Startup Tips
Restaurant Reservation Systems
If you operate a full-service restaurant, one of the biggest challenges is managing reservations. Traditionally, restaurants relied on a pen-and-paper system, which often caused confusion. However, with the advent of restaurant reservation software, managing table turnover has become a lot more convenient for both customers and restaurant staff. We explain the pros and cons of the most popular reservation software, as well as how you can facilitate online reservations through your website. What Is a Restaurant Reservation System? A restaurant reservation system is a software application that allows customers to reserve a table at a restaurant while also giving restaurateurs the ability to oversee bookings, cancellations, and no-shows. With a restaurant reservation system, customers can easily make a reservation online or through a mobile app, eliminating the need for phone calls or in-person reservations. In addition to basic reservation functionality, most reservation software systems also offer waitlist tools, visual table management features, and the ability to add notes. This means that restaurants can better manage their tables and ensure that they are making the most of their available seating. Best Restaurant Reservation Software Over-the-phone reservations are no longer the norm. Modern restaurants use reservation software to streamline the flow of traffic. Many offer additional benefits for overall business management. We break down the key benefits and costs of the most popular restaurant reservation software below so you can select the system that meets your needs. These prices are subject to change, so check the official website of each restaurant reservation company for the most up-to-date information on their pricing structure. 1. Toast Tables Toast Tables reservation software is a great option for restaurants looking for feature-rich reservation software that can integrate with their POS system. If you already use the Toast platform, you’ll reap the most benefits from Toast Tables. Easy Integration: Toast Tables seamlessly integrates with the broader Toast platform, including products like Toast Point of Sale (POS) and Kitchen Display Systems (KDS). This means that restaurants can spend less time updating systems and more time with their guests. Quick Setup: With Toast Tables, restaurants can get started in minutes with a host app on select Android and iOS devices. Toast Tables automatically imports floor plans and server rosters. Real-Time Table Updates: Easily keep track of your available tables in real-time. This means that you can quickly and efficiently manage your reservations, ensuring that your guests are seated promptly and without any delays. Server Rosters Sync Automatically: Toast Tables Reservation Software also offers an automatic server roster sync, which means that your servers will always have the most up-to-date information about reservations, tables, and guest preferences. This helps to prevent confusion and ensures that your guests receive the best service possible. Personalized Guest Profiles: You can create personalized guest profiles and integrate them with Toast Marketing and Loyalty. This allows you to keep track of your guests' preferences, contact information, and order history, which can help you to provide a more personalized and tailored experience. Toast Tables Cost The basic plan, Toast Tables, costs $50 a month, and their premium plan, Toast Tables Plus, costs $199 a month. 2. Yelp Guest Manager The consumer-trusted restaurant review site, Yelp, offers a reservation system known as Yelp Guest Manager. Along with reservations, Yelp Guest Manager offers many features to help foodservice professionals streamline their businesses: AI-Driven Algorithms: Yelp Guest Manager uses advanced algorithms to predict wait times based on historical data and current traffic. This helps businesses manage their resources more efficiently and provide accurate wait time estimates for their guests. Two-Way Text Messaging: With Yelp Guest Manager, businesses can communicate with their guests via text message. This allows them to update guests on their wait time and ask them to confirm their arrival. Guests can also respond to these messages, making it easy for businesses to manage their guest flow. Customer Self-Management and Real-Time Updates: Yelp Guest Manager allows guests to add themselves to a waitlist or sign up for a reminder when their table is ready. It also provides real-time updates to guests regarding their position in line and their estimated wait time. Takeout Notifications: In addition to managing reservations and waitlists, Yelp Guest Manager also notifies guests when their takeout order is ready. This helps businesses provide a seamless experience for their guests, whether they are dining in or taking their food to go. Personalized Experiences: Yelp Guest Manager allows businesses to track guest preferences, history, and special dates. This helps businesses provide personalized experiences for their guests, which can lead to increased loyalty and repeat business. Yelp Guest Manager Cost The basic plan of Yelp Guest Manager starts at $99 per month and includes features like online waitlisting and reservations. 3. Eat App When it comes to reservation software, Eat App is a top contender due to its affordability and many special features. Here are some of the benefits of using the Eat App to manage your restaurant reservations: Cloud-Based and Cross-Platform: Eat App is a cloud-based reservation software, meaning that all your data is stored online and can be accessed from anywhere. Subsequently, it can be used on iPads, desktops, and mobile phones, making it easy for both staff and customers to make and manage reservations. Real-Time Table Availability Widget: Eat App offers a widget that shows real-time table availability for guests to book directly from your website or social media profiles. Access to Global Reservation Network: Eat App enables your restaurant to access a global reservation network through Instagram, Facebook, Google, Tripadvisor, and other global partners. Shift Management: Eat App includes shift management features, making it easy to manage staff schedules and shifts. Cross-Restaurant Data Sync: If you have multiple locations or operate as a group, Eat App offers cross-restaurant data sync, making it easy to manage reservations across all locations. Eat App Cost Eat App has a simplistic free plan, a starter plan for $49 a month, a basic plan for $119 a month, and a pro plan for $209 a month. 4. Resy Resy is a powerful restaurant reservation software that can help you improve the guest experience, optimize your seating arrangements, and attract more customers to your restaurant. Here are a few key features: Mobile Booking: Resy allows guests to easily make reservations through their mobile devices. The software also offers waitlist functionality, so guests can be added to a waitlist if there are no available tables. POS Integration and Table Management: Resy integrates with your POS system, so you can manage your reservations and tables all in one place. The software also offers table management features, so you can keep track of which tables are available and which are occupied. Share Guest Notes Across Locations: With Resy, you can share guest notes and preferences across all your restaurants on as many devices as you’d prefer. This feature is especially useful for franchises and restaurant groups. Custom Floor Plan: Resy allows you to create a custom floor plan for your restaurant, including bar seats, dining room, and patios. This helps you to optimize your seating arrangements and improve the guest experience. Two-Way Communication: Resy offers text messaging functionality, so guests can easily cancel or confirm their reservations through text. They can also let you know if they're running late, so you can adjust your seating arrangements accordingly. Resy Cost Resy's basic plan, Platform, starts at $189 a month, their mid-tier plan, Platform 360, starts at $399 a month, and their top-tier plan, Full Stack, starts at $399 per month. 5. OpenTable In addition to managing reservations, OpenTable offers a range of features and benefits that can help streamline your restaurant operations and enhance the overall dining experience for your customers. Here are some key features of the OpenTable reservation system: Organize Shift Summaries and Optimize Turn Times: OpenTable allows you to easily organize shift summaries, giving you a clear overview of reservations and helping you manage your staff more efficiently. It also helps you optimize turn times by providing real-time updates on table availability. Automate Reservation Reminders: With OpenTable, you can automate reservation reminders, ensuring that your customers don't forget their bookings and reducing the likelihood of no-shows. Real-Time Availability and Online Booking: OpenTable shows customers real-time availability, allowing them to choose the most suitable time for their dining experience. It also allows customers to easily book a table through your website. Table Categories: The system offers table categories, allowing patrons to book specific areas like the patio, bar, or dining room. By offering these options, you can maximize your seating capacity and accommodate more guests. Customer Details and History: OpenTable saves customer details, including their dining history and any special requests or preferences they may have. This information can be invaluable for providing personalized service and creating a memorable experience for your guests. OpenTable Cost OpenTable's basic plan is $39 a month plus a $1.50 cover charge for each guest seated through them, their core package is $249 a month, and their full-stack plan is $499 a month. 6. Online Restaurant Reservations Another option for restaurant owners is to set up their website to allow online reservations. Online reservations have the potential to convert more website visits into actual reservations. By integrating a user-friendly reservation system on their website, owners can capture the interest of potential customers and turn their curiosity into bookings. This not only increases reservations but also helps to build a loyal customer base. How to Set Up Online Restaurant Reservations Here are your options for taking reservations through your website: Reservation Widget: You can add a reservations widget to your main menu or toolbar. This will immediately prompt visitors to your website to make a reservation. Widgets usually communicate to the customer via email whether or not their requests are confirmed or rejected. Google Ads: If you're using Google Ads, you can add your menu page as a site link. This serves as a shortcut and allows customers to see your reservation link as they're scrolling down Google's search results page. Click-to-Call: To help interested customers find your establishment’s number on their mobile phones, add a click-to-call feature from Google Ads. When your ad shows up in a Google search, a clickable call button will encourage calls on the go and allow a customer to make a reservation immediately. Whether you choose to utilize a third-party reservation service or implement a reservation system on your website, the benefits are clear. Streamlining the reservation process, enhancing customer satisfaction, and leveraging customer data for marketing purposes are just a few of the advantages that a well-designed restaurant reservation system can offer. So, don't overlook this crucial aspect of your business operations and start exploring the options available to you today.
Restaurant Kitchen Layouts
The layout of a restaurant kitchen plays a crucial role in an establishment's overall efficiency and success. A well-designed kitchen layout can significantly enhance the workflow, minimize bottlenecks, and improve the staff's production. Below, we’ll outline the factors you need to consider to create a kitchen layout that maximizes productivity and ensures a smooth operation for all. Components of a Commercial Kitchen Most people hear "commercial kitchen" and think of ranges, grills, and fryers. That may be the case, but the true commercial kitchen is much more than just the equipment or personnel found in it. A successful kitchen includes specific components organized in a particular pattern to optimize performance and efficiency. Additionally, some restaurants may set up their kitchen a certain way to match their establishment's concept or design. Regardless of the style or layout, all commercial kitchens will have these components: Cleaning/Washing The cleaning and washing section of a commercial kitchen includes appliances and products like sinks, warewashing machines, and drying racks, among others. Three-compartment sinks are necessary for washing utensils, while warewashing machines can quickly clean plates and other serving vessels to keep the kitchen running at full speed. This section of the kitchen should be located near the kitchen entrance so servers can quickly drop off dirty dishes, and near the storage area so chefs can quickly find clean dishes. Storage The storage area can be split into non-food storage, cold storage, and dry storage. The non-food storage area can be split further into a section for disposable products, a section for cleaning supplies, and a section for the clean dishes from your cleaning/washing area. Remember, in order to avoid contamination, cleaning and sanitation chemicals cannot be stored above food, food equipment, utensils, dishes, or disposables. Cold storage is where you keep anything that needs to be refrigerated or frozen, while dry storage includes all nonperishables and other consumables. This area might also contain a receiving area for inventory shipments, shortening the distance new stock has to travel through your restaurant. Food Preparation The food preparation area has sinks for washing produce, cutting areas, and mixing areas. Typically, the food preparation area is split into a section for processing raw foods (breaking down cuts of beef, for example) and a section for sorting foods into batches (chopping vegetables, mixing salad dressings, etc.). Placing this section near your storage area allows cooks to efficiently grab fresh dishes, prepare plates, and move them on to the cooking area quickly. Meal Cooking The meal cooking area is where main dishes are finished, so here you will have large pieces of equipment like ranges, ovens, and fryers. Like the food preparation area, the meal cooking area can be broken down into smaller sections like a baking station, grilling station, and frying station. Because meals are finished here, the meal cooking area should be near the front of the kitchen next to the service area. Service The service area is the final section of a commercial kitchen. If you have a serving staff, this is where they will pick up finished dishes to take to customers. If you have a self-serve or buffet-style restaurant, this is where foods will be displayed in warmers for customers to assemble their plates. This area needs to be located at the very front of the kitchen, just after the meal cooking area, to shorten the distance between completed meals and customers. Commercial Kitchen Layout There is no perfect formula for commercial kitchen layout. Every foodservice establishment is unique and will operate differently than others, so you have to decide what will help you best meet your kitchen goals. That said, there are several basic commercial kitchen design layouts to consider that succeed in blending solid kitchen design principles and kitchen components effectively. Island-Style Kitchen Layout The island-style layout places the ovens, ranges, fryers, grills, and other principle cooking equipment together in one module at the center of the kitchen, while other sections of the kitchen are placed on the perimeter walls in the proper order to preserve a circular flow (any section can be the “island” depending on what best suits your needs). This layout is very open and promotes communication and supervision, while leaving plenty of open floor space for easy cleaning. This layout works best in a large kitchen that is square in shape, but can certainly be modified to fit other shapes and sizes. Zone-Style Kitchen Layout The zone-style layout has the kitchen set up in blocks with the major equipment located along the walls. Again, the sections follow the proper order for increased flow, giving you a dishwashing block, a storage block, a food prep block, etc. Communication and supervision are not difficult in this layout because the center of the space is completely open. Assembly Line Kitchen Layout The assembly-line configuration is ideal for kitchens that need to serve a large quantity of people quickly, like cafeterias or correctional facilities. This layout may work better for establishments with a limited menu that serve large quantities of the same foods, like a sandwich or pizza shop, but it is viable for any type of kitchen. In this layout, kitchen equipment is organized in a line with the food preparation area at one end and the service area at the other, allowing cooks to quickly send food down the line. The cleaning/washing and storage/receiving areas can be located behind the assembly line to keep them out of the way. This creates supreme efficiency, and keeps the kitchen open for excellent communication and flow. Often, kitchen equipment can be linked together, further eliminating wasted space. Commercial Kitchen Design When it comes to designing a commercial kitchen, there are several design aspects such as ergonomics and flexibility that you need to consider. A well-designed commercial kitchen not only enhances the overall functionality of the space but also plays a crucial role in the success of any food service establishment. We’ve outlined the key features your kitchen should possess in order to ensure efficiency and productivity is maximized: Ergonomics - By strategically placing equipment and workstations, such as prep areas, cooking stations, and storage spaces, the design can optimize workflow and reduce unnecessary movement. This not only improves productivity but also reduces the risk of accidents and injuries. Flexibility - A flexible kitchen layout allows for easy reconfiguration and adaptation to changes in menu offerings, business growth, and operational needs. By incorporating modular equipment and versatile storage solutions, the kitchen can easily accommodate different cooking methods and styles, making it more adaptable to evolving culinary trends. Sanitation - A well-designed kitchen layout should facilitate proper cleaning and maintenance to meet stringent sanitation standards. This includes incorporating smooth, easy-to-clean surfaces, adequate drainage systems, and proper ventilation to minimize the risk of cross contamination and the buildup of harmful bacteria. Compliance with Health Codes - The layout should adhere to local health department codes and guidelines to ensure food safety and hygiene. This includes considerations such as proper separation of raw and cooked food areas, appropriate handwashing stations, and the installation of commercial-grade equipment that meets industry standards. Efficiency - A well-designed layout minimizes wasted time and energy by optimizing the flow of ingredients, equipment, and staff. This includes strategically placing workstations in a logical sequence, ensuring easy access to necessary tools and ingredients, and minimizing unnecessary movement or backtracking. Supervision - A commercial kitchen should provide clear lines of sight for supervisors and managers to oversee kitchen operations and monitor staff performance. This can be achieved by incorporating open kitchen designs, strategically placed observation points, and clear communication channels between different areas of the kitchen. Commercial Kitchen Planning When it comes to designing a restaurant kitchen, careful planning is essential to ensure maximum efficiency and productivity. A well-thought-out kitchen layout can streamline operations, optimize workflow, and ultimately contribute to the success of your establishment. Discover some fo the most important aspects of a commercial kitchen you should consider when planning your kitchen’s design: Lighting Lighting plays a crucial role in any kitchen setting, and commercial kitchens are no exception. Adequate lighting is essential to ensure the safety of your staff and the quality of your food. Bright and well-distributed restaurant lighting helps prevent accidents and enables chefs to accurately assess the color, texture, and freshness of ingredients. It is recommended to use energy-efficient LED lights, which provide excellent illumination and have a longer lifespan compared to traditional incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. Spacing Space optimization is a fundamental aspect of commercial kitchen planning. The layout should be designed to maximize efficiency and minimize unnecessary movement. The cooking area should be equipped with the necessary appliances and have ample space for chefs to work comfortably. The preparation area should be located close to the cooking area, allowing for easy transfer of ingredients and reducing the time spent on food preparation. Finally, the storage area should be conveniently located near the cooking and preparation areas to facilitate quick access to ingredients and supplies. Flooring The flooring material of a commercial kitchen should be durable, slip-resistant, and easy to clean. Given the high traffic and constant exposure to spills, grease, and heat, it is crucial to select a flooring material that can withstand these challenges. Common options for commercial kitchen flooring include quarry tile, epoxy resin, and vinyl composite tile. Restaurant kitchen layouts are an essential aspect of any food service establishment. A well-designed restaurant kitchen layout is essential for any food service establishment's smooth and efficient operation. By considering factors such as flow, equipment positioning, space utilization, and safety, restaurant owners can create a workspace that promotes productivity and enhances the overall dining experience for their customers.
How to Become a Chef
Becoming a chef is a dream for many individuals with a passion for food and a desire to create culinary masterpieces. Regardless of whether you are just considering the start of your culinary journey or looking to advance your career in the food service industry, there are several steps you can take to become a chef. Below we’ll provide the most important information you need to know to become a chef, including exploring the requirements for becoming a chef, the various career paths available in the culinary industry, and the essential skills and qualities that can set you apart in this competitive field. Shop All Chef Clothing & Apparel Use these links to learn more about how to become a professional chef: What Skills Do You Need to Be a Chef? Chef Education Requirements What Does a Chef Do? How to Become a Chef FAQ What Skills Do You Need to Be a Chef? Becoming a chef requires a diverse skill set that goes beyond just knowing how to cook. To succeed in the culinary world, you must possess a combination of technical, professional, and business skills. Let's take a closer look at each of these skill categories: 1. Technical Skills These skills encompass a wide range of abilities, including knife skills, cooking techniques, and food preparation methods. A chef must be proficient in various cooking methods such as sauteing, braising, baking, and grilling. They should also have a deep understanding of food safety and sanitation practices to ensure the highest level of hygiene in the kitchen. 2. Professional Skills Professional skills a chef must possess include effective communication, teamwork, and time management. Chefs often work in high-pressure environments where clear and concise communication is crucial to ensure the smooth operation of the kitchen. They must also be able to collaborate with other kitchen staff and work as part of a team. Time management skills are essential to meet the demands of a busy kitchen, as chefs must multitask and prioritize tasks efficiently. 3. Business Skills Chefs need to have a good understanding of food costs, menu planning, and inventory management. They must be able to create menus that are not only delicious but also financially viable. Understanding the cost of ingredients and how to price a menu accordingly is essential to running a profitable kitchen. Chef Education Requirements Becoming a chef requires a combination of formal education and hands-on experience in the culinary arts. While there is no specific degree outside of a high school diploma or GED equivalent required to become a chef, most aspiring chefs choose to pursue a formal education in culinary arts to gain the necessary skills and knowledge. Also, depending on which type of chef you wish to become, education requirements may vary. We've listed the different types of ways you can gain a culinary education and learn the essential skills of the industry: Culinary School: Many chefs start their culinary journey by attending a culinary school or institute. These institutions offer a variety of options, including certificate programs, associate degrees, and bachelor's degrees in culinary arts. Culinary school programs typically cover fundamental cooking techniques, food safety and sanitation, nutrition, menu planning, and kitchen management. Students also have the opportunity to gain practical experience in a professional kitchen environment. On-the-Job Training In addition to formal education, hands-on experience is crucial for aspiring chefs. Many chefs start their careers by working in entry-level positions in restaurants or food service establishments. This allows them to learn the ropes of the kitchen, develop their culinary skills, and gain a deeper understanding of the industry. Through on-the-job training, aspiring chefs can work their way up to more advanced positions and eventually become executive chefs or sous chefs. Apprenticeships Another route to becoming a chef is through apprenticeships. Apprenticeships provide aspiring chefs with the opportunity to work alongside experienced chefs and learn the trade through practical training. Apprenticeships typically last for a few years and cover various aspects of culinary arts, including food preparation, cooking techniques, and kitchen management. This hands-on approach allows apprentices to develop their skills while also gaining valuable industry connections. What Does a Chef Do? A chef is a culinary professional who is responsible for overseeing the preparation and cooking of food in a commercial kitchen. They are skilled in various cooking techniques and have a deep understanding of flavor profiles, food safety, and kitchen management. Below we’ve listed some key responsibilities and tasks that a chef typically handles: Menu Planning - Chefs are responsible for creating and developing menus that suit the needs and preferences of their customers. They consider factors such as seasonal availability of ingredients, dietary restrictions, and food trends to curate a diverse and appealing menu. Food Preparation - Chefs are masters of their craft when it comes to food preparation. They are skilled in cutting, chopping, marinating, and seasoning ingredients to enhance their flavors. Chefs are also proficient in various cooking techniques such as sauteing, grilling, baking, frying, and braising. Recipe Development - Chefs are often responsible for creating new recipes or modifying existing ones to add their own unique twist. They experiment with different ingredients, flavors, and cooking methods to create innovative and delicious dishes that keep customers coming back for more. Food Presentation - Chefs pay great attention to food presentation and the visual appeal of their dishes. They understand the importance of plating techniques and use their creativity to present food in an aesthetically pleasing manner. This not only enhances the dining experience but also adds to the overall perception of the restaurant. Kitchen Management - Chefs are in charge of managing the kitchen staff, including sous chefs, line cooks, and prep cooks. They delegate tasks, ensure that the kitchen operates efficiently, and maintain a clean and organized work environment. They also oversee inventory management, ordering supplies, and maintaining equipment. How to Become a Chef FAQ Here are some of the most common questions relating to becoming a chef: How Much Does it Cost to Become a Chef? While the culinary industry offers exciting opportunities and the chance to work with food every day, it's important to understand the financial investment required to pursue this profession. Costs associated with becoming a chef include potential tuition expenses, supplies and equipment, learning materials, and certification costs. These costs vary based on factors such as location, personal preferences, and individual circumstances. While the financial investment required to become a chef may seem significant, consider the long-term career prospects and personal fulfillment that becoming a chef can offer. How Long Does It Take to Become a Chef? Becoming a chef is a journey that requires dedication, passion, and a commitment to honing your culinary skills. Culinary programs typically range from 6 months to 4 years in duration, depending on the level of education you wish to achieve. In addition to formal education, gaining hands-on experience in the kitchen is crucial to becoming a chef. Many aspiring chefs work in training for several years learning various techniques, understanding kitchen operations, and developing a strong culinary repertoire. Do You Need to Go to Culinary School to Be a Chef? While culinary school can provide aspiring chefs with valuable skills and knowledge, it is not necessarily a requirement to become a successful chef. Many renowned chefs have achieved their culinary prowess through hands-on experience and self-study. On-the-job training that teaches the valuable culinary skills required is another viable way to become a chef. Becoming a chef is a rewarding and fulfilling career choice for those looking to enter the culinary industry. Although the process of becoming a chef may require a lot of education and training, it provides a rewarding career and a great outlet for creativity. Following the correct steps and attaining the necessary skills when becoming a chef helps ensure you have a successful career in this competitive industry.
How to Start a Donut Shop
Donut shops specialize in the preparation and sale of donuts. Donuts are considered one of the most popular baked goods in the United States, and donut shops can be found in towns across the country. They've grown to become a staple of many people's morning routines, providing a much-needed pick-me-up to start the day. If you’re looking to start a donut shop, we’ve compiled a list of steps to walk you through the process. Shop All Donut Shop Equipment Click any of the tips below to skip to the donut shop startup information that interests you: Write a Donut Shop Business Plan Investigate Donut Franchises Calculate the Cost of Opening a Donut Shop Obtain Donut Shop Funding Purchase Donut Shop Equipment Create a Donut Shop Menu Advertise Your Donut Shop Hire and Train a Donut Shop Staff Host a Soft Opening Donut Shop FAQ 1. Write a Donut Shop Business Plan A business plan provides a clear and structured roadmap for how to start your donut shop. It outlines your goals, strategies, and financial projections, helping you stay on track and make informed decisions. One of the key purposes of a business plan is to present your concept to potential investors. Whether you seek funding from a bank, a private investor, or even friends and family, a well-crafted business plan can make a difference when securing capital. In addition to providing a foundation for your business and attracting investors, a business plan serves as a valuable tool for you as the owner. It helps you stay focused on your goals and objectives and provides a framework for making informed decisions as you navigate the challenges of starting and running a donut shop. To learn more about this topic, read our guide on how to write a bakery business plan. 2. Investigate Donut Franchises Franchises are regionally or nationally recognized brands that operate in many locations, allowing independent investors, known as franchisees, to purchase the rights to use the franchise name, products, and business model. The main advantage of investing in a donut shop franchise is brand recognition. Established franchises have already built a solid reputation and a loyal customer base, which can give your new business a head start. Franchisees also benefit from the support and guidance provided by the franchisor, which can be valuable if you’re new to the foodservice industry. It's important to note that investing in a donut shop franchise comes with financial obligations. In exchange for the franchise rights, franchisees are required to pay a monthly or annual franchise fee. This fee covers the use of the franchise name, products, and business model. Additionally, franchisees are responsible for other expenses, such as marketing fees and royalty payments based on sales. We’ve listed some of the most popular donut shop franchises below: Krispy Kreme franchise cost: Krispy Kreme franchisees must have liquid capital of $300,000 and pay a franchise fee of $12,500 to $25,000. The average investment needed to start a Krispy Kreme shop ranges from $275,000 to $1,900,000. Dunkin' franchise cost: A Dunkin' franchisee must have a minimum net worth of $500,000 and pay a franchise fee of $40,000 to $90,000. On average, the total investment to start a Dunkin' franchise can range from $500,000 to $1,800,000. Duck Donuts franchise cost: A prospective Duck Donuts franchisee must have a minimum liquid capital of $200,000 and pay a franchise fee of $40,000. The average total cost to start a Duck Donuts ranges from $400,000 to $600,000. Tim Hortons franchise cost: A Tim Hortons franchisee must present a minimum liquid capital of $60,000 and pay a franchise fee of $25,000 to $50,000. The total investment needed to start a Tim Hortons ranges from $300,000 to $1,400,000. 3. Calculate the Cost of Opening a Donut Shop The average cost to start a donut shop falls between $40,000 and $90,000. It’s important to note that this figure can vary depending on several factors, including your business concept and where you want to open your shop. To budget accordingly, you should build an understanding of these costs and how they can affect you. We’ve compiled a list of donut shop startup expenses below to help inform your decisions: Acquiring a commercial space: Buying a donut shop can cost between $80,000 and $300,000 while leasing a commercial space can cost an average of $5,000 per month depending on your lease agreement. Equipment costs: The average cost of donut shop equipment ranges from $15,000 to $30,000. Permits and licenses: Depending on your location, you may need to apply for permits and licenses including a sales license, zoning permit, and food handler’s license, along with completing a health inspection. Each permit may be associated with application or renewal fees. 4. Obtain Donut Shop Funding While some prospective owners may have the necessary funds readily available, many people will need to secure loans or find investors to make their dream of owning a donut shop a reality. Remember to highlight your unique offerings and demonstrate a solid business plan to increase your chances of obtaining the necessary funding. Continue reading to learn about the different financing options available to you. Traditional bank loan: Traditional bank loans involve taking out a set amount of money and paying it back over a fixed period. Business line of credit: A business line of credit functions similarly to a credit card. You'll be provided with a set line of credit that can be used for a wide range of purchases and interest on the money you spend. Small business loan: Small business loans are loans available through the U.S. Small Business Administration to help entrepreneurs establish and grow their businesses. Crowdfunding: Finding funding through sites like GoFundMe can be an effective tool for new business owners. Supporters can donate money towards your cause and help you quickly and efficiently get the funding. Equipment cost: Equipment loans can be useful for getting quick money to repair or upgrade the equipment in your donut shop. Business credit card: Business credit cards allow you to make purchases for your business. They are effective for paying off smaller expenses and shouldn't be used in place of a larger loan. 5. Purchase Donut Shop Equipment Donut shops require specialized equipment to function efficiently and produce high-quality donuts consistently. The type of equipment you purchase and the quantity you'll need depends on your projected output and the available space in your kitchen. We'll walk you through the equipment you'll need below. Kitchen Equipment Purchase the following appliances to complete your donut shop kitchen: Convection ovens: Ideal for baking large amounts of donuts and other treats. Donut glazers and finishing tables: Provide a surface for glazing and decorating your signature donuts. Donut depositors: Allows you to distribute the perfect amount of dough for your donuts. Dough mixers: Perfect for preparing dough in the kitchen. Dough scales: Allows you to verify your dough is portioned correctly. Donut baskets and screen racks: Ideal for cooling donuts and other baked goods. Front of House Equipment and Supplies The equipment and supplies listed below allow you to design a functional front-of-house area: POS equipment: Allows you to conduct transactions. Display cases: Perfect for highlighting your signature donuts. Menu boards: Ideal for displaying your menu or specials. Bakery boxes: Allows customers to take multiple donuts on the go. Paper cups: Ideal for serving coffee, tea, and other beverages. Lids: Ensures that guests do not spill their beverages on the go. Coffee stirrers: Allows guests to prepare coffee as they see fit. 6. Create a Donut Shop Menu Your menu is the centerpiece of your donut shop, and in many cases, it's the first thing customers see when they walk in. Choosing what to offer on your menu can be difficult, and it's crucial to get it right. Keep the layout of your menu in mind and highlight customer favorites or limited-time promotions. When it comes to pricing your menu, be strategic. Consider the cost of ingredients, preparation time, and overhead expenses, and offer a range of price points so that customers with different budgets can find something they enjoy. Offer a variety of treats: Include donuts, donut holes, and other baked goods on your menu. This gives your customers access to a wide range of selections and ensures they will find something they enjoy. Highlight seasonal items: Consider adding themed items to your menu throughout the year to boost sales. For example, you could offer pumpkin spice donuts during the fall or holiday-themed donuts during the winter season. Don't forget drinks: Expand your menu to offer coffee, tea, or smoothies, complementing your donut selection and giving guests more variety to choose from. 7. Advertise Your Donut Shop Advertising is crucial for creating awareness and generating excitement for your donut shop. Marketing costs can vary depending on your business type, goals, and the marketing strategies you choose. As a small business owner, it's essential to allocate a portion of your budget towards advertising to ensure your donut shop gets the attention it deserves. On average, donut shops spend 5-8% of their revenue on advertising. While this may vary based on individual circumstances, it provides a general guideline for budgeting purposes. Keep in mind that the more you invest in advertising, the greater the potential return on investment. To help identify the strategy that works best for you, we've listed some donut shop marketing methods below: Traditional marketing: Traditional methods, such as print media and radio advertisements, can be effective with local audiences. Place ads in local newspapers or magazines highlighting your unique offerings. Radio commercials can be a great way to reach commuters and capture their attention during their daily commute. Social media marketing: Platforms like Facebook and Instagram are excellent tools for reaching a wide audience at a minimal cost. Create engaging posts showcasing your delicious donuts, behind-the-scenes footage of your shop's preparation, and sneak peeks of your menu. Word of mouth: Encourage your friends, family, and loyal customers to spread the word about your donut shop. Offer them incentives, such as discounts or freebies, for referring new customers. 8. Hire and Train a Donut Shop Staff Your employees are the backbone of your business, and having the right team in place can make all the difference in how efficiently your shop operates. When it comes to hiring, it's not just about finding people with the necessary skills. It's about finding individuals who fit into your company culture and can contribute to a positive workplace environment. A strong company culture not only attracts customers but also helps to retain employees, reducing turnover and ensuring continuity in your operations. As an employer, your responsibility doesn't end with hiring employees. It's equally important to invest time and resources into training them properly. This ensures that they have the knowledge and skills to perform their duties effectively and consistently. Below, we've created a list of tips to guide you through the hiring process. Write clear position listings: Clearly defining the job positions and their requirements will help you attract candidates who best fit your needs. Recruit effectively: Depending on the location of your donut shop, you may need to actively recruit and advertise your job openings to reach potential employees. Online job boards, social media, and local networking can help you cast a wider net and find the right talent. Conduct interviews and background checks: Asking behavioral-based questions and checking references can provide valuable insights into a candidate's work ethic, problem-solving abilities, and compatibility with your team. 9. Host a Soft Opening A soft opening is a limited, invite-only unveiling of your donut shop. It's an opportunity for you and your staff to have a dry run before the grand opening, and it can also generate positive word of mouth for your business. During the event, consider offering a limited menu or highlighting your signature donuts. This way, you can focus on perfecting a smaller selection of items, ensuring they are prepared to the highest standard. The limited, invite-only nature of a soft opening also creates a sense of exclusivity and anticipation among your guests and allows you to receive valuable feedback. Their opinions and suggestions can help you identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments before opening to the public. Donut Shop FAQ We've answered some of the most common questions about starting a donut shop below. How Much Does it Cost to Open a Donut Shop? The cost of starting an independent donut shop ranges from $50,000 to $150,000, but this number can fluctuate based on a variety of factors. The location you choose, the amount of equipment you need to purchase, and potential renovations to your shop can all impact your initial investment. How Much Profit Does a Donut Shop Make? A small donut shop situated in a highly trafficked area can rake in up to $150,000 in profit annually. It's important to note that donut shop sales can fluctuate seasonally. January and February often see low profits as customers kick off the new year with resolutions to eat healthier. As summer approaches, donut shop owners can expect an upward trend in sales, with a sharp increase coming in the fall. Back to Top Starting a donut shop requires careful planning, a solid business strategy, and a large amount of hard work. Donut shops come with significant financial and operational obligations, but when executed correctly they can be very successful. By adhering to the information above, you can position yourself and your donut shop for success in a competitive industry.
