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How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan in 2024 (Step by Step Guide with Templates)

A restaurant business plan is a framework that guides you to plan and forecast every element of restaurant management and operations.

This includes anything from your restaurant's menu design , location, financials, employee training , and a lot more.

Creating a solid business plan is important, as it helps:

Transform your restaurant ideas into reality.
Boosts entrepreneurial success by 16% (Harvard Business Study) .
It equips you to navigate challenges before they arise.
Attracts potential investors.

Planning is key to restaurant success. Without a plan, you're more likely to join the 26% of restaurants that fail within a year.

Create a business plan to set yourself up for success.

Here's how to get started.

What is a restaurant business plan?

Before writing a business plan, it is important to understand its fundamentals.

It serves as a roadmap for starting and running your restaurant , making it easy for outside parties, such as investors, to understand your objectives, vision, and plan of action for your restaurant.

The length and level of detail of business plans vary, ranging from brief synopses to large papers. Investors can benefit from clear insights and additional information provided by beginning with a concise plan and working their way up to a detailed one.

In short, a thorough description of the resources allocated to the success of your restaurant should be included in your business plan.

Steps to include in your business plan

Your restaurant and mission statement needs to reflect your brand and goals, but you don't have to start from scratch.

The Eat App Restaurant Business Plan template , created by industry professionals and packed with insider information, is your go-to manual for creating a profitable business plan.

Your finalized business plan should have 11 essential elements, no matter how you write it. Continue reading below.

1. Executive summary

A restaurant business plan should always begin with an executive summary. Why?

80% of venture capitalists say they read the executive summary first.
62% of investors say they would not continue reading a business plan if the executive summary did not capture their interest.
A strong executive summary can increase the likelihood of securing funding by up to 40%.

An executive summary not only acts as the introduction to your restaurant business plan samples but also as a summary of the entire idea.

The main aim of an executive summary is to draw the reader (oftentimes an investor) into the rest of your business plan.

The executive summary also helps you envision the identity of your restaurant which essentially shapes the customer experience and sets you apart from competitors.

To establish a distinct identity, you need to focus on c ommon elements of an executive summary, including:

A mission statement
Proposed concept development
Cuisine selection
The overall execution
The potential costs
Expected return on investments (ROI)

Let's take a more in-depth look at the concept development, cuisine selection, and mission statement.

Concept Development

Selecting the type of restaurant, service style, and atmosphere is the first step towards creating a unique dining experience. Whether you envision a sample menu for a:

cozy, intimate bistro
bustling quick-service deli
fast-casual restaurant
fine dining establishment

Your concept should reflect your passion and expertise in the industry.

Cuisine Selection

The cuisine you select for your restaurant can significantly influence its success.

Choosing the appropriate cuisine is vital for distinguishing your establishment from competitors and attracting your target market.

To make an informed decision, consider factors such as:

Market demand
Expertise and passion
Ingredient availability
Competition
Profitability
Cultural fit
Seasonality
Dietary restrictions and trends

In the highly competitive restaurant industry, keeping track of current and emerging cuisine trends can be a significant advantage.

Creating a mission statement

A well-constructed mission statement communicates the purpose, values, and goals of your restaurant to potential investors and customers alike.

A mission statement serves as a guiding light for decision-makers and employees, fueling their efforts to achieve your restaurant’s objectives.

To create an impactful mission statement, consider the following steps:

Identify the purpose of the restaurant.
Contemplate the brand’s image.
Account for the target audience.
Incorporate company values.
Ensure brevity and comprehensiveness.

Related content: How to Write a Restaurant Mission Statement

Remember, your mission statement should not only differentiate your restaurant from competitors but also resonate with your target market .

2. Company description

This is where you carefully introduce the company in the restaurant business plan. Include the name of the restaurant you are launching in this field along with its address, phone number, and other important information. Then, also include the owner's information as well as a synopsis or explanation of their background. The restaurant's legal position and its short- and long-term objectives should be outlined in the second section of the company description. To demonstrate your understanding of the changes in the local food business and the reasons why the most independent restaurant investors will be successful in this market, please submit a brief market research.

Here's an example of the page layout:

Company Description

Restaurant Name: [Restaurant Name]

Location: [Restaurant Address]

Contact: [Restaurant Phone Number] | [Restaurant Email Address]

Owner: [Owner Name]

Experience: [Owner Name] has over [Number] years of experience in the restaurant industry. They have worked in various roles, including [List of Roles]. They are passionate about food and creating a memorable dining experience for their guests.

Legal Standing: [Restaurant Name] is a [Type of Legal Entity] registered in [State/Province].

3. Market analysis

The market analysis portion of the restaurant business plan is typically divided into three parts.

3.1 Industry analysis

What is your target market? What demographics will your restaurant cater to?

This section aims to explain your target market to investors and why you believe guests will choose your restaurant over others.

Comprehending your target market is key to customizing your restaurant offerings to their preferences and needs.

By diving into demographics, preferences, dining habits, and trends, you can fine-tune your concept and marketing strategy to reach and appeal to your target audience effectively.

An example of analyzing your target market

Comprehending your target market is key to customizing your restaurant offerings to their preferences and needs.

Demographics and preferences

Identifying your primary target market involves considering factors such as:

For example, a neighborhood with a high concentration of families might prefer a family-friendly restaurant with a diverse menu catering to various age groups and dietary preferences.

Conversely, a trendy urban area with a predominantly young and affluent population may gravitate towards upscale dining experiences and innovative cuisine.

Cultural and ethnic backgrounds also have a significant impact on restaurant preferences, with people from different backgrounds having distinctive tastes and customs that influence their dining choices.

By thoroughly understanding the demographics and preferences of your target market, you’ll be better equipped to create a restaurant concept that resonates with them and ultimately drives success.

Dining habits and trends

As the restaurant industry continues to evolve, staying informed about dining habits and trends is crucial for adapting your offerings and attracting customers.

For example, the rise of online ordering and delivery services has significantly influenced dining habits, with many consumers seeking the convenience of having their meals delivered to their doorstep.

Health trends have also had an impact on dining habits, with an increasing number of individuals seeking healthier options when dining out.

How to find your restaurant's target market

3.2 Competition analysis

It's easy to assume that everyone will visit your new restaurant first, so it is important to research your competition to make this a reality.

What restaurants have already established a customer base in the area?

Take note of everything from their prices, hours, and service style to menu design to the restaurant interior.

Then explain to your investors how your restaurant will be different.

3.3 Marketing analysis

Your investors are going to want to know how you plan to market your restaurant. How will your marketing campaigns differ from what is already being done by others in the restaurant industry?

How do you plan on securing your target market? What kind of offers will you provide your guests? Make sure to list everything.

The menu is the most important part of a restaurant's debut. Your restaurant wouldn't be able to operate without it.

You most likely don't have a final draft at this time, but you should aim to create a mock-up for your restaurant business plan. You can choose a design that you can envision yourself using and add your logo to the mock-up.

Top Free Restaurant Menu Makers

There are several resources available online if you need assistance with menu design or don't want to hire a designer.

But the price should be the most important component of your sample menu. The cost research you've completed for investors ought to be reflected in your prices. They will have a clearer idea of your restaurant's intended price range as a result. You'll quickly see how important menu engineering can be, even early on.

5. Employees

The company description section of the restaurant business plan briefly introduces the owners of the restaurant with some information about each. This section should fully flesh out the restaurant's business plan and management team.

The investors don’t expect you to have your entire team selected at this point, but you should at least have a couple of people on board. Use the talent you have chosen thus far to highlight the combined work experience everyone is bringing to the table.

Download our free restaurant business plan It's the only one you'll ever need. Get template now

6. Restaurant design

The design portion of your restaurant business plan is where you can really show off your thoughts and ideas to the investors. If you don’t have professional mock-ups of your restaurant rendered, that’s fine.

Instead, put together a mood board to get your vision across. Find pictures of a similar aesthetic to what you are looking for in your restaurant.

The restaurant design extends beyond aesthetics alone and should include everything from restaurant software to kitchen equipment.

7. Location

The location you settle on for your restaurant should be well aligned with your target market (making it easier to cater to your ideal customer) and with your business plans.

At this stage in the process, it's not uncommon to not have a specific location in mind - but you should at the very least have a few options to narrow down.

Pro Tip: When you approach your investors about potential locations, make sure to include as much information as possible about each venue and why it would be ideal for your brand.

Example for choosing an ideal location

Choosing the ideal location for your restaurant is a pivotal decision that can greatly influence your success.

To make the best choice, consider factors such as foot traffic, accessibility, and neighborhood demographics.

By carefully evaluating these factors, you’ll be better equipped to maximize visibility and attract your target market.

Foot traffic and accessibility

Foot traffic and accessibility are important factors in selecting a location that will attract customers and ensure convenience.

A high-traffic area with ample parking and public transportation options can greatly increase the likelihood of drawing in potential customers.

Additionally, making your restaurant accessible to individuals with disabilities can further broaden your customer base and promote inclusivity.

Neighborhood demographics

Analyzing neighborhood demographics can help you determine if your restaurant’s concept and cuisine will appeal to the local population.

Factors such as income levels, family structures, and cultural diversity can all influence dining preferences and habits.

By understanding the unique characteristics of the neighborhood, you can tailor your offerings and marketing efforts to resonate with the local community.

Conducting a market analysis can be a valuable step in this process.

To gather demographic data for a particular neighborhood, you can utilize resources such as the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and reference maps.

Armed with this information, you can make informed decisions about your restaurant’s concept, menu, and pricing, ensuring that your establishment is well-positioned for success within the community.

Conducting market research will further strengthen your understanding of the local demographic.

8. Market overview

The market overview section is heavily related to the market research and analysis portion of the restaurant business plan. In this section, go into detail about both the micro and macro conditions in the area you want to set up your restaurant.

Discuss the current economic conditions that could make opening a restaurant difficult, and how you aim to counteract that. Mention all the other restaurants that could prove to be competition and what your strategy is to set yourself apart.

9. Marketing

With restaurants opening left and ride nowadays, investors are going to want to know how you will get word of your restaurant to the world.

The next marketing strategy and publicity section should go into detail on how you plan to market your restaurant before and after opening. As well as any plans you may have to bring a PR company on board to help spread the word.

Read more: How to write a restaurant marketing plan from scratch

10. External help

To make your restaurant a reality, you are going to need a lot of help. List any external companies or software you plan on hiring to get your restaurant up and running.

This includes everything from accountants and designers to suppliers that help your restaurant perform better, like POS systems and restaurant reservation systems .

Explain to your other potential investors about the importance of each and what they will be doing for your restaurant.

11. Financial analysis

The most important part of your restaurant business plan is the financial section . We would recommend hiring professional help for this given its importance.

Hiring a trained accountant will not only help you get your own financial projections and estimates in order but also give you a realistic insight into owning a restaurant.

You should have some information prepared to make this step easier for the accountant.

He/she will want to know how many seats your restaurant has, what the check average per table will be, and how many guests you plan on seating per day.

In addition to this, doing rough food cost calculations for various menu items can help estimate your profit margin per dish. This can be achieved easily with a free food cost calculator.

Important restaurant metrics to track

A well-crafted restaurant business plan serves as a roadmap to success, guiding every aspect of the venture from menu design to employee training.

By carefully considering each component of the plan, aspiring restaurateurs can increase their chances of securing funding, attracting customers, and achieving their long-term goals.

Remember, a restaurant business plan is not just a document to satisfy investors; it is a living tool that should be revisited and updated regularly as the business grows and evolves.

By staying committed to the plan and adapting it as needed, restaurateurs can ensure that their culinary dreams have a solid foundation for success.

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Saif Alnasur used to work in his family restaurant, but now he is a food influencer and writes about the restaurant industry for Eat App.

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How to Start and Open a Restaurant Step by Step (2023) If you're interested in starting a restaurant business, this guide provides all the information necessary to open and operate a successful eatery.

By The Staff of Entrepreneur Media, Inc.

Starting and opening a new restaurant is an exciting venture. It can be both a rewarding and challenging experience, but the hard work you put in will pay off.

Opening a successful restaurant requires having a strong business plan, understanding the local market, finding the right location and staff, obtaining permits and your business license, managing inventory and supplies, creating menus that appeal to customers, and more.

There's a lot that goes into it. If it's your first time, you'll need to look beyond the grand opening and strategize for generating a cash flow that allows you to do more than just break even. Still, with the right guidance, you can make your dreams of owning a successful restaurant come true.

This guide will give you all the information you need to know about starting and opening a restaurant. It will cover everything from creating a new business plan to setting up operations and marketing your restaurant. By following this guide step by step, you can open a restaurant that will thrive and last for years.

What's Inside

Target Markets

Restaurant Service Styles

Carving your niche, writing a business plan, choosing a location, creating a menu, hiring employees, marketing and promotions, more articles on restaurant businesses ".

No single food-service operation has universal appeal. This is a fact that many newer entrepreneurs have trouble accepting, but the reality is that you will never capture 100 percent of the market. When you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one. So focus on the 5 or 10 percent of the market that you can get, and forget about the rest.

With that said, who is eating at restaurants? Let's look at the main market categories of food-service business customers:

Generation Y . This generation, also tagged the "millennial generation," the "echo" or the "boomlet" generation, includes those born between 1980 and 2000. Generation Y is the most ethnically diverse generation yet and is more than three times the size of generation X. They are a prime target for a food-service business. Members of Generation Y go for fast-food and quick-service items. About 25 percent of their restaurant visits are to burger franchises, follow by pizza restaurants at 12 percent.
Generation X . Generation X is a label applied to those who were born between 1965 and 1980. This group is known for strong family values. While earlier generations strove to do better financially than their parents, Gen Xers are more likely to focus on their relationship with their children. They are concerned with value, and they favor quick-service restaurants and midscale operations that offer all-you-can-eat salad bars and buffets. To appeal to this market group, offer a comfortable atmosphere that focuses on value and ambience.
Baby boomers . Born between 1946 and 1964, baby boomers make up the largest segment of the U.S. population. Prominent in this generation are affluent professionals who can afford to visit upscale restaurants and spend money freely. During the 1980s, they were the main customer group for upscale, trendy restaurants. In the 1990s, many baby boomer were two-income households with children. Today, those on the leading edge of the boomer generation are becoming grandparents, making them a target of restaurants that offer a family-friendly atmosphere and those that provide an upscale, formal dining experience.
Empty nesters . This group consists of people in the age range between the high end of the baby boomers and seniors (people in their early 50s to about age 64). Empty nesters typically have grown children who no longer live at home, and their ranks will continue to increase as the baby boomers grow older and their children leave home. With the most discretionary income and the highest per-capita income of all the generations, this group typically visits upscale restaurants. They are less concerned with price and are more focused on excellent service and outstanding food. Appeal to this group with elegant surroundings and a sophisticated ambience.
Seniors . The senior market covers the large age group of people age 65 and older. Generally, the majority of seniors are on fixed incomes and may not often be able to afford upscale restaurants often, so they tend to visit family-style restaurants that offer good service and reasonable prices. "Younger" seniors are likely to be more active and have more disposable income than "older" seniors, whose health may be declining. Seniors typically appreciate restaurants that offer early-bird specials and senior menus with lower prices and smaller portions, since their appetites are less hearty than those of younger people.

Restaurants are classified into three primary categories: quick-service, midscale and upscale. Quick-service restaurants are also known as fast-food restaurants. These establishments offer limited menus of items that are prepared quickly and sold for a relatively low price. In addition to very casual dining areas, they typically offer drive-thru windows and take-out service.

When people think of fast-food restaurants, they often think of hamburgers and french fries, but establishments in this category also serve chicken, hot dogs, sandwiches, pizza, fresh seafood and ethnic foods.

Selecting a Food Concept

Restaurant patrons want to be delighted with their dining experience, but they don't necessarily want to be surprised. If you're anticipating a family-style steakhouse (based on the name or the décor of the establishment), but you find yourself in a more formal environment with a bewildering--and pricey--gourmet menu, the surprise may keep you from enjoying the restaurant. Concepts give restaurateurs a way to let patrons know in advance what to expect and also to provide some structure for their operation. Here are some of the more popular restaurant concepts:

Seafood. Quick-service seafood restaurants generally offer a limited range of choices, often restricted to fried seafood. Midscale and upscale seafood restaurants offer a wider selection, prepared in ways other than fried, such as baked, broiled and grilled. Seafood can be a risky area on which to focus, as prices are always changing, and many kinds of seafood are seasonal. Also, quality can vary tremendously. When shopping for seafood, make sure the items are fresh and meet your standards of quality. If you are not happy with what a distributor offers, you can be sure your customers won't be, either.
Steakhouses. Steakhouses are part of the midscale and upscale markets. Midscale steakhouses are typically family-oriented and offer a casual environment with meals perceived as good values. In terms of décor, comfort is emphasized and Western themes are popular. Upscale steakhouses offer a more formal atmosphere and may serve larger cuts of meat that are of better quality than those served in midscale restaurants. Upscale establishments also charge higher prices, and their décor may be similar to that of other fine-dining establishments, offering guests more privacy and focusing more on adult patrons than on families.
Family-style restaurants. As the name implies, these establishments are geared toward family fun. Since they charge reasonable prices, they also appeal to seniors. They offer speedy service that falls somewhere between that of quick-service places and full-service restaurants. Their menus offer a variety of selections to appeal to the interests of a broad range of customers, from children to seniors. Family-style restaurant prices may be higher than those at fast-food restaurants, but these establishments provide table service to compensate. The décor of family-style restaurants is generally comfortable, with muted tones, unremarkable artwork, and plenty of booths and wide chairs. Booster seats and highchairs for children are readily available.
Casual-dining restaurants. These establishments appeal to a wide audience, ranging from members of Generation Y to Generation X to baby boomers with families to seniors, and they provide a variety of food items, from appetizers and salads to main dishes and ice cream for dessert. Casual-dining restaurants offer comfortable atmospheres with midrange prices. Many center on a theme that's incorporated into their menus and décor. You may need to get your liquor license, depending on what you plan to serve.
Ethnic restaurants. Ethnic restaurants enjoy a significant share of the U.S. restaurant market. They range from quick-service places with limited selections to upscale eateries with a wide variety of menu items. Their menus typically include Americanized versions of ethnic dishes with unique flavor, as well as more authentic food. The three most popular kinds of ethnic restaurants are Italian, Chinese and Mexican. Other popular ethnic restaurant types include Indian, Thai, Caribbean, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mediterranean and Vietnamese. An even wider variety of ethnic restaurants can thrive in areas with a culturally diverse population, such as large metropolitan areas.
Pizzeria. You have two primary choices when entering starting a pizzeria. One is a to-go restaurant in a modest facility with a specialized menu highlighted by pizza and beer, limited seating and a self-service atmosphere. The other is a full-service pizza restaurant with a menu that features not only a variety of pizzas, beer and wine, but also Italian entrees like spaghetti, ravioli and lasagna, side dishes such as salads (or even a salad bar), and a few desserts. The foundation of a pizzeria is, of course, the pizza. If you don't know how to make a good pizza, hire a good pizza cook who does. Invest in top-quality ingredients and preparation methods, and make every pizza as if you're going to eat it yourself. Do that, and your customers will keep coming back for more.
Sandwich Shop/Delicatessen. One reason sandwich shops are so successful is that they enjoy high profit margins. Sandwich shops and delicatessens can also change their menus quickly and easily to adapt to current tastes. For example, with the growing interest in health and nutrition in the United States, sandwich shops and delicatessens have started offering more low-fat, healthy ingredients in their sandwiches, salads and other menu items. In addition, many sandwich shops and delis have been able to keep up with workers who eat at their workplaces by adding delivery and catering to their sit-down and take-out operations. Sandwich shops and delicatessens can be differentiated by the foods they serve. Most sandwich shops serve only sandwiches, possibly with some side dishes or desserts. A delicatessen usually offers a more extensive menu, including sandwiches, prepared meats, smoked fish, cheeses, salads, relishes and various hot entrees.
Coffeehouse. With more than 400 billion cups consumed every year, coffee is the world's most popular beverage. But beyond the beverage itself, people frequent coffeehouses and espresso bars for a variety of reasons: to meet with friends, for a quick lunch and a drink to perk up the afternoon, or simply to start off each morning with a great cup of coffee to start off each morning. Most successful coffeehouses have heavy foot traffic and high-volume sales. The majority will serve up to 500 customers per day and manage up to five customer turnovers during the lunch hour, despite having limited floor space and modest seating capacity. Profit margins for coffee and espresso drinks are extremely high--after all, you're dealing with a product that's more than 95 percent water. At the same time, your average ticket amount is around $3, so you need volume to reach and maintain profitability. Besides specialty roasted coffee by the cup, most coffeehouses also have espresso-based drinks (cappuccinos, lattes, etc.), assorted teas, bottled water and fruit juices, along with an inviting assortment of baked goods, a selection of desserts, and coffee beans by the pound.
Bakery. With the emergence of strip malls and competition from supermarkets that have in-store bakeries, "bread-only" retail bakeries have almost disappeared from the United States. Bakeries today offer cakes, scones, bagels and coffee drinks, and sometimes even offer full dining menus, including sandwiches, hot entrees, beer and wine. Consumers love fresh bakery goods, but the market is extremely competitive. As you develop your particular bakery concept, you'll need to find a way to differentiate yourself from other bakeries in town.

