How To Run A Successful Restaurant

CONSISTENCY IS KEY

Ask 10 food service professionals about how to run a successful restaurant, and you hear 100 great answers. One thing they all agree on is the importance of consistency. Apply this key to everything from sourcing to serving, and you can deliver a dining experience that consistently delivers customer loyalty.

BUY SMART INSTEAD OF CHEAP

Keep the kitchen running smoothly with quality equipment that doesn’t break down in the middle of a shift. Save on food costs by purchasing premium products that don’t go bad overnight in the walk-in. From deep-fryers and freezers to prime rib and fresh romaine hearts, buying the best is always cost-effective.

KEEP THE MENU FLEXIBLE

Invest time in menu development. Are you offering guests plenty of variety? Can you modify recipes to highlight seasonal specialties? Customers want to see their favorites, but they enjoy new items too. A flexible menu frees up culinary creativity and keeps dining room guests happy.

DO YOUR MATH

Figuring out food costs on every menu item is hard work. It’s also essential to turning a profit. Make weekly inventories and number-crunching routine duties. Accurate food cost accounting helps you develop better menus, deal with price fluctuations and budget for seasonal ingredients.

RUN A TIGHT KITCHEN

Organize back of house so that staff can work with maximum efficiency and minimum waste, Make sure everyone understands the important role they play in holding down food costs. Emphasize best-prep practices as part of in-house training, and assign rotating positions to monitor overall effectiveness.

STAND OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

It takes more than a well-designed web presence that highlights menus and specials. Industry studies report that 80 percent of potential customers check out restaurant websites and online reviews before they make a decision.

EXPLORE AND EXPAND

You’ve established your brand, but you want to improve the bottom line. If you wonder about how to make a successful restaurant better, think beyond the dining room. Branch out with off-site catering. Explore on-site options with alfresco service.