Running A Restaurant

Running a restaurant can be MUCH MORE than a full time job. In that first risky year of business most restaurant owners find themselves working more than a standard eight hours a day. However, if the restaurant industry is your calling then dedication and perseverance will pay off.

Tips For Running A Restaurant

One of the most important aspects of running a restaurant is proper money management. Strict accounting of all money matters is essential in maximizing your profit and minimizing your loss. It’s not usually recommended to do your own accounting unless you have official training or experience. You MUST keep an eye on overages, spillages and waste. You must be aware of your wage/food/cost ratios and tweak them constantly. Pricing your menu isn't hit or miss, you must understand how your menu pricing works with your ever changing input costs. Even the smallest glitch can create total chaos and when it comes to numbers, there’s no room for mistakes.

Hiring a professional restaurant consultant has been a positive business decision for many restaurant owners. Consultants specialize in helping business owners increase sales. By pinpointing weaknesses and strengths they can greatly increase your chances of success. Analyzing consumers regarding location and demand can do plenty to inform you of changing trends.

If you are the type of person that tends to get easily distracted then you should consider hiring a restaurant consultant to help you with the finer points of running a restaurant. Personally, I don't think a restaurateur NEEDS to hire a consultant. The successful owner should be able to prioritize and delegate. It should be their mission to constantly evaluate, test and tweak their operation.

When starting a restaurant, it’s important to know when to change something, test something, tweak something and when to let things stay the same.

Technology is an ever present day to day part of life now. Staying on top of what is currently available will enhance the quality of your business. Anything that can save time or money may be worth the investment. Doing your research never hurts. Restaurants that do see a great level of success have found something that works for them. In a competitive industry there is no harm in staying aware of what it is that makes the competition tick. It’s a dog eat dog world and not everyone can be on top, but there is only one way to find out where you fit.

Running a restaurant isn’t an easy task but hard work, attention to detail and your commitment will pay off.