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Executive Summary of a Restaurant: Template & Example

• December 29, 2023
• Business Plan , Executive Summary

An executive summary for a restaurant business plan is key to illustrating the vision and strategy of your dining establishment. This summary is essential in conveying the unique aspects of your restaurant, especially its location, concept, size, supply chain, etc. It should effectively communicate your restaurant’s potential in a competitive landscape , highlighting how it differentiates itself with a distinct culinary experience and service.

In the executive summary, a two-slide PowerPoint format is recommended. The first slide should focus on the restaurant’s location, size, supply chain, and operations, underlining its appeal to the target demographic. The second slide should emphasize the expertise of the management team and the financial objectives of the business, presenting a comprehensive overview of the restaurant’s potential in the dynamic FSR market.

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Executive Summary: Page 1

Business Overview

The business overview should detail the restaurant’s specific features, such as its seating capacity, ambiance, and supply chain practices. It’s important to emphasize how the restaurant caters to its target demographic through its strategic location and operational model.

Example: “[Your Restaurant Name],” located in [specific area or neighborhood], covers [total square footage] sq ft and includes a main dining area, bar, and outdoor patio, offering a total of [number of seats] seats. The restaurant’s commitment to quality is reflected in its locally sourced produce and sustainable supply chain practices, catering to a diverse clientele.

Market Overview

This section involves analyzing the size, growth, and trends of the full-service restaurant market. It should address the industry’s digital transformation, health-conscious dining preferences, and eco-friendly practices, positioning the restaurant within the broader market context.

Example: “[Your Restaurant Name]” enters a U.S. full-service restaurant market valued at $293 billion. The restaurant’s focus on technology, healthier menu options, and sustainability aligns well with current market trends and consumer preferences, setting it apart from six main competitors in the area.

Executive Summary: Page 2

Management Team

Detailing the management team’s background and expertise is crucial. This section should highlight how their experience in culinary arts and restaurant management contributes to the success of the restaurant.

Example: The Executive Chef and Co-Owner of “[Your Restaurant Name]” leads menu development and kitchen operations, ensuring high-quality food preparation and presentation. The General Manager and Co-Owner manages daily operations, staff, customer service, and financial aspects, ensuring a seamless dining experience.

Financial Plan

This section should outline the restaurant’s financial goals and projections, including revenue targets and profit margins, providing a clear picture of its financial aspirations and health.

Example: “[Your Restaurant Name]” aims to achieve $2.7 million in annual revenue with an 11% EBITDA margin by 2028. This financial goal is supported by a focus on quality dining experiences, strategic marketing, and operational efficiency, positioning the restaurant for growth in the competitive full-service restaurant market.

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Restaurant Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Restaurant Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your restaurant business plan.

We have helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs and business owners with how to write a restaurant business plan to help them start or grow their restaurants.

Below is a restaurant business plan template to help you create each section of your business plan.

Restaurant Business Plan Example

Executive summary, business overview.

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is a new restaurant and steakhouse located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The menu of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will include bistro-type dishes that are authentically created and crafted by acclaimed Chef Peter Logan. It will be located in the trendy part of town, known as the Plaza District. The restaurant will be surrounded by classy art galleries, live theater, high-end restaurants and bars, and expensive shopping.

Owned by emerging restaurant operators Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette, Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse’s mission is to become Oklahoma City’s best, new restaurant for patrons to celebrate their next big event, have a nice date night, or gather with friends or family for a fun evening while dining over finely crafted entrees, desserts, and cocktails.

Products Served

The following are the menu items to be offered by Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse:

• Soups & Salads
• Gourmet sides
• Wine, Beer & Spirits

Customer Focus

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will target adult men and women between the ages of 21 – 65 with disposable income in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Within this demographic are millennials, young professionals, newlyweds, young families, more established families, and retirees. Because of the pricing structure of the menu, the patrons will likely be upper middle class to the wealthy population of Oklahoma City.

Management Team

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is owned and operated by fellow Oklahoma City natives and culinary enthusiasts, Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette. Both come with a unique skill set and complement each other perfectly. They formerly worked together at another OKC fine dining establishment and made a great team for serving guests delectable food and wine while ensuring the highest level of customer service.

Chef Peter will manage the kitchen operations of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse, while Anastasia will oversee front of the house operations, maintain and ensure customer service, and manage all reservations.

Financial Highlights

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is seeking $300,000 in debt financing to open its start-up restaurant. The funding will be dedicated for the build-out and design of the restaurant, kitchen, bar and lounge, as well as cooking supplies and equipment, working capital, three months worth of payroll expenses and opening inventory. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Restaurant Build-Out and Design – $100,000
• Kitchen supplies and equipment – $100,000
• Opening inventory – $25,000
• Working capital (to include 3 months of overhead expenses) – $25,000
• Marketing (advertising agency) – $25,000
• Accounting firm (3 months worth and establishment/permitting of business) – $25,000

Company Overview

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is a new restaurant and steakhouse located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will serve a wide variety of dishes and beverages and will cater to the upper middle class to wealthier population of Oklahoma City. The menu of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will include bistro-type dishes that are authentically created and crafted by acclaimed Chef Peter Logan. It will be located in the trendy part of town, known as the Plaza District. The Plaza District is one of Oklahoma’s trendy neighborhoods and is considered the “it” area for newlyweds, millennials, professionals, and young singles. The restaurant will be surrounded by classy art galleries, live theater, high-end restaurants and bars, and expensive shopping.

Owned by emerging restaurant operators Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette, the restaurant’s mission statement is to become the best new steak restaurant in OKC. The following are the types of menu items Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will serve- shareables, steaks, soups, gourmet sides and salads.

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse History

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is owned by two Oklahoma City natives, Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette. They have both worked around the country in fine dining establishments and have a combined twenty years in the restaurant industry. Upon working alongside each other at another fine dining establishment in Oklahoma City, the two of them became good friends and decided to venture into owning their own restaurant.

Chef Peter is the kitchen guru and critically acclaimed chef, while Anastasia manages the front of the house and is a certified Sommelier. Together, with both of their expertise and knowledge, Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is destined to become Oklahoma City’s next big restaurant.

Industry Analysis

The Restaurant industry is expected to grow to over $220 billion in the next five years.

Consumer spending is projected to grow. The Consumer Confidence Index, a leading indicator of spending patterns, is expected to also grow strongly, which will boost restaurant industry growth over the next five years. The growth in consumer confidence also suggests that more consumers may opt to segment their disposable income to eating outside the home.

Additionally, an increase in the number of households earning more than $100,000 annually further contributes to the industry growth, supporting industry operators that offer more niche, higher-end products.  This group is expected to continue to grow in size over the next five years.

The urban population represents a large market for the industry. Specifically, time-strapped individuals living in urban areas will likely frequent industry establishments to save time on cooking. The urban population is expected to increase, representing a potential opportunity for the industry.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market, customer segmentation.

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will primarily target the following customer profile:

• Upper middle class to wealthier population
• Millennials
• Young professionals
• Households with an average income of at least $75k
• Foodies and culture enthusiasts

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will be competing with other restaurants in Oklahoma City. A profile of each competitor is below. The Press Located in the trendy area known as the Plaza District, The Press has reimagined our favorite foods of the surrounding regions through the lens of home.

The menu consists of appetizers, soups, burgers and sandwiches, bowls, main dishes, sides, desserts, and a large selection of alcoholic beverages. The Press serves craft beer, domestic beer, wine spritzers, house cocktails, wine, and mimosas. They also offer brunch. The menu of The Press is affordable with the most expensive dish being $16. The wine menu is also not pretentious as the wine is sold either by the glass or bottle, with the most expensive bottle being $52 for the Gruet Sparkling Brut Rose. Oak & Ore Oak & Ore is a craft beer and restaurant in OKC’s Plaza District. They have a 36-tap beer selection and offer vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free dining options. Oak & Ore offers a rotating, 36-tap selection of their favorite brews from Oklahoma and around the world. Each beer is thoughtfully paired with a craft beer-inspired dining experience.

The food menu of Oak & Ore offers starters, salads, wings, fried chicken, sandwiches, tacos, banh mi, and sides. They also have a selection of kids dishes so the whole family can enjoy comfort food while sampling one of their delectable beers.

The Mule OKC The Mule is a casual, hip restaurant offering a large beer and cocktail menu plus sandwiches and more. Located in the constantly growing and buzzing hub that is the Plaza District, The Mule takes the timeless favorite and contorts it into a whole menu of wild offerings.

There is also a fantastic assortment of soups offered and The Mule shakes up a seasonal list of cocktails designed by their bar staff. During the winter months, patrons can stave off the cold with their versions of hot toddies and buttered rum. For the beer drinkers, they always have a reliable line-up of fresh cold brews on draft, as well as a wide selection of can.

Competitive Advantage

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse offers several advantages over its competition. Those advantages are:

• Gourmet dishes elegantly prepared to the finest standard.
• Selection of steaks sourced from local Oklahoma farms.
• An exclusive and unique wine menu that includes a wine selection of all price points.
• Highly sought after location: Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will be located in the trendy and attractive neighborhood known as The Plaza District.
• Trendy, welcoming, and energetic ambiance that will be perfect for a night out or a celebration.

Marketing Plan

Promotions strategy.

The marketing strategy for Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is as follows: Location Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse’s location is a promotions strategy in itself. The Plaza District is a destination spot for locals, tourists, and anyone looking for the trendiest food fare in Oklahoma City. The Plaza District is home to OKC’s most popular bars and restaurants, art galleries, theaters, and boutique shopping. The millennials, young professionals, and foodies will frequent Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse for the location itself.

Social Media Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will use social media to cater to the millennials and Oklahoma City residents. Chef Peter and Anastasia plan to hire an advertising agency to take professional photographs of the menu items and location to create appealing posts to reach a greater audience. The posts will include pictures of the menu items, as well as upcoming featured options. SEO Website Marketing Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse plans to invest funds into maintaining a strong SEO presence on search engines like Google and Bing. When a person types in “local fine dining restaurant” or “Oklahoma City restaurant”, Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will appear in the top three choices. The website will include the full menu, location, hours, and lots of pictures of the food, drinks, and steaks. Third Party Delivery Sites Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will maintain a presence on sites like GrubHub, Uber Eats, Doordash, and Postmates so that people looking for local food to be delivered will see Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse listed near the top.

Operations Plan

Operation functions:.

The company will hire the following:

• 4 sous chefs
• 2 bartenders
• 2 hostesses
• The company will hire an advertising agency and an accounting firm

Milestones:

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse aims to open in the next 6 months. The following are the milestones needed in order to obtain this goal.

7/1/202X – Execute lease for prime location in the Plaza District.

7/2/202X – Begin construction of restaurant build-out.

7/10/202X – Finalize menu.

7/17/202X – Hire advertising company to begin developing marketing efforts.

8/15/202X – Start of marketing campaign

8/22/202X – Final walk-thru of completed restaurant build-out.

8/25/202X – Hire team of sous chefs, servers, and bussers.

9/1/202X – Decoration and set up of restaurant.

9/15/202X – Grand Opening of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will be owned and operated by Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette. Each will have a 50% ownership stake in the restaurant.

Chef Peter Logan, Co-Owner

Chef Peter Logan is an Oklahoma City native and has been in the restaurant industry for over ten years. He was trained in a prestigious Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Academy in San Francisco and has worked in some of the nation’s most prestigious fine dining restaurants. His tenure has took him from the west coast to the east coast, and now he’s back doing what he loves in his hometown of Oklahoma City.

Chef Peter will manage the kitchen operations of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse. He will train and oversee the sous chefs, manage inventory, place food inventory orders, deal with the local food vendors, and ensure the highest customer satisfaction with the food.

