How-to Start Your Restaurant Business

A lot of new restaurants fail to determine just who they are looking to serve.

In order to make decisions that make sense for your restaurant, you will want to careful figure out who your ideal customer is.

Take the time your need to get to know her, read what she reads and do what she does...

You may even want to write out a description of her or walk around the area near the restaurant location to see who's around.

You will also want to figure out where you want your customers to come from -

-out of town?

-From next door?

That will help you figure out a great marketing strategy and how to advertise to those specific people.

While you might already know who your main competition is, in your restaurant marketing plan, you will want to specifically outline who this competition is and what they have to offer.

This might include everything from the menu they have to the hours they plan to be open and anything else that you may need to compete with.

When you're getting ready to open up your restaurant, you will need to figure out the reason why people would come to your restaurant instead of someone else's.

This might be a certain theme that your restaurant has or a certain gimmick that you're planning on using.

Try to find the one thing that you will try to call a customer's attention to and then put this in your restaurant marketing plan.

When you have figured out your customer base, it will become easier for you to figure out what kinds of advertising they will respond to.

Maybe they're a middle income family that reads the paper - your advertising should go in there.

Maybe you're targeting an older community that likes coupons - so you would try to reach this audience through direct mail.

It can help if you find out what other advertising models have worked in the area.

A restaurant marketing plan needs to contain specific steps that you will take in order to market to the customers you wish to target.

Time spent getting inside your customers head and hearts can be the best investment you'll ever make.

Try to create a time line in which these events are supposed to happen and then follow your plan.

Think marketing calender. Get a few calenders and use notebooks as calenders.

When you're done you'll have a 52 week marketing calender and beyond...

A restaurant marketing plan also needs to have plans in place for the future and the growth you can expect.

Try to create a list of goals that you want t achieve with your restaurant - both financial and miscellaneous goals.

This will help you keep focused in times when the future doesn't look as great.

Restaurant marketing plans are a great way to consolidate your ideas and make your restaurant come to life.

Researching can be some work and it just comes down to your time and attention to map out your success calender.

Research can help you "sell yourself" and your plans to potential investors, give you a fighting edge on market trends, find you the best location, grants, deals, suppliers and management strategies. Knowledge is power.

Small Business Association

SCORE

IRS

Cornell University Hospitality Studies

Trademarks and registry of names

Market Research

Marketing Strategies

Target Market

State and Local Offices

US Census Bureau

Highway Department

USB Labor Statistics

Zoning Department

Local business bureau

Software for accounting, inventory, customer tracking, sales etc.

Equipment Auctions/ Used Supply/ Leasing

Locations/Leases

Accounting Methods

The competition

Local and national restaurant associations

Business Plan

Business Plan

Your business plan is the second most important part of starting up a business. In it you will begin to form your concept and vision, determine what will make your business unique, and identify costs, future goals and plans. A good business plan has 10 sections.

Executive Summary is the highlights of your plan in 2 pages or less

Company Summary is about you or your company, business history

Products/Services: what will differentiate you from the competition?

Market Analysis: the research

Strategy/Implementation: your plan of action

Management Summary: management experience and accomplishments

Funding Request: what you're asking for: starting costs, future costs, possible scenarios, cash injection points

Financial Plan: the numbers and substantiating details

Appendix: The appendix is substantiating information that may come in handy when presenting your pitch.

Credit history

Resumes

Product pictures

Letters of reference

Details of market study

Relevant articles and text

Licenses/permits/patents

Legal documents

Copy of leases

Building permits

Contracts

List of business consultants including attorney and accountant

Taxes, Permits, Licenses

Some applications may take as long as 9 months to be approved so this paperwork is something you want to start early on. Visit the IRS website for tons of free information on tax considerations for new businesses. Contact your state and local tax departments/assessors as well.

Get an EIN: Employer Identification Number

Register your business name

Get workman's compensation information

Get I-9, W-4, and W-5 employee forms

Find out about FUTA

Payroll tax

Sales Tax

Property tax

Equipment/Inventory tax

State income tax

Business license tax

Fees to maintain corporate status

Federal/ Social Security/ Medicare tax

Business license

Certificate of occupancy

Health permit

Food licenses

Food worker permits

Liquor license
Sign permit

Music license

Dance permit

Fire certificate

Police permit

Sellers permit

Vending machine permit

Building permit

Zoning permit

Vision/Mission/ Manuals

Although you may think you have a good idea about what your vision and mission consist of, it is necessary to put it into writing. Most new restaurants that fail do so because vision gets clouded, concepts get compromised, unique identity is lost and no one is on the same page.
This is a work in progress as it will be necessary to update your concept, review your mission and periodically check in with staff and customers to renew who you are and where your business is going.

Employee manual

Vision overview and mission statement

Uniform and dress code

Pay and benefits

Rules: use of phone and internet

Methods of service and cash handling

Disciplinary actions

Resigning method

Hours and work week definitions

Accident procedures

Promotion/demotion policy

Continuing education/training

"I agree" form

Cash register Manual

Forms for deposit

Forms for pay outs

Forms for mistakes

Clear policy on accepted methods of payment

Refund and credit policies

Tip pay procedures

Inventory Tracking

Menu manual: a menu manual can help you to track food costs and successful dishes. It can also help if the chef is out sick and someone else has to do his dish, and give you the information to answer any customer questions.

Raw ingredients

Cook times

Cook temperatures

Portion sizes

Preparatory procedures

Holding times

Holding temperatures

Leftover procedures

Food storage

Food safety

Food cost

Selling price

Nutritional analysis

Food Safety and Handling Manual

Detailed Concept/ vision/ mission statement

Who are we? Why do we exist?

What is our service to consumers?

Who is our target market?

How are we unique?

What are our core competencies?

What are our goals?

What is our strategy?

What are our management techniques?

Is our vision inspiring to us or is it just about sales?

Have we brainstormed with staff and gotten customer feedback to determine how on task we are?