Restaurant Startup - Part 1: Market Research ? What are Potential Competitors Doing?

The first step in starting a restaurant is proper planning. One must lay out a plan complete with goals, priorities, and the tasks that he will need to complete in order to achieve these goals. The biggest mistake first time restaurant owners make is improper planning. Ambition, while absolutely required, is simply not enough to succeed in the highly competitive food service industry.

If you've always wanted to run a Cajun restaurant, and you live in an area that already has five, do you have to relocate to accomplish your dream? Not necessarily! It's now time to engage in a bit of opposition research. Drive by each of the locations during varying parts of the day. Are there many cars in the parking lots? At what times? Are many people standing in the lobbies? If so, then this restaurant is doing something people like, and these patrons are thanking the restaurant owner with their wallets. If you see that a particular restaurant is more popular than others, discover why by visiting their establishment during peak hours. Dine in, have the waiter recommend their best dish. Pay attention to every aspect of the experience.

The food should be an area of concentration of course, but there are several other factors that can turn wonderful food into a wonderful experience. How do the servers present themselves? How spaced out are the tables? What type of centerpiece is on your table? All of these factors are vital, and are what makes or breaks a new restaurant. By no means should you overlook the atmosphere of your dining area while planning your restaurant.

This may seem obvious to most, but while you're there, you should also pay attention to the menu. Do they have something for everyone? People generally don't dine out alone, so if you're only appealing to a one taste, you're going to lose a vast amount of potential customers. Carefully study how the successful restaurants handle this. Of course if you're a Cajun restaurant, you're not going to serve an Italian dish, but you can surely meet everybody's tastes. Look at husband-wife pairs to see what they order. Don't just concentrate on the main dishes, but the entire meal. Sometimes, one of a pair might really enjoy your Chicken Rochambeau, but the other doesn't like Cajun at all. Notice what these people order, as they're just as important as their partners who enjoy Cajun immensely. These items will often blend into the menu quite well as soups or salads, and will most times be a compliment to your main courses. A great fast food example is McDonalds. They realized early on that not everyone wants to eat just hamburgers. They poured massive amounts of money into marketing, and obtaining the best quality potatoes for their fries of any of the fast food chains. Of course today, you can get just about anything at McDonalds, but early on they were first to scream, "We don't just have burgers!" and it has worked out well for them. To summarize, find your niche of course, but also cater to as many people as possible, because your niche diners have friends and they want to eat as well!

Finally, do not lose heart because there are already five successful restaurants in your area. Remember, when the fifth started there were already four, and so on. Find what they don't do well, that you know you can make your specialty, and you are well on your way to a successful restaurant.

Jeremy is a consultant for ACityDiscount, an online restaurant equipment dealer based out of Atlanta, Georgia.

Barrington South Lincoln Stretch rentals .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