Before you can begin any serious business planning, you must first decide what specific segment of the food-service industry you want to enter. While there are many commonalities among the various types of food-service businesses, there are also many differences. And while there is much overlap in the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful, your own personality and preferences will dictate whether you choose to open a commercial bakery, a coffee cart, a fine-dining restaurant or another type of operation. Then, once you have decided what business best suits you, you must figure out the niche you'll occupy in the marketplace.

For example, are you an early riser, or do you prefer to stay up late and sleep late? If you like--or at least don't mind--getting up before dawn, your niche may be a bakery or a casual breakfast-and-lunch operation. Night owls are going to be drawn to the hours required for bar-and-grill types of restaurants, fine-dining establishments and even pizzerias.

Do you like dealing with the public, or are you happier in the kitchen? If you're a people person, choose a food-service business that gives you plenty of opportunity to connect with your customers. If you're not especially gregarious, you'll probably lean more toward a commercial type of business, perhaps a bakery or even a catering service, where you can deal more with operational issues than with people.

Some other types of questions to ask yourself include, Do you have a passion for a particular type of cuisine? Do you enjoy a predictable routine, or do you prefer something different every day? Are you willing to deal with the additional responsibilities and liabilities that come with serving alcoholic beverages?

As you do this self-analysis, think about your ideal day. If you could be doing exactly what you wanted to do, what would it be?

Once you've decided on the best niche for you as an individual, it's time to determine if you can develop a niche in the market for your food-service business.

Working in a Restaurant

Dealing graciously with customers and playing the role of elegant host are only part of a restaurateur's many duties. Food-service business operators spend most of their time developing menus; ordering inventory and supplies; managing personnel; creating and implementing marketing campaigns; making sure their operation is in compliance with a myriad of local, state and federal regulations; completing a wide range of paperwork; and performing other administrative chores. Certainly the financial opportunities are there--as are the fun aspects of the business--but starting, running and growing a food-service business is also hard work.

Regardless of the type of food-service business you intend to start, the best way to learn the ropes is to work for a similar operation for a while before striking out on your own. Doing so will give you significant insight into the realities and logistics of the business.

Successful restaurateurs agree that the best preparation for owning a restaurant is to work in someone else's first. Think of it as getting paid to be educated. Certainly you should read books and take courses, but you should also plan to work in a restaurant for at least a few years doing as many different jobs as possible. And if you're not actually doing the job, pay attention to the person who is--you may find yourself doing it when your own restaurant is unexpectedly shorthanded.

Ideally, you should work in a restaurant similar to the type you want to open. You may find you don't like the business. Or you may find you're more suited to a different type of operation than you originally thought. Hopefully, you'll discover you're in exactly the right place.

"As soon as I started working in a restaurant, I realized this was my passion," says Scott Redler, "when you have a busy restaurant, and you're watching everything happen as it should, it's just a wonderful feeling of satisfaction." Redler has worked in various restaurants for 11 years, he opened a Chinese fast-food place at the age of 26. That venture failed within eight months, then Redler went to work for a large restaurant company, where he eventually advanced to the position of senior vice president, overseeing 15 operations. But he still yearned for his own place, so he developed the concept that became Timberline Steakhouse & Grill in Kansas (which he sold in 2011). He recognized that the fast, casual segment was gaining momentum, so he created Freddy's Frozen Custard, which offers hot dogs, hamburgers, and (as you might expect) frozen custard. Freddy's Frozen Custard is now a franchise operation with 60 stores in nine states.

Armed with practical experience, you're ready to put together your business plan—the most critical element of your restaurant. Map out everything on paper before you buy the first spoon or crack the first egg.

When you're writing a business plan you should include:

A clear definition of your concept
A description of your market
Your menu and pricing
Detailed financial information, including data on your startup capital (amount and sources) and your long-term income and expense forecasts (including operating costs such as kitchen equipment and food costs)
A marketing plan including target customers
Employee hiring
Training and retention programs
Detailed plans that outline how you'll deal with the challenges restaurateurs face every day (including health department compliance, customer experience, and expansion)
An exit strategy

A well-crafted business plan is the cornerstone of any successful restaurant. It's best to have it professionally written, but if you're short on cash, you can also draft a document yourself. Just be sure that your plan is comprehensive and as accurate as possible. Include realistic projections, research data (such as current industry trends), and thorough analyses of the competition.

No matter what you decide, your business plan should be a living document that you update and refine as your restaurant evolves.

Funding Your Business How much money you need to start depends on the type of business, the facility, how much equipment you need, whether you buy new or used, your inventory, marketing, and necessary operating capital (the amount of cash you need on hand to carry you until your business starts generating cash). It's easy to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars starting a restaurant, but it's not essential. For instance, when Borealis Breads owner Jim Amaral started his first bakery in Maine, he rented a space that had been a commercial bakery and came complete with mixers, benches, ovens and other equipment. He was able to start with just $10,000 he'd borrowed from family and friends, and used that primarily for inventory.

Regardless of how much you need, you will definitely need some cash to start your food-service business started. Here are some suggestions of where to go to raise your startup funds:

Your own resources. Do a thorough inventory of your assets. People generally have more assets than they realize, including savings accounts, retirement accounts, equity in real estate, recreation equipment, vehicles, collections and other investments. You may opt to sell assets for cash or use them as collateral for a loan. Also look at your personal line of credit. Many a successful business has been started with credit cards.
Family and friends. The logical next step after gathering your own resources is to approach friends and relatives who believe in you and want to help you succeed. Be cautious with these arrangements; no matter how close you are with the person, present yourself professionally, put everything in writing, and be sure the individuals you approach can afford to take the risk of investing in your business.
Partners. Using the "strength in numbers" principle, look around for someone who may want to team up with you in your venture. You may choose someone who has financial resources and wants to work side by side with you in the business. Or you may find someone who has money to invest but no interest in doing the actual work. Be sure to create a written partnership agreement that clearly defines your respective responsibilities and obligations. And choose your partners carefully--especially when it comes to family members.

Government programs. Take advantage of the abundance of local, state and federal programs designed to support small businesses. Make your first stop the SBA, but be sure to investigate various other programs. Women, minorities and veterans should check out special financing programs designed to help them get into business. The business section of your local library is a good place to begin your research.

Banks and other lending institutions . Despite the general mood of tight credit, many banks are still willing to make small-business loans. They may even be more open now as they seek to increase their loan portfolios.

Be prepared with a business plan and financial projections . These help prove your concept and show lenders you are serious about your business. Also, compare rates from multiple lenders, and don't forget to factor in closing costs and other fees.

Venture capitalists and angels . If you have a capital-intensive concept with proven profitability potential, venture capitalists or angel investors may be willing to provide the funding you need for a stake in your business.

As you can see, there are many ways to get the capital you need to get your restaurant off the ground — you just need to be organized, prepared, and willing to do your research.

Depending on how much money you have to invest in your food-service business and the particular type of business you choose, you can spend anywhere between $70,000 and $1.5 million on a facility.

Not every food-service operation needs to be in a retail location, but for those that do depend on retail traffic, here are some factors to consider when deciding on a restaurant location:

Anticipated sales volume. How will the location contribute to your sales volume?
Accessibility to potential customers. Consider how easy it will be for customers to get into your business. If you are relying on strong pedestrian traffic, consider whether or not nearby businesses will generate foot traffic for you.
The rent-paying capacity of your business. If you've done a sales-and-profit projection for your first year of operation, you will know approximately how much revenue you can expect to generate, and you can use that information to decide how much rent you can afford to pay.
Restrictive ordinances. You may encounter unusually restrictive ordinances that make an otherwise strong site less than ideal, such as limitations on the hours of the day that trucks can legally load or unload.
Traffic density. With careful examination of food traffic, you can determine the approximate sales potential of each pedestrian passing a given location. Two factors are especially important in this analysis: total pedestrian traffic during business hours and the percentage of it that is likely to patronize your food service business.
Customer parking facilities. The site should provide convenient, adequate parking as well as easy access for customers.
Proximity to other businesses. Neighboring businesses may influence your store's volume, and their presence can work for you or against you.
History of the site. Find out the recent history of each site under consideration before you make a final selection. Who were the previous tenants, and why are they no longer there?
Terms of the lease. Be sure you understand all the details of the lease, because it's possible that an excellent site may have unacceptable leasing terms.
Future development. Check with the local planning board to see if anything is planned for the future that could affect your business, such as additional buildings nearby or road construction.
Appearance . It's important that the building or site be attractive and inviting in order to draw customers.

Once you have chosen a location, it is time to establish the restaurant. You must decide on a concept for your restaurant, create a menu, design the layout of your business, secure staffing and start marketing your product. With a well-thought-out plan, you will be well on your way to having a successful food service business.

Layout and design are major factors in your restaurant's success. As you factor it into your startup costs, you'll need to take into account the size and layout of the dining room, kitchen space, storage space, and office. Typically, restaurants allot 45 to 65 percent of their space to the dining area, approximately 35 percent to the kitchen and prep area, and the remainder to storage and office space.

Dining area. This is where you'll be making the bulk of your money, so don't cut corners when designing your dining room. Visit restaurants in your area and analyze the décor. Watch the diners; do they react positively to the décor? Is it comfortable, or are people shifting in their seats throughout their meals? Note what works well and what doesn't.

Much of your dining room design will depend on your concept. It will help you to know that studies indicate that 40 to 50 percent of all sit-down customers arrive in pairs; 30 percent come alone or in parties of three; and 20 percent come in groups of four or more.

To accommodate the different groups of customers, use tables for two that can be pushed together in areas where there is ample floor space. This gives you flexibility in accommodating both small and large parties. Place booths for four to six people along the walls.

Production area. Too often, the production area in a restaurant is inefficiently designed--the result is a poorly organized kitchen and less than top-notch service. Keep your menu in mind as you determine each element in the production area. You'll need to include space for receiving, storage, food preparation, cooking, baking, dishwashing, production aisles, trash storage, employee facilities and an area for a small office where you can perform daily management duties.

Arrange your food production area so that everything is just a few steps away from the cook. Your design should also allow for two or more cooks to be able to work side by side during your busiest hours.

As you put together a plan for your food-service business, be aware of some of the trends in terms of menu content and design: These factors could--and, in fact, should--influence the type of food-service business you open.

Restaurant operators report that vegetarian items, tortillas, locally grown produce, organic items, fusion dishes (combining two or more ethnic cuisines in one dish or on one plate) and microbrewed or local beers are gaining in popularity. Pita dishes and wraps continue to be in high demand, too, as an easy-to-consume alternative to sandwiches. You will also see a strong demand for bagels, espresso and specialty coffees, and "real meals," which are typically an entree with a side order. Consumers are also eating more chicken, seafood and beef dishes than they have in recent years. At the same time, people expect to see meatless alternatives on the menu. Consumers are also demanding "comfort food"--the dishes that take them back to their childhoods, when mothers baked from scratch, and meat and potatoes were at the center of each plate.

Menus are also showing a number of ethnic dishes and spice-infused offerings. It's not surprising to find Thai, Vietnamese, Creole, Tuscan and even classic French cuisines on the same menu and even the same plate.

At the same time, be sure to keep the kids in mind as you plan your selections. If families are a key part of your target market, you'll want a range of four or five items in smaller portions that youngsters will enjoy. If you serve snack items as well as entrees, note that kids are choosing healthier snacks more often than they did a few years ago, thanks to concerned parents. For example, while both sweet and salty snacks remain popular, yogurt is the fastest growing snack food based on consumption frequency among kids ages 2 to 17. While most restaurants still offer fixed kids' meals, you might consider allowing your young diners to choose among a selection of nutritious options.

Though menu variety has increased over the years, menus themselves are growing shorter. Busy consumers don't want to read a lengthy menu before dinner; dining out is a recreational activity, so they're in the restaurant to relax. Keep your number of items in check and menu descriptions simple and straightforward, providing customers with a variety of choices in a concise format. Your menu should also indicate what dishes can be prepared to meet special dietary requirements. Items low in fat, sodium and cholesterol should also be marked as such.

Safety Regulations Though we don't think of food service as heavily regulated an industry as something like medical services or public utilities, the reality is that many aspects of your operation are strictly regulated and subject to inspection. Fail to meet regulations, and you could be subject to fines or get shut down by authorities. And if the violations involve tainted food, you could be responsible for your patrons' illnesses and even death. Issues such as sanitation and fire safety are critical. You must provide a safe environment in which your employees can work and your guests can dine, follow the laws of your state on sales of alcohol and tobacco products, and handle tax issues, including sales, beverage, payroll and more.

Most regulatory agencies will work with new operators to let them know what they must do to meet the necessary legal requirements. Your state's general information office can direct you to all the agencies you'll need to be concerned with.

One of the biggest challenges businesses in all industries face is a lack of qualified labor. As the food-service industry in general continues to grow and thrive, the demand for workers in an already-diminished labor pool is also increasing. Finding qualified workers and rising labor costs are two key concerns for food-service business owners.

The first step in developing a comprehensive HR program is to decide exactly what you want someone to do. The job description doesn't have to be as formal as one you might expect from a large corporation, but it needs to clearly outline the job's duties and responsibilities. It should also list any special skills or other required credentials, such as a valid driver's license and clean driving record for someone who is going to make deliveries for you.

Next, you need to establish a pay scale. You should do research to find out what the pay rates are in your area. You'll want to establish a minimum and maximum rate for each position. You'll pay more even at the start for better qualified and more experienced workers. Of course, the pay scale will be affected by whether or not the position is one that is regularly tipped.

Every prospective employee should fill out an application--even if it's someone you already know, and even if that person has submitted a detailed resume. A resume is not a signed, sworn statement acknowledging that you can fire the person if he or she lies about his or her background; the application, which includes a truth affidavit, is. The application will also help you verify the applicants' resumes, so you should compare the two and make sure the information is consistent.

Here are some tips to help you find and keep great people:

Hire right. Take the time to thoroughly screen applicants. Be sure they understand what you expect of them. Do background checks. If you can't do this yourself, contract with a HR consultant to do it for you on an as-needed basis.
Create detailed job descriptions. Don't make your employees guess about their responsibilities.
Understand wage-and-hour and child labor laws. Check with your own state's Department of Labor to be sure you comply with regulations on issues such as minimum wage (which can vary depending on the age of the workers and whether they're eligible for tips), and when teenagers can work and what tasks they're allowed to do.
Report tips properly. The IRS is very specific about how tips are to be reported; for details, check with your accountant or contact the IRS .
Provide initial and ongoing training. Even experienced workers need to know how things are done in your restaurant. Well-trained employees are happier, more confident and more effective. Plus, ongoing training builds loyalty and reduces turnover. The National Restaurant Association can help you develop appropriate employee training programs.

There are several categories of personnel in the restaurant business: manager, cooks, servers, busboys, dishwashers, hosts and bartenders. When your restaurant is still new, some employees' duties may cross over from one category to another. For example, your manager may double as the host, and servers may also bus tables. Be sure to hire people who are willing to be flexible in their duties. Your payroll costs, including your own salary and that of your managers, should be about 24 to 35 percent of your total gross sales.

Manager. The most important employee in most restaurants is the manager. Your best candidate will have already managed a restaurant or restaurants in your area and will be familiar with local buying sources, suppliers and methods. You'll also want a manager with leadership skills and the ability to supervise personnel while reflecting the style and character of your restaurant.

To get the quality of manager you want, you'll have to pay well. Depending on your location, expect to pay a seasoned manager $35,000 to $55,000 a year, plus a percentage of sales. An entry-level manager will earn $28,000 to $32,000 but won't have the skills of a more experienced candidate. If you can't offer a high salary, work out a profit-sharing arrangement-it's an excellent way to hire good people and motivate them to build a successful restaurant. Hire your manager at least a month before you open so he or she can help you set up your restaurant.

Chefs and cooks. When you start out, you'll probably need three cooks--two full time cooks and one part time. Restaurant workers typically work shifts from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or 4 p.m. to closing. But one lead cook may need to arrive early in the morning to begin preparing soups, bread and other items to be served that day. One full-time cook should work days, and the other evenings. The part-time cook will help during peak hours, such as weekend rushes, and can work as a line cook during slower periods, doing simple preparation. Cooking schools can usually provide you with leads to the best in the business, but look around and place newspaper ads before you hire. Customers will become regulars only if they can expect the best every time they dine at your restaurant. To provide that, you'll need top-notch cooks and chefs.

Salaries for chefs and cooks vary according to their experience and your menu. Chefs command salaries significantly higher than cooks, averaging $1,300 to $1,800 a week. You may also find chefs who are willing to work under profit-sharing plans. If you have a fairly complex menu that requires a cook with lots of experience, you may have to pay anywhere from $575 to $650 a week. You can pay part-time cooks on an hourly basis; check around for the going rate in your area.

Servers. Your servers will have the most interaction with customers, so they need to make a favorable impression and work well under pressure, meeting the demands of customers at several tables while maintaining a pleasant demeanor. There are two times of day for wait staff: very slow and very busy. Schedule your employees accordingly. The lunch rush, for example, starts around 11:30 a.m. and continues until 1:30 or 2 p.m. Restaurants are often slow again until the dinner crowd arrives around 5:30 to 6 p.m.

Because servers in most establishments earn a good portion of their income from tips, they're usually paid minimum wage or just slightly more. When your restaurant is new, you may want to hire only experienced servers so you don't have to provide extensive training. As you become established, however, you should develop training systems to help both new, inexperienced employees and veteran servers understand your philosophy and the image you want to project.

Every business needs a marketing plan, and your food-service business is no exception. But even as you consider various marketing vehicles, keep this in mind: Research conducted by the National Restaurant Association reveals that word-of-mouth is still the best method of advertising. More than four out of five consumers are likely to choose a table-service restaurant they haven't patronized before on the basis of a recommendation from a family member or friend. So make the foundation of your marketing program an absolutely dazzling dining experience that customers will want to talk about and repeat.

Ask every new customer how they found out about you, and make a note of this information so you know how well your various marketing efforts are working. You can then decide to increase certain programs and eliminate those that aren't working.

