WELL this one of my favorite discussion without boundaries, after all the entire professional growing up has been into this industry. Let’s discuss today, what it takes to start into the food business, and how to grow it. Let’s take it one on one.
Food industry has been always been a great opportunity provider to low cost startups, it can be scaled to one’s available finances. SKY is the limit to invest in the fine dines restaurant concepts and it can be started with small investment as well. But all it takes is to establish certain principles and benchmark standards to succeed as unlike any other business the one typical trait of this business is that you are dealing with the personal approach of the clients towards their taste and habits. That’s like getting too close to their personal preferences.
So here we are discussing about establishing café-restaurant and later we shall discuss in FINE DINE or concept restaurants.
1. DECIDE WHAT MODEL YOU WANT TO GET IN –
As spelled earlier, you need to take a call on the available investments, what sort of clients you are looking at to visit your restaurant. Do proper SWOT of the concept , incase you wish to go in for FINE DINE restaurant[ that’s like an expensive affair to start] then you need to opt in for a locations which is high end street or shopping area and HNI [high net worth]clients move in that areas for more than one reasons. Should have good drive ways or valet car park as these are basic services the HNI looks in for when visiting to dine in, or you are looking at a café, with limited service or informal dinning, then the place need to opted with high movement space, corporate hubs, business districts as you are eyeing at limited pocket expense but high numbers.
2. INVOLVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
It is important for every start up B2C to gather the opinion of the people of your catchment-impact area as they are going to be your perspective clients. AI –artificial intelligence can be affordable, easy, and faster and data centric way to help you gather right information and gives you edge on collecting the data for future marketing and launching your business. This data can be further classified in different age groups and preferences. Are people looking in for quick dine in or partial take away, limited to budget which can fit in their daily pocket expense. All this inputs will assist you in getting closer to the type of MENU and offerings, and the type of menu will further decide the layout equipments and other related set ups.
3. THE TYPE OF SERVICE –
Predominantly it is advised to go in for a pre platted , pre portioned service direct to the table, this sort of service needs less people involved in it and it takes less visits per table, see you need to calculate the number of covers [covers in restaurant means the seating capacity] and accordingly staff the restaurant. We need to assure every transaction is attended quickly and we need to also ensure there are no repeated requests from the tables which generally arise in platter to plate services, it needs continuous attendance. So pre platted service is also presentable and a full meal concept can be planned keeping in mind right accompaniments and nutrition value.
4. SET UP STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES [SOP]
These are very essential as they are the backbone of your operations, it involves setting up laid procedures for every task , for example standard recipe cards for the menu items you are offering , duty rosters for staff, how to serve a drink in measure and presentation and temperature or for instance how to serve meal , presentation ,accompaniments , portion size ,time of delivery and style of delivery. These are most important as these procedures draw the lines of your costing and profitability whereas they maintain consistency in taste, presentation and quality.
These SOP can be developed by help of the industry professionals. This is a link which I would recommend to go in for https://edugradeonline.com/they provide standard operating procedures developed by industry professionals and the incumbents can also opt in for short course.
5. INTERIORS AND AMBIENCE
The interiors and the ambience offered to the client does matter in this business, while planning interiors it is important to think on ensuring the privacy and minimum distancing between tables without wasting much of space, size of the tables and comforts of chairs and other things, the overall atmosphere has to be developed in accordance to the theme of the restaurant, like if you are doing a Pub make sure having great acoustics and music as a good PUB sells Alcohol and music both. Music and ambience can be driving in factors for the place, incase you are doing a café or coffee shop , it is advised to go in for light low decimal trending latest tracks and may be few TV screens on mute with NEWS and other entertainment channels.
6. MENU Developments is one of the most important aspects as the success of the outlet revolves around this, this becomes the talking point, this is word of mouth and that’s what makes you different form the lot. This needs lot of introspection and professional approach, never do something which is cannot be implemented, ensure the sourcing of the raw material is smooth and under standard costs, menu need to be developed on the basis of following factors.
Other than the above components ensure you have right expert chefs available in local market to produce the same.
Let’s take example of FISH n CHIPS , this shows the style of service , it covers FISH[high protein] and CHIPS [carbs]accompanied by tartar sauce –which is taste enhancer and adds tanginess to the plate.
7. HUMAN RESOURCE
Selecting the right human resource in your team is most important and one of most important thing to embed in the team is the spirit of service and technicality of deliverance. It needs training and readiness of people to learn and grow. Commitment of time and building a career has to be driving force for the team. Selection process, duty allocation and developing the responsibility levels are the key tasks.
8 SETTING UP ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES
Like any other business, it is important to set up the accounting procedures for the outlet, now a days there are lot of accounting software’s available which not only gives you sale computing but also assist you manage your inventories and consumption. Older days the outlets practiced SRC [standard recipe costing] and random costings were taken from time to time to ensure quality, portion size and costing, analyzing wastage and pilferages. But this is made simple with new age software’s. Choose the right one available in your market with after sales and regular support. You don’t have to spend on the software one time licenses rather go in for the monthly charges, as they are committed to provide you with regular service, update and problem solving. Saves your capital costs as well
9 SALES AND MARKETING
The most important factor for which the business is being set up, sales cannot be left at the mercy of the market, dedicated efforts and consolidation of resources has to be there to develop the sales. Use AI [Artificial intelligence] resources to target right clientele, area specific marketing.
Home delivery through delivery apps such as ZOMATO or SWIGGY should be considered to outreach you clients. This will not only add up to your sales but will also assist you to introduce your preparations to new clients which haven’t used you so far.
Organize events, joint promotions to attract new clients and being in the news.
10 REVIEW FEEDBACKS HONESTLY
Remember, “The cost of retaining the client is too less than the cost of acquiring a new one”. So every time you have a negative or neutral review on quality, presentation and the guest feels there is scope of improvement do connect to the reviewer, you would always unearth shortcomings which you were not aware of or maybe you overlooked them, it will build your client relationship and you will be able to retain the client for one more chance to serve him.
With the available technology it is easier to take feedbacks even after the client has left your premise, but I personally suggest you should review guest satisfaction before he leaves your restaurant as you can understand his degree of dissatisfaction through facial expressions and can offer remedial offers right through to ensure revisit.
I have seen comments like ,the staff is courteous but food is bad or vice a versa the Food is great but the staff is arrogant or delayed service , these feedbacks can be converted as training programs and gives you the outlook of the shortcomings.
So plan it well to have a sure success!
