Opening a restaurant can turn into a real adventure if you are not prepared. There are many steps to making your dream come true and running a business, and you often run the risk of tripping over very important aspects. With this article we will try to draw up a list of fundamental steps to open a restaurant.
Permissions
First of all you need to be in possession of the authorizations to administer food and drinks. It is necessary that every activity in the food & beverage sector has the personal, professional and structural requirements established by law. Anyone who wants to open a restaurant must attend SAB and HACCP courses, which include workplace safety rules to prevent any accidents and know how to manage crises.
Even the premises must be in order, there are many regulations governing the certification of urban and structural requirements. Depending on the type of activity, the requirements change, for example a bar must display food in a protected way using thermal display cases that favor food preservation. In addition to the structural certifications, there are some dedicated to the various offers of the activity. A cocktail bar or simply an establishment that serves alcoholic beverages must therefore have UTF authorization for spirits and spirits.
Business Plans
At the end of the bureaucratic marathon, it's time to draw up the business plan. Although it may be frightening due to its complexity, it is an essential tool for contextualizing, evaluating and anticipating costs and gains.
The creation of the plan starts from the market analysis, with which it is possible to identify which type of premises could be more in demand by the public, studying the competition and understanding the customers' needs. When the market positioning is clear, both initial and long-term economic investments must be calculated. In this regard, Techfood has been able to propose an innovative solution to reduce investment costs and multiply the possibilities on offer.
The advice to make the first investment concrete is to draw up a real list with everything you need to be able to open a place and start the business. From cutlery to the refrigerator, the amount indicates the initial expense that must be covered thanks to the first loan. Considering the budget, it is also advisable to identify a maximum level of debt, a sort of limit not to be exceeded which will help you choose the most suitable investments for your pockets.
In addition to the opening costs, the ordinary management costs of the premises are also shown in the business plan. These are estimated by calculating the break-even point, which represents the moment in which management costs are equal to the revenues obtained. Furthermore, it is important to keep in mind the distinction between fixed and variable expenses, the former do not vary (such as the number of covers) while the latter change with the variation of production (as in the case of food and beverages).
There are also two other values to consider. The personnel cost, which should always be below 35% of the turnover and the famous food cost . The latter indicates the average expenditure necessary to prepare a complete menu, and is calculated on the basis of the cost of each single dish proposed.
Opening a restaurant is not a walk in the park, but the business plan could prove to be a valid help in evaluating the best way forward and the least difficult route. Techfood is well aware of the obstacles that can be encountered in these phases, for this reason it has studied an entrepreneurial solution that facilitates anyone who wants to start a business. Pic Nic is the totally turnkey corner shop: once purchased, the business with suppliers is already underway, allowing you to skip an often complicated step such as the search for quality raw materials and professional training.