Anastasia Gillette, Co-Owner

Anastasia Gillette was born and raised in Oklahoma City and has garnered over ten years in the restaurant industry as well. While in college, Anastasia worked as a hostess at one of the area’s most prestigious restaurant establishments. While there, she was eventually promoted to Front of the House Manager where she oversaw the hostesses, servers, bussers, bartenders, and reservations. Her passion always led to the beverage portion of the restaurant so she obtained her Sommelier certificate in 2019. With her wine education, Anastasia is able to cultivate an interesting and elegant wine selection for the restaurant.

Anastasia will oversee front of the house operations, maintain and ensure customer service, and manage all reservations. She will also be in charge of the bar and wine ordering, training of front of the house staff, and will manage the restaurant’s social media accounts once they are set up.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will come from the food and drink menu items being offered daily.

The cost drivers will be the ingredients and products needed to make the menu items as well as the cooking materials. A significant cost driver is the fine dining equipment, serving dishes, and beer and wine glasses. Other cost drivers will be the overhead expenses of payroll for the employees, accounting firm, and cost of the advertising agency.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is seeking $300,000 in debt financing to open its start-up restaurant. The breakout of the funding is below:

Financial Projections

Income Statement

  Balance Sheet

  Cash Flow Statement

Restaurant Business Plan FAQs

What is a restaurant business plan.

A restaurant business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your restaurant business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your restaurant business plan using our Restaurant Business Plan Template here .

What Are the Main Types of Restaurants?

There are many types of restaurant businesses. Restaurants can range in type from fast food, fast casual, moderate casual, fine dining, and bar and restaurant types. Restaurants also come in a variety of different ethnic or themed categories, such as Mexican restaurants, Asian restaurants, American, etc.  Some restaurants also go mobile and have food trucks.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Restaurant Business Plan?

Restaurant businesses are most likely to receive funding from banks. Typically you will find a local bank and present your business plan to them. Another option for a restaurant business is to obtain a small business loan. SBA loans are a popular option as they offer longer loan terms with lower interest rates.

What are the Steps To Start a Restaurant Business?

1. Develop A Restaurant Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed restaurant business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your restaurant business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your restaurant business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Restaurant Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your restaurant business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your restaurant business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Restaurant Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your restaurant business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your restaurant business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful restaurant business:

• How to Start a Restaurant Business

Where Can I Get a Restaurant Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free restaurant business plan template PDF here . This is a sample restaurant business plan template you can use in PDF format.

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How it works

How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan Executive Summary

An executive summary for a restaurant is a concise document that encapsulates the restaurant's identity, concept, market analysis, operational strategy, financial projections, and funding requirements, designed to entice and inform investors or stakeholders about the viability and potential of the restaurant venture.

Elements of a restaurant executive summary

Here are the essential elements of an executive summary with examples.

Feel free to steal. :)

Opening statement

Begin with a compelling hook that encapsulates your restaurant's identity. For instance:

"Introducing [Restaurant Name], a culinary oasis that marries the charm of rustic Southern comfort with the innovation of haute cuisine."

Business description

Detail the restaurant concept with vivid imagery and specific descriptions:

"Located in the vibrant [Neighborhood], [Restaurant Name] is a 50-seat bistro specializing in contemporary Italian fare, featuring an open kitchen, a chef's tasting table, and a curated wine list highlighting regional vineyards."

Market analysis

Use statistics to ground your analysis:

"Our market research indicates a 20% annual growth in demand for fine dining experiences in [City/Region], with a particular interest in authentic Italian cuisine among the 25-45 age demographic."

Marketing strategy

Outline specific promotional activities:

"We will launch with an exclusive tasting event for local influencers and food critics, followed by a social media campaign targeting foodies within a 30-mile radius, leveraging Instagram and Facebook ads."

Operations plan

Provide an overview of the logistics and management:

"The restaurant will operate Tuesday through Sunday with two dinner seatings. The kitchen will be led by award-winning Chef [Name], whose expertise will ensure efficiency and culinary excellence."

Financial projection

Present clear financials:

"We anticipate a break-even point within the first 12 months, with projected revenues of $1.2 million in the first year based on average seat turnover and pricing models. Startup costs are estimated at $800,000."

Funding requirements

Be precise about your funding needs:

"We are seeking $500,000 in funding to cover the costs of renovations, initial inventory, and operating expenses for the first six months. This investment will be allocated as follows: $300,000 for renovations, $100,000 for kitchen equipment, and $100,000 for operating capital."

Finishing statement

Conclude with a statement that emphasizes your restaurant's potential and readiness:

"With a seasoned team, a compelling location, and a distinctive dining concept, [Restaurant Name] is poised to become a new culinary landmark in [City/Region]. Your investment will catalyze the realization of this gastronomic vision."

Tips for writing an effective executive summary

Be Concise: Use bullet points for clarity, like:

Use Clear and Persuasive Language: Choose strong verbs and confident language, like "will captivate," "are poised to," "will deliver."

Focus on the Highlights: Elevate unique aspects, such as a partnership with local farms or a novel wine-on-tap system.

Quantify Your Points: Support claims with numbers, like "Projected to serve over 10,000 diners in the first year."

Be Confident, But Realistic: Acknowledge potential risks, such as "We have contingency plans in place should the initial customer acquisition cost exceed projections by 10%."

Edit and Revise: Ensure the summary is free of jargon and accessible to those outside the restaurant industry.

By infusing your executive summary with precise data, clear strategies, and enthusiastic language, you will create a compelling narrative that captures the essence of your restaurant and appeals to potential investors or stakeholders.

Creating an engaging business overview for your restaurant

Envision the business overview as the appetizer to your restaurant's full-course business plan—it's meant to whet your readers' appetite.

In this section, you're not just listing facts; you're unfolding the story of your restaurant, beginning with its robust ownership framework, prime location, and the distinctive culinary experience it will offer.

Peppered with an interesting statistic, such as "85% of diners seek out restaurants that provide not just a meal, but an experience," this section underscores the importance of the dining ambiance you aim to create.

Role of an executive summary in a restaurant business plan

The executive summary acts as a hook, grabbing the reader’s attention and motivating them to delve deeper into the details of the business plan.

It outlines the restaurant's objectives, unique selling propositions, and the experience it promises customers, offering a snapshot of how the restaurant will operate and succeed in the competitive food industry.

Despite being the first section of the business plan, the executive summary is usually written last, as it encapsulates the essence of the full document.

Its role is crucial because it may be the only part of the business plan that some stakeholders read, so it must be clear, concise, and powerful enough to entice further reading and, ultimately, investment.

It sets the stage for the narrative of the business plan, and if done well, it can be a determining factor in securing an initial meeting with investors or other key stakeholders.

Further reading

• How to write a restaurant business plan

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For the past 7+ years Ryan has been focused on helping restaurants succeed with digital marketing and front-of-house operations. He is Director Marketing at Eat App.

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How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan

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When starting a business—no matter what type of business that may be—a business plan is essential to map out your intentions and direction. That’s the same for a restaurant business plan, which will help you figure out where you fit in the landscape, how you’re going to differ from other establishments around you, how you’ll market your business, and even what you’re going to serve. A business plan for your restaurant can also help you later if you choose to apply for a business loan .

While opening a restaurant isn’t as risky as you’ve likely heard, you still want to ensure that you’re putting thought and research into your business venture to set it up for success. And that’s where a restaurant business plan comes in.

We’ll go through how to create a business plan for a restaurant and a few reasons why it’s so important. After you review the categories and the restaurant business plan examples, you can use the categories to make a restaurant business plan template and start your journey.

Why you shouldn’t skip a restaurant business plan

First-time restaurateurs and industry veterans alike all need to create a business plan when opening a new restaurant . That’s because, even if you deeply understand your business and its nuances (say, seasonal menu planning or how to order correct quantities), a restaurant is more than its operations. There’s marketing, financing, the competitive landscape, and more—and each of these things is unique to each door you open.

That’s why it’s so crucial to understand how to create a business plan for a restaurant. All of these things and more will be addressed in the document—which should run about 20 or 30 pages—so you’ll not only have a go-to-market strategy, but you’ll also likely figure out some things about your business that you haven’t even thought of yet.

Additionally, if you’re planning to apply for business funding down the line, some loans—including the highly desirable SBA loan —actually require you to submit your business plan to gain approval. In other words: Don’t skip this step!

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

How to write a restaurant business plan: Step by step

There’s no absolute format for a restaurant business plan that you can’t stray from—some of these sections might be more important than others, for example, or you might find that there’s a logical order that makes more sense than the one in the restaurant business plan example below. However, this business plan outline will serve as a good foundation, and you can use it as a restaurant business plan template for when you write your own.

Executive summary

Your executive summary is one to two pages that kick off your business plan and explain your vision. Even though this might seem like an introduction that no one will read, that isn’t the case. In fact, some investors only ask for the executive summary. So, you’ll want to spend a lot of time perfecting it.

Your restaurant business plan executive summary should include information on:

Mission statement: Your goals and objectives

General company information: Include your founding date, team roles (i.e. executive chef, sous chefs, sommeliers), and locations

Category and offerings: What category your restaurant fits into, what you’re planning to serve (i.e. farm-to-table or Korean), and why

Context for success: Any past success you’ve had, or any current financial data that’ll support that you are on the path to success

Financial requests: If you’re searching for investment or financing, include your plans and goals here and any financing you’ve raised or borrowed thus far

Future plans: Your vision for where you’re going in the next year, three years, and five years

When you’re done with your executive summary, you should feel like you’ve provided a bird’s eye view of your entire business plan. In fact, even though this section is first, you will likely write it last so you can take the highlights from each of the subsequent sections.

And once you’re done, read it on its own: Does it give a comprehensive, high-level overview of your restaurant, its current state, and your vision for the future? Remember, this may be the only part of your business plan potential investors or partners will read, so it should be able to stand on its own and be interesting enough to make them want to read the rest of your plan.

Company overview

This is where you’ll dive into the specifics of your company, detailing the kind of restaurant you’re looking to create, who’s helping you do it, and how you’re prepared to accomplish it.

Your restaurant business plan company overview should include:

Purpose: The type of restaurant you’re opening (fine dining, fast-casual, pop-up, etc.), type of food you’re serving, goals you have, and the niche you hope to fill in the market

Area: Information on the area in which you’re opening

Customers: Whom you’re hoping to target, their demographic information

Legal structure: Your business entity (i.e. LLC, LLP, etc.) and how many owners you have

Similar to your executive summary, you won’t be going into major detail here as the sections below will get into the nitty-gritty. You’ll want to look at this as an extended tear sheet that gives someone a good grip on your restaurant or concept, where it fits into the market, and why you’re starting it.

Team and management

Barely anything is as important for a restaurant as the team that runs it. You’ll want to create a section dedicated to the members of your staff—even the ones that aren’t yet hired. This will provide a sense of who is taking care of what, and how you need to structure and build out the team to get your restaurant operating at full steam.

Your restaurant business plan team and management section should have:

Management overview: Who is running the restaurant, what their experience and qualifications are, and what duties they’ll be responsible for

Staff: Other employees you’ve brought on and their bios, as well as other spots you anticipate needing to hire for

Ownership percentage: Which individuals own what percentage of the restaurant, or if you are an employee-owned establishment

Be sure to update this section with more information as your business changes and you continue to share this business plan—especially because who is on your team will change both your business and the way people look at it.

Sample menu

You’ll also want to include a sample menu in your restaurant business plan so readers have a sense of what they can expect from your operations, as well as what your diners can expect from you when they sit down. This will also force you to consider exactly what you want to serve your diners and how your menu will stand out from similar restaurants in the area. Although a sample menu is in some ways self-explanatory, consider the following:

Service : If your brunch is as important as your dinner, provide both menus; you also might want to consider including both a-la-carte and prix fixe menus if you plan to offer them.

Beverage/wine service: If you’ll have an emphasis on specialty beverages or wine, a separate drinks list could be important.

