Running a restaurant can be a rewarding career path if you have a passion for food and cooking; however, passion alone isn’t enough to ensure that your business will make it. The restaurant industry is incredibly competitive, and things are getting even more competitive while COVID-19 and quarantine policies are impacting restaurant traffic. As such, every decision you make carries with it some extra weight.
When it comes to running a restaurant successfully, there are a lot of factors to keep in mind. From the cost of your lease to the average check price of competitors in your geographic area, there are dozens of decisions to make day-in-and-day out if you want your restaurant to stay profitable. However, when it comes to crafting a sustainable business plan for your restaurant, it’s easy to get bogged down by theory and strategy. If you avoid thinking of the small things that can make a difference when it comes to managing your bottom line, you may wind up making costly mistakes in the long run. Read on to learn about a few tips and tricks that can make a difference in how your restaurant performs.
Make sure you’re not overpaying for restaurant equipment and supplies.
It’s easy to get lost in the details of menu planning as a restaurateur while ultimately forgetting about the details in terms of the equipment and supplies your restaurant uses each day. That being said, saving money on smaller items like napkins, coffee stirrers, spoons, and to-go containers can make a big difference over the lifetime of your restaurant. Especially if you’re doing a lot more beverage pickup and delivery due to the coronavirus, finding a way to save on coffee stirrers and to-go hot cups for your hot chocolate, coffee, and teas can go a long way in keeping your business profitable.
Successful restaurants, just like profitable coffee shops, understand that the cost of small items like straws and creamer can add up each month, and so they look for the right supplier to provide deals on these sorts of goods, particularly in bulk.
Ensure your staff has the right clothing to perform their jobs.
If you have a uniform at your restaurant, it can be helpful to include some extra gear and equipment to make their work a little bit easier. Especially because of the amount of time your waitstaff and chefs spend on their feet, footwear is of the utmost importance in restaurants. Showing that you understand this and want to help your staff address these issues can go a long way in boosting staff morale, even in the middle of a pandemic.
Purchasing compression socks can help with blood flow, fatigue, and muscle soreness that your team my experience while working. Compression socks come in different compression levels, too, so it’s easy to find the right compression socks for each of your employees. Whether you’re looking for knee-high compression socks or thigh-high compression socks, the best compression socks stave off blood clots and varicose veins while also providing a durable way to avoid muscle soreness.
While the above two aspects of running a restaurant are by no means the be-all-end-all of being a successful restaurateur, they’re still important factors to keep in mind. By being wise about the costs associated with your restaurant equipment and outfitting your staff with the appropriate gear, you’ll be well on your way to keeping your restaurant in business. Use these small ideas as a jumping-off point for a deeper audit of the decisions you’ll need to make to keep your restaurant afloat and you’ll be well on your way to building a successful business. It’s not an easy path—but if you have the passion and vision to create a one-of-a-kind restaurant experience, you’ll surely find success.
