Everything You Need to Prepare for a Restaurant Opening

You've finally fulfilled your lifelong dream of starting a restaurant. However, preparing for the opening won't be an easy feat and will require meticulous planning for it to happen without a hitch. The weeks leading up to your restaurant opening will be sheer chaos if you don't prepare well. You'll need to stay on top of many tasks and responsibilities like supply chain and staff schedules—all of which can be daunting. On that note, here's everything you need to prepare your restaurant for opening.

1. Purchase quality restaurant equipment and furniture.

Getting your restaurant prepared for the opening day requires you to invest in good restaurant equipment. This includes commercial kitchen equipment and cookware. You can't afford to skimp on getting the best quality restaurant kitchen equipment which will invariably guarantee you peace of mind and excellent customer service. If you're on a tight budget, opt for a vendor that offers discounts and free shipping.

Additionally, you're going to need durable stainless steel restaurant kitchen tables, under shelves, food prep tables, and commercial work tables. You can also add some style to your cooking area using elegant backsplashes.

2. Be flexible with your operations.

As a restauranteur, you have to do whatever you can to protect your business and finances. In doing so, it's always good to be flexible with your business operations. It would be best if you found viable ways of giving customers what they want before the launch. Don't forget we're in difficult times due to the coronavirus pandemic. So, people might not want to come to a crowded launch party.

One way to effectively overcome this problem is to create a website where you can live stream your launch. You give customers the option to make orders on the site. You can also take payments using a Point-of-Sale system (POS) that's optimized for online ordering. Many people like to make payments online using their debit cards. Not having an efficient POS system in place would invariably cost you in terms of sales and revenue.

3. Hire the best hands.

Your restaurant needs a dedicated team to operate optimally. Regardless of the service type, you'll need managers, prep cooks, chefs, servers, dishwashers, bussers, hosts, and cashiers. Your restaurant won't thrive if you hire the wrong people. More so, it'll result in negative customer experiences, frequent turnover, and brand inconsistency. Bring on people with good professional references and related experiences. Aside from being qualified and efficient, a good hire must possess a great team spirit.

4. Create your staff schedules.

Beyond training, provide your staff with an employee handbook that details your restaurant's operation—so that everyone is aware of their duties. Once your doors are open, there will be less pressure on you. That's why you need to organize your staff schedules ahead of time.

Although (as the owner) you're happy to work full-time, be aware that your restaurant employees may juggle multiple jobs, school, and family. You also need to factor in sick days, time-offs, and emergencies when creating your staff schedule.

Your team expects to schedule flexibility so ensure that you publish your staff schedule ahead of time to give employees ample time to adjust theirs. It also offers ample time for those who seek time-off to make their requests without affecting your operation's dynamics.

5. Take up a business insurance policy.

If there's anything that Covid-19 has taught us, it's that the future is uncertain. Foodservice professionals must protect their liabilities. Being a small business owner doesn't guarantee you any protection against liabilities. Mishaps and accidents like a gas explosion, slips, and falls happen all the time in restaurants. General liability insurance can cover any property damage and bodily injury arising from such accidents.

Moreover, one lawsuit against your business could bankrupt you. That's why you should have a proper insurance policy for your restaurant. Having an emergency fund may not be enough to protect your business against unforeseen occurrences.