Starting, Owning and Marketing A Restaurant Blog|Starting and Owning a Restaurant - Construction, Planning, Marketing, Opening and Managing a New Restaurant

In the middle of 2008, we decided to open another restaurant. The new restaurant would be a larger version of an existing concept in Clearwater, Florida, specializing in breakfast and lunch. To chronicle the challenges we created this blog so other entrepreneurs could follow the daily hurdles that face the independent restaurateur today.

As we constructed the restaurant detailed accounts of negotiations with the landlord, contractors and regulatory entities were posted. The process of opening a new restaurant culminated with our soft opening in the second week of January, 2009. Followers of the blog saw the fruition of many long hours and the many hats you must wear as a restaurant owner. The opening was successful and we have enjoyed growth throughout the year with estimated sales at year end to be about $650,000.

Now, the newness has worn off. It’s like a car that no longer smells new. We must operate the restaurant like our other restaurants. Maintaining growth, meeting customer expectations, withstanding the economic climate and building a solid business.

Our focus and subject matter for the blog will be operating a restaurant rather than starting a restaurant. Everything that goes into keeping a restaurant viable and popular will be covered. Marketing, managing and continuing growth will, hopefully, be conveyed to those readers who may want ideas and help with their operations. In some cases the blog may be a place to see that few problems are isolated to their restaurant. Many readers may find business solutions as we document the planning and future of our three restaurants.

Follow along. Comments are encouraged. We learn new things every single day. It’s going to be a blog for Starting and Managing a Restaurant!

After a little more than 60 days of business, it’s time to start looking at tighter cost control. In the initial stages we focused on the food, customer service and marketing. We costed out our menu and knew that projected costs were in line at the time we opened. Since that time we haven’t done much to look at operating costs.

We will look at these areas:

• Scheduling and better management of time in the kitchen and front of the house.
• Food costs as the market continues to fluctuate (up and down) for commodities like meats, eggs, dairy, cheeses and wheat based products.
• Elimination of services, menu items, fixed costs, maintenance, and general administrative costs that may not be needed.

While sales are holding up well, we can focus on the cost to do business as a long term operational basis.