Seasonality: If you’re a highly seasonal restaurant, you might want to consider providing menus for multiple seasons to demonstrate how your dishes (and subsequent purchasing) will change.

Market analysis

This is where you’ll begin to dive deeper. Although you’ve likely mentioned your market and the whitespace you hope to address, the market analysis section will enable you to prove your hypotheses.

Your restaurant business plan market analysis should include:

Industry information: Include a description of the restaurant industry, its size, growth trends, and other trends regarding things such as tastes, trends, demographics, structures, etc.

Target market: Zoom in on the area and neighborhood in which you’re opening your restaurant as well as the type of cuisine you’re serving.

Target market characteristics: Describe your customers and their needs, how/if their needs are currently being served, other important pieces about your specific location and customers.

Target market size and growth: Include a data-driven section on the size of your market, trends in its growth, how your target market fits into the industry as a whole, projected growth of your market, etc.

Market share potential: Share how much potential there is in the market, how much your presence will change the market, and how much your specific restaurant or restaurant locations can own of the open market; also touch on any barriers to growth or entry you might see.

Market pricing: Explain how you’ll be pricing your menu and where you’ll fall relative to your competitors or other restaurants in the market.

Competitive research: Include research on your closest competitors, how they are both succeeding and failing, how customers view them, etc.

If this section seems like it might be long, it should—it’s going to outline one of the most important parts of your strategy, and should feel comprehensive. Lack of demand is the number one reason why new businesses fail, so the goal of this section should be to prove that there is demand for your restaurant and show how you’ll capitalize on it.

Additionally, if market research isn’t your forte, don’t be shy to reach out to market research experts to help you compile the data, or at least read deeply on how to conduct effective research.

Marketing and sales

Your marketing and sales section should feel like a logical extension of your market analysis section, since all of the decisions you’ll make in this section should follow the data of the prior section.

The marketing and sales sections of your restaurant business plan should include:

Positioning: How you’ll describe your restaurant to potential customers, the brand identity and visuals you’ll use to do it, and how you’ll stand out in the market based on the brand you’re building

Promotion: The tools, tactics, and platforms you’ll use to market your business

Sales: How you’ll convert on certain items, and who/how you will facilitate any additional revenue streams (i.e. catering)

It’s likely that you’ll only have concepts for some of these elements, especially if you’re not yet open. Still, get to paper all of the ideas you have, and you can (and should) always update them later as your restaurant business becomes more fully formed.

Business operations

The business operations section should get to the heart of how you plan to run your business. It will highlight both internal factors as well as external forces that will dictate how you run the ship.

The business operations section should include:

Management team: Your management structure and hierarchy, and who is responsible for what

Hours: Your hours and days of operation

Location: What’s special about your location that will get people through the door

Relationships: Any advantageous relationships you have with fellow restaurateurs, places for sourcing and buying, business organizations, or consultants on your team

Add here anything you think could be helpful for illustrating how you’re going to do business and what will affect it.

Here, you’ll detail the current state of your business finances and project where you hope to be in a year, three years, and five years. You’ll want to detail what you’ve spent, what you will spend, where you’ll get the money, costs you might incur, and returns you’ll hope to see—including when you can expect to break even and turn a profit.

Financial statements: If you’ve been in business for any amount of time, include existing financial statements (i.e. profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow, etc.)

Budget: Your current budget or a general startup budget

Projections: Include revenue, cash flow, projected profit and loss, and other costs

Debt: Include liabilities if the business has any outstanding debt or loans

Funding request: If you’re requesting a loan or an investment, lay out how much capital you’re looking for, your company’s valuation (if applicable), and the purpose of the funding

Above all, as you’re putting your financials together, be realistic—even conservative. You want to give any potential investors a realistic picture of your business.

Feel like there are other important components but they don't quite fit in any of the other categories (or make them run too long)? That’s what the restaurant business plan appendix section is for. And although in, say, a book, an appendix can feel like an afterthought, don’t ignore it—this is another opportunity for you to include crucial information that can give anyone reading your plan some context. You may include additional data, graphs, marketing collateral (like logo mockups), and more.

Start Your Dream Business

The bottom line

Whether you’re writing a restaurant business plan for investors, lenders, or simply for yourself and your team, the most important thing to do is make sure your document is comprehensive. A good business plan for a restaurant will take time—and maybe a little sweat—to complete fully and correctly.

One other crucial thing to remember: a business plan is not a document set in stone. You should often look to it to make sure you’re keeping your vision and mission on track, but you should also feel prepared to update its components as you learn more about your business and individual restaurant.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

On a similar note...

Restaurant Business Plan Example Executive Summary Template

• Great for beginners
• Ready-to-use, fully customizable Doc
• Get started in seconds

Looking to open a restaurant? The key to success is a well-crafted business plan that showcases your concept, target market, and financial projections. But where do you start? ClickUp's Restaurant Business Plan Example Executive Summary Template is here to help!

With this template, you can:

• Clearly outline your restaurant concept and unique selling proposition
• Identify your target market and develop marketing strategies to reach them effectively
• Provide a snapshot of your financial projections and potential profitability

Whether you're seeking investment or simply need a roadmap for your restaurant's success, this template has you covered. Start planning your dream restaurant today!

Benefits of Restaurant Business Plan Example Executive Summary Template

When it comes to presenting your restaurant business plan, the executive summary is your chance to make a killer first impression. By using our Restaurant Business Plan Example Executive Summary Template, you'll enjoy the following benefits:

• Clearly communicate your restaurant concept, target market, and competitive advantage
• Impress potential investors and lenders with a professional and well-structured summary
• Showcase your marketing strategies to attract and retain customers
• Provide accurate and compelling financial projections to demonstrate the profitability of your venture

Main Elements of Restaurant Business Plan Example Executive Summary Template

Create a comprehensive and professional restaurant business plan with ClickUp’s Restaurant Business Plan Example Executive Summary template.

• Custom Statuses: Track the progress of your business plan with custom statuses such as In Progress, Final Review, and Approved.
• Custom Fields: Input essential information about your restaurant, including target market, competitive analysis, financial projections, and marketing strategies, using custom fields to ensure all necessary details are included in your business plan.
• Different Views: Utilize different views such as Document Outline View, Table of Contents View, and Full-Screen View to easily navigate, organize, and present your executive summary template.

How to Use Executive Summary for Restaurant Business Plan Example

If you're starting a new restaurant and need help writing your business plan, follow these steps to effectively use the Restaurant Business Plan Example Executive Summary Template:

1. Understand the purpose

The executive summary is a crucial part of your restaurant business plan as it provides an overview of your entire plan and captures the attention of potential investors or lenders. It should be concise, yet compelling, highlighting the key points of your business plan and enticing readers to learn more.

Use the Docs feature in ClickUp to access the Restaurant Business Plan Example Executive Summary Template and familiarize yourself with its purpose and structure.

2. Gather relevant information

Before you start writing your executive summary, gather all the necessary information about your restaurant business. This includes details about your concept, target market, competitive analysis, marketing strategies, financial projections, and any unique selling points that set your restaurant apart.

Utilize the Table View in ClickUp to organize and track all the information you need for your executive summary.

3. Write a captivating introduction

The introduction of your executive summary should grab the reader's attention and provide a clear and compelling overview of your restaurant concept. Highlight what makes your restaurant unique, such as its cuisine, atmosphere, location, or innovative business model. This section should captivate the reader and make them want to continue reading.

Use the Whiteboards feature in ClickUp to brainstorm and outline your introduction, ensuring it effectively communicates the essence of your restaurant.

4. Summarize key sections of your business plan

In this section, provide a concise summary of the key sections of your business plan. Highlight important information such as your target market analysis, competitive analysis, marketing strategies, operational plan, and financial projections. Be sure to include key metrics and highlight the potential for success.

Utilize the Milestones feature in ClickUp to break down each section of your business plan and summarize the key points in your executive summary.

By following these steps and utilizing ClickUp's features, you can effectively use the Restaurant Business Plan Example Executive Summary Template to create a compelling and comprehensive executive summary for your restaurant business plan.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Restaurant Business Plan Example Executive Summary Template

Potential restaurant owners and entrepreneurs can use this Restaurant Business Plan Example Executive Summary Template to create a compelling executive summary that highlights the key aspects of their restaurant concept.

First, hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to create an impactful executive summary:

• Use the Introduction section to provide a concise overview of your restaurant concept and its unique selling points
• In the Target Market section, describe your ideal customer demographics and explain how your restaurant meets their needs
• Detail your competitive advantage in the Competitive Analysis section, highlighting what sets your restaurant apart from the competition
• Lay out your marketing strategies in the Marketing Plan section, including online and offline tactics to attract customers
• Present your financial projections in the Financial Plan section, including sales forecasts, expenses, and profitability analysis
• Customize the template to fit your specific business model and goals
• Review and revise the executive summary to ensure it is clear, concise, and compelling

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How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan [with a Template & Instructions]

Feb 3, 2022

A restaurant business plan can help you put the “business” in your restaurant. After all, restaurants aren’t just about offering hospitality , serving your favorite recipes or creating a cozy ambiance. They need to generate revenue to support you and your employees. With a business plan serving as your blueprint, you can stay focused on meeting your goals and running a lasting enterprise.

In this guide to creating and using your restaurant business plan, you’ll learn:

What is a restaurant business plan?

A restaurant business plan is a document that explains the who, what, where, when, why and how of your restaurant. It serves as a source of truth for your vision for the business, and can help you stay accountable to your goals and stakeholders. A typical business plan includes sections on your restaurant’s concept and team, the competition, your marketing plan, financial projections, an executive summary and more. 

Why is it important to have a restaurant business plan?

Writing a business plan is a critical step on the road to becoming a restaurant owner . This document helps keep everyone involved in starting and managing the business aligned on goals and means. A business plan gives you direction and holds you accountable as you make decisions.

It’s also a helpful tool to share with potential investors. A business plan shows that you’re serious about the business, have done your research on the competition and target market and understand the risks and key financial and regulatory aspects of running a business.

How to write a restaurant business plan

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of exactly what you should include in the business plan for your restaurant.

Executive summary

The executive summary serves as both an introduction to the business plan and a summary of everything else found in the document. Write it as a high-level overview of your plan, and write it last so you can pull from other sections.

Business introduction

Start with the basics of your business, including the restaurant’s name, its mission and values, your concept and a sample menu .

If you need help conjuring a business mission and values, consider your restaurant’s purpose. Why does it exist? What does your business stand for?

When describing the concept, you can be straightforward (e.g., a fast-casual Vietnamese restaurant), but you can also add color by including your inspiration for the business. For example, you could share that you want your restaurant to be the Chipotle of Vietnamese food to help make the cuisine more accessible and widespread. 

Include a sample menu that you and potential investors can reference as you finalize the dishes you’ll serve.

Explain who will be in charge of running your restaurant or bar . Will it be you, or will you hire a CEO or general manager ?

Describe which roles you will need to hire for and when you plan on doing that. Include an organizational chart for future reference. And, since the restaurant industry is notorious for high employee turnover , it’s important to explain what you plan to do to retain hospitality staff .

List any kinds of external consultants you plan to engage, like an accountant or marketing agency.

The financial analysis section of your restaurant business plan is one of its most important. Writing one is a useful exercise that helps you plan and understand where the funds to start your business are coming from, and how you will spend that money and your revenue.

Include insights about your funding sources . Where will the money to support your startup costs – and keep it running until it’s profitable – come from? Personal savings, friends and family, investors? How much money will you need to start the business?

Additionally, work out your operational budget . List how much you plan to spend on payroll, technology, furniture and decor, equipment, inventory and marketing. 

Next, include details about your business model and revenue streams . Most restaurants will start with on-premises dining, then may add additional revenue streams via online ordering , catering and selling merchandise.

Finally, include financial projections . How long do you anticipate it will take to become profitable? How much revenue do you think you’ll make in your first year of business?

