Like any small business, starting a restaurant involves quite a lot of hard work, but with the right planning, your restaurant business can thrive. If you are curious to find out what the process of starting a restaurant goes through, keep reading as we explore five things you can do to help you navigate the process.
1. Apply for business insurance.
When you consider the big cash outlay, low profit margins, and overall competition involved in the restaurant industry, becoming a restaurant owner can be one of the toughest ways to become a business owner. These and a number of other challenges make it necessary for you to invest properly small business insurance. Like every type of insurance available to small business owners, business insurance can protect your small business from property damage and help mitigate the risks inherent in the industry.
2. Rent a self-storage facility.
Self-storage amenities are beneficial to restaurant owners as they help improve business processes by freeing up space. Some of the factors that affect the value of storage amenities for your business include the restaurant’s size, location, and setup.
The best storage amenities provide specialised storage solutions such as temperature control units for restaurants to store perishable excess inventory. Unlike most home kitchens, commercial kitchens undergo their perishables in a matter of days, fast enough to stop food from going bad. In this way, an off-site storage facility near the restaurant provides an amazing storage option.
Storage units provide an amazing storage solution for vacation and seasonal themed stock. Business needs change with the seasons and storage amenities can help you make this transition. In warmer months, for example, you may need to have access to your outdoor restaurant furniture such as umbrellas and outdoor table mats and exchange them for outdoor heating parts in colder months. Having a storage facility located in a convenient location, say, near your restaurant for example can let you stock up on seasonal stock for your selected inventory.
In case you were wondering how many storage units in Albuquerque, New Mexico, an online storage unit locator such as US Self Storage can help you find out. You can contact them by phone, or visit their website to compare prices for public storage units in Albuquerque, NM. Through their site, you can even rent and order storage units in the unit size of your choice for free. An added advantage of using self storage amenities located via their website is that their storage units have state of the art facilities such as climate controlled units with security cameras, amenities manager, 24 hour access — to name a few.
3. Create a dining concept.
That food and drink menu is the essence of your restaurant and what lets you carve a niche for yourself in the competitive foodservice industry. Knowing this, the size of your commercial kitchen will directly influence the food and beverage offerings you choose to include on your menu. In some cases, a small kitchen can mean you’ll have limited choices to offer, and vice versa. But this should not be a barrier because with the right restaurant equipment and selection of materials to use, you can make the most of your kitchen space.
4. Invest in commercial restaurant equipment.
With your restaurant menu acting as a guide, you can now order your restaurant equipment. As you consider what appliances to include in your kitchen, have a look at the maintenance required. Check with the seller how often you need to service it, and if they also provide this service. Also, consider how often you need to clean the equipment. Countertops and dishes need to be cleaned regularly, while some commercial cooking equipment can be used weeks before the next cleaning session.
The materials used in constructing foodservice equipment also determine the longevity and usability of the equipment. General commercial restaurant equipment made of galvanized steel, wood, aluminum, and stainless steel.
- stainless steel: Although expensive, its resistance to stains, discoloration and corrosion has made it the preferred material for kitchen equipment and restaurant equipment.
- Galvanized Steel: This is steel that has a zinc coating. Avoid using this in areas exposed to moisture because when wet, the zinc coating will peel off, causing rust.
- Aluminum: It’s the perfect choice for commercial cooking equipment because it reflects light and warmth, and is stainless.
- Wood: While this is another affordable option, think about using it in an area with minimal exposure to moisture as this material absorbs quite a lot of moisture. Areas with minimal food and beverage traffic such as customer support or reception areas for example could benefit from clad wood counters.
Customer service is a big deal in the restaurant industry, and one way to show hospitality is to offer your customers something to drink. Knowing this, consider buying a water cooler or a water dispenser (hot water, cold water, or room temperature) as this will help you score points with your guests and perhaps even get you an amazing review on Yelp. Little touches like adding a coffee maker in the lounge area, or having customized, branded water bottles can even be great ways to accommodate your guests.
With a million other things you need to do to run your new restaurant, shopping for restaurant equipment for your new business can feel like an additional workload. Taking this into account, the customer support team at Go! Food Service ready to partner with you and help you find the best equipment for your restaurant. If you cannot pay the full amount right away, they’ve third-party financing options that can help you make your payment at a pace you are snug with.
5. Purchase a security system.
Fisheye security cameras are preferred by most restaurant owners because of their wide angle lens which allows them to capture a wide area. They are also very helpful in reducing hard-to-see blind spot areas, meaning you do not have to install much Surveillance camera.
Key features to look out for in a fisheye security camera.
- Resolution: Since fisheye security camera having the ability to create wide and panoramic images, making sure that they’re in the highest possible resolution will significantly improve the quality and clarity of the images captured.
- Flexible viewing angles: Consider a 270° fisheye camera as it lets you capture a wider panoramic view. This will increase your reference coverage as this camera covers a large area.
- Weatherproof: Due to their ability to provide panoramic images, and capture a wide angle of view, they’re preferred for outdoor security. To be safe, the experts at Verkada recommend that you choose a camera that has a water-proof rating of IP67 OR IP66. Modern vendors also provide fisheye cameras that have built-in climate control settings that allow the camera to operate even in inclement weather.
- night vision: Regardless of where you place your fisheye camera (outdoors or indoors), ensure your fisheye has built-in settings that allow it to take pictures in dim, poorly lit, and dark parts of your restaurant.
Security systems, particularly security cameras not only help you stop theft, but also help you track employee performance.
