The creative food menu can arouse everyone's interest, making it a good business. However, it is also a tough business since you have a lot of competitors— a short time and big time. According to Holly Everett, in her "40+ Restaurant Industry Statistics Restaurateurs Should Know in 2019," there are over one million restaurants in the United States alone. Therefore, if you want to open your food establishment, make sure to have an initial business plan, but if you are planning to franchise a renowned fast-food chain, then you might as well have a fast-food marketing plan. Here are some guidelines that might help you in creating a restaurant business plan.
1. Executive Summary
All restaurant plans should start with an executive summary. The latter serves as an introduction and summary of the entire data of the document. The primary purpose of the summary report is to draw the readers, which are often potential individuals interested in restaurant investment. An executive summary often includes a mission statement, proposed concept, execution, possible cost, and expected return on investment.
2. Company Description
It is the part of the business plan where you introduce the company. You can have a restaurant checklist to not to miss out on any aspect. Start with the name of the restaurant, the details of the owner, location, contacts, and any relevant information. It is also the part where you need to indicate how the restaurant will succeed through fierce competitors in this market.
3. Financial Analysis
You will need a well-trained accountant in this part of your plan. Hiring a skilled accountant will help you create a financial analysis as well as come up with estimates to give you a realistic view of owning your restaurant. However, before hiring an accountant, you should prepare all the necessary information to make this step easier for the accountant.
4. Menu
Creating a restaurant plan also involves developing a menu planner, which is the process of deciding what food should be served in each meal, including main dishes, side dishes, and desserts. It is where you should strive to stand out among the competitors. Be sure that the menu you will serve is unique if you want your customers to keep coming back.
5. Location, Interior Design, and Employees
Your restaurant planning and management should also talk about the place and the employees. You may want to have a beach restaurant, a fine dining restaurant, or a two-story restaurant, be sure that there are potential customers in the area. You can add restaurant furniture, or you can have a sample plan for a floor arrangement that matches the theme of your restaurant. It's up to you on how to make the place more attractive for the customers.
6. Marketing
Presently, restaurants are now opening left and right, making the competition fierce, especially for beginners. There are various ways to market your business, but it is better to adapt to the trend that is online marketing. You can expand your target customers through the use of social media or digital marketing plans.