Start Up

Thank you Bassrocker. I am glad you are doing very well with your business. I am using 60 hours a week as though you guys are doing very well in your business and maintained stability to the point where you can work 6 days a week and 10 hours a day. For a new place, I expected I will sleep maybe 4 hours a day and pretty much camp out at the restaurant. Believe me, I am not naive to think it is easy.
Do you have anything you would like to share when you were preparing to open up your restaurant?

Scallion... I am sorry you felt that my comments implied your comments are not wanted. I apologize if my words seem to be insensitive to your feelings. I am just simply point out that let's make this post the place to share information for starting out a restaurant. That's all. If you read everything I wrote, then you will see that I also said "operational are very very helpful" and it's always good to vent! I just want to see more focus on "start up". Anyway, thanks again for everything, I am always open to your comments.




Again, everybody please read my post closely as I have your. I think that would help clear up all the confusion.

quote:

Originally posted by bassrocker4u2




oh yea, the topic. you see, its the operaton that captivates our attention now. most of us have no other life at all. and your hours were way off. my place is open 6 days a week and i put in a hundred hours, easy. starting next week, we are dropping to 5 days open, and an 80 hour work week. now thats, a vacation.
three years ago, i was managing a corporate place down in sw fl.
very busy place, lots of crappy people. one day, while surfing the net, i found this place for sale in savannah. it had been closed for years. it was knee high in weeds and spiders. i prayed to god for a way out of my miserable job, and he provided. he opened all the doors in just 2 short months, and we were open. basically, we liquidated all we had, borrowed to the hilt, which we paid off in 12 short months, and are now profiting, but burned out. so...... we are for sale, we want to retire, i guess thats all thats left after burn-out.
peace

There is a website that provides great information to independent restaurant owners. You might want to check outRestaurantowner.com. It offers downloadable spreadhseets, business plan templates, advice, pre-opening checklists, etc. I have found it very useful in my career.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Beam

There is a website that provides great information to independent restaurant owners. You might want to check out Restaurantowner.com. It offers downloadable spreadhseets, business plan templates, advice, pre-opening checklists, etc. I have found it very useful in my career.

There's a bunch of templates also available at http://www.entrepreneur.com/ at no charge...

Forbes.com currently has a Special Report on "The Fundamentals of Running a Restaurant". I thought you might be interested.

http://www.forbes.com/2007/02/02/small-business-restaurant-ent-manage-cx_bn_0202fundamentals_lander.html?partner=links

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

The "breakfast of champions" just became nicotine and caffiene.

thought that was lunch and dinner as well, oh that's right dinner has a couple of cold fries thrown in as well

Great article 6Star. Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by jellybear

I just opened a Restaurant three weeks ago and we have been jamming.But the help and stock are starting to eat away at the profits.Ive got to get this help under control.I think Ive got about fourteen people on the payroll but they are putting in some long hours.And I have been working 12 hour days six days a week.

You "think" you have 14 people on payroll? I would find out exactly how many people you have on your payroll ASAP.

Well, since your not getting too much help with the start up action, I will put a few things on your plate.

100+ hours will be spent writing a good business plan with solid financials.

Banks will be shopped and SBA Loans researched.

A great Location will have to be found - perhaps a lease or a purchased building.

Assuming you sailed through the financing (which could take many months and plenty of "NO's") you have the cash to get started with your project.

Assuming you didn't sail through the financing (which is typical) you will refinance your home(s) cash in your retirement, your childrens college funds and your life insurance policy. Then you will beg, borrow and steal any other funds you may need to get started.

Assuming you have a location and financing, you will need to begin renovations - this could include remodeling the dining room/bar area, purchasing furnishings, china, silver, glassware, bar equipment, artwork, plants, POS System, music/equipment, about a million little things you will think of along the way like salt and pepper shakers, a vacuum cleaner, a wall clock, blah blah blah.

In the mean time, you will start renovating your kitchen area. Purchasing equipment, laying out the line, purchasing thousands of pots, pans, serving dishes, blenders, mixers, kitchen utinsils, blah, blah, blah. You will need walk-in and reach-in refridgeration and freezer space. You will need to meet with the fire marshall and have a hood system installed.

You will need to start applying for accounts with Food Purveyors, Produce Companies, Beverage suppliers, garbage pick up, grease rendering, dish machine rental, linnen companies, and several others I can't think of just now.

You will need to purchase business insurance, workers compensation insurance and probably some other type of insurance.

Keep in mind, you will need permits for all of these things which may involve working with your local and state officials. Its time to hook up your gas, electric, water and get utilities in place which may require large deposits. You will need a phone system and a way to process credit cards. You will need a bank account and a business licence. You will need a Tax ID number and and EIN Number with the federal government. You may want to meet with a lawyer and accountant to set up a business identity for tax purposes.

Assuming you have all those things, and many I haven't mentioned in place, you will need to have your menu set and costed out. You will need to order your food and beverages along with paper supplies, chemicals and Liquor of you have a bar. (by the time you have gotten this far, you will already have applied and gotten a liquor licence.) You will have a health inspection prior to being able to open your doors - this can sometimes take a while.

You will need to hire staff, decide on uniforms, fill out proper paperowrk and file it with the state. You will need to train your staff and plan your opening date.

You will need to advertise your business and have an ongoing marketing strategy in place.

These are just a very FEW of the things you should be thinking about in the year prior to opening your restaurant. There are many more, but for now, it should give you something to chew on.

that sure is a lot of money to be throwing around. And I didn't hear one word about advertising. How are people going to know you have the best food around. I know word of mouth spreads fast, but not as fast as a couple grand spent on the ethnic newspapers or the radio station that has your potential customers listening. I know this doesn't answer your start up question again, but I don't think any1 knows what you mean by that. Start it with the most money that you possibly can, do your homework on your competitors, whom I think you are underestimating, and love what you are doing and I think you will be a gr8 success. Good luck in your ventures, and don't forget about the rest of us who want to know how things work out. good luck!

300-400k. I would franchise. I would franchise. Nothing wrong with going with a large tried and true Fanchise.