Kid-Friendly Restaurant Ideas
Creating a kid-friendly restaurant is a smart business move that can attract families and increase your customer base. By providing a space that is welcoming to children, you can create an pleasant meal time for the entire family with this restaurant concept. From designing a playful ambiance to offering a menu tailored to children's tastes, we explore an array of ideas and strategies that can help transform your restaurant into one that caters to the needs and preferences of young diners and keeps families coming back for more. Kids Menu Ideas One of the key factors to consider with a kid-friendly restaurant is your menu. A well-curated kids menu can not only attract families but also ensure that children have a delightful time. Try these creative and delicious kids menu ideas that can help you cater to your younger guests: 1. Classic Favorites Stick with tried-and-true kids menu options to feed hungry guests: Chicken Tenders: Crispy breaded chicken strips served with a side of fries or vegetables. Mac and Cheese: Creamy and cheesy macaroni that is easy to whip up and serve in small portion sizes. Grilled Cheese Sandwich: A classic combination of melted cheese between two slices of grilled bread. Cheese Pizza: A popular option that can be customized with various toppings. 2. Healthy Choices Add some healthier alternatives to your kids menu: Mini Turkey Sliders: Miniature turkey burgers served with whole wheat buns and a side of fresh fruit. Veggie Quesadilla: A colorful mix of sauteed vegetables, cheese, and tortilla, perfect for little hands. Fresh Fruit Skewers: Use child-safe skewers to add bite-sized fruits like strawberries, melons, and grapes, served with a yogurt dip. Mini Vegetable Pasta: A small portion of pasta tossed with a medley of seasonal vegetables. 3. Interactive Options With kids being notoriously picky eaters, interactive options allow them to customize their meal: Build-Your-Own Tacos: Kids can choose their own fillings, such as ground beef, shredded cheese, lettuce, and salsa, and assemble their tacos. DIY Pizza: Offer a mini pizza crust with a variety of toppings like tomato sauce, cheese, and vegetables, allowing kids to create their own masterpiece. Pancake Bar: Serve mini pancakes with an assortment of toppings like chocolate chips, berries, whipped cream, and maple syrup, encouraging kids to customize their pancakes. 4. International Flavors Match the cuisine of your main menu with these international flavors: Chicken Teriyaki Skewers: Bite-sized pieces of chicken marinated in a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce, served with steamed rice. Mini Chicken Tacos: Mini tortillas filled with seasoned chicken, salsa, and a sprinkle of cheese, offering a taste of Mexican cuisine. Mini Sushi Rolls: Small sushi rolls with kid-friendly fillings like cucumber, avocado, and cooked shrimp, served with soy sauce. Chicken Fried Rice: A kid-friendly twist on a classic Asian dish, featuring diced chicken, vegetables, and rice stir-fried in a savory sauce. Important Factors for Kids Menus Keep the following in mind when crafting your kids menu: Readily Available Nutritional Information: Providing nutritional information for your kids menu items can help parents make healthier and informed choices for their children according to their dietary needs. Consider including calorie counts, fat content, and other relevant nutritional information for each dish on your kids menu. This transparency not only demonstrates your commitment to your young diners' well-being but also builds trust with parents who value nutritional awareness. Potential Allergens: Food allergies are a growing concern among parents, with approximately 8% of children in the United States having a food allergy. To ensure a safe dining experience for all children, it is essential to offer allergy accommodations on your kids menu. Clearly indicate which dishes contain common allergens such as nuts, dairy, gluten, or shellfish. Additionally, consider offering alternative options or modifications to accommodate specific dietary restrictions. Portion Size: Offering appropriately sized portions on your kids menu ensures that children can enjoy their meal without feeling overwhelmed. Consider offering smaller portion sizes or half-portion options for popular dishes from your regular menu. This allows children to enjoy a variety of flavors while preventing food waste. Supplies For Kid-Friendly Restaurants Not only do you need to create a menu filled with family-friendly options, but you should equip your restaurant with the supplies and spaces needed to create a comfortable atmosphere for all. Kids Meal Supplies One way to keep kids entertained and engaged during their meal is to provide them with fun and interactive meal supplies. Below are some essential kids meal supplies that can enhance the dining experience for your youngest patrons: Coloring Placemats: Coloring placemats are a great way to keep kids entertained while waiting for their food. These placemats often feature engaging designs and activities that children can color in using crayons, providing them with a creative outlet and keeping them occupied. Crayons: Providing children with a set of crayons allows them to unleash their creativity on the coloring placemats or butcher paper while waiting for their food. It's a simple addition that can make a big difference in keeping kids entertained. Kids Cups with Fun Straws: Kids cups with fun straws are not only visually appealing but also practical. These cups are typically smaller in size, making them easier for children to hold and drink from. The addition of colorful and playful straws adds an element of fun to their visit. Table Tablets: Table tablets are becoming increasingly popular in kid-friendly restaurants. These tablets provide an interactive option for children, offering a variety of games and activities that can keep them entertained throughout the meal. Additionally, some table tablets also feature educational content, providing a fun learning experience for kids. Kids Seating for Restaurants Providing appropriate seating options for children is crucial in kid-friendly restaurants. By offering comfortable and safe seating, you can ensure that families with children have an enjoyable time. Invest in these seating options for your dining room: High Chairs: High chairs are designed to safely accommodate infants and young toddlers during mealtime. High chairs usually have built-in safety features such as harnesses and crotch bars to keep children secure. Look for high chairs with easy-to-clean surfaces and sturdy construction to ensure durability and hygiene. Booster Seats: Booster seats provide a safe and elevated seating option for older toddlers and young children who have outgrown high chairs but still need a boost to comfortably reach the table. Booster seats are typically made of durable materials such as plastic or wood and feature straps or belts to secure the child in place. Larger Tables for Families: In addition to providing appropriate seating for children, offering larger tables specifically designed to accommodate families is essential. These tables should be spacious enough to comfortably seat parents, children, and any additional family members. By having larger tables available, families can dine together without feeling cramped or restricted. Consider investing in tables with rounded corners to minimize the risk of accidents and injuries. Family-Friendly Bathrooms Supplies A trip to the bathroom can be quite hectic for parents of small children. By outfitting your restrooms with family-friendly amenities, you can ensure that both parents and children comfortable in your facilities. These thoughtful additions will show your commitment to providing exceptional service to all customers. Changing Table: Installing a changing table in the restroom is crucial for families with infants or toddlers. This convenient feature allows parents to easily change their child's diaper in a clean and safe environment. Make sure to choose a changing table that is sturdy, easy to clean, and meets safety standards. Grab bars: Grab bars and hand rails provide extra support and stability, making it easier for parents to assist their children while using the facilities. They are especially helpful for children who are learning to use the toilet independently or are transitioning from a kids potty to a regular toilet. Pull-Down Step Stools: A pull-down step stool allows children to reach the sink and wash their hands without needing assistance. Look for a step stool that is sturdy, easy to clean, and can be easily stored when not in use. Purse Hooks: Adding purse hooks in the restroom is a small but thoughtful detail that can be a great convenience for parents. These hooks provide a designated place for parents to hang their bags, allowing them to have both hands free to assist their children. Choose durable hooks that can securely hold bags of various sizes and weights. Family-Sized Stall: Designating a family-sized stall in the restroom is a practical solution for families with multiple children or individuals who require assistance. This larger stall provides ample space for parents to accompany their children or for families to use the restroom together. Ensure that the family-sized stall is equipped with all the necessary amenities, including a changing table and handrails. Separate Family Bathroom: If space allows, consider creating a separate family bathroom in addition to the regular restrooms. This private and spacious facility provides families with a more comfortable and inclusive experience. A separate family bathroom can be equipped with all the necessary family-friendly amenities, ensuring that families feel welcomed and accommodated. Build a Kid-Friendly Play Area While a play area may not be appropriate in a fine dining setting, creating a designated area for kids to play freely in your fast casual restaurant can be advantageous to everyone. Having a designated space for kids to run freely and play with each other can keep kids from becoming restless, frustrated, and noisy in their seats. Encourage parents to let their children play while waiting for a table, after ordering their food, or at the end of the meal. This can help parents relax, socialize, and spend longer in your establishment. When designing a play space, it’s important to create an easily visible area for parents, and/or a gated or fenced space to keep kids well-contained. Hire staff who are specially trained to handle children and fill your play space with toys designed to stimulate children of all ages. Check with your local jurisdiction to see if any additional insurance is required when setting up a play area to protect your business from liabilities Kid-Friendly Restaurant Staff Training Your staff plays a crucial role in ensuring a positive and safe experience for families dining with children. Proper training can help your staff understand the unique needs of families and provide exceptional service. Here are some key facts to consider when implementing kid-friendly restaurant staff training: Engaging with children: Teach your staff how to engage with children in a friendly and respectful manner. They should be able to strike up conversations, offer age-appropriate activities or coloring sheets, and make children feel comfortable. Menu knowledge: Ensure that your staff is well-versed in the kid-friendly options on your menu. They should be able to recommend dishes that are popular among children and accommodate any dietary restrictions or allergies. By having a solid understanding of the menu, your staff can confidently assist parents in making suitable choices for their children. Patience and empathy: Stress the importance of patience and empathy when dealing with families. Children may have unpredictable behavior or special needs, and it's essential for your staff to remain calm and understanding. By demonstrating patience and empathy, your staff can help diffuse any potential challenges and create a welcoming setting for everyone. Safety awareness: Emphasize the importance of safety in a kid-friendly restaurant environment. Train your staff on the proper handling of hot food and beverages, as well as how to identify and address potential hazards. This can help prevent accidents in your dining room. Family-Friendly Restaurant Safety Precautions While you should always take extra measures to ensure the safety of your guests, it’s especially important to take notice of situations that may be hazardous to families with small children. Here are a few ways you can ensure your dining area is safe for young kids: Avoid wet or slippery floors and use proper signage to alert parents Cover open sockets with protectors, especially those that are near booths or tables Offer protective padding or covers on sharp corners of tables, counters, and chairs If you're trying to figure out how to make your restaurant kid-friendly, start with these tips. Above all, remember that you'll go a long way by keeping your young diners happy, and their parents comfortable and relaxed. By incorporating age-appropriate kids menus and creating a space where families feel welcome, you’re sure to keep them coming back to make more memories together.
Warehouse PPE Checklist
Once you have performed a hazard assessment of your facility, you will need to identify what PPE you need to supply for your warehouse workers. Providing your employees with the proper PPE equipment ensures they are protected against potential hazards and will help reduce the risk of injury in your
Coffee Shop Equipment List
You have a business plan for opening your coffee shop, a great location, and the perfect name with an awesome logo to go with it. Now that it's time to set up the shop, you might be unsure where to start. Even though specific requirements will vary from business to business, there are essential item
Mobile Marketing for Restaurants
In today's digital age, mobile marketing plays a crucial role in driving sales for businesses across various industries, including the restaurant sector. With the majority of consumers relying on their smartphones for quick and convenient access to information, leveraging mobile technology has become essential for restaurants looking to boost their visibility, engage with customers, and ultimately increase sales. We'll introduce what mobile marketing is, the different forms it comes in, and mobile marketing trends below. Click any of the links below to skip to the mobile marketing information that most interests you: What Is Mobile Marketing? Types of Mobile Marketing Mobile Marketing Tips Future of Mobile Marketing What Is Mobile Marketing? Mobile marketing is a strategy that targets customers using smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. Unlike traditional marketing methods that rely heavily on demographic data, mobile marketing considers the actions and preferences of individual users. It acknowledges people are increasingly reliant on their mobile devices for various activities, such as browsing the internet, checking emails, or scrolling through social media feeds. By leveraging these channels, businesses can deliver targeted messages directly to their customers' fingertips. Mobile Marketing vs Traditional Marketing It's important to note that mobile marketing is different from social media marketing. While social media marketing focuses on promoting products or services through social media platforms, mobile marketing encompasses a broader range of channels and formats. It allows businesses to engage with customers through various touchpoints, ensuring a more holistic and comprehensive marketing approach. Types of Mobile Marketing With the rise of smartphones and the increasing reliance on mobile devices, it has become crucial for businesses to utilize mobile platforms to reach potential customers. Various types of mobile marketing strategies can help businesses tap into this vast market. 1. Website-Based Marketing A restaurant website optimized for mobile devices is the foundation on which successful mobile marketing campaigns are built. It's not enough to have a website; you need to ensure that it works smoothly and isn't missing any core features when accessed from a mobile device. Your mobile website is often the first interaction potential customers have with your brand, and studies show that a bad mobile experience can cause potential guests to click away. To design a good mobile website, keep the following factors in mind: Responsiveness: Your website should automatically adapt to different screen sizes and resolutions, ensuring that it looks and functions properly on any mobile device. Loading speed: Mobile users have limited patience when waiting for a website to load. Optimize your website's performance to minimize loading times and provide a smooth browsing experience. Navigation: Make it easy for users to find what they're looking for by organizing your content in a logical and user-friendly manner. Use clear and clickable buttons, and avoid overwhelming users with too much information on a single page. Call-to-action: Take steps to guide users toward the actions you want them to take, whether it's making a reservation, placing an order, or signing up for your newsletter. Use prominent and easily clickable buttons to encourage conversions. 2. App-Based Marketing Having a dedicated mobile app can give your restaurant a significant advantage over your competition. Apps serve as a powerful tool to engage with your customers, boost loyalty, and drive sales. They also allow you to improve customer experience and streamline the way that users order food. Continue reading to learn about how your restaurant can utilize a mobile app: App-only promotions: Reward your loyal app users by offering special promotions that are exclusively available through your app. Whether it's a discount on their next meal or a free appetizer, these app-only perks will incentivize customers to download and use your app regularly. Exclusive perks: Highlight the value a customer gets by downloading and using your app, such as personalized offers, birthday rewards, or early access to new menu items. You can also allow customers to accumulate rewards points with every purchase. Push notifications: Push notifications are a direct and effective way to communicate with your app users. Send timely reminders about their accumulated rewards, upcoming expiration dates, or limited-time offers. You can also leverage geolocation technology to send push notifications when customers are near your restaurant, enticing them to drop in and enjoy a meal. 3. QR Codes QR codes, short for Quick Response codes, are two-dimensional barcodes that can be scanned with a phone's camera. Their simplicity makes them an ideal choice for mobile marketing campaigns. QR codes offer valuable insights and data for your marketing efforts. By tracking the number of scans and analyzing customer behavior, you can judge the effectiveness of your campaigns, refine your mobile marketing strategies, and tailor your offerings to match customer preferences. We’ve listed examples of common ways QR codes are utilized for restaurants below: Directing customers to your menu Offering menu specials Generating organic traffic for your website Advertising catering services 4. Location-Based Marketing Location-based marketing utilizes the physical location of a consumer to target them with specific marketing messages. By leveraging the GPS capabilities of mobile devices, businesses can deliver tailored promotions, offers, and advertisements to individuals based on their location. The strategy is possible through geofencing, and its hyperlocal targeting allows businesses to connect with consumers near their physical stores, increasing the likelihood of conversion. Consumers can enjoy personalized experiences and access exclusive deals relevant to their immediate needs. What Is Geofencing? Geofencing is a location-based marketing technique that utilizes GPS, RFID, WiFi, and cellular data to define a virtual geographical boundary. This boundary, known as a geofence, triggers a targeted marketing action when a device enters or exits the specified area. Geofences can be as small as a building or as large as an entire state, making them a versatile tool for businesses of all sizes. By setting up geofences, you can send relevant and timely messages to potential customers based on their physical location. 5. SMS Marketing SMS marketing sends text messages directly to mobile devices, making it an invaluable tool for businesses looking to boost their sales and engagement. One of the key advantages of SMS marketing is its effectiveness when combined with time-sensitive deals. By sending out exclusive promotions or limited-time offers via text message, you can create a sense of urgency that prompts customers to take immediate action. Compared to traditional email marketing, SMS marketing has proven to be significantly more effective. While emails often go unnoticed in crowded inboxes or get filtered as spam, text messages have a much higher open rate. It's important to note that customers must opt-in to receive SMS marketing messages, meaning they must give explicit permission for businesses to send them promotions and updates. Common ways that restaurants utilize SMS marketing include the following: Reminding customers about upcoming events Alerting customers about reservations Advertising limited-time specials Sending exclusive coupons Update customers on delivery status Mobile Marketing Tips When it comes to utilizing mobile marketing, there are several factors to consider for a successful strategy. We’ve compiled a list of tips below so that you can get your message out the right way. Register for online listings: One of the best ways to increase your visibility is by registering your business with online listings sites like Google, Yelp, and Tripadvisor. This ensures your information is readily available to potential customers searching on mobile devices. They also provide you with a platform to display essential information about your business, such as your hours of operation, location, website, and menu. Utilize third-party delivery apps: In today's fast-paced world, offering takeout and delivery options is a must. By tapping into the power of third-party delivery apps, you can meet this growing demand and attract a whole new customer base. Consider factors such as commission fees, delivery radius, and customer reviews when selecting a partner, and be sure to optimize your menu for delivery to ensure a profitable partnership. Use clear and concise messaging: Interactions on mobile devices are often brief, with users quickly scrolling through content or glancing at notifications. To make an impact, your message should be direct and to the point. Tell your audience exactly what you want them to do, whether it's to click a link, make a purchase, or sign up for a newsletter. Create attention-grabbing visuals: Consider incorporating videos or carousels of pictures into your mobile marketing strategy, as interactive elements are more engaging than still photos. High-quality visuals can significantly impact brand perception, and professional photography or videography can increase the production value of your content. Remember to prioritize making your website easy to navigate on mobile devices. No matter how stunning your visuals are, if your website is difficult to navigate or takes too long to load, customers will click away. Keep context in mind: As a business, you want to consider the impact of your messaging. While it's important to connect with your audience, bombarding them with irrelevant or intrusive messages can quickly turn them off. Sending a promotional offer at 2 a.m. may not be the best idea, as it can be seen as intrusive and annoying. Instead, consider sending your messages during appropriate hours when your customers are more likely to be receptive. Future of Mobile Marketing As technology continues to evolve, new trends and technologies will impact how mobile marketing is implemented. Staying informed on these technologies can give your business a competitive edge in the ever-changing digital landscape. We’ll analyze some emerging mobile marketing trends below. Personalization: Personalization allows businesses to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time, increasing the chances of engagement and conversion. It is made possible through marketing data and insights, including browsing and purchase history, demographics, and location. Advancements in technology will further enhance marketers' ability to deliver personalized experiences. Video marketing: A video is a powerful tool because it is an incredibly engaging form of content. By leveraging platforms like YouTube and TikTok, you can create videos that specifically cater to this on-the-go audience, ensuring that your message reaches them at the right time. Artificial intelligence: With its ability to analyze data from mobile devices, AI enables businesses to create more effective and targeted marketing campaigns, ultimately leading to higher conversion rates and a better return on investment. Businesses can utilize AI algorithms to gain valuable insights into customer behavior, preferences, and purchasing patterns. Voice-enabled technology: Voice-enabled technology is revolutionizing the way we interact with our devices. Instead of typing, users can now simply speak to their smartphones, tablets, or smart speakers to get things done. Businesses can implement voice technology into their apps to provide a more seamless and user-friendly experience. There are many mobile marketing strategies your restaurant can implement to help increase your customer base and brand recognition. By making sure your business is well-represented on major platforms, embracing emerging technologies, and optimizing your internet presence, you can attract new customers and build your brand.
How to Write a Menu Describing Your Food
The words used to describe the food on your menu are just as critical as food presentation. It can mean the difference in converting people browsing the internet for places to eat to new customers or in upselling your more expensive menu items. There are many words to describe food that help convey its taste, texture, and preparation method in an appealing manner. Use our list of food adjectives below to find the best way to describe the food on your menu. Words to Describe Taste The flavor of food is what customers focus on most when they are deciding what to eat. How you engineer your menu can help build anticipation, and a good food description could convince a hesitant customer to try something new. With this in mind, be precise and thorough when choosing words to describe your food's flavor. Here are some words used to describe the taste of food: Acidic: Food with a sharp taste. Often used to refer to tart or sour foods as well. Bitter: A tart, sharp, and sometimes harsh flavor. Bittersweet: A less harsh taste than bitterness. Couples tartness with sweetness. Briny: Another word for salty. Often used to describe pickled foods. Citrusy: A bright flavor like that of lemons, limes, oranges, and other citrus fruits. Cooling: A taste that mimics the feeling of cold temperature. Often used to describe mint. Earthy: Reminiscent of fresh soil. Often used to describe red wines, root vegetables, and mushrooms. Fiery: A taste that feels as though it gives off heat. Another word for spicy. Fresh: A light and crisp taste. Often used to describe produce or herbs. Fruity: Any taste reminiscent of sweet fruit flavors. Full-bodied: Rich flavor that can feel heavy in the mouth. Often used to describe wines. Herbal: A bright, fresh, or sometimes earthy taste created by the incorporation of herbs. Honeyed: A sweet or candied taste that may be reminiscent of honey. Nutty: Any taste similar to the flavors of nuts. Often used to describe cheeses. Rich: A full, heavy flavor. Often used to describe foods containing cream. Robust: A rich taste with some earthiness. Often used to describe wines or aged liquors. Savory: An umami taste. Often used to describe meaty, earthy foods and broths. Sharp: A harsh, bitter, or tart taste. Often used to describe acidic foods. Smoky: A smoky taste is reminiscent of the smell of smoke. Sour: A biting, tangy, tart flavor. Spicy: A burning taste from hot spices. Sweet: A sugary flavor. Tangy: A tart, biting taste that feels tingly in the mouth. Tart: A sharp, bitter, or sour flavor. Often used to describe acidic foods. Yeasty: An earthy taste reminiscent of yeast. Often used to describe beer and bread. Woody: An earthy, sometimes nutty taste. Often used to describe coffees or cheeses. Zesty: A fresh, vivid, or invigorating flavor. Words to Describe Texture Another consideration when describing your food is texture. Properly using food adjectives to describe mouthfeel helps your guests to imagine what it will be like to eat your food before they order it. Here are some words used to describe the texture of food: Airy: A light, pillowy texture often created by the incorporation of air. Buttery: A smooth and creamy texture similar to that of butter. Chewy: The texture of food that needs to be chewed thoroughly before swallowing. Can be light and bouncy or heavy and sticky. Creamy: A smooth and rich texture that usually comes from the incorporation of dairy. Crispy: A light texture with a slight crunch. Crumbly: The texture of food with a loose structure that falls apart into small pieces or crumbs. Crunchy: A firm, crisp texture often identified by the sharp, audible noise that the food makes when being eaten. Crusty: The texture of food with a hard outer layer and soft interior. Delicate: A light, fine texture that may come apart easily. Doughy: A soft and heavy texture that is often coupled with pale coloring. Fizzy: A texture brought on by the presence of many small bubbles, usually referring to carbonated liquids. Flaky: A light texture characterized by layers that come apart during eating. Fluffy: A light and airy texture. Gooey: A viscous, sometimes sticky texture arising from the presence of moisture in a dense solid food. Hearty: A firm, robust texture. Juicy: A succulent, tender texture characterized by the presence of liquid in solid food. Silky: A fine, smooth texture characterized by a sleek feel in the mouth. Sticky: A texture characterized by gluiness in the mouth. Smooth: A consistent texture free of grit, lumps, or indentations. Succulent: A tender, juicy texture. Tender: A soft texture that is easy to break down. Velvety: A smooth and rich texture. Words to Describe Food Preparation Method Describing how your food is prepared will give customers a better picture of its flavor, texture, and appearance. Here are some words that indicate preparation and cooking methods: Baked: Food cooked in an oven, often resulting in a browned or crispy outer coating. Blanched: Food scalded in boiling water and then moved to cold water to stop cooking. Results in a softened texture. Blackened: Food dipped in butter and coated with spices before being cooked in a hot pan, resulting in a blackened appearance. Braised: Food that is briefly fried in a small amount of fat and then slowly stewed in a covered pot. Results in a seared, crispy exterior coupled with a tender interior texture. Breaded: A breaded food is coated with a breadcrumb mixture or batter that is then baked or fried into a crispy outer layer. Broiled: Food cooked with intense radiant heat, as in an oven or on a grill. Often results in a darkened appearance and crispy texture. Caramelized: Food slow-cooked until it is browned, nutty, and sweeter. Charred: Food that is grilled, roasted, or broiled and gains a blackened exterior and smoky flavor. Fermented: Food introduced to bacteria, yeast, or another microorganism to produce organic acids, alcohols, or gases. May result in a pungent, biting flavor. Fried: Food that is cooked by submerging partially or fully into hot oil. Often results in a crispy or crunchy texture and golden color. Glazed: Food with a flavorful coating dripped or brushed onto its surface. May result in a glossy appearance and thin, crisp outer layer. Infused: Food steeped in liquid with another ingredient to extract the flavor of the ingredient. Often used with herbs. Marinated: Food (usually meat) that has been soaked in liquid containing flavorful ingredients like herbs, spices, vinegar, and oil. Poached: Food that has been cooked in nearly boiling liquid. Often results in a tender, moist texture. Roasted: Food that has been cooked with dry heat in an oven or over a fire. Often results in a browned exterior and crisp coating. Sauteed: Food that has been cooked quickly in a small amount of fat. Seared: Food that is cooked in a small amount of fat until caramelized and then finished by roasting, grilling, or another method. Results in a crisp outer texture and tender interior. Smoked: Smoked food is food that is cooked or preserved by long exposure to smoke from smoldering wood. Results in a distinctive, bold flavor. Whipped: Food that has been beaten to incorporate air. Often results in a light, fluffy texture. Positive Food Adjectives Describing food with words that have a negative connotation can accidentally influence your customers into passing over a menu item. Before you use a descriptor word in your menu, take a moment to think about how that word is commonly perceived. Does it bring a positive image to mind, or is it unappetizing? Instead, use adjectives synonymous with the negative word with a more positive connotation. They are often more specific and give customers a more precise visual of the item. Here are some examples of negative descriptive words and positive food adjectives you can use to replace them: Dry vs. crispy: Chicken with a dry breading compared to Chicken with a crispy breading Greasy vs. velvety: Pasta in a greasy sauce compared to Pasta in a velvety sauce Sugary vs. honeyed: Pears with a sugary drizzle compared to Pears with a honeyed drizzle Burned vs. blackened: Burned salmon compared to Blackened salmon Tough vs. hearty: A piece of tough bread compared to A piece of hearty bread Mushy vs. tender: A mushy crabcake compared to A tender crabcake When searching for the right words to describe the food on your menu, remember that you have plenty of options to describe its taste and appearance. Use words appealing enough to catch a customer's eye, common enough to explain your food at a glance, and specialized enough that you don't have to resort to cliches. Next time you add a new dish or want to overhaul your menu, consider how a food's description can be a tool for attracting new customers and higher profits.