Modeled after a traditional bell-shaped skirt worn by women in Kosovo, a theater's roof is draped entirely by solar panels to generate renewable energy on-site.
Kurt the CyberGuy explains how to protect yourself from malicious Chrome extensions that can steal sensitive information like password managers, crypto wallets and banking apps.
Stellantis' innovative STLA AutoDrive 1.0 system allows drivers to safely take their eyes off the road and their hands off the steering wheel.
Here are some travel hacks to save money on your next vacation including setting up price alerts, remaining flexible and checking for 24-hour price drops.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
One report claims at least 25 million people were targeted by infostealer malware between the beginning of 2023 and the end of 2024, capturing bank card details and passwords.
The LaserWeeder G2 uses lasers, artificial intelligence and advanced robotics to offer an alternative to chemicals traditionally used in farming.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a malware app called SpyLend is posing as a financial tool, hitting 100,000-plus downloads.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Clone Robotics’ Protoclone mimics humans with 1,000 muscles – too human for comfort.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson urges you to use Apple’s App Privacy Report to see what your apps are really up to.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how to smoothly transfer your data from an old laptop to a new one using cloud storage or external drives.
Kurt the CyberGuy offers tips to safeguard your personal information as scammers become more sophisticated with scam texts and other methods.
WeRide's unmanned electric delivery van, the Robovan W5, has 194 cubic feet of cargo space and can carry payloads up to about 2,205 pounds
Kurt the CyberGuy recommends deleting 16 browser extensions immediately in response to a report saying more than 3.2 million web users were affected by a security breach.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
A robotics firm in China claims a robot has performed the world's first humanoid robot front flip, which is significantly more difficult than a backflip.
A digital ID may be even more secure than a physical ID. Storing your driver's license in your Apple Wallet is an ideal solution for commuters.
A cybersecurity firm has shed some light on just how common tax scams have become. Kurt the CyberGuy offers his advice for how to protect your refund.
Lifesize Plans offers immersive walk-throughs that allow customers the opportunity to tour a home's design before construction actually begins.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
A man invested $4 million in bitcoin and lost it all with a single click when he was targeted by a vishing scam, which uses phone calls to trick people.
Expandable's Touchdown is a designer trailer that promises a luxury off-grid living experience and unfolds into a home in about 15 minutes.
Major employee screening company data breach affects 3.3 million people. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains what happened and gives five ways to protect your data.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals mind-blowing tech that gives you sunlight on demand.
New malware "FrigidStealer" targets Mac computers. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers four ways to stay safe from infostealer malware.

Regroup - How To Do It And Why It Works

Regroup?is this a new management trend? Not a chance! Regroup... Read More

Is Your Company Growing Fast Enough for You?

Are you frustrated by the lack of growth in your... Read More

Mobile Franchise Business Expansion Strategy

If you own a mobile franchise business and wish to... Read More

Art of Succession Planning

Succession planning, like any business acumen, is both an art... Read More

Attributes of Companies You Dont Want to Buy!

There are no "rules of thumb" in the pursuit of... Read More

Leverage - A Small Step For You /A Big Change For Your Career

Cassy was an employee of a nonprofit who had been... Read More

Will and Vision

Remember Chux? The disposable diaper that took the market by... Read More

City of Cortez and South Western Colorado Market Survey

We have been spending many hours surveying the market for... Read More

How to Achieve E-commerce Success ?You Gotta Plan!

Before becoming a netpreneaur, I was an entrepreneur. First, I... Read More

Strategy Without Tactics is Futile

From time to time there seems to be a flurry... Read More

Fail to plan... or Plan to FAIL??

Running a business, whether it be an offline multi-billion dollar... Read More

The Top Ten Rules of Effective Networking

Many of us are discouraged by the networking events that... Read More

The Six Sigma Method and Design of Experiments

Six Sigma is becoming a proven approach for businesses and... Read More

Six Key Principles of Corporate Accountability

The foundation of any business transaction is the promise of... Read More

College Students and Graduates to Run Company Outlets or Franchises

Does your overall business strategy include the recruitment of college... Read More

Building a Better Brick-and-Mortar with the Billion-Dollar Web

More than $117 billion passed hands from Internet shoppers to... Read More

Sample Business Plan Outline

If you are looking for a partner, funding, angle investor... Read More

Executive Summary for Business Plans of Franchisees

Writing a business plan for a franchised outlet of a... Read More

More Uses for Your Business Plan

You have invested a lot of time and energy on... Read More

Writing Your Business Plan is Actually Storytelling

Storytelling and writing a business plan actually go hand in... Read More

Strategic Planning Fundamentals

Strategic planning is vital while starting a new business or... Read More

Consolidation in the Software Industry is Hardly New: Obsess About It or Risk Losing it All

Some analysts credit [Larry] Ellison with anticipating the consolidation in... Read More

Thinking Like A Farmer

One of the difficulties we face in our industrialized age... Read More

Menu Driven Business Planning

A menu is the foundation of any restaurant; Guests will... Read More

Troubled Waters Require Capable Leaders at the Helm

Canada's lean leaders need to look beyond the horizon and... Read More

Downers Grove limo Chicago ..