Restaurant Startup Resources

Restaurant and More: Step-By-Step Startup Guide : Entrepreneur 's official guide describes the ins and outs of starting and running a successful restaurant, pizzeria, coffeehouse, deli, bakery or catering service. Packed with tips on how to keep your restaurant growing and healthy, the book answers most commonly asked questions and covers the essential business basics.
The Menu Maker : Having trouble creating that memorable menu for your restaurant? This site specializes in spicing up menus to increase your profits, complement your eatery and reinforce your desired image. It also offers tips for menu presentation and helps determine your menu needs.
National Restaurant Association (NRA) : Founded in 1919, the NRA is the leading business association for the restaurant industry. Its site offers access to an information service and library, various publications and industry research. It also provides networking opportunities and training, and emphasizes the ways in which local restaurants can contribute to their communities.
National Restaurant Association (NRA) Educational Foundation : This nonprofit organization is dedicated to fulfilling the NRA's educational mission. The site offers classes for professionals and listings of U.S. Food Safety Regulatory System laws and training requirements. Where available, county and municipal requirements are also listed.
PlanMagic Restaurant : This comprehensive package is geared toward startup restaurants. It focuses on methods for writing a successful business plan, and helps you figure out specific financial calculations to beef up your proposal.
Restaurant Associations (by State) : Find out state-specific information regarding the restaurant and food-service industry.
Restaurant Business Plan from Bplans.com : This site is a collection of resources and tools for starting a restaurant, including a restaurant industry report, sample restaurant business plans and a link to a local Small Business Development Center finder.
Restaurantfunds : This website allows you to order a package called the Restaurant Success Kit, which includes a restaurant business plan creation tool, restaurant financials creation software, and a complete e-book and user's manual to help answer all your restaurant questions.
Restaurant Startup & Growth magazine : Here you'll find resources to help you get organized, increase sales, reduce theft, control costs, improve service, hire better employees, safeguard your cash and much more.
SCORE : To get some practical, real-world advice, contact SCORE and ask to speak with small-business counselors who owned or managed a restaurant. Find offices or counselors in your area by visiting the website.
Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF) : The WFF is dedicated to providing women in the food-service industry with the resources to succeed. It offers leadership development programs, market research, and a regional partnership program for networking. The site also provides answers to FAQs, advice and a community of peers.

Starting and opening a restaurant can be an exciting, rewarding, and sometimes overwhelming experience. When done correctly, the rewards will far outweigh any anxieties that may come along with it. With proper planning and research, you will have the necessary tools to make your dream of owning a successful eatery a reality.

Check out Entrepreneur's other guides and resources for more informational articles like this one!

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A Step-by-Step Guide to Opening a Restaurant

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If you love food and want to start your own small business, you've possibly done some research into how to open a restaurant. After all launching a restaurant is one of the most common routes to entrepreneurship in the United States. According to the National Restaurant Association , restaurant workers make up 10% of the United States workforce. What's more, projected sales in the restaurant industry are projected to reach $863 billion in 2019.

But starting a restaurant means entering a highly competitive space. There are over 1 million restaurant locations in the United States, and 60% of restaurants fail within the first year. So how do you stand out, and build something that will last?

In this guide, we'll show you how to open a restaurant and avoid the common mistakes that plague most new restaurateurs.

A step-by-step guide to starting a restaurant

Whatever background or level of experience you come from, nothing can totally prepare you for starting your first restaurant, or really starting any business. Even more, no matter how much you read or what research you do, there are certain things about being a restaurateur that you can truly only learn from experience. But the steps below can help you avoid some of the most common pitfalls.

Step 1. Pick a niche

There are a wide variety of eateries out there in the world, and it takes lots of different skills to keep them running smoothly.

As you look around your own little corner of the universe, what cuisine, service, or convenience do you see as missing? What foodie need is still left to be filled? Would your market be best served by opening a pizza shop, starting a food truck, or opening a cafe?

If this isn’t narrowing down your options well enough, consider some of these top trends .

Step 2. Write your business plan

In the same way that recipes give you a roadmap to create an excellent dish, your restaurant business plan is the recipe you’ll follow to make your business a success.

Ultimately, writing a business plan is about thinking through and answering questions about your future restaurant that force you to contemplate the market you serve, the viability of your overall plan, and challenges you might not have otherwise have thought of.

When done right, this process will help you refine define the next steps involved in opening your restaurant, giving you the highest possible shot at success.

Take a look at the 12 biggest questions you should be answering as part of the business planning process for your future restaurant:

What kind of restaurant do you want to run? This is known as your “elevator pitch,” and it’s something you’ll repeat over and over and over to friends, family, customers, lenders, investors, and just about everyone else.

Who is your restaurant for? This is called your target market—the group of people whom your restaurant is meant to serve.

Who are your competitors? It helps to understand who you are competing against in your market and how their restaurants are similar and different than yours.

Where will your restaurant be located ? Having an expensive steak house in the middle of a low-income neighborhood probably won't work out.

What is your value proposition? What makes your restaurant different from the competition?

How will customers find your restaurant? Will you market your business through word-of-mouth, paid advertising, social media, or another method? We recommend leveraging popular review apps like Yelp, OpenTable, and Resy to allow customers to find and review your restaurant or even book a reservation online.

What resources will your restaurant need? Take the time now to list out all the one-time and recurring expenses you’re likely to incur as part of your cost of doing business—leaving no stone unturned.

How will your restaurant make money? Your business model determines how your restaurant will generate revenue, cover expenses, and eventually make more money than it spends.

How long will it take for your restaurant to turn a profit? Use a revenue forecast to determine how long it will take to recuperate your initial investment, break even, and run a profitable business.

What are you not willing to compromise on? What values are most important to you, both personally and as a business? What are your non-negotiables? This will help you make critical business decisions down the road.

What is your staffing plan? Your head chef, friends, and family will be the place to start looking for stand-up, smart, reliable people. But even when you find the right staff, you'll have to train them.

What's your endgame? Are you building a restaurant that you hope to eventually sell, or are you working towards a long-term, sustainable business? Knowing where you want to end up, and when, will help to inform many of your business decisions along the way.

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.

Step 3. Choose your restaurant's name and legal structure

If you plan to use a unique name for your restaurant, go ahead and file your “doing business as” (DBA) name with your state’s agency, as this will keep you from losing your name idea to another business.

Once you have your DBA figured out, you'll need to select a business entity type for your restaurant. The structure you choose will impact how you file state and federal business taxes, the roles of different team members, and how you can be held liable in the event that someone files a legal claim against your business.

Because of the long-term and potentially weighty impact of your chosen business structure, it’s a good idea to consult a business attorney to help you make this choice. Here are the most common entity types for restauranteurs:

Sole proprietorship

This is the most basic form of business structure, in which you alone own the company and are responsible for any liabilities associated with it.

If you plan to have a food truck, pop-up, or any very small operation and won’t be taking on fixed assets or hiring any employees, a sole proprietorship might be the perfect structure for you. And the best part is you don’t have to take any formal action to form a sole proprietorship.

If you’ll be operating under your own name, you can just jump right into business. And if you have a clever idea for a business name, your “doing business as” filing (from above) will be all you need.

Partnership

This structure defines a single business in which there are two or more individuals are owners.

There are a few different partnership structures you can choose from, including a general partnership, limited partnership, or a joint venture.

Most experienced entrepreneurs don’t recommend partnerships as a business structure because they don’t offer much protection from liability.

If you do go with a partnership, make sure you choose a business partner is someone you can work well with for the long haul, and put clear terms and expectations in writing from the beginning detailing the roles and responsibilities of each party.

C-Corporation

A C-corporation is a more complex business structure usually reserved for larger companies, or those in particularly high-liability industries looking for a little extra insulation.

Most attorneys tend to put restaurants in this high-liability category, so a C-corporation structure is most likely to be recommended. That said, keep in mind that establishing a C-corporation requires having a board of directors as well as officers, and has more complicated tax filing requirements.

So consult your attorney, but also be prepared that the process might be a bit complex.

S-Corporation

Structured very similarly to a regular C-corporation, S-Corporations stand out because they’re taxed at the individual business owner level, rather than being taxed corporately.

If you think you may need the structure of a corporation but don’t want to mess with complicated dividend filings, an S-Corp might be a great middle ground for you.

Limited Liability Company (LLC)

Offering the liability protections of a corporation along with the flexibility and tax simplicity of a sole proprietorship or partnership, the limited liability company (LLC) is a “best of both worlds” business structure that has grown significantly in popularity over recent years.

Entrepreneurs who opt for an LLC structure can choose between a single-officer LLC, a partnership LLC, or a limited-liability corporation.

Step 4. Get a tax identification number for your restaurant

Also known as your employer identification number (EIN for short), this number helps the IRS keep track of your business for tax purposes.

Think of it like a social security number for your business.

If you plan to retain employees (think wait staff, hosts and hostesses, cooking staff and even dishwashers)—and especially if your business is established as a corporation or partnership—you’ll need this number to keep things on the up and up.

To obtain an employer identification number, apply online at the IRS website.

Start Your Dream Business

Step 5. Register your restaurant for state and local taxes

In addition to federal business taxes, most U.S. states and territories will require you to pay income and employment taxes for your business. Certain states have additional fiscal requirements, like state-mandated workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance.

Registration, requirements, and filing procedures vary widely from state to state, so check out the business tax information specific to where you live.

Step 6. Secure permits, licenses, and insurance for your restaurant

The FDA updates the Food Code every four years, but the details of what is required, strongly encouraged, and just optional will vary from state to state, and even between counties.

You could read the 600+ pages published by the FDA , but we would recommend starting by finding your state's food service code regulation department . Here you'll find some of the highlights you should expect to encounter to get up to code in your area. This resource is useful, but not comprehensive, so be sure to check in with your local health department to make sure all of your bases are covered.

It’s a good idea to keep a master calendar with reminders for all of your renewal and payment due dates.

Food licenses

The most important part of remaining complaint is acquiring food and health code licenses. These licenses certify that you are safely handling, storing, and serving food. And don’t think that having a food cart or even a booth at a festival gets you out of this: they thought of those, too.

Included in this, but with its own special set of permits and rules will be serving alcohol. This covers not only safely serving alcohol but also includes training for dealing with customers that have perhaps overindulged. Read our complete guide for getting a liquor license in every state.

Health department permits

The health department has a lot to say about what is safe for the places you want to store, prepare, and serve your food. Your establishment will need to be inspected for operational safety, as well as edible safety.

Think maximum occupancy, fire hazards, ventilation, food surface types, sink placement, restroom regulations, and so on.

Restaurant insurance

Even with all the necessary licenses and permits, you still need to have some extra safety nets in place. You'll need to look into the specific business insurance requirements for restaurants.

Requirements vary depending on where you live and how you’re funded, but at the very least, you’ll want to consider these:

Property insurance

General insurance

Liquor liability

Auto liability

Workers compensation insurance

Unemployment insurance

Life insurance

Fire insurance

Loss of business

Food contamination

Americans with Disabilities Act compliance

In 1992, the Department of Justice passed the Americans with Disabilities Act so that consumers and employees with disabilities could avoid discrimination from places of public accommodation.

The complete details of the ADA are pretty detailed, but you can use this U.S. Small Business Administration guide to understand what is expected.

When you get past all the angles, measurements, and legalese, it boils down to having accommodations in place so that people with disabilities can safely park, travel into your restaurant, order food, and eat at a table.

Step 7. Set up accounting documents

Running a restaurant involves a lot of paperwork. You’ll need accounting documents to file your taxes, apply for business financing, and for internal tracking of your revenue, expenses, and profitability.

At a minimum, every restaurant owner should regularly maintain these three basic accounting documents:

Balance sheet

The balance sheet is essentially a snapshot of your restaurant’s financial standing at a given moment. It lists the assets, liabilities, and equity your company holds at a given time and is used to calculate the net worth of your business. Maintaining a “balanced” balance sheet—one in which total assets equals liabilities plus equity—is the foundational tenet of basic bookkeeping.

Income statement

Sometimes called a profit and loss statement, your income statement summarizes your business revenues and expenses over the course of a year, letting you calculate your net profit or loss for that year. Maintaining an accurate income statement is critical to measuring profitability over time.

Cash flow statement

Having enough cash on hand to cover expenses can make or break a restaurant’s financial health. In fact, this issue is so important, there is an accounting document dedicated to the tracking of cash flow.

Your cash flow statement reflects the inflow of revenue and outflow of expenses resulting from all your restaurant activities during a specific time period—usually a month or a financial quarter. Inflow will come from serving food and drink to your paying customers, while outflow represents things like purchasing ingredients, payroll, and paying rent and other overhead expenses.

Consider hiring a bookkeeper or accountant

If you feel a bit overwhelmed by these accounting protocols, we recommend asking around for a certified public accountant. It’s important to choose someone whose personality fits with yours, who will be available to answer questions as needed, and who can handle financial areas where you have less experience. Having a CPA experienced in the restaurant industry will help you understand your local laws to avoid problems when it comes servers minimum wage, tips as income, and over time for your staff.

Step 8. Invest in the right tools for your restaurant

Especially with all the moving parts involved in a working restaurant, managing the accounting documents above by hand can get overwhelming fast.

Not to mention employee schedules, timesheets, payment processing, payroll processing, and all the other logistics that go into keeping your restaurant afloat!

Thankfully, there are great restaurant accounting software options and other useful tools available that will take the guesswork out of your bookkeeping and generate these accounting documents automatically.

Restaurant POS system

One of the things entrepreneurs often overlook when researching how to open a restaurant is a restaurant POS system. A restaurant POS system is a combination of hardware and software that allows you to perform many important functions, including payment processing, front-of-house management, order coursing, and tip reconciliation. Most POS systems also produce helpful reports that allow you to more efficiently run your business.

Here are some of our favorite POS systems, based on the type of restaurant you own:

Square for Restaurants: Best POS system for new restaurants.

Clover POS: Best POS system for quick-service restaurants.

Lightspeed Restaurant POS: Best POS system for small and medium-sized restaurants.

TouchBistro POS: Best POS system for full-service restaurants.

Toast POS: Best overall restaurant POS system.

Loyverse POS: Best free restaurant POS software.

Step 9. Keep up with your restaurant's tax obligations

Along with getting your books in order, understanding and fulfilling tax requirements should be a first priority in the financial management of your restaurant. The consequences for failing to file your state and federal business taxes are severe—as in you could lose your business and even face criminal charges.

So even though dealing with the IRS can be intimidating, this isn’t something you can ignore.

Let’s break down the main business tax obligations you’ll need to keep track of:

All businesses must file annual income tax returns and make payments based on revenue received.

The exact tax form you use to make income tax payments depends on the structure of your business: sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, S-corporation, or limited liability company (LLC).

Self-employment tax

Individuals who work for themselves (including small business owners) must pay social security and Medicare taxes via a self-employment tax. This tax is similar to the taxes withheld from the pay of most wage earners.

Estimated tax

Income and self-employment taxes both qualify as “pay as you go” taxes. You’ll need to file quarterly documents estimating the taxes you owe in these categories and make payments accordingly.

Click here for forms and more information about how to make quarterly estimated tax payments.

Employment taxes

Since you'll probably have employees working in your restaurant, you'll face additional tax obligations related to those employees, including social security and Medicare taxes, federal income tax withholdings, and the federal unemployment tax.

Learn about the specific IRS information about filing employment taxes for your business.

Step 10. Fund your newly opened restaurant

Unless you happen to be independently wealthy, you’ll likely need some funding from somewhere for starting a restaurant.

Entrepreneurs choose to finance their businesses in any variety of ways, but the most common approach is to take out a business loan . The growth of the alternative lending industry has brought about a wide variety of loan products to meet the needs of entrepreneurs, each with different costs, payment structures, and application processes.

Let's review the business loan options available to restaurateurs.

Probably the first thing you think of when you imagine business lending, term loans offer a set repayment time, set number of payments, and have a fixed or variable interest rate.

Depending on your business needs, credit rating, and other factors, there are a wide variety of term loans available to many small business owners—both from traditional banks and from non-bank alternative lenders—and with terms ranging from one year with daily payments up to five-year terms with monthly payments, and everything in between.

Because of the risky nature of small business lending, many commercial lenders have in the past been hesitant to lend money to small business owners, especially new restaurant ventures.

As a solution, the Small Business Administration began guaranteeing as much as 80% of the loan principal for term loans through participating lending institutions. This could be a viable option if you are already experienced in the food industry. (Otherwise, you probably won’t be considered.)

The SBA offers a variety of loan programs, including for restaurateurs. If you plan to use an SBA loan as your main source of funding to start your restaurant, you will need to go into this process with your ducks in a row. Write a stellar business plan that highlights the uniqueness of your idea, and be prepared to have 20%-30% of your loan amount in cash—or to take out a mortgage on your home.

Keep in mind, though, that while the SBA’s stamp of approval may make some lenders more willing to consider applicants who don’t fall within their strict loan criteria, applying for an SBA loan still involves lengthy paperwork, and the process can take several months.

Equipment financing

If you specifically need cash to make a big equipment purchase (like point of sale technology, commercial kitchen appliances, flatware, or furniture) for your new establishment, restaurant equipment financing might be the right choice for you.

This financing product works very similarly to a car loan, with the amount you can borrow depending on the price and type of equipment you’re buying.

And because the equipment itself serves as collateral, you likely won’t be asked to put up additional collateral for the loan.

Equipment financing terms typically work at a fixed interest rate—usually between 8% and 30%—with a fixed term length so your payments will be the same from month to month.

Short-term loans

For businesses with smaller and immediate financing needs, short-term loans can be a lifesaver. These loans work similarly to traditional term loans but cover amounts in the $2,500 to $250,000 range with terms of between three and 18 months.

With interest rates as low as 14%, short-term loan providers can often get you cash in hand in as few as two days, letting you make rent, cover payroll, pay food vendors, or meet other immediate overhead expenses—even when cash is tight.

Line of credit

Perhaps the most flexible form of business financing available, a business line of credit gives you capital to draw upon to meet a variety of business needs.

Once established, you can draw on your line of credit as you would a personal credit card, to get more working capital, buy inventory, handle seasonal cash flows, pay off other debts, or address almost any other business need.

If you do plan to apply for a small business loan at any point in the future, make sure that you are regularly reviewing your personal and business credit reports, as well as doing what you can improve your credit score.

Along with your annual revenue, time in business, and average bank balance, your personal and business credit scores are the single most important factor that will determine your ability to qualify for a small business loan.

How much does it cost to open a restaurant?

Now that you know your financing options, you're probably wondering exactly how much financing you'll need.

Obviously, the cost to open a restaurant varies widely depending on the type of restaurant you want to open, service style, decor, location, menu, and more. However, a recent survey by RestaurantOwner.com provided some insight into what entrepreneurs might have to pay.

According to a survey of 350 restauranteurs, a small restaurant can cost as much as $175,500 in total startup costs. A medium sized restaurant costs up to $375,500, and a large restaurant costs up to $750,500. You can view the full results of the survey here :

Step 11. Market your restaurant

The last step in how to open a restaurant? Tell the world about it!

There are a variety of methods for marketing your restaurant to your target audience. Here are a few ideas to get you going:

Use social media marketing to share photos of your dishes, answer customer inquiries, and communicate the merits of your brand.

Make a professional looking website to show the world that you are a legitimate and trustworthy business.

Get your business aforementioned customer review websites like Yelp, OpenTable, and Resy.

Offer promotions such as discounts for first-time customers or a customer referral program.

Have a grand opening that stirs up interest in your restaurant and attracts media attention.

The bottom line

Being a restaurateur is truly not for the faint of heart, as owning your own restaurant is a never-ending, 24/7 adventure. The challenges and questions that come up for each restaurant owner will vary as widely as the different eateries and states they operate in. But if food is your passion and owning a restaurant is your dream, the steps above can offer a good start toward making that dream a reality.

