What To Know About Opening a Restaurant

Opening a restaurant is a dream come true for many people. Those who love food want to share their love with others. If you are thinking about opening a restaurant, you should know what you need to do before you start. Many things must be completed before you can invite guests into your very own place.

Finding a Location

The first thing you’ll need to do is find a good location. Finding a location influences everything else. The ideal location makes your business stand out so customers can find you and brings in lots of business. For many people, an ideal location should also fit into their budget.

Picking the Menu

After finding a great location, the next step is to choose a concept and develop a menu. For many restaurant owners, the menu is dictated by the food they intend to serve. For example, a French restaurant may have a menu that includes a variety of classic French appetizers such as French onion soup and other traditional menu options such as roast duck. A good restaurant menu should provide lots of eating options as well as easily readable descriptions and well chosen food pictures.

Getting Licenses/Certifications

In many parts of the country, a restaurant owner must have all necessary permits. These permits govern varied types of food and beverages. If the restaurant owner plans to serve alcohol, they may need to apply for a specific permit just to serve alcoholic beverages. For example, in Wisconsin a restaurant owner will need to have a Wisconsin responsible beverage server license. These permits must be in place before the day of the restaurant opening. Permits may require applications to various state agencies as well as the payment of certain fees. If the restaurant owner does not have these in place, state officials can shut the place down before it even opens. So proper permit paperwork is crucial before opening day.

Hiring Staff

Hiring staffers is another crucial step. Staffers should have either a background in food service or a willingness to learn. Enthusiastic and motivated staffers set a wonderful tone and welcome guests inside. Finding staffers can be done in varied ways including putting an ad in the local paper and networking through various social media sites. In-person interviews are best. Good candidates should show up professionally dressed with resumes on hand and the ability to answer detailed questions about their qualifications thoughtfully.

Training the Staff

Once all of of these steps have been completed, the owner needs to train the staffers they have chosen well. Training is crucial when opening a restaurant. All should flow smoothly on opening day. This is why many owners allow at least several days or a week to make sure staffers know what is required of them once the doors open. Training should ideally take the form of hands-on experience under the supervision of another qualified candidate. Chefs should know the menu and how to prepare each item properly. Servers need to know how to prepare all tables including where the silverware goes and how to serve items in an unobtrusive manner. If there are uniforms involved, all staffers should know how to put them on what items of clothing are required when on duty.

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