Starting your own restaurant can be overwhelming, especially if you have never owned a business. From staffing to financing, you need to consider many things. Here are some tips that will come in handy if you are thinking about opening a restaurant:
Hire a Qualified Bartender
If you want your restaurant to have a bar area, you should find a qualified bartender to serve customers. Not only does a good bartender know how to serve drinks, but he should also know how to talk to people. A qualified barkeep will read the customers in an instant and know the ones that want to talk. This means that he will make the customers comfortable enough to come back.
Apply for Your Liquor License Early
Are you thinking about serving alcohol in your establishment? To apply for a license, visit a site like http://www.mvhtexasliquorlaw.com/. Because such a license can take weeks to be approved, applying early is the best option. Moreover, you do not want to postpone your opening date because your liquor license is not out yet.
Don’t Cut the Advertising Budget
When it comes to advertising, restaurant owners need to think outside the box. Although advertising is an important part of your business, it can be very costly. You should find ways to make inexpensive flyers and website adverts.
Use Easy-to-read Font on Your Menu
Attracting customers is hard enough without having a scribbled menu. Although fonts are fun to play around with, you should stick with simple ones that customers can read. Times and Sans Serif are some of the most legible fonts. However, you should avoid italicized, capitalized, and cursive texts. The ideal font size is between 12 and 14.
Acquire Commercial Restaurant Supplies and Equipment
When starting your own restaurant, you need to acquire dishes and equipment meant for commercial use. When you purchase plates that are not designed for commercial use, they will start chipping and cracking due to heavy use. Although commercial dishes are costlier, they are also long lasting and can withstand frequent use and washing.
Choose a Unique Name for Your Restaurant
Even if your last name is McDonald, you do not have to name your restaurant after yourself. Naming your establishment after an established chain is not a good idea, as you will be asking for legal troubles. You can avoid problems by choosing a unique name that is easy to remember.
In the same vein, you should avoid names that are difficult to pronounce. They might seem sophisticated but if nobody can pronounce them, they will not do you any good.
Don’t Hire Family and Friends
Even though some family-owned restaurants succeed, you need to be careful when working with family and friends. When you start working with close friends and family members, the dynamics of your relationship will change immediately. To avoid destroying your relationships, you should work with people that you do not know. To keep track of working hours, you should use tools such as Clockspot to track time.
Study the Competition
You need to study the nearby restaurants to find out more about them. How long have they been running and why are they still in operation? Something about them still appeals to patrons and keeps them coming back.
Instead of copying ideas, you should introduce something new that nobody else offers. For instance, you can buy projectors instead of using TVs in your sports bar.
Conclusion
The above tips will come in handy when you want to open your own restaurant. If you need help, you should ask for it. Do not be afraid to try something new when exploring themes.