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

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How to write a restaurant business plan

A small restaurant business plan is the roadmap you use to open a successful spot. As a first step to creating yours, ask your friends and colleagues to share restaurant business plan examples. Their restaurant business plan samples can inspire yours.

Once you’ve studied those examples, it’s time to start writing your own. No matter how much thought you’ve put into your concept or how many trusted colleagues have assured you of its greatness, you must write a restaurant business plan. It will prove the viability of your concept to potential investors and provide them with a clear and engaging answer to the question: “Why does the world need this restaurant?”

“The point of a business plan is to show that you’ve done your homework,” says Charles Bililies, owner of Souvla , a fine casual Greek restaurant in San Francisco that has received national acclaim since opening in the spring of 2014.

“You have to show any potential investor that you have an actual plan, you know what you’re talking about, it looks professional, and you’re not just screwing around.”

Quick links Branded cover Table of contents Concept Sample menu Service Management team Design Target market Location Market overview Marketing and publicity Specialists and consultants Business structure Financials

1. Branded cover

Include your logo (even if it’s not finalized), the date, and your name.

2. Table of contents

A table of contents in a restaurant business plan provides an organized overview of the document’s structure and content. It typically appears at the beginning of the plan and lists the major sections and subsections with their corresponding page numbers.

The table of contents is important for several reasons. Firstly, it allows readers to quickly navigate through the plan, enabling easy access to specific sections of interest. Secondly, it helps in presenting a professional and well-structured document, showing that you have carefully organized your thoughts and ideas. It also improves readability and comprehension, as readers can easily locate and refer back to relevant information

Image depicts a restaurant worker in a new restaurant.

3. Restaurant concept

Describe your restaurant concept and get the reader excited about your idea. Specify whether the restaurant will be fine dining or more casual. Include an executive summary and go into detail about the food you’ll be serving, inspiration behind your concept, and an overview of service style.

Define clearly what will be unique about your restaurant and include your mission statement. This section should include a market analysis that shows how your restaurant will be similar and different from competing restaurants.

4. Sample menu

The menu is the most important touchpoint of any restaurant’s brand, so this should be more than just a simple list of items. Incorporate your logo and mock up a formatted menu design (tap a designer for help if needed).

Your sample menu should also include prices that are based on a detailed cost analysis. This will:

Give investors a clear understanding of your targeted price point
Provide the info needed to estimate check averages
Show the numbers used create financial projections for starting costs
Show investors that you’ve done the homework
Prove you can stay within a budget

This section is most relevant for:

Fine-dining concepts
Concepts that have a unique service style
Owners who have particularly strong feelings about what role service will play in their restaurant.

It can be a powerful way of conveying your approach to hospitality to investors by explaining the details of the guest’s service experience.

Will your restaurant have counter service and restaurant hostess software designed to get guests on their way as quickly as possible, or will it look more like a theater, with captains putting plates in front of guests simultaneously?

If an extensive wine program is an integral part of what you’re doing, will you have a sommelier? If you don’t feel that service is a noteworthy component of your operation, address it briefly in the concept section.

Image depicts two restaurant workers discussing finances.

6. Management team

Write a brief overview of yourself and the team you have established so far. You want to show that your experience has provided you with the necessary skills to run a successful restaurant and act as a restaurant business owner.

Ideally, once you have described the strong suit of every member of your team, you’ll be presenting a full pitch deck. Most independent restaurant investors are in this for more than just money, so giving some indication of what you value and who you are outside of work may also be helpful.

Incorporate some visuals. Create a mood board that shows images related to the design and feeling of your restaurant.

Whether you’re planning to cook in a wood-burning oven or are designing an eclectic front-of-house, be sure to include those ideas. Photos of materials and snippets of other restaurants that you love that are similar to the brand you’re building are also helpful.

8. Target market

Who is going to eat at your restaurant? What do they do for a living, how old are they, and what’s their average income? Once you’ve described them in detail, reiterate why your specific concept will appeal to them.

Image depicts two restaurant workers having a discussion.

9. Location

There should be a natural and very clear connection between the information you present in the “Target Market” section and this one. You probably won’t have a specific site identified at this point in the process, but you should talk about viable neighborhoods.

Don’t assume that potential investors will be familiar with the areas you’re discussing and who works or lives there—make the connections clear. You want readers to be confident that your restaurant’s “ideal” diner intersects with the neighborhood(s) you’re proposing as often as possible.

If you don’t have a site , this is a good place to discuss what you’re looking for in terms of square footage, foot traffic, parking, freeway accessibility, outdoor seating , and other important details.

10. Market overview

Address the micro and macro market conditions in your area and how they relate to licenses and permits. At a macro level, what are the local and regional economic conditions?

If restaurants are doing poorly, explain why yours won’t; if restaurants are doing well, explain how you’ll be able to compete in an already booming restaurant climate. At a micro level, discuss who your direct competitors are. Talk about what types of restaurants share your target market and how you’ll differentiate yourself.

11. Marketing and publicity

The restaurant landscape is only getting more competitive. Discuss your pre- and post-opening marketing plans to show investors how you plan to gain traction leading up to opening day, as well as how you’ll keep the momentum going.

If you’re going to retain a PR/marketing company, introduce them and explain why you’ve chosen them over other companies (including some of their best-known clients helps). If not, convey that you have a solid plan in place to generate attention on your own through social media, your website , and media connections.

Image depicts two restaurant workers having a discussion over a tablet.

12. Specialists and consultants

List any outside contractors you plan to retain, such as:

General contractor
PR and marketing

Briefly explain the services they’ll be providing for you, why you chose them, and any notable accomplishments.

13. Business structure

This section should be short and sweet. What type of business structure have you set up and why did you make that specific decision? You will need to work with an attorney to help you determine what business structure is best for you.

“Step one: write a business plan. Step two: hire a good attorney. In addition to helping me build a smart, sustainable business structure, my attorney was also a great resource for reviewing my business plan because she’s read thousands of them. She was a very helpful, experienced outside perspective for more than just legal matters,” says Charles Bililies.

14. Financial projections

Let your accountant guide you through this portion of your business plan. It is crucial that whoever you hire to help you with your finances has a wealth of restaurant experience (not just one or two places). They should be familiar with the financial specifics of starting a restaurant and know what questions to ask you.

Before creating realistic financial projections, your accountant will want to know:

How many seats the restaurant will have
What your average check will be
How many covers per day you plan to do

Being conservative in these estimations is key. These three data points will be used as the basis for figuring out whether your concept is financially feasible.

Lou Guerrero, Principal at Kross, Baumgarten, Kniss & Guerrero, emphasizes, “You’ll get a lot of accountants that tell you that they’ve done a couple of restaurants, but you have to choose someone that has a deep expertise in what you’re doing. There’s nothing to gain from going with someone that doesn’t have a very restaurant-centric practice.”

A well-vetted accountant with restaurant experience will know exactly what you’ll need to have prepared to show investors.

The key projections you can expect to work on are:

Pro forma profit and loss statement for the first three to five years of operation
Break even analysis
Capital requirements budget

Writing a comprehensive restaurant business plan is a crucial step towards opening a successful establishment. By seeking inspiration from examples, demonstrating your expertise, and addressing all the essential components, you can prove the viability of your concept to potential investors.

Remember, a well-prepared business plan demonstrates professionalism and a clear understanding of your goals, increasing your chances of achieving long-term success in the competitive restaurant industry.

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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.

500+ business plans and financial models

How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan: Complete Guide

January 31, 2023
Food & Beverage

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Whether you’re looking to raise funding from private investors or to get a loan from a bank (like a SBA loan) to open a restaurant , you will need to prepare a solid business plan.

In this article we go through, step-by-step, all the different sections you need in the business plan of your restaurant . Use this template to create a complete, clear and solid business plan that get you funded. Let’s dive in!

1. Restaurant Executive Summary

The executive summary of a business plan gives a sneak peek of the information about your business plan to lenders and/or investors.

If the information you provide here is not concise, informative, and scannable, potential lenders and investors will lose interest.

Though the executive summary is the first and the most important section, it should normally be the last section you write because it will have the summary of different sections included in the entire plan.

Why do you need a business plan for a restaurant?

The purpose of a business plan is to secure funding through one of the following channels:

Obtain bank financing or secure a loan from other lenders (such as a SBA loan )
Obtain private investments from investment funds, angel investors, etc.
Obtain a public or a private grant

How to write your restaurant’s executive summary?

Provide a precise and high-level summary of every section that you have included in your business plan. The information and the data you include in this segment should grab the attention of potential investors and lenders immediately.

Also make sure that the executive summary doesn’t exceed 2 pages in total: it’s supposed to be a summary for investors and lenders who don’t have time to scroll through 40-50 pages, so keep it short and brief.

The executive summary usually consists of 5 major sub-sections:

Business overview : start by introducing your restaurant and the products and services that you intend offer. Mention the type of restaurant you intend to open (such as fine dining, casual dining, fast casual, ghost restaurant, café, pub, etc.), the menu and prices. Also add here the total number of customers your restaurant can host at once, its location, and some details on the surface and the design layout
Market analysis : summarise the market where you will operate and provide a brief about the target audience, market size , competitors, etc. No need to provide granular data here, save it for the Market Overview section later on (or the appendix)
People : introduce your restaurant’s management and employee structure. Provide a brief (no more than a couple of sentences each) of the knowledge and experience of the team. Also, speak about your hiring plans.
Financial plan : how much profit and revenue do you expect in the next 5 years? When will you reach the break-even point and start making profits? You can include here a chart depicting your key financials statements
Funding ask : what loan/investment/grant are you seeking? How much do you need? How long will this last?

Restaurant Financial Model

Download an expert-built 5-year Excel financial model for your business plan

2. Restaurant Business Overview

This is the section where you will provide details about your restaurant and the chosen business model. You must address some important questions that lenders and/or investors generally ask .

Here is a quick list of some of those questions you must address:

What is the rationale behind you opening this type of restaurant today?
What’s the restaurant’s location and why did you select that location?
Why did you select the type of restaurant you want to open?
What will be the products and services you will offer?
What will be your pricing strategy and why?
What will be your opening days / hours?
How many customers can you serve at once (capacity)?
What is the surface of your restaurant? How is the restaurant designed (incl. dining rooms and kitchen area)?
What will be the legal structure of your company?

a) History of the Project

Any business must have two components:

Passion & experience of the business owner
Rationale behind starting this type of business today

Passion & experience

You may or may not have prior experience. If you have experience, speak about it and how it will help you to run your business. For instance, you may have been a restaurant manager in a popular restaurant for 6 years, and now you want to start your own restaurant and use your knowledge to run it more efficiently.

However, if you don’t already have experience, that’s fine. You must demonstrate your passion and some industry knowledge (you may have conducted thorough research).

What is your restaurant’s mission?

For example, there may not be any fine dining restaurant in your area where wealthy residents or tourists can enjoy an upscale meal experience in a sophisticated and elegant environment.

But that’s not all: your market must be suitable for your business to thrive.

For instance, if you are planning to open a fine dining restaurant in a low-income area, it is probably not going to attract many customers. Similarly, if the population of the target market has a high percentage of people preferring takeaway/delivery food options because of their busy lifestyle, a fine dining restaurant may not be a good idea.

b) Business Model

This sub-section of the Business Overview will explain your business model. Describe the following points briefly:

Will you buy an existing restaurant and do some remodeling, or will you start a new restaurant and design it from scratch?
Will you buy a franchise or do you plan to open an independent restaurant instead?
The type of restaurant you want to open and why

What are the different types of restaurants?

There are multiple types of restaurants. Some of them that you may consider include, but are not limited to:

Fine Dining : They provide upscale meal experience with several courses. The atmosphere is sophisticated and classy. They can be franchises or individually owned. Of course, they are quite expensive.
Casual Dining : This type of restaurants serve customers at their tables and the food prices are moderate. The atmosphere is not very sophisticated. Though the décor is often unique, it can be based on the type of food a restaurant serves.
Fast Casual : These restaurants will make your food available quickly, but the food is healthier than fast food. Also, food is cheaper than casual dining. They have a counter service (you must collect food from the counter) and the décor is more contemporary.
Ghost Kitchens : ghost kitchens (or “dark kitchen”) restaurants do not have a storefront, a dining room, signage, or décor. They operate using food delivery partners and take orders through online ordering or phone ordering.
Fast Food : Think of Taco Bell , KFC, Burger King, etc. The food is relatively cheap and is served quickly. Food ingredients are usually preheated or precooked, and food delivery happens over the counter or via a drive-through window.
Buffet Style : These restaurants are similar to the Family Style restaurants but with a fundamental difference. People get to select from a selection of food that are made available against a fixed price. However, customers need to serve themselves and they are allowed to return to the buffet for as many times as they want.

c) Products & Services

Of course, the products you will offer in your restaurant will depend on the type of restaurant you are opening. A Buffet Style restaurant, for example, usually prefer specialty cuisines like Indian, pizza, home cooking, Chinese, etc. Similarly, if you are opting for a Diner, you will most likely offer fried foods (fish & chicken), breakfast items, burgers, etc. at a low cost.

It is a good idea to give a list of food and drinks that you want to sell. Depending on the scale of your operations, you may have too many menu items. It is not possible to list every item on your menu, but make sure that you are listing the most important ones. If you specialize in one or a few specific dishes, mention that, too.

d) Pricing Strategy

In this sub-section, you must explain the pricing strategy of your restaurant. If you have multiple competitors (in the same niche) in the vicinity, you cannot have huge pricing variation, especially for the similar food items. Pricing will, of course, depend on the type of restaurant you are opening, and the food items you are offering.

For example, if you are sourcing the raw materials only from organic farms that do not use fertilizers and pesticides, your menu items will have a higher price tag.

Similarly, you cannot expect to charge expensive Fine Dining-like prices if you are opening a Casual Dining restaurant instead.

Create a pricing table and ensure to provide an average price range for your products. You don’t need to provide exact pricing for each product. Use price ranges instead.

Offering a pricing table is important because your pricing strategy will allow investors to tie your pricing strategy with your financial projections .

e) Legal Structure

Finally, your business overview section should specify what type of business structure you want. Is this a corporation or a partnership (LLC)? Who are the investors? How much equity percentage do they own? Is there a Board of Directors? If so, whom? Do they have experience in the industry?

3. Restaurant Market Overview

A complete understanding of the market where you want to operate is important for the success of your business.

For example, if your intentions are to open a classy Fine Dining restaurant in a low-income area, you will not attract enough customers. Similarly, if you want to open a fast-food restaurant in a place where family dining is more popular, it will be a disaster.

Therefore, you must cover here 3 important areas:

Market size & growth : how big is the restaurant industry in your area? What is its growth rate (or decline rate) and what are the factors contributing to its growth or decline?
Competition overview : how many competitors are there? How do they compare vs. your business? How can you differentiate yourself from them?
Customer analysis : who is your target audience? What type of restaurants do they prefer? How regularly do they visit restaurants for dining? What type of food do they prefer? How much do they spend at restaurants on average?

a) Restaurant Industry Status Quo

How big is the restaurant industry in the us.

According to Finance Online , there were over 1 million restaurants (all types combined) in the US in 2021. The industry recovered post a 60% drop in sales in April 2020 due to the pandemic, and recorded an annualised market size of over $1 trillion dollars in July 2022 ($1,033 billion)..!

How big is the restaurant industry in your area?

Once you provide the overall picture of the US, divert your attention to the area where you want to operate. It might not be possible to find region or area-specific studies, and hence, you must estimate the market size .

For example, if there are 1,000,000 restaurants in the country with total annual revenue of $1 trillion, the average annual revenue for each establishment is around $1 million.

Therefore, if the area where you want to open your restaurant has 30 restaurants, you can safely assume that the restaurant industry in your area is worth approximately $30 million.

How fast is the restaurant industry growing in the area?

You must show the expected growth rate of the restaurant industry in your area. This information may not be available via online research papers. However, assessing the growth rate will not be difficult as you can use metrics such as the number of competitors in your area.

For instance, if there were 25 restaurants in 2018 and 30 restaurants in 2022, the average annual growth rate would be 5%.

What are the current restaurant market trends in your area?

It is vital to understand the trends of the restaurant industry in your area. Understanding trends will allow you to devise marketing strategies.

Understanding trends won’t be easy. You must conduct research and talk with your target audience. Additionally, you must also study your competitors to understand their target audience, the products they sell, etc.

Some common questions you may ask the target audience include:

What type of restaurants do they prefer?
At what time of the day do they prefer to visit a restaurant (breakfast, lunch, dinner)?
How frequently do they visit restaurants?
What type of foods do they usually order?

You can ask as many questions as you need to understand the evolving trends.

b) Competition Overview

Studying your competitors’ business models is vital. You need to understand what makes them successful or why they fail. A clear understanding of their food offerings, marketing strategies, etc., will allow you to provide a better service.

If your competitors are offering nearly the same products & services, then what is their market share and how do they market their products & services to attract new customers?

It is always a good idea to do some research (if necessary, physically visit your competitors without revealing your business intentions) and create a comparative table summarizing their product & service offerings, marketing strategies, target audience, etc.

Here is a sample table that you can use:

The table you will create will depend on what information you need and want to include based on your proposed business model.

Restaurant SWOT Analysis

Try to provide a SWOT analysis . It must be crisp and highly focused. SWOT stands for Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats.

Here is a sample that you can use as a reference:

Strength: 8 years of senior manager experience in a reputed Michelin Star Fine Dining restaurant operated & owned by a renowned chef and a master’s degree in Hospitality management, experienced senior chef with 22 years of experience
Weakness: Startup cost, zero reputation
Opportunities: An affluent neighborhood with a rising demand for fine dining establishments, only one fine dining restaurant in the 3-mile radius
Threats: Increasing cost of raw materials because of geo-political turmoil restricting international trade routes

A clear understanding of your strengths and weakness along with opportunities and threats in the real market can help you to design your marketing strategy. It also helps potential investors to assess the risk and reward profile of your business.

c) Customer Analysis

This is the sub-section where you will provide a detailed analysis of your target audience.

Some important points that you must include in your customer analysis include:

Age and gender distribution (you can get local demographic data from census.gov )
Per capita expenditure on dining
Frequency of restaurant visits
Average monthly income and disposable income
Average bill size per visit
Average yearly or monthly spending on food at restaurants
Type of restaurants preferred
The expected price range for food
Inclination towards loyalty programs & free perks
Things they dislike about existing restaurants and what they expect to be improved

You can add as many data points as required to validate your business decision. The idea here is to display your deep understanding of the target audience and their needs, preferences, and expectations. This knowledge can help you to tailor your products & services to attract new customers and increase sales .

4. Sales & Marketing Strategy

This is the segment where you outline your customer acquisition strategy. Try to answer the following questions:

What is your USP ?
What are the different marketing strategies you will use?
How do you intend to track the success of your marketing strategy?
What is your CAC or customer acquisition cost ?
What is your marketing budget?
What introductory promos and offers do you intend to provide for attracting new customers?

Let’s expand a bit on a few questions below:

What marketing channels do restaurants use?

A few marketing channels that restaurants typically use are:

Word-of-mouth, recommendations,
Local listing & reviews (e.g. Google reviews)
Online booking platforms (e.g. TheFork , Opentable , etc.)
Influencer marketing
Print media, etc.

It is not necessary to use all channels. You can start by focusing on a few of them and include other marketing strategies later instead.

What is your unique selling proposition?

In other words, how do you differentiate yourself vs. competitors? This is very important as you might need to win customers from competitors.

A few examples of USPs can be:

Organic raw materials : we source organic farm fresh raw materials from local farmers
Authentic Indian food : prepared by a Michelin Star chef from India
Family run restaurant : run by a family, helping families connect over delicious food
Price : affordable food & menu for the quality vs. competitors
Location : the restaurant is located in a busy street, thereby attracting many customers who can easily glance over the menu
Uniqueness : you may be the only tapas-style restaurant around, in an area where people are fond of this type of restaurant

5. Management & People

You must address 2 things here:

The management team and their experience / track record
The organizational structure : different team members and who reports to whom?

a) Management

Small businesses often fail because of managerial weaknesses. Thus, having a strong management team is vital. Highlight the experience and education of senior managers that you intend to hire to oversee your restaurant business.