In this section, explain where you will go for legal counsel and which licenses and permits you will obtain.

Create a plan for keeping up with labor regulations, such as fair labor practices , overtime and wage requirements. 

Designate a member of your team, like the general manager, to keep licenses up to date and ensure you’re complying with local regulations and are ready for health inspections.

Marketing analysis & plan

This part of your restaurant business plan should include the following sections:

Technology plan

Tech is a critical part of running an efficient, modern restaurant. Decide which restaurant technology you’ll need to run your business. As you research tech vendors, make sure the solutions you choose can grow with your restaurant.

Consider the following types of tools:

Create a timeline to mark milestones for the days leading up to your restaurant’s opening, and what you hope to accomplish in the years after opening day. Take inspiration for milestones from these examples:

Restaurant business plan template

Take a screenshot, copy and paste or print this restaurant business plan sample to kickstart the writing process.

(Summarize the rest of your restaurant business plan)

Proposed restaurant name: 

Mission and values:

Leadership team:

Hiring plan:

External consultants:

How will you fund the business?

How much money do you need to start the business?

What will your operational expenses be?

When will the business start making a profit?

Which licenses and permits will you need to obtain?

Market analysis & marketing plan

Where will the restaurant be located?

Competitive analysis:

SWOT analysis:

Price analysis:

Marketing plan:

Which tools and vendors will you be using?

CRM: SevenRooms

Reservations: SevenRooms

Online ordering: SevenRooms

Inventory management:

Accounting:

Leading up to opening day

Opening day:

6 months from opening:

1 year from opening:

5 years from opening:

Need more inspiration? Check out these restaurant business plan samples for more ideas.

Stay focused with a restaurant business plan

Creating a restaurant business plan can help you stay focused on your goals and prove to external stakeholders and potential investors that you’re serious about the business. While the specifics of your restaurant will change between its grand opening and several years in operation, a business plan can keep you accountable to your original goals and vision. Use our restaurant business plan template to start jotting down your ideas.

SevenRooms can help you achieve your business goals by equipping you with the technology you need to run a successful restaurant. Request a demo today.

FAQs about restaurant business plans

​​1. what is a business plan for a restaurant.

A restaurant business plan is the blueprint that outlines your vision, and explains in detail how the new business will take shape and operate once its doors are open.

2. Is it profitable to open a restaurant?

Restaurants are profitable, but have lower profit margins compared to other industries, which should be factored into your restaurant business plan.

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Restaurant Business Plan: Step-by-Step Guide + examples

Dreaming of opening a 🍴 restaurant? Passion, creativity, and delicious food are key. But for long-term success, a business plan is essential too.

Maja Jankowska

Are you dreaming of owning your own restaurant? Picture the sizzle of a hot skillet, the laughter of satisfied guests, and the fulfillment of sharing your culinary creations with the world. But before you dive into this flavorful adventure, there’s a crucial ingredient you can’t overlook: a winning restaurant business plan.

What is a business plan for?

A business plan is a vital document for every restaurant owner. It provides a roadmap for success, helps secure funding, guides financial and operational decisions, mitigates risks, and facilitates effective communication. 

Just like any other business, a restaurant needs a well-crafted business plan to ensure its success and sustainability. Without a business plan, you risk operating in the dark, making decisions on a whim, and facing unexpected challenges that could have been avoided. 

Investing time and effort into creating a solid business plan sets your restaurant on the path to achieving your culinary dreams and exceeding customer expectations.

Create Restaurant’s Business Plan in these 9 steps:

✔️ 1. Start with an executive summary ✔️ 2. Describe your concept ✔️ 3. Conduct Market analysis ✔️ 4. Define your management and organization ✔️ 5. Give a sample “yummy”  Menu ✔️ 6. Create design and branding ✔️ 7. Provide a Location ✔️ 8. Establish Marketing plan ✔️ 9. Define Financial plan

1. Executive summary

The executive summary is like the appetizer of your restaurant business plan – it’s the first bite that leaves a lasting impression. Its purpose is to capture the essence of your entire plan and entice time-crunched reviewers, such as potential investors and lenders, to delve deeper into your vision. It’s worth noting that the executive summary should be the final section you write.

To craft a concise and captivating summary, it’s crucial to highlight key points, including your unique concept, target market, and financial projections. Additionally, bear in mind that the executive summary sets the tone for the rest of your plan, so it’s essential to make it irresistible and leave readers yearning for more.

When it comes to the executive summary of your restaurant business plan, brevity is key . You have only one page to capture the attention of readers, but don’t worry, it’s definitely doable. Here’s what your executive summary should include:

• Restaurant concept : What does your business do?
• Goals and vision : What does your business want to achieve?
• Restaurant differentiation : What makes your menu/concept different, and what sets you apart?
• Projected financial state : What revenue do you anticipate?
• The team : Who is involved in the business?

2. Describe your concept

In the world of restaurant business plans, there’s a section that holds immense importance. It’s the one that answers two fundamental questions: Who are you, and what do you plan to do?

This is the section where you fully introduce your company, and it deserves special attention. Share all the important details that paint a vivid picture of your unique business. Include the restaurant’s name, location, and contact information. Additionally, provide relevant details such as the chef’s background and what makes your restaurant stand out in the market.

Curious about concept creation? Watch our short video featuring a summary of an example restaurant concept below! 👇

Now is your opportunity to showcase your vision and establish a unique identity for your restaurant. Utilize this section to highlight what sets you apart and capture the reader’s imagination.

3. Market analysis

Market analysis helps you understand your potential customers, competition, and overall restaurant market trends. It’s like having a crystal ball to shape your restaurant’s success.

Target audience 

When it comes to your potential market, you want to know how many people are hungry for what you’re serving. Sounds exciting, right? To estimate this, you’ll gather data on your target customers, like their age group or preferences, and combine it with industry trends. It’s like finding the perfect recipe to satisfy their cravings.

Competition

Now, let’s tackle the competition. Every restaurant has rivals, even if they’re serving a unique dish. It’s crucial to identify direct or indirect competitors and understand what makes you stand out. Are you offering affordable prices, a one-of-a-kind experience, or catering to a specific niche? Highlight your “secret sauce” that sets you apart from the rest.

Market analysis for restaurant’s business plan

Market analysis also involves a SWOT analysis. Don’t let the jargon scare you. It simply means evaluating your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Think of it as a superhero assessment for your restaurant. Identify what you excel at, areas for improvement, potential market opportunities, and external factors that could impact your success.

Example of SWOT analysis for a restaurant

Remember, market analysis is like a compass guiding your restaurant’s journey. It helps you make informed decisions, attract investors, and stay ahead of the game. So, embrace the power of market analysis, and let it shape the destiny of your delicious dining destination.

4. Management and organization

Effective management and organization are critical for success in the restaurant sector. This section of your business plan introduces the talented individuals who will lead your restaurant to new heights.

Outline your legal structure, whether it’s an S corporation, limited partnership, or sole proprietorship, providing key information for stakeholders.

Showcase your management team using an organizational chart to highlight their roles, responsibilities, and contributions. Their expertise and guidance are crucial for seamless operations and exceptional customer experiences.

With a strong management team in place, your restaurant is poised for success. They are the driving force behind your journey to greatness. Let’s meet the key players who will make it happen!

Streamline your operations and optimize your financial performance With resOs , you can efficiently manage reservations, track inventory, analyze sales data, and streamline your overall workflow. Get your FREE plan

5. Sample “yummy” Menu 

In the restaurant industry, your menu plays a main role as the core product. Include a section in your business plan that highlights key details about your menu offerings to engage readers.

If you offer a diverse range of dishes, provide a brief overview of each category. Alternatively, if your menu focuses on specific specialties or signature dishes, provide more detailed descriptions for each item.

You can also mention any upcoming menu additions or unique culinary creations that will enhance profitability and attract customers.

6. Design and branding 

When it comes to starting a restaurant, don’t underestimate the power of design and branding. They’re the secret ingredients that can make your establishment truly stand out. Think about it – when customers walk through your front door, what do they see? The right design and branding can instantly captivate their attention and make them feel right at home.

So, take some time to envision the overall aesthetic and mood you want to create.

Do you imagine a cozy and rustic setting or a sleek and modern vibe?

Let your creativity shine through! Include captivating photos of similar restaurants that inspire you and give potential investors a glimpse of your vision.

And don’t forget about your logo! If you’ve already designed one, proudly showcase it in your business plan. It’s the visual representation of your restaurant’s personality and will help establish brand recognition.

resOS’ customizable interface for your booking system

Stand out in the competitive restaurant industry with resOS’ customizable booking management system . Personalize every aspect of the interface to reflect your restaurant’s unique brand identity. Seamlessly integrate your logo, colors, and visual elements, creating a cohesive and immersive experience for your guests. With resOS, you have the power to revolutionize your restaurant’s image and leave a lasting impression.

Details matter too! Share your plans for specific design elements , from the choice of furniture to the color palette that will adorn your space. The more you paint a vivid picture, the more investors and customers will be enticed by your unique ambiance.

7. Location

For a restaurant, location can make or break the business. Occasionally, a restaurant concept is so good that people go out of their way to find it. But, more realistically, your location needs to be convenient for your target market. If it’s hard for your customers to get to you, hard for them to park, and not something they notice as they drive by, they’re unlikely to check your restaurant out.

In your business plan, make sure to discuss the potential locations that you hope to occupy, assuming you haven’t already secured the location. Explain why the location is ideal for your target market and how the location will help attract customers.

Unlock the potential of your restaurant’s location and streamline reservations with resOS. Our platform offers seamless integration with Reserve With Google , allowing customers to easily discover and book tables directly from Google search results and maps. By enabling this feature, you’ll maximize your restaurant’s visibility and attract more diners with just a few clicks. Experience the power of location-based reservations with resOS .

Be sure to explain the complete costs of your location and what kinds of renovations will be necessary to open your restaurant.

8. Marketing plan

In today’s competitive restaurant industry, it’s important to showcase your marketing strategy to investors. They want to know how you’ll create buzz and keep it going before and after your grand opening.

Create a winning business plan with a strong marketing focus. Our Restaurant Business Plan Steps Graphic (👆 see above) is your visual guide, including key marketing strategies. Download or save for later and plan your path to success.

Whether you’ve enlisted a top-notch Marketing company or have a solid ready-to-go marketing plan, highlight your chosen path. Discuss the unique strengths of your selected agency and why they stand out, including their notable clients. Alternatively, showcase your in-house plan, leveraging social media, your website, and valuable media connections.

A well-crafted marketing plan holds the key to differentiating your restaurant and attracting customers. Prepare to tantalize taste buds and offer an exceptional dining experience. Stay in tune with the latest restaurant industry trends, leverage effective marketing tools, and optimize your online presence. 

Lastly, integrate a robust restaurant booking system to streamline reservations and enhance the overall customer experience. With these strategic elements in place, success is within your reach.

9. Financial Plan

Financial analysis is a crucial part of your restaurant’s business plan. It helps investors assess the profitability of your concept and whether it’s a worthwhile investment. In this section, you’ll outline how you plan to allocate your funds in the first year and provide projections for costs and revenues.

Here are the 🔑 key components to include:

Investment Plan: Explain the initial investment costs, such as kitchen equipment, furniture, employee wages, legal fees, marketing expenses, and working capital. This shows how you’ll use your funds effectively.

Profit and Loss Projection: Estimate your restaurant’s costs and sales figures in the profit and loss statement. Consider factors like the size of your establishment, your target market, and the existing competition in your chosen location.

Break-Even Analysis: Show investors the monthly revenue you need to achieve to cover all your expenses and reach profitability. This analysis considers overhead costs, operational expenses, and factors that may affect revenue fluctuations throughout the year.

