If you’ve worked as a leader in the restaurant industry, then you know what it’s like. You know that leaders have to be willing to make sacrifices and acquire the systemized thinking, social skills, creativity, stress management, and passion that it takes to be successful.

Becoming a restaurateur combines an enormous amount of passion and vision. You have to create food, drink, and overall experiences with a drive that is undeterred by the high number of unprecedented risks. You must be determined, positive, confident, adaptable, and crave learning experiences.

And even if you do have all of those qualities, it can often be too much for one person to endure. This is when considering a partnership might be ideal for some.

Effective communication can provide your restaurant with two things. First of all, it creates an atmosphere where both front of house and back of house employees are excited, motivated, and honest. Second of all, it helps you establish workplace expectations, which can lower staff turnover costs.

Proper communication starts from the top, and from the time someone is employed (or arguably during the interview stage). The key to setting expectations, communication, and a positive working environment starts with onboarding, operation manuals, and formal training.

Did you know there's a newer, post-covid version of this post? Find it here. 

It doesn't matter if you're developing your very first restaurant menu or you’re planning to update your current one – you need to have a strategy in place with both the food and beverages on offer. 

You're already on the right path if you’ve done a concept development plan concept development plan, you’re already on the right path. Your restaurant menu is there to give meaning to the overall guest experience while also delivering emotions and brand personality. Understand the fundamentals of menu crafting and re-launch your cuisine with the help of guest blogger Doug Radkey. 

A restaurant’s concept is the lifeline of its brand and longevity in the market. It makes your venue stand apart from the competition, and it’s ultimately your restaurant’s unique selling proposition.

A concept plan is something every aspiring restaurateur should look to complete. Due to the high level of risk for independent restaurant related start-ups, it’s wise to take advantage of every planning step possible.

Here are a few things to consider when developing a concept plan.

It’s no secret – starting a restaurant is not a cheap endeavour. There are a variety of cost factors to consider when developing a restaurant concept and it is imperative that an aspiring restaurateur measures the cost difference between purchasing an existing restaurant, taking over a vacant restaurant space, starting a restaurant from scratch, or buying into a franchise model.

The riskiest scenario, which will require additional planning and, in all likelihood, additional funding, involves starting a restaurant from scratch.

Using this start-up model as an example, we can break down the different cost categories that many will overlook.