Restaurant Business: Keys to Success

You’ve worked your entire professional career in the restaurant business. You likely started in the trenches of a food operation: busing tables, waiting tables, tending bar, washing dishes, assisting ownership and chefs. It is quite clear you can’t just open the doors of a restaurant and expect instant prosperity.  There are some keys to success to highlight. Each owner and restaurant are different, but all can benefit from these tips.

10 Keys to a Successful Restaurant Business

Pay Attention to the Details

Details matter! Any good restaurant owner keeps the smallest of details top of mind at all times. This equates to a positive customer experience, which is key. The goal is to develop a lifelong customer that will keep coming back to your restaurant.

Keep Things Clean

This is a must for success. Just think, if you go to a dirty restaurant, will you ever go back? Probably not! This matters from the tableware to the tables to the floors to the kitchen, and especially the bathrooms. Take pride in your facility and keep it clean! It’s the very first impression customers will get of your operation. Make it a good one!

Training

Ever notice how the best restaurants interact with customers? A simple hello, a thank you, and a smile on the faces of staff members goes a long way! Be courteous. Take responsibility for the mistakes that occur, because they will happen from time to time. A wrong drink will be served. A cooking mishap could happen. An incorrect charge on a customer’s bill will be pointed out. The important piece is to own up to the mistake and handle it correctly. Train the staff to be rockstar problem solvers to create an awesome customer experience!

Define who YOU are

This is created by having a defined brand and encompasses your menu. Don’t deviate from what has made you successful. Capitalize and grow off of your past successes. The brand will help you assess and make business decisions based on targeting your ideal restaurant patrons.

Comprehensive Insurance Plan

The worst thing you can do is purchase your insurance plan based on price. Like some other things in life, you get what you pay for. Make sure to cover the building and business property adequately. If you serve alcohol, make sure your liquor liability coverage includes an assault and battery endorsement. Other important coverages are for spoilage, health department shutdowns, off premises power failures and loss of business income. It is also important to discuss coverage for employee theft, patron’s property, and cyber liability, especially if credit card payments are accepted.

Community Involvement

Give back to your local community. People take notice of this. Provide snacks and bottles of water for charity events. Donate your time to help an organization. This will help spread love to your local patrons and businesses. They will then give your business love in return!

Stay Customer Experience Focused

It sounds cliché, but seriously, your customer drives your business. No customer = no income. Make their dining experience pleasurable and keep them coming back for more! Listen to what your customers are telling you. Engage with them. Show your appreciation for them stopping in. Ask how you can improve your operation.

Have an Effective Marketing Plan

How are you going to tell others about your business? Will you do it via social media? Are print ads appropriate for you? Will you have spots on the local radio stations? Find out how your target market wants to be communicated to and focus your energies there. Find ways to set your business apart from your competition and have fun doing it!

Do What You Say You’re Going To Do

As the owner of a restaurant, your staff counts on you. If you tell them you’re going to do something, DO IT! They count on you for a job, and a good one at that. If you instill company culture and ways for the employees to be better, your business will benefit from it!

Be Responsive

Survey your customers and see what they’re saying about you. Listen to feedback from your team. Make changes accordingly! This is invaluable information that gives you actionable tasks to make your restaurant better!

In conclusion, keep these things top of mind, and your business will grow as a result. We are here with you and understand what it takes to run a small to medium sized operation.

We’re happy you found our blog and page. Thank you! Entrepreneurship isn’t easy. If it was, everybody would be doing it. Do things the right way, work hard and things will fall into place! We’d love to learn more about your restaurant and make sure you are properly covered from an insurance perspective. Click on the image below and one of our insurance professional will be in contact with you soon!