are not a easy task, but our passion is the good food, and the service to the people, then we do not have to doubt in abrir one.

But that yes, we must to consider of which it stops to achieve the success, we will need much patience and perseverancia (to draw for to the problems or difficulties that can happen), and much work, disciplines and dedication (to bear all the work that implies to administer a restaurant).

Labels: Advice, Creation of businesses

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