Types of Pizza
Since its humble beginnings in Italy, pizza has gone through numerous transformations to become the dish that so many people know and love today. But if you’re just opening your first pizza place or want to add a pizza oven to your restaurant's patio, it can be difficult to decide what style of pizza your restaurant will make. We discuss the different types of pizza, their history, and what you’ll need to make them so you can start serving up delicious slices to your guests. Shop All Pizza Supplies and Equipment Use these links to learn more about the different types of pizza: Neapolitan Pizza Chicago Pizza New York Pizza Sicilian Pizza Greek Pizza California Pizza Detroit Pizza St. Louis Pizza Types of Pizza Crust Pizza Styles Check out our video showcasing the most popular pizza styles. For a skimmable guide to pizza styles, skip to our helpful infographic. <iframe scrolling="no" width="392" height="226" src="/v/?num=13295&width=600&height=500&embed=1" frameborder="0"></iframe> 1. Neapolitan Style Pizza Neapolitan is the original pizza. This delicious pie dates all the way back to the 18th century in Naples, Italy. During this time, the poorer citizens of this seaside city frequently purchased food that was cheap and could be eaten quickly. Luckily for them, Neapolitan pizza was affordable and readily available through numerous street vendors. Types of Neapolitan Pizza Today there are three official variants of Neapolitan pizza: Pizza Marinara: Features tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and extra virgin olive oil. Pizza Margherita: Features tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. Pizza Margherita Extra: Features tomatoes, mozzarella from Campania, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. Traditional Neapolitan Pizza Toppings: The typical Neapolitan pizza toppings are fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil leaves, oregano, and olive oil. Since Neapolitan pizza is thin, it isn't designed to handle the weight of too many toppings. In fact, Neapolitan pizza is so thin that it's typically eaten with a fork and knife. Neapolitan Pizza Baking Suggestions: Many people will tell you that in order to make "real" Neapolitan pizza, it must be baked in a wood-burning oven that's heated anywhere from 800 - 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, similar to how it was made many years ago. Baking the pie at this high of a temperature only takes around 70-90 seconds to fully cook. 2. Chicago Style Pizza Chicago pizza, also called deep-dish pizza, gets its name from the city it was invented in. During the early 1900s, Italian immigrants in the windy city were searching for something similar to the Neapolitan pizza that they knew and loved. Instead of imitating the notoriously thin pie, Ike Sewell had something else in mind. He created a pizza with a thick crust that had raised edges, similar to a pie, and ingredients in reverse, with slices of mozzarella lining the dough followed by meat and vegetables, and then topped with a can of crushed tomatoes. This original creation led Sewell to create the now-famous chain restaurant, Pizzeria Uno. Traditional Chicago Pizza Toppings: Generally, the toppings for Chicago pizza are mozzarella, ground beef, sausage, pepperoni, onion, mushrooms, and green peppers, placed underneath the tomato sauce. Some locations will finish off their pizzas with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese across the tomato sauce. Chicago Pizza Baking Suggestions: To easily get a Chicago pizza out of the pan, it's important to wipe the pan down with oil. Adding oil to the pan also helps to make the base of the dough a bit crispier. Since there are more toppings and dough, baking a deep dish pizza can be a lengthier process, with a baking time of 30 - 35 minutes. 3. New York Style Pizza With its characteristic large, foldable slices and crispy outer crust, New York pizza is one of America’s most famous regional pizza types. Originally a variation of Neapolitan pizza, the New York slice has taken on fame all its own, with some saying its unique flavor has to do with the minerals present in New York’s tap water supply. Traditional New York Pizza Toppings: New York pizza usually features tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Unlike its thin crust counterpart, the Neapolitan, New York pizzas can handle a wide range of additional toppings, from pepperoni and sausage to mushrooms and anchovies. While this type of pizza can have virtually anything added to it, it's common to find pizza lovers topping New York pizza with condiments like oregano, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese, and garlic powder. New York Pizza Baking Suggestions: Just like the Neapolitan pizza, many will tell you that for a New York pizza to be authentic, it has to be cooked in a wood or coal-burning oven. Today, many people use gas deck ovens to bake them, which creates the same delicious and crispy result in 12-15 minutes. 4. Sicilian Style Pizza Sicilian pizza, also known as "sfincione," provides a thick cut of pizza with pillowy dough, a crunchy crust, and robust tomato sauce. This square-cut pizza is served with or without cheese, and often with the cheese underneath the sauce to prevent the pie from becoming soggy. Sicilian pizza was brought to America in the 19th century by Sicilian immigrants and became popular in the United States after the Second World War. Traditional Sicilian Pizza Toppings: Sicilian pizzas are often topped with bits of tomato, onion, anchovies, and herbs. Sicilian Pizza Baking Suggestions: To bake Sicilian pizza, line your pan with an olive oil blend and press the crust in. The oven's temperature is usually set to 450 degrees Fahrenheit with the crust getting a head start on baking, usually for 15-20 minutes. The toppings are then added with an additional bake time of 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Back to Top 5. Greek Style Pizza Greek pizza was created by Greek immigrants who came to America and were introduced to Italian pizza. Greek pizza, trendy in the New England states, features a thick and chewy crust cooked in shallow, oiled pans, resulting in a nearly deep-fried bottom. While this style has a crust that is puffier and chewier than thin crust pizzas, it’s not quite as thick as a deep-dish or Sicilian crust. Traditional Greek Pizza Toppings: Greek pizza is usually heavier on the sauce than the cheese. The sauce typically has a tangy tomato paste with a strong oregano flavor. It is often only topped with cheese, which is usually a mix of cheeses like mozzarella, cheddar, or provolone. It may feature a variety of non-Greek or Greek toppings, such as feta cheese, black olives, and red onion. Greek Pizza Baking Suggestions: To get a puffy, chewy crust, Greek pizza is typically baked in a shallow, round pan that has been heavily coated in olive oil. Lining the pan with oil also allows the bottom of the dough to fry while it bakes. Greek pizza usually bakes in a 450-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 12-15 minutes. 6. California Style Pizza California pizza, or gourmet pizza, is known for its unusual ingredients. This pizza got its start back in the late 1970s when Chef Ed LaDou began experimenting with pizza recipes in the classic Italian restaurant, Prego. He created a pizza with mustard, ricotta, pate, and red pepper, and by chance, served it to Wolfgang Puck. Impressed with LaDou’s innovative pie, Puck invited him to be the head pizza chef at his restaurant. It was here that LaDou came up with over 250 unique pizza recipes that eventually formed the menu of the chain restaurant California Pizza Kitchen. Traditional California Pizza Toppings: When it comes to California pizza, there's no such thing as traditional toppings. This lack of specificity allows you to get inventive. You can include anything from chicken and artichokes to goat cheese and egg. California Pizza Baking Suggestions: California pizza typically follows the same baking style as New York pizza, where it can be baked in a wood or charcoal oven for a minute or so, or in a deck oven for 12-15 minutes. 7. Detroit Style Pizza Reflecting the city’s deep ties to the auto industry, Detroit pizza was originally baked in a square automotive parts pan in the 1940s. Detroit pizza is first topped with pepperoni, followed by brick cheese (a semi-hard cheese named after the bricks used to press the curds) which is spread to the very edges of the pan, yielding a caramelized cheese perimeter. The sauce is then spooned over the pizza, an order similar to Chicago pizza. This pizza features a thick, extra-crispy crust that is tender and airy on the inside. Traditional Detroit Pizza Toppings: Detroit pizza traditionally features pepperoni, brick cheese (usually Wisconsin brick cheese), and tomato sauce. Other typical toppings include mushrooms and olives. Detroit Pizza Baking Suggestions: Detroit pizza traditionally uses a jelly roll baking pan to get its deep, rectangular shape. There is a specific way to shape the dough into this pan, which requires pressing the air out from the dough while pushing the dough to the edges of the pan. When adding the cheese, make sure to spread it generously across the dough and to the edges for a caramelized perimeter. Cook at the highest temperature setting (500 to 550 degrees Fahrenheit) for 10-15 minutes. Cut your slices in squares for authenticity! 8. St. Louis Style Pizza Looking for a light slice? St. Louis pizza features a thin crust with a cracker-like consistency that is made without yeast. Due to the crispy crust, St. Louis pizza is usually cut into 3- or 4-inch rectangles, known as "party" or "tavern" cut. This pizza features Provel processed cheese, which is a gooey combination of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone cheeses. St. Louis received an influx of Italian immigrants in the 19th century who were looking for employment opportunities. The Italian community, largely from Milan and Sicily, created the St. Louis pizza. Its sweet sauce is reminiscent of the Sicilian influence. Traditional St. Louis Pizza Toppings: St. Louis pizza features Provel cheese and a sweeter tomato sauce with a hefty dosage of oregano. Because of its firm crust, St. Louis pizza can support several toppings of your choice. St. Louis Pizza Baking Suggestions: St. Louis pizza requires a pizza stone or a thin baking sheet to achieve its famously crackly crust. Place on the lowest rack position in a 425-degree Fahrenheit oven for 8-12 minutes. Back to Top Types of Pizza Crust While the dough and crust of a pizza can fly under people’s radar, they are the foundation of creating a delicious pizza. There are several ways to mold and shape your pizza dough and crust, but the two most popular styles are thin and thick crusts. Thin Crust Pizza Thin crust pizzas are slimmer in the center where the sauce, cheese, and ingredients are placed, but lead up to a crunchier edge. To get thinner dough, the key is to gently stretch out the dough to form the edges. Pizzas with thin crusts, like Neapolitan and New York, often don't have many toppings because they can’t handle the weight. If you want to add more toppings to your pie, you can still utilize a thin crust. To do so, simply make the center of the pie a bit thicker. Thick Crust Pizza Thick crust is thick throughout to handle the weight of the sauce and toppings. Typically, the crust can range in thickness anywhere from 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Since thick crust pizzas, like Chicago and Sicilian, have edges to contain all the sauce, cheese, and toppings, the crust is generally rolled out on a cutting board and molded into the shape of the pan that is used to bake it. Supplies and Equipment for Different Styles of Pizza Just like each pizza is different, so are the supplies and equipment you'll need to make them. Each pizza requires different equipment and ingredients depending on the style of pizza you will make. General pizza supplies consist of convection ovens, pizza cutters, pizza peels, and bulk spices. Certain specialty pizzas require specific types of pizza pans or screens to bake with. For example, New York and California pizzas are traditionally made on a pizza screen and served on a coupe pizza pan, and Chicago pizzas are baked in a deep dish or cast iron pan. If you are looking to bake the perfect specialty pizza, make sure you have the right supplies to create your desired type of pizza. Back to Top Our list of different types of pizza will help you narrow down what styles you want to add to your menu. From a simple cheese pizza to your own custom pie, pizza provides you with a great way to show off your culinary skills.
Food Truck Marketing
Unlike brick-and-mortar restaurants, repeat customers are a rare commodity for food trucks. Therefore, having a solid marketing strategy in place to attract and engage customers is crucial to the success of your food truck. By combining this strategy with a well-developed business plan, you can effectively connect with your target audience and drive success for your food truck venture. Check out our comprehensive food truck marketing plan, which includes branding, social media marketing, and location strategy. Click on any food truck marking tactic to jump ahead and learn more: Branding Website Development Social Media Marketing Menu Use a Food Truck App Location Strategy Catering Partnerships Merchandising Food Truck Marketing Plan A strong marketing presence helps the public recognize and identify with your business. Developing a well-thought-out marketing strategy ensures that your message effectively reaches and resonates with your target audience. Below we list the essential elements of successful food truck marketing: 1. Branding As the food truck industry becomes increasingly saturated, your branding sets you apart from every other food truck. Create a distinct brand to help ensure your food truck's longevity. A strong food truck brand consists of the following elements: Logo: Choose a simple, easy-to-interpret logo. Font: While using a creative font can be an effective way to support the overall mood of your business, make sure important information is legible. Graphics: Most food truck operators decorate their trucks with eye-catching graphics that entice customers to buy their products. These decorations advertise your business as you drive through town. Copy: Names of menu items and the cohesion of your menu selection are part of your brand. Written words also matter in social media posts or articles about your business for print and online publications. 2. Website Development Every dining establishment needs to develop a website, but your food truck's website has unique needs. Since the food truck target market is only a few decades old, the primary way your customers will discover and interact with your business is online. Use your website to do the following: Showcase Your Location Schedule: Because your business has no fixed location, use your website to help customers easily find your food truck. Menu: If potential customers are intrigued by your site's images and copy, they'll want to check out your menu to try it for themselves. Typical Hours and Locations: While your hours and locations may vary, including customary places you operate lets your fans assess whether you can become a lunch spot staple or if it will require a weekend trip to sample your offerings. Mission Statement: Since individuals eat at food trucks to support local entrepreneurs and connect with a community, writing a powerful mission statement and including it on your website is a great way to boost your marketing efforts. Images of Your Food: Beautifully lit and tantalizing food photography images will convert people from website visitors to paying customers. 3. Social Media Marketing This digital age ushered in the reign of social media marketing for creating buzz and promoting businesses. In the food truck sector, social media is not just a way to connect with customers. It is an essential tool for growing your food truck business. Showcase new and favorite menu items, special deals, locations, and swag on social media to continue building a customer base. Food Truck Social Media Marketing Best Practices Marketing on social media is tricky due to the various unspoken rules dictating the success of a campaign. Use these social media marketing best practices to ensure your food truck stays relevant on social media platforms. Reviews: People will review your food truck and pose questions about your operation on your social media pages. Correctly managing comments and reviews is equally important as the reviews themselves. Two-Way Communication: Ask for customer feedback by creating polls on what locations and menu items they like. These posts help generate a steady stream of content and provide invaluable insight into how to run your business. Photos: Dabble in food photography by posting images of your daily/weekly specials, new menu items, and best-selling dishes with clever, actionable captions that match your food truck's branding. Giveaways: Create engagement by offering free items to winners who follow your account, tag friends in your giveaway post's comments, and share the giveaway on their personal social media pages. You can also partner with other social media pages for more exposure. Let Customers Market for You: Reposting and sharing the photos where customers tag your business is an easy way to get attractive images without generating all the content yourself. Make sure to get their consent to repost their photo and tag them to give them credit. Top Social Media Platforms for Food Trucks We broke down the top social media platforms for food trucks and how to use them. Yelp: Take control of your food truck's Yelp page, encourage customer reviews, include your own high-quality photos, and provide information on price range. Facebook: Use your Facebook page to share information, engage with customers, create events, and respond to customer questions. Twitter: Keep customers updated on your location and inventory, and share your brand's identity and values through clever tweets. Instagram: Utilize Instagram stories to build rapport with customers, share and repost customer photos, collaborate with influencers, and create reels for increased visibility. For an in-depth resource, we also offer a comprehensive Instagram marketing guide. TikTok: Share TikTok videos of your staff, meal preparation, catering events, and your food truck setup to showcase your brand and engage with followers. Back to Top 4. Menu Your food truck menu is a powerful marketing tool that attracts customers, showcases your culinary offerings, and differentiates your brand from competitors. A well-designed and thoughtfully curated menu entices potential customers, builds brand recognition, and ultimately drives sales. Unique dishes and fun twists on classic meals make your food truck menu stand out in a crowd, so harness your creativity as you build your menu. Top Selling Food Truck Foods The most popular food truck foods are handheld items offering a creative twist on classic favorites. Most food truck consumers want takeout and delivery-style meals that they can enjoy without hassle. Examples include Mexican-Asian fusion, vegan reinventions, and organic or gourmet versions of childhood staples. To stand out, incorporate local ingredients, cultural heritage, or a fresh spin on popular items. Here are a few of the top-selling food truck foods: BBQ Cupcakes Sliders Tacos Gyros Lobster Rolls Grilled Cheese Popsicles Falafel Pizza Burritos Bao 5. Use a Food Truck App Tech developers have created several applications to assist the over 25,000 food truck businesses operating in the US. Marketing your food truck through a food truck app guarantees that you're directing your message toward potential customers actively seeking a food truck and individuals invested in your local food truck scene. Here are a few of the best food truck apps for marketing your business. Roaming Hunger: As the leading food truck app in North America, Europe, and China, food truck owners use this app to broadcast their location and menu to potential customers. You can create an account, share info with locals, and find catering and event opportunities. Customize your page with special offers to attract hungry patrons. WTF (Where's The Foodtruck) Vendor App: WTF is a helpful app for food truck vendors in major US cities that shares your location, enables in-app orders, promotes your truck, links to social media and website, and connects you to catering and events. Find Your Local Food Truck App: Most major cities have food truck apps specifically designed to catch the attention of their regional clientele. Since building lasting relationships within your local community is a top priority, check into the local food truck apps that will help you become a pillar within your local food truck market. 6. Location Strategy Whether dealing with real estate or food trucks, location is everything. To choose locations, identify and target the interests of your local customer base. Network with local booking agents and find out what entertainment is coming through town, then strategically park your truck when and where you'll get the most exposure. Can Your Food Truck Park Anywhere? No, you cannot park your food truck anywhere you want. Each city offers different guidelines and restrictions. We have an in-depth guide to the best cities for operating a food truck, but every city makes some accommodations for the food truck industry. As long as you uphold your community's guidelines and restrictions, you can achieve some decent business through strategic placement. Food Truck Location Ideas Bring your food truck to different parts of town to reach as many new customers as possible and learn what demographics are most interested in your products. Once you know where you're best received, you can join community events where people will love your food. Below are great locations to park your food truck: Food Truck Park Near a Medical Campus Local Farmer's Markets Near a College Campus Featured Vendor at a Local Event Commercial Areas with Few Food Choices Near Popular Public Parks 7. Catering Taking part in the food truck catering sector is like jumpstarting your brand, allowing you to earn a steady income and reach new prospective clients and fans. Events give guests who may never have heard of you an opportunity to try your food, and they’ll likely remember you the next time they see you around town. For instance, food truck-catered weddings are increasingly popular for couples who want to offer a unique experience, cut the cost of an expensive sit-down meal, and encourage mingling. Food Truck Catering Clientele Below are a few different types of clientele you can serve with your food truck: Weddings Corporate Events Retirement Parties Conferences Retreats College Campus Events Graduation Parties 8. Partnerships Team up with local businesses, organizations, and other food trucks to grow your audience. While other food trucks are technically your competition, you all have unique things to offer. The support of other food truck owners can go a long way toward securing your success in the business. Conversely, local businesses and organizations are often happy to establish partnerships with food trucks to keep their customers sated and lingering at their business for hours without returning to their own commercial kitchen operation. Food Truck Partnership Ideas Below are ideas of partnerships you can make to grow your food truck: Food Truck Rallies Breweries Outdoor Movie Theaters Book Stores Sweet and Savory Food Truck Team-Ups Farmer's Markets Open Air Shopping Centers Museums 9. Merchandising Once you have a dedicated fan base, offering merchandise with your logo encourages your customers to spread the word about your business. Choose merchandise that relates to your type of business. For example, if you operate a BBQ truck, you could sell cast iron trivets. If you have a cupcake truck, branded oven mitts might be appropriate. Food Truck Merchandise Ideas While these popular merchandise items may seem cliche, they are inexpensive, handy, and customers can incorporate them into their daily lives. Consider the cost vs. benefits of branded merchandise before diving in. Check out our list of common merchandise ideas you can create to market your food truck: T-Shirts Koozies Stickers Travel Mugs Keychains Lanyards Back to Top Who Is the Target Audience for Food Truck Businesses? As you craft a successful food truck marketing plan, you must understand the target audiences for food truck businesses. Middle-class millennials are the target market of the billion-dollar food truck industry. According to an IBISWorld Inc. report, 43% of food truck spending each month is made by 25- to 44-year-olds, with an additional 20% coming from those under 25. Why People Eat at Food Trucks Understanding why people enjoy eating at food trucks is essential for targeting the right customers and developing effective marketing strategies. By considering factors such as convenience, unique menus, supporting the local community, and the social experience, you can create a compelling brand story that resonates with your target audience and drives customers to your food truck. Here are a few reasons why people eat at food trucks. Convenience: Food trucks supply quick and delicious food options, particularly for those working in commercial areas with few meal choices. Support Small Businesses: Many millennials and Gen Z-ers prefer supporting a local food truck entrepreneur rather than spending their dollars at a chain. Exposure to New Cuisines and Flavor Combinations: A food truck's target audience enjoys being able to sample new cuisines and flavorings without committing to a cost-heavy sit-down restaurant entree. The Cool Factor: Millennials love participating in the modern food truck craze and sharing photos of their unique food truck meals. Community: Customers enjoy dining outdoors with other food truck patrons in parks and creating dining spaces alongside others at events. Set your mobile business up for success by creating a solid food truck marketing strategy. By having a captivating logo and a well-crafted website, along with a strategic approach to social media and high-quality food photography, you can significantly increase the visibility and impact of your food truck.
Restaurant Security: How to Keep Your Business Safe
Restaurant security plays a significant role in the well-being of your customers, the safety of your staff, and the long-term health of your business. No matter what aspect of the foodservice industry you serve, there are several steps you can take to ensure a safe and secure workplace. We’ll investigate different types of restaurant security equipment and the threats your business may face below. Click any of the links below to skip to the restaurant safety tip that most interests you: Restaurant Security Cameras Restaurant Locks Restaurant Safes Restaurant Threats Restaurant Security Systems Every business should take security seriously, and one of the most effective ways to do so is by implementing a reliable security system. While investing in a restaurant security system may require an upfront cost, the benefits far outweigh the expenses. Security systems protect your business, assets, and reputation and provide peace of mind in the workplace. We’ve outlined essential types of restaurant security equipment below so that you can implement an effective restaurant security system. 1. Restaurant Security Cameras Security cameras allow you to monitor your business at all times. They act as a deterrent to theft, vandalism, and other threats. By implementing them effectively, you can significantly decrease the threat of these crimes and maintain constant watch over your workplace. Some areas to consider placing a security camera in your restaurant include: Restaurant entrance Kitchen Dining room Cashier's area Back entrance/loading area There are four main types of restaurant security cameras: Dome security cameras: These cameras provide a cost-effective surveillance option without compromising quality. They can be mounted on walls, ceilings, or even poles, providing flexibility in placement options. Their compact and discreet design makes them blend seamlessly into any environment without drawing unwanted attention. This is especially important in customer-facing areas, where you want to maintain a pleasant atmosphere without compromising security. Turret security cameras: Turret security cameras, also known as eyeball cameras, are a popular choice for outdoor surveillance due to their weatherproof design and ability to rotate horizontally. One of their key advantages is their ability to provide increased clarity at night, facilitating effective monitoring during non-operational hours when the lights are typically dimmed or turned off. Bullet security cameras: The bullet security camera is known for its sleek and cylindrical shape, resembling a bullet casing. They are typically the most expensive option on the market but offer several benefits for their price. They feature infrared capabilities and can withstand harsh weather and temperature conditions, making them suitable for outdoor use during winter and inside your walk-in freezers. 360 security cameras: These cameras offer a 360-degree view, allowing you to monitor every corner of a room from a single device. This comprehensive view eliminates blindspots and reduces the number of cameras needed throughout your workplace. They are perfect for highly-trafficked areas such as dining rooms or crowded bars. 2. Restaurant Locks Investing in high-quality, dependable locks is an easy way to increase workplace security. By outfitting your doors with proper locks, you can prevent intruders from entering your restaurant and restrict access to certain rooms or areas. Conversely, choosing the wrong locks can leave you vulnerable to theft, break-ins, and vandalism. To best protect your workplace, consider using a wide range of locks. We’ll investigate the different locks and what sets them apart below: Padlocks: Padlocks are versatile and not permanently attached to any doors or objects. Use them to secure gates, doors, storage areas, and lockers. There are two main types of padlocks: combination padlocks and keyed padlocks. Combination padlocks open with a combination, providing a convenient and keyless access solution. Keyed padlocks require a key, offer a higher level of security, and are used in situations where only authorized personnel should have access. Deadbolts: Deadbolts are installed inside external doors and offer more protection than standard locks. They are known for their increased durability and have various commercial applications. Deadbolts come in three main varieties: single deadbolts, double deadbolts, and lockable thumbturns. Single deadbolts are the most common type, featuring a key cylinder and a lockable thumbturn. Double deadbolts require a key to lock and unlock from both the inside and the outside. Lockable thumbturns offer the convenience of a thumbturn on the inside, but also have the added security of a key cylinder on the outside. Knob locks: A knob lock should be used on doors that require a basic level of security, such as office rooms or storage areas. However, knob locks should never be the sole security measure on external doors or doors. Knob locks feature an internal locking cylinder, making them relatively easy to install and replace but leaving them vulnerable to tampering or forced entry. Lever locks: One of the standout features of lever locks is their large push-down handle, making them ADA-accessible. Lever locks are also highly secure. With their sturdy construction and built-in mechanisms, they provide a reliable level of protection for your commercial space. Lever locks can be vulnerable to torque attacks, where force is applied to the handle to break the lock. 3. Restaurant Safes Whether you’re protecting documents, currency, or other valuables, safes provide an extra layer of security for your restaurant. Where you place your safe can vary depending on the type of restaurant you run, but many people keep it in a manager's office. Be sure to choose the safe that best fits your needs. The most common types of restaurant safes include the following: Drop Safes: These short-term cash protection systems allow employees to quickly and securely add cash to a collection without needing constant access to the safe. Most drop safes also come equipped with phishing guards that prevent would-be thieves from using tools to fish out cash or other valuable items from the drop slot. Key cabinets: These lockable boxes prevent unauthorized access to keys, ensuring the security of your valuable assets. Key cabinets are accessible via combination code, meaning only those who know the code can access the keys stored inside. Hotel safes: Also known as wall safes, hotel safes hide and safeguard your valuables and deposits. They are recognized for their discrete nature, adding an extra layer of security since potential thieves won't be able to easily locate and access the safe. Fireproof safes: These safes can withstand extremely high temperatures and protect valuables from flames. By providing a barrier against heat, fireproof safes prevent items from melting, warping, or becoming irreparably damaged. They are ideal for storing contracts, legal papers, and financial records. Cash boxes: These compact and sturdy boxes provide a secure place to store your money. There are two distinct types of cash boxes: key lock cash boxes and combination lock cash boxes. By limiting cash box access to verified personnel, you can minimize the risk of internal theft. Restaurant Threats There are several different threats that a restaurant faces every day, and you should always be prepared to deal with them. We’ll outline some of the most common restaurant threats below: Cash Theft The more cash your restaurant deals with, the greater the risk of theft. One of the reasons cash theft is so prevalent is that physical currency is lightweight and untraceable. Unlike credit card transactions, where there is a digital record of each payment, cash can easily be pocketed and disappear without a trace, making it an attractive target for internal and external theft. To mitigate cash theft, follow these guidelines: Invest in a reliable cash management system: Using a cash management system can help reduce the risk of internal theft. These systems automate cash handling processes, such as counting and storing money, minimizing the opportunities for employees to steal cash. Train your staff: Educate your employees about the importance of cash handling procedures and the consequences of theft. Implement strict policies regarding cash management and regularly monitor cash handling practices to ensure compliance. Install security measures: Install security cameras both inside and outside your restaurant. Visible security cameras act as a deterrent to potential thieves and can help identify culprits. Conduct regular cash audits: Regularly auditing your cash transactions can help identify discrepancies or irregularities. By comparing cash register totals with actual cash on hand, you can quickly identify potential theft and take appropriate action. Skimming Skimming is a technique that criminals use to collect credit card information. Criminals install a skimming device on a legitimate point-of-sale terminal, such as a credit card reader. Once installed, it collects information stored on the magnetic stripe of a credit card when it is swiped for payment. The consequences of falling victim to skimming can be severe. For your restaurant, it can lead to a damaged reputation and loss of customer trust. Word spreads quickly in the age of social media, and if customers hear that your establishment has been compromised, they may take their business elsewhere. To prevent skimming in your restaurant, follow these steps: Transparent checkout: Keep your POS system and payment processing machines in your guests and employees' line of sight to prevent foul play. Train your staff: Verify that your staff knows how to use your POS system and can recognize discrepancies. Inspect equipment: Regularly inspect your POS system and other related equipment to ensure a skimming device has not been installed. Property Theft Thieves can strike at any time, and their targets can be anything from expensive decor to simple disposables. One of the most common types of property theft in restaurants is internal theft, which occurs when employees take advantage of their access to steal valuable items. It could be a server pocketing some extra cash from the register or a line cook sneaking out with a box of steaks. Internal theft can be difficult to detect, as the culprits are often familiar faces who know the ins and outs of your operation. External theft is equally prevalent in the restaurant industry. This type of theft occurs when individuals outside the establishment target your property. They may pose as customers or even wait for the right moment to strike when the restaurant is closed. To prevent property theft, implement the following practices: Install security cameras: Strategically placed security cameras can act as a deterrent and help capture evidence in case of theft. Cover all vulnerable areas including the dining room, kitchen, and storage spaces. Train your staff: Educate your staff about the importance of security and theft prevention. Teach them to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity immediately. Encourage an open and honest work environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their concerns. Conduct background checks: Conduct thorough background checks on prospective employees to minimize the risk of internal theft. This includes checking references, verifying employment history, and conducting criminal record checks. Implement access controls: Limit access to certain areas of your restaurant to authorized personnel only. This can be done through keycard systems or locked doors with restricted access. Secure valuable items: Keep valuable items locked away when not in use. Use lockable cabinets or safes to ensure these items are secure. Break-Ins One of the most obvious consequences of a break-in is the loss of inventory. Whether it's expensive cuts of meat, premium bottles of wine, or high-quality kitchen equipment, thieves can make off with valuable items that are essential to your operation. Cash from the register, personal belongings of staff members, and even customer belongings left in coat check areas can all be targeted. To prevent break-ins, follow these steps: Invest in a security system: Install cameras, alarms, and motion sensors to deter potential criminals. Secure entrances and windows: Reinforce doors and windows with sturdy locks, shatterproof glass, and security bars. Consider installing security film on windows to make them more resistant to break-ins. Invest in adequate lighting: Ensure your exterior and parking lot are well-lit. Criminals are less likely to target well-lit areas as they are easily visible to passersby. Regularly review security procedures: Train your staff on security-related situations such as suspicious individuals or unusual activities. Conduct regular security audits to identify vulnerabilities and address them promptly. On-Site Violence The well-being and safety of your employees should always be a top priority. When restaurant workers experience abuse or violence, it can have detrimental effects on their mental and emotional health. The trauma they endure from these incidents can lead to long-lasting psychological scars that may even force them to quit their jobs. For that reason, it's crucial to implement proactive measures that create a safe and secure work environment. Establish a zero-tolerance policy: Make it clear to both your staff and customers that any form of abuse or violence will not be tolerated. Display signs in visible areas of your establishment, such as near the entrance or in restrooms, stating that aggressive behavior will result in immediate removal from the premises. Train your staff: Provide comprehensive training to your employees on how to handle difficult situations and de-escalate conflicts. Teach them effective communication techniques and empower them to confidently address issues with customers. By equipping your staff with these skills, you can help prevent volatile situations from escalating into violence. Install security measures: Implementing security measures such as surveillance cameras, panic buttons, and alarm systems can act as deterrents and provide a sense of security for your employees. Foster a supportive workplace culture: Encourage open communication among your staff and create an environment and establish a system for anonymous reporting to protect employees who may fear retaliation to address potential threats before they escalate. Staying informed on the topic of restaurant security is essential to the safety of your employees and customers. Whether you’re looking to invest in security equipment or trying to identify potential security threats, there are several factors to take into account. With the information above, you can take the proper steps to ensure a secure restaurant environment.
