How to Set-Up a Restaurant Business

The Philippines has food-loving citizens, no doubt about that. We love to try new things, especially if it involves gastronomic experiences. In fact, our love for trying new dishes has even fed several fads-turned-trends. Different themed restaurants have spawned in almost every corner of the country, making the restaurant business a very interesting business option for those daring enough to join in the competition and introduce their own menu in the market.

Location. Unless you are putting up your restaurant in a well-known foodie destination like Maginhawa Street and P. Guevarra Street, or in malls where there are hundreds of potential customers strolling along, your best bet is to put up your restaurant in a high foot-traffic area near your target market. This means that if you plan to serve “student-budget” meals, then it would be logical to put up your business near colleges. If you plan to take on fine dining, putting up your restaurant near high-profile villages might be a great idea. But you have to remember that for every good location, there is equally good competition. If you know that you won’t be able to handle them, retreat and look someplace else.

Tools and equipment. Some of the most basic tools and cooking equipment needed for a restaurant are the following: gas stoves, freezers, refrigerator, dishwashing machines, microwave oven, rice cooker, pressure cooker, kitchen knives, food pans, cabinet with warmer, among others. Themed restaurants such as Mongolian, Japanese or Korean, as well as buffet restaurants, would also require other special equipment.

Costing and menu. Once decided with your restaurant’s theme and identity, be it a karinderya or a steak house, you have to prepare your complete menu and compute for the costs necessary for the preparation of every item on the menu. After costing for the items and portioning the price properly, it is time to account for overhead expenses, rents, taxes, etc.

Staffing. The most common setup of personnel in restaurants include: a food and beverage service manager, who will ensure that the delivery of service in all outlets, guest rooms, and banquets are properly met; headwaiter or outlet supervisor, who will monitor the food and beverage operations in his assigned outlet, and make sure that services are performed in accordance with the company standards and policies; captain waiters to deliver the services needed in their assigned stations; receptionists to greet the customers upon entry and escort them to available tables; waiters who take and serve the customers’ orders; and busboys who are the dining room helpers and runners.

There are plenty of opportunities in the restaurant business, but you must learn more before risking your hard-earned cash.

To know more about this topic, BusinessCoach, Inc., a leading business seminar provider, conducts an excellent seminar entitled “How to Plan and Operate a Restaurant.” Contact (02) 727- 5628, (02) 727-8860, (0915) 205-0133 or visit www.businesscoachphil.com for details.

Click here to view details of the seminar: How to Plan and Operate a Restaurant »

*Originally published by the Manila Bulletin. C-6, Sunday, October 19, 2014. Written by Ruben Anlacan, Jr. (President, BusinessCoach, Inc.) All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or copied without express written permission of the copyright holders.