Describe their duties, responsibilities, and roles. Also, highlight their previous experience and explain how they succeeded in their previous roles.

It is also important that you explain how their experiences and qualifications help you in implementing the restaurant you are proposing. If they have specialized training, achievement, and experience (such as a degree in hospitality management, 3 Michelin stars, experience in developing menus for 5-star hotels, etc.), add that information.

b) Organization Structure

Even if you haven’t already hired a restaurant manager, server, chef, head cook, busser, cashier, bartenders, and other relevant staff members, you must provide here a chart of the organizational structure defining the hierarchy of reporting.

6. Financial Plan

The financial plan is perhaps, with the executive summary, the most important section of any business plan for a restaurant.

Indeed, a solid financial plan tells lenders that your business is viable and can repay the loan you need from them. If you’re looking to raise equity from private investors, a solid financial plan will prove them your restaurant is an attractive investment.

There should be 2 sections to your financial plan section:

The startup costs of your project (if you plan to start a new restaurant, renovate your restaurant, etc.)
The 5-year financial projections

a) Startup Costs

Before we expand on 5-year financial projections in the following section, it’s always best practice to start with listing the startup costs of your restaurant . For a restaurant, startup costs are all the expenses you incur before you open your restaurant and start making sales . These expenses typically are:

The leasing deposit for the space (if you rent) or to buy the real estate (if you buy)
Renovations and improvements
Equipment & appliances
Furniture & tableware

Of course, the startup costs depend on a number of factors, like the size of your restaurant, its location, the facilities, the menu, etc.

On average, it costs $484,000 to $685,000 to open a casual restaurant with 150 seats (2,500 sq. ft.) in the US.

Note that these costs are for illustrative purposes and may not be fully relevant for your business. For more information on how much it costs to open and run a restaurant, read our article here .

b) Financial Projections

In addition to startup costs, you will now need to build a solid 5-year financial model for your restaurant.

Your financial projections should be built using a spreadsheet (e.g. Excel or Google Sheets) and presented in the form of tables and charts in the business plan of your restaurant.

As usual, keep it concise here and save details (for example detailed financial statements, financial metrics, key assumptions used for the projections) for the appendix instead.

Your financial projections should answer at least the following questions:

How much revenue do you expect to generate over the next 5 years?
When do you expect to break even ?
How much cash will you burn until you get there?
What’s the impact of a change in pricing (say 15%) on your margins?
What is your average customer acquisition cost?

You should include here your 3 financial statements (income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement). This means you must forecast:

The number of covers (customers or orders) over time ;
Your expected revenue ;
Operating costs to run the business ;
Any other cash flow items (e.g. capex, debt repayment, etc.).

When projecting your revenue, make sure to sensitize pricing, cost of raw materials (food supplies) and your sales volume. Indeed, a small change in these assumptions may have a significant impact on your revenues and profits.

7. Use of Funds

This is the last section of the business plan of your restaurant. Now that we have explained what your restaurant’s business model and concept are, what is your menu, your marketing strategy, etc., this section must now answer the following questions:

How much funding do you need ?
What financial instrument(s) do you need: is this equity or debt, or even a free-money public grant?
How long will this funding last?
Where else does the money come from? If you apply for a SBA loan for example, where does the other part of the investment come from (your own capital, private investors?)

If you raise debt:

What percentage of the total funding the loan represents?
What is the corresponding Debt Service Coverage Ratio ?

If you raise equity

What percentage ownership are you selling as part of this funding round?
What is the corresponding valuation of your business?

Use of Funds

Any restaurant business plan should include a clear use of funds section. This is where you explain how the money will be spent.

Will you spend most of the loan / investment in paying your employees’ salaries? Or will it cover mostly the cost for the lease deposit and the renovation?

Those are very important questions you should be able to answer in the blink of an eye. Don’t worry, this should come straight from your financial projections. If you’ve built solid projections like in our restaurant financial model template , you won’t have any issues answering these questions.

For the use of funds, we also recommend using a pie chart like the one we have in our financial model template where we outline the main expenses categories as shown below.

Privacy Overview

How to Start a Successful Restaurant

Lisa Furgison

11 min. read

Updated March 18, 2024

Free Download: Sample Restaurant Business Plan Templates

If you’ve wanted to start a restaurant for years, it might be time to sit down and draw up a plan to open your own business. To help you create a recipe for success, we’ve put together a how-to-get-started guide to make sure you have all the ingredients you need to open your restaurant with confidence.

While starting a restaurant is exciting, it’s also time-consuming and one of the toughest businesses to successfully launch. In fact, 60 percent of restaurants fail in the first year.

We’re not telling you this to temper your passion. We’re merely pointing out that if you want a successful restaurant, you’ll need to invest some serious time and money.

Why do many restaurants fail?

What’s the biggest reason for failure? Lack of planning. Before you ever make dinner for a customer, you’ll spend a lot of time figuring out every detail of your restaurant. From kitchen appliances and menus to floors plans and staff selections, the planning stage will make or break your restaurant.

To help you plan, fund, and manage your new restaurant, we’ve asked a couple of owners to share their trade secrets. Kim Strengari owns three successful restaurants in the Philadelphia region, including Stella Blu , and Lambrine Macejewski is the co-founder of Cocina 214, a contemporary Mexican restaurant in Winter Park, Florida. Omer Orian, co-founder of Off the Waffle, has three locations—two in Eugene, Oregon and one in Portland. Below are their tips for success.

Tips for starting a successful restaurant

1. Have the right intentions

If you want to make it as a restaurant owner, you have to love what you do, Kim Strengari says. While she knew a restaurant was the right path for her, she had to work nights cleaning office buildings to make ends meet when she first opened her restaurant.

“I wanted the restaurant more than anything else in life, so the sacrifices were endless and I never minded making them,” she says.

To be successful, you’ll invest a lot of time and money—so make sure that starting a restaurant is your passion, not just a business venture you hope will make money. “It’s harder than you can imagine,” says Omer Orien, “but people do it all the time. It’s not at all dreamy.”

In these early days, it’s also a good idea to figure out what you want your restaurant to look like. What will be your restaurant’s aesthetic? What furniture will you need to purchase to fit the theme? How will you lay your restaurant out? Trent Furniture, a British furniture company, has a great article on the topic to help you get started.

Orien says, “A lot of it has to do with figuring out what kind of environment you want to work in, what will make you feel the way you want to feel. It also doesn’t hurt to have people in your life who have an eye for design.” Orien sat down with his co-founders and built a 3-D model to plan the layout of their first location. And ultimately, they did most of the work to build out the space themselves.

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2. Have a solid business plan in place

You can’t scratch a business plan out on a cocktail napkin. You need a detailed business plan that charts the course for your success. That said, we suggest beginning with a one-page plan that keeps the business planning process simple. Think of your business plan as a living document that you return to regularly to help you plan for growth and measure your progress.

Orien says that he really got serious about his business plan when it was time to grow and expand to a new location. It helped them figure out what was feasible and figure out how to move forward.

Your business plan should include market research , a comprehensive look at your competitors, information on your target audience, an outline of your marketing plan, and a solid financial and budgeting projection. To get you started, check out these templates specifically for restaurant planning.

As you think about what you want your restaurant to look like, don’t forget to keep an eye on industry trends . As with any startup, timing is key.

Pay special attention to your marketing plan

You can only rely on word of mouth to bring in so many customers, so you’ll need a marketing plan in place to keep new people streaming through your doors.

Here are a few ideas:

Participate in community events and give out food samples
Offer discounts to new customers
Join the local business association
Utilize social media channel s
3. Location, location, location

With a restaurant, location is everything . You need a spot that draws crowds, is easily accessible, and has the potential for growth. Of course, you need a location that fits within your budget too.

It makes sense to take your time, as you’re looking for the right space. You might also want to do some research to find out of there are any startup incubator spaces for restaurants that you can join to keep initial costs low and that might come with mentorship opportunities. Whether you decide to rent space or build from scratch, selecting a location is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make as an owner. But you don’t have to do a huge build out at first.

When Orien was ready to launch Off the Waffle, he says he only had $3,000 to get the business started. “It sounds impossible,” he says, “but we found a bunch of hacks to make it work. We found a house that was actually in a commercial zone, so we were able to live and work in the same place.”

Orien’s three locations are all dedicated restaurant spaces, but it’s a good reminder to start small. “Once you’re $300,000 into a buildout for your location, it’s not like a house that you can just sell. There’s not a lot of retained value, he says. You’re sort of stuck with it.” So it makes sense to think it all through and test a smaller scale version before taking a huge and expensive leap.

4. Test your menu

Approach building your menu like an experiment. Consider having a dinner party featuring your proposed menu where you ask people for their honest feedback.

But don’t just invite your closest friends and family members. You might love the taste of a certain dish, but if customers won’t pay for it or aren’t keen on its taste, you won’t make money. When you ask for feedback, consider using a method that allows anonymous comments so that you get people’s honest reactions. Do your market research. Visit other restaurants to get a sense of appropriate pricing.

Orien says that when Off the Waffle first launched, there were only two items on the menu: a liege waffle and a glass of milk. He tested a lot of different ideas, including folding ingredients into the waffle dough and stuffing waffles like a pita pocket. Those approaches didn’t really delight their customers. So they moved on to interesting waffle toppings, and people loved it.

5. Hire essential help

How many people do you need on staff to get started? Some restaurant pros advocate for bringing on a manager prior to opening day, but think through your biggest needs. Do you need a dishwasher? How many cooks? What about servers? Take your time as you hire staff. Consider doing a soft opening so you can see how smoothly things run with just a few essential positions.

When Orien launched his first restaurant, the only employees were family. They scaled up slowly, but now they have around 50 employees working at their three locations. “When we started, we were newbies, so if we hired too quickly, we would have had trouble paying people a salary that would have brought in people with enough skills to make up for our inexperience. Over time, we learned how to do all the roles.” But now, he says if he opened a fourth location, it would be a natural progression to hire a manager right off the bat. He’s in a better position to be able to train them well.

Invest in training your employees

To better manage your staff, make sure you have employee training materials ready. Create job descriptions, codes of conduct, and an employee handbook. Create a training guide so employees are well prepared for their respective positions. Document recipes for your cooks so every meal is made to perfection. In other words, give your employees all of the necessary tools to succeed, Macejewski says.

Be willing to fill in where needed

As the owner, you can’t have an ego, Strengari says. If your idea of owning a restaurant is walking around in a pretty dress and makeup and asking customers what they think of the food, you’ll be in for a surprise. You have to be willing to do every job. From chopping vegetables to seating customers, you’ll have to fill in from time to time.

Watch your labor costs

A lot of restaurateurs have the urge to hire, hire, hire. While you will probably need to hire some staff to make your restaurant a success, don’t go overboard. Paying employees can be daunting, especially in the first few months when you’re not making a lot of money. It’s not always easy to figure out how many staff to hire the right amount of staff, Macejewski says.

“It’s tough to plan for if you are seasonal or have sporadic business, but you don’t want people on the clock if you don’t have the business,” she says. “You can’t afford it.”

6. Secure funding and manage your cash flow

Generate startup capital: As with every business, make sure you know how much money you need to get your restaurant off the ground.

You’ll need three pools of money. The first pool is for one-time costs like equipment (check out this calculator to help you figure out startup costs). The second pool is to cover the restaurant expenses for at least six months, and the third pool is to cover your personal bills for at least six months. You’ll want to have at least six months of cushion because you’ll probably find that your expenses outpace your revenue for at least that long.

Plan to lose money for the first six months: Restaurants aren’t profitable overnight. It takes time to market your new place, attract a crowd, and get people to come back for more. Some say you shouldn’t plan on making money for at least the first six months.

Plan for bumps in the road: It’s easy to go over budget when you’re first starting out, so make sure that you have some additional money to cover the unexpected. If you’re not sure about how to do this, consider a business line of credit.

When you do hit a bump, evaluate the numbers and your processes, Lambrine Macejewski says. For example, when she first opened her restaurant, she realized her food costs were too high. She called her vendors and switched from a five-day delivery schedule to a two-day schedule. She saved the money she needed by investigating the problem and looking for a solution.

Watch your food cost: You’re in the business of making food, but if your food costs are out of line you’ll end up losing money. Make sure you keep track of your inventory, prepare food well, avoid waste, and keep prices competitive.

7. Keep marketing

You can’t depend on repeat customers, so you’ll need to keep your marketing efforts up to make sure your revenue stream doesn’t thin out. Establish a strong social media presence, try an ad in your local paper, participate in the local fair, or host a small non-profit get together at your restaurant to keep marketing your business.

Share your restaurant startup advice with us!

For the right owner, there’s nothing better than running a restaurant. You get to create an atmosphere and cuisine that people will love, but it comes with a lot of hard work.

Reach out to us on Twitter and share what you’ve learned through starting a restaurant, or let us know what else you think it takes. We’d love to hear from you!

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Lisa Furgison is a multimedia journalist with a passion for writing. She holds a graduate degree in mass communications and spent eight years as a television reporter before moving into the freelance world, where she focuses mainly on content creation and social media strategies. Furgison has crisscrossed the U.S. as a reporter, but now calls Key West, Florida home. When she's not conducting interviews or typing away on her laptop, she loves to travel.

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Restaurant Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

If you want to start a restaurant or expand your current one, you need a business plan.

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their restaurants. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a restaurant business plan step-by-step so you can create your restaurant’s business plan today.

Download our Ultimate Restaurant Business Plan Template here >

What Is a Restaurant Business Plan?

A restaurant business plan provides a snapshot of your restaurant business as it stands today, and lays out your projected growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research, information about your target market, and a sample menu to support your winning restaurant business plan.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Restaurant

If you’re looking to start a restaurant or grow the existing restaurant you need a business plan. A restaurant business plan will help you secure funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your restaurant in order to improve your chances of success. Your restaurant business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Restaurants

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a restaurant are bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your restaurant business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest.

To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable. But they will want to see a professional restaurant business plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

The second most common form of funding for a restaurant is angel investors. Angel investors are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding or, like a bank, they will give you a loan. Private equity groups are also a good source of funding for restaurant chains looking to expand further.

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How to write a restaurant business plan.

Use the following restaurant business plan template which includes the 10 key elements for how to write a restaurant business plan that will help you start, grow, and/or secure funding for your business.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your restaurant business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your business plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of restaurant business you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a restaurant that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of restaurants?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your business plan. For example, give a brief overview of the restaurant industry. Discuss the type of restaurant you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer a financial analysis of your business.

Company Overview

In your company analysis, you will provide a brief description of the type of restaurant you are operating.

For example, are you writing a small restaurant business plan or a business plan for a restaurant franchise. Further, you might operate one of the following types:

Fine Dining : characterized by the fancy decor, a dress code, and high prices
Casual Dining : offers waiter/waitress service in a nice (but not overly fancy) atmosphere with moderate prices
Fast Casual : characterized by quality food (close to the quality of casual dining) but no waiter/waitress service in an accessible atmosphere
Fast Food : quick service style provided at the counter or via a drive-through. Lowest quality food and lowest prices
Steak Restaurant : focuses on steak entrees and is usually a higher priced and fancier restaurant
Buffet Restaurant : may or may not offer waiter/waitress service. Patrons serve themselves from buffet food selection
Ethnic Restaurant : focuses on a specific ethnic cuisine such as Indian food, Mexican food, or Moroccan cuisine.

Within these types of restaurants, there are also ethnic food specialties such as American, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, etc.

In addition to explaining the type of restaurant you operate, the Company Analysis section of your restaurant business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

When and why did you start the business?
Your mission statement and how it connects to your restaurant’s brand.
What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include sales goals you’ve reached, new restaurant openings, etc.
Your legal business structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, also called a Market Analysis, you need to provide a market overview and an overview of the industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the restaurant industry educates you. It helps you understand the target market in which you are operating.

Secondly, research can improve your strategy particularly if your research identifies market trends. For example, if there was a trend towards speedy restaurant services, it would be helpful to ensure your business plan calls for take-out or other quick-service options.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your business plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your restaurant business plan:

How big is the restaurant business (in dollars)?
Is the market declining or increasing?
Who are the key competitors in the market?
Who are the key suppliers in the market?
What trends are affecting the industry?
What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your restaurant? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your restaurant business plan must detail the customer base or target market you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: business executives, college students, sports enthusiasts, soccer moms, techies, teens, baby boomers, etc.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of restaurant you operate. Clearly, baby boomers would want a different atmosphere, pricing and sample menu options, and would respond to different marketing promotions than teens.

Try to break out your customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to diner demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and average income levels of the new customers you seek to serve. Because most restaurants primarily serve customers living in the same city or town, such demographic information is easy to find on government websites.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. This should also include how your customers choose where they should eat, their dining habits, and how much they are willing to spend on a meal.

The answers to the following questions should be included in your customer analysis:

Who is your target market?
What are their needs and wants?
How do they make dining decisions?
What motivates them to choose one restaurant over another?

The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and building customer loyalty.

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Competitive Analysis

This competitive research should help you identify the direct and indirect competitors that your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other restaurants.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from you that aren’t directly competing. This includes restaurants, supermarkets, and customers preparing dishes for themselves at home. You need to mention such competition to show you understand that not everyone frequents a restaurant each day.

With regards to direct competition, you want to detail the other restaurants with which you compete. Your greatest competitors will be restaurants located very close to your specific location, who are of the same type (e.g., fine dining, casual dining, etc.) and who offer the same cuisine (Japanese, Italian, etc.).

For each such competitor, provide an overview of the other businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

What types of repeat customers do they serve?
What menu items do they offer?
What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
What are they good at?
What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the existing customers’ perspective. And don’t hesitate to find out this information from customers by reviewing your competitors’ Yelp listings and other review pages.

The final part of this section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

Will you provide superior food items?
Will you provide menu items that your competitors don’t offer?
Will you make it easier or faster for customers to acquire your meals?
Will you provide better customer service?
Will you offer better pricing?

Think about your unique selling points that will help you outperform your competition and document them in this section of your business plan.

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Marketing plan.

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a restaurant business plan, your marketing plan should include the following:

Product : in the product section you should reiterate the type of restaurant that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific menu items you offer/will offer.

Price : Document the prices. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the menu items you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the location of your restaurant. Perform a location analysis and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your restaurant located next to a heavily populated office building, or gym? Discuss how your location might provide a steady stream of customers. Also, if you operate or plan to operate food trucks, detail the locations where the trucks will operate.

Promotions : the final part of your restaurant marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

Making your restaurant’s front store extra appealing to attract passing customers
Search engine marketing and optimization
Social media posting/advertising
Advertising in local papers and magazines
Reaching out to local bloggers and websites
Local radio advertising
Banner ads at local venues

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your restaurant business plan explained your goals, your operational plan describes how you will meet them.

This section of your restaurant business plan should have two key elements as follows:

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your restaurant such as serving customers, procuring supplies, keeping the restaurant clean, etc.
Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to serve your 1,000th customer, or when you hope to reach $X in sales. It could also be when you expect to hire your Xth employee or launch a new location.

Management Team

To demonstrate your restaurant’s ability to succeed as a business, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in the restaurant business. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience operating restaurants and/or successfully running small businesses.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

Pro-Forma Profit & Loss Statement / Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows how much revenue you expect to earn or have earned, and then subtracts your costs to show your actual or projected profit.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you serve 100 customers per day or 200? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Pro-Forma Balance Sheets

While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities.

