Buying a restaurant.

Published on: 2010-01-12

So you’re thinking of getting into the restaurant business and you want to find out if you have what it takes? Well the fact that you are reading this article is a good sign. It shows you are willing to take a long, hard look at yourself in the quest for an answer to one simple question, “Is the restaurant business the right business for me?”

Now before you answer this question let’s make sure you know exactly what will be required of you. The first thing that you’ll notice when becoming the owner of your very own restaurant is the long unsociable hours. As the owner of a restaurant your place is amongst the customers and staff, not in the office. You are the one who is responsible for making sure your restaurant is clean and that everything is in place. You are the one who needs to ensure your staff are treating customers correctly, and you are the one who needs to be certain customers are satisfied with their orders. This demand for your time doesn’t end there.

You’ll need to handle orders, oversee advance preparation of food, administration and accounts, property maintenance, work out staff shifts and handle the hiring or firing of staff. If you’re out interacting with customers, as you should be, then you need to squeeze these tasks in and they will regularly cut into your personal time. It is not uncommon of restaurant owners to work long hours. The next thing you need to consider is your people skills. Are you naturally able to have a conversation with anybody and everybody? Can you make people feel welcome and comfortable in their surroundings? This also applies to the way you interact with your staff. The only difference between good service and great service is the word “want”, do your staff want to be the best? Do they want to be good at what they do? If your staff respect you and you respect them they will want to do the best they can to maintain that level of respect. The relationship you have with your staff will determine the quality of service your customer receives.

Attention to detail is also a critical component of successfully running a restaurant. You should always be aiming to provide a flawless experience to the customer, from the moment you greet them at your door to the moment you wave goodbye. It’s the experience that brings people back time and time again. Would you not question the effort taken to prepare your food if you received bad service or were unfortunate to be sat in a dirty restaurant? You need to be the person who double checks the cleanliness or checks to see that your ingredients are as fresh as they can be.

Many people make the mistake of thinking, “I like cooking. Maybe I should become a restaurant owner!” If you like cooking, why not become a chef. Preparation of food is normally handled by your staff and your involvement is normally limited to supervising.

Yes, there are some restaurant owners who also prepare their food but that is the domain of the professional chef or seasoned professional who has no doubt established a team of competent waiters and managers.

So if you think that you are organised, sociable, hard working and have a good eye for detail then what are you waiting for? Restaurant ownership is a way of life and, despite its drawbacks, can be a rewarding career for the right person.

Did you find this guide helpful? Please tell others: