Starting a restaurant or any food business can be very thrilling. However, it’s not as easy as it may seem. There are many obstacles that every restaurant owner needs to surpass. Proper planning is imperative, as well as knowing your market and choosing the right partners along with innovative idea. You should also know how to calculate your risks if you want to run a successful food business.
Here are few worth considering tips:
Construct a Business Plan
The first and most important step to starting a food business is writing a business plan. A food or restaurant business plan should include the following:
Your business entity type. Are you a sole proprietorship? Or a general partnership?
Also you need to keenly work on the choice of your location. Establishing an ice cream parlor at a place where there are already multiple ice cream parlors would force you into unnecessary competition.
Your food business concept
Are you going to be a quick-service restaurant? A full-service restaurant and bar? Or a food truck?
Your staffing plans
How many employees will you hire to start with, and how will they be broken down into management, front-of-house, and back-of-house?
Choosing trained and competent staff is the first thing you should ensure.
Buy your equipment
Either you are going to establish a restaurant or a bakery, you’ll need to buy or rent everything from ovens to flatware before opening your doors.
Make sure you do a market survey before you buy the kitchen equipment and appliances. This will considerably cut your cost.
Get Licenses and Permits
Most importantly, being compliant with applicable health and safety codes as well as other food service regulations, is more important now than ever. While all businesses require licenses and permits to operate, the food service industry is especially strict because you’re dealing with products that people consume. Here are some of the documents you’ll need to conduct business.
Make sure you acquire:
- A food service license from the state or town for any establishment that serves food.
- A Certificate of Occupancy (CO) deeming your restaurant safe for customers to occupy.