Important ​​Things You Need to Consider When Opening a Restaurant

Are you ready to move from occasional entertainer to restauranteur?

For those who enjoy cooking and sharing their inventions with friends and family, it is no secret that opening a restaurant is the next best step. 

Opening a restaurant is a dream for many, easily becoming a reality with hard work and commitment. You need to consider many different things when opening a restaurant, including the legal requirements, the costs to open and run, the equipment, hiring employees, and marketing.

Here are some top things you need to consider as you embark on your new journey and make your dream a reality. 

Theme 

First things first, what is the concept of your restaurant going to be? Most individuals who start their restaurant usually have this idea already set in stone, as it can be inspired by culture or the type of cuisine they love to make.

Once you have your general concept, it is important to go above and beyond and consider how your restaurant will stand out from the crowd. What makes you and your cuisine special, what sets you apart from your competitors, what kind of experience do you want your customers to have when they visit your restaurant?

The answers to these questions will dictate the location, how you style your restaurant, how you provide service, and how you market yourself. 

Competitor research

It is important to research your competitors right from the start. Visit their restaurant, check their reviews, even speak to their customers. This will give you a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, what your ideal customers like and dislike, and where there are potential gaps in the market. 

How can you serve your customers better? How can you simplify things?

Consider the legal requirements

The legal requirements will differ by country and state, so you need to ensure you familiarise yourself with them. This includes all the correct permits, permissions, and licenses to use the premises as a business and add/remove any structures, be able to cook and serve food and alcohol, music licenses, health and safety requirements, food standards, and so on. Again, the more you know before you start, the less likely you will meet problems and fines later. 

Hiring Staff

Another important consideration when opening a restaurant is to staff it appropriately. You will need to fill many different roles when you open up a restaurant. You want to ensure that the people working for you are friendly and professional and understand the business and hospitality world. Once you have your team in place, you can learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of rotating schedules to see if it’s the right solution for you.

Costs 

Consider the costs and budgets you will need to start and run the restaurant for the first few years. You will not be able to get an exact figure, but you can make some estimates to keep updated along the way. You will need to consider the costs of the premises, the licenses and permits, the restaurant furniture and decor, the employees, the marketing, the suppliers, kitchen equipment, legal advice, and more. 

Marketing 

There is no point in opening a restaurant if you don’t have people to serve. Once you have the important steps above in place, you’ll need to consider how to market your new business and attract paying customers. Marketing always starts with a customer persona. Figure out who your ideal client is and work your way forward from there. This persona will provide you with a guide on what they like and dislike so that you can adapt your messaging accordingly. You may consider hiring a marketing expert to help put your business on different platforms and get your brand known in the local area. 

When opening your restaurant, there are many different things you need to consider. Remember, this is a journey and will take time, patience, and hard work.