Do you love the thought of serving others with great dining? Are you very good with details, management and most importantly, food preparation? If you find these enjoyable, opening your own restaurant will probably be a wonderful experience for you. Whether you plan to enter a franchise in the fast food industry, open up a "country kitchen" style family restaurant or an elegant restaurant for fine dining, you can follow the guide below for a smooth and organized beginning.

Restaurant Business Plan

You'll need to develop a restaurant business plan from the very start to give you direction and practical goals for your new business.

Create a business plan that covers all the basics of your future business, such as:

1. Type of restaurant you plan to open.

2. Location of your restaurant.

3. Will you rent or own the restaurant building?

4. How will you pay for your building and other startup costs? Will a business loan be necessary?

5. What will be the dining capacity for your building?

6. How will you serve? Options may be buffet only, order or buffet, or by order only. Either way, you'll need to determine these things before committing to a building plan to be sure the layout and amount of space will be sufficient.

7. How many employees will you hire - waitresses, cooks, cashiers, cleaning crew?

8. Set definite goals for your restaurant. Once you've created a business plan, and have everything planned the way you want it, you're ready to start making your business a reality.

Finding the Location If you don't already have a good location in mind, consider these possibilities: - Near or within a shopping mall. - On a very busy highway. - Near an Interstate exit. - Near an office establishment, e.g. doctors or a hospital. - Near a popular attraction if you live in a large city. Your location will be the key to getting customers. The more visibility you have, the better. Your customers can't visit you if they don't know you exist! To Rent or Own? Your restaurant building's inside space as well as the parking area are very important. Why? What if you can only fit twenty cars in your parking area, but seat fifty families in the restaurant? This could be a problem. Also, if you choose a restaurant building that's too small, you might have to turn customers away. A building that's too large might be too expensive. Either way, you could end up in a tight bind.

Although owning a building certainly has many benefits, renting or leasing may be the best route while starting out. You'll be able to test the waters without making a large buying committment for a building. A rent-to-own or lease-to-own agreement might be a good idea, with both you and the building owner understanding that everything is contengent upon your restaurant doing well in that particular building. If the restaurant is doing great, then you might be able to purchase the building later on. Also, you can find out if it would possible to make additions to the building later if you need to expand. This would save you the trouble of moving.

Your goal initially is to find out what works for your restaurant, how many people will come, how much room you will really need, etc. Once you have tested these factors, you'll be ready to own your building. Restaurant Design If you're going to open a unique restaurant of your own (not a franchise), then you'll want to choose a restaurant design and decor that sets a certain mood for your customers. Determine what type of restaurant you want to have and decorate it to fit your theme or dining style. Some ideas might be to use pastel colors with lots of green plants to create an upbeat, fresh atmosphere. Dark colors with elegant oriental rugs, and dramatic designs on the walls can create a romantic, peaceful mood. Bright, bold colors are great for a small cafe. No matter what type of restaurant, create a decor that will leave a lasting impression on your customers. Details, Details,

Details You're probably aware of the fact that there are many details to owning a restaurant. You'll need to be extremely organized to keep up with it all - food orders, preparation techniques, serving techniques, cleanliness, etc. Get organized before your business opens. Determine now how you will keep all of these things running smoothly.

If you wait until the restaurant's already going full blast, you might not have the time necessary to really get organized. Plan ahead now for peace later! Legal Restaurant Requirements Do your homework in advance to find out what's required locally and federally to open a restaurant. You'll need to obtain a business license from your local clerk, and also find out how to prepare for taxes. In many counties, restaurants pay an extra sales tax. You'll need to know all of these facts in advance. Finances for Your Restaurant Besides the building, there will be other financial responsibilities to consider. You'll need to have ample cash flow to keep your food ingredients stocked. Also, you'll need cooking accessories and appliances, furnishings and decor items, office supplies, cleaning supplies, etc. If you need extra funds for a smooth, worry-free start, you might be able to get a business loan to cover these costs.

Pricing your Food When you're ready to open, you'll need to have a pricing schedule with menus all ready to go. Plan your pricing based on making a profit, all things considered. Don't cheapen your services. You might offer some sort of promotional special when you first open, but make sure your customers understand that it's a promotional price only. Otherwise, they'll expect it the next time they visit. Pricing for a restaurant business is another very detailed responsibility. You might want to consult a fellow restaurant owner for tips or do some online research of your own.

Taking the steps above will enable you to cover all bases when opening your new restaurant. You'll enjoy serving others with fine foods even more if you have all the details worked out before your grand opening.