If you enjoy a fast-paced environment, serving other people, and delicious food, you may be a good fit for the restaurant industry. It takes a special kind of person and hard work to run a restaurant, but it can be a rewarding experience. Interested in owning a restaurant? Learn the ins and outs of restaurant ownership and how to become a restaurateur.
LEARN WHAT THE JOB ENTAILS
As with any job or business, it’s imperative to understand exactly what you’ll be doing on a daily basis. A dedicated restaurant owner will spend most of their days overseeing staff, managing the budget, executing any marketing or promotional tactics, and managing the restaurant’s reputation via online reviews. Of course, there are some restaurant owners who may also cook during busy times.
While having cooking experience is helpful, it’s not entirely necessary to be a successful restaurant owner. It’s common for restaurateurs to hire a head chef to manage the kitchen and ensure food gets out on time.
UNDERSTAND THE INDUSTRY
Similar to understanding the job, you should also do your research about the restaurant industry before investing. When learning how to become a restaurateur, you’ll notice that having previous experience in the restaurant industry is crucial. There are a number of jobs and positions to understand in order to hire the right people for the job. You should also have a strong sense of flavors and food. Restaurant customers will come in for the concept but stay for the product.
Keep in mind that there are many franchise restaurant opportunities. If you don’t have a lot of restaurant experience, franchising may be an ideal step for you to take.
DRAFT A BUSINESS PLAN
This is arguably the most important step in becoming a restaurateur. Your business plan is where your entire vision comes to life! This plan will need to be presented to potential lenders to fund your venture, so you’ll want to make sure it answers the most important questions.
- What makes your restaurant unique from the competition?
- Who is your ideal customer?
- How will you market your restaurant?
- How much capital do you need to start your restaurant – and when do you plan to break-even?
Make sure your plan is direct and succinct. Include only the most pertinent information. Your potential lenders won’t want to look for the information that pertains to them. Make it over-easy for them.
SECURE A LOCATION & RECRUIT YOUR TEAM
This is when it starts to get real. Here’s a pro-tip: bigger isn’t always better. You don’t necessarily want a restaurant with a huge dining room because it can take a toll on your profit margins. Starting on the smaller side will give you a better shot at breaking even sooner. Your restaurant should also be located somewhere that has good visibility and plenty of room for parking.
When recruiting your team, you’ll want to do the best you can to hire those with industry experience. Be sure to share your job postings to multiple sites like Indeed and Google Jobs. You’ll want to have your team hired far enough in advance of your opening so you can properly train them.
JOIN A REPUTABLE FRANCHISE
If you’re interested in joining the restaurant industry, but don’t feel you have the experience to do it successfully on your own, there’s always the option of joining a franchise. A good franchisor will be able to teach you the inner workings of the business and can even help you find an appropriate location for your restaurant. You and your team will receive training from headquarters – not to mention ongoing support after you open.
Additionally, getting funding for your venture tends to be a bit easier when working with a franchise. Many franchisors have partnerships with lenders that can help you get the capital you need to get started.
SCRAMBLERS: YOUR CHANCE TO BECOME A RESTAURATEUR
At Scramblers, we treat all of our franchisees like family. We’ll teach you how to become a restaurateur by training you on the way we crack eggs. We’ve been doing this for 30 years; we’ve got the industry knowledge and we’re ready to bring enthusiastic entrepreneurs onboard with us.
To own a Scramblers franchise, we require candidates to have a net worth of $500,000 and $150,000 in liquid capital. Total investment ranges between $450,000 to $860,000, including a franchise fee of $40,000 – putting our brand right in line with many other reputable quick service restaurant concepts.
Scramblers has locations primarily in Ohio and Michigan with big plans to expand across the country. If you’re ready to get started, fill out the form on our website and one of our representatives will be in touch!