Restaurant Licenses and Permits
Opening a restaurant takes more than acquiring startup cash, finding a location, and writing a menu. It requires a foundation established with restaurant licenses and permits. Getting the writs and proofs you need for each restaurant license takes time, so it's important to start the process as early as possible. We explain what you can expect with each of the following business licenses and permits as you work towards opening your restaurant. Click any of the license types below to read the section that interests you: Business License Employer Identification Number Certificate of Occupancy Food Service License Sign Permit Building Health Permit Employee Health Permit Other Permits to Consider What Licenses and Permits Are Required to Start a Restaurant? There are some licenses and permits that are necessary to open a restaurant. Failure to obtain them can result in penalties from multiple agencies or even prevent you from opening your location at all. Receiving legal counsel may help you map out the steps and ensure that nothing is missed according to the laws in your restaurant’s city and state. It’s easiest to work your way down from the top, starting with the required restaurant business licenses and ending with location-specific permits you may encounter. 1. Business License A business license gives you the authority to operate in your jurisdiction. The exact form of this license is dependent on your restaurant’s location and address. If you plan on selling alcohol, you will need a federal business license as well as a state business license. How to Get a Business License To get a business license, you will want to work through your city and state government. The easiest way to start would be to search your state’s name plus the term “business license” in an online search engine. This will bring up your state’s government website where the application and procedures can be found. For more information, you may use the US Small Business Administration’s website to look up your state and city-specific rules for receiving a business license. How Much Does a Business License Cost? A business license can cost around $50 to register. However, the cost of a business license itself varies depending on your business type, location, and expected profit. You will need to renew this license annually or every few years depending on your location. 2. Employer Identification Number An employer identification number (EIN) essentially tells the federal government that you are an employer and provides you with a tax ID. With this number, you can hire employees and have them on a legal payroll. Your state will give you an employer identification number that is separate from your federal number, which helps legitimize your business's standing. How to Get an Employer Identification Number To get an EIN, you will want to visit the IRS’s website and follow the application process listed there. This can take a while since the IRS only issues a limited number of employer identification numbers per day. Be sure to apply as early as possible. You can also fax, mail, or call the IRS to submit your application. How Much Does an Employer Identification Number Cost? An EIN is free but takes time to obtain. 3. Certificate of Occupancy A certificate of occupancy indicates that the building where your restaurant is located has passed its final inspection. It deems the building safe to operate in. How to Get a Certificate of Occupancy To receive a certificate of occupancy, your location will need to be inspected by your local building or zoning department. To arrange the appointment, search your state’s name plus the term “certificate of occupancy” in an online search engine to find the information on your state government’s website. This certificate may also include a city and fire permit issued by your local fire marshal. How Much Does a Certificate of Occupancy Cost? A certificate of occupancy will cost around $250. 4. Food Service License A food service license, or food permit, shows that a restaurant meets all food preparation, storage, and safety regulations, and they have been granted a license to sell food. It ensures that your location is in accordance and up-to-date with the restaurant food safety laws. How to Get a Food Service License The city or county Health Department issues food service licenses and requires an inspection to take place. Depending on your county, you may need to complete a food safety training program or earn a food handler’s permit to get approved for a license. The Health Department will inspect your restaurant regularly to make sure that the expected standards are being maintained. To apply, start by reviewing the food vendor’s application requirements on your state government’s website. You may then apply directly online. How Much Does a Food Service License Cost? A food service license can cost around $50 to register. However, the cost of the license itself varies by type of food establishment, location, and the number of employees. The fees are determined at the time of the inspection and typically range from $100 to $1000. You will need to renew these licenses periodically as well. 5. Sign Permit A sign permit allows you to display or change permanent signage outside your restaurant’s building. In many counties, signage size, brightness, and location are regulated and need to be approved beforehand. Receiving the permit shows that you have met the standard and codes required and can proceed in adding the sign. How to Get a Sign Permit To apply for a sign permit, you will want to visit your local county government’s website for the steps and application. This will involve working with a sign contractor and the Zoning Department. You must provide a scale drawing of the signage, and often you will need to submit variations for approval. If your sign includes lighting, you may also need to provide the wiring and circuit plans you intend on establishing. Requirements may vary depending on the size and type of sign. How Much Does a Sign Permit Cost? The cost of a sign permit will depend on the estimated cost of your sign, including the cost of labor, materials for your signage, and its size. You can expect a typical starting range of $20 to $50. Back to Top 6. Building Health Permit A building health permit shows that your restaurant building and practices comply with sanitation regulations. Typically, you will only need a building health permit if it's a new construction. However, your county may require it for older buildings as well to ensure a sanitary work and dining environment. How to Get a Building Health Permit A building health permit is issued by your local government. To confirm if you need one and apply, search your state’s name plus the term “building health permit” in an online search engine. To maintain this permit, your location will be subject to routine inspections. How Much Does a Building Health Permit Cost? You can expect a building health permit to cost somewhere between $50 and $1000. Some factors that can affect the cost are the building’s age and location. 7. Employee Health Permit An employee health permit, also known as a food handler’s permit, indicates that a specific employee has passed a course educating them on proper health and safety practices in a commercial kitchen. The course teaches employees about proper food storage and food handling practices along with proper sanitation practices to avoid cross-contamination. How to Get an Employee Health Permit An employee health permit is provided after an employee completes a state-approved food handler’s course and passes the final test. To find the course selected by your state, search your state’s name plus the term “employee health permit” or “food handler’s permit“ in an online search engine. How Much Does an Employee Health Permit Cost? An employee health permit can cost anywhere from $100 to $500 and must be periodically renewed. Other Restaurant Permits and Licenses to Consider Aside from the required permits and licenses, there are others you may need to obtain depending on what additions you are looking to make to your restaurant. It is important to familiarize yourself with the following permits, in case you run into them down the line. If you’re ever concerned that you may accidentally miss a permit, be sure to divulge your full business plan with your legal counsel so they may identify permits you still need to apply for. Below is a quick review of just some additional permits you may encounter. Liquor License The process for obtaining a liquor license can vary from state to state and city to city. You will want to check with your local government for the processes and regulations you must abide by in your jurisdiction. A liquor license tends to be one of the most regulated and strict licenses you may encounter. In some locations, you may be required to get both a liquor license and a beer and wine license if you are looking to serve all three. Remember to apply early, since the application process can take as long as a year. The fees will vary depending on your location, and the bar license will need to be renewed each year. Music License Choosing the right music for your restaurant can be a challenge, but you've got time to figure it out. You need a music license to play music from any platform in your restaurant. So, while you're perfecting your playlist, apply for a music license to abide by copyright laws. You can work with several companies to use the music they have rights to, such as the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, or Broadcast Music Incorporated. No matter where it's coming from, you need a license to play music in your restaurant. The pricing can vary but is usually between $250 and $500. A live entertainment license is a similar permit you may also be interested in researching. Resale Permit A resale permit, also known as a reseller permit or a resale license, prevents double taxation on a product by collecting tax when your customer buys the product, rather than when you purchase the product initially. A resale certificate is generally only needed if your restaurant is located in a state that issues sales tax, such as California, where a California resale certificate is needed. You can register online with your local government to receive a tax-exempt certificate. The fees vary depending on your security deposit amount but can be anywhere from $0 to $50. Seller's Permit A seller's permit, or a sales tax permit, indicates to the state that your business collects sales tax during customer purchases. In various states, you'll need both a seller's permit and a resale permit for proper taxation documentation. Restaurant wholesalers like WebstaurantStore can obtain a sales tax permit from your local government's website and only requires a security deposit determined at the time of your application. Dumpster Placement Permit If you are going to need dumpsters for your restaurant, you may also need a dumpster placement permit. This would allow you to place a dumpster outside your facility that can then be used for food waste and trash disposal. The costs for the permit can vary depending on the placement and size of the dumpster, along with the location of your establishment. Pool Table Permit One license that can easily be forgotten is a pool table permit. Some states regulate billiard tables and require business owners to register them before use. A pool table permit can limit the hours of operation of the billiard area and even the number of pool tables in an establishment. The fees can vary on your location and how many tables you want to add. The permits also need to be renewed annually. Valet Parking Permit The need for a valet parking permit can vary from state to state. If you plan to have valet parking for your restaurant, check with your local government to see if you need a permit. If so, you may need to present a detailed plan of your valet service, indicating the pick-up and drop-off points, the number of parking spaces, how payment will be collected, and letters of agreement from your designated drivers. The fees associated vary depending on your state. Back to Top No matter what type of restaurant or food service operation you're starting, obtaining the correct permits and licenses is essential to your success. With penalties that can affect your bottom line or even close your doors, you will want to thoroughly research the restaurant licenses you need and start the application process early to allow them time to be issued. <aside class="pquote"> <blockquote> The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Please refer to our Content Policy for more details. </blockquote> </aside>
Juice Bar Equipment List
Juice bars have become increasingly popular as people become more health-conscious and seek nutritious alternatives to sugary drinks. Whether you plan on starting a new juice bar or want to expand your existing one, you need different equipment to make and serve delicious and nutritious drinks. This
How to Obtain a Liquor License
Selling wine, beer, and alcoholic drinks can boost your profits considerably, but you'll need a liquor license to do it. Unlike some other licenses and permits, a liquor license comes with a unique set of requirements based on the state where you operate. We'll walk you through the ins and outs of liquor licenses to help you determine your eligibility. Click below to learn how to obtain a liquor license: State Alcohol Laws Liquor License Quota States Types of Liquor Licenses Required Documents Liquor License Cost How to File ABC Agencies by State How to Apply for A Liquor License We've compiled a step-by-step list to guide you through the process of applying for a liquor license. If you're planning on opening your own bar, you'll need to be familiar with these requirements. 1. Determine Your State's Alcohol Laws Because each state has its own specific rules regarding the distribution, sale, and consumption of alcohol, the first step in filing for a liquor license is determining your state's alcohol laws. There is an Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) agency in each state, which is the governing body that determines all rules related to alcohol. Many counties and municipalities set standards and requirements that accompany the general state laws. What Is a Liquor License? A liquor license is a type of permit that allows you to manufacture, distribute, and sell alcohol in your business. It also regulates many aspects of how, when, and where you can sell alcohol. These are a few of the legalities covered by a liquor license: To whom alcohol can be sold What days and hours businesses are permitted to sell alcohol Types of alcohol that can be sold Which containers alcohol can be served in and how much can be sold at one time Where and when alcohol can be served or sold to go Whether businesses are permitted to manufacture, distribute, and sell alcohol (or any combination of the three) The price of alcohol Liquor license fees and quotas What Is a Dry County? In a dry county, all sales of alcohol are forbidden by the local municipality, regardless of state laws. There are several states in the US with dry counties, including Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. On the other hand, states like North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania have "mixed" counties that moderate the sale of alcohol but not its on-premise consumption. You'll want to ensure your local township or county is zoned for the sale of alcohol before you begin this process. 2. Liquor License Quota States While some states offer an unlimited number of liquor licenses, others set a specific quota for the number of licenses they'll issue. State laws are always evolving, so make sure to research the alcohol control board of your state. Even better, consider hiring legal counsel that specializes in liquor laws. As of 2023, the following states are considered "quota" states: Alaska Arizona Florida Idaho Kentucky Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Montana New Jersey New Mexico Ohio Pennsylvania South Dakota Utah Washington Why Do Liquor License Quotas Exist? In the majority of states with quotas, the specific locality's population determines the number of licenses available. As an area gains more residents, the number of new licenses that can be issued increases. These quota figures vary across states. It's important to check with your state's ABC agency to determine the strictness of the quota because this weighs heavily into the cost and availability of a license. In non-quota states, liquor licenses tend to be more affordable. In quota states, restaurants and bars can pay up to $300,000 for a new license. 3. Find Out if Your State Requires a Specific Class of Liquor License There is no one-size-fits-all liquor license, and some states may require more specific licenses than others. To start, you'll want to figure out whether you need an on-license or off-license. If you'll be selling alcohol to be consumed on the premises (bars, nightclubs, and restaurants), you'll need an on-license. Bottle shops, liquor stores, and other retail locations where alcohol is sold but consumed off the premises need an off-license. What Are the Different Classes of Liquor Licenses? Not all states require specific classes of licenses, but some do. The names of licenses vary between states - an alphabetical code is sometimes assigned to identify the type of license. For example, a restaurant license in Pennsylvania is called an (R) license. A liquor license in Florida that allows restaurants to serve all types of alcohol is called a 4COP license. Refer to your state's liquor control board for the most up-to-date list of license types. Here is a general list of the common types of liquor licenses: Arts licenses are designed for places like theaters and art galleries to serve alcohol during events. Beer and wine licenses are given to smaller businesses that only sell beer and wine. Brewpub licenses may be necessary for establishments that plan to make their own beer or wine. Depending on your state, you may be issued an alternating premises license, which requires you to make alcohol at certain times and serve it at other times. Club licenses allow private social clubs to serve alcohol to their members. While some states only permit the service of beer and wine, others allow clubs to also serve liquor. Delivery licenses allow companies to deliver sealed containers of alcohol to customers. Eating place licenses are given to carryout businesses like delis that serve food but also sell small amounts of take-out beer. These licenses usually restrict the amount of alcohol that may be sold to one customer. Hotel licenses are issued to hotels with bars and restaurants that serve alcohol. Restaurant licenses are also referred to as "all-liquor licenses" and allow a business to serve any kind of alcohol. However, some states do require that only around 40% of the establishment's total earnings may come from the sale of alcohol. Retail licenses are issued to grocery stores, convenience stores, liquor stores, and any other retail establishments that sell alcohol. Tavern licenses are required if a business serves food but makes at least 50% of its total sales from alcohol. Temporary liquor licenses are required for caterers that serve alcohol at events. These are also called one-day licenses. Note: A license may also be required for BYOB (bring your own bottle), establishments, although this process varies by state. Back to Top 4. Preparing to File a Liquor License Application Once you've researched the liquor laws and regulations in your area, you're ready to apply for your liquor license. First, you'll need to contact your state's ABC agency to locate the necessary forms. Because the regulations vary by location, you may also want to ask your local agency these questions: What kind of license(s) are required? How much should you expect to pay for your license(s)? Are there any available licenses in your county or town (if you live in a quota state)? Are there any establishments in your area looking to sell their license (if you live in a quota state)? What Documents Do You Need to Apply for a Liquor License? While the information and documentation you'll need before you file your application varies by state and locale, here are the most important documents to keep on hand: Employer ID number from the IRS Zoning permit from your local zoning commission Business license from your local government Sales tax permit from your state's website Alcohol tax permit from your state's business taxation department Food handler's permit (if applicable) from your state health commission Building permit from your local zoning commission Signage permit from your local zoning commission Health permit from your state health commission Music license (if you'll be playing copyrighted music) from online licensing companies Note: Make sure you've paid any delinquent taxes or outstanding fees before applying for your liquor license. Failure to do so can negatively impact your chances of obtaining a license. What Other Documents Should You Have Ready When You Apply for a Liquor License? In addition to the documents mentioned above, you may need to provide: Photos of your building's exterior A floor plan of your building's interior A copy of your building title Your code compliance certificate Your certificate of incorporation Your company constitution Your partnership agreement (if applicable) Details regarding your age and business experience 5. How Much Does a Liquor License Cost? The cost of a liquor license is affected by variables like your state of operation, license class, and quota. In one county, a liquor license could cost you hundreds of thousands. But in another, it could be as little as $125. The best way to determine your total cost for a liquor license is to contact your ABC agency. Keep in mind that in some areas, you might need a liquor license for all four levels of government - federal, state, county, and local, which will incur extra costs. What Is an Alcohol Control State? In control states, state governments control the sale of alcohol to varying degrees. Some control states require that liquor (and sometimes wine) can only be sold at state-run stores, rather than at independently owned and operated businesses. Other control states permit the sale of liquor in privately owned stores but still set minimum prices and determine product selection for distributors and wholesalers. What Is Liquor Privatization? Liquor privatization puts the control of liquor sales and distribution into the private sector. By preventing privatization and keeping control of liquor sales in the public sector, revenue is increased for state governments. According to the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, there are 18 control jurisdictions in the US: Alabama Idaho Iowa Maine Michigan Mississippi Montana Montgomery County, Maryland New Hampshire North Carolina Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Utah Vermont Virginia West Virginia Wyoming 6. Filing Your Application for a Liquor License Once you've gathered all necessary materials, you're ready to file your application for a liquor license. In most areas, simply visit your state government's website and fill out the required forms. Typically, you'll also have to pay a non-refundable $50-$100 processing fee. You may even be subject to a background check and/or fingerprinting. Will You Need to Defend Your Liquor License Application? Once you've submitted your application for a liquor license, a notice will be posted at your business that lists your name, the kind of license you're applying for, and what you'll be selling. While this notice is posted, anyone from your local community may contest your application. If this occurs, you may be required to defend your proposal at a public hearing before you are awarded your license. If no objections are presented, your local government will review your application and (hopefully) grant you your liquor license. How Do You Avoid Losing Your Liquor License? Once you've obtained a liquor license for your business, you'll need to maintain it. Most states require you to renew your license every 1-3 years (depending on local laws), which also involves paying a renewal fee. If you're in good standing with your local ABC agency, you may be entitled to a reduced fee. However, your liquor license can be revoked at any time if you violate the terms established by your state's ABC agency. Common violations include: Failing to check IDs Selling alcohol to a minor Over-serving patrons Allowing employees to drink to excess on the premises after their shift Back to Top 7. Alcoholic Beverage Control Agencies by State The following list includes all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, and the website for each state's ABC agency: Alabama ABC Licensing Information Alaska Alcohol & Marijuana Control Office Arizona Department of Liquor Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control California Alcoholic Beverage Control Colorado Liquor Licenses Connecticut Liquor Control Division Delaware Office of ABC Florida Division of Alcohol & Tobacco Georgia Alcohol Licensing Honolulu Liquor Commission Idaho State Liquor Division Illinois Liquor Control Commission Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division Kansas ABC Licensing Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control Louisiana Alcohol & Tobacco Control Maine Alcohol & Lottery Operations Maryland Liquor License Renewals & Transfers Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission Michigan Department of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs Minnesota Alcohol & Gambling Enforcement Mississippi Alcoholic Beverage Control Missouri Alcohol & Tobacco Control Montana Liquor Control Nebraska Liquor Control Commission Nevada Alcoholic Beverage Control New Hampshire Liquor Commission New Jersey ABC Licensing Bureau New Mexico Alcohol & Gaming New York State Liquor Authority North Carolina ABC Commission North Dakota Alcoholic Beverage License Ohio Department of Commerce Oklahoma ABLE Commission Oregon Liquor Licensing Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Rhode Island Liquor Enforcement South Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Licensing South Dakota Alcohol Licenses Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission Texas Liquor License Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Vermont Department of Liquor Control Washington, D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Regulation West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration Wisconsin Alcohol Beverage Laws for Retailers Wyoming Liquor Division Back to Top Unless you're opening a sober bar, you'll need to obtain a liquor license to enter the nightlife industry. Getting a liquor license can be a complex process, but with preparation and knowledge, you can successfully sell alcohol at your business. Offering various alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and liquor can significantly boost your establishment's revenue. Whether you own a restaurant, bottle shop, or grocery store, obtaining a liquor license will allow you to reap valuable profits from alcohol sales. <aside class="pquote"> <blockquote> The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Please refer to our Content Policy for more details. </blockquote> </aside>
Types of Restaurants
If you're planning to open your own restaurant, there's one important question to ask yourself from the start - “What type of restaurant?” Determining the type of restaurant you want to open plays into your concept, your brand, and your overall business strategy. We'll outline the different kinds of restaurants so you can decide which type matches your business goals. Click below to learn more about the styles of restaurants: Fast Food Casual Fast Casual Contemporary Casual Fine Dining Cafes and Coffee Shops Specialty Drinks Buffet Food Trucks Concession Stands Pop-Ups Ghost Restaurants What Is a Full-Service Restaurant? When categorizing types of restaurants, they are divided into three service styles: quick service, full service, and fast casual. Full-service restaurants (FSRs) provide table service to guests and employ a server staff to take orders and deliver food. Quick-service restaurants (QSR) provide counter service or drive-thru service only. Fast casual restaurants lie somewhere between full service and quick service. Recently, the line between FSRs, QSRs, and fast casuals has become blurred. The pandemic and staffing shortages have changed the way many restaurants approach their service style. Delivery-only, mobile order-and-pay, and robotic servers are methods being used by operations that used to be completely full-service. As you read about the most common restaurant types, keep in mind that the way you approach your service style is completely up to you. Different Types of Restaurants There are many types of restaurants, from mom-and-pop diners to upscale fine dining establishments. We'll explore 12 of the most popular types of restaurants and what makes them unique. 1. Fast Food Restaurants (QSR) Fast food restaurants are the original quick-service restaurant. In the industry, they are often just referred to as QSRs. A defining factor of fast food businesses is that the menu can be prepared very quickly, usually taking only minutes. Many ingredients are precooked or frozen and only need to be reheated. Orders are served packaged in disposable food wrap and takeout boxes. This style of mass-produced cuisine is called "fast food". Why Open a Fast Food Restaurant? Fast food restaurants have the highest profit margins of any restaurant type on our list. You can skip expenses like dinnerware and flatware that are associated with full-service dining. Fast food kitchens rely on select equipment pieces, usually microwaves, deep fryers, and flat-top grills, so you can avoid costly equipment and repairs. Lastly, many fast food restaurants are chains or franchises, which means you can take advantage of existing brand power and forego advertising costs. Here are some common characteristics of fast food restaurants: Service Style - Counter service and/or drive-thru service Menu - Limited menu options like burgers, sandwiches, fries, and soft drinks Interior - Casual, functional dining spaces that are easy to clean Examples - Burger King, McDonald's, Taco Bell Price $ 2. Casual Restaurants A casual restaurant offers full-service dining, where guests are seated and waited on by the server staff. But unlike more formal dining rooms, casual restaurants provide roomy, comfortable seating and a laid-back atmosphere. Menus contain comfort foods and items that are tried and true. You won't find experimental cuisine and trendy decor at a casual restaurant. Diners, mom-and-pops, and many popular chain restaurants are considered casual dining restaurants. Why Open a Casual Restaurant? Casual dining restaurants occupy over 30% of the US market share, making them one of the most popular types of restaurants. Menus are moderately priced, and promotions like happy hour deals and coupon campaigns are common. The affordability and accessibility make casual restaurants appealing to families with kids. You'll most likely see tables turning over quickly in a casual restaurant, which leads to greater sales. You can expect these characteristics from a casual restaurant: Service Style - Full service Menu - Classic menu items, comfort foods, large portions Interior - Neutral decor, comfortable booth seating Examples - Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Applebee's Price $$ 3. Fast Casual Restaurants Fast-casual eateries combine the quick service of a fast food joint with an elevated menu of healthier, less processed food options. Build-your-own menus are a common fast-casual concept, featuring sandwiches, wraps, or burritos that are prepared fresh to order. Ordering, payment, and food pickup are all performed at the counter. Self-serve drinks and coffee stations are common. Some fast casuals may perform limited table service by delivering orders, but there is no serving staff. Why Open a Fast Casual Restaurant? There is a rising number of fast-casual restaurants that cater to people looking for a quick bite that's healthier than fast food but more affordable than sit-down, casual restaurants. These types of restaurants are high-volume operations, but they employ a smaller staff than a full-service restaurant. The money you save on labor costs can be used for other things like menu ingredients, advertising, or building maintenance. With a fast-casual, you can also provide a hybrid guest experience with off-premise and on-premise dining options. Most fast-casual restaurants have the following characteristics: Service Style - Counter service or limited table service Menu - Sandwiches, subs, salads, wraps, or burritos Interior - Contemporary but casual Examples - Panera Bread, Chipotle, sweetgreen Price $-$$ 4. Contemporary Casual Restaurant Contemporary casual restaurants offer sit-down table service just like a casual eatery, but they have an elevated theme, a trendy menu, and picture-worthy decor. Many contemporary restaurants feature global or fusion cuisine, gluten-free and vegan options, and eco-friendly practices. These upscale casual restaurants are independently owned or part of a small regional chain. For younger generations, a contemporary casual restaurant is usually a top choice when dining out. Why Open a Contemporary Casual Restaurant? If you have a vision for a trendy hotspot that is still affordable for many diners, then a contemporary casual restaurant is the right concept for you. These restaurants provide an upscale feel and a high-quality menu that is more accessible than fine dining. This style of restaurant allows you to play with food trends and try out different types of cuisine. Not only that, but you can also express your creativity through the restaurant decor and tablescapes. It's not practical to use fancy, mismatched dinnerware in a casual restaurant, but it's expected in a contemporary setting where diners are snapping pics left and right. Service Style - Table service, mobile order-and-pay, QR code menus Menu - Trendy cuisine, farm-to-table, global flavors, diet-inclusive options Interior - Thoughtful, vibrant decor that stands out in a photo Examples - Seasons 52, Earls Kitchen + Bar, Iron Hill Brewery Price $$-$$$ 5. Fine Dining Restaurant Fine dining restaurants occupy the peak position when it comes to formality and price. The style of fine dining service is an age-old tradition with many rules and nuances. There are extra little touches that you won't find in any other type of restaurant, like when a server "crumbs" the table to remove any crumbs from the tablecloth. Even guests are expected to follow a dress code when dining out at an upscale establishment. This gives fine dining an exclusive feel and makes it a treat reserved for special occasions, such as an anniversary, a birthday, or a wedding. A fine dining menu will feature items that you wouldn't eat every day, like caviar, steak tartare, or foie gras. Why Open a Fine Dining Restaurant? The fine dining tradition continues to live on, despite the upheaval of the pandemic. Diners have come back to restaurants with a renewed appreciation of the finer things in life. Fine dining represents the best that restaurants have to offer, the finest foods, the highest level of service, and the most elegant decor. Opening a fine dining restaurant makes you part of that longstanding tradition. Many fine dining establishments are opened by chefs or foodies who want to share their love of fine cuisine. But this type of restaurant requires a strong commitment and a more expensive investment than the other restaurant types on our list. These are common characteristics of a fine dining restaurant: Service Style - Full table service with strict etiquette rules Menu - Pricey, exclusive items and prix fixe menus Interior - Elegant, sophisticated decor Examples - Ruth’s Chris Steak House, The Melting Pot, The Capital Grille Price $$$-$$$$ 6. Cafe or Coffee Shop Coffee shops and cafes occupy a special place in the hearts of many consumers. They're often associated with rituals like buying that first cup of coffee on the way to work, gathering with friends to chat, or waiting for the return of a beloved seasonal drink. Many cafes are now co-working spaces too, so remote workers can enjoy their favorite coffee drink while working on their laptops. Cafes and coffee shops feature a drink-heavy menu that focuses on coffee and tea, but they may also have a bakery case and offer small, easy-to-prepare breakfast and lunch items. Why Open a Coffee Shop? The investment cost to open a small coffee shop is lower than a full-service restaurant, and you won't need to employ a large staff. The demand for specialty coffee drinks continues to grow, and the markup on coffee is high. A specialty drink like a cappuccino or blended beverage can be marked up as much as 80%, meaning you'll make a large profit. Cafes and coffee shops have the following attributes: Service Style - Counter service and/or drive-thru service Menu - Coffee, tea, and small menu items Interior - Small seating areas, trendy decor, relaxed atmosphere Examples - Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Dunkin' Price $-$$ 7. Specialty Drink Shops Specialty drinks shops that sell bubble tea, smoothies, or fresh juices are becoming more popular and widespread. The beverage industry is growing, and coffee and tea aren't the only drinks in the spotlight anymore. Smoothie shops and bubble tea shops offer a menu of customizable drinks with many flavors, toppings, and add-ins to choose from. These types of restaurants usually occupy a small storefront with little to no seating. Customers place their orders at the counter and drinks are prepared with specialty beverage equipment. Why Open a Specialty Drink Shop? Just like coffee and tea, the markup on specialty drinks is very high. The investment cost for starting a smoothie shop or juice bar is lower than a full-service restaurant. There are also franchise opportunities that allow you to take advantage of an established business model. Service Style - Counter service and/or drive-thru service Menu - Coffee, tea, and small menu items Interior - Small seating areas, trendy decor, relaxed atmosphere Examples - Tropical Smoothie, Jamba Juice, Kung Fu Tea Price $-$$ 8. Buffet Restaurants The next type of restaurant on our list is the all-you-can-eat buffet. A buffet restaurant operates differently than other eateries. Instead of a menu, buffets are distinguished by self-serve food stations where guests can fill their plates as many times as they like for a flat price. Instead of cooking dishes to order, buffet cooks prepare large quantities of dishes that can be held in salad bar stations or hot food stations. Because of this, you won't find delicate dishes at a buffet. But you will find a large variety of comfort foods that fill guests up quickly. Why Open a Buffet Restaurant? Since buffets give out so much food, it can be hard to understand how they turn a profit. It's true that buffet restaurants operate on a very thin margin, which means that the majority of each sale goes to pay for food costs. If you plan to start a buffet, managing your food cost will always be a concern. But these types of restaurants make up for the high cost of ingredients in other ways. A buffet restaurant operates with a very small staff, usually, just a few cooks prepare most of the food ahead of time. Buffets also rely on volume to make a profit. Some all-you-can-eat restaurants can seat hundreds of guests. The daily sales add up when foot traffic is so high. Below are common characteristics of a buffet: Service Style - Limited table service, self-service Menu - Buffet stations with comfort foods Interior - Large dining rooms, group seating Examples - Golden Corral, Old Country Buffet, Shady Maple Smorgasbord Price $$ 9. Food Trucks Food trucks started as a trend, but they've become a mainstay in the foodservice industry. What's not to love about mobile restaurants that can bring popular foods to businesses, events, parks, and even residential neighborhoods? Food trucks are compact kitchens on wheels. They offer a select menu that usually focuses on one type of cuisine, but they do it well. Guests order and pay at the window, then pick up their meal when it's ready. Busy food trucks might use online and mobile order-and-pay options to speed up their service. Why Open a Food Truck? If you're ready to get started in foodservice, there are many advantages to opening your own food truck. A smaller kitchen, less equipment, and few employees make food trucks a less expensive investment than other types of restaurants. They also offer a way to test out your concept and menu before opening a full-service operation. Many food trucks share the following characteristics: Service Style - Window service Menu - Small menus with a theme Interior - Small kitchen spaces with select pieces of equipment Examples - Grilly Cheese, Fired Up Grill, Nacho Average BBQ Price $-$$ 10. Concession Stands Sometimes forgotten on the list of restaurant types, concession stands and snack bars are viable foodservice businesses. A concession stand booth usually occupies a very small space with just enough room for a service counter, some light equipment, and occasionally a small kitchen area. Some concessions take the form of mobile carts or kiosks that can be operated by one person who serves customers and prepares orders. You'll find concession stands inside ballparks, theaters, and amusement parks. Boardwalks, festivals, and outdoor events are also prime locations for selling concessions. Why Open a Concession Stand? The cost of starting a concession stand is even lower than a food truck. A small investment and low overhead make concessions an appealing first business or side hustle. You can even get started with just a folding table and some select pieces of concession equipment. Snow cone machines, popcorn machines, and hot dog rollers are affordable options that allow you to make dividends on popular snack foods. Service Style - Counter service Menu - Usually one type of food item, like cotton candy, popcorn, or hotdogs Interior - No interior Examples - Thrasher’s French Fries, Dippin' Dots, Nathan’s Famous Price $ 11. Pop-Up Restaurants Pop-up restaurants, bars, and stands are a newer business model that allows owners, chefs, and guests to try out new food and restaurant concepts. A pop-up business occupies a temporary foodservice space for a short period and tests out a menu. Some pop-ups continue to use the same method and "pop up" for events or on a monthly basis. Other pop-ups end up growing into larger businesses, sometimes food trucks, bars, or sit-down restaurants. Why Open a Pop-Up Restaurant? Starting a pop-up is like dipping your toe into the ocean of foodservice. It doesn't require the same commitment associated with a brick-and-mortar business, but it allows you to test out a concept to see if it works. If you've never run a restaurant before, a pop-up is also a great way to see if you have what it takes. You can work out the kinks with a pop-up, and then, if the sales are rolling in and you want to take your business to the next level, you can grow into a different type of restaurant. Below are some of the qualities of a pop-up food concept: Service Style - May include counter service, food stand or food truck service, or full table service Menu - A small menu with select options Interior - Temporary seating spaces and decor that can be removed easily Price $$-$$$ 12. Ghost Restaurants A ghost restaurant, also called a ghost kitchen or virtual brand, is a restaurant that operates without a storefront. Essentially, a ghost restaurant is just a kitchen. All sales are performed digitally and food orders are usually delivered. There is no guest interaction at the business location. A ghost kitchen may even support multiple brands or concepts. Virtually, each brand has its own identity and menu, but inside the ghost kitchen, all orders are prepared side by side. Pete's Pizza and Tina's Tacos appear to be two different restaurants with different websites, but the menus are both being prepared in the same satellite kitchen. Why Open a Ghost Restaurant? When comparing the cost of opening a ghost kitchen to a full-service restaurant model, you're going to save money in several areas. No storefront means that your square footage needs are much smaller and your rent and utilities will reflect that. You'll also require no front-of-house staff, no dining room furniture, and no outdoor signage. You will, however, need to invest in your digital presence through your website, social platforms, and third-party delivery services. The demand for delivery continues to grow, which makes a ghost kitchen a smart business opportunity for the right entrepreneur. Ghost kitchens share a few common characteristics: Service Style - Online and mobile ordering only Menu - Menu items that work well with delivery Interior - Kitchens only Examples - Wow Bao, Guy Fieri's Flavortown Kitchen Price $$ As the restaurant industry continues to grow, innovative solutions to foodservice challenges are producing new business concepts. There are more types of restaurants than ever before and a variety of opportunities for those who want to break into the industry. Start small with a concession stand, food truck, or pop-up restaurant, and grow your business into something large over time.