Claim your FREE plan on resOS today! Ready to revolutionize your business management? Join resos.com for FREE and take control of your operations. ✅ Seamless calendar integration ✅ Customizable booking forms ✅ Automated reminders ✅ Real-time availability updates Don’t miss out! Sign up now at resos.com and experience stress-free scheduling. Your time is valuable, so claim your FREE plan today!

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Restaurant Business Plan: What To Include, Plus 8 Examples

• Business Growth & Management , Templates & Guides

Do you want to ensure the success of your new foodservice endeavor? Write a restaurant business plan.

In this article, the experts at Sling tell you why a business plan is vital for both new and existing businesses and give you tips on what to include.

Table Of Contents

What Is A Restaurant Business Plan?

Why is a restaurant business plan important, questions to ask first, what to include in an effective restaurant business plan, how to format a restaurant business plan, efficient workforce management is essential for success.

At its most basic, a restaurant business plan is a written document that describes your restaurant’s goals and the steps you will take to make those goals a reality.

This business plan also describes the nature of the business itself, financial projections, background information, and organizational strategies  that govern the day-to-day activity of your restaurant.

A restaurant business plan is vital for the success of your endeavor because, without one, it is very difficult — sometimes even impossible — to obtain funding from an investor or a bank.

Without that all-important starting or operational capital, you may not be able to keep your doors open for long, if at all.

Even if funding isn’t a primary concern, a business plan provides you — the business owner or manager — with clear direction on how to translate general strategies into actionable plans  for reaching your goals.

The plan can help solidify everything from the boots-on-the-ground functional strategy  to the mid-level business strategy  all the way up to the driving-force corporate strategy .

Think of this plan as a roadmap that guides your way when things are going smoothly and, more importantly, when they aren’t.

If you want to give your restaurant the best chance for success, start by writing a business plan.

Sitting down to write a restaurant business plan can be a daunting task.

As you’ll see in the What To Include In An Effective Restaurant Business Plan section below, you’ll need a lot of information and detail to ensure that the final document is both complete and effective.

Instead of starting with word one, it is hugely beneficial to answer a number of general questions first.

These questions will help you narrow down the information to include in your plan so the composition process feels less difficult.

The questions are:

• What problem does the business’s product or service solve?
• What niche will the business fill?
• What is the business’s solution to the problem?
• Who are the business’s customers?
• How will the business market and sell its products to them?
• What is the size of the market for this solution?
• What is the business model for the business?
• How will the business make money?
• Who are the competitors?
• How will the business maintain a competitive advantage?
• How does the business plan to manage growth?
• Who will run the business?
• What makes those individuals qualified to do so?
• What are the risks and threats confronting the business?
• What can you do to mitigate those risks and threats?
• What are the business’s capital and resource requirements?
• What are the business’s historical and projected financial statements?

Depending on your business, some of these questions may not apply or you may not have applicable answers.

Nevertheless, it helps to think about, and try to provide details for, the whole list so your finished restaurant business plan is as complete as possible.

Once you’ve answered the questions for your business, you can transfer a large portion of that information to the business plan itself.

We’ll discuss exactly what to include in the next section.

In this section, we’ll show you what to include in an effective restaurant business plan and provide a brief example of each component.

1) Executive Summary

You should always start any business plan with an executive summary. This gives the reader a brief introduction into common elements, such as:

• Mission statement
• Overhead costs
• Labor costs
• Return on investment (ROI)

This portion of your plan should pique the reader’s interest and make them want to read more.

Fanty & Mingo’s is a 50-seat fine-dining restaurant that will focus on Sweruvian (Swedish/Peruvian) fusion fare.

We will keep overhead and labor costs low thanks to simple but elegant decor , highly skilled food-prep staff, and well-trained servers.

Because of the location and surrounding booming economy, we estimate ROI at 20 percent per annum.

2) Mission Statement

A mission statement is a short description of what your business does for its customers, employees, and owners.

This is in contrast to your business’s vision statement which is a declaration of objectives that guide internal decision-making.

While the two are closely related and can be hard to distinguish, it often helps to think in terms of who, what, why, and where.

The vision statement is the where of your business — where you want your business to be and where you want your customers and community to be as a result.

The mission statement is the who , what , and why of your business — it’s an action plan that makes the vision statement a reality

Here’s an example of a mission statement for our fictional company:

Fanty and Mingo’s takes pride in making the best Sweruvian food, providing fast, friendly, and accurate service. It is our goal to be the employer of choice and offer team members opportunities for growth, advancement, and a rewarding career in a fun and safe working environment.

3) Company Description

In this section of your restaurant business plan, you fully introduce your company to the reader. Every business’s company description will be different and include its own pertinent information.

Useful details to include are:

• Owner’s details
• Brief description of their experience
• Legal standing
• Short-term goals
• Long-term goals
• Brief market study
• An understanding of the trends in your niche
• Why your business will succeed in these market conditions

Again, you don’t have to include all of this information in your company description. Choose the ones that are most relevant to your business and make the most sense to communicate to your readers.

Fanty & Mingo’s will start out as an LLC, owned and operated by founders Malcolm Reynolds and Zoe Washburne. Mr. Reynolds will serve as managing partner and Ms. Washburne as general manager.

We will combine atmosphere, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and menu variety to create a unique experience for our diners and to reach our goal of high value in the fusion food niche.

Our gross margin is higher than industry average, but we plan to spend more on payroll to attract the best team.

We estimate moderate growth for the first two years while word-of-mouth about our restaurant spreads through the area.

4) Market Analysis

A market analysis is a combination of three different views of the niche you want to enter:

• The industry  as a whole
• The competition your restaurant will face
• The marketing  you’ll execute to bring in customers

This section should be a brief introduction to these concepts. You can expand on them in other sections of your restaurant business plan.

The restaurant industry in our chosen location is wide open thanks in large part to the revitalization of the city’s center.

A few restaurants have already staked their claim there, but most are bars and non-family-friendly offerings.

Fanty & Mingo’s will focus on both tourist and local restaurant clientele. We want to bring in people that have a desire for delicious food and an exotic atmosphere.

We break down our market into five distinct categories:

• High-end singles
• Businessmen and businesswomen

We will target those markets to grow our restaurant  by up to 17 percent per year.

Every restaurant needs a good menu, and this is the section within your restaurant business plan that you describe the food you’ll serve in as much detail as possible.

You may not have your menu design complete, but you’ll likely have at least a handful of dishes that serve as the foundation of your offerings.

It’s also essential to discuss pricing and how it reflects your overall goals and operating model. This will give potential investors and partners a better understanding of your business’s target price point and profit strategy.

We don’t have room to describe a sample menu in this article, but for more information on menu engineering, menu pricing, and even a menu template, check out these helpful articles from the Sling blog:

• Menu Engineering: What It Is And How It Can Increase Profits
• Restaurant Menu Pricing: 7 Tips To Maximize Profitability
• How To Design Your Menu | Free Restaurant Menu Template

6) Location

In this section, describe your potential location (or locations) so that you and your investors have a clear image of what the restaurant will look like.

Include plenty of information about the location — square footage, floor plan , design , demographics of the area, parking, etc. — to make it feel as real as possible.

We will locate Fanty & Mingo’s in the booming and rapidly expanding downtown sector of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Ideally, we will secure at least 2,000 square feet of space with a large, open-plan dining room and rich color scheme near the newly built baseball stadium to capitalize on the pre- and post-game traffic and to appeal to the young urban professionals that live in the area.

Parking will be available along side streets and in the 1,000-vehicle parking garage two blocks away.

7) Marketing

The marketing section of your restaurant business plan is where you should elaborate on the information you introduced in the Market Analysis section.

Go into detail about the plans you have to introduce your restaurant to the public and keep it at the top of their mind.

Fanty & Mingo’s will employ three distinct marketing tactics to increase and maintain customer awareness:

• Word-of-mouth/in-restaurant marketing
• Partnering with other local businesses
• Media exposure

We will direct each tactic at a different segment of our potential clientele in order to maximize coverage.

In the process of marketing to our target audience, we will endeavor to harness the reach of direct mail and broadcast media, the exclusivity of the VIP party, and the elegance of a highly trained sommelier and wait staff.

8) Financials

Even though the Financials section is further down in your restaurant business plan, it is one of the most important components for securing investors and bank funding.

We recommend hiring a trained accountant  to help you prepare this section so that it will be as accurate and informative as possible.

Fanty & Mingo’s needs $250,000 of capital investment over the next year and a half for the following:

• Renovations to leased space
• Dining room furniture
• Kitchen and food-prep equipment
• Liquor license

Projected profit and loss won’t jump drastically in the first year, but, over time, Fanty & Mingo’s will develop its reputation and client base. This will lead to more rapid growth toward the third and fourth years of business.

Most entrepreneurs starting a new business find it valuable to have multiple formats of their business plan.

The information, data, and details remain the same, but the length and how you present them will change to fit a specific set of circumstances.

Below we discuss the four most common business plan formats to cover a multitude of potential situations.

Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a short summary of your restaurant business plan’s executive summary.

Rather than being packed full of details, the elevator pitch is a quick teaser of sorts that you use on a short elevator ride (hence the name) to stimulate interest in potential customers, partners, and investors

As such, an effective elevator pitch is between 30 and 60 seconds and hits the high points of your restaurant business plan.

A pitch deck is a slide show and oral presentation that is designed to stimulate discussion and motivate interested parties to investigate deeper into your stakeholder plan (more on that below).

Most pitch decks are designed to cover the executive summary and include key graphs that illustrate market trends and benchmarks you used (and will use) to make decisions about your business.

Some entrepreneurs even include time and space in their pitch deck to demonstrate new products coming down the pipeline.

This won’t necessarily apply to a restaurant business plan, but, if logistics permit, you could distribute small samples of your current fare or tasting portions of new dishes you’re developing.

Stakeholder Plan (External)

A stakeholder plan is the standard written presentation that business owners use to describe the details of their business model to customers, partners, and potential investors.

The stakeholder plan can be as long as is necessary to communicate the current and future state of your business, but it must be well-written, well-formatted, and targeted at those looking at your business from the outside in.

Think of your stakeholder plan as a tool to convince others that they should get involved in making your business a reality. Write it in such a way that readers will want to partner with you to help your business grow.

Management Plan (Internal)

A management plan is a form of your restaurant business plan that describes the details that the owners and managers need to make the business run smoothly.

While the stakeholder plan is an external document, the management plan is an internal document.

Most of the details in the management plan will be of little or no interest to external stakeholders so you can write it with a higher degree of candor and informality.

After you’ve created your restaurant business plan, it’s time to take steps to make it a reality.

One of the biggest challenges in ensuring that your business runs smoothly and successfully is managing  and optimizing  your team. The Sling  app can help.

Sling not only includes powerful and intuitive artificial-intelligence-based scheduling tools but also many other features to help make your workforce management more efficient, including:

• Time and attendance tracking
• Built-in time clock
• Labor cost  optimization
• Data analysis and reporting
• Messaging and communication
• And much more…

With Sling, you can schedule faster, communicate better, and organize and manage your work from a single, integrated platform. And when you use Sling for all of your scheduling  needs, you’ll have more time to focus on bringing your restaurant business plan to life.

For more free resources to help you manage your business better, organize and schedule your team, and track and calculate labor costs, visit GetSling.com  today.

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This content is for informational purposes and is not intended as legal, tax, HR, or any other professional advice. Please contact an attorney or other professional for specific advice.

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How to write a restaurant business plan

By Andrea Nazarian

If you’re thinking about starting an eatery, the first big step is making a restaurant business plan. A good plan helps you get funding for your restaurant, helps you run things smoothly, and sets you up for success. 

Many who start restaurants don’t make a detailed business plan because it can be time consuming. But without a solid restaurant plan, it can be like trying to hit a target without knowing where to aim.

It’s also hard to get investors interested in your restaurant if you don’t have a proper plan. And even if you do find someone, not having the right plans, rules, and predictions can make your restaurant fail.

