Any advice for the restaurant business???

Any advice for the restaurant business???

I'd like to learn about it.

Thanks!

 

Do you mean a website related to the restaurant business?

 

I spent 17-18 years in the physical business. Been out of it for 21 years and would need to be pretty hungry before I went back.

It is a very demanding occupation. Staffing is always a problem. 60 hour weeks are the norm.

On the positive side, if you are good at at it you can make some real big bucks. My bonuses just about matched my salary.

 

Restaurant business is hard from what i hear. I see new restaurants opening all the time and 6 months later they're done. Unless you open up a well known chain i wouldnt start something new.

 

I agree, restaurant businesses are hard to get started. I would suggest that you have something new, which brings customers. If you want to set up a restaurant, I suggest adding a lot of "low-fat" and "low-calorie" foods, since many people buy them now as obesity is out of hand. You can also develop your own secret recipe, so people that like the food always have to come to your restaurant. This can also lead to selling whatever your recipe is in markets. Such as, if your food is a great ice cream sandwich, your dessert can be in supermarkets and things like that.

 

one question

how big is the pool of potential staff?

wouldnt there be a large pool of people

in many places its min wage + tips, thats a great pay!

 

I recommend you looking into a guy named Rory Fatt.

 

Restaurants might be the toughest industry to profit in. It usually has large start up costs and there's always alot of competition.

 

Probably best to find a restaurant related forum (or at least food related) to ask this question

 

Staffing in most places is the worst part of the job. Everyone wants a job and nobody want to work.

Around here if you don't speak Spanish you won't be able to communicate with the only people who really want a job.

Production people do not get tips and you aren't going to hire any for minimum wage. Severs get paid about $3 per hour ( been gone so long I really don't know what the tip credit is now) plus tips.

If you are even remotely thinking about opening a place of your own, DON"T. Work in food service for awhile before you make the leap.

 

The first rule of the restaurant business:

If you want to make a million dollars in the restaurant business start with 2 million.

The first e-bay section to get a dedicated one was used restaurant equipment, there's a reason for that.

 

Easy to lose your shirt....

 

Why is it that people are always so fast at shooting others down with the bar/restaurant idea? Sure its hard, but so are many other things. Not everybody can work as a programmer, webdesigner, cleaner, doctor, teacher...

With the restaurant business, the most important aspect to note would be the fact that you are on your own - no boss, no timetable given, you are the one running the show. So as with any entrepreneurial business starting a restaurant is very similar. The only key difference is that for a restaurant you probably need a lot more capital than for your own real estate agency or your own marketing agency.

Something I would not suggest starting without as with so many ideas is PASSION... Apart from that and the MONEY, heres a bunch of tips that may guide you to what it takes in this business to compete and be profitable:

http://restaurants.about.com/od/decidingontheconcept/tp/Concepttips.htm

1) Make yourself stand out
2) Dont be too far ahead of your time
3) Dont price yourself out of the market
4) A key to profit is controlling your costs
5) Make Sure Your Concept Will Be Profitable
6) Good Concepts Are On-Trend
7) Your Concept Has to be Easily Identifiable
8) Take Inspiration from Other Sources
9) Make Sure Your Concept Fits the Location
10) Make Sure You Love the Concept

 

I was not shooting it down. I answered the questions asked.

I will offer one more piece of advice. Live your "dream" for at least a year before you bet your home on it.

Anyone of average IQ who is willing to work hard and can mange people and money can make a go of a viable concept. Just make sure you are willing to pay the price before you start. So many jump in with no concept of what they are doing or how to go about it.

 

Because stats clearly show that the restaurant business is one of the most risky ones out there in terms of business bankruptcies.

Combine that with the high cost of entering that business and you've hit a double whammy.

It's called the real world, I don't sugarcoat it for others.

 

As others have said, it's a high risk venture and a ton of hours you need to put in. Tough to find reliable workers depending on where you are.

Even if your restaurant gets noticed and becomes a hot spot, it is really difficult to sustain the business. You can be hot one week and not the next.

 

If you want to use 10-15 years trying to build a restaurant from the ground up, with no experience. I'd suggest looking into other endevours.

this is not to be cruel, but the restaurant business is one of the most time consuming, demanding, and stressful industries you can get yourself into. There is no real fortune to make, you must pay leases, insurance and so on. The list ads up and the profits come late,.. YOu have to build a name and find a key location.

take a step back.......why not work from home?? idk, i just think the restaurant business is extremely difficult and demanding.

 

Restaurant business is a very risky business. Though, if you do well, you could make really good stable profit. Depends on what kinda of restaurant business you want to do, there are a lot of things to be considered. Below are a list of mine from my experiences.

• Do not partner unless you really have to: It is a really pain if you have to partner with someone in the future as the restaurant grows. There will be a lot of conflicts unless the partner is a really good friend or close people. Though to be honest, even relatives can't be trusted when it comes to money business. Do not partner with anyone unless you have no choice. It is better and easier to be your own boss then having to discuss with your partner to get the final decisions.
• A good location: Plaza is probably the most popular location that people want to get their location start at. When looking for a location, look around the environment. If it is going to be a solo building, find one that is easily to be seem. Don't find one that is stuck or being covered up by other buildings.
• Restaurant appearance: First impression is always important. Make your restaurant friendly by having some plants around your restaurant or inside your restaurant. Make sure it is clean and neat. Even bathroom should be neatly cleaned (unless it is a fast food restaurant)
• Health department & Insurance: Make sure you get all the documents and health service inspection. These are very important and troublesome if not handled correctly.
• Advertisement & Specials: make your restaurant stand out and unique by offering various kinda of specials (such as card punch etc, free gifts, drawings etc). For advertisement, considering use TV and bulletins. Also newspaper
• Food: Don't just hire random cook. A famous restaurant normally always have something that makes the customers unforgettable.
• Employees & Customer Services: besides of the food, customer services and employee attitudes are probably the most important thing. Don't hire random waiters and waitresses. I really can't emphasize how important it is to have trained waiters and waitresses as they represent your restaurant. If you want a long last restaurant, make sure you get employees with good attitudes. I know this will be hard as you will have to spend more budgets. But it affects restaurant business a lot.

These are the ones I can think of now. They don't just come out from nowhere. It is what I learned from my relatives' restaurant business.
Good luck.

 

thanks for the advice... i will consider not opening a restaurant...