Guidelines for Training Restaurant Servers
Regardless of a restaurant's size or style, the serving staff represents the face of every dining establishment. These individuals have the most face time with your customers during their visit, and positive interactions can go a long way to ensuring those same patrons return. Hiring the right employees for the job from the start is always ideal, but the introduction of a structured server training program can pay huge dividends for your business. Server Training By putting some thought and effort into a restaurant training program, you can immediately emphasize your workplace culture for every new hire and lower the turnover rate for your business. The following guidelines for restaurant server training will help you establish an effective, knowledgeable staff. Click below to learn how to train restaurant servers: Create a Server Handbook Hold a Server Orientation for All New Hires Set Goals for Server Training Cross Train Your Servers Shadow an Experienced Server Hold a Menu Tasting Perform Testing and Roleplay Ongoing Training Create Incentives 1. Create a Server Handbook If you don’t have an employee handbook yet, it’s a good idea to get one created. This restaurant training manual will serve as an important resource for new hires learning how to be a server as well as the rest of your established server staff. Provide a handbook to every server and keep one or two copies in the restaurant so anyone can reference it in times of need. A server training manual should include the following: Server Etiquette Guidelines - The scope of your etiquette may vary depending on the type of restaurant you own. For instance, fine dining has very specific guidelines that dictate every aspect of service. But on the whole, any type of restaurant customer service should emphasize politeness, humility, and the ability to anticipate the needs of your guests. Server Uniforms - Outline all dress code requirements in your guide, including expectations concerning uniforms, hair, jewelry, facial piercings, and fingernails. Some of these details are small, but they should be a large focus for any waitress training program. Make it a priority to discuss these things at length during servers' training and ensure the appearance standards are clear. Server Scripts - How do you want your servers to introduce themselves to each new table? By providing a script for your serving staff you can help them to remember to share specific information about your establishment. How to Upsell - Not everyone is a salesperson, but upselling is a skill that can be learned. Share tips that will help your servers encourage guests to order appetizers, desserts, and upgrade cocktails with top-shelf liquor. Safety Policies - A busy restaurant is full of hazards and you can make sure your staff is safe at all times by outlining all of your safety policies. Stress the importance of wearing non-slip footwear and explain safe methods for carrying trays, ice buckets, bag-in-box sodas, or other heavy items. You should also include emergency procedures and fire exit routes. 2. Hold a Server Orientation for All New Hires As a busy restaurant owner, it can be tempting to skip this step or delegate it to your managers. However, holding an orientation to meet your new servers face-to-face goes a long way to building a workplace culture that improves employee retention in the long run. These are some topics that you can discuss: Mission Statement and Company History - As the owner, this is your chance to share the mission statement of the restaurant with your new employees. By passing on information about what your business stands for and the values that you want to uphold, you can create a trickle-down effect. You would be surprised how often servers get questions from customers about when the business started and who owns it. This is your chance to make sure your servers are sharing your vision with your customers. Restaurant Concept and Culture - You probably put a lot of creativity and thought into your restaurant concept, but your new employees will need an introduction to your theme and how they can help support it. For instance, if your restaurant specializes in locally grown produce, you'll want your staff to be educated about regional fruits and vegetables. If you own a BBQ restaurant with a blues music theme, you'll want your staff to have some knowledge and appreciation for blues music. Tour the Building - By giving your new staff a tour of the restaurant before their first shift, you can help put them at ease. When they arrive on their first day, they'll know which entrance to use, how to find the time clock, and where to keep their belongings. 3. Set Goals for Server Training By setting training goals, you can create a standard that you'd like all servers to meet. This ensures that your program is consistent and every server gets the same level of restaurant training. Provide a Training Schedule - Before each server gets their own tables, they should complete your serving training program. Create a set schedule for your trainers to follow so that your new servers are hitting each step in the program. A sample schedule might last one week or two weeks, depending on the type of restaurant and style of your service. Create Benchmarks for Training - Make sure your training schedule has built-in benchmarks or small goals that each server should meet along the way. For example, after their first day of training they should be able to recite the permanent beer list, recount the company history, or memorize the table numbers. 4. Cross Train Your Servers Cross training with other employees provides valuable insight into how a particular restaurant operates. Before new servers start working with your waitstaff training team, it can be very helpful to have them train with some other key positions first. Cross Train with Hosts / Hostesses - Members of the host team are experts on the layout of your dining room, how to use your reservation software, and how to rotate tables so guests receive the best service possible. By spending a couple of shifts working with the host team, a server will quickly learn the dining room sections and the numbers of each table. They'll also be capable of attending to any guests that walk through the door, in the absence of a host or hostess. Cross Train with Food Runners - The next training session should be with a food runner so that your new servers can apply the knowledge they just learned about the dining room in a different application. They should know where each table is and be able to deliver food to the correct guest. This training session is also an introduction to your menu and what the different food items look like. 5. Shadow an Experienced Server Before completing the training program, your new servers should perform a few shadowing sessions with your most experienced servers. You can designate a certain number of required training sessions, or rely on your trainer's judgment as to how many are needed. During these sessions, the new server is essentially an assistant and any of the tips that are earned go to the trainer. The trainer should go over the following topics: How to Take Orders - After completing a training session with the food runners, your new servers will have a better sense of the most popular food items on your menu when it comes time to interact with guests. They should practice taking orders for each table, with the trainer acting as a guide if any questions pop up. How to Use the POS System - A big part of transitioning to a new restaurant is learning how to use the POS system. Trainers should show the new server how to use the system, then give them hands-on experience entering all the orders for the shift. Sidework Rotation - In addition to serving guests, servers also have sidework duties that must be performed during every shift. These duties usually consist of prep work like cutting lemons, stocking the salad bar, or stocking beverage stations. At the end of the shift, they should make sure all the tables in their section are clean and that condiments are full. Learn Where Items are Stocked - Servers will need to retrieve various items from dry and cold storage during a shift. It's very helpful to point out the location of items like glass racks, ice buckets, and take-out containers so they can be found quickly. Restaurant Layout - During waiter or waitress training, be sure to identify key routes to the most important parts of the facility. Additionally, your staff will always want to be aware of the surroundings, so point out potential problem areas as well. This can include high-traffic locations or places that could contain one or two "blind spots" for servers carrying full trays of food. How to Close Out - The close-out procedure includes everything a server needs to do before they can end their shift. To close out of the POS system, a server needs to print their sales for the shift and turn their cash in to a manager. They'll also need to use their sales to tip out any bartenders, bussers, or food runners. Sometimes a server will be designated as a sidework checker and will have to sign off on each server's sidework. 6. Hold a Menu Tasting One of the best parts about server training is trying out the menu items. Servers can't answer questions or make recommendations if they've never tasted the food. At the conclusion of server shadowing, the trainer should sit down and do a menu tasting with the new server(s). This is a great time to sample a variety of the most popular food items, go over the most commonly asked menu questions, and discuss allergen information. It's also a celebratory moment because training is almost complete. Even the most descriptive of menus still require clarification from time to time, and your wait staff should be as familiar as possible with the menu. The best serving staff should be able to not only explain in detail each menu item, but also provide suggestions, recite any daily specials with ease, and answer a customer's questions. 7. Perform Testing and Roleplay The last step before a new server can work independently is to pass a final test. For some restaurants, this test might be very lengthy if there is a lot of memorization involved, as with extensive wine or beer lists. Written Test - This test could cover everything from menu knowledge to policies in your handbook. It should include everything you think is vital for your servers to know. Roleplay - Require the new server to wait on a manager before their training is complete. With this method, a variety of common interactions can be touched on, all within the span of just a few minutes. In addition, this method can prepare new staff members with the proper responses to complaints or upset customers. 8. Ongoing Training Several of these guidelines, such as your restaurant layout and the menu, may change over time, so it's important to use all of these teaching points as part of ongoing training sessions for all your servers. By implementing an ongoing training program, you have the opportunity to increase productivity, update policies to comply with new industry regulations, and improve job satisfaction in a work area that's often high in employee turnover. Some specific things to make part of long-term training include: Learning which menu items are most popular, least expensive, most expensive, etc. Acquiring knowledge of weekly or daily specials Successfully selling guests on appetizers or desserts Finding the right balance between too much and too little interaction with guests at their table Improving awareness and multi-tasking skills Reading personalities/attitudes and determining exactly which kind of service the guest desires 9. Create Incentives Make sure your serving staff stays engaged by offering incentives for performance. You can reward servers that participate in ongoing training sessions with free meals, preferred parking spots, or raises. Keep track of server wins like the highest alcohol or appetizer sales and give out a gift card to the winner each week. There are many ways to incentivize performance and create a fun work environment to help you retain your best employees. Single-event training can often be forgotten or seem overwhelming for a new employee on the first day. By creating and following a detailed training program, you can set your new employees up for mutual success. Ongoing training allows employers to evaluate and follow up effectively to get the most out of their staff. This type of restaurant server training can help propel your operation to the next level of professional, award-winning service.
Pizza Shop Equipment List
As one of the most beloved foods across the country, pizza remains a staple in both our diets and conversations. There's a pizzeria for nearly every palate, stimulating the timeless debates of thin-crust versus thick-crust and whether pineapple is an acceptable topping. If you're ready to open a piz
How to Start a Coffee Roasting Business
House-roasted beans are becoming a fixture in local coffee shops. Taking single origin beans from far-flung locales and roasting them yourself is the perfect example of the glocalization movement. Glocalization is the call to adapt global and international products to the local contexts where they’re used and sold. But are roasting businesses just the latest coffee trend? Buzz aside, roasting coffee beans in-house allows cafes to offer superior beverages and diversify their sales by offering their roasts a la carte or as a part of a coffee subscription service. Whether you’re operating a coffee shop and want to add house-roasted beans to your wheelhouse, or you’re wondering what it takes to roast coffee beans professionally, we guide you through the steps of starting a coffee roasting business. Shop All Coffee Roasters Use these links to jump to the step of starting a coffee roasting business that interests you: Coffee Education Branding Business Plan Startup Costs Licenses and Permits Insurance Location Supplies Website Advertising How to Roast Coffee Beans Professionally 60% of coffee consumed in the U.S. is from the specialty coffee market, making fresh and sustainable coffee beans an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs. Roasting coffee beans professionally takes more than choosing the types of coffee roasts you want to make. You must acquire equipment, business permits, and marketing strategies. Implement these steps to start roasting coffee beans professionally. 1. Coffee Education Before starting a coffee roasting business, you should have foundational coffee knowledge. From brewing with a French press to an espresso machine, master brewing methods so you can test your coffee beans with each. Consider investing in professional cupping and roasting courses. The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) offers a sensory skill module that helps new roasters identify green and roasted coffee defects and flavor characteristics. If you want thorough knowledge, the SCA’s comprehensive coffee skills education program is right for you. Beyond coffee coursework, taking marketing classes allows you to handle promotion yourself. This makes starting a coffee roasting business more affordable since you won’t have to pay marketing professionals high salaries. The more skills you develop before starting your coffee roasting business, the fewer roles you’ll have to outsource. Once your business is off the ground, you can bring on these staff members to lighten your load. 2. Develop Your Coffee Brand Having a clear and definable brand for your coffee roastery attracts and retains customers. Branding is the process of communicating your values, mission, personality, and identity. It should be evident in your customer service, packaging, marketing, and products. For example, if you roast fair trade coffee beans, your branding should reflect your dedication to ethical and sustainable sourcing. Including information about your brand on your coffee roasting website and packaging is a great way to help like-minded patrons connect with your brand. One branding idea is to focus your coffee roasting business identity on coffee tourism. Just like wine enthusiasts travel to destinations renowned for their wine production, many coffee enthusiasts are visiting countries where coffee is grown. Your state-side coffee roasting business can tap into the coffee tourism trend by offering multiple single origin roasts from other countries. Provide information on the country the beans came from, photos of the coffee farm, and curated snack pairing kits for a coffee stay-cation experience. 3. Write a Coffee Roasting Business Plan Having a thorough business plan is a vital step in roasting coffee professionally. It acts as a roadmap for your new business, consolidating your goals and strategies so you can convert them into action steps. A business plan will help you secure funding for your coffee roasting business because it proves to investors that you know how to make your business succeed. Your coffee roasting business plan should include the followings: Executive Summary - The executive summary provides a brief overview of all of the information included in your business plan. You will need to write it last after you have the rest of the information. Company Description - Your company description expands on the specific strategies and projections provided in your executive summary. Concept and Products - Explain what concepts you have chosen for your coffee roasting business, which types of roasts you’ll sell, and any subscription services you plan to offer. Management and Ownership Structure - Discuss what type of ownership your coffee roasting business will have and explain its managerial structure. Employee and Staffing Needs - Outline how many employees you’ll need to operate your coffee roasting business, and which positions you must fill. Marketing and Competitor Analysis - Identify a target market and complete a comprehensive analysis of your competitors. Then highlight potential competitive advantages. Advertising and Marketing Strategies - List potential advertising and marketing methods that will entice customers and establish brand loyalty. Financial Projection and Summary - Outline sales projections, perform a break-even analysis, and list potential expenses. For an in-depth guide to writing business plans, check out our restaurant business plan guide. Back to Top 4. Raise Coffee Roasting Startup Costs While not as expensive as opening a coffee shop, starting a coffee roasting business still requires capital. A Specialty Coffee Association study determined that on average, a roaster wholesaler and retailer business owner will need $120,000 to cover startup costs. Discover the basic elements you must pay for when starting a coffee roasting business. Location Down Payment - The great thing about a coffee roasting business is you can operate out of your home with the proper licenses and permits in most states. If you’re adding a roasting business to your coffee house, you can make room for your roasting machine without purchasing additional space. However, if these aren’t options for you, you must purchase or rent a location to roast your coffee beans. If purchasing your location, you’ll likely take out a loan to help cover the expense. Expect to make a down payment of around 15-20%. Property Renovations/Construction Costs - Whether you’re purchasing a location or operating from home, be prepared to spend money on renovations. Many states allow entrepreneurs to roast coffee from home as long as the part of their home where they will roast the coffee meets state-specific criteria. Expect renovations to bring your space up to your local health department’s standards. Coffee Roasting Equipment - Your primary cost will be the commercial coffee roaster. A commercial coffee roaster can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $150,000. While you may not require a large unit when you first start out, we recommend purchasing the largest and best roaster you can afford. As the most essential element of your new business, you don’t want to quickly outgrow or wear out your coffee roaster. Coffee Roasting Supplies Inventory - You must factor in the costs of green bean sourcing, packaging, and shipping supplies into your startup costs. As you test and develop your roasts, be prepared for a large amount of initial green bean waste. Employee Wages - You may be able to handle much of the coffee roasting process yourself when you first start out. However, if you plan to run a larger operation, you’ll need employees and staff. With the rise of staffing shortages, be prepared to pay fair wages. Advertising - An advertising budget is needed to run marketing campaigns and attract new customers. Permits and Licensing - Coffee roasting businesses require several permits and licenses, many of which come with fees. POS System - A POS system streamlines the ordering process, inventory management, and sales reporting. Website - Creating a website where patrons can order coffee beans is essential to your success. Provide information about your supply chain, products, and brand, so customers see your value. 5. Get Business Licenses, Permits, and Certifications To start a coffee roasting business, there are several licenses, permits, and certifications you must acquire. We break down the official standards you must meet to roast coffee beans professionally. EPA Requirements - Since volatile organic compounds and harmful particulate matter are released during the roasting process, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in many states requires roasters to have Air Permits if they roast high volumes annually. Check your local EPA requirements to see if an Air Permit is required for your coffee roasting business. FDA Requirements - According to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), any facility that manufactures, processes, packages, or holds food for consumption must register through the FDA Food Facility Registration page and allow the agency to inspect the food facility. Local and State Requirements - Most states have laws and regulations over the sale of food products enforced by local health departments. If your production is under a certain volume or you sell your roasts under home cottage laws, many states allow you to roast and sell coffee beans from any location with little health department oversight. Most cottage laws do not allow you to sell food online. However, other states require professional coffee roasters to use a commercial-grade kitchen and require random health department inspections. Check your local and state requirements to make sure you’re in compliance. General Business License - While some states require a general business license or permit to roast coffee beans for sale, these licenses are usually found at the city level. Check your local requirements. Form a Business Entity - You must select a legal entity that defines how your coffee roasting business is organized. You have four options: proprietorship, partnership, corporation, and Limited Liability Company (LLC). Business Name Registration - Many states require owners to register their business name. The process of registering your business name varies by state and the type of business entity you chose. Employee Identification Number - Before you can hire staff, you must get a nine-digit employee identification number. Every business in the United States has a unique employee identification number. Sales Tax Permit or Business Number - A state sales tax permit (aka business tax number or tax ID number) may be required to sell roasted coffee beans. If necessary, you’ll create an account number with your state’s taxing agency so they can collect and remix the sales tax. Resale Certificate - A resale certificate (aka seller’s permit) allows you to purchase inventory that will be resold to customers tax-free. When a business owner has a seller’s permit, they won’t pay the sales tax to the vendor they purchase their inventory from. The sales tax is charged to the end-user of the product instead. Occupancy Certification - Most cities will require your coffee roasting business to have a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) before operating out of a commercial building. It is usually offered by the city and county. Before you receive the CO, the building must comply with zoning regulations, building codes, and any additional local requirements. If you’re operating your coffee roastery from your home, you may need to obtain a home occupation permit. Check your local laws and regulations to make sure you’re in compliance. What Is Fair Trade Certification? The Fair Trade certification confirms that a product’s social, economic, and environmental aspects of production comply with Fairtrade Standards for Producers and Traders. As a coffee roasting business, it’s worth obtaining a Fair Trade certification, proving to your clients that your coffee promotes fair pay and ethical treatment of the producer groups in developing countries that exported your green coffee beans. Consumers are willing to pay approximately 3.62% higher premium for Fair Trade Certified coffee, so having a Fair Trade certification can earn you greater profits in the long run. It also sets your coffee roasting business apart from competitors, and it can earn customer loyalty from patrons who appreciate your efforts to promote an equitable global economy. 6. Invest in Business Insurance Insuring your coffee roasting business protects against workplace injuries, property damage, and claims of product liability. General liability insurance is the best insurance for most coffee-roasting businesses. The average coffee roaster spends between $500 and $1,200 to have general liability coverage for $1 million. Your location, number of employees, deductible, general aggregate limit, and per-occurrence limit will determine the price of your general liability policy. Some providers may offer a discount on your general liability policy if you purchase it as a part of a business owner’s policy (BOP). Back to Top 7. Secure a Location for Your Coffee Roastery You must find a space large enough to accommodate your coffee roasting equipment and provide enough room for you to safely roast, package, and ship your coffee beans. If you’re a micro roaster, you won’t require a large commercial space to operate your coffee roasting business. As long as cottage laws in your area allow it, an up-to-code basement or garage will work as a location for a small roasting business. As your business grows, you may require a larger space. There are commissaries that allow you to pay for timed access to commercial roasters. This allows you to complete large orders without having to invest in your own commercial space. 8. Purchase Coffee Roasting Supplies It’s time to purchase the coffee roasting equipment and supplies you’ll need to start roasting coffee and selling it to customers. We’ve rounded up the essential supplies required to start your coffee roasting business. Coffee Roaster - There is a wide range of coffee roasters on the market, but most small roasting businesses can start with a 5 kg capacity classic drum roaster. Choose a model that is compatible with helpful roasting software for the best outcome. Unroasted Coffee Beans - Having a steady supply of green beans you can roast will be essential to your business. Decide whether you want to focus on a particular region of origin or offer blends of different beans. Coffee Bags - Branded coffee bags build brand identity, but if you don’t have the funds when you first start out, purchase flavor-conserving, wholesale recyclable coffee bags. Your first customers will care more about the quality of your product and the sustainability of your packaging than a cool design. Bag Sealer - A reliable bag sealer allows you to seal your roasted coffee inside your bags so it can be sold to customers. We recommend choosing an automatic bag sealer that adds the roasting date to the bags. Sample Roaster - A small sample roaster allows you to test your roasts and judge their quality without wasting all your green coffee beans on a large batch if it doesn’t turn out well. Bean Trier - A bean trier is an instrument that pulls a sample of beans from a coffee roaster so you can view their shade and smell their aroma. It is a long tool shaped like a wand with a hollow shaft that has a slot in it. Roasters insert the bean tier into the beans, rotate it, and collect coffee into the shaft. Roasters can then place the bean trier under a spotlight to evaluate the roast shade. Spotlight - To accurately determine the color of your roast, mount a spotlight with a full-spectrum bulb above your bean trier. Color Meter - For true color accuracy, invest in a color meter. A color meter analyzes the degree of roast, allowing you to create a consistent product. Moisture Reader - A moisture reader reveals how coffee was prepared, how its quality might alter over time, and how it will respond inside the roaster. Scales - You will use scales to weigh green coffee before roasting it, ground coffee before taste testing, and roasted coffee beans before packaging them for your customers. You’ll need a scale with a high weight capacity and a large weighing platter. Look for a unit that is accurate to 0.1g. Coffee Grinder - You’ll need a reliable grinder with adjustable grind settings so you can test your roasts in every grind size. Coffee Brewer - You must have a brewer to test your roasted beans with. Pour over and French press brewers are popular choices. Make sure you can test the method your core customers will likely use. Coffee Roasting Software - There is a lot of wonderful software to help you roast coffee. For the new roaster, Artisan is an excellent choice. It’s free, open-source software compatible with over 30 types of roasting machines and over 50 associated devices. For advanced roasters willing to pay for their software, Cropster is a comprehensive tool that helps roasters with monitoring their inventory, production, planning, quality control, and manage the buying and selling of green coffee online. Cleaning Supplies - You'll need to maintain a tidy space and thoroughly clean your equipment. Safety Equipment - Protect against injury by providing safety supplies. Help reduce the risk of fires by adding a water line with a spray head and an accessible valve. Shipping Supplies - If you plan to run an e-commerce coffee roasting business, purchase shipping supplies so you can fulfill customers’ orders. 9. Create a Website for Your Coffee Roasting Business Having a navigable website is essential to your success. Make sure your product pages offer ample information to guide people. Use descriptive words so customers understand each roast’s flavor profile. Consider offering interactive quizzes to help patrons find a roast they’ll like. Your coffee roasting website should reveal who you are as a brand and guide patrons to purchases. Provide information on your sustainability efforts and on where you source your beans. According to a Label Insight survey, 94% percent of consumers are more loyal to brands that provide supply chain transparency. Lastly, make it easy for customers to subscribe to loyalty programs and email lists from your website. 10. Advertise Your Coffee Roasting Business You can have the best brand, premium products, and incredible customer service, but if no one knows about your business, your efforts will fall flat. Creating a social media presence is crucial to marketing your coffee roasting businesses. Each social media platform favors a different type of content. Optimize your content for each platform by following best practices for Instagram and learning how to create engaging videos for TikTok. If you have a cottage food roasting business, get involved with your local farmer’s market scene. Don’t hesitate to make in-person connections with local gourmet grocers and coffee houses to advertise your roasts. Back to Top Thanks to its comparatively low startup costs, launching a coffee roasting business is a wonderful opportunity for entrepreneurial coffee enthusiasts. Whether you’re a coffee shop owner interested in gaining a competitive edge or a coffee roasting hobbyist looking for a new career, refer back to our guide to start your own coffee roasting business.
Restaurant Location Analysis
There are many factors to consider when starting a restaurant, and location is one of the most important. Location analysis requires you to investigate potential markets, identifying which market fits your needs. When executed correctly, it can position your restaurant for success. In this article, we’ll investigate what location analysis is, why it matters, and the different factors that can influence where you choose to put your restaurant. Click any of the links below to skip to the aspect of location analysis that most interests you: Restaurant Demographics Visibility and Accessibility Labor Costs and Regulations Supply Chain Competition Growth Health, Safety, and Zoning Regulations What Is Location Analysis? Location analysis is a decision-making process that helps find the most suitable location for a business. With it, you'll analyze details about a specific market including customer demographics, local regulations, and growth opportunities. Location analysis also impacts business decisions, influencing everything from where you purchase ingredients to how you market your restaurant. You can perform location analysis on your own or hire a marketing firm to do it for you. Whether you are a prospective restaurant owner or have managed one for years, location analysis is an essential process. Why Is Location Important for a Restaurant? Industry experts view location as the most important factor in a restaurant's success. It plays a significant role in the clients you serve and the businesses you compete with. Choosing a good location can set you up for success, but choosing a bad location will significantly limit your ability to compete. Even if you have an excellent concept, hire a skilled staff, and create a great menu, a poor location may be too much to overcome. Restaurant Location Strategy When it comes to formulating a restaurant location strategy, there are several factors to consider before you make a decision. Continue reading to learn about these factors and what sets them apart. 1. Restaurant Demographics A restaurant’s demographic is the segment of the population that it serves. Identifying the right demographic can help to inform marketing decisions and various business strategies. You can discover your target demographic by conducting customer interviews, administering surveys, and analyzing census data. Alternatively, you can hire a marketing firm to research for you. The U.S. Small Business Administration also offers access to free government-provided demographic data. Below, we’ve included details to focus on as you perform market research and related questions to ask yourself: Age: What age group would you most expect to frequent your restaurant? Gender: Is there a particular gender that would be more likely to dine at your restaurant? Relationship status: Are you more likely to serve single people, couples, or families with children? Average income: How much money does your target demographic bring in? Keep in mind that income typically rises with age. Spending habits: How much disposable income does your target demographic have and what are they willing to spend it on? 2. Visibility and Accessibility The location of your restaurant, its layout, and the surrounding area play a vital role in the public's ability to find and access it. Some factors that are out of your control, like winter weather, can also play a pivotal role. To improve customer experience and create a restaurant that caters to all people, keep the following details in mind: Parking: A lack of parking options severely limits potential customers. If your property has space for a parking lot, provide ample parking spaces and a convenient layout. If you live in an urban area where parking is scarce, consider listing nearby parking options on your website. ADA compliance: To be ADA compliant, your restaurant must abide by the rules and regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and ensure that every customer has access to the same service and experience. Verify that your parking lot, entrance, doors, facility layout, seating areas, and bathrooms accommodate disabled customers. Visibility: Make sure that your restaurant is easy for guests to identify, both in-person and online. In-person, choose a location that is visible to drive-by and foot traffic without being impeded by heavy traffic or congestion. Digitally, consider making a website for your restaurant and listing your business on Google, Yelp, and various delivery apps. Walkability: In cities or high-density neighborhoods where parking is scarce, walkability is essential. To improve walkability, choose a central location or one that is near public transit. Traffic patterns: Poor traffic patterns can make it difficult for customers to arrive at your restaurant. Road work and roadside construction can also play a role, with road closures or detours rerouting customers to different streets. 3. Labor Costs and Regulations Labor costs and regulations can vary depending on the state you live in. In some cases, they can even change depending on your city. As you choose a location, it’s essential to research restaurant labor laws to make sure your business complies. Some aspects of your business that these laws can impact include the following: Wages: Certain states set their minimum wage at a higher point than the federal minimum wage. Local tip pooling laws and overtime regulations can also impact your total labor cost. Tax rates: Your local and state tax rates can vary depending on location. Employment of minors: Different states have varying restrictions on the age that minors can begin working, the jobs they are allowed to work, and the hours they can be scheduled for. 4. Supply Chain Shipping costs and delivery fees can be expensive, and sometimes they can be higher than the cost of the original supplies. When you choose a location, consider choosing one that is near your suppliers. Alternatively, consider changing suppliers to decrease shipping costs. We’ve listed ways that location can impact your supply chain below: Distance: The closer you are to your suppliers, the easier it will be to receive inventory. Depending on your supplier, you may even be able to pick up supplies yourself if you are close enough. Loading area: If you plan on receiving large shipments, you’ll need to choose a location that has a convenient loading area. Ensure you have enough space to accept and store supplies and verify that incoming deliveries will not impede your customers in the parking lot. 5. Competition There will always be competing restaurants in your area. Though it represents a threat, having competition isn’t always a bad thing. In many cases, you can learn from what your competitors are doing to improve your own business. As you analyze competitors in your location, keep the following factors in mind: Proximity: Try to place your restaurant away from restaurants with a similar concept. For example, if you want to open a Mexican restaurant, avoid placing it directly next to another. Restaurants with a similar concept can split your demographic and limit how many customers you serve. In high-density areas where there is significant competition, choose a location where your restaurant concept will be unique. Pricing: Pay close attention to the other restaurants in the area and how they price their menus. Setting competitive prices helps to attract guests and establish your restaurant in your location. Marketing: Whether your restaurant is new or established, effective marketing strategies can help you compete. Consider printing flyers, renting a billboard, or utilizing television and radio commercials to raise awareness for your restaurant. You can also embrace social media marketing to engage with customers directly. 6. Growth Choose a location that fits your short-term needs while allowing you the opportunity to grow. As you establish your business, growth opportunities will present themselves, and identifying locations that allow growth enables you to seize these opportunities. Below, we’ve listed some key details to keep in mind as you plan for future growth at your location: Seating: If you plan to expand, verify that your dining room has enough space to fit additional seats. If it does not, you may need to make renovations or expand. Parking: Confirm that your parking lot has enough space to accommodate guests now and in the future. Equipment: As you grow, your restaurant will require more equipment. Select a kitchen space that fits your current needs while providing room for upgraded equipment in the future. It's also essential to choose a kitchen space that is up to code so that you can use equipment safely and efficiently. Food storage: Choose a location that gives you ample space to store ingredients safely, both now and as you grow. You should also have enough space to keep your storage room organized as you grow and prevent cross-contamination. 7. Health, Safety, and Zoning Regulations Each city has health, zoning, and safety regulations. Depending on which location you choose, you may have to spend extra money to meet these regulations. Staying informed on local laws and regulations and making sure you have the right permits can limit confusion and reduce the risk of conflict with the local government. Key regulations that can impact your business include the following: Commercial zoning: Each city designates zones for specific uses. Be sure to choose a location approved for commercial use. Local health regulations: Check with your local health department to verify your restaurant complies with all local regulations. These regulations can change from city to city and can be checked via inspection. Local safety regulations: Safety regulations can vary by location and are essential for maintaining the well-being of your customers and employees. Crime rates: Remember to recognize and address the issues of safety and crime rates as you choose a restaurant location. Depending on where your restaurant is, you may have to invest in security equipment or pay higher premiums for insurance. Back to Top There are many factors to consider as you perform location analysis. Accessibility, zoning, crime rates, and local demographics are just a few of the factors that can impact your restaurant. With effective location analysis, you can identify the best location for your business and position yourself for success in a competitive industry.
