How to open a Restaurant
Although it is not a mandatory prerequisite to earn a degree before starting your own restaurant, learning about business management, business accounting and relevant aspects of the food industry will definitely help you gain the knowledge necessary to get your restaurant off to a solid start.
Operating a restaurant is much more than hiring employees, branding and marketing your restaurant and developing menus that appeal to a certain demographic. Associate and undergraduate restaurant management degrees that can help you start your own business typically include the following courses:- Inventory management and purchasing
- Safety and sanitation regulations (state and government)
- Human resources/human factors
- Culinary theory
- Small business principles and laws
- Leadership and management skills
In addition to learning how to open a restaurant and what to do to maintain the long-term success of a restaurant, you should also possess some, if not all, of these qualities and personality traits:- People-oriented
- Able to multi-task without losing focus or patience
- Resistant to stress, unexpected problems and the chaos involved with running a restaurant (in fact, good restaurant owners often thrive on stress)
- Future-oriented so that anything that can be planned ahead is planned ahead
- A "workaholic" mentality, especially in the initial stages of the restaurant
- Understand the importance of networking and utilizing social media to gain exposure and develop a unique reputation in an industry overflowing with competition
5 Secrets about Opening a Restaurant
In addition to benefiting from completing an associate's or bachelor's degree in restaurant management, potential restaurant owners should know the following secrets:- Never open your doors unless you have a great concept, a reliably good chef and a location that promotes the success of your restaurant--good food and accessibility is everything!
- Don't underestimate your financial needs--always overestimate them by having at least six months worth of working capital from the very beginning.
- Don't scrimp where customers are concerned--splurge on them like you would your own family.
- Focus on developing a system of operational standards and stick to them.
- Finally, remember to set aside funds for a variety of insurance policies, state and federal licenses, workman's compensation and unemployment insurance.
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