For instance, if you spend $250,000 on building out your restaurant, that will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $100.000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Pro-Forma Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

For example, let’s say a company approached you with a massive $100,000 catering contract, that would cost you $50,000 to fulfill. Well, in most cases, you would have to pay that $50,000 now for ingredients, supplies, equipment rentals, employee salaries, etc. But let’s say the company didn’t pay you for 180 days. During that 180-day period, you could run out of money.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a restaurant:

Location build-out including design fees, construction, etc.
Cost of equipment like stoves, refrigerators, blenders
Cost of ingredients and maintaining an adequate amount of supplies
Payroll or salaries paid to staff
Business insurance
Taxes and permits
Legal expenses

Attach your full financial projections, detailed cost analysis and/or break-even analysis in the appendix of your business plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your store design blueprint, location lease, or initial menu design.

Taking the time to write your own restaurant business plan for your business is a worthwhile endeavor. It will help you communicate your ideas and provide potential investors with the information they need to make an informed decision about investing in your restaurant.

A well-crafted business plan will also give you a road map for growing your business and achieving your long-term goals. So, while it may take some time to put together, it will be well worth the effort in the end.

If you follow the restaurant business plan template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the restaurant business, your competition, and your existing customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful restaurant concept.

Want more tips? Check out our related articles:

How to Start a Restaurant
Restaurant Startup Costs: How Much Does It Cost To Start a Restaurant?
How To Write a Restaurant Marketing Plan + Template & Examples
How To Get Funding To Start and/or Grow Your Restaurant

Restaurant Business Plan Template FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my restaurant business plan.

Growthink’s Ultimate Restaurant Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your restaurant business plan.

Where Can I Download a Free Restaurant Business Plan PDF?

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

Where Can I Find a Small Restaurant Business Plan PDF?

Our small restaurant business plan PDF is a free resource to to help you get started on your own small restaurant business plan.

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How to start a restaurant business

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Whether you’re an experienced chef that’s always dreamt of a place to call your own, or a savvy entrepreneur that’s spotted a gap in the market, opening and running a restaurant is a dream for many across the UK.

Still, it’s been a rough few years for the sector . Between rising business energy bills, increasing ingredient prices , supply chain issues, and a shortage of readily available staff post-Brexit, opening a restaurant is a venture that should be approached cautiously by would-be restaurateurs.

Thankfully, things are looking eggs sunny-side up. The food service industry workforce was projected to grow by 500,000 jobs by the end of 2023. Still, a lot of careful planning and hard work is required to reach the dizzy heights of success stories like Flat Iron and Mowgli.

Thankfully our guide is full of expert insight from seasoned restaurateurs and will give you plenty of inside knowledge on market research, costs, budgeting, regulations, and branding. Read on to find out everything you need to cook up an enticing restaurant business plan .

At Startups.co.uk, we’re here to help small UK businesses to get started, grow and succeed. We have helpful resources for helping new businesses get off the ground – you can use the tool below to get started today.

What Does Your Business Need Help With?

This article will cover:

How to open a restaurant: step-by-step, 1. restaurant startup costs: how much is it to open a restaurant, 2. how to budget when starting a restaurant, 3. how to manage restaurant payments, 4. writing a restaurant business plan, 5. restaurant market research, 6. buying/renting restaurant premises, 7. branding and designing your restaurant, 8. stocking your restaurant: supplies and catering equipment, 9. restaurant recruitment: how to hire top talent, final thoughts.

There’s a lot of planning that needs to go into launching a successful restaurant. Thankfully, one area which needn’t cause undue stress is creating a website to promote your business. Thanks to modern templates like the one below , you can create one of your own in under an hour.

At Startups.co.uk, we test and rate website builder tools, and we’ve identified Wix as one of the best you can choose for creating a restaurant site. Wix even has a selection of custom website templates designed specifically for restaurants – you simply drop your own restaurant’s information, wording, menu and preferred imagery into your chosen template. It can even create an online booking system for you . Better still, it’s completely free to try for yourself.

We’ll cover these in more detail below, but first here’s an at-a-glance guide to some of the steps you’ll take when you start a restaurant.

How much is it to open a restaurant?
How to budget when starting a restaurant
How to manage restaurant payments
Write a restaurant business plan
Restaurant market research
Buying/renting restaurant premises
Branding and designing your restaurant
Stock your restaurant
How to hire top talent

So, let’s really dive into each step, starting with costs:

It’s almost impossible to give a definitive answer on restaurant startup costs – you could spend a few thousand pounds getting a popup going in an inexpensive area or a few million creating a high-end dining destination in central London. But, as a very rough guide, expect to spend at least £100,000–£200,000 getting a decent-sized restaurant off the ground .

Here are some of the bigger costs you’ll need to consider:

Premises – Whether you’re renting or buying, securing your restaurant premises will always be a major expense.
Staffing – You’ll almost certainly need to hire at least a few staff, and their wages should be a key part of your costs plan.
Supplies and equipment – Depending on how ambitious and experimental you want to be, you can spend a lot of money on catering equipment and ingredients. If you do, make sure you mark up your dishes accordingly.
Energy bills – Restaurants need a lot of power, so it’s crucial to shop around and find the best deal.

To make money running a restaurant, it’s absolutely essential to budget effectively.

You need to work out your costs (like the ones discussed above) and give a reasonable estimate of what your sales might be. Your total sales minus your total costs is your profit (or loss), the most important number for any small business.

It can be hard to keep track of where your money’s going when you’re running your restaurant, so it’s a great idea to invest in some good accounting software once you’re up and running.

Top accounting software like QuickBooks costs around £20 a month and not only automatically track the money coming in and out of your business account, but also let you work out when your most profitable periods are and easily handle tax time.

To learn more, take a look at our rundown of the best accounting software for small businesses .

When you’re starting a restaurant, getting a good POS system is essential.

You’ll need it to take payments and, while you might be able to get away with an iPad-driven POS system like Zettle to start with, advanced POS systems offer so much more than payments.

Lightspeed POS is our pick as the best restaurant POS system, and gives a good idea of the extra features you can expect from a high-end restaurant POS such as:

A customisable menu that lets you easily add or remove items to account for seasonality or food trends, and also add photos and descriptions to help your servers
The ability to take orders from anywhere and send them directly to the kitchen, making the whole process much more efficient
Inventory tools that make it easy to stay on top of your supply levels

Tell us what you're looking for and compare leading POS providers

For more insight, check out our guide to the best POS systems for restaurants .

For the purposes of this guideline, we’re going to use a fictional establishment – let’s call it The Goodfare Restaurant* – to show you exactly how a restaurant business plan should work in practice.

You can find a more comprehensive breakdown of what to include in our general business plan template .

* Any resemblance to a real restaurant is entirely coincidental!

Executive summary

This is a brief snapshot of the key information the reader needs to know about The Goodfare Restaurant.

The restaurant – The Goodfare Restaurant is a 100-seat family eatery in North London, serving moderately-priced comfort food classics
Your mission statement – The Goodfare Restaurant exists to bring hearty, reasonably-priced grub to the masses
Objective(s) – to be the most popular moderately-priced eatery in North London
Values – the customer is almost always right

The company

This section should go into detail about the management team, the legal structure of the business, and operations.

Founders/management team – Founders Stelmo and Philip Blimp are brothers with a combined 25 years’ experience working in some of the UK’s most successful restaurants
Ownership structure – The Goodfare Restaurant will be 100% owned by the Blimp brothers (unless equity is given away as part of an investment deal)
Legal and insurance – The restaurant will abide by all UK health and safety laws, as well as food hygiene legislation etc.
Startup costs – We estimate initial startup costs for The Goodfare Restaurant will total £150,000, self-funded by the Blimps
Property – The 2,000 square foot property has space for 100 covers. It comes fitted with a functioning kitchen and bathrooms, but will require some minor renovation
Location – The restaurant is located on the high street in an area of high footfall
Opening hours – Monday to Friday – 11am to 11pm
Responsibilities – Stelmo will be responsible for stock management and finances, while Philip will be in charge of managing staff and payroll
Suppliers – Thanks to their years of experience in the industry, the Blimps have excellent relationships with a number of quality local suppliers

Market analysis

This section is where you prove the viability of your proposition with thorough market research.

The industry – over the last two years, London’s restaurant industry has seen the highest level of closures in decades, as well as very high staff turnover. Chains and high-end establishments have been hit particularly hard, with consumers hankering for more authentic independents like The Goodfare Restaurant
The target market – The local population of around 260,000 people is comprised of young professionals and families, with a median annual income of £40,000
Competitors – There are three direct competitors within a five-mile radius, including:

The Goodfare Restaurant will position itself as the number one mid-range family restaurant in North London.

We will incorporate traditional and digital marketing elements in our strategy. Primarily, we will:

Develop relationships with local businesses by offering lunchtime deals
Implement a loyalty scheme
Encourage repeat visits through our email database

Below is a rough breakdown of the expected costs of starting and running The Goodfare Restaurant, and the revenue generated assuming an average table turnover rate (i.e. the number of daily sittings at each table) of 2.5.

A good rule of thumb is that you want to be turning over your tables every 45 to 90 minutes during busy periods.

Here are some other restaurant metrics you could track:

Startup costs – The Blimp brothers will provide the estimated £150,000 startup costs

Important assumptions – For the purposes of this business plan, we will assume the following:

Average customer spend of £20
Average 250 covers served per day
Average meal cost of £3.50
10 waiting and bar staff on average salary of £18,000*
10 kitchen staff on average annual salary of £24,000
Two managers and one head chef on average annual salary of £30,000
Two cleaners on average salary of £17,000
Sales forecast – Based on assumed daily covers and average spend, we estimate an annual revenue of £1,825,000 in the first year

Staff salary cost: £544,000

Average variable meal cost: £319,375

Annual rent: £365,000

Other running and maintenance costs: £91,250**

Total annual expenses for year one = £1,319,625

Startup costs = £1,469,625

Estimated year one profit of: £505,375

*Salaries based on data from Glassdoor

**The average restaurant budgets 1-3% of revenue for maintenance, according to restaurantequipmentrepair.org

This is a very basic (and perhaps generous) breakdown of the estimated revenue and running costs of a restaurant in London.

You may have to provide a more granular account of your monthly expenditure and revenue sources in order to convince investors that your financials are sound.

Your market research should focus on your local area, but it’s also worth noting the trends likely to impact the restaurant industry over the next few years, including:

Growing popularity of vegetarianism, veganism, and flexitarianism

Driven by factors like personal beliefs and a developing awareness of the impact of food production on climate change, lots of people are wanting to either eat less meat or no meat.

Indeed, a Statista survey in 2021 of 2,000 UK consumers found that 7% of respondents followed a vegetarian diet and a further 3% followed a vegan diet.

Increasing adoption of tech

Research company EHL Insights recently identified several digital tools whose use is rapidly growing in UK restaurants , including EPOS systems, digital menu boards for kitchen staff, online table reservation systems, QR code menus , online ordering, and inventory management software.

Not all of these will suit your business, but it’s worth considering which could really make it easier to run your restaurant.

Transparency, sustainability, and trust

Consumers are becoming much more concerned about the social and environmental impact of the restaurants they eat at, spurring developments like the iconic Michelin guide introducing a Michelin Green Star to highlight restaurants leading the way in terms of environmental sustainability.

Finding the right restaurant premises is a hugely important part of starting a restaurant. There’s a lot to consider, from location and transport links to lease lengths and business rates.

To learn more, we spoke to Thibault Bouquet de Jolinière and Youri Michel – two of the co-founders of The Initiative Group , a French team that has launched and managed an eclectic range of hospitality outlets all over the world.

In short, they know their stuff.

Expert Insight – Thibault Bouquet de Jolinière and Youri Michel, The Initiative Group

Bouquet de Jolinière and Michel had the following advice for budding restaurateurs:

Location is king

“Location is always the most important factor in choosing your premises. You should be aware of both good and bad competition around you. Not having much competition will increase the time needed to become profitable, whereas if there are already a few successful restaurants nearby, then people will already be travelling to and from the area to eat and you may be able to benefit from this.”

Link your location and concept

“Don’t bring a concept to a location – instead, build a concept around the location you have chosen. You might be able to adapt your original concept, but you should always do proper market research to find out what else is in the area, and how it will affect your original plans.”

Things to ask

“We would always ask for both the rent and business rates, and we would also request to see the current licence on the property. We would recommend never buying an existing company, as often there is the risk you will end up finding hidden debts. And by taking over an existing company, you will also be taking over the staff – a cost and a risk you don’t want to inherit.”

Buying restaurant premises

Although the easiest way to obtain premises for your restaurant is to take over a pre-existing establishment (and you might even find one with a fully kitted-out kitchen and bar), this can be a major commitment.

Think about whether the size and location of the establishment really suits your plans and level of experience, and try to find out how the previous business fared and the reasons for the sale.

Bouquet de Jolinière and Michel advise that you should ask how long the lease on the property is for, and request the previous restaurant’s profit and loss statement.

If you do want to go down this route, BusinessForSale.com has a dedicated section for restaurants, which lists the asking price and sometimes the current turnover and net profit (otherwise you’ll have to request these).

Rightmove also lists restaurants for sale , where you can just buy the premises or commercial unit.

It may be the most important part, but having great food is only one aspect of running a successful restaurant.

You’ll also have to think about branding and design – your name, logo, menu and interior should all clearly convey your concept, and a striking website should show it all off.

Here are some pointers:

Restaurant name and logo

The name and logo of your restaurant should:

Leave a lasting impression
Be easy to pronounce and/or spell
Reflect your concept

Generally speaking, less is more. Aim for a single word or two that sums up your concept and create a logo that’s simple and doesn’t distract with too many colours.

Your market research should inform this process. Look closely at what your competitors are doing and think about how effectively their names and logos convey their concepts.

Finally, avoid well-known existing names – even if your family name is McDonald, calling your restaurant McDonald’s is only going to confuse people and maybe even get you sued.

Creating a restaurant menu

It’s easy to underestimate the importance of menu design, but it’s one of the main things that potential customers will base their dining decisions on.

A good menu should be descriptive, easy to read, and uncluttered, and complement your theme.

You should also break your dishes down into clearly identified sections, highlight special or popular dishes, eloquently and accurately explain your dishes, and include allergy and dietary information.

You should avoid clip art (use free image databases like Shutterstock instead), too much technical jargon your customers won’t understand, too many disclaimers, difficult-to-read “artistic” fonts, and overly long dish descriptions. You should also avoid laminating your menu.

Restaurant interiors

To get some expert guidance on restaurant design and layout, we spoke to Lauren Woodhouse from West Yorkshire-based LW Interior Design, who specialises in restaurant, bar, and hotel interiors.

Expert Insight – Lauren Woodhouse, LW Interior Design

Woodhouse shared the following golden rules for restaurant interiors:

The bar or feature kitchen should be the focal point

“The bar should always be the focal point of the room. It should be well lit and attractive, and you should be able to see it from all corners of the room. However, if you plan to have a feature kitchen where your diners can see the food being prepared, then this should be the focal point and the chefs should take centre stage.”

Hide the kitchen and toilets as much as you can

“Unless you have a feature kitchen, the kitchen should be situated at the back or at the side of the room. Similarly, the toilets should be situated towards the back of the restaurant, or downstairs and, where possible, have a good lobby/entrance vestibule so that the toilet door doesn’t open onto the restaurant and diners can’t see into the toilets when the door is open.

“Additionally, any stairs in a restaurant should be towards one of the outer walls, so that if anyone is going up/down, they don’t have to walk through other diners to get to them.”

The senses are key for interiors

“Ambience plays a key part in a customer’s feelings towards a restaurant. It’s good to play on the five main senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell all play a huge part in helping someone to decide whether they love or hate your restaurant.”

And she picks out some key trends.

“Deep, luxurious velvets are huge at the moment – they look and feel stunning, and can take a restaurant from fast food to fine dining easily! Nature is a huge trend as well. Greenery, whether faux or real, can create a sense of the outside within, and can be used to section off areas of the restaurant without a wall. Rattan style furniture and earthy tones are used to similar effect, and can make diners feel more relaxed.”

Your branding should also be a key part of your restaurant marketing campaign. Head to our restaurant marketing guide to learn how to launch with a bang and keep customers coming back again and again.

And, if you’re keen to make a splash with your restaurant Instagram page, then make sure you take a look at our how to use Instagram for business guide for some top tips on creating impactful Insta posts.

Restaurant website design

One of Wix’s restaurant website templates

Once you’ve got a great name, striking logo, expertly crafted menu, and atmospheric interior, then you need a great website to show it all off.

Thankfully, setting this up is much easier than it used to be. Top web builders like Wix have loads of restaurant-specific templates that can be easily customised to reflect your design concept.

Or, just use Wix’s ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) to create a restaurant website in minutes by making a few key design choices.

To learn more, head to our dedicated restaurant website design guide.

This is not exactly the glamorous side of the restaurant business, but you can’t have a restaurant if your chefs have nothing to cook and nothing to cook with.

That brings us to supplies and equipment.

Supplies and ingredients

When you put together your menu, you should have at least half an eye on your ingredient costs. If you can, try to avoid buying too many specialty ingredients that are only used in one dish and try to base much of your menu around common, affordable ingredients.

And remember, using an elite restaurant POS system like Lightspeed can make it so much easier to stay on top of your ingredient inventory – its counts update automatically as supplies come in and dishes are sold, leaving you one less thing to worry about.

Choosing a supplier

It’s really important to choose your food supplier carefully. You’re not just running the risk of late deliveries – unhygienic packing and transportation of perishable food products could pose a real health risk to you and your customers.

With that in mind, make sure to look into the following when considering suppliers:

Are they registered with the local authority?
Do they have any certification or quality assurance?
Are they recommended by other local restaurants?
Do they store, transport and pack their products in a hygienic way?

It’s also a good idea to carry out your own spot checks on temperature and quality to make sure produce is suitable.

You are legally required to keep a record of all food products you’ve bought, where you bought them from, how much you bought, and the date of purchase. Keep this information safe in case it ever needs to be presented to an inspector or enforcement officer.

There’s no two ways about it, restaurants need a lot of equipment.

The following list should give you a good idea of the things you’ll need to invest in:

Cleaning and hygiene

Cleaning equipment (eco-friendly if possible)
Toilet hygiene
Pest control
Safety signs
Table linen
Service trays

Consumables

Disposables (paper napkins, paper straws etc.)
Food labels and wrapping

Clothing and uniform

Chef uniform
Staff uniform

Kitchen appliances

Deep fat fryer
Stainless steel tables
Dishwashers and glasswashers

Catering equipment

Chopping boards
Food processor
Pasta maker

Of course, not every restaurant will need all these things, and the dishes you serve are always going to impact the equipment that you need.

Finally, you really should carefully consider how you’ll manage the considerable energy costs generated by restaurants. Shopping around is crucial and our guide to the best small business electricity rates and suppliers for 2024 is full of top tips.

Hiring the right people is crucial to the success of your business, whether that’s front of house staff like greeters and waiters, or back of house personnel like chefs.

However, as our how to recruit in a hiring crisis piece discussed, this is not an easy time to hire people, with Brexit and “the great resignation” meaning there’s a shortage of high-calibre candidates.

A lot of the advice in that guide also applies to restaurants: ensuring that your establishment has a positive workplace culture that rewards its employees, making the story of your business a key part of your pitch, devoting enough time to hiring, and offering some form of flexible working.

When it comes to recruitment, The Initiative Group’s Thibault Bouquet de Jolinière and Youri Michel advise hiring a mix of experienced professionals that can mentor and bring consistency and younger employees that are cheaper and eager to learn.

It’s also important to offer incentives to keep your staff motivated, as well as career development paths that encourage them to stay with your restaurant for longer (such as a pay increase after a set period of time).

