Being a fan of cooking and preparing three healthy meals for your family every day of the week is one thing, but doing that professionally for dozens of people all the time is something completely different. But, if you think cooking is your true calling, this is something you have to invest all your time and money into. Starting a restaurant business can be hard and challenging, but it’s probably the most exciting thing you’re ever going to do, so here’s what you need to look into and how you can become the best restaurateur you can be.
Why are you doing this?
There are lots of reasons why people open restaurants – from wanting to be in a charge of a successful business and trying to invest their money into something lucrative, to actually trying to make a difference in their community and sharing their passion with the world. So, you need to understand what you’re doing and why you’re looking into this idea in the first place.
Once you define this, all the other crucial things – the scope, the size, the location, the menu, the design, etc. – are going to come to you naturally. In the end, if you don’t know what you’re doing and what you’re trying to achieve, your restaurant won’t be successful and you’ll just waste your time and money.
How big a restaurant do you want?
Depending on your ideas and desires, you can either start a small restaurant that’s going to prepare only a handful of different meals daily, or a huge place that might be able to accommodate dozens and dozens of hungry guests. Ultimately, it all depends on your level of skills and dedication to your new career.
Of course, you don’t need to choose just between these two options, so simply pick something in between instead. But, whatever you go for, you need to know how big of a restaurant you’re opening. The size of your place will determine how many people you need to hire, what sort of professionals you should be looking for, how big of a space you require, and other vital issues.
How will you decorate your place?
In this day and age, lots of restaurants around the world look the same – beige walls, white tablecloths, open concept design, lots of natural sunlight and fresh air, as well as a few plants scattered around the place – as if they were all decorated by the same person. So, if you want to stand out, make an impact and attract a new crowd, you have to make your restaurant unique and special, and the most effective way to do so is by focusing on the décor. You can go with a theme such as Nautical if you are specializing in fish or ethnic if your specialty is a certain nationality cuisine.
You may want to hire a professional who can help you with this or perhaps you already know the look you are going for. Depending on your local weather you may want to explore unusual ideas for the outdoor space. For instance do you want the classic tables with umbrellas or perhaps you want to go with the more modern protective commercial shade sails that will allow your guests to enjoy fresh air and dine alfresco.
What about finances?
Money rules every aspect of the modern world, and the restaurant business is no different – you have to invest a considerable amount of money into your new place, and keep investing even after you start making a profit. Managing finances could turn out to be rather hard, even if you do have some experience, and that’s why talking to an expert is always a good idea.
Getting a loan, obtaining all the necessary licenses, purchasing the equipment, hiring the staff, investing in marketing and thinking about unexpected costs are just some of the things you need to worry about. As you can see, it’s a lot of hard work, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing, so don’t be afraid to ask for help and rely on someone who knows their way around finances.
Even though it’s a lot of hard work, opening a restaurant is an adventure of a lifetime and something you’ll definitely never forget, no matter how successful your restaurant turns out to be in the future. So, don’t be scared to take the plunge – this might easily change your life and make it much better than it is today, so just go for it!
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