In this post, we’ll give you a breakdown of the different components of a solid restaurant business plan, giving you the tools you need to do well in the food industry.

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1. Executive summary

An executive summary is like the teaser trailer for a movie—it grabs attention and gives a quick peek into what’s coming.The restaurant business plan is the part that sums up everything in a nutshell. 

It’s like telling a friend about your restaurant idea in just a few sentences. 

That’s what the executive summary does for your plan. It introduces the main information people need to know: your mission (what you’re all about), the concept you’re cooking up, how you’ll make it happen, a sneak peek at costs, and the expected money you could make. 

This summary is very important because it’s the first thing investors see. 

It’s like a “Why should you care?” note that convinces investors your plan is worth reading. So, it’s a tiny powerhouse that can make or break the impression of your whole restaurant business plan.

2. Company description

This section of your restaurant business plan is where you give a full introduction to your company. Begin with your restaurant’s name and location, including contacts and important details. Add your key contact info and briefly talk about your experience.

The next part of your description should focus on the restaurant’s legal status and lay out short-term and long-term goals. Offer a quick market study to show your grasp of local food industry trends and explain why your restaurant will thrive in this market.

3. Financial analysis 

Having a solid financial plan is crucial when creating a restaurant business plan. It’s like having a roadmap for your restaurant’s financial success. 

To make this plan, it’s smart to hire an experienced accountant who knows a lot about running restaurants. This accountant should understand important restaurant details, like how many seats your place will have, how much customers might spend on average, and how many people you plan to serve each day.

This information is important because it helps you figure out if your restaurant idea can generate enough money to cover costs and bring in profits. It also helps you plan a create a budget and plan costs for your establishment. 

Profit and loss statement

Your accountant should make a “profit and loss” statement that predicts how much money you might make and spend in the first few years. They’ll also figure out when your restaurant might start making enough money to cover all its costs – that’s called the “break-even” point. 

Plus, they’ll help you plan how much money you’ll need to start and run the restaurant.

Remember, having a strong financial plan is vital. It shows investors that you’ve thought about money carefully and helps you understand the real costs of owning a restaurant. 

4. Market overview

The market overview section of your business plan connects closely with the market analysis in the restaurant business plan, which we’ll cover in the following section. 

Your market overview should explore the present economic situation that might affect your restaurant, and explain your strategies to overcome them. 

Things like location, menu, competition, marketing, and service quality can directly affect your restaurant’s success. On the broader scale, economic conditions, inflation, consumer confidence, government regulations, and cultural trends in the whole economy can also have an impact.

Make sure your market overview covers as many of these influencing factors as possible.

5. Market analysis 

The market analysis section of your restaurant business plan should be split into three parts: industry analysis, competition analysis and marketing analysis.

Industry analysis

Your industry analysis should answer the following questions. Who are you aiming to attract? What are the characteristics of the people your restaurant will serve? 

This section explains to investors who your intended customers are and why they might choose your restaurant over others.

Competition analysis

It’s simple to think everyone will come to your restaurant, but making it a reality means looking at your competitors. Which restaurants already have a following in your desired location? 

Note things like their prices, hours, menu style, and how their place looks. Then, make sure this section explains to investors what makes your restaurant different from your competition.

Marketing analysis

Investors will want to know how you’ll get the word out about your restaurant. How will your marketing stand out from others? How will you attract your target customers? What special deals will you offer? It’s all essentially a marketing plan . 

Breaking down the market analysis like this helps investors understand how you plan on promoting your restaurant and helps you figure out how to shine in a crowded restaurant market.

The menu is crucial for your restaurant’s launch; it’s the key product you offer. While a final version may not be ready, having a mock-up is important for your restaurant business plan.

Keep it simple. Include a select few items, as too many choices can confuse customers. Make sure to highlight any special “signature” dishes at the top of the list to give customers an idea of your cuisine. 

Add your logo and choose a design that fits your style. If designing is a challenge, online resources can help. 

Including pricing in your sample menu is also essential.  Your prices should mirror the financial analysis, showing your target price range. Menu engineering matters and can help you increase profits over time. 

7. Location

Selecting your restaurant’s location should match your intended customers. While an exact spot might not be certain, you should have a few options in mind.

When explaining potential locations to investors, provide detailed info about each and explain why it’s ideal for your restaurant. Cover aspects like size and the usual customer profiles.

Your chosen restaurant location should align with your target customers. Though a precise spot might not be locked in, you should have a few possibilities.

When discussing potential locations with investors, furnish ample details for each and clarify why it suits your restaurant. Highlight square footage and the typical customer base.

8. External tools 

To bring your restaurant dream to life, you’ll need external support. Jot down the names of professionals you’ll use, like accountants and designers. Include software tools you’ll use such as POS systems and reservation systems. 

These aids improve your restaurant’s functionality. Clarify to investors the importance of each and their contributions to your venture.

Homebase is an employee management software for restaurants. From smart scheduling, time clocks, payroll management, Homebase is built for full-service restaurants. Use Homebase for free employee scheduling, timesheets, and much more at your restaurant.

In your restaurant business plan’s company description, owners get a quick intro with some details. Your Team section should expand on the restaurant management crew, a key part of your workforce .

Investors understand you might not have the entire team finalized yet, but having a few members is a good start. Use the current talent to highlight the combined work experiences they bring.

10. Restaurant design

In this restaurant design section, you have the chance to impress investors with your ideas. If you lack professional mock-ups, that’s alright. Instead, craft a mood board to convey your vision. Gather images that match your restaurant’s intended vibe.

Remember, restaurant design goes beyond appearances. It encompasses elements like software systems and kitchen equipment.

How to format your restaurant business plan

When working on your restaurant business plan, having different formats to present to different groups can be beneficial. The information needs to remain consistent, but the length and presentation can be adapted to fit different situations. 

Here, we’ll cover the four common business plan formats to suit various scenarios.

Elevator pitch

An elevator pitch offers a brief summary of your business plan’s executive summary. Instead of diving into details, it’s a quick teaser used to spark interest during short encounters. It should last around 30 to 60 seconds, highlighting key points.

A pitch deck involves a slideshow and spoken presentation to encourage discussion and further exploration of your plan. It typically covers the executive summary, using graphs to illustrate market trends and benchmarks. 

Some people add sections for upcoming products or samples, but this might not apply to a restaurant plan.

Stakeholder plan (external)

This written presentation details your business model for customers, partners, and potential investors. It can vary in length but should be well-written and focused on an external audience. 

Use it to persuade others to engage with your business.

Management plan (Internal):

The management plan outlines operational details for smooth business functioning. Unlike the stakeholder plan, this is for internal use. It includes specifics for owners and managers, written with candor and informality as external stakeholders are less interested.

Conclusion: Crafting Your Restaurant Business Plan for Success

Starting a restaurant is an exciting journey, but without a well-structured restaurant business plan, it’s like setting sail without a map. 

Your restaurant plan is your guiding light – it helps you secure funds, manage operations, and pave the way for triumph. 

While creating a solid plan may seem daunting, don’t be discouraged. Follow the instructions outlined in this post and see the immense benefits making a plan will bring.

FAQs about Restaurant Business Plans

Why do i need a restaurant business plan.

A restaurant business plan is essential because it helps you secure funding, run your restaurant smoothly, and increases your chances of success. Without it, starting a restaurant can be like trying to hit a target in the dark – you won’t know where to aim.

What’s the most important part of a restaurant business plan?

The executive summary is the most critical part. It’s like a teaser trailer for a movie, grabbing investors’ attention and giving them a quick overview of your restaurant idea, mission, concept, costs, and potential earnings. It’s your chance to convince them that your plan is worth reading.

How do I analyze the financial aspects of my restaurant in the plan?

You’ll need a solid financial plan, which includes a profit and loss statement. It’s like a roadmap for your restaurant’s financial success. To create this plan, consider hiring an experienced accountant who understands restaurant details like seating capacity, average customer spending, and daily customer volume. 

This information helps you determine if your restaurant can cover costs and make a profit.

Why is market analysis important in a restaurant business plan?

Market analysis is crucial because it helps you understand your target customers, competitors, and marketing strategies. It answers questions like who your customers are, what makes your restaurant unique, and how you plan to attract them. This analysis is key to standing out in a competitive restaurant market.

How should I present my restaurant management team in the plan?

In the team section, introduce your restaurant management crew. Even if you haven’t finalized your entire team, highlighting the work experiences of current members is a good start. Investors want to see that you have capable hands steering the ship.

Remember:  This is not legal advice. If you have questions about your particular situation, please consult a lawyer, CPA, or other appropriate professional advisor or agency.

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• Restaurant Business Plan

BUSINESS PLAN     BUTCHER HOLLOW BAR BQ

1020 Allen Ave. St. Louis, Missouri 63104

The proprietors of this new restaurant plan to take advantage of their market research, which indicates there is a great interest and very little competition in a specific area of St. Louis for a barbecue restaurant.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• THE COMPANY—PRESENT SITUATION

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Market analysis—customers, competition, marketing strategy—advertising, promotion & public relations.

• PRICING & PROFITABILITY

SUMMARY & USE OF FUNDING

Financial projections.

Butcher Hollow Bar BQ will be an eat-in, carry-out restaurant, specializing in evening and weekend leisure dining. St. Louis is recognized as one of the prime barbecue markets in the country. The Soulard neighborhood, future home of Butcher Hollow, is known as one of our area's most popular and successful nightlife hubs.

What makes Butcher Hollow Bar BQ special as a business proposition? New restaurant openings are known to be risky. What have we done to neutralize these risks and assure success?

First, we have identified an unfulfilled market for our exceptional product. Careful research has demonstrated a 66% positive response by a representative sampling of our primary and secondary geographical markets. We have learned that people living in Soulard and Lafayette Square, or within reasonable driving distance, would patronize a good eat-in or carry-out Bar BQ restaurant in Soulard if one were available. Further research of the population demographics of this area reveals a lifestyle most conducive to eating out often, as frequently as three times per week.

Management has also identified a very viable commuting market that frequents the Soulard area, availing themselves of the many attractive restaurants, bars, and bistros. These customers travel there from downtown employment, stadium events, and other entertainment centers such as Union Station, Laclede's Landing, and Kiel Auditorium. Many look forward to a stop in historic Soulard. Butcher Hollow Bar BQ will be a welcome addition to this ambiance, offering to the area a delectable barbecue fare not currently available.

Many thousands of people also work in an near the Soulard area and often unwind after work at one of the many bistros. Butcher Hollow intends to be part and parcel of this scene, offering superb Bar BQ, frosted steins of beer, along with convenient carry-out. Relaxed patio dining is also planned for use during pleasant weather.

Tom and Helen Carter bring both experience and formal training to the food service field. Tom operated the successful Tom's Cafeteria in the garment district for some eight years. Both he and Helen have a wealth of experience in food service and hospitality management.

Butcher Hollow Bar BQ also has a sound marketing plan directed at our three identified markets. Viable market, good promotion, and an excellent product, backed up by sound and experienced management will go a long way to assuring success of the business venture.

Our anticipated capitalization consists of a budget of $45,000, including $15,000 owner's equity along with $30,000 borrowed capital. Owner's equity derives from joint savings of Mr. and Mrs. Carter.

The operating plan provides for proprietor withdrawals of $1,000 per month for the first 12 months of operation. Mrs. Carter will continue her employment as Assistant Front Desk Manager at the Crest Downtown Hotel.

Careful and conservative projections anticipate a first year net of $12,000 on sales of $113,000. It should be noted that the first year P/L reflects certain initial sales promotional activities that, while burdensome during that period, are expected to yield long-term results.

Our second year projected profit is $30,500 on sales of $146,000 yielding a 38.1% return on investment.

