Restaurant Startup, Easy Steps that Show how to Start Your Restaurant
Jay Lillie
July 16, 2009
Chef Greg Lucas, the so-called "King in the Kitchen ", is an institution in Miami. He's a local celebrity chef. Last night we had dinner with Lucas and his wife Kathy at 21 Bump, a new Italian place on South Beach. We chose it because it was high on all our wishlists, and because it's fun to eat Italian with a Frenchman. Also, it turns out Paris Hilten raved about it so this may be our last chance to get a table.
We've gotten to see just how difficult the restaurant business can be. In Seattle alone we've seen a dozen restaurants open and then close up shop this past year. We were eager to chat with someone who had "made it" and see if he had any tips to pass along.
Be a Thief
What I mean is take the best ideas from other successful restaurant owners.
Success always leave clues. Set your ego to the side and understand that if you have never owned a restaurant you don't know dip_____ about what it takes.
Needless to say, no one wants competition so you may have ask or even work part time at a restaurant in a nearby city.
So that's the first lesson I'd take away if you want to be a successful in the business: Thou Shalt Steal.
It's a Business
Everyone loves food. But successful entrepreneurs always have their mind on the business. There was a gleam in his eye as he talked about the bottom line. He chatted happily about Excel spreadsheets and web infrastructure. We spent hours (it was a long meal) talking about blogging, data mining, and other technical trivia and he took that as hungrily as the anchovies.
Food is important, but money keeps the lights on.
Find someone who can help you create a system not better food. A big mistake I see is when a person who knows how to cook believes that is all it takes. McDonald's is successful because it has a system. How else can you explain a company that is primarily ran by pimple faced teenagers?
David T. Folgate is a leading restaurant consultant especially for startups or restaurants that are hurting and need a turnaround. Don't try and re-invent the wheel. Call him at 877-241-6199 and sign up for his monthly mentoring program for only $197 a month. It may save your restaurant from going out of business.
We've gotten to see just how difficult the restaurant business can be. In Seattle alone we've seen a dozen restaurants open and then close up shop this past year. We were eager to chat with someone who had "made it" and see if he had any tips to pass along.
Be a Thief
What I mean is take the best ideas from other successful restaurant owners.
Success always leave clues. Set your ego to the side and understand that if you have never owned a restaurant you don't know dip_____ about what it takes.
Needless to say, no one wants competition so you may have ask or even work part time at a restaurant in a nearby city.
So that's the first lesson I'd take away if you want to be a successful in the business: Thou Shalt Steal.
It's a Business
Everyone loves food. But successful entrepreneurs always have their mind on the business. There was a gleam in his eye as he talked about the bottom line. He chatted happily about Excel spreadsheets and web infrastructure. We spent hours (it was a long meal) talking about blogging, data mining, and other technical trivia and he took that as hungrily as the anchovies.
Food is important, but money keeps the lights on.
Find someone who can help you create a system not better food. A big mistake I see is when a person who knows how to cook believes that is all it takes. McDonald's is successful because it has a system. How else can you explain a company that is primarily ran by pimple faced teenagers?
David T. Folgate is a leading restaurant consultant especially for startups or restaurants that are hurting and need a turnaround. Don't try and re-invent the wheel. Call him at 877-241-6199 and sign up for his monthly mentoring program for only $197 a month. It may save your restaurant from going out of business.