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5 Things You Can’t Skimp On In Your New Restaurant

While there are many factors that are important in the success of any restaurant, five factors are essential. Not only do these guidelines assure success, failure to meet any one of them may be fatal to your fledgling enterprise.

 

Customer Service

Prompt, friendly interaction with customers establishes the foundation of an enjoyable experience for your customers. Train staff to remember “ABC” in any situation: Always Be Courteous. Regard problems as a challenge to meet, not as a disruption to routine. Take complaints seriously, and address problems as soon as they are discovered.

 

Kitchen Staff

One of the most disruptive conditions in the restaurant business is high turnover among kitchen staff. There is a learning curve in both preparation, and presentation of your menu items. Hire good people; train them well; let them know how important they are. While adequate pay is important, intangibles such as expressing appreciation for a job well done, and making sure that unpleasant tasks are assigned fairly will inspire loyalty and minimize costly turnover.

 

Food Quality

There are many factors to consider in menu planning: freshness, flavor, current food fashion, and attractive presentation. On the practical side, you also need to consider cost, preparation time, and potential waste. Developing a few unique items can help set your restaurant apart from competitors. A favorite family dessert, or Aunt Gertrude’s Secret Recipe Salad Dressing can have customers coming back for more.

 

Kitchen Cleanliness

While most customers don’t see behind the scenes to know whether or not your kitchen harbors dirty little secrets, a dirty kitchen poses health and safety hazards, and can negatively impact employee morale. Most Health Department violations are a matter of public record, and can be a source of bad publicity for months after violations have been corrected. The only thing worse than a Health Department violation, is the potential financial liability for a food-borne illness affecting one or more customers.

 

Appearance

Finally, the overall appearance of public areas are vital to success. Plumbing leaks in bathrooms, or cracks in sheetrock on dining room walls creates a bad impression. Fresh, clean decor affirms the impression of fresh, clean food. Attention to detail in maintaining the overall appearance of your restaurant indicates that you pay attention to detail with the menu as well.

 

Opening a new restaurant can be an exciting experience. By paying close attention to these basic success factors, you can overcome the many challenges that often follow.

 

Fancy Food: What Every Restaurant Business Needs for Success

In general, restaurant owners are very capable people who possess an abundance of optimism, creativity, motivation, and dedication. They are not afraid of long hours and hard work to achieve success. However, many new restaurant owners discover that even the best restaurant presents challenges when striving to become a truly great business. Opening the eatery is the easy part. Developing long-term success with a loyal customer base takes additional skills. Here are ten proven tips to keep your restaurant on track to success.

 

Know Your Consumers

It is important to tailor your menu and service towards the customers living within your zone. Are the neighborhoods filled with young families, or retirement communities? Is there an industrial park nearby? Answering these questions will help you develop a menu. If the customer base is primarily business people, then a strong lunch menu, and early happy hour appetizer selection makes sense.

 

Frequent the Competition

Be aware of the menus and service levels at your competitor’s restaurants. Typically, restaurants will share some of their customers since diners enjoy a little change. However, if your customer count is falling, eat at a thriving competitor and do a thorough comparison to your own restaurant.

 

Ensure Quality Service with Every Meal

Hold weekly staff meetings to address their challenges and encourage prompt, courteous service. Be open to suggestions on running a more efficient kitchen, or eliminating unpopular items from the menu. This will support the wait staff in providing a great meal in a happy, positive environment.

 

Serve Excellent Food

This sounds obvious. However, many restaurant owners fail to reassess the food quality on a regular basis. In addition, make an objective evaluation of the freshness and appearance. Compare your own food to your top competition as well.

 

Cut Costs Through Better Controls

Many costs can be cut by regularly meeting with vendors to negotiate pricing. Stay current on prices by contacting the competing food suppliers and asking for quotes. In addition, evaluate costs such as employee perks. Frequently free meals cost more than they return in better morale. A discount may work just as well.

 

Market Your Business With Specials

A special menu for slow nights can help bring in new business. In addition, coupon deals work well for bringing in a potential new customer, who would not have tried your restaurant otherwise. Make sure the specials change frequently and can offer something unique from the other food you serve.

 

Establish a Catering Business

If your restaurant is near a business district, pick up additional revenue by establishing a catering venture for business luncheons. This can build up your business and help you to make more use of your food.

 

Advertise

Low cost methods of advertising include setting up a chalkboard menu outside the door, or using window signage to promote daily specials. If local zoning allows it, put tables and chairs out for sidewalk dining. Take a restaurant management course to hone leadership and communication skills as well so you know what’s going on in the community and competition.

 

Make Use of Technology to Improve Processes

Many restaurant owners will improve efficiency by utilizing solutions such as facilities management software for managing janitorial services. This will improve cleanliness standards, and will help when cutting costs. The owner can then focus on expanding a small enterprise into a thriving chain.

 

If you rely on proven methods for running a successful food service enterprise, your dedication and hard work will pay off. While the effort and time invested may be significant upfront, you will establish a strong position from which to grow a successful restaurant business.

Tasty Treats: Tips to Promote Your Desserts Restaurant

Dessert-specific restaurants are a booming craze that is popping up all over the country. Whether it is a chain restaurant or a niche boutique, dessert restaurants offer people a way to succumb to a sweet tooth and indulge in fun desserts. However, as more dessert businesses enter the marketplace, it can be more difficult for companies to set themselves apart from others. Here are some tips to promote your dessert restaurant and keep customers coming back for more.

 

Dessert Tasting

If you are opening a new location in an area, it doesn’t hurt to invite people to come see what your desserts are all about. By offering a dessert tasting, people can come and try your products to see what they like and what you offer that is the most delicious. Once people know about your product and how great it is, they will be tempted to come back for more whenever they have a sweet craving. A dessert tasting is a great way to generate new business if you are just starting your company and are looking for a loyal customer base.

 

Themed Desserts

Having themed desserts will set you apart from other generic dessert restaurants and will also allow people to see your ingenuity and creativity. Themed desserts are good for school activities, birthdays, holidays, special occasions and more. When you offer themed desserts, customers will see how creative your desserts are, and they will visit your dessert restaurant when they hear that you are the person who made them.

 

Promotional Products

Promotional products are a good way of spreading your business name, no matter what industry you are in. These branded premiums can be imprinted with your logo and contact details, serving as constant reminders of your business. For dessert restaurants, you can offer shirts, mugs and much more to remind people of your company. You can look to Omaha promotional products and items for ideas and gifts that will be perfect to spread the word for your restaurant.

 

School Events

If you have the time to get out of your restaurant building, head over to the local school and see if you can work with them to set up promotional events. Art festivals, sporting events, bake sales and more are a great place to be seen and gain customer recognition. Also, being involved with schools is a great community effort and will allow you to give back to those around you.

 

Even with the increased competition of dessert restaurants, there are still plenty of ways to set yourself apart from your competition. It can be hard to gain a following when people are more reluctant to eat out, and according to Omaha World-Herald, mid-westerners in particular don’t eat out as much. Consider the tips on this list to gain customers and entice people to come check out your restaurant for delicious and sweet-tasting desserts.