THE COMPANY— PRESENT SITUATION

Butcher Hollow Bar BQ, a proprietorship, will be a husband and wife operated business. Both Tom and Helen Carter will bring with them experience in food service and related hospitality fields. The concept of Butcher Hollow Bar BQ is to offer a limited but highly popular menu, aimed at a clearly defined market. It is expected that at least 50% of the business will be carryout. An outside beer garden facility is also planned for nice weather. Barbecue will, of course, be prominent, but other dishes known to have great appeal in the area will also be featured.

The business will be situated in the Soulard neighborhood. This is a high profile rehabbed community with a high concentration of residential units occupied by young professionals as well as established neighborhood blue-collar workers. The Soulard neighborhood is well known for its social scene consisting of many small bars, restaurants, and bistros. The focal point is Soulard Market, an open-air produce market some 200 years old and a national historic landmark. Many people are attracted to the area for its ambiance, and its establishments cater not only to neighborhood people but to customers commuting to suburbia from downtown employment and stadium events.

Mr. and Mrs. Carter's start-up capital consists of $15,000 derived from savings. Mrs. Carter will continue her present employment as assistant front desk manager at the Crest Downtown Hotel, and will work weekends at Butcher Hollow. Mr. Carter will be employed full-time from start-up and has resigned his job as food and beverage manager of Holiday Inn Southtown.

Butcher Hollow Bar BQ will originally target the leisure and recreational dining market. This will heavily emphasize Friday, Saturday, and Sunday business. For the first 12-month period, it is expected that the business will remain closed on Monday, opening from 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM Tuesday through Thursday, 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM Friday and Saturday, and 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM on Sunday. In addition to the local trade, these hours allow us to capture the afterwork commuter as well as those stopping off after the ballgame for barbecue and a beer.

Fridays present a special market. In addition to the normal influx of Friday evening business, Butcher Hollow will be catering to the known habit of working people to treat themselves special for lunch on Friday. Featured dishes will be the soon-to-be-famous Butcher Hollow Bar BQ or the special Jack salmon and spaghetti platter available only on Friday. The latter is known to be very popular for lunch or dinner in South St. Louis, and along with the Butcher Hollow special sauces, can attract a great deal of business.

Saturdays and Sundays, both afternoons and evenings, present great opportunities for the leisure dining trade, and our menu and carry-out promotions will be designed to maximize these opportunities.

The Soulard area also is known as a great business lunch community. While barbecue is not a good lead item for business lunch, other speciality items can be added at a future time when the lunch trade is targeted. Initially, we do not intend to compete for lunch business except on Friday when most Soulard restaurants are hopelessly overloaded. A special luncheon menu is presently being refined for possible inclusion with an expansion of hours during our second year.

Tom Carter will head the husband and wife team of Tom and Helen Carter, as he devotes fulltime to the planning, installation, and start-up of Butcher Hollow Bar BQ. Tom, 43, holds an Associate Degree in Food Service Management from Forest Park Junior College. Upon graduation, he entered his chosen field as assistant chef at Bevo Mill under the original management of Chef Ulrich. He stayed at Bevo for 8 years, gaining experience in all phases of experience in food preparation and kitchen management. When Bevo Mill closed in 1975, Mr. Carter, using a small inheritance coupled with an SBA loan, acquired an existing cafeteria in the St. Louis garment district. He renamed the operation Tom's Cafeteria and operated it for 8 years until 1983. Tom's Cafeteria specialized in breakfast and lunch for workers in the garment and shoe trade along Washington Avenue just west of downtown St. Louis. Mr. Carter was hands-on in all phases of the business management. This business prospered and he was able to retire the SBA loan in the allotted five-year period. However, due to a decline in the garment and shoe business in the immediate area, the building in which Tom's Cafeteria was located closed down, and Tom lost his lease. Because of the decline in the area, he did not seek to relocate but obtained employment as assistant food and beverage manager at the Holiday Inn Southtown. The close-down of Tom's Cafeteria was orderly and all debt was retired as agreed.

After eighteen months at Holiday Inn Southtown, Tom was promoted to manager of food and beverage, a position he held until he recently resigned to devote full-time to Butcher Hollow Bar BQ.

Helen Carter, 38, also has extensive experience in food service and hospitality fields. As a young person, she started working in fast-food operations, and while attending the University of Denver, School of Hotel and Restaurant Management, she worked in a variety of food and beverage service capacities, usually as waitress or hostess, and on one occasion for about a year in food preparation. Circumstances did not permit her to obtain her degree, and she returned to St. Louis. She obtained employment at the Crest Downtown Hotel and is presently assistant front desk manager.

Tom and Helen Carter have been married for 14 years. Tom is working full-time to start up Butcher Hollow Bar BQ. Helen is assisting in her off-duty hours and will work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday upon opening. This will not conflict with her present employment, and she intends to continue on at Crest Downtown until Butcher Hollow Bar BQ has reached the point of requiring and being able to support her full-time services.

Barbecue is, of course, the lead item at Butcher Hollow Bar BQ. The Butcher Hollow Bar BQ comes as the result of many years of experimenting and refining different recipes and techniques. The sauce is a special recipe that has been lovingly developed by the proprietors and tested hundreds of times on willing guests, both at home and at food establishments where the Carters have presided. The technique itself is also special, calling for extra effort, but yielding terrific results. The Butcher Hollow Bar BQ people know how to put out production volume without losing any of the delightful, delectable texture and tastes that will bring the customers back time and again.

Our plan calls for opening with a fairly limited menu, featuring barbecue ribs, barbecue pork steaks and barbecue chicken halves. Also offered will be Jack Salmon (Whiting) with spaghetti. These will be available as plates, which will include entree and two side dishes, or as sandwiches. The Jack Salmon will be offered with our delicious barbecue sauce on the side.

Another speciality of wide appeal will be our meatball and spaghetti platter, served with a knockout garlic cheese bread. All of our sauces are homemade—the spaghetti sauce a private Old World recipe, and the meat balls, our own sensational mix of meat and spices.

Another offering will be a side dish of golden parmesan potatoes, a delicious accompaniment to barbecue that has received many raves. Some people like to make a meal of them by themselves. We also have special recipes for potato salad and slaw. Our intent is to bring as much effort and expertise to our side dishes and sauces as we do our entrees. This will make the food at Butcher Hollow Bar BQ extra special and keep the customers coming back for more. Nothing mundane or ordinary will be served.

We also have a nice array of entrees that we are holding in reserve, or that we may feature as weekly specials, one at a time. These recipes come from a special private collection that have been refined over many years by the Carters.

The Setting

Butcher Hollow Bar BQ will not be served in an ostentatious setting. The Soulard neighborhood lends itself to nice, storefront cafes, and in this type of setting, barbecue can be best enjoyed. Checkered tablecloths and pitchers of beer set the scene for good times, good food, and enjoyable surroundings. A bricked patio with picnic tables and yellow lights permit a beer garden annex in pleasant weather and, of course, carry-out customers are made especially welcome in a comfortable alcove. We expect a significant part of our business to be carry-out because barbecue is traditionally eaten at home.

Soft drinks, wine coolers, and draft beer are the beverages of choice at Butcher Hollow. We anticipate eight tables for four, four tables for two, four booths accommodating four to six, and two tables for six, for total seating of eighty-four.

The name Butcher Hollow is intended to conjure up a relaxed, rustic mood, nothing fancy, and not associated with a specific theme. Our decor will generally be mixed and matched chairs and furnishings with a goodly amount of Americana thrown in. Much of this will be derived from the near-antique collectables that the Carters have been accumulating over the years in anticipation of this type of establishment.

Butcher Hollow Bar BQ has identified four distinct target markets which will comprise our customers. They consist of:

• Primary residential population of the Soulard and Lafayette Square neighborhoods.
• Secondary residential population of the Near South Side and South St. Louis proper sections.
• Commuting population that works downtown and travels through Soulard, often stopping for a refreshment on the way home. Accesses to highways 40, 44, and 55 are found in our immediate area and lend themselves for easy access. Additionally, spin-off crowds from stadium events and Kiel Auditorium also are markets that will avail themselves of post game or post concert recreational dining or carry-out. The planned new arena and downtown football stadium complex can only add to the customer mix. The near proximity of Union Station and Laclede's Landing also provide traffic through our area, which we intend to entice with our delectable Butcher Hollow Bar BQ.
• Another market is the working population of the Near Southside, which offer great opportunities for Friday lunch and after-work gatherings. Anheuser-Busch, Monsanto Chemical, and Ralston Purina are three of many large employers having upscale workers with disposable income for leisure activities.

Market Survey

To obtain consumer feedback for our idea, a telemarketing survey was instituted in the fall of 1995 for the purpose of polling the primary and secondary residential population to learn their reaction to an eat-in and carry-out barbecue-style restaurant. Twelve hundred complete conversations were conducted by telephone in the zip codes of 63104, 63118, 63110, and 63116. Among the key questions asked were: If there were a good barbecue restaurant in the Soulard neighborhood, would you patronize it either for eat-in or carry-out? Sixty-six percent responded affirmatively, and their answers were further tabulated as follows:

22% once a month or more frequently 56% every couple of months 12% a couple times per year 10% about once a year

About 75% indicated a preference for carry-out.

Profile of Customer Base

The demographics of the four zip codes comprising the residential population of our primary geographic target market reveal characteristics very supportive of a viable customer base for Butcher Hollow Bar BQ. Our primary area consists of some 52,500 households, with a median adult age of 42 years. Approximately 22% have incomes of over $50,000, with 36% having income of $30,000 to $49,000. Statistics published in the July 1995 edition of Eating Out , a leading trade journal, reveal that families with median incomes of over $30,000 and median ages over 40 eat out two to three time per week, among the highest in any category.

With approximately 50% of our primary residential target market falling within this profile, and coupled with the response to our in-house survey revealing 66% of those surveyed indicating a predisposition to patronize a good barbecue-style eat-in or carry-out restaurant, we feel that we have identified a location that is most amenable to the product that we will be providing.

Additionally, 25% of our business is expected to come from persons commuting from downtown employment, shopping, cultural and sports activities. While en route their residences in South County and West County, many people often stop in Soulard and the adjoining neighborhood of Lafayette Square to partake of the local amenities.

Another 25% is expected to come from people employed in the immediate area but living elsewhere. Some of the larger employers are:

Many workers from these firms are known to frequent the establishments of Soulard after working hours, with Fridays being a high point in the week.

St. Louis is known as one of the major barbecue consuming areas of the country. Indeed, we lead the nation in the per capita consumption of prepackaged barbecue sauce sold at the retail level. Barbecue restaurants have traditionally been very popular in St. Louis as well. Two of the most popular are situated in the Affton area, just outside of what we consider our secondary market.

One of these restaurants, Phil's Bar BQ, is a second-generation establishment, tracing its roots back to North St. Louis with some fifty years of continuous operation. Roscoe McCrary reigns supreme in North St. Louis, a distinct market in itself, with Mr. McCrary's Bar BQ being both well known and highly sought by consumers from all over the metro region. McCrary's Bar BQ is often preferred fare in the post game St. Louis Cardinals clubhouse and is widely regarded as being among the best.

Suburban St. Louis County has become home for several very popular barbecue restaurants. Charlotte's Rib attracts a large following in the Ballwin/Manchester area and Damons for Ribs, a national chain, has recently opened a second location to complement its Crestwood restaurant.

KC Masterpiece Bar BQ has expanded its sphere of influence all the way from Kansas City to our own West County suburbs. Reports are that the initial store is doing excellent business with customers waiting on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Without a doubt, barbecue is popular in St. Louis. But, until the arrival of Butcher Hollow Bar BQ, South St. Louis and the Near South Side have had no convenient purveyor.

The closest place is a church-sponsored barbecue carry-out operation of long standing in the six hundred block of South Broadway that is open 24 hours a day, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only, and does a land-office business, although offering no amenities.

