Restaurant Pre Opening Checklist: Fill & Download for Free

Running a restaurant is quite lucrative but subject to several circumstances or the project can go haywire gradually ::Don’t jump straight into the business by simply viewing other restaurants in similar vicinity with higher footfall as there could be several strings or loopholes attachedInstead, focus on making concrete business plan, financial forecast (projections) for atleast next 2 years.Focus on hiring best in class pre-opening team to analyze situations, market conditions, location demographics e.t.c. keeping budget in loop. Do make your pre-opening team to do competition comparitive analysis to know ground reality check of similar type of competition businesses.Also, Make a clear technical feasibility report if you are taking finances from some bank in order to add the repayments in forecast and how you would easily manage to take them out of profit percentage in long run which should be minimal. Do ensure to have sufficient moratorium (grace) period in order to make repayments out of positive cash flow. Don’t let the lender trick you with frivolous loan documents so always suggested to keep good knowledge while getting financed and getting the required documents proofread by competent people.Invest wisely on infrastructure keeping financial forecast in loop. Never spend too much as you are not making a museum which could increase your liability in initial phase henceforth, making it tough to do capital breakeven even if you manage to keep operations in flow. Instead, Do try to invest on innovations which could enhance ambience in par with target segment.Eventually, The customers will prefer to pay you for Exceptional Food Quality, ambience and Service in your restaurant. In this industry, Average per customer, satisfaction is the major key to success along with food costing under control.Do keep preopening checklist in place and ensure to adhere to not miss important aspects before kicking off.Licenses and permits are quite crucial aspect so do analyze the situation for getting every permit required before finalising the location and type of restaurant you are planning to startPost-opening, There would be several measures required with proper team in hierarchy level to ensure smooth flow. Do in detailed interview scrutiny of managers before hiring them as they are going to be the flag bearers setting benchmark for your venture ensuring adequate footfall and henceforth, resulting in word of mouth (WOM) publicity which is most effective and cheapest form of advertising in this type of business. Conclusively, Close monitoring and attention to details are endlessly needed with no exceptional holidays as this is all days business usually :)Hope this helpsCheers

Being “Unplanned” with no focus on making concrete business plan, financial forecast (projections), checklists which obviously requires patience and taking assistance of core people experienced in the similar industry or pre-opening management team to analyze situations, market conditions, location demographics e.t.c. keeping budget in loopTrying to make vague assumptions about profitability by simply viewing other restaurants in similar vicinity with higher footfall and ignoring the risk factors involvedInvested too much on startup construction e.t.c which would eventually lead to cash flow crunch for recurring working capital in initial phase and that too, without analysis of the target segment spending powerNo unique selling point Attracting new customers require a reason to come to you instead of your competition. Just Good food, service. ambience is NOT a unique selling point because most of competitions would make a lot of the same claims probably!Hiring more personnel than exactly required in initial phase or “Hiring All talent and no brains” which eventually turn into liabilites and it becomes difficult to give valid reason to ask them to leave at later stageNo proper menu engineering which naturally becomes killer for your restaurant as you may not have that much competent employees to prepare proper dishes if larger menu is kept, pricing on very higher side with no analysis as per locality standards e.t.cAllocating major budget for advertising and marketing eventually turning campaigns into future business opportunity losses instead of not getting much ROI. It should done with right processes and channels to attain Strategic and right GoalsBad negotiation skills Don’t hire amateur for warehousing and purchase related activities as getting utmost deals with vendors or suppliers is the key with feasible credit as you would be purchasing in bulk. Henceforth, This would improve your cash flow and food cost margins.Hope this helps!

Despite the fact that eateries exist to serve people you do run some risks if you saunter into a restaurant 30 minutes before they close. Some of those risks are based on the attitudes of those employed there, some on the potential status of the kitchen.Many restaurants have a ‘pre close’ checklist. Things they do throughout the evening to make cleaning up at closing easier. This often means stopping the production of some food items, so you may not be able to get something on the menu that you’d like when you go in 30 minutes before closing.iceThis isn’t cool, but it’s true (and this is me, coming from 15+ years in food service). Showing up that close to closing means you may not get the freshest food served to you. Due to food volumes you may wind up with the last dregs from a serving pan. No one is going to cook up a full batch of something fresh just to wind up with it being food waste in 20 minutes.Lastly, remember that servers are human beings. At the end of shift they are tired, they want to get things closed up and go home. Having a party walk in 30 minutes prior to close is a downer, no matter how you look at it,If you MUST patronize a restaurant so close to closing, try calling ahead and placing your order as a pick up. Even better, go to a place that is open later.