For generations, opening a restaurant was viewed as a fairly easy way to become an entrepreneur. Start with a concept idea (obviously, one that no one has ever thought of before-‘satire’), find a good location, invest every penny you have, tap your family and friends for a short-term loan (of course you will pay it back quickly – ‘satire’), print a menu of the dishes that YOU enjoy eating, take an ad out in the newspaper, hire a few friends, turn on the gas and here we go!

Now those who have trained to do this will shake their heads and say, it doesn’t work that way. Yet, trust me, there are more individuals that you might imagine who step into ownership in that way. The “how hard can it be” feeling is far too prevalent.

So, let’s be clear – running a restaurant is enormously difficult even though the basic premise seems boiler plate: good location, good food, pleasant service, catchy name, and a welcoming host equals success. Even those restaurants and operators who are well seasoned; those who have been there before and have trained in operations, will still find it challenging to be successful, long-term. It seems that every generation faces more challenges than the one before and at times the world is against them. The perfect storm is looming around the corner: cost of rent, changing demographics, fluctuating economy, cost of ingredients, diminishing labor pool that costs too much, way too much competition, fickle customers, and then there’s the weight of chain competition. The world of restaurant reality weighs heavy on the shoulders of entrepreneurs.

If it sounds like I am discouraging wannabe restaurateurs from taking the leap, I am not. However, I would strongly urge that individual’s step into the restaurant world after doing their research. Open a restaurant with EYES WIDE OPEN! There has never been a fool-proof method of ensuring success. One should never underestimate not only the importance of being prepared but also keeping your eyes peeled for a heavy dose of LUCK.

From observing hundreds of private restaurants over the years I have found the following steps to help REDUCE the chance of failure and set the stage for LONGER-TERM SUCCESS. Always remember that there are examples of restaurants that defy the odds and succeed for generations. The countless ones that fail can learn a few things from those who give us hope.

[]       KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, PAY YOUR DUES

Do not (let me repeat that), DO NOT, ever attempt to open a restaurant of any type without the experience behind you to do so. It is NOT easy and stepping forward while blind to the process and the challenges ahead will lead to certain failure. DO NOT skip over this statement. PAY ATTENTION! Take your time, maybe 5-10 years of working EVERY POSITION, of witnessing success and failure, of crashing and burning on the line as a cook, of being in the weeds, of encountering obnoxious customers and enjoying the thrill of serving those who are truly appreciative, of team meltdowns and wondering where the owner will find the funds to meet payroll this week; be methodical and build your repertoire of good, bad, and ugly and THEN, if you are still willing to do so…take the leap into ownership.

[]       OBSERVE, WORK, QUESTION, DIVE IN, BUILD YOUR RESUME

Does this sound repetitive? YES, IT IS, for good reason. The more observation, experience, questioning, and problem solving you tuck under your belt, the less likely you are to fail.

[]       SWEAT THE DETAILS

Ah…this is a good one. Write this on the wall of your office, in your kitchen, on your business cards, and put a note in weekly paycheck envelopes…IT’S’ ALL ABOUT THE DETAILS. Sparkling clean bathrooms, professional signage, lighting that works, no spider webs, clean windows, tables that don’t rock, spotless glasses and flatware, no chips in plates and bowls, hot food hot and cold food cold, clean menus, pressed uniforms, recipes that are followed, organized kitchens, checking vendor prices, rotating perishables, great communication, effective pricing, and the list goes on and on. It’s ALL IMPORTANT.

[]       ESTABLISH YOUR STAKES IN THE GROUND AND STICK TO THEM

You must live with yourself. If you have beliefs that are important to you then stick with them. If you disappoint yourself, you will disappoint your employees and your guests.

[]       HIRE THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND INVEST IN THEM

Nothing is more important than this. Hire for attitude, commitment, honesty, dependability, and a desire to serve. You can teach the rest.

[]       DEVELOP RESTAURANT EYES

We are so busy that the details, after a while, seem to fade from sight. Those dust bunnies under tables, fingerprints on windows, faucets that drip, spots on glassware, plants and flowers that fail to receive any love, and spots and tears on menus will slip out of eyesight unless you have trained restaurant eyes that look at everything through the lens of the guest.

[]       CONNECT, CONNECT, CONNECT

Connect on a higher level with your employees, your vendors, your competition, and of course, with your guests. Know something about them that helps to create a stronger relationship. Care about people and train yourself to be a great listener. You’ll be surprised at what you learn and how connections will pay back, ten-fold.

[]       BE A PENNY PINCHER

It’s a business of small doses of profit IF YOU DO EVERYTHING RIGHT. Most restaurants do not do every right, so at least start with this…shop for the best price/quality relationship with the goods you buy. Schedule employees when you need them and not simply because you want them around “just in case”. Watch utilities, turn off lights when not needed, watch your soap consumption in the dishwasher area, measure your food waste, rotate products properly, make sure refrigeration is in good order, keep an eye on portion control, plan menus to find multiple uses for the ingredient you purchase, etc.

[]       TELL THE WORLD AND REPRESENT

It was Dr. Scholl who said the keys to success are “early to bed, early to rise, work like hell, and advertise.” This remains true, especially for owners of restaurants. Advertising is different today, so you need a great website, active social media accounts, email blasts to steady customers, and transparent communication to all your employees. They can’t support what they don’t know.

[]       DON’T GIVE IT AWAY

An all-too-common mistake is to look at yourself as Santa Claus to friends and family. EVERYBODY PAYS is the best approach in business.

[]       DEVELOP VENDOR RELATIONSHIPS

Take care of your vendors and they will take care of you. Pay them on time if you want them to be service oriented toward you. Recommend those who do an exceptional job and let them know that you did. Invite them in for dinner (not free) so they can see what their ingredients look like on a finished plate.

[]       IMMERSE IN THE COMMUNITY

Get involved, support other businesses, promote the whole community not just your restaurant, donate what you can without bending to pressure to give too much away. “We have a budget of_______for donations to local groups. I’ll be happy to consider you for next year, but we have already reached our limit for this year.”

[]       DON’T BE AFRAID OF CHANGE

Not everything works. Sometimes you make the effort, and it fails. Move on, try something else, write it off to experience.

[]       BE THERE

Finally, be present in your restaurant. This does not mean that you are there every day from opening to closing but rather that you teach and train to your standards until they become part of your business culture. When this occurs, your operation will run just as well when you are not there as when you are physically present.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

SET THE STAGE FOR SUCCESS

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