During the annual Mardi Gras Festival and the St. Patrick Day celebrations, many of the restaurants and bars of Soulard erect temporary barbecue pits to cater to the heavy foot traffic. It is easy to observe that these are among the most popular stops with the celebrants. Often people congregate 3 and 4 deep around the stands, clamoring for service, as the delectable smoke and fragrance waft into the surrounding air. Butcher Hollow Bar BQ feels there is a demonstrated need for a good barbecue eat-in or carry-out restaurant in Soulard, and we intend to fill that need.

Opening a new food establishment is often seen as one of the more risky business ventures because of the known high rate of failure of new restaurants. The proprietors of Butcher Hollow Bar BQ feel that we have effectively minimized these risks by careful market research and by bringing considerable food service management and entrepreneurial experience to the project.

Tom and Helen Carter are well-trained both by formal education and by many years of experience in restaurant service and management. Additionally, Mr. Carter was owneroperator of a successful restaurant for eight years in St. Louis during which he retired a $25,000 SBA loan in a timely fashion.

As this Business Plan will reflect, careful planning and preparation have gone into the concept and the execution of this plan. Positive consumer reaction, favorable demographics, and strategic location combine to assure Butcher Hollow Bar BQ a viable market.

Another risk that is effectively minimized is that of surviving what is sometimes known as the starvation period for many start-up businesses; i.e., the first six months to a year while customers become aware of your establishment. While the Business Plan calls for a proprietor's draw of $1,000 per month, this is of course contingent upon conditions. With Mrs. Carter maintaining her present position of employment and both she and Mr. Carter working at Butcher Hollow, the new business can operate with a minimum of payroll load, thus minimizing a significant cost factor for all new businesses. As she continues working at the Crest Downtown Hotel, the household living expenses can be met by her salary.

Traditional casualty risks will be covered by Business Owners' insurance, ample to cover all assets and with a $500,000 public and product liability umbrella.

Butcher Hollow Bar BQ has a three-pronged marketing strategy aimed at our three identified target markets.

As we expect 50% of our business to come from the residential population of our primary and secondary areas, we will be promoting Introductory Specials through ads in two heavily circulated community newspapers, the South St. Louis Journal and the Riverfront Times . The Journal will feature primarily family carry-out oriented ads, with coupons worth $1 off or a free 24 oz. soft drink, or similar promotions. The Riverfront Times , which has saturation distribution throughout the area, primarily in food and beverage establishments, is widely read by the young, upwardly mobile professional person, a consumer category recognized for their prominent discretionary and leisure spending habits.

The commuting traffic will be targeted with a billboard advertisement strategically positioned to capture the attention of southbound vehicles leaving downtown employment, stadium, and entertainment events. The cost of this advertisement is budgeted for $9,000 for the first 6 months and is intended to prime the pump and attract first-time customers. It is an investment in the future and is not expected to be immediately cost effective, but will pay-off for the long haul as we attract and keep customers.

Our third target group is the local employee population who we intend to attract for Friday lunch and after-work eat-in or carry-out business. For the lunch trade, we intend to initiate mailings to the various firms throughout the area.

The mailings will include menus and our fax number to make use of the proliferation of office fax machines to place lunch orders. For the larger companies, we will obtain lists of departments to facilitate these mailings reaching the workers that want to order. We also will make use of occasional Comp Cards, which are complimentary lunches when used with an order exceeding a set dollar amount. With each carry-out lunch, we will include a flyer touting Butcher Hollow Bar BQ as a great stop after work for barbecue and beer or for our splendid carry-out offerings.

The Carters intend to be members and participants in the Soulard Merchants Association, which is a group of about fifty local businesses, most of whom are in food and beverage service. The area is promoted twice each year, once with a giant Mardi Gras parade and festival and then at St. Patrick's Day. Butcher Hollow Bar BQ intends to maintain a high profile during both festivities and become a well established and popular addition to the Soulard scene.

PRICE & PROFITABILITY

The price formula to be employed at Butcher Hollow Bar BQ will be based on a food cost of 30% for most food items with a 25% food cost for soft drinks and 50% for beer and wine coolers. Retail prices are across the board, carry-out or eat-in, with the paper cost of carry-out being offset by the savings in service inherent to take-out food.

The pinnacle attraction at Butcher Hollow BQ is the full slab rib platter, priced at $13.00 and including two side dishes and bread. Many people will order half slabs at $7.50 per plate or $5.50 per sandwich. Our other entrees, Half Chickens, Pork Steaks, and Jack Salmon are priced at $7.50 per platter and $5.50 per sandwich accordingly. Meatballs and spaghetti with garlic cheese bread will be $7.50.

Both our barbecue sauce and our spaghetti sauce are special recipes and are very important to the overall delectability of the finished product. Extra sauces will be available in individual portions or by the quart, priced with a 50% food cost.

We expect our aggregate food and beverage cost to average about 44% and we will monitor this figure closely. We will be utilizing modern computer data entry on all of our food purchases. Recipes are preprogrammed to extrapolate the updated finished cost per portion, thereby enabling management to keep a constant check on food cost percentages, adjusting pricing as needs dictate.

As our financial forecast will indicate, we anticipate first-year sales of $113,000 with net operating profits of $12,300. We would find this acceptable in view of the anticipated "starvation period" that accompanies all new openings and the one-time expenditures of advertising and promotion that is booked in for the first six months. Our monthly break-even point is $6,700, a very reachable $1,500 per week.

Profits for the second year are expected to reach $30,500.

[*For detailed derivation of these calculations, refer to Twelve Month Proforma, Financial Projections.]

In order to open Butcher Hollow Bar BQ, management has determined that capitalization of $45,000 will be required. These funds will be allocated as follows:

Equipment & Fixtures are listed in the schedule on the following page. Our Business Plan anticipates that capitalization will be funded as follows:

The proprietors equity is derived from savings. It is projected that borrowed capital would be drawn over a period of 60 days preceding Grand Opening, through the first 180 days of operations. Grand opening is targeted for May 1, 2000.

This page left intentionally blank to accommodate tabular matter following.

TWELVE-MONTH PROFORMA CHART 1

TWELVE-MONTH PROFORMA CHART II

THREE-YEAR PROJECTED INCOME STATEMENT

CASH FLOW PROJECTION

BALANCE SHEET

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• 69 culinary hotspots in the very first MICHELIN Guide Moscow !

9 MICHELIN-starred restaurants in the first edition of the MICHELIN Guide dedicated to the capital of Russia ; 3 MICHELIN Green Stars awarded to local Chefs paving the way for sustainable gastronomy.

Russia Michelin Star Revelation

The long-awaited arrival of the MICHELIN Guide marks a recognition of the rapid development in gastronomic culture in Russia over the past 30 years. The unique history and traditions of the region, formed by the variety of high-quality local products from the Far East, the Altai Republic, the Black Sea and the north-west of Russia, inspire talented chefs to create exquisite culinary masterpieces that cannot be found anywhere else. The first ever Moscow MICHELIN Star ceremony took place tonight, at the Zaryadye Concert Hall, in the heart of the Russian capital. The festive evening, organized with all necessary security measures, was attended by more than 500 guests. “ The MICHELIN Guide and Moscow are sharing a historical moment with the unveiling of the MICHELIN Guide Moscow 2022 selection . Inspectors have been particularly seduced by the high-quality local produce. Russia is a wonderfully wide-ranging expression of nature: from sea coasts to wild forests, from aromatic herbs to first-class seafood… There are lots of discoveries to make ” says Gwendal Poullennec, MICHELIN Guide International Director. “ Moreover, thanks to cultural exchanges throughout history between Russia and Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East, gourmets will experience unforgettable authentic meals full of flavor .”

Restaurants were celebrated through the announcement of the MICHELIN Guide selection, with the reveal of Bib Gourmand (for restaurants offering particularly interesting value for money, where you can enjoy a delicious meal under RUB2000), MICHELIN Stars (for restaurants serving high-quality cuisine), and MICHELIN Green Stars (for restaurants that are pioneering in their sustainable approach). As for all its other selections, the MICHELIN Guide has used the same historical methodology. The team of independent and anonymous inspectors from the Guide has been in the field for its traditional table-tests, during which they evaluate the meal they experience via 5 assessment criteria  :

- The quality of the produce used - The mastery of cooking techniques - The mastery of flavors - The chef’s personality in his/her cuisine - The consistency between visits Thanks to the seriousness and depth of their methodology, inspectors were able to collectively build this first MICHELIN Guide Moscow selection.

2 Two MICHELIN Star restaurants

7 one michelin star restaurants.

Beluga – located at the National Hotel, near the Red Square, Beluga offers one of the finest selections of caviar and vodka in the whole of Russia. While experiencing the authentic soul of this historical place, gourmets can discover and enjoy the elegant and delicate cuisine of chef Evgeny Vikentiev. Biologie - Chef Ekaterina Alehina offers her guests a journey through a personal cuisine, with a strong accent on sustainability, focusing on organic products. You can also find the chef’s artistic personality in the restaurant itself, which is decorated with her own paintings and furniture she made herself. Grand Cru – “Bienvenue” to this establishment, with a cozy atmosphere, proposing first class modernized classic French cuisine and one of the best wine lists in Moscow. The Alsatian chef David Hemmerle brings an enjoyable piece of French finesse to Moscow. Sakhalin – Located on the 22nd floor of an imposing building, Alexey Kogay’s cuisine has a pleasant selection of first-class seafood from Russia, including products caught off the namesake island. This elegant and trendy restaurant offers also an impressive view of the city. Savva – Chef Andrei Shmakov knows how to mix classical techniques and modernism to offer a subtle Russian cuisine. The elegance of the restaurant and the high-quality service makes it a not-to-be missed spot for Muscovite gourmets.

Selfie – Chef Anatoly Kazakov is a fine chef at the forefront of modern gastronomy. This restaurant proposes creative dishes, where the main stars are the ingredients, uplifted to their best by the chef’s techniques. White Rabbit – Chef Vladimir Mukhin’s cooking is as impressive as the wonderful view offered by the panoramic glass roof. This young chef makes you enjoy a cuisine as modern as personal, that knows how to enhance local products. An experience between discovery and nostalgy.

3 MICHELIN Green Star restaurants

15 Bib Gourmand restaurants have also been highlighted, allowing foodies to discover skillful chefs and gourmet offers for less than RUB 2000, such as Hibiki , a little gem led by chef and owner Sang Keun Oh, who proposes beautifully inspired cuisine with dishes of tremendous quality, or Eva , which celebrates Greek cuisine with fresh ingredients, while capturing incredible flavors.

The first MICHELIN Young Chef Award , sponsored by Blancpain, was awarded : Nikita Poderyagin , chef of the Björn restaurant since 2016 knows how to mix perfectionism and emotions in the service of gourmets, and his evolution is to be followed carefully in the future.

Foodies discovered the MICHELIN Service Award , sponsored by San Pellegrino, awarded to the service team of the Twins Garden restaurant, led by Vitaly Filonov. Thanks to the strong commitment of these professionals, foodies are transported on a wonderful journey in the Berezutsky brothers’ culinary universe.

Moscow has become the 35th gastronomic destination chosen by the MICHELIN Guide, along with Singapore, the Nordic countries, Beijing, and California. This international highlight will allow foodies from all over the world to easily find a reason for an unforgettable trip to the Russian capital city and will also create an impetus for the further development of the restaurant business, both in Moscow and other Russian cities.

In total, the MICHELIN Guide Moscow 2022 selection includes: 69 restaurants ; 2 restaurants with 2 MICHELIN Stars ; 7 restaurants with 1 MICHELIN Star ; 3 MICHELIN Green Star restaurants ; 15 Bib Gourmand restaurants. Find the full selection of the MICHELIN Guide Moscow 2022, on the official MICHELIN Guide website and on the App, available for free on iOS.

Hero Image: Restaurant Sakhalin

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