Opening a restaurant?

To open your own restaurant you have to be familiar not only with a general restaurant set-up technique, but you also need to take into account a number of nuances – how to select the right premise, how to design the restaurant so that every square meter of it would yield a profit, how to choose the services that will be popular with clients, how to build up a professional team, how to promote the restaurant etc.

Here are few words of advice that will help you to avoid the "hidden rocks" when opening your new restaurant.

Interior design for restaurants, bars and cafes

When designing the interior for the restaurant, bistro or café, bar or a club, it is very important to find a harmony between functionality and esthetics. Creating exclusive design for a bar or restaurant depends on many factors, but the clients will always remember the details. For instance, why do we like some specific cafe? Perhaps because of special ambience of comfort and eye-pleasing interior design? Or, maybe we like some special details in the interior of the café, pleasant light, comfortable chairs and tables? Not all preferences of clients can be explained by service and prices!

A true professional approaches the development of interior design project havingin mind not only goals and objectives of the place where people will relax, talk and enjoy delicious food. The overall ambience, distinct style and quality of interior decoration should be taken into account when designing restaurant interior.

Maybe it is a good idea to finish the surfaces in metal and glass, chose wooden finish or imitate a natural stone? The design of the bar or café is not defined by a concept alone. Floor plan and premise specifics impose the rules that need to be observed, in order to avoid otherwise inevitable dissonance.

For example, hi-tech style will not do for a restaurant or bar interior in a premise with low or arched ceiling. It is wise to avoid using wooden or marble panels for wall finishing and opt for mirror walls instead, if you have long and narrow space. In spacious areas with good visibility it is important to locate binding style elements: decorative panels from faux stone or wood, Victorian light fittings or bright halogen light. Today there are many alternatives for restaurant interior to choose the best one from all possible ones. The interior of a restaurant or a small café is based on a general concept that should cover all the aspects involved. Modern trends in interior decoration are contradictory – you cannot design a good interior for a café or bar interior if you overlook ergonomics or style. Any interior design project is planned based on specific features of the premise.

Elaborate concept – 50 % success

At first you will have to understand what is the target clientele this restaurant is focusing on. Following the advice of professionals, you have to define the tastes of future clientele in order to select a winning location for your restaurant. If you want to open a restaurant specializing on a specific cuisine, you also have to decide what will be its price range.

It is also wise to remember that restaurant business has its competition, and the stronger player gets the prize. It is always important to know the weaknesses of your competitors so you could decide on the areas where you can surpass them.

Choosing a restaurant location

The right location for a restaurant is one of the key issues, and in some cases it is the most important success factor. Every type of public catering business has its own “traditional” locations. If you decided to open a fast-food joint, then it is best to choose the most crowded locations. For a restaurant with democratic prices it is a good idea to select a location in a vicinity of several business centers.

Success of expensive restaurants also depends on location. For example, an expensive restaurant in an industrial working area will have little chances of attracting customers. Potential clients are guided by the fact that expensive eating place should be located in the best areas.

Composing a menu

Menu contents mainly depends on restaurant concept, since the concept demonstrates the general cuisine theme, gives the recommendations on number of menu items and price policy.

Finalization of a menu should be assigned to restaurant’s senior chef. The senior chef should be hired not later than 2 months before the opening.

Hiring personnel

Wisely selected personnel pool makes up half of your restaurant success. It is not a secret that most important people in the restaurant are the senior chef and manager. It is their responsibility to form the efficient personnel pool that will influence the overall ambience of the restaurant. That is why both of them need to be hired well in advance. It is better to scout for remaining personnel also in advance before the opening, so that there would be time left for necessary training.

Certainly, these are just some components of opening a successful restaurant. It is also important to think about exterior decorating, purchasing equipment and utensils, preparing a business plan and calculating the cost of entry.