Starting your own restaurant can be a daunting task. But, even after a few months of establishing your business, there are going to be many challenges that you will have to face. It’s recommended that you read about other successful restaurateurs first in order to get a better idea about the challenges that you are going to face. Bradley Parker is an American restaurateur who is the founder and the CEO of Parker Restaurant Group. The company is headquartered in Chicago and owns and operates seven eateries, with two distinct brands. If you want to follow in the successful footsteps of people like Parker, you have to follow the tips given below.
Know how to surround yourself
Opening a restaurant is above all a team work. Frédéric Coupard understood this well: in the kitchen, he took care to call on a “real” crepe maker to make the dishes he proposes to his customers. “He also had a creperie in Rennes for 7 years, so he has a solid work experience. Some people cannot make pancakes, it’s manual, it’s all a gesture!”
For Imad Nabwani too, another restaurateur, his team is sacred. “To succeed, there is no secret, you have to hire the best team! You have a good chance of success if you are well surrounded. The rest is easy.”
Target the ideal location
To be seen by all and to make people want to enter, you need to pay close attention to the location of the restaurant. This is the most effective way to reach your target audience. “Nobody would have the idea to open a shop for air conditioners in a district that caters only to financial companies, for example!” Another tip: before buying a property, it is good to question the neighborhood on the trend of the neighborhood but also to “hang out” day and night to avoid a positioning error. Prevention is better than cure.
Work in the field before launching
“It is practice makes perfect”. The adage is also valid for the occupation of restaurateur, especially in the service and in the kitchen. “If you want to open a pizzeria, go to a pizza parlor a year or two before you go into business. This makes it possible to understand the consumption behavior of the clientele which can be very different from what one imagines at the beginning, especially if one comes from another city or another country,” explains Frédéric Coupard. Always learn about the industry first before making your decision.