Have you decided that the best path for you to be on in your professional life is that of a restaurant owner? If you have, that’s great! There have been many success stories in the restaurant industry over recent years, but it can be extremely tough to make this happen. There is so much competition at any given time, and there are always people who have negative things to say, which can easily dampen your spirits.
But, the best piece of advice that we can give you is not to let it. Easier said than done, we know, but it’s important that we reiterate it because you can do anything you set your mind to, despite what the haters say. So, if this is your dream but you’re struggling to achieve it, you need a little bit of help, and we’re here to provide that for you! We’re taking a look at the 5 best things that you’re going to need to do in order to give your restaurant the best possible chance of success. Want to know more? Read on.
By Team Savant
Image: Kristóf Koródy
Suppliers You Can Rely On
We’re going to kick things off by talking about your suppliers. Now, obviously all businesses need reliable suppliers if they have any chance of being a success. How are you going to provide for your customers if you’re not being provided for? If you’ve not got what you need, they can’t have what they want, and that reflects poorly on your business. So, the obvious solution then is to ensure that you have suppliers that you can rely on! Sure, we made it sound really easy there when the reality is so much different, but there are reliable suppliers out there if you know where to look.
You need to be checking reviews before you get in touch with them to enquire, and you need to be very specific in ordering what you want. What you’re looking for from suppliers is openness, honesty, and communication. If something goes wrong, you need to know about it asap so that you can attempt to find alternative arrangements, not just a no-show on delivery day.
The more of a relationship you build with your suppliers, the less likely you are to have issues with them. Do your research, take the risk, and go from there.
Decor Everyone Loves
The next thing that we’re going to talk about is the decor in your restaurant. You do not want outdated, ugly decor as this is not going to entice people to choose you over the hundreds of other restaurants within the vicinity. No, you need to work with an interior designer to create a space that works with the overall brand that you are creating. You need the decor to match the brand identity and the message that you are sending so that it’s all one cohesive unit. This can be tricky, but with the help of the right professional, totally doable.
You can look at fantastic additions to tables such as cordless table lamps to provide that intimate lighting when the big lights go down. You can add chic window covers, blinds, or whatever else to provide privacy from those walking outside to those who want it. The point is, it’s in the details. You can’t afford to skimp on the details, as that’s where you’re going to find your biggest problems with the decor.
Employees Who Prioritise Service
Unfortunately, you see it all of the time in various restaurants. You see employees who have faces that say they’d rather not be there, they look bored, they’re unhelpful, they’re bordering rude, and it’s generally bringing down the vibe of the entire place. You can’t afford to have these people working for you if you want to run a successful restaurant. Sure, it’s tiring work, but it’s a customer service centered role, and their job is to make customers feel comfortable, happy, and taken care of. If the customers are instead feeling rushed, brushed off, ignored, and as though they’re an inconvenience, they’re not going to want to come back to eat with you again.
So, you need to put effort into training all of your employees, making sure they know what is expected of them, and ensuring those expectations are met. They are a representation of your business, so they need to be focused on service and customers first, everything else second while they’re on the clock.
High-Quality Food
Next up on the list we’re going to be talking about the food that you serve. If you want to be competitive, you’ve got to ensure that you’re serving the best that you can afford. Remember that quality is pretty much everything, and people are always willing to pay more for higher quality food.
But, it’s not just about the actual food that you are serving, it’s also about the chef that you have. You need to have a chef who understands how to bring the best flavors out of food, what creations to try, what works and what doesn’t. You need someone who isn’t afraid of experimenting with different things, but also someone who knows how to leave the classics alone.
Fantastic Advertising
The last thing that we’re going to mention is fantastic advertising. If you’re not advertising, nobody is going to know who you are or why you are the best, and that in itself is going to be an issue. How do you expect to be successful if not a single person even knows that you’re an option? You can’t, so that’s something that you need to work on asap.
Hopefully you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the different things that you should be doing to ensure that your restaurant has the best chance of success going forward. While it’s not always going to be easy, there are always ways forward, and you just need to work out the kinks in your process to get there.