Tip Pooling Laws
Tips play an essential role in compensating foodservice workers. Most customers plan to tip their server, but inevitably those tips will vary based on the party size, the cost of the bill, and the generosity of the patron. Some employers worry about tensions rising between their tipped staff and choose to forgo tipping altogether. However, employers can make sure each tipped staff member earns a fair share of tips through a process known as tip pooling. As a foodservice operator, you’re legally responsible for making sure tip pooling is done correctly and your workers are receiving their tips. To assist you, we explain what tip pooling is, who participates in it, and the legalities of restaurant tipping policies. Jump ahead to learn more restaurant tipping policies: What Is a Tip? Tip Pooling Explained Employer Tip Policies Employee Tip Policies Restaurant Tip Laws Tip FAQ What Is Considered a Tip? A tip, also known as a gratuity, is money beyond the cost of the bill given to an employee by a customer for the service provided. Cash, check, and credit card tips given to staff for services rendered are considered tips. Service charges are not considered tips. What Is Tip Pooling? A tip pool is a collection of all (or a portion of all) the tips received by directly tipped staff that is redistributed evenly amongst the tipped workers. Once the tipped staff put their tips into one large "pool", the tips are then divided among them. Back-of-house employees whose work assists tipped staff may participate in the tip pool if the servers also make the minimum wage and no tip credit is taken from them. Tip pooling ensures all employees are fairly compensated for their work. It's especially helpful when multiple services are being rendered and a single point of payment is used. To understand how tip pooling works, consider this example: In a busy coffee shop, one employee oversees taking drink orders, several people oversee drink order preparation, one person oversees delivering the orders to the customers, and another person buses the tables after the customers leave. Tip pooling would ensure that all parties, from the order taker to the busser, receive their fair share of the tips earned. Is Tip Pooling Legal? Many states empower employers to legally require tip pooling. Check your state and local guidelines to confirm whether tip pooling is legal in your area. Regardless of your region, tip pooling is only legal if tipped employees still receive the mandated minimum wage while participating. If the employer takes a tip credit, then back-of-house staff must not participate in tip pooling. However, if the employer does not take a tip credit, back-of-house staff can legally participate in tip pooling. Tip Pooling vs Tip Sharing Unlike tip pooling, tip sharing (or "tipping-out") doesn't involve an equal distribution of tips between employees, but rather a set distribution rate, which is typically recommended by the employer. These rates are normally a percentage of tips, sales, or category receipts. The tip-out policy should be defined to distribute the pre-set percentage of funds to support staff, separately and apart from the pool participants. Tip Pooling vs Tip Credit Tip pooling and tip credits are two distinct things. A tip credit is a legal way for employers to count employees' tips towards their obligation to pay minimum wage. An employer may both take a tip credit and require tip pooling. In such cases, the tip pool will redistribute to each employee the amount applied to their tip credit. Can Employers Take Tips from Employees? If it's considered a tip, it belongs to the employee, not the employer. Employees cannot be required to give their tips or a portion of their tips to the company unless it’s to participate in a valid tip pooling policy. When tip pooling occurs, the employer cannot be part of the pool. Only employees may participate in tip pooling. Cash Tips - In all states, 100% of the cash tip is considered the employee’s property. Check Tips - In all states, 100% of the check tip is considered the employee’s property. Credit Card Tips - Some states mandate that the employer give the employee the full tip indicated by the customer, while other states allow the employer to subtract the credit card company’s processing fee from the tip before presenting it to the employee. However, the Department of Labor mandates that subtracting the transaction fee is only acceptable if it doesn’t reduce the employee’s pay below minimum wage. If it does, you must reimburse the employee on the next payday, and you must not wait until you receive the reimbursement from the credit card company. Service Charges - Services charges are mandatory fees that pay for the services provided. They are added by the restaurant regardless of party size. The employer is not obligated to give any of this money to the employee. Since it is part of a contract, not a voluntary tip, employees have no legal right to the money from service charges. Restaurant Tip Policy for Employees To make sure all their restaurant staff members are fairly compensated for their efforts, many foodservice operators develop a tip pooling program for employees. We explain which employees participate in tip pooling. Employees Who Participate in the Tip Pool Employees who customarily and regularly receive more than $30 per month in tips participate in the tip pool. It helps create a team environment since all tipped staff share in the tips received. Examples include: Bellhops Bussers Counter personnel Service bartenders Servers Employees Who May Conditionally Participate in the Tip Pool Employees who do not customarily and regularly receive tips but whose jobs support tipped workers may legally participate in tip pooling if the servers also make the minimum wage and no tip credit is taken for them. Examples include: Bakers Chefs Cooks Dishwashers Janitors Who Cannot Receive Tips? Supervisors or staff members with supervisory responsibilities cannot receive tips unless the tip is for services that they directly and solely provide. They must not participate in tip pooling. Examples of team members excluded from tip pooling include: Banquet managers Beverage managers Catering managers Dining room managers Food and beverage managers/directors Foodservice directors General managers Kitchen managers President/CEO Restaurant Tip Laws Under federal and state law, restaurant employees’ tips belong to them, not their employers. While this has always been the case, the Department of Labor updated its regulations in 2020 and 2021 to protect tipped workers. Their rulemaking explicitly prevents employers, supervisors, and managers from taking their employees’ tips by addressing 2018 legislative amendments to the Fair Labor Standards Act. It also updated regulations surrounding “dual jobs” and clarified the circumstances that permit an employer to take a partial credit against their minimum wage obligations. We outline these updates and their ensuing clarifications below. On December 30th, 2020, The Department of Labor published a final rule “Tip Regulations Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)”. On April 30, 2021, the following parts of this rule became effective: Employers, managers, and supervisors must not keep employees' tips under any circumstances. This includes tips received through tip pools. Non-tipped employees can participate in a tip pool if their employer pays the full minimum wage and takes no tip credit. In most cases, employers who collect tips for a mandatory tip pool must fully redistribute the tips within the pay period. Employers who collect their staff’s tips to operate a mandatory tip pool but don’t take a tip credit are required to maintain and preserve payroll or other records with information on tip-receiving staff members. They must also record the weekly or monthly number of tips reported by the employee. On September 24, 2021, The Department of Labor issued the Civil Money Penalty (CMP) final rule, which withdrew and modified two sections of the 2020 Tip final rule. The CMP final rule became effective on November 23, 2021, and accomplished or clarified the following points: Restored - The Department of Labor’s ability to evaluate CMPs against employers violating the FLSA by taking their employees’ tips was restored. Violations need neither be repeated nor willful for them to be evaluated. Adoption - The same procedures, rules, and amount considerations as apply to other FLSA CMPs were adopted for tip keeping. Clarification - Managers and supervisors must not receive tips from tip pools but are not prohibited from contributing to mandatory tip pools. Clarification - Managers and supervisors may keep tips if customers give them for services they directly and solely provide. Then, on October 29, 2021, The Department of Labor issued the Dual Jobs final rule which withdrew and modified the dual jobs section of the 2020 Tip final rule. Effective on December 20th, 2021, The Dual Jobs final rule accomplished the following points: Clarification - Employers must only take tip credits for time spent performing tipped work and must not take tip credits for time spent on untipped work. Defined - Tip-earning work and work that directly supports tipped workers were defined as tipped occupations. Clarification - Tip-producing work is any work performed by a tipped employee that they receive a tip from the customer for doing. For directly supporting work, the employee must be assisting in the preparation or execution of tip-producing work. Clarification - To count as tip-producing work, a non-tipped worker must perform tasks that directly support tipped employees for either over 20% of hours worked during the part of the workweek that they engaged in a tipped occupation or during a continuous period of 30 minutes. Restaurant Tips FAQ To help foodservice operators navigate tipping procedures, we answer the most frequently asked questions about restaurant tipping policies below. Is a Service Charge a Tip? A service charge is not a tip. It's a mandatory fee charged by a business for providing its products or services. Waiters and staff members do not receive any of the service charge money. While you may wish to forgo a tip after seeing a service charge, doing so will leave your waiter under-compensated. What Is Tipping Out? A tip out is a percentage of a server’s tips that they share with other employees whose jobs indirectly assist them. Tip outs can be voluntary or part of a mandated tip sharing agreement. Beneficiaries of tip outs include bussers, back waiters, and bartenders. Paying Credit Card Tips to Employees When tips are included in credit or debit card payments, employers must pay the tip to the employee. Check your state law to see if you’re permitted to reduce the tip to cover the transaction fee charged by the credit card company. Can an Employer Claim Tips for You? According to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), an employer can credit a portion of their employee's tips towards paying them minimum wage. The employer can claim set amounts against the minimum wage requirement but must not deduct tip credits from their staff’s pay. How Tipping Works When eating in a restaurant in the United States, diners should plan to tip their waiter between 15 and 20 percent of their pre-tax bill. If paying your tip with a credit card, calculate your tip based on your pretax bill and then write the amount on the tip line of your receipt. If you want to pay your tip with cash, leave your tip behind for your waiter after you’ve settled your bill. Can a Manager Take Tips? Under FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act), managers are prohibited from keeping their employees’ tips. The only time managers can take tips is to put them in a tip pool, but they cannot participate in the tip pool. The only tips managers can receive are those given to them for services that they directly and solely provide. What Percentage of Tips Are Servers Required to Claim? Servers are required by law to report 100% of their tipped income. If a business's total reported tips on food and beverage sales is less than 8%, the business is required to allocate additional tipped income on the W2 of every tipped employee that reported less than 8% of respective sales. Now that you understand tip pooling, you can take steps to execute it legally. Creating an equitable environment is not only essential for your legal standing, but it also fosters loyalty and support from your staff. With the rise of staffing shortages, securing employee loyalty has never been more important.
Bubble Tea Supplies List
Thanks to its variety of flavors, textures, and colors, bubble tea continues to spread across markets. Whether you are opening a bubble tea shop or you're looking to add bubble tea to your coffee or tea shop, this boba tea supplies list will go over the essential tools, equipment, and ingredients ne
Social Media for Restaurants
To thrive in modern foodservice, restaurants need a user-friendly website and a strong social media presence. 49% of consumers learn about nearby restaurants through social media, and 48% follow a restaurant or food brand’s account. While the potential is great, when operators don’t understand social media marketing, their efforts yield disappointing results. We'll walk you through restaurant social media marketing to help you reach and engage your target audience. Click any of the links below to skip to the restaurant social media marketing information that most interests you: Social Media Strategies for Restaurants Yelp for Restaurants Instagram for Restaurants Facebook for Restaurants TikTok for Restaurants Restaurant Social Media Post Ideas Social Media Strategies for Restaurants Following tested social media strategies will help you maximize your marketing efforts. A clear brand image, consistent posting schedules, and engagement are vital to restaurant social media campaigns. Discover universal restaurant social media best practices below. 1. Create a Brand Voice and Aesthetic Your brand encompasses your restaurant’s identity, personality, and mission, and your social media presence should reflect your brand. Make the tone of your written copy match how you would speak to your core customer base. If you’re a trendy coffee shop, following social media trends and using slang is appropriate. A family-owned business can add heartwarming touches, like how their son is home from college to help for the summer. Visually, think of your social media pages as extensions of your restaurant. A brightly lit fast-casual establishment may mimic its interior design by including bright photos with an on-the-go appeal. The social media pages for a farm-to-table, rustic restaurant with an extensive local beer selection should feature a dark and neutral color scheme. 2. Use High-Quality Photos To get your restaurant's social media accounts started, consider hiring a professional photographer to stock up on high-quality images. If taking your own food photos, research proper food photography techniques. Using natural light, action shots, proper angles, and adhering to your brand are all essential. 3. Engage with Customers While social media use has shifted from conversational to content consumption, it’s still a great way to engage with your current customers and attract new ones. Not only does social media engagement boost guest loyalty, but the social media apps' algorithms reward in-app engagement. When followers interact with your posts and stories, the algorithm interprets that your feed is popular and will show your post to more of your followers. Engagement also helps your posts show up for your hashtags, expanding your existing network. How to Engage Customers on Social Media How can restaurants engage with their customers on social media? Use these social media engagement ideas to earn customer loyalty. Respond quickly. Prompt replies to comments, posts, or direct messages create two-way communication. For the best results, answer inquiries within a few hours. A one-day wait time is the longest you should take to reply to patrons on your social media accounts. Make your response times consistent so customers know what to expect when they reach out. Reshare customer photos. Reposting the photos customers tag you in is an easy way to engage them. It also provides more content you don’t have to generate yourself. Since Instagram is visually driven, the photos your customers take probably aren’t high enough quality to go on your feed, but it will excite them if you reshare their pictures to your Instagram story. Share polls. Polling your followers engages them, and it provides you with valuable data. Show different coffee drink flavor options and ask customers which they would rather purchase. Poll customers on which trivia night they would rather attend. This will ultimately help you boost sales and attendance for your live events. 4. Only Post Content That Adds Value While you should maintain a consistent schedule and post approximately three times a week, never sacrifice quality for quantity. Before posting, ask, “Does this relate to my brand? Will it educate my customers? Will it entertain them?” Sharing interesting, thoughtful posts gives people a reason to continue following and interacting with your page. Avoid appearing spammy by posting high-quality photos which include authentic and thoughtful captions. Whether you are sharing an upcoming event or a new dish, the post is art. The image, caption, and purpose of sharing must provide something meaningful, useful, interesting, or entertaining to followers. 5. Offer Giveaways Offering giveaways on social media is a great way to draw new customers into your restaurant and lure previous patrons back. Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) goals for your giveaway. These goals can relate to a specified number of new reviews, sales increase percentages, lead generation, or new loyalty program members. Once you’ve narrowed down your goals, structure your social media giveaway contest to achieve them. Types of Social Media Giveaways There are different types of social media giveaways. Decide which giveaway strategy works best for your business. Host your contest through a third-party giveaway tool. Select a service that will capture people’s email addresses and offers other valuable resources like referral links and social share incentives. Offer prizes to your social media followers. Provide your followers with the chance to win a free appetizer, drink, or dessert at your restaurant for following you and liking, commenting, or resharing one of your posts. Then, randomly select one participant. Exchange reviews for a free item. Get more reviews by offering patrons who leave a review on your Google My Business page, Yelp page, or Facebook page a free item. Do a food photo contest. Have customers submit photos of your food and award a prize for the best photo. You can also use the photos your customers submit as content. Patrons will go to your restaurant to photograph your food. Memory photo contests offer a heartwarming touch. Participants enter by submitting photos of their best memories at your restaurant. Whether that be a birthday celebration, an anniversary, or a proposal, this is a great way to build loyalty with clients and market yourself as a staple in your local community. Encourage captions that tell the stories behind the photos. Restaurant Giveaway Ideas What should your restaurant gift social media contest winners? Discover some restaurant social media contest giveaway ideas below: House-Made Products - Giveaway your house-made ingredients. BBQ restaurants can give their homemade spice rubs. Offer bottles of your signature sauce. Coffee shops can give away their house-roasted beans. Whatever makes you unique can be offered in your giveaway. Gift cards - This will draw the winner into your restaurant, and they will probably order more food than what the gift card covers. Even if they don’t, if they have a positive experience, they will return. Giveaway Bundle - Partner with other local businesses to create a giveaway bundle for the perfect night out. Free ___ for a Year - This is a big giveaway, but it will attract a lot of interest. Some restaurants choose to give away a free meal for a year. You can choose a specific, lower-cost item like free boneless wings for a year or free pizza for a year. The winner will probably bring friends with them to enjoy their free item, drawing in more clients. They’ll also become accustomed to dining in your restaurant and will continue the pattern after the year ends. Cooking Class - Offer a cooking class as a giveaway. Whether you operate a bakery and teach people how to make a sourdough starter or you’re a chocolatier instructing people on how to make ruby chocolate truffles, cooking classes offer a lot of value and build deeper relationships. Since putting on the class will take effort, this giveaway option will allow you to select multiple winners. Merchandise - Restaurant merchandise is a classic giveaway option. While t-shirts and koozies are timeless, we recommend you get creative with your giveaways. Breweries can giveaway branded beer glasses, ice cream shops can gift branded ice cream scoops, and wineries can giveaway branded wine stoppers. 6. Stay Professional You must not act differently online than you would in the middle of your restaurant, because everyone you interact with online is a potential customer. Give them the same respect as you would someone eating in your dining room. This goes for those posting about a positive experience or followers who may be providing you with some critical feedback. If you’ve decided that a certain social media channel isn’t right for your business, do not abandon your profile. An old, outdated profile can look unprofessional or lazy to potential customers who stumble upon it. This can leave the impression that you don’t care enough about your business to maintain a solid online presence or that your business may be closed. Instead of abandoning a profile, simply delete it altogether. Back to Top Best Social Media for Restaurants The best social media platforms for restaurants are Yelp, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. We go over the best social media platforms for restaurants, their benefits, and how to maximize your profile on each. Yelp for Restaurants Whether you claim your profile, your restaurant will likely end up on Yelp, so it’s better to actively monitor your reviews. Since people go to Yelp to read reviews and find information, make sure your restaurant’s information (such as hours, phone number, website, and location) is up to date. You can provide information about upcoming events and specials, so those looking for reviews for your restaurant before booking a holiday reservation know what specials they can enjoy on their visit. You can upload staged photos of your dishes to ensure there are high-quality photos alongside the lower-quality images customers provide. As a review site, make sure you respond to both positive and negative customer reviews. Responding to positive reviews builds loyalty, and people are more likely to forgive a negative review if they see that your business took efforts to make up for the bad experience. What to Include on a Restaurant Yelp Account Here is what you should feature on your restaurant's Yelp page to make the most of it: Make a Reservation Button - This allows people to reserve their spot with you without having to navigate away from your Yelp page. Up-to-Date Information - Make sure your address, hours, contact information, and website are up-to-date. Menu - Include a link to your full menu. Popular Dishes - Feature attractive photos of your best-selling dishes and their prices. Staged Images - This ensures there are good photos of your food. Comment Responses - This earns loyalty from fans and puts out fires with patrons who have had negative experiences. What and When to Post on Yelp Connect Yelp Connect allows you to highlight the unique features of your business. This could be menu updates like new delivery options, new items, or a new brunch menu. Post timely updates like seasonal offerings, holiday hours, and live events. Or you can make evergreen posts that highlight popular dishes, menu items that accommodate alternative diets, and ongoing weekly specials like Taco Tuesday. You don’t need to post on Yelp as regularly as other social media pages. Just give patrons ample time to plan for any events advertised. Post weekly specials the day before they begin so guests can plan to visit your restaurant while they’re available. Instagram for Restaurants Instagram marketing is a great way for restaurants to engage with their customers since food is the most popular thing to post on the platform. Many millennials and Gen Z check a restaurant’s Instagram page before making a reservation. The brain processes visual data 60,000 times faster than text, so, as the most visual social media platform, Instagram is a powerful tool for relaying information. The most Instagrammed food is pizza, so promote your pizza pictures on your feed. Set up your restaurant's Instagram account as a business profile to create Instagram Ad campaigns, set contact options, and access general analytics. What to Include on a Restaurant Instagram Account Bio - Your Instagram bio should clearly explain your brand as a LinkedIn bio would but with a lighter, more creative tone. Saved Story Highlights - Save and appropriately label story highlights to your profile that showcase pertinent information like recurring weekly events and happy hour specials. Consistent Aesthetic - Your restaurant's Instagram profile should follow a theme and tell a visual story. Keep your filters and editing processes consistent for all your posts. You can use an Instagram grid app to check how your posts will look alongside each other before posting. Online Ordering - Allow customers to place online orders from your Instagram account by adding an Order Food button to your profile or a Food Orders sticker to an Instagram story. What Are the Best Times to Post on Instagram? The best times for a restaurant to post on Instagram are mealtimes or in the later evening when people have time to scroll. Post on your restaurant's Instagram page at 9 AM, between 12 and 1 PM, and at 8 PM. How Often to Post on Instagram Post three evenly-spaced Instagram stories a day. Measure your analytics and post them around popular viewing times for your target audience. Make at least two Instagram Feed posts a week. Facebook for Restaurants Facebook is a great platform for restaurants targeting a slightly older market. It isn’t as aesthetic as other platforms, so you don’t need tons of hyper-polished images. Set up your Facebook account as a “Local Business or Place” to access data and analytics insights. You’ll also have the option to create Facebook Ads that target your audience. They designed their ads tools for small businesses with limited advertising experience. If you’re throwing an event, you can create a public event on Facebook to attract more customers. What to Include on Your Restaurant Facebook Page Most users will go to your Facebook account for information, so make sure you include the following: Professional Cover Photo - As the most prominent visual on your Facebook page, your cover photo should be professional looking. Contact Information - Make it easy for patrons to get in touch with you. Link to Your Website - While your Facebook page should cover the basics, you’ll want interested viewers to be able to access all the information on your website. Online Ordering Link - Allowing viewers to place an order from your Facebook page encourages impulse sales. Your Menu - Many people who visit your restaurant's Facebook page will be looking for your menu. Specials - Promote any weekly, seasonal, or holiday specials you’re offering. Events - Create public Facebook events to advertise your restaurant events. What Are the Best Times to Post on Facebook? According to Forbes, the best times to post on Facebook are 1 to 3 PM and 7 PM during the middle of the work week. How Often to Post on Facebook Post on Facebook once or twice per weekday and once over the weekend TikTok for Restaurants TikTok was the top app downloaded worldwide in the first quarter of 2022, according to a Sensor Tower Report, making it a vital tool for restaurants to access and engage potential customers. It drives the popularity of short, vertical videos shot on smartphones which are the most popular content on the internet. The beauty of TikTok content is it doesn’t have to be ultra-polished. Anyone with a smartphone can create these short vertical videos, so the public is conditioned to appreciate realistic, inexpensive content. You can also repurpose your TikTok videos and upload them as Instagram Reels, which is Instagram’s attempt to capture the popularity of TikTok content. What to Include on a Restaurant TikTok Account As a newer app, knowing what your restaurant should post on TikTok and how to maximize your efforts can be tricky. Here are some ideas to get started: Cooking Videos - Show the love, care, and precision your chefs put into each dish. You can repurpose these and start a YouTube cooking channel. Plating Videos - People love to watch creative plating strategies come together. New Menu Items - Encourage followers to come to your establishment. Hacks - Show your viewers food and cooking hacks that will help them in the kitchen. Repost your TikToks to Instagram Reels - Cut down on content creation time. TikTok Trends - Use popular music and audio to create fun video content that befits your brand. Behind the Scenes Videos - Help patrons feel connected to your business. Dining Experience - Get people excited about dining with you, so they choose your business for parties, anniversaries, and events. When to Post on TikTok? The best times to post on TikTok are on Thursdays at 11 AM, Tuesdays at 8 AM, and Fridays at 4 AM. How Often to Post on TikTok TikTok recommends posting 1-4 times each day. Back to Top Restaurant Social Media Post Ideas You’ve done your market research to understand your clients. You’ve already created several interesting, educational, and entertaining posts for your restaurant’s social media pages. Now, you find yourself out of ideas. Don’t worry, we’ve provided a few restaurant social media post ideas to spark your creativity. Food Holiday Posts - Participate in national food days such as National Pizza Day, National Ice Cream Day, or whatever food holiday is most relevant to your menu. Local Events - If your city’s sports team makes a championship or your hometown throws any major event like a Mardi Gras parade or a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, create posts that tie in with your community event. It’s smart to create menu items themed after the event, which you can showcase on social media. Consider hosting a party to celebrate the event at your restaurant and advertise it on your social media pages. Candid Photos - Don’t shy away from candid, natural, unedited, or humorous photos taken by servers or staff. These can add a personal touch to your posts that will help guests connect with your business. New Menu Items - From your daily/weekly specials to new menu staples, sharing photos of your new menu items will encourage your followers to try them. Employee Spotlights - Help your customers feel connected to your team and make your staff feel appreciated by creating employee spotlight posts. This can take the form of “employee of the month” posts or a weekly “team member Tuesday” series. Food-Prep - Create behind-the-scenes videos of the food prep process. People love to watch meals come together. Positive Reviews - Share customers' positive reviews. You can convert reviews into images using tools like Canva, or have a graphic designer create some. Local Ingredients/Vendors - If you source local ingredients, show them off on your social media and promote their vendors. Not only does this breed goodwill with your partners, but it also establishes you as part of the fabric of your community. Staff Recommendations - Create a video of your staff members sharing their favorite dish on your menu. Sustainable Practices - Highlight your go-green initiatives, recycling programs, composting efforts, and sustainable sourcing practices. Gluten-Free Menu Items - Nothing builds anxiety for people with allergies, like wondering if they’ll have a safe and delicious food option at a restaurant. Showing off your gluten-free menu items on your social media is a great way to attract customers with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. Promote Loyalty Programs - Show off the perks of participating in your loyalty program. Provide a link to join in the caption. Happy Hour Specials - Share photos of your happy hour menu items and provide the days and times in your caption. Restaurant History - Share details about your founding, then and now photos, and other details about your brand journey. Best-Selling Menu Items - Chances are, your followers have tried your signature dish. Seeing a photo of it will remind them how much they love it and draw them back into your establishment. Seasonal Menu Items - From classic fall flavors to Christmas cocktails, show off your seasonal menu on your social media accounts. Since it’s available for a limited time, create a sense of urgency in your captions. Community Involvement - If your restaurant has a booth at any local events or is taking part in a local restaurant week, share your involvement on social media. Vegan Menu Items - If you have delicious vegan menu items, show them off on social media to attract those seeking plant-based menu items. Giving Back - Restaurants that give back to their local communities earn their customers' loyalty. Share the ways you serve others and give to causes your target customers care about. Birthday Specials - If you offer guests a free dessert on their birthday, show off the item guests can enjoy if they celebrate with you. Your Events - From trivia nights to seafood boils, show off the events you’re hosting on social media. Provide the day and time in the caption. Catering - Promote your catering services by showing pictures of events you’ve catered, your catering van, or items unique to your catering menu. Outdoor Spaces - If your restaurant has a great outdoor dining experience, show it off on your social media. Whether you’ve winterized your patio, have a beer garden, or your rooftop bar has a magnificent view, seeing your outdoor space will encourage patrons to visit. Cross-Promote Your Social Media Accounts - Link to your other social media accounts and encourage followers on one platform to follow you on others. Food Contest Winner - If you offer food contests at your restaurant, show off the winner on social media. Pets - Pet-friendly establishments can show off photos of patrons' fur babies at their restaurants. Encouraging patrons to submit photos of their dogs at your eatery for the chance to be featured boosts engagement. Merchandise for Sale - Advertise branded merchandise on your social media accounts. Takeout Deals - Show off your takeout specials to encourage more off-premise dining sales. From cocktail kits to family dinner deals, show patrons how they can enjoy your menu from the comfort of their own homes. Awards - If you receive any awards or recognition, share the news with your customers. Back to Top Social media is always changing, so staying up to date on the latest features, creating unique content, and monitoring your success can feel like a full-time job. Hiring high school- and college-aged students who are familiar with social media best practices is a great way for you to build your brand while providing them with valuable experience. If that isn't feasible, don't lose heart. Devoting even a small amount of time and resources to your social media accounts can help you reach new customers and create relationships with them.
