Opening a restaurant sounds exciting on paper, but there’s a lot to juggle behind the scenes. From the menu to the mood you’re going for, everything matters. If you’re about to open one or you’re still in planning mode, here are five things that are actually worth paying attention to.
Make it easy for people to pay
Before anything else, get your payment setup sorted. It sounds small, but it makes a big difference. These days, barely anyone carries cash. Most people want to tap their card or phone and be done. If your place doesn’t accept card or Apple Pay, you’re going to lose customers fast. You’ll want a good QSR payment terminal that works quickly, accepts all major payment types, and doesn’t give your staff a headache. It needs to be reliable, simple to use, and not slow everything down during a lunch rush. Trust me, this is one of those things you’ll want to get right from the start.
Don’t skip the business plan
It doesn’t have to be a huge document. You’re not trying to impress a bunch of investors here. But you do need a basic plan to figure out who your customers are, what kind of food you’re offering, how you’ll price things, and how much money you need to break even. Even a rough sketch will help keep you focused when things get chaotic. And they will get chaotic. You can tweak it later, but get something down now.
Get your kitchen workflow sorted
This one can be easy to overlook. When you’re planning your kitchen, think about how the food actually moves. Where is it prepped? Where is it cooked? Where does it get plated? If everything’s in a weird spot or hard to reach, it’ll slow your team down and stress everyone out. Talk to your chef. Talk to the people who’ll be working in that kitchen. Figure out what layout makes sense before you buy a single appliance.
Hire people you can actually rely on
Skills can be taught. Attitude can’t. You’ll have a much better time if you hire people who show up on time, do what they say they’ll do, and treat customers like human beings. Restaurant life is hectic, and you want people who can handle pressure without making it everyone else’s problem. And yes, that includes your front-of-house staff. A friendly server makes more of a difference than the wallpaper or the specials board.
Get the word out early
Don’t wait until you open to start marketing. Start building a little buzz before your first day. That could be as simple as posting progress pics on Instagram or letting your mates know when opening day is. You don’t need a huge campaign. You just need to start talking about it. Word spreads fast when people are excited to try something new. Make it easy for them to find you, and give them a reason to come back.
Get these five things sorted out and you’ll be well on your way to opening a successful restaurant!
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