Think you have what it takes to be a great restaurateur, but are daunted by the practical steps involved? Or maybe you want to open your own restaurant or even take over an existing one? Don’t worry, if you are considering any of these options, our handy restaurant tips will set you on the path to success.

What’s on the menu?

As with all businesses, opening your own restaurant starts with a good idea. And that means having a viable concept which makes you feel passionate enough to devote many hours to. Are you going to provide something that restaurant patrons will want to pay for? Is there space in the market for your concept? What will your strategy be? These questions might seem obvious, but the answers to them will signal if there’s a market for your restaurant.

Starters

Once you have your concept in place, you’re ready to think about the funding to start your restaurant. Do you have enough in the bank or will you need to raise money from investors? This will depend on your circumstances and your future plans. Many restaurateurs start small and build on their successes to attract investors. Getting start-up capital from investors will require time and a business plan that will also act as a guide for you and your team. A business plan must include analysis and take into consideration key elements that include your target market, competition and location. You also need to get the right licences and permits before you can even think about opening your doors for business.

Main course

  • A location that is central and convenient and will support the growth pattern of the neighbourhood. Will it still be a good location in future with plenty of passing foot traffic that can translate into loyal customers?
  • A menu that will showcase the food items your restaurant will become known for. The menu must have pricing that is appropriate for your market, a good selection of food and an appealing design.
  • Staff is also key to the success of a restaurant. Getting the right people requires putting the right processes in place. This will result in a better bottom line and a low staff turnover.

Dessert

Restaurant technology is one of the greatest developments in the industry and can boost your establishment’s efficiency. Waiting for bills, card machines or change is one of the most time-consuming tasks in a restaurant. You can improve your restaurant’s efficiency by speeding up the checkout process and offering easier payment methods.

The right Point of Sale (PoS) system can help with multiple restaurant functions such as keeping an accurate record of your inventory, automating orders, managing shifts and generating financial reports.

Pilot’s PoS systems can boost restaurant efficiency by integrating loyalty programmes, reservation management and accounting and payroll software.

Our solutions streamline operations with an easy-to-use interface that automatically sends orders to the relevant back-of-house destination. It eliminates the time that servers spend running around and allow them to pay greater attention to clients.

However, PoS is only one of the many tools that contribute to a restaurant’s success. To find out what the others are, and for more restaurant tips, read our e-book.

Author : Rudi Badenhorst

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Customer experience Food trends Menu design Menu ideas Menu tips Restaurant restaurant industry restaurant trends