Diagnostic method of the 10 steps to grow your restaurant without dying in the attempt
We leave you 10 recommendations resulting from the experience of our consultants specialized in food and beverages:
- Concept and menu:
Have you ever visited a restaurant where it is clear that you do not know what it is, what it offers or what to expect when eating there?
Being everything and nothing is common when an establishment lacks a clear concept that allows its potential customer to associate with the brand, make it their own, knowing that it offers exactly what it appears to be.
Invest time in defining your concept, your philosophy, build a school, so that whoever becomes part of your business correctly transmits the essence of your business to your clients. All staff must live it, breathe it and believe in it.
Are you clear if your menu makes effective use of your inventory, as well as allowing your kitchen to flow easily without major losses due to idle inventory or unsustainable preparation times?
Are you clear if your menu has a rotation strategy that allows high-turnover products with low margins to help you sell low-turnover products with higher margins?
- Costs and prices
In our business journey we find more and more businesses whose prices were established based on the competition, however we must ask ourselves:
Is it sustainable to ignore the costs and real margin that is managed in the business? Or, even if there is a definition of costs, I must ask myself: Are the costs considering the losses due to handling or preparation, which, being a loss, must be transferred to the cost of the input that I do use effectively?
Adequate costing using a computer system will allow you to effectively calculate your dishes and drinks and define prices according to the market and their quality.
- Quality
Define a quality policy that allows your dishes to always be consistent. Establish a policy on what supplies you receive and are acceptable to suppliers. Define presentations, brands, types, units of measurement, degrees of cleanliness, type of packaging, among others. Establish cleaning managers and build a mentality towards excellence where aspects such as safety, adequate delivery times and good presentation of the place, the staff and the dishes are protected.
- Service and kitchen staff
- Service philosophy: defining the philosophy and concept will allow your staff to understand how to align themselves with the business.
- Clear and concise contracts
- Periodic training
- Daily motivation with specific goals
- Give them a “why” that sets their hearts on fire
- Place and target market
The future and survival of your business depends largely on your location and the definition of the target market that is compatible with the location. Hundreds of restaurants die every day because they are located in areas with low foot traffic or because they are not at an ideal time of purchase. Gastronomic markets with small-format establishments are becoming the most desired format for businessmen who do not want to risk much and guarantee the movement of customers.
When selecting the location consider aspects such as:
- Ventilation
- Parking
- Proximity to rivers or drains
- Influx of potential clients
- Environmental noise
- Previous tenants and their reasons for leaving the premises
- Information system and its provider
Business decisions require real-time information to establish a foundation for the path the business follows. Having a reliable, mature computer system, backed by a company specialized in the sector, will be very valuable to be able to grow and analyze the week-by-week behavior of the business. Consider that making decisions based on a monthly or quarterly analysis is very risky, and that on the contrary you must carry out daily or weekly controls to establish if the direction to follow is correct.
- Exhibition of products and assembly
The popular saying “he who does not teach, does not sell” has a very clear message regarding the way to present the products to the client, they must look attractive and accessible in time and money.
The dessert “cart” is a living example of an invitation to consume that generally works, the customer sees their dessert and decides to have it immediately.
- Intellectual property
Do you know if your menu is really yours? It could be that the chef manages everything in his mind and there is no printed or digital record that guarantees that the business can exist over time even when the staff has turnover.
A contract with your executive chef that clearly defines the transfer of rights to the designed menu is important to ensure that your business can use it even in the face of a staff change.
- marketing strategy
The marketing strategy will be fully supported by the previous aspects, such as the quality policy, its concept and the definition of prices and profit margins. With these inputs, a marketing strategy can be prepared that has an identity and that can have solid bases to attract a potential client with a promise that we know will be fulfilled, at least most of the time. The definition of your location and your target market will allow you to establish localized SEO strategies and guidelines by geographic location to reach your ideal market.
- Administration and cash flow
¿What is your strategy when starting your business, will you have an administrator or will you be in charge?
Do you have projected cash flow with a backup of at least 6 months of operation to cover basic operating costs in case you do not have sufficient income?
Do you have experience in cash and inventory control, or will you have a trusted person who will carry out this work?
If you want to be part of this specialized 1-on-1 Restaurant Coaching program, contact us: sales@procom.co.cr