A lot of you readers are bound to be talented in the kitchen. It is likely that several people in your life enjoy this food. Don't you think, then, that other people will enjoy it, too? You should start a restaurant!
You might be thinking of how many restaurants fail. Most do, right?
Absolutely they do. It is not surprising that most restaurants fail. However, this does not mean that your restaurant will fail, and it does not mean that you should fear it will fail. Just because ninety percent of restaurants fail does not mean you have a ninety percent chance of failing. Most restaurants fail because they are started by incredibly talented chefs. These chefs, most people think, are the best ones to start a restaurant. That's where most people are wrong, and that's why most restaurants fail. That's because these failing restaurants are not started by excellent businessmen. You, of course, are going to be a businessperson.
Isn't it a wonder that so many big restaurant chains have such mediocre food, yet the small restaurants with outstanding food often go out of business? Clearly, then, the quality of the food isn't important; or, at least, it's not the only important thing.
Don't make the same mistakes other restaurant owners make when starting your restaurant; improving the taste of your food is not the only thing you need to worry about.
If you already feel that your food is tasty enough to belong in a restaurant, then your food is tasty enough to belong in a restaurant. Forget the food. Move on to the rest of the business.
Restaurants are composed of many different parts. To begin, you should get a basic understanding of accounting. Many of you will want to hire a bookkeeper instead; remember, however, that you have limited funds.
You want to do as many of the jobs as you have time for. This allows money to be saved and reinvested back into the company. Now it's time to build an inventory system. You need to keep track of everything! Don't run your restaurant like you run your home kitchen; you need to systematize everything and write it down. Your company will work if you run it like your kitchen, but it won't be able to grow.
You will eventually hire somebody to replace you to do this job; you'll need a system for them to follow. If you don't give them a system, there won't be any structure in your restaurant. Just like a building cannot stand without a firm structure, neither can a restaurant. It will surely collapse without structure.
Eventually, you will have an employee doing inventory; you need instructions written down so that they know what to do. The lack of structure in a restaurant is the primary cause of failure. A tall building cannot be built with a weak structure. Likewise, your restaurant cannot be built with one.
You can't expect people to just know about your restaurant and where it is. You have to inform them; you must advertise. Put an ad in the newspaper. Put a commercial on the local radio (if you can afford it). Stay away from television for now; it costs too much to be worth it for your small restaurant.
On we go to advertising. You simply must advertise. You must. Newspapers are good, and so is television. However, stay away from television while you have little money - it won't be worth it. Local radio can be good if you can afford it. Systems are a must. Every area we just mentioned needs a system. Without firm, strong systems, your restaurant will survive, but it will not grow.
Imagine your restaurant is a building which you have yet to build. You start with land, and you pour a foundation into it. Any cracks in the foundation will get bigger with each floor you add on to the building. A foundation with lots of cracks might only support a two story house. If your foundation is strong, though, you can build a skyscraper....a huge chain of restaurants!
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