How to Capitalize on Sports Bar Marketing
There are a lot of tips out there that can help you run a successful bar, but sports bars present their own unique set of challenges and opportunities. By targeting the sports community, you can create a fun environment and a set of regular customers. But, how can you combat lulls between major sporting events and keep the interest and excitement piqued year-round? Can you appeal to a casual crowd without alienating sports fans? Read on for a few sports bar marketing ideas that apply to new and established operations alike. Shop All Sports Themed Furniture and Decor Use these links to learn more about individual aspects of sports bar marketing: What Is a Sports Bar? Sports Bar Marketing Traditional Sports Bar Marketing Sports Bar Designs What to Broadcast at a Sports Bar What to Offer at a Sports Bar for Non-Sports Fans What Is a Sports Bar? A sports bar is a bar that caters to sports fans by continuously showing televised sporting events. Sports bars are typically themed with sports memorabilia to enhance the atmosphere. For many, sports bars are their preferred way to watch major sporting events because it allows them to have a sense of community while watching the game. For this reason, big-ticket sporting events are extremely lucrative for sports bars. Sports Bar Marketing One of the most important elements of sports bar marketing is advertising. You may have great bar food and a lively atmosphere, but advertising through social media and other more traditional methods can help fill your seats, even during your local team’s off-season. Social Media Marketing Using social media as a sports bar marketing tool provides you with instantaneous connections with your customers. Establish a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms to make your business more accessible to followers. These sites can give you a strong and free way to spread the word about special deals and events to your target audience. But if promotions are all you have to offer on social media, they can easily become white noise, so be sure to actively communicate with your followers to establish a more meaningful and profitable rapport. Consider the following social media features to get your sports bar’s name known: Use Facebook Events to spread the word on upcoming events and gauge interest. Go live to notify customers of what they are missing out on at your location. Share Instagram Stories and Facebook Reels with some behind-the-scenes videos of your location and staff. Purchase a Snapchat Filter that customers can play with while in your sports bar and share with friends. Join a beer-based community like BeerAdvocate, TapHunter, or Untappd to indicate to customers what new beers you’ll be featuring at your establishment. Mobile Options In addition to your social media marketing, consider creating a website where customers can access information about your sports bar and the promotions you’re currently running. The National Restaurant Association discovered in a 2017 study that 90% of smartphone users first search for restaurant information online when choosing a dining establishment. A website, Google listing, or Yelp page will make your location more prevalent during their search. You can also try creating a loyalty app or mobile club using SMS marketing where customers can opt-in to have coupons and other special offers sent directly to their phones. There are a lot of things to consider when going this route, so be sure to research how to set up an SMS campaign system before you get started. Traditional Sports Bar Marketing In an age of technology, you may find that there is a lot of competition in an online setting. Here are some traditional sports marketing methods that can help you advertise directly to your local community: Advertise at a Local Game Marketing your sports bar at a local sporting event is a fantastic way to reach your target audience. Here are some advertising ideas you can use to advertise your bar at local games: Get your advertisement in the program. Buy banner space in the stadium. Ask to cater food during the game. On-Air Advertisements On-air advertisements during games are a great way to cast a wide net and get your sports bar's name out there. Below are some of the most common ways to advertise your sports bar on-air. Run a short radio commercial around game days. Submit a television commercial to run a few days before a big game. See if a television station would be willing to cast a pre- or post-game segment at your establishment. Run Promotions Running promotions and special deals is a fantastic way to reach sports enthusiasts and non-fans alike. Here are some of the most common promotions run by sports bars: Provide limited-time offers like new appetizers or drinks. Have a raffle giveaway. Incentivize large parties with group rates or discounts on larger dishes. Offer a freebie after team victories. Provide play-by-play discounts according to the action during a big game. Sponsor a Team Sponsoring a local team or charity can be a highly effective advertising choice in traditional sports bar marketing. This allows your bar to create connections with the local community while getting exposure for your brand name. Supporting your community establishes your company as a valuable asset to the neighborhood while providing a place where locals can come to dine and relax. When you sponsor an amateur league team, your advertisement may be placed on banners in the stadium, in the program during games, and sometimes even on their jerseys. Your sports bar also becomes a location where the team can bring their friends and family to celebrate victories or unwind after losses. Sports Bar Designs Once you have decided what you will be broadcasting in your sports bar, you’ll need to make sure that the sports atmosphere is established to accompany the games and matches. The atmosphere depends not only on your decor but on your staff as well. Sports Bar Themes Help your customers become fully immersed in the wide world of sports with some careful interior decorating. Pennants, pictures, jerseys, sports movie posters, balls, and other memorabilia should be craftily sprawled across the walls of your sports bar, with extra points for anything that's autographed. Here are some more ways to embrace the fandom in your establishment: Name a meal or beverage after teams or players. Print stat charts for your customers during big games. Set up a photo booth station with creative backgrounds and props for customers to take pictures. Sports Bar Uniforms Your location may be decorated in the right way, but your staff can truly make the sports atmosphere come alive with their attire and their conversations. You may choose to have your wait staff all in referee uniforms to embrace the sporting theme while keeping it general. Another option would be to design a custom jersey for your sports bar featuring each staff member's name on the back. On special occasions, you might encourage them to wear their favorite team's jersey. And remember— sporting events are a social experience so, while not everyone needs to be a die-hard fan, hiring those who have a basic level of sports knowledge can turn some of your more passionate customers into regulars. What to Broadcast at a Sports Bar You may already be equipped with a great menu, great service, and great pricing, but what you televise at your sports bar can make or break your business. Perhaps the most important thing to consider when it comes to sports bars is excellent programming. Broadcasting the local teams' games is an absolute must, but you’ll also want to create a broadcasting schedule to cover your establishment year-round. Local Sporting Events To create regular customers, be sure to take full advantage of a fan base that is already established in your area during game season. If your sports bar is located in a town or city with a champion team, be sure to make your loyalty known by broadcasting their every game and getting into the excitement. Fans will then be able to use your establishment as a place to celebrate team victories or mourn team losses together. Even if the local team is off their game, maintaining a commitment to that team throughout the season can earn you some goodwill with its most ardent supporters. You can also draw local fans into your location by: Hosting a tailgate party for pre-game hype. Throwing big parties for significant games. Celebrating the opening of a sports season. Providing an after-party location for team victories. Pay-Per-View Broadcasts Broadcasting games from your local teams is important, but they will not provide you with year-round coverage. So, what should you broadcast when many of the major sports enjoy their off-season? Consider showcasing classic sports broadcasts from years past that have local, national, or worldwide significance. It's also important to expand your scope beyond regional sports coverage, especially when it comes to big games and events with broad appeal. You can take things to the next level by offering premium content that customers otherwise wouldn't have access to without paying subscription fees. This could mean showing pay-per-view events like boxing matches or providing access to every pro football game (which are regionally restricted). The key is to draw patrons in with something they couldn't just tune into at home on basic cable. Not sure what to show? Poll your customers on sporting events they would be interested in viewing that go beyond what regional cable can offer. Once you establish what you will be broadcasting, prepare a schedule that customers can access so they don’t miss their favorite events. What to Offer at a Sports Bar for Non-Sports Fans It's understandable that your target customers for your sports bar will be sports fans; however, to maintain a steady flow of business, you’ll also want to provide ways to attract and entertain non-sports fans. The key is knowing how far you can go to create an environment that will appeal to the casual crowd, without interfering with the sporting atmosphere enjoyed by your regular customers. There are various ways that you can cater to both sports fans and non-sports fans alike. Set up Game Stations Creating a game room in your sports bar can give customers fun activities to do while they wait for their food and keep them ordering drinks while they play. You can include games like: Arcade games Dartboards Board games Jenga Pinball machines Billiards Feature Competitive Events Competitive games get guests involved and excited, especially when there are prizes to be won. For prizes, you can offer a free beverage or appetizer, merchandise with your sports bar's logo on it, or gift cards. Here are some competitive events you may be interested in featuring: Trivia nights Cornhole tournaments Backyard beer games Card table games A basketball hoop to shoot for prizes Host Live Appearances Creating events like live appearances can give your customers something to look forward to and bring in a new crowd of faces who come to support the act and order food and drinks while they are there. Some suggestions for live appearances include: Book a local band Feature a local comedian Host an open mic night Bring in a local celebrity to do signings Rent out Spaces Larger parties of customers tend to gravitate toward locations where their group can have an added level of privacy. By adding a party room that can be rented or a patio that can be reserved, customers can then host private events at your sports bar. When those areas are not booked, they can be used for overflow seating. Back to Top You can build these tips into your sports bar marketing plan to start bringing in customers and keep them coming back for more, whether they are sports fans or not. However, don’t be discouraged if you do not see immediate positive feedback after implementing one of these ideas. Give it time, poll your regular customers about their needs and wants, and adjust accordingly to achieve success in your sports bar.
How to Write a Food Truck Business Plan
Food trucks are at the forefront of influencing upcoming food trends and can be a very profitable business. But before you can start your own food truck business, you’ll need to plan out your concept and how you’ll fund that dream. Writing a food truck business plan helps you lay out the details of your new endeavor and address the questions of potential investors. Because this is such an important step, it should be completed before you even buy a food truck. Shop All Food Truck Supplies Click the steps below to learn about the sections of a food truck business plan: Executive Summary Company Description Market Analysis Organization and Management Service or Product Line Marketing and Sales Funding Request Financial Projections Appendix Food Truck Business Plan Template We've outlined how to format your business plan and listed the key topics you should cover. Below you'll find some food truck business plans suggestions to give you an idea of what to include when writing your own. 1. Executive Summary The first section of your food truck business plan is the executive summary. Think of this as your introduction to the reader. To make a good first impression, you should be concise and interesting without explaining too many granular details. You can cover the finer points of your business in the following sections. This is your chance to highlight who your company is, how you expect it to grow, and why your food truck will be successful. In the executive summary, you should identify the gap in your target market that your company can fill. It's also a good idea to cover how your knowledge and background will benefit you as you pursue your company goals of opening a food truck business. Although the executive summary is the first section your potential investor will read, you should write it last. Food Truck Business Plan Executive Summary Considerations These are the key topics to include in a food truck executive summary: What type of food do you plan to offer? Where do you plan to sell your food? Why will this type of food be successful in the area where you plan to sell it? What is the projected cost and profit of your food truck business? What are your future goals for your food truck business? 2. Company Description Use this section of your food truck business plan to explain the details of your company. Describe your food truck business and convey how it will be a valuable addition to the existing market. Essentially, this is the section where you can expand upon the topics you briefly mentioned in the executive summary. Food Truck Company Description Considerations Think about these food truck company description questions as you write your business plan: What kind of food truck will it be (truck, trailer, or food cart)? Why a food truck as opposed to a brick-and-mortar location? Will you prepare your food in the truck or a commissary kitchen? How will the food items you provide compete with the menu items of existing food trucks or restaurants in your target area? What specific consumer niche will you serve? What is your overall competitive advantage (your unique cuisine, your outstanding customer service, your creative marketing, etc.)? 3. Market Analysis The market analysis section of your food truck business plan is where you will explain and detail how you'll fit into the existing market. It's important to do extensive research on starting a food truck business before writing this section so you can include solid research findings to back up your conclusions. Food Truck Marketing Analysis For Business Plan Cover these topics in your food truck market analysis section: Describe the food industry, including current trends, growth rate, major consumer groups, etc. Pinpoint the age group, geographic area, socioeconomic status, and other key demographic information of your target market. Identify the needs of your target market and any seasonal trends that could impact your business. Define the size and growth potential of your target market. State how you will gain a large percentage of the market share in your geographic location. Explain your pricing structure, gross margin levels, and any other financially relevant information. Identify your competitors and explain how you will make your food truck a viable contender in current and future markets. Address any obstacles you may encounter as you start your food truck business. Cite food codes and other governmental regulations that will affect your business. Back to Top 4. Organization and Management The next step of your food truck business plan is to outline your organization and management plan. Explaining your organization and management structure may not seem that important if you're hoping to open up a food truck manned by two people. However, outlining responsibilities from the start helps to avoid confusion as your business grows and develops. This section should include a detailed profile of your management team, information about the ownership of your company, the salary and benefits you'll offer your workers, and growth opportunities for people within your organization. Creating a chart that shows the organizational structure of your business is a great way to illustrate that all the bases are covered, from the cooks in your food truck kitchen to the accountant who balances your checkbook. Food Truck Ownership Information Include this ownership information in the food truck organization and management section of your business plan: Legal structure (Are you forming a partnership? Are you a sole proprietor?) Full names of the owners Percentage of the company each owner holds Type of ownership (common stock, general partner, etc.) Stock information Profiles of Your Food Truck Management Team The following details should be included in the management section of a business plan for food trucks. Manager's full name Position and primary responsibilities Educational background Prior employment and how it relates to his/her position within your company Important experience and skills that will help your business be successful Past track record with hard numbers to back it up Food industry recognition Community involvement Salary 5. Service or Product Line Use the service and product line section to describe your food truck menu items. What unique flavors are you offering and how will your products entice passersby and convert them into die-hard fans? This is the section where you can display your innovative ideas, describe your products, and explain how you will keep customers coming back for more. Food Truck Menu Description for Business Plan Here are some questions to consider when creating a profitable menu for your food truck: What type of cuisine will you offer? Why are you passionate about this type of food? Why will customers eat your food? What is your competitive advantage? Are your recipes well-established or still being developed? Food Truck Product Line Next, you'll want to explain where your products are in terms of life cycle by answering the following questions: Are you launching a totally new product? Are you already gaining popularity with your target market? What might cause a decline in demand for your product? Food Truck Intellectual Property Discuss any intellectual property that might be included in your food truck menu items to protect them: Do you have any trade secrets or patents in the works? Will you require your staff to sign any non-disclosure or non-compete agreements? Food Truck Projections Show that you have considered the future of the menu for your food truck with these questions: How do you see your menu changing over time? Are you developing any new products? Do you plan to own a fleet of food trucks someday? Will you expand your reach by attending food truck fairs or booking catered events? 6. Marketing and Sales The marketing and sales portion of your food truck business plan is focused on building customer loyalty. You will need to define your overall marketing and sales strategies, but how you do so is completely up to you. One important thing to remember is that customers value originality, whether that means adopting a recognizable food truck design or creating a unique selling point for your food truck. Food Truck Marketing and Sales Questions Provide answers to these important questions in the food truck sales and marketing section: How will you compete with other food trucks in your area? Will you set your prices lower than your competitors'? Will you offer a product that has never been seen before? How will you grow your business? Will you hire more employees? Will you acquire more food trucks? Will you extend the geographic area your truck serves? How will you distribute your products? Will you sell only from your truck? Will you attend food truck fairs or festivals? How will you reach your customers? Will you advertise on traditional media (radio, newspaper, billboards)? Will you develop a social media presence by utilizing Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok? Will you offer special rewards or discounts for returning customers? Will you give away free samples to entice future customers? Will you create an interactive map to help customers locate your truck? How many sales are necessary for your food truck to be profitable? What is a fair menu price for the products you'll be selling? How many days will you take off in a year? Will you sell throughout the winter or just during the warmer months? Back to Top 7. Funding Request Not every food truck business plan has a funding request section, but it's something to consider including. It can be tricky to map out how much a food truck costs, but it is a necessary part of securing a startup loan. If you do plan to request funding, you should clearly explain how much funding you need, what you need it for, and how you'll repay anything you owe. Make sure to include the cost of food truck insurance, the cost of fuel and any permits or licenses you'll need to start doing business. Funding Section of Business Plan for Food Trucks Think about these important questions when you create your food truck funding request: How much capital do you really need? Do you foresee needing more funding in the future? How will you use the funds you are awarded? How will you repay your loans? What are the potential benefits to an investor if your food truck does well? How would these funds create new opportunities for your food truck? 8. Financial Projections It's difficult to know what realistic food truck financial projections are when you're starting your food truck business from scratch, but to allocate funds efficiently, it's important to analyze your target market and set clear financial goals. If your business has already been in operation for a few years, this is the section of the food truck business plan where you'd include historical financial data. However, if you're just starting out, you will need to calculate how much your business will potentially make over the next five years using realistic assumptions. Make sure that these food truck financial projections align with the funds you asked for in your funding request. 9. Appendix The appendix section isn't necessary in every food truck business plan, but this is a great place to include information that didn't fit anywhere else, from product photos to building permits to letters of reference. Back to Top Starting your own food truck is overwhelming at first, but writing a business plan is a great first step. It will help you get organized and cover details that you may not have originally considered. Once you have completed your business plan, you’ll be ready to put your dream into motion. <aside class="pquote"> <blockquote> The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Please refer to our Content Policy for more details. </blockquote> </aside>
How to Start a Bakery
Whether you dream of opening a donut shop or a boulangerie, starting a bakery allows you to serve niche markets and express culinary creativity without taking on the financial burden of opening a restaurant. You can even start your bakery business from home before investing in a commercial space. While bakeries are comparatively accessible foodservice businesses, they present unique challenges. From writing a bakery business plan to getting funding and filing for permits, we walk you through each step of opening a bakery. Shop All Bakery Supplies Jump to a specific step of opening a bakery: Choose Your Bakery Style Write a Bakery Business Plan Get Startup Loans Lease a Bakery Location Bakery Permits and Licenses Order Bakery Equipment Design a Bakery Layout Hire Bakery Staff Advertise Your Bakery Host a Bakery Grand Opening How to Start a Baking Business Whether you're passionate about creating decoratively frosted cakes or artisan sourdough loaves, you must create an action plan for turning your passion for baking into a business. Discover the steps of opening a bakery below. 1. Choose a Bakery Style While there are many bakery business models, they all fall under one of two umbrella categories: retail and wholesale. Retail and wholesale bakeries make similar products, but they have different needs and customer bases. Opening and Operating a Retail Bakery Retail bakeries are the most common type of bakery; they sell baked goods and loaves of bread directly to customers. Retail bakeries come in many different forms, and they often specialize in a particular type of baked good. They require both front- and back-of-house space. Types of Retail Bakeries Discover the most popular retail bakery business models below: Bakery Cafe - This type of bakery is a combination of a bakery and cafe, and they typically sell baked goods like bread, pastries, and cookies. They also pair their baked goods with coffee and tea. Bakery cafes typically have a dining space where customers can sit and eat. Counter Service - While counter service bakeries have a front-of-house, most do not have a dining space. Instead, they have a counter where guests can order freshly baked goods to take home. Bakery Food Trucks - Rather than using a brick-and-mortar store, food truck bakeries sell their products from a mobile truck. Due to the small space, many bakery food trucks do not bake in their truck, instead opting to bake their products ahead of time in a commissary kitchen or home bakery. Specialty Bakeries - A specialty bakery typically focuses on one type of baked good, such as wedding cakes, cupcakes, or gluten-free items. This type of bakery can excel because they offer niche products that customers either cannot find elsewhere or that are better than the products offered at less-specialized bakeries. Home Bakeries - This type of bakery is becoming more common, especially because you don't need a lot of startup capital or culinary experience to open a home bakery. Home bakeries typically market their products online and then ship them to customers. Many home bakeries are also very niche or offer twists on classic baked goods. Opening and Operating a Wholesale Bakery The other main type of bakery is a wholesale bakery. Rather than selling their products directly to customers, wholesale bakeries market their baked goods to businesses like grocery stores, restaurants, delis, and cafes. Because wholesale bakeries have to meet the demands of commercial customers, they are typically larger than retail bakeries. Wholesale bakeries don't need to have a front-of-house or a desirable, high-traffic location. However, wholesale bakeries must produce high volumes of baked goods. This requires a large space and lots of baking equipment, resulting in higher startup costs. Back to Top 2. Write a Bakery Business Plan The first step in opening your new establishment should be to write a bakery business plan. The business plan is an integral part of starting a bakery business because it lays out what type of bakery you want to open, how it's going to be structured, what sort of products you're going to sell, marketing strategies, and financial projections. There are seven main sections to a bakery business plan: Executive Summary Company Overview and Description Market Analysis Business Offerings Management Plan and Ownership Structure Marketing and Advertising Strategy Financial Projections Your business plan serves as the foundation for your business, and a strong plan can help you get funding and make the process of opening a new bakery easy. Back to Top 3. Obtain Loans and Startup Capital When starting a bakery, there are many costs that you'll need to consider, such as leasing a commercial space, getting insurance, outfitting your space with equipment, hiring and training staff, stocking your kitchen, and paying for utilities. As a result, you'll need to have a significant amount of money available to cover these costs. Additionally, it may take a few months after opening for your bakery to become profitable, so you'll need cash on hand to cover costs for several months after opening. If you’re wondering how to open a bakery with no money, you'll need to take out loans. There are three common ways business owners get funding: commercial loans, business lines of credit, and small business loans. Traditional Commercial Loan - You can apply for a traditional commercial loan at any major or local bank. This type of loan has lower interest rates and provides access to large amounts of capital. However, it requires you to have a high credit score. You may have to wait for months to access the money. Business Line of Credit - A line of credit is similar to a credit card. You get approved to use up to a certain amount, but you're only charged for the amount you use. Additionally, as you pay off the balance, you can access more credit. But, a line of credit doesn't allow you to access as much money as other loan types and requires a higher lending standard. Small Business Loan - Created by the Small Business Association, a small business loan is a type of loan that aims to protect small businesses and provide them with startup capital. Small business loans typically have lower interest rates and are available to people with borderline credit. They require collateral and may take longer to be approved than other loan types. Cost to Open a Bakery Bakery startup costs range between $10,000 and $50,000. The vast startup cost price range reflects the diverse array of bakeries. How much money you need to start a bakery depends on its location, equipment, staffing requirements, and menu items. Back to Top 4. Lease a Commercial Bakery Space Once you've secured funding, you can start looking for a commercial space for your bakery. The type of commercial space you need depends on the type of bakery you're opening. For example, if you're opening a food truck bakery, you'll need to purchase the truck and you may want to look into renting space in a commissary kitchen. Retail bakeries will want to look for a space in a central location close to their target demographic that also has a front-of-house area. Because wholesale bakeries sell their products to businesses rather than customers, they can be located farther from the city center or populated areas. Best Place to Open a Bakery The best place to open a bakery is at an accessible location near your suppliers and your target demographic. Regardless of the type of bakery you're opening, there are universal considerations for where you start your bakery business. Consider the following in your bakery location analysis: Demographics Accessibility Proximity to Suppliers Competition Size and Space Requirements Health Regulations and Zoning Safety and Crime Rates Once you've found a suitable location for your business, you can hire a lawyer to draw up and negotiate a lease with the landlord. To protect yourself from any potential issues when negotiating a lease, be sure to specify the length of the lease, any raises in rent that might be included, who will pay for potential renovations, and any utilities that are covered. Back to Top 5. Obtain Bakery Licenses and Permits The foodservice industry is heavily regulated on a federal, state, and local level, and there are some bakery licenses and permits you need to start your baking business. The types of permits you'll need will vary depending on your location, so be sure to check your local laws and regulations to see if there are any specific laws that apply to your new business. Back to Top 6. Order Bakery Equipment The equipment that your bakery will need depends on what type of baked goods you will be preparing. For example, you may need specific pastry supplies to create French pastries. While the specific equipment may change depending on the size and type of your bakery, there are several purposes you need to fill: Dough Preparation - This includes equipment like commercial mixers, work tables for kneading, dough dividers, dough sheeters, and dough scales. You may also need holding cabinets, proofing cabinets, retarder/proofer combos, and refrigerators to prepare your dough. Storage - Storage is important for keeping your kitchen organized. Your bakery will require shelving and storage racks. If you're working with bulky bags of flour and sugar, you should invest in trucks, dollies, and carts to move large bags around your kitchen. Baking Equipment - Convection ovens are a great all-purpose piece of bakery equipment because they provide dry heat and bake evenly. If you're preparing a lot of artisan bread, you may want to choose a deck oven to give your products a crispy base. Wholesale bakeries may be looking for high-output ovens, such as roll-in rack ovens or revolving ovens. Display and Sales Equipment - Choosing the right display cases for your baked goods can help boost your sales. You can choose self-service or full-service cases, and there are refrigerated and unrefrigerated options, depending on your needs. In addition to your display cases, be sure to also choose stylish boxes and packaging for your baked goods. Cleaning and Warewashing Supplies - A 3-compartment sink is the centerpiece of any cleaning station. You must also order hand washing stations for your employees, disposable gloves, cleaning chemicals, sponges, scrubbers, and other essential cleaning items. Bakery Smallwares In addition to your large equipment, you must stock your bakery with smallwares, such as mixing bowls, storage boxes, whisks, bread knives, and aprons. We compiled a list of essential bakery equipment to ensure you don't forget anything. You can download the opening a bakery checklist PDF below: Download Baker Smallwares Checklist PDF Back to Top 7. Layout Your Bakery After securing a location and deciding what equipment is needed to start your new bakery, you can plan your bakery kitchen organization. If your bakery has a front-of-house area, you will need to design a floor plan. Learn how to lay out your bakery kitchen and storefront below. Commercial Bakery Kitchen Layout Every bakery kitchen requires four sections: cleaning, storage, food preparation, and meal cooking. Bakery cafes and bakeries with a front-of-house area will also have a service station, where they deliver food to customers. The ideal bakery kitchen layout is determined by the space and the placement of water and gas lines. Organize your bakery kitchen so the four sections flow together and measure your space to make sure you have enough room for your bakery equipment before finalizing your kitchen plan. You will want to lay out your kitchen based on the logical flow of food through the baking process. This starts with the storage area and then goes to the food preparation and meal cooking sections. Once you’ve prepared your baked goods, you can serve them to your customers, package them for display, or ship them to online customers. Finally, your dirty dishes, pots, and pans will end up at the cleaning station. Commercial Bakery Storefront Layout Some bakeries will have a front-of-house area where customers can browse their selection of baked goods. Optimizing your bakery floor plan for ideal product placement and customer comfort prompts purchases. Bakery Layout There are four main bakery layouts, each with its own unique benefits. Straight Bakery Floor Plan - Your bakery display cases are organized in straight lines to make it easy for customers to browse. Angular Bakery Floor Plan - This floor plan uses curved displays to create an upscale presentation. Diagonal Bakery Floor Plan - A diagonal floor plan allows customers to flow through your bakery. Mixed Bakery Floor Plan - Maximize your space by using a combination of all the bakery floor plans. Back to Top 8. Hire and Train Bakery Staff The size of your staff will depend on the scale and style of your bakery. A locally owned and operated bakery with just one location is likely to have a short chain of command. Retail bakeries must hire and train front-of-house staff to take orders and work the cash register. However, most of your bakery staff will work in the back-of-house, preparing your baked goods. Your bakery should have at least one or two employees that have formal training or bakery experience to oversee the actual baking process. You may also want to hire unskilled workers for washing dishes, mixing ingredients, packaging products, and doing other tasks that don't require previous experience or expertise. Some bakeries will also need professional pastry chefs and personnel to complete delicate and specialized tasks. For example, bakeries that bake wedding cakes should look for experienced cake decorators. Bakeries that offer artisan breads should consider hiring someone who specializes in bread baking. Back to Top 9. Market and Advertise Your Bakery Before you open your bakery to the public, you must conduct some marketing and advertising campaigns to get the word out and create buzz. You can break your bakery marketing strategy into five general steps: Conduct market research. The first step in a marketing campaign is to conduct market research and determine your target market. This includes information like the demographics around your bakery, any competitors, and niche markets you can fill. Once you have an idea about who your target market is, you can develop strategies for attracting them. Write a market analysis. Your market analysis is a summary of your market research, and it should go in your bakery's business plan. It should include information such as the average income level in your area, discretionary spending among your target market, and your competitor's prices. Set goals for your marketing campaign. Create realistic goals for your bakery and its marketing and advertising campaign. For example, set goals for how many followers you want to gain on your social media accounts and how many sales you want to get in a month. Determine how you want to advertise your business. There are many ways you can advertise your bakery and each has its benefits. If you're in an urban area, using signs is a great and affordable option. Consider traditional advertising tactics, such as newspaper advertisements and flyers. Create a social media presence. Social media marketing is a great way to interact with your customers, create buzz, and advertise your grand opening and other events. Additionally, many people will look for your bakery's website and social media accounts before deciding if they want to visit, so make sure that you have an active online presence. Many of these tactics apply to retail bakeries, but marketing tactics differ for wholesale bakeries. Wholesale bakeries should focus on competitor analysis and research where local restaurants and grocery stores source their baked goods. Then, they can reach out and try to make a deal. Back to Top 10. Host a Grand Opening The final step in opening a bakery is to host your grand opening and welcome customers to your business. A successful grand opening can get your new bakery off to a good start and help generate loyal customers. You should advertise your grand opening to create interest and alert your target audience that your bakery is open for business. One great way to get customers in your bakery for your grand opening is to offer discounts and specials. For example, you can offer discounts for the first 100 people to visit. Another option is to give customers who order a dozen cupcakes one cupcake for free. You can also offer free samples to encourage customers to make purchases and expose them to more of your products. Back to Top Do You Need a Culinary Degree to Open a Bakery? You don’t have to have a culinary degree or a bachelor’s degree in business to own a bakery. However, having hands-on experience or academic knowledge of both the baking and business management aspects of owning a bakery will help you succeed. Having a formal education may help you attract investors and banks to garner the startup capital you need to open your bakery. Consider getting a certification from the Retail Bakers of America (RBA). The RBA certification verifies your knowledge, skills, and abilities without the hefty time and financial commitment of culinary school. Starting a bakery presents unique opportunities and challenges from starting a traditional restaurant. Creating a detailed business plan, following it precisely, and keeping your documents organized will help get your business off to a good start. Reference back to our guide to ensure your bakery launch goes smoothly. <aside class="pquote"> <blockquote> The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Please refer to our Content Policy for more details. </blockquote> </aside>
How to Make a Menu
In the restaurant industry, having a well-designed menu that is carefully laid out and planned is a must. Your menu is the main tool that drives sales to your business, and engineering your menu can help bring in more sales and boost your profits. Additionally, studies have shown that a well-designed menu can boost your profits by 10 to 15%. To help ensure that you create the best menu possible, we've created this comprehensive guide that breaks down the process and gives you some helpful restaurant menu ideas. Use the following links to learn how to make a menu: Lay Out the Menu Choose a Menu Design Write Up Your Menu Print and Display Your Menu How to Create a Menu Menu design can seem intimidating, but the process can be boiled down to a few simple steps: Finalize your list of menu items and place it in a spreadsheet. Split your list into sections, such as breakfast, lunch, dinner, entrees, appetizers, desserts, etc. Design the layout of your menu. Consider how your customers are going to use your menu by studying menu engineering. Use a free menu maker or menu maker software to design your menu. Save your menu as a PDF and print it out. Make sure that you have enough menus for your customers. Place your menus in menu covers or on menu boards. Although these steps lay out the basic process of creating a menu, you should put a lot of thought and consideration into your menu's design. Below, we lay out some best practices for designing a menu to make them easy for your customers to use and to help facilitate sales. 1. Lay Out Your Menu When customers look at your menu, their eyes are drawn to specific places on it, so this is where you want to put your most popular menu items with the highest profit margins, like entrees and appetizers. The three spots on the menu that customers look at first are called the Golden Triangle by menu engineers and psychologists. Use “The Golden Triangle” The Golden Triangle is a term that menu engineers use to refer to the three areas on your menu that most customers tend to look at first. There are three points on the triangle: Middle. Most customers look at the middle of your menu first. This is a great location to put your specials or limited menu items. Top Right. The second place your eyes tend to go is the top right corner of the page. This is where many restaurateurs place their entrees or main course items. Top Left. From the top right corner, most customers tend to look at the top left corner. This is a common location for appetizers, which, combined with entrees, can boost your profits. You want to dedicate the highest rent areas of your menu to your most popular items and the dishes that have the highest profit margin. Once you've decided which sections you want to place in the Golden Triangle, you can figure out how to lay out the rest of your menu items. Create Menu Sections When creating the different sections that will go on your menu, you need to consider how many menu items you have and how they can be grouped up or divided. For example, can you split up your main course section into entrees and sandwiches? Or can you break it down further into beef, chicken, pork, and seafood sections? When it comes to creating sections, it's best to be as specific as possible, so your customers can easily find something that appeals to them. Here are a few other restaurant menu ideas you should consider when choosing your layout: Create a Separate Menu for Desserts Create a separate menu for your desserts. Studies have shown that if your desserts are on the main menu, customers are less likely to order an appetizer. Plus, if you have a separate menu, you can leave it on your tables for customers to browse throughout their meal, and give them time to think about which dessert option they want to try. Have a Specialized Beverage Menu Restaurants that have an extensive beverage selection, or special holiday menu, may also want to make a separate beverage menu so they don't take up too much space. You may want to include popular non-alcoholic beverages on your main menu, though, such as soft drinks, iced tea, or lemonade. Identify Vegan, Vegetarian, and Gluten-Free Items If your establishment has a large selection of vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free options, it's a good idea to add dedicated sections for those items. Creating a new section makes it easy for customers with alternative diets to find menu items that they can eat. Draw Attention to Specials You can draw attention to specific menu items, such as limited-time-only specials or seasonal items, by placing a box or border around them. This helps your specials stand out from your other items and draws your customers' eyes to them. You can also place them in the center of your page to draw more attention to them. Reduce the Number of Pages The number of pages in your menu is going to depend most importantly on how many menu items you have. But, when it comes to menus, less is more. If your menu has too many pages, it can overwhelm your customers. The most common type of menu has two pages, and it provides you plenty of room to list your menu items without providing too much information to be overwhelming. If your restaurant design has a modern or contemporary aesthetic, rather than using multiple pages, you may opt for a larger page or a unique design. Back to Top 2. Choose a Menu Design It's important that you choose a style that reflects your business's concept and appeals to your customers. Here are some common styles that can give you some direction when you're trying to choose a style for your menu: Upscale: Upscale menus are typically short, with only a few items on the page. There are very few or no images on the page and there is usually a detailed and stylish font used. Child-Friendly: Menus at family-friendly restaurants typically have lots of pictures and bright colors that can capture the child's interest. You may also want to use a large font that is very easily readable and scannable. Modern: Menus at modern restaurants are broad, and the design will depend mostly on your business's theme. But, many modern establishments have menus that are sleek, with interesting designs, custom images, and stylish fonts. Nostalgic: Businesses that capitalize on nostalgia are becoming more popular as baby boomers are getting older and spending more time eating out than cooking for themselves. Their menus typically have a rustic and old-fashioned style, as well as multiple images on each page. Additionally, if you're expecting your establishment will have an older customer base, you may want to make your font larger, so it's easy to read. Back to Top 3. Write Up Your Menu There are many specific design elements that go into styling your menus, such as font, images, and colors, and they allow you to give your menu a personality and character. Similar to your menu's layout, your menu's design can help persuade customers to buy specific high-value items. Here are some tips on how to choose images, fonts, and colors for your menu, as well as how to write descriptions for your dishes. Describe Your Food Writing appetizing menu descriptions can persuade your customers to try something new, provide information for guests with food allergies or alternative diets, and help customers find a dish that appeals to them. Plus, if you use unique names for your dishes or you serve a lot of global foods, writing menu descriptions can help your customers understand what the dish will be. You should use your descriptions to not only list the ingredients in the dish, but to describe the taste and texture of the food as well. For example, instead of just listing all of the ingredients in a salad, use adjectives to make it sound more appetizing, like this: "Rachel's salad contains leafy arugula, crisp romaine lettuce, creamy goat cheese, and candied walnuts, all coated with a light and delicious strawberry vinaigrette." Use Images in Your Menu Adding images to your menu can help your customers know what to expect by giving them an idea of what your dishes look like. But, too many images on your menu have a negative connotation, because many customers associate lots of images on the menu with low-cost and low-quality restaurants. Here are a few helpful tips so you can get the most out of the images on your menu: You want to use the highest quality pictures available. If your images are grainy or out of focus, it's going to give your customers a bad impression of your establishment. Use around no more than two images on one page, unless you're a family-friendly establishment. Use images of your most popular or high-value items. Using those images will pique your customers' interest, making them more likely to order that dish. If you have multiple locations or you own a franchise, it may be worthwhile to pay a professional food photographer to take staged images of your food. If you're updating your menu, you can check Instagram and see if any customers have posted pictures of your food online that you can use. But if you're going to use images from Instagram or social media, be sure to contact the owner and ask for their permission first. Choose a Color Scheme The colors that you use on your menu say a lot about your restaurant and your brand, so you should choose them carefully. Additionally, the colors you choose can affect your guests' appetites. For example, bright colors like red, yellow, and orange can increase your customers' appetites, while colors like blue and purple can make your customers less hungry. When choosing a color scheme for your menu, you also want to make sure that your colors complement each other and that you have a consistent theme. Additionally, your color scheme should also match your business's brand. So, you wouldn't want to have an electric blue menu at your whiskey bar or a neutral brown menu at a child-friendly restaurant. Pick a Menu Font and Typography The font that you use is often overlooked when it comes to designing your menu, but a well-thought-out font can help you facilitate sales. Here are a few tips for choosing the best font for your menu: Make your menu items a larger font size than your prices. If your prices are too prominently displayed, customers will scan for the cheapest item instead of what appeals to them the most. You can use uppercase and bolded letters for your item names, but use lowercase and regular styling when describing the dish. Remove the dollar signs from your menu. The dollar sign has a negative connotation in customers' minds and it makes them less likely to make large purchases. If your main demographic is older or very young, you want to increase your font size so it's easy to read. Back to Top 4. Print and Display Your Menu Once you're finished designing your menu, you're ready to print and insert your menus into your menu covers. Menu Sizing Before you can print your menus, you need to decide what size your menus are going to be. When choosing a size for your menus, consider the layout you've chosen as well as the size of your font and the number of items on your menu. Here are some common sizes that restaurant owners use for their menus: Lunch Menu: 8.5"x11" Dinner Menu: 8.5"x11", 8.5"x14", or 11"x17" Drink or Dessert Menu: 4.25"x11", 4.25"x14", or 5.5"x8.5" You can also use table tents instead of traditional menus for displaying your dessert or drink options. Printing Your Menus You should print enough menus so every customer can browse at their own pace. Here is a helpful guide that shows you how many menus your restaurant should print: Menu Type Number Per Person / Table Number Per Restaurant Breakfast Menu 1 Per Person 75% of Your Seating Capacity Lunch Menu 1 Per Person 75% of Your Seating Capacity Dinner Menu 1 Per Person 75% of Your Seating Capacity Dessert Menu 1-2 Per Table 50% of Seating Capacity Wine List 1 Per Table 1-10 Menus Check Presenter 1 Per Table 1 for Each Table + 10% Back to Top Other Menu Design Tips By now, your menu should be nearly complete. Here are some final restaurant menu ideas that you should be sure to include on your menu: Create symbols for different types of items, such as vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or sugar-free items to help customers find items that meet their alternative diets. When you're finished with your menu, you will also want to scan it or create a digital version that you can put online. This is especially important if your business has a delivery or take-out service. When adding your menu online, you'll also want to create a mobile-friendly version for potential customers searching for your menu on their phones or tablets. How to Make a Menu Infographic This infographic breaks down the six steps you need to follow to make a menu. Your restaurant's menu says a lot about your business and your food. A plain and uninspired menu is unlikely to facilitate many sales, but a stylized and well-thought-out menu is more exciting for your guests and more likely to convert to sales. As a result, when designing a new menu for your restaurant or updating your existing menu with a new style, seasonal items, or this year's food trends, keep these restaurant menu ideas in mind.
