Choose a location for the restaurant and obtain a commercial lease
This phase is straightforward. Where would you want your restaurant to be? You’ll have to choose from available options. These factors are most important in choosing a location:
- Visibility and accessibility of the location. You need a spot that people walking and driving by can easily spot.
- Demographics. Your target market for the restaurant has to match the location of your choice.
- Labor costs and minimum wage. Find out the labor costs in that area and factor in how it affects the running of the restaurant.
- Competition. Are there any restaurants offering similar services closely? It’s a great idea to have enough distance between you and your competitors.
Permits and leases
Before going ahead with the restaurant, the restaurant owner will be required to obtain different permits and licenses – local, state, and federal. Seek some legal counsel when getting these permits to ensure a hitch-free process.
Find your equipment and food supplier
Every restaurant needs a constant and reliable source of equipment and an open line of credit for effective running. Your supplier has to be able to constantly provide for you and at reasonable prices.
Create a design layout
It’s time to bring your concept to life. How do you want your restaurant to appear? You may seek some professional help here if necessary. However, make sure that your design accounts for space and allows for a systematic flow to every corner of the restaurant.
Hire the right type of staff
Many processes and procedures go into staff hiring and you need to make sure that you get it right. Consider all the processes which will be occurring at your restaurant and the staff that you would need to make them work. A fundamental list of staff that you’ll be employing before opening the restaurant include:
Executive chef
General manager
Sous chef
Prep cooks
Servers
Bartenders
Hosts
Food runners and bussers
Dishwasher
Advertise Your Restaurant
Before going ahead to open up, you need to get the word out to people that there’s a new restaurant on the block. You can advertise through different media but make sure the message gets to the right target audience.