Entertaining guests presents an entrepreneurial opportunity for people who are attracted to the restaurant business.
|
A well-run restaurant takes hard work |
The National Restaurant Association states that there are over 700,000 locations offering foodservice in the United States. This industry is a major employer of more than 9 million people.
On the line
Eric Ripert, Christine Muhlke.
New York, NY : Artisan, c2008.
- Includes index.
- "The stations, the heat, the cooks, the costs, the chaos, and the triumphs. Inside the world of Le Bernardin." -Jacket.
How to open a financially successful pizza & sub restaurant
Shri L. Henkel.
Ocala, Fla. : Atlantic Pub. Group, c2007.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 486) and index.
Start your restaurant career
Entrepreneur Press and Heather Heath Dismore.
[Irvine Calif.] : Entrepreneur Press, c2006.
- Includes index.
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 160-164) and index.
The restaurant dream? : an inside look at restaurant development, from concept to reality
Lee Simon.
Ocala, Fla. : Atlantic Pub. Group, c2006.
This book contains the answers to these questions, and much more. This is a real story, about real people and real events, that will give you an insider's look at an actual restaurant development process. The Restaurant Dream? is filled with educational information and strategy, all intertwined within a story highlighting the successes and failures of our team's development efforts. You can steal some of our ideas and apply them to your own effors. You can learn from our mistakes-without having to pay for those mistakes yourself. If you have looked at other books on the shelf, I think you will see that this one is different. It is full of specifics and short on generalities. It provides you with an in-depth look at all phases of the development process, from the initial idea through the first several months of operation. Regardless of whether you are considering opening a restaurant, you know someone who is, you are a veteran restaurateur, or you are just interested in the subject, this book has something for you. Book jacket.
Start your own restaurant and five other food businesses : your step-by-step guide to success
Entrepreneur Press and Jacquelyn Lynn.
Irvine, CA : Entrepreneur Media Inc., c2006.
But maybe not all at the same time. Lynn, who is not further identified, explains the basics of planning and opening a food service establishment, and includes chapters devoted to generic restaurants, pizzerias, sandwich shops and delicatessens, coffeehouses, bakeries, and food and party catering. Her information involves business aspects, marketing, and legal aspects. Annotation #169;2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Setting the table : the transforming power of hospitality in business
Danny Meyer.
New York : HarperCollins, c2006.
"In October 1985, at age twenty-seven, Danny Meyer, with a good idea and scant experience, opened what would become one of New York City's most revered restaurants - Union Square Cafe. Little more than twenty years later, Danny is the CEO of one of the world's most dynamic restaurant organizations, which includes eleven unique dining establishments, each at the top of its game. How has he done it? How has he consistently beaten the odds and set the competitive bar in one of the toughest trades around?" "In this book, Danny shares the lessons he's learned while developing the winning recipe for doing the business he calls "enlightened hospitality." This innovative philosophy emphasizes putting the power of hospitality to work in a new and counterintuitive way: The first and most important application of hospitality is to the people who work for you, and then, in descending order of priority, to the guests, the community, the suppliers, and the investors. This way of prioritizing stands the more traditional business models on their heads, but Danny considers it the foundation of every success that he and his restaurants have achieved."--BOOK JACKET.
Restaurants can have excellent profit-making potential if they are run well. They require infinite attention to details, long hours, working on weekends and holidays, and sometimes with troublesome customers. However, if you enjoy meeting people and using your culinary skills, starting-up a restaurant is ideal.
Requirements for becoming a restaurateur fall into four main categories: Financial, personnel, location, and legal requirements. Each of these requirements need to be considered before proceeding. Questions, such as, should you start a new restaurant or buy an existing one, need to answered. Neither one is a guarantee of success.
|
Activities for a start-up restaurant
Have an idea
Decide on best legal organization
Select location
Develop business plan and cost estimate
Design menus
Select restaurant decor
Choose equipment
Lay out floor plan
Work with contractor on construction phase
Hire and train staff - practice
Pre-opening promotional activities
Dry-run part and grand opening
(from Upstart guide to owning and managing a restaurant, by R. S. Alonzo) |
Restaurants are considered an extremely risky business venture by most commercial lenders. Thus, most of the cash required to start a restaurant is usually provided by the business principals themselves. Outside funds may come from equity or debt. Equity comes from selling a portion of the business to yourself or another person. Debt is a loan, usually from a bank.
Learning how to gain a competitive edge with superior customer service is key. Also, finding out how to survive tough times by anticipating and solving problems before they occur is important.
A winning restaurant concept, great location, fully-equipped kitchen, exciting menu, along with a well-trained and managed staff are all factors in running a successful restaurant.
Chefs and well-known restaurant owners including Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, and some of today's hotest restaurateurs are examples of successful restaurant management.
Article by: St. Louis Public Library staff