How to Start an Ice Cream Truck
An ice cream truck represents a unique opportunity for aspiring business owners. Low startup costs, minimal staffing requirements, and schedule flexibility allow you to design a business model that fits your lifestyle. Below, we’ll walk you through the process of starting an ice cream truck, the costs associated with it, and various marketing tactics you can use to ensure your ice cream truck business starts out strong. Shop All Ice Cream Truck Supplies How to Start an Ice Cream Truck Business Though starting an ice cream truck business isn’t as complicated as starting a restaurant, it comes with its own set of challenges. If you aren’t familiar with the ice cream truck industry, you might not know where to start. Follow the steps below to start your own ice cream truck business. Click any of the tips below to read the section that interests you: Write a Business Plan Fund Your Business Buy or Lease a Truck Create a Menu Invest in Equipment Investigate Ice Cream Truck Permits Advertise Your Truck Ice Cream Truck FAQ 1. Write a Business Plan The first thing any entrepreneur should do when starting a business is to write a business plan. This allows you to map out every step of the process, detailing everything from your financial background to your management structure. A business plan is also a key part of securing loans or investments for your business. To learn more about this topic, read our article on how to write a food truck business plan. 2. Fund Your Business Starting an ice cream truck necessitates fewer overhead costs than other businesses. While some prospective ice cream truck owners might be able to finance their business out of pocket, many more will need to secure additional funding. Once your business plan is written, there are several different paths you can take to secure capital. Some of these options include: Traditional loans: With a traditional bank loan, borrowers take out a set amount of money and repay it, plus interest, over a period of time. Small Business Administration microloans: The Small Business Administration (SBA) microloan program allows small business owners to apply for a loan of up to $50,000. This money can be used for startup and expansion costs. Business line of credit: A business line of credit functions similarly to a credit card. It allows small businesses to spend up to a certain amount and pay it back with interest. Outside investors: In some cases, you can pitch your ice cream truck business plan to investors. If interested, they will buy into your company in exchange for a share of ownership. Crowdfunding: Websites like GoFundMe allow new business owners to solicit donations from their community to finance their business. 3. Buy or Lease a Truck Once you’ve secured funding, it’s time to investigate getting your own ice cream truck. In general, you’ll have two options: buy a truck or lease a truck. Both come with their own set of risks and rewards. Below, we’ll investigate the details surrounding each option: Buying an Ice Cream Truck Not unlike buying a food truck, buying an ice cream truck represents a significant investment. With a strong business plan, that investment can pay off in the long run. Depending on your preferences and what is available, you can buy one new or shop for a used truck. It’s important to note that a new ice cream truck will likely have updated features, while an older truck may come with equipment or modifications from the previous owner. It’s also important to note that the high price of buying an ice cream truck can serve as a barrier to entry for some prospective business owners. Leasing an Ice Cream Truck Similar to leasing a food truck, leasing an ice cream truck allows for more flexibility as you start your business. On a monthly basis, leasing an ice cream truck is less expensive than buying one. This option offers increased accessibility to the ice cream industry and a wide variety of trucks to choose from. A potential downside of leasing is that you may have to return the truck. For this reason, you must plan ahead and renew your lease on time. How Much Does an Ice Cream Truck Cost? In general, it can cost anywhere from $10,000 and $60,000 to buy an ice cream truck. Conversely, the cost of leasing an ice cream truck typically falls somewhere between $400 and $800 per month. 4. Create a Menu Curating a menu can be a stressful and intimidating task. With so many options, it’s difficult to decide on what to offer and what to exclude. Although an ice cream truck is only meant to serve frozen desserts, creating an ice cream truck menu can still be difficult. To curate the menu that best fits your ice cream truck business, follow these tips: Shop All Ice Cream and Frozen Treats Highlight signature dishes: If you plan on offering unique or original ice cream recipes on your menu, put them front and center. This can peak customer interest and generate repeat business. Keep it simple: While it’s fun to offer an assortment of different options on your menu, having too much can overwhelm the customer. Restrict your menu to best sellers, classics, and original recipes. If you notice an item selling poorly, consider cycling it out and offering something new in its place. Stick to a basic design: Avoid using flashy colors, fonts, or designs on your menu. A straightforward and easy-to-read menu can improve the customer experience more than an intricate one. Listen to feedback: Consider reaching out to your customers to hear what they have to say. This can help you improve your menu and generate new product ideas. Back to Top 5. Invest in Equipment Once you’ve acquired a truck and decided on a menu, you’ll need to shop for the proper equipment and supplies. Consider creating a list of essential appliances, disposables, and other products your truck will need. It’s important to note that your equipment needs can vary depending on what kind of ice cream you serve, the area you operate in, and your personal preferences. Ice Cream Truck Equipment Below, we’ve listed some of the most popular appliances and products found on an ice cream truck and what you should keep in mind while shopping for them: Freezers: A good ice cream truck freezer is durable, can maintain cold temperatures, and has enough space to fit all of your frozen desserts. Soft serve machines: The ideal soft serve machine is easy to operate and produces consistent results. Snow cone machines: A quality snow cone machine produces fast results without sacrificing quality. Condiment storage: To add an element of customization to your menu, be sure to invest in adequate storage space for toppings, sauces, and other ice cream condiments. POS system: While some food trucks are cash only, it may be more convenient for your customers to pay with card. Consider investing in a mobile POS system to track orders and allow for easy checkout. Some POS systems even allow you to manage a customer loyalty program. Dipping cabinets: A good dipping cabinet facilitates easy ice cream cone preparation. Try to find a cabinet with an easy-to-lift lid and durable construction. Ice Cream Truck Supplies Whether you’re serving soft serve, pre-packaged ice cream, or another type of frozen treat, the following ice cream truck supplies can help you offer excellent customer service: Disposable containers Disposable utensils Ice cream cones Napkins Straws 6. Investigate Ice Cream Truck Permits Depending on which area you plan on operating in, you may need to apply for select permits and licenses. These are often set in place by local or state governments and help to maintain safety regulations. It’s important to keep in mind that they can vary from place to place, so what is required in one state may be different in another. Because of this, make an effort to reach out to local authorities to ensure your ice cream truck business can operate legally. Below, we’ve listed some of the most common permits, licenses, and regulations you’ll need to investigate for your food truck. Valid driver’s license: If you plan on driving your truck around town, be sure to have a valid driver’s license. Health permit: A health permit certifies that your ice cream truck meets local health standards. Food handling permit: These certify that you are allowed to handle and serve food to your customers. Business license: This certifies that you are legally allowed to operate your ice cream truck business. Insurance: Most states require some form of car insurance to drive. You may also want to invest in additional insurance for your business. 7. Advertise Your Truck Once you’ve acquired a truck, set a menu, and applied for necessary permits, you’ll need to begin advertising your ice cream truck. Unlike traditional restaurants, ice cream trucks do not have a fixed location. Because of that, you must advertise your truck effectively. Below, we’ve listed marketing techniques that can help grow your brand: Improve branding: An appealing logo and color scheme can help attract new customers. Design a website: Consider using a website-building platform such as Squarespace or Wix to make your own website. This can help you build awareness for where your truck will be and the ice cream you offer on your menu. List your route: If customers know the route your truck typically travels, they will know where to wait for you. Attend local events: Consider attending local food festivals, fairs, and music events with your truck to build awareness for your business. Utilize social media: Creating an account on Instagram, TikTok, or another type of social media site is an easy way to increase customer engagement and improve visibility for your business. Back to Top Ice Cream Truck FAQ Many questions come along with starting an ice cream truck business. Whether you’re new to owning an ice cream truck or have operated one for years, it’s important to stay informed on the industry. Below, we’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions: How Much Does an Ice Cream Truck Make? In general, an ice cream truck makes somewhere between $200-$500 per day. It’s important to note that depending on where you live, most ice cream trucks operate seasonally. This means that there will be several months of the year when you won't be able to make money. What Are the Hours of an Ice Cream Truck? Ice cream trucks generally operate from as early as 10 in the morning to as late as 7 at night. Keep in mind that these hours can vary and you can set a schedule that best fits your lifestyle. An ice cream truck offers a flexible business opportunity while posing significantly less risk to your finances than other business types. Despite this, starting an ice cream truck business comes with its own set of obstacles. By adhering to the tips above, you’ll be able to position your ice cream truck business for success.
Types of Chefs
In a busy restaurant, one key factor for success is hiring the right chef. There can actually be various types of chefs operating in one kitchen. That leads us to ask, "What are the different types of chefs?" Read on to learn the difference between the various chef titles and the tasks those chefs perform in a bustling restaurant kitchen. Use the following links to navigate and learn more about a specific type of chef: Managerial Chefs Specialized Chefs Types of Cooks Chef Hierarchy The different chef titles emerged in the 19th century with the creation of the French Brigade System. Chef Georges Auguste Escoffier created this system to provide restaurants with a kitchen hierarchy in order to operate more efficiently. Not every kitchen operates under the French Brigade System. In modern days, many people think of this system as out of date since it portrays certain stations as more important than others when every station is equally important when it comes to running a successful restaurant . Besides that, it has provided a basic outline that restaurant owners can refer to when setting up their kitchen stations. Different Types of Chefs Chefs will generally hold higher-ranked positions in a kitchen. Additionally, a restaurant will usually have managerial chefs and specialized chefs. Each type of chef can cover a variety of different tasks, from organization and training to menu development and recipe creation. Becoming a chef requires years of education and experience, climbing from entry-level positions to the ultimate goal of executive chef. Managerial Chefs In managerial chef positions, there is an established hierarchy because these chefs have the most responsibility in the kitchen to ensure the restaurant's overall success. The following roles are listed in descending order. Chef-Owner (Group Chef) A chef-owner is a chef that starts their own restaurant. Primary Task: Business management Number Per Kitchen: One per kitchen Other Duties: Running the establishment and engineering a menu Executive Chef (Chef de Cuisine, Head Chef) An executive chef oversees all aspects of the kitchen. Primary Task: Kitchen management Number Per Kitchen: One per kitchen Other Duties: Oversee daily operations, kitchen costs, food preparation, menu planning , and create most of the recipes and dishes for the menu Sous Chef (Second Chef, Under Chef) A sous chef is the second in command and will run the kitchen in the executive chef’s absence. Primary Task: Team management Number Per Kitchen: Can be more than one in a kitchen depending on the size of the establishment Other Duties: Train newly hired chefs and cooks and oversee each dish's details Senior Chef (Chef de Partie, Station Chef) A senior chef is assigned one specialty on the menu that they excel in. Primary Task: Station management Number Per Kitchen: Can have more than one Other Duties: Specialists on a certain portion of the menu and will ensure that high-quality food leaves their station Back to Top Specialized Chefs A hierarchy generally does not exist between specialized chefs. Each of them is an expert in their specific field. Pastry Chef (Patissier) The pastry chef is either the only person or the most senior person in the pastry department. Primary Task: Prepare pastries, breads, and desserts Number Per Kitchen: Can have just one for a small dessert menu, but there is normally an entire pastry team Other Duties: May be in charge of creating the whole dessert menu Sauce Chef (Saucier, Saute Chef) A sauce chef is the cook that prepares the sauces. This is mainly a position found in locations that serve French cuisine. Primary Task: Choose and prepare sauces and gravies for all meal types Number Per Kitchen: Normally one per kitchen Other Duties: May also prepare soups and stews Fish Chef (Poissonier) The fish chef is in charge of finding responsibly-raised seafood for the menu. Primary Task: Prepare and cook seafood Number Per Kitchen: Usually one per kitchen Other Duties: May also be responsible for sourcing and acquiring the seafood used in an establishment from a local market or non-local vendor Vegetable Chef (Entremetier) Handles all vegetables that are included in the various dishes on the menu. Primary Task: Prepare and cook vegetables and starches Number Per Kitchen: At least two per kitchen Other Duties: May also be responsible for some soup and egg dishes Meat Chef (Rotisseur, Roast Chef) Ensures all meats on the menu are properly sourced and cooked to meet the restaurant's standards. Primary Task: Prepare and cook meats by roasting, braising, broiling, or other methods Number Per Kitchen: Depending on menu size, normally just one is needed Other Duties: May also be in charge of obtaining the meat from local suppliers and retailers Pantry Chef (Garde Manger) The pantry chef, commonly known as garde manger or "garmo", creates decorative culinary centerpieces or buffet presentations. Primary Task: Preparing cold food items like salads, cold cuts, hors d’oeuvres, and dressings Number Per Kitchen: 1-2 depending on restaurant size Other Duties: Responsible for setting up buffet lines and adding centerpieces for an upscale presentation that may include carved and molded ice or fruits Fry Chef (Friturier) A fry chef handles any food that involves a fryolator, mainly needed in fast food establishments. Primary Task: Ensures foods are perfectly breaded and fried Number Per Kitchen: One if the menu is diverse, many more if the menu focuses on fried foods Other Duties: Clean out fryers and consult with butcher and vegetable chefs if need be Grill Chef (Grillardin) The grill chef will generally grill meats and sometimes vegetables. Primary Task: Grill meat, seafood, and vegetables Number Per Kitchen: Usually one grill cook Other Duties: Consult with butcher and vegetable chefs if need be Butcher Chef (Boucher) A butcher chef breaks down and prepares meat for other stations to use. They are mainly needed in larger establishments to keep up with the demand Primary Task: Prepare cuts of meat for other station chefs to cook Number Per Kitchen: One butcher is needed for restaurant kitchens Other Duties: Consult with fry and grill cooks, source and supply meats Back to Top Types of Cooks Cooks will usually occupy entry-level positions in a kitchen and experience training from specialized chefs. They are more likely to cook by following recipes given to them and flow between the different cook positions as needed. Line Cook (Commis) A line cook is usually getting experience through the position. They will learn different cooking styles from the specialized chefs in the kitchen Primary Task: Cooking where needed and completing an assortment of kitchen tasks Number Per Kitchen: Rarely there will be just one in each kitchen, but it is size-dependent Other Duties: May be required to do miscellaneous tasks like plating dishes, taking orders, or cutting vegetables Prep Cook (Kitchen Porter, Kitchen Hand, Kitchen Assistant) A prep cook's responsibilities revolve around kitchen basics like chopping ingredients, finishing their prep lists , properly labeling containers in storage, and cleaning countertops. Primary Task: Daily food prep and kitchen tasks Number Per Kitchen: At least one per kitchen, but usually a whole team Other Duties: Perform other cooking duties as needed Relief Cook (Chef de Tourant, Roundsman, Swing Cook) A relief cook will assist chefs that may be overwhelmed at their stations. Primary Task: Fills in wherever needed Number Per Kitchen: Normally one relief cook Other Duties: Keeps work areas clean and tidy Short Order Cook A short order cook is responsible for quickly clearing as many order tickets as possible without sacrificing the quality of the meal Primary Task: Prepare quick and simple meals, mainly focusing on making foods like sandwiches and salads Number Per Kitchen: Usually 1-2 depending on menu and number of tables Other Duties: Manage food quality standards Back to Top Chef vs Cook The difference between a chef and a cook is that a chef takes on more of a managerial role with their responsibilities. They will also usually have more specialized tasks, such as coming up with an entire menu or monitoring food costs and food orders. A cook is in charge of just that: cooking. Their main task is turning ingredients into beautifully plated works of edible art. If you're interested in pursuing a career in the food service or hospitality industries, apply to WebstaurantStore's scholarship so we can help you meet your goals Working in a commercial kitchen can be fast-paced in terms of daily tasks and upward mobility. Various chef and cook positions are needed to keep a restaurant running smoothly and the hierarchy can look very different from kitchen to kitchen. There are even more restaurant positions and jobs than listed above for the whole establishment to succeed. It is important to keep in mind that becoming a chef requires years of training. Work your way from the bottom up through the different jobs available, find an area you can specialize in, and pursue it with gusto.
How to Start a Catering Business
Catering businesses are often an ideal, flexible alternative to opening and operating a restaurant. They allow you the creative freedom of running a foodservice operation without standard hours or a rigid schedule. Plus, catering companies often require less startup capital and financial risk than a full-service restaurant. If you’re considering starting a catering business, keep reading to learn more about this foodservice segment. Shop Catering Supplies Click below to learn how to start a catering business: Choose a Catering Business Concept Write a Catering Company Business Plan Aquire Catering Business Permits and Licenses Create a Catering Menu Find a Catering Kitchen Buy Catering Equipment and Supplies Hire Your Catering Staff Market Your Catering Business What Is a Catering Business? A catering company is a business that prepares food for special events, often creating a multi-course menu that suits the needs of the patron and event space. The food is either prepared on-site or transported to the location and served throughout the course of the event schedule. How Much Does It Cost to Start a Catering Business? To get your business off the ground, you can expect to spend somewhere between $10,000 to $50,000 between equipment, licenses, transportation, and marketing. The investment can certainly pay off if successful. Catering businesses can make around $30,000 to $80,000 annually. Pros and Cons of a Catering Business Before you begin buying equipment or drafting a business plan, it’s important to understand what makes a catering business unique. Pros Operating a catering business requires much less financial risk and burden than opening a restaurant while still offering you creative freedom. Many caterers can easily rent a space or equipment. Forego staff if your operation is on the small side and reduce food waste by cooking for a predetermined headcount. Cons Catering an event often puts you and your food in a less controlled environment than a restaurant. When you own a restaurant, you’re preparing food in the same kitchen every night and serving in the same dining room. With catering jobs, you’re either preparing food in a rented kitchen or on-site. During the event, you and your food are at the mercy of the venue space, their amenities, the weather, and staff you may not work with often. Starting a Catering Business We’ve compiled the top 8 steps to help you learn how to start a catering company: 1. Choose a Concept Creating a solid concept or theme can enhance the marketability of your catering business. Try to focus your concept on something you’re interested in or, better yet, passionate about. Do you have a specialty you’ll serve or will you be catering to a particular dietary need? Menu concepts can include options like brunch foods, casual sandwiches, desserts, finger foods, comfort food, or any idea that gives your business direction. Identify Your Target Audience It’s also important to consider what type of catering business you’re interested in pursuing and the capacity you’ll be capable to cater to. These are just some of the target audiences that may be interested in hiring a catering company: Corporate events: conferences, cocktail parties, staff meetings Social gatherings: weddings, galas, charity events, birthday celebrations Personal uses: cooking a meal in someone’s home for a small gathering or date night or preparing a meal kit ahead of time that clients can take home and reheat later Research the Area When choosing your theme, it’s important to think about the demographic you’ll be serving, how you plan to price your services, and if you can access the equipment needed to sustain your theme. In your location analysis, you’ll want to take stock of the competition in your area to ensure that your niche will be well accepted in the community you have chosen. As part of your research, you can contact potential customers who are likely to hire caterers, like wedding planners, event coordinators, and conference centers, to see what they look for when working with catering companies. Gain Exposure and Experience Like any business venture, it takes a certain level of experience to successfully execute a start-up. Consider working for an already established catering company prior to opening your business. While researching what you’ll need and how to operate is helpful, it won’t compare to the hands-on experience and guidance gained through a working professional. If working for a catering company isn’t doable, volunteer to plan small-scale events for people you may know. Host a holiday party for friends and family or prepare a church luncheon for a small crowd. Operating on a smaller scale first allows you to find and fix potential problems and gain honest feedback from a forgiving crowd. 2. Write a Catering Business Plan A compelling business plan helps organize your dream into tangible segments that will allow your investors to understand and support your vision. We’ve added the most common points you’ll want to include in your catering company business plan. Executive Summary - This section will recap the details of your business plan, so it is often easier to write it last. Company Overview - In this section, you’ll present your company mission statement with the goal of expressing why you would like to start a catering business. Concept and Menu - Explain your concept, what sets you apart, and what niche you will be filling with your menu selections here. Management and Ownership Structure - Create a game plan for what your management structure will look like, whether that means you’re managing alone or you’ll have managers operating under your supervision. Staffing Needs - Outline how many employees you’ll need to start off with and how many you plan to hire in the future as your company grows. Competitor Analysis - Here, you’ll want to share your research on the competitors in your area and who your target customers will be. Advertising and Marketing - Provide your marketing ideas in this section including social media plans, website layouts, and events you will attend to locate clientele. Financial Summary - Finally, you’ll need to provide a breakdown of your financial expectations, including start-up costs, overhead expenses, and profit margins. 3. Acquire Catering Business Licenses and Permits Before you cater your first event, you must apply for the proper permits and ensure your kitchen and staff are well aware of food safety practices and regulations. Be sure to check the rules and regulations with your local jurisdiction to acquire all of the appropriate permits and licenses you’ll need for your catering business. List of Common Catering Permits General Business License - Every business in the United States is required to acquire a business license to operate. Employer Identification Number - To receive a tax ID number and hire employees, an EIN is needed. This is issued by the IRS. Food Handler Permit - A food handler permit shows that you and your employees are familiar with and practice safe food handling practices in your business. Caterer Permit - In some states, a catering permit is needed along with a food handling permit, allowing you to distribute food safely as a certified catering company. Home Occupation Permit - If you are starting or operating your catering business out of your home, you’ll need a home occupation permit to legally certify your home as the headquarters of this business. Health Permit - To receive a health permit, a health inspector will need to visit the location where you prepare your food to deem your location and practices safe for handling food. Catering Business Insurance - You’ll want to protect your business from potential “what if’s” with general insurance options. These usually cover accidents, auto incidents, workers’ compensation, and property damage. Liquor Licenses - If you’re offering bar services, you must come up with a safe serving plan to ensure your staff is serving responsibly. Plan for Potential Problems A little planning can go a long way when it comes to unexpected foodservice emergencies. Think about common obstacles you could encounter with your catering business, and work with staff to establish a response plan. Potential problems could include: Inclement weather at an outdoor event More guests to feed than you had expected Shortage of staff No access to power 4. Create a Menu Create your menu for your catering business before you begin to look at workspaces and equipment. Figuring out what types of food you’ll be cooking means you can decide what equipment, appliances, and space you’ll need to successfully prepare your offerings. While it’s important to stay true to your theme and concept, you need to offer a menu with the versatility to accompany a wide range of tastes, preferences, and dietary restrictions. Create a selection of offerings that are, for example, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, or low-carb. And if your menu items are especially spicy, be sure to offer a few more manageable options as well. Once your menu is established, determine how you’ll price your items or event packages. It’s important to have a sample menu prepared and pricing figured out before meeting with your first potential clients. Test Your Menu Try testing your menu concept and dishes in small, no-pressure scenarios, similar to how a restaurant would host a soft opening. Gather friends and family together, or offer to cook for a small gathering or fundraiser in your community. Be sure to ask for candid feedback from your guests. You can even provide everyone with a pen and paper to write their thoughts down anonymously. Once you’ve successfully served your crowd and received feedback, it is important to keep tweaking your recipes. Practice making them over and over again while focusing on efficiency, taste, and presentation. 5. Find a Suitable Working Space Many states have laws and regulations in place to prevent caterers from operating out of their home kitchens. If you choose to do so, you’ll most likely need to make immense modifications to your home and receive approval from local governing authorities. Instead, most caterers start by renting out kitchen space or finding a building to make their own. If you’re just starting out or operating at a low volume, your most economical option would be to rent a commercial kitchen space. This is ideal for those working one or two days a week or for only a few hours at a time. For high-volume operations or those looking to make this a full-time business, you’ll want a place you can have access to 24/7 with more storage and customizable equipment. If you want to offer tastings for potential clients or sell your goods to the public, you’ll need to rent space with a separate storefront area from where you do your cooking or baking. 6. Buy Catering Supplies and Equipment Next, you’ll want to customize and stock your space with supplies and equipment that are conducive to your cooking. Focus on what equipment will be most beneficial for preparing your menu items. For example, if you’re focusing on desserts, you’ll want to equip your kitchen with extra ovens. And if your specialty is Southern comfort food, more fryers are a must. A complete catering supplies checklist will help you stock up on the appropriate inventory to help your business be successful. Here are just some of the supplies you may need: Table Settings - Dinnerware, flatware, charger plates, napkins, tablecloths, and glassware Display and Decor - Table numbers, dessert stands, cases, candles, and centerpieces Disposable Catering Supplies - Paper napkins, plastic cutlery, appetizer plates, cocktail picks, and foil pans Transport Supplies - Insulated pan carriers, glass racks, coolers, and food storage boxes Cooking and Holding Equipment - Induction cookers, portable grills, holding cabinets, and outdoor burners Serving Equipment - Serving trays, chafers and fuel, serving utensils, and food pans Beverage Supplies - Beverage dispensers, coffee urns, coffee airpots, and ice Furniture and Seating - Folding tables, folding chairs, cocktail tables, bars, canopies, and tents Janitorial and Cleaning Supplies - Garbage cans, cleaning towels, disposable gloves, and handwashing stations 7. Choose Your Staff Finding the right staff members to help prepare and serve your offerings can be a challenging task. When choosing staff and introducing them to your business, be sure to consider the following: Decide whether your operation is large enough to hire additional employees Begin with a temp agency until you can grow your business Create a dress code or provide uniforms Offer adequate training in serving protocols and food safety 8. Make a Marketing and Advertising Plan Once you’ve laid the groundwork for your business, it’s time to market your catering business. Start by figuring out who your target audience is and go from there. This can be determined based on the type of catering operation you plan on running. For example, if you’re interested in social gatherings, you can showcase your menu at bridal expos and contact event planners. Other marketing strategies include: Create a memorable logo that embodies your theme Print out your menu or pricing info to hand out to potential clients Create a website and social media accounts to connect with customers Form relationships with corporate event coordinators and venue holders Offer tastings at local fairs or charity events If you’re looking for the creative freedom of running your own business without the financial undertaking of operating a restaurant, catering could be an enticing option. And with proper planning using the steps above, your business will be off to a good start. No matter what type of catering you decide to do, be sure to create a mouthwatering menu and dynamic concept future customers will flock to. <aside class="pquote"> <blockquote> The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Please refer to our Content Policy for more details. </blockquote> </aside>
Considering opening your own foodservice business, but still trying to figure out where to start? We offer a variety of articles with restaurant startup tips to help make the process less stressful. Our resources are available to help you navigate your first steps of starting a business, whether you’re looking to open a bar, buy a food truck, start a concession stand, or just add a restaurant to your existing business.
Get started on the right foot by learning about the details of opening a successful foodservice business. Our startup tips cover everything you need to know, from mission statements and goal setting to marketing and licensing. Whether you’re buying your first restaurant and looking for startup capital, or you're trying plan an unforgettable grand opening, we have you covered.