As you can see, there’s a lot that goes into running a successful restaurant – you’ll need to tackle everything from recruitment to interior design.

But, if you’ve got the skills and a real passion for food, then this is a business that you can really stamp your personality on. Food may be the starting point, but successful restaurants are about identity and atmosphere combining to create memorable dining experiences.

While we’ve covered a lot in this guide, it really is just a starting point. There are loads of resources out there giving detailed advice on all the aspects of running a successful restaurant, so make sure you take advantage of them.

As long as you focus on creating a positive atmosphere for your staff and your customers, then you shouldn’t go too far wrong.

Startups.co.uk is reader-supported. If you make a purchase through the links on our site, we may earn a commission from the retailers of the products we have reviewed. This helps Startups.co.uk to provide free reviews for our readers. It has no additional cost to you, and never affects the editorial independence of our reviews.

How much does it cost to open a restaurant? As a very rough guide, expect to spend at least £100,000–£200,000 getting a decent-sized restaurant off the ground.
How do I start a restaurant in the UK? This comprehensive guide includes expert insight on all the key parts of starting a restaurant business – covering everything from writing a restaurant business plan and choosing a premises to deciding on an interior style and hiring staff.
How much does a food license cost UK? According to Gov.uk, it's free to register, and your registration cannot be refused. You should register at least 28 days before opening.
Do I need permission to open a restaurant? No, you do not need permission to open a restaurant in the UK, however you do need to ensure you have a food licence.

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How to start a business plan for a restaurant

Starting a business is no easy task. There are so many things to think about – from the initial planning stages to the day-to-day operations of the company. If you’re thinking of starting a restaurant, it’s important to create a detailed business plan. A business plan will outline your goals for the restaurant, strategies for reaching those goals, and a financial forecast. We’ll walk you through the steps of creating a business plan for a restaurant.

How to write a restaurant business plan

A restaurant business plan is essential for any new restaurant venture. This document will outline your eatery’s concept, menu, operational strategies, and financial projections. It will also be used to secure funding from investors or lenders. While the process of creating a plan for your business model can seem daunting, it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Define your concept. What kind of restaurant are you opening? What style of cuisine will you serve? What is your target market? Answering these questions will help you narrow down your vision for the restaurant.
Create a detailed menu. Your menu design should reflect your concept and target market. It should also be priced for a competitive landscape and offer a variety of options to appeal to a broad range of customers.
Develop a solid business strategy. This should include details on everything from your marketing plans to your approach to food safety. Having a well-thought-out strategy will give investors or lenders confidence in your ability to successfully run the restaurant.
Crunch the numbers. In addition to providing financial projections, be sure to include a budget and cash flow statement. This will give lenders or investors an idea of your expected revenue
Get feedback from experts. Before you finalize your business plan, it’s a good idea to get feedback from industry experts. This will help ensure that your plan is realistic and achievable.

Why is a restaurant business plan important?

Any business venture, whether it’s a small local establishment or a multinational conglomerate, needs a clear plan to guide its operations. This is especially true for restaurants, which are notoriously difficult businesses to maintain. A restaurant business plan provides a roadmap for success, laying out critical information such as the restaurant’s concept, target market, menu offerings, and financial projections. Additionally, a well-crafted business plan can help to secure funding from investors and lenders. Perhaps most importantly, though, a restaurant business plan forces the owners and operators to think carefully about every aspect of their business, from the big-picture vision down to the smallest details. By taking the time to create a comprehensive and realistic plan, restaurateurs can increase their chances of making their dream a reality. To make sure you get your restaurant business plan right, consider taking a Master’s degree in hospitality . It will teach you how to start a business like a restaurant, including how to write a restaurant business plan and how to create a detailed menu. And, with the help of expert alumni and faculty, you can be sure that your business plan will be top-notch.

Discover our Postgraduate Diploma in International Hospitality Management

What is the executive summary of a restaurant business plan

Every great restaurant starts with a great business plan. The executive summary is one of the most important parts of the plan, as it provides a brief overview of the restaurant’s concept, menu, and target market. It also outlines the financial goals of the business and how these will be achieved. The executive summary should be clear, concise, and easy to read. It should give potential investors an insight into the restaurant’s unique selling points and how it will become a success. With a well-written executive summary, a restaurant can secure the funding it needs to get off the ground and achieve its long-term goals.

Main components of a restaurant business plan

There are a few key components that every restaurant business plan should include. These are:

1.Executive Summary

As mentioned above, the executive summary is a brief overview of the restaurant’s concept, menu, target market, and financial goals. It should be easy to read and understand, giving potential investors an insight into what makes it unique and why it will be a successful restaurant.

2.Company Description

The company description should provide more detail on the restaurant’s concept and target market. It should also outline the business’s structure, ownership, and management team. This section of the plan is important in demonstrating to investors that the restaurant has a clear vision and is being run by a competent team.

3.Market Analysis

The market analysis will help to identify the restaurant’s target market and understand the competition. This information is critical in crafting a marketing strategy that will help the business to attract and retain customers. A SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) can be added to support this section. The market analysis should include:

3.1 Industry Analysis

An industry analysis looks at the overall restaurant industry and how your business will fit into it. This includes an examination of trends, growth prospects, and key players in the industry. It should also identify any potential threats or opportunities that could impact your business.

3.2 Competition Analysis

A competition analysis looks at your direct and indirect competitors and how they are positioned in the market. This information will help you to understand what you need to do to stand out from the crowd and attract customers. The market analysis should be thorough and well researched, providing a clear understanding of the opportunity for your restaurant.

3.3 Marketing Analysis

The marketing analysis will help to determine the best way to reach your target market. It should include an examination of your marketing mix, including your restaurant’s name, logo, and tagline. It should also consider your pricing strategy and promotional activities. The marketing analysis is an important part of the business plan as it will help you to craft a marketing strategy that will drive sales and grow your business.

Get ahead of the curve with Les Roches’ Postgraduate Diploma in International Hospitality Management

The menu is a key part of any restaurant business plan. It should be well thought out and reflect the overall concept of the restaurant. The menu should be easy to read and understand, with clear pricing and descriptions of each dish. Additionally, it should be designed to appeal to your target market and support your marketing strategy.

5. Employees

The employee section of the business plan should outline the restaurant’s staffing requirements and job descriptions. It should also include a training and development plan to ensure that your staff are well-trained and able to deliver excellent customer service. This section of the plan is important in demonstrating to investors that you have a clear understanding of the costs associated with running a restaurant.

6. Restaurant Design

The restaurant design should reflect the overall concept of the business and create a pleasant and inviting space for customers. The design should be functional and efficient, with careful consideration given to the flow of traffic and the layout of the dining room, kitchen, and bathroom. The restaurant’s exterior signage and branding should be well designed and in keeping with the overall concept.

7. Location

The location of the restaurant is an important consideration in the business plan. The site should be easily accessible and visible, with a good potential for foot traffic. It should be located in an area that is consistent with the restaurant’s concept and target market. The location should also be able to support the restaurant’s projected sales volume.

8. Market Overview

The market overview section of the business plan should provide a detailed understanding of the target market. This includes an examination of the demographics, psychographics, and buying habits of the target market. It should consider the competition in the area and how your restaurant idea will stand out from the crowd. The market overview is an important part of the business plan as it will help you to craft a marketing strategy that is tailored to your target market.

9. Marketing

The marketing strategy should be based on the findings of the market analysis. It should outline the main marketing objectives and how they will be achieved. It should also consider your type of restaurant, its unique selling points and how they will be promoted to the target market. The marketing strategy is a key part of the business plan as it will help you to attract potential customers and grow your business. You can include the ‘4 Ps’ of marketing (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion) in your strategy, which will help you to cover all aspects of marketing. Also, make sure to consider both online (SEO, social media, website, paid ads etc.) and offline (print, radio, signage etc.) methods of advertising.

10. Financial Analysis

The financial analysis is a critical part of the business plan. It should include a sales forecast, expense budget, and cash flow statement. These financial statements will help you to understand the costs associated with starting and running your restaurant. Additionally, they will help you to track your progress and make necessary adjustments to your business plan. Financial analysis is an important tool for any business, but it is especially important for a restaurant because of the high costs associated with the industry. Plus, it’s one of the main sections your investors will look at when considering whether or not to invest in your business. So, it’s important to put together a well-thought-out and comprehensive financial analysis. Interested in learning more about crafting a solid business plan for restaurant startups? A postgraduate hospitality management program can help you learn how to write a business plan for a restaurant, including in-depth market analysis and marketing strategies that will win over investors. So, to put your restaurant business on the map, consider enrolling in a hospitality management program today and kickstart your hospitality career .

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Moscow's culinary opportunities: How to open a restaurant

Having a nice family-style restaurant in the Russian capital with a flavor of your home country is a popular business option for many expats. But it’s not as easy as it might seem. Here are a few things to consider for potential restaurant-owners.

Thinking it through

First and foremost, one should make sure that owning a restaurant, even a small one, is really something you would like to do. As any kind of business, it takes a significant amount of time and money to manage and develop. “Success in public catering requires hard work, without weekends or holidays,” Ilias Iliadis, owner of Pita&Suvlaki Greek restaurant in Moscow, told Russia Beyond. “It is not as hard to open a place as running it.”

One will need to learn everything about every aspect of a business, from legal, fire and sanitary requirements to managing business partner relationships and hiring experienced staff. “There are many difficulties in this sphere, so you need to be totally in love with what you do to be successful,” says Radomir Krajinovic, owner of Serbian restaurant Optimist.

The number of national cuisine restaurants have grown in Moscow over the last few years.

Market trends

As we noted previously, the economic crisis had led to many Russians cutting back and, as a result, there has been a growth in interest in developing fast food outlets.

Yet, the general dynamic for restaurants is toward growth: According to Poster company 2017 review of trends in the restaurant business, healthy eating, vegetarian food, open kitchen format, craft beer, food trucks (mobile cafes), and regional cuisine are becoming more popular in Moscow. The number of restaurants and bars grow and they compete for custom by offering special deals and interesting dining formats.

“Over the last few years the number of national cuisine restaurants have grown,” says Krajinovic. ”Yes, the crisis has led to fewer people visiting us, but we are still doing well - we are opening a new restaurant soon.”

Iliadis’s venture is also experiencing growth: He opened his first café in city center in 2014 – now he has opened a second restaurant and a third one is on the way.

Of course, setting up a firm without back is impossible. “To open a small restaurant or a cafe one would need 5 million rubles ($87,160),” Vladimir Shalaev, a lawyer at BMS Law Firm, told Russia Beyond. Iliadis confirms this figure. “In our case it was a year before it paid off. Our small restaurant became popular quickly so we had to find a bigger place,” he adds.

“The biggest part of what you’ll need to pay is rent. It is very expensive here,” Krajinovic says. “Other things depend on what one wants. A home-style restaurant might require from seven to 10 million rubles of investment which will pay off in two years.”

Russian banks also offer business loans. “You need to have 30 percent of the necessary investment for the new project and the bank will cover the remaining 70 percent,” says Igor Glukhov, deputy director of Credit Department of RosEvroBank.

If you serve good food and your clients sense it, they will become regulars and inspectors will not come often if they don’t receive complaints.

Legal aspect

The procedure of setting up a legal entity is no different for a foreigner than for a Russian national. “You need to gather all necessary documents to register a firm: Passport, various papers, a receipt of registration fee payment; foreign citizens need to provide a certified passport translation as well,” Shalaev said.

Of course, just registering a company will not be enough. You need to get a license for selling alcohol, rent a place for your café, add it to the commercial register, then get all necessary permits from sanitary and fire inspections, as well arrange for garbage disposal, Shalaev added.

“The legal framework is very similar to that in Greece,” Iliadis says. “The Russian requirements gradually develop to European standards. Of course, like in Greece, there are still some outdated rules, such as having a separate room for peeling potatoes, but inspectors don't take it seriously. No one terrorizes you every day without reason. If you serve good food and your clients sense it, they will become regulars and inspectors will not come often if they don’t receive complaints.”

Krajinovic, who has been running his restaurant since 2012, agrees. “There are no problems. If you follow all the necessary requirements and use fresh products, no one will bother you asking for money,” he says. “A good thing here is that 3-4 months after starting a business you know how much tax you will need to pay, as opposed to Europe, where the percent might change. Here we pay 15-20 percent of our profits.”

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3 years of embargo in russia: the winners and losers, why foreigners can still line their pockets in russia, how a florentine is bringing italian cheese to russia’s far east, 13 bizarre (real) job offers that will make you move to russia.

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Money latest: Gameboys, Sindy dolls, designer shoes, 1950s furniture - the items in your attic that could be worth a small fortune

Gumtree's most popular items include rare stamps, Gameboys and Pokemon cards. Read this and all the latest consumer and personal finance news below, plus leave a comment or submit a consumer dispute or money problem in the box.

Monday 29 April 2024 19:46, UK

Three of UK's biggest lenders up mortgage rates
Annual mortgage repayments have increased by up to 70% since 2021
Higher food prices and shortages warning - as new Brexit checks begin this week
People on disability benefits could receive vouchers rather than cash

Essential reads

Gameboys, Sindy dolls, designer shoes, 1950s furniture: The items in your attic that could be worth a small fortune
Money Problem : 'A company isn't abiding by written warranty for dodgy building work - what can I do?'
'£2,000 landed in my account' - The people who say they're manifesting riches
The world of dark tourism - what is it, is it ethical and where can you go?

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Strikes at Heathrow Airport are taking place over the next few weeks, with the first one already under way.

Staff at the UK's biggest airport are set to walk out during the early bank holiday in May, with their union warning planes could be "delayed, disrupted and grounded".

Click here to find out when all the strikes are, what disruption is expected and which airlines are affected...

The average price paid for comprehensive motor insurance rose 1% in the first quarter of the year, according to industry data indicating an easing in the steep rises seen last year.

The latest tracker issued by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) showed a 1% increase on the previous three months to £635.

That was despite the average claim paid rising 8% to reach a record of £4,800, the body said.

The ABI said the disparity showed that its members were "absorbing" additional costs and not passing them on.

Nevertheless, the average policy was still 33%, or £157, higher between January and March compared to the same period last year.

Read the full story here ...

Getir , the grocery delivery app, has abandoned a European expansion that is set to result in the loss of around 1,500 jobs in the UK.

Sky News had previously revealed that the Turkey-based company, which means "to bring" in Turkish, had successfully raised money from investors to fund its withdrawals from the UK, Germany and the Netherlands.

It had already departed other countries including Italy and Spain.

The exits were prompted by growing losses linked to the company's rapid expansion.

Waitrose is launching an exclusive range of products with popular chef Yotam Ottolenghi today.

The Israeli-British chef is famous for his Middle Eastern and Mediterranean-inspired food, and has worked with the supermarket to release products including a pasta sauce, spice blend and shawarma marinade.

It is the first time Ottolenghi has partnered with a supermarket in such a way.

The full range will be available in Waitrose shops, Waitrose.com and Ottolenghi.co.uk from today, while a selection of products will be available from the supermarket on Deliveroo and Uber Eats.

An introductory 20% off offer is being launched until 18 June.

The range includes:

Ottolenghi Miso Pesto 165g (£4)
Ottolenghi Kalamata Olive & Harissa Sauce 350g (£4.50)
Ottolenghi Pomegranate, Rose & Preserved Lemon Harissa 170g (£5)
Ottolenghi Green Harissa 170g (£5)
Ottolenghi Aleppo & Other Chillies Blend (£3.95)
Ottolenghi Sweet & Smokey Blend (£3.95)
Ottolenghi Citrus & Spice Blend (£3.95)
Ottolenghi Red Chilli Sauce (£4.50)
Ottolenghi Shawarma Marinade (£4)

Ottolenghi said he had "always been super eager to get our flavours onto people's dinner plates nationwide, not just in London, without having to cook it from scratch every single time".

He added: "I hate to admit it but the pasta sauce already features heavily in my home kitchen, when no one is looking."

The cost of bread, biscuits and beer could increase this year due to the impact of the unusually wet autumn and winter on UK harvests.

Research suggests that production of wheat, oats, barley and oilseed rape could drop by four million tonnes (17.5%) compared with 2023.

The wet weather has resulted in lower levels of planting, while flooding and storms over winter caused farmers more losses.

The predictions come just as the rate of price increases on many food items begins to slow as inflation falls.

The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) analysed forecasts from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHBD) and government yield data.

It found a "real risk" of beer, biscuits and bread becoming more expensive if the poor harvest increases costs for producers, according to its lead analyst Tom Lancaster.

Beer prices could be affected because the wet weather is still disrupting the planting of spring crops such as barley, the ECIU said.

And potatoes might also see a price hike in the coming months, with growers warning of a major shortage in the autumn due to persistent wet weather.

By Emily Mee , Money team

When I think about the toys of my childhood - my pink Barbie car, my Gameboy Micro, my collection of Pokemon cards - I can't tell you where they went.

Maybe they were shipped off to a charity shop at some point... Or perhaps they're in the attic?

While my hot pink Gameboy Micro is lost to the void of time (or a cardboard box somewhere in my mum's house), other versions of it are selling on eBay for £100 or more.

And there are Pokemon cards selling for anything from a tenner to hundreds or even thousands of pounds.

It's possible you also have items at home that are a collector's dream.

Gumtree says its collectables category is already proving to be a "hotbed of activity" this year, with listings up 22% in 2024 so far.

Its most popular items include rare stamps, coins, war memorabilia and Pokemon cards.

Spring is often the most popular time for buying and selling collectibles, with demand spiking in March and April.

We've enlisted the help of TV presenter and collectables expert Tracy Martin to give an idea of what could make you an easy buck.

Old toys making a 'retro comeback'

Tracy explains that while trends change, vintage toys tend to stand the test of time.

"Toys are always going to be popular because they tap into nostalgia, our childhood memories," she says, explaining that adults like to buy the toys they used to have.

Perhaps you were into cars, and you've got some old diecast vehicles from Matchbox, Corgi or Dinky Toys.

A quick look on toy auction site Vectis.co.uk shows a Corgi Toys "James Bond" Aston Martin estimated to sell for between £600 to £700 - while others are likely to fetch £50 to £60.

Sindy dolls are also particularly sought after - particularly those from the 1960s - and Barbie dolls from the 1990s too.

Pokemon cards have seen a "massive surge", Tracy says, with people paying "thousands and thousands of pounds" for good unopened sets.

She's even seen examples of people paying £16,000 upwards.

Another up-and-coming market is games consoles, such as Gameboys, vintage consoles and PlayStations, which are making a "retro comeback".

What else could earn you some cash?

Tracy says there's currently a surge in people wanting to buy "mid century" furniture, which is dated to roughly 1945 to 1965 and typically uses clean lines and has a timeless feel.

Vintage Danish furniture is sought after, particularly tables and chairs with good designer names such as Wegner, Verner Panton and Arne Jacobsen.

Prices range from the low hundreds into the thousands.

People will also look out for vintage framed prints by artists such as Tretchikoff, J.H. Lynch and Shabner - these can range in price from £50 upwards to a few hundred pounds plus.

Vintage clothes, handbags and shoes can fetch a good price - but you can also invest in modern pieces.

Tracy suggests looking out for good classic designs with high-end designer names such as Gucci, Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton.

Modern designers such as Irregular Choice, Vendula and Lulu Guinness are also collected.

Collaborations with designers and celebrities can do well as they're often limited edition.

For example, Tracy says the H&M x Paco Rabanne maxi silver sequin dress retailed at £279.99 last year but now sells for in excess of £600.

When it comes to shoes, "the quirkier the design the better" - so look out for brands such as Irregular Choice and Joe Browns.

Converse and Dr Martens collaborations also do well, depending on the design and condition, as well as Adidas and Nike limited edition trainers.

What's the best way to sell?

