Mistakes not to make when opening a restaurant
Many people embark on the dream of a lifetime, opening a restaurant. But beware, although the project seems attractive and often lucrative, it is not something to be taken lightly!
Opening an establishment implies, of course, to know how to remember some essential rules and to avoid the mistakes that some people have made before. That's why we reveal here the mistakes not to make when you open a restaurant!
1- Choosing the wrong location
Of course, what you offer on the plates is the best advertising for your establishment, but it is not enough. You can have the best cuisine in the area, but if no one passes in front of your shop window to consult the menu and taste your dishes, word of mouth will not take, unless you have a substantial communication budget.
This is why it is very important to choose the right location for your kitchen and your customers.
A location in the city center to attract tourists, or an establishment in an industrial zone open only for lunch, the choice is yours!
2- Too long a map
Yes, Chef Philippe Etchebest told us often enough in "Cauchemar en cuisine", too big a menu confuses customers, and it can be a real waste if your chef doesn't know how to keep his menu.
Indeed, offering a wide choice on the menu implies being able to have all the ingredients in stock in reasonable quantities, and respecting a certain budget. By planning too much or not enough, you risk throwing away, and therefore losing money, or disappointing the customer if the dish is no longer available, which of course we try to avoid.
As customers become more discerning and seek out more sophisticated dishes, specialty restaurants that use a flagship product on a limited menu perform better, according to studies.
This does not apply to restaurants located in a very touristy area, where it is preferable to offer as much choice as possible.
3- Not greeting customers properly
It goes without saying that a bad reception can damage your reputation and will not make your customers want to come back, even if the food is great.
Waiting too long at the entrance, the impression that you are bothering the waiter, having to ask 4 times for a carafe of water, being refused a table, or not seeing your dish arrive after 45 minutes,... these little things accumulate to make your customers not come back.
A good reception is also done by the dress code, the general appearance. A dress adapted to the service is of rigor in a restaurant, tie your hair for an irreproachable hygiene..
Brief your team as many times as possible, every customer is importantt.
4- Having a poor organization
A bad organization in the dining room and in the kitchen will undoubtedly cause long waits for the customers, and as we have seen above, this is not very good for your image.
But also and above all, where other establishments will be able to do 2 or 3 services, you will only do one, because of lack of time! Do not neglect this point, which can allow you to double or even triple your turnover.
Be almost military-like in your organization to serve your customers quickly. The faster a customer finishes, the faster you can set up a new table to accommodate new customers.!
5-Not having a theme or atmosphere in your restaurant
In addition to the gastronomic offer, the decoration is one of the key aspects of a good restaurant management. Some people neglect this point and receive customers in an impersonal and soulless space. As a result, the click does not happen and, as a general rule, the guests do not renew their experience..
Define an atmosphere that corresponds to the style of the establishment. Current trends show the success of thematic restaurants where the menu, colors, materials, furniture and all other elements express the same concept.