Tracy recommends to always research before selling your items, as they might perform better on different platforms and you can also get an idea of how much they sell for.

For example, Vinted can be a good place to sell clothes and shoes, while other items might be better suited for sale on Gumtree, eBay or Etsy.

Tracy's favourite way to sell is through auction - especially if there are specialist sales.

Vectis is one of the biggest and most popular for toy selling.

Interests in different periods and items can go up and down, but for the time being vintage pieces from the 1980s and 90s are popular.

How much you'll be able to get from an item often takes into account its rarity, condition, whether it reflects a period in time, and if it's got a good name behind it.

You never know - you might be sitting on a treasure trove.

Annual mortgage repayments have increased by up to 70% since 2021, according to new data from Zoopla .

The biggest impact of rising interest rates has been in southern England where house prices are higher.

Across the South West, South East and East of England, the annual mortgage cost for an average home is £5,000 higher than previously. This rises to £7,500 in London.

But the universal uptick in mortgage costs has been less pronounced in other parts of the UK, with the North East seeing a £2,350 increase.

In a bid to tackle inflation, the Bank of England has raised the base rate from 0.1% in December 2021 to a 16-year high of 5.25% now.

The Zoopla research looked at the average home buyer taking out a 70% loan-to-value mortgage.

This week seems to be starting where last week left off - with three major lenders announcing further hikes in mortgage rates.

Amid uncertainty of the timing of interest rate cuts from the Bank of England this year, swap rates (which dictate how much it costs lenders to lend) have been rising in recent weeks.

Financial markets currently see two rate cuts by the Bank of England this year.

We've reported on a string of rate bumps from the high street over the last 10 days, and this morning NatWest, Santander and Nationwide moved.

In its second hikes announcement in less than a week, NatWest laid out increases across its full range of residential and buy-to-let fixed deals of up to 0.22%.

Santander, meanwhile, announced increases for both fixed and tracker deals across their residential and buy-to-let products - up to 0.25%.

The same hikes are being imposed for a range of Nationwide deals.

All of these will kick in tomorrow.

Amit Patel, adviser at Trinity Finance, told Newspage it was "not a great start to the week".

"This is not good news for borrowers," he said.

Where will the base rate go this year?

The majority of the bets, according to LSEG data, are on the first cut coming in August (previously this was June) and the second in December.

This would take Bank rate from the current level of 5.25% to 4.75%.

Disabled people could receive vouchers instead of monthly payments under proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

The changes could see people being provided with either one-off grants for specific costs such as home adaptation, or being directed to "alternative means of support" rather than financial support.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride is set to announce plans today to overhaul the way disability benefits work.

In a Green Paper due to be published alongside Mr Stride's statement to the Commons, ministers will set out plans to reform Personal Independence Payments (PIP), the main disability benefit, through changes to eligibility criteria and assessments.

The plans also include proposals to "move away from a fixed cash benefit system", meaning people with some conditions, such as depression and anxiety, will no longer receive regular payments but rather get improved access to treatment if their condition does not involve extra costs.

Speaking to Sky News earlier, Mr Stride said: "I want us to have a grown-up, sensible conversation about a benefit called PIP that has not been reviewed in over a decade.

"And I want to ask the question, is it fit for purpose given the world that we're in today, in which mental health issues sadly present more of an issue than they did a decade ago."

By James Sillars , business reporter

A fresh high for the FTSE 100 to start the week.

The index of leading shares in London was 0.5% up at 8,179 in early dealing.

The gains were led by miners and financial stocks.

Dragging on the performance were some consumer-facing brands including JD Sports and Flutter Entertainment.

One other development of note to mention is that stubbornly high oil price.

A barrel of Brent crude is currently trading almost 1% down on the day.

But it remains at $88 a barrel.

The market has been pulled by various forces this month, with hopes of a rebound in demand in China among them.

The latest decline is said to reflect peace talks being held between Israel and Hamas.

A demand for smaller homes has driven growth in UK property prices early in 2024, according to research by Halifax.

Data from the bank's house price index suggests annual property price growth hit 1.9% in February this year - a significant rise from -4.1% just three months prior.

That equates to a rise in prices of £5,318 over the past year.

It follows interest rates stabilising, Halifax says, after a sharp rise over the past two years which squeezed mortgage affordability.

A key driver behind rising prices, Halifax says, has been first-time buyers, who made up 53% of all homes bought with a mortgage in 2023 - the highest proportion since 1995.

And it's smaller homes that have recorded the biggest increases in price growth in the early part of this year - with buyers adjusting their expectations to compensate for higher borrowing costs.

Flats and terraced houses made up 57% of all homes purchased by first-time buyers last year.

This varies by region - for example, in London, flats and terraced homes accounted for 90% of all first-time buyer purchases.

Challenges remain

However, Amanda Bryden, head of Halifax mortgages, said "it's important not to gloss over the challenges" facing the UK housing market, given the "impact of higher interest rates on mortgage affordability" and "continued lack of supply of new homes".

"But scratch beneath the surface and there is a more nuanced story, one which shows that demand for different property types in different parts of the country can vary hugely," she added.

"As interest rates have stabilised and buyers adjust to the new economic reality of owning a home, one way to compensate for higher borrowing costs is to target smaller properties.

"This is especially true among first-time buyers, who have proven to be resilient over recent years, and now account for the largest proportion of homes purchased with a mortgage in almost 30 years."

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Plans to bring 2 major restaurants to Seaport Village were OK’d 3 years ago. They’re not close to opening

Rendering of planned Gladstone's restaurant.

The operators of the planned Gladstone’s and Shorebird restaurants, which will take over key Seaport Village locations, say their permits have finally been approved, and they hope to start construction soon

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Nearly three years after San Diego port commissioners cleared the way to bring two well-known restaurants to San Diego’s Seaport Village, the waterfront venues have yet to open, nor has construction even begun.

Changes, however, could be coming soon as owners of the two Southern California restaurant brands — Gladstone’s and Shorebird — indicate they’re prepared to finally start building out their new spaces within the next couple of months after years of delays.

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Gladstone’s, a restaurant brand widely known for its premier oceanfront location in Pacific Palisades, is supposed to be taking over the still operating Edgewater Grill in Seaport. And Shorebird, which has locations in Newport Beach, Palm Desert and Sedona, Ariz., is moving into the now shuttered Pier Cafe, a unique two-story structure that sits on the bay.

Both restaurateurs say their city building permits have been approved, and they are hoping to begin construction soon, although an opening date is still far off.

When the Port OK’d leases with the two operators in September of 2021 , it was expected that the restaurants would open by late 2022.

“The permitting at the city just took forever, like two years,” said Heinrich Stasiuk, founder and chairman of Orange-based Wild Thyme Restaurant Group, whose portfolio of dining venues includes Shorebird, known for its coastal flavors and fresh seafood. “The process is very delayed over there. But our construction crew is mobilizing and we plan to start construction May 14.”

Stasiuk said his company plans to invest $3 million in a makeover of the former two-level Pier Cafe, which has been closed almost two years. The 4,000-square-foot site — including patio space — will be updated with a new color palette of charcoal and white accents. Stasiuk, who hopes to open the restaurant by the end of the year, said Shorebird Seaport Village will have an indoor-outdoor design with plenty of patio dining and unobstructed bay views.

Rendering of planned Shorebird restaurant in Seaport Village.

In addition, plans call for repairing the pylons that allow the restaurant to be suspended over the water, as well as replacing damaged wood and anchors, according to the building permit application, which has been approved pending the payment of required fees. The city permits just haven’t been pulled yet, although Wild Thyme has been allowed to take possession of the Pier Cafe site, port spokesperson Brianne Page said Wednesday.

“We like the look and design of the building,” Stasiuk said. “It’s been there forever and is a centerpoint of Seaport Village, so we want to keep existing bones but are updating it to a fresher look. My love for Seaport Village began with our first visit in 2005. Captivated by its charm and vibrancy, I knew it was the ideal place for Shorebird.”

Meanwhile, restaurateur John Sangmeister, who operates a Gladstone’s restaurant in Long Beach, has had approval of his building permits for several months but it wasn’t until late Wednesday afternoon that they were issued by the city following payment of the fees. Sharon Cloward, president of the port tenants group, the San Diego Working Waterfront, said that Sangmeister had indicated this week that he intends to start construction by June 1.

Rendering of Gladstone's at Seaport Village

In an interview earlier this month, Sangmeister had said he was eager to begin work on transforming the still operating Edgewater Grill into a new Gladstone’s but had expressed concerns, like Stasiuk, about the length of time it had taken to get permit approval from the city, which had eaten into his 10-year lease granted in 2021. Both Gladstone’s and Shorebird have options to extend their leases by five additional years, Page said.

“We’d like to start work tomorrow,” said Sangmeister, whose San Diego ties date back to his sailing days with the 1987 America’s Cup team helmed by Dennis Connor. “But we should start within 60 days. I don’t see any other delays. It took forever to approve our plans. I can’t explain why it took so long, other than our story is not unique. Malibu farms (in Seaport Village) had the same experience.”

Sangmeister had been seeking some specific changes to his original lease but declined to reveal what they were. Earlier this month, he received a letter from the Port of San Diego stating that the port would not be accepting Sangmeistser’s proposed amendments to his lease and advised him that “Gladstone’s must perform under their existing Lease. The District continues to incur losses as a result of Gladstone’s delays.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, port officials said Sangmeister had yet to formally notify them by mail that he had secured his permits and was ready to take possession of the Edgewater Grill site.

“Once they do receive all necessary approvals required by the lease, they are required to submit final copies of permits and any other necessary approvals to the Port within five days,” the port said in a statement to the Union-Tribune. “The premises can only be delivered to Gladstone’s once we have what’s required by the lease.”

Sangmeister declined to divulge how much he will be investing in the new Gladstone’s, calling it a “multi-million-dollar’ project. The decor, he said, will be a contemporary Cape Cod look, and a lot more outdoor seating will be added. In addition, the bar will be relocated to a more central spot in the restaurant, under an existing atrium.

“We are going to bring our menu from Gladstone’s Long Beach, which is California American seafood,” he added.

Michael Fry, a co-owner of Water View Restaurants, which includes the Edgewater Grill, says the Seaport Village venue has been in limbo ever since the lease with Gladstone’s was signed in 2021. Edgewater has operated at Seaport since 1990.

“So we’ve just been going along, month to month, business as normal, just waiting to see what happens,” said Fry. “Overall, from our standpoint, business has been good. Seaport Village is a unique place and it’s always been busiest during the summer when people are traveling and also when conventions are in town. We knew when the leases were signed, it would just be a matter of time.”

The planned Gladstone’s is among a growing portfolio of foodie-friendly dining venues that have been coming to Seaport over the past several years ever since the Port of San Diego took over management of the tourist destination in hopes of raising its profile among travelers and locals. One of the more ambitious restaurants to open most recently was Malibu Farms, a $7.5 million project that took over the former Harbor House.

It opened last September, nearly three years after Port of San Diego Commissioners approved a 10-year lease agreement for the new restaurant. The co-owner, John Stockwell, told the Union-Tribune at the time that the restaurant’s opening was delayed in part because of pandemic-related supply chain and labor challenges.

Still looming is a mega project that proposes to demolish the waterfront center should the port give final approval to what’s known as Seaport San Diego. The $3.6 billion development proposes to remake 105 acres of land and water in the Central Embarcadero region with 2.7 million square feet of mixed-use development, including a 500-foot observation tower at the foot of Pacific Highway where Seaport Village is today.

In November of 2022, following years of negotiations, the developer got the green light from port commissioners to move into the environmental review phase, which is expected to take at least two years.

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Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow: The Best of Moscow!

I just got back from one week in Moscow. And, as you might have already guessed, it was a mind-boggling experience. It was not my first trip to the Russian capital. But I hardly ever got enough time to explore this sprawling city. Visiting places for business rarely leaves enough time for sightseeing. I think that if you’ve got one week in Russia, you can also consider splitting your time between its largest cities (i.e. Saint Petersburg ) to get the most out of your trip. Seven days will let you see the majority of the main sights and go beyond just scratching the surface. In this post, I’m going to share with you my idea of the perfect travel itinerary for one week in Moscow.

Moscow is perhaps both the business and cultural hub of Russia. There is a lot more to see here than just the Kremlin and Saint Basil’s Cathedral. Centuries-old churches with onion-shaped domes dotted around the city are in stark contrast with newly completed impressive skyscrapers of Moscow City dominating the skyline. I spent a lot of time thinking about my Moscow itinerary before I left. And this city lived up to all of my expectations.

Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow

Day 1 – red square and the kremlin.

Metro Station: Okhotny Ryad on Red Line.

No trip to Moscow would be complete without seeing its main attraction. The Red Square is just a stone’s throw away from several metro stations. It is home to some of the most impressive architectural masterpieces in the city. The first thing you’ll probably notice after entering it and passing vendors selling weird fur hats is the fairytale-like looking Saint Basil’s Cathedral. It was built to commemorate one of the major victories of Ivan the Terrible. I once spent 20 minutes gazing at it, trying to find the perfect angle to snap it. It was easier said than done because of the hordes of locals and tourists.

As you continue strolling around Red Square, there’s no way you can miss Gum. It was widely known as the main department store during the Soviet Era. Now this large (yet historic) shopping mall is filled with expensive boutiques, pricey eateries, etc. During my trip to Moscow, I was on a tight budget. So I only took a retro-style stroll in Gum to get a rare glimpse of a place where Soviet leaders used to grocery shop and buy their stuff. In case you want some modern shopping experience, head to the Okhotny Ryad Shopping Center with stores like New Yorker, Zara, and Adidas.

Day 2 – Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Tretyakov Gallery, and the Arbat Street

Metro Station: Kropotkinskaya on Red Line

As soon as you start creating a Moscow itinerary for your second day, you’ll discover that there are plenty of metro stations that are much closer to certain sites. Depending on your route, take a closer look at the metro map to pick the closest.

The white marble walls of Christ the Saviour Cathedral are awe-inspiring. As you approach this tallest Orthodox Christian church, you may notice the bronze sculptures, magnificent arches, and cupolas that were created to commemorate Russia’s victory against Napoleon.

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Unfortunately, the current Cathedral is a replica, since original was blown to bits in 1931 by the Soviet government. The new cathedral basically follows the original design, but they have added some new elements such as marble high reliefs.

Home to some precious collection of artworks, in Tretyakov Gallery you can find more than 150,000 of works spanning centuries of artistic endeavor. Originally a privately owned gallery, it now has become one of the largest museums in Russia. The Gallery is often considered essential to visit. But I have encountered a lot of locals who have never been there.

Famous for its souvenirs, musicians, and theaters, Arbat street is among the few in Moscow that were turned into pedestrian zones. Arbat street is usually very busy with tourists and locals alike. My local friend once called it the oldest street in Moscow dating back to 1493. It is a kilometer long walking street filled with fancy gift shops, small cozy restaurants, lots of cute cafes, and street artists. It is closed to any vehicular traffic, so you can easily stroll it with kids.

Day 3 – Moscow River Boat Ride, Poklonnaya Hill Victory Park, the Moscow City

Metro Station: Kievskaya and Park Pobedy on Dark Blue Line / Vystavochnaya on Light Blue Line

Voyaging along the Moscow River is definitely one of the best ways to catch a glimpse of the city and see the attractions from a bit different perspective. Depending on your Moscow itinerary, travel budget and the time of the year, there are various types of boats available. In the summer there is no shortage of boats, and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

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If you find yourself in Moscow during the winter months, I’d recommend going with Radisson boat cruise. These are often more expensive (yet comfy). They offer refreshments like tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and, of course, alcoholic drinks. Prices may vary but mostly depend on your food and drink selection. Find their main pier near the opulent Ukraine hotel . The hotel is one of the “Seven Sisters”, so if you’re into the charm of Stalinist architecture don’t miss a chance to stay there.

The area near Poklonnaya Hill has the closest relation to the country’s recent past. The memorial complex was completed in the mid-1990s to commemorate the Victory and WW2 casualties. Also known as the Great Patriotic War Museum, activities here include indoor attractions while the grounds around host an open-air museum with old tanks and other vehicles used on the battlefield.

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The hallmark of the memorial complex and the first thing you see as you exit metro is the statue of Nike mounted to its column. This is a very impressive Obelisk with a statue of Saint George slaying the dragon at its base.

Maybe not as impressive as Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower , the skyscrapers of the Moscow City (otherwise known as Moscow International Business Center) are so drastically different from dull Soviet architecture. With 239 meters and 60 floors, the Empire Tower is the seventh highest building in the business district.

The observation deck occupies 56 floor from where you have some panoramic views of the city. I loved the view in the direction of Moscow State University and Luzhniki stadium as well to the other side with residential quarters. The entrance fee is pricey, but if you’re want to get a bird’s eye view, the skyscraper is one of the best places for doing just that.

Day 4 – VDNKh, Worker and Collective Farm Woman Monument, The Ostankino TV Tower

Metro Station: VDNKh on Orange Line

VDNKh is one of my favorite attractions in Moscow. The weird abbreviation actually stands for Russian vystavka dostizheniy narodnogo khozyaystva (Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy). With more than 200 buildings and 30 pavilions on the grounds, VDNKh serves as an open-air museum. You can easily spend a full day here since the park occupies a very large area.

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First, there are pavilions that used to showcase different cultures the USSR was made of. Additionally, there is a number of shopping pavilions, as well as Moskvarium (an Oceanarium) that features a variety of marine species. VDNKh is a popular venue for events and fairs. There is always something going on, so I’d recommend checking their website if you want to see some particular exhibition.

A stone’s throw away from VDNKh there is a very distinctive 25-meters high monument. Originally built in 1937 for the world fair in Paris, the hulking figures of men and women holding a hammer and a sickle represent the Soviet idea of united workers and farmers. It doesn’t take much time to see the monument, but visiting it gives some idea of the Soviet Union’s grandiose aspirations.

I have a thing for tall buildings. So to continue my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow I decided to climb the fourth highest TV tower in the world. This iconic 540m tower is a fixture of the skyline. You can see it virtually from everywhere in Moscow, and this is where you can get the best panoramic views (yep, even better than Empire skyscraper).

Parts of the floor are made of tempered glass, so it can be quite scary to exit the elevator. But trust me, as you start observing buildings and cars below, you won’t want to leave. There is only a limited number of tickets per day, so you may want to book online. Insider tip: the first tour is cheaper, you can save up to $10 if go there early.

Day 5 – A Tour To Moscow Manor Houses

Metro Station: Kolomenskoye, Tsaritsyno on Dark Green Line / Kuskovo on Purple Line

I love visiting the manor houses and palaces in Moscow. These opulent buildings were generally built to house Russian aristocratic families and monarchs. Houses tend to be rather grand affairs with impressive architecture. And, depending on the whims of the owners, some form of a landscaped garden.

During the early part of the 20th century though, many of Russia’s aristocratic families (including the family of the last emperor) ended up being killed or moving abroad . Their manor houses were nationalized. Some time later (after the fall of the USSR) these were open to the public. It means that today a great many of Moscow’s finest manor houses and palaces are open for touring.

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There are 20 manor houses scattered throughout the city and more than 25 in the area around. But not all of them easily accessible and exploring them often takes a lot of time. I’d recommend focusing on three most popular estates in Moscow that are some 30-minute metro ride away from Kremlin.

Sandwiched between the Moscow River and the Andropov Avenue, Kolomenskoye is a UNESCO site that became a public park in the 1920’s. Once a former royal estate, now it is one of the most tranquil parks in the city with gorgeous views. The Ascension Church, The White Column, and the grounds are a truly grand place to visit.

You could easily spend a full day here, exploring a traditional Russian village (that is, in fact, a market), picnicking by the river, enjoying the Eastern Orthodox church architecture, hiking the grounds as well as and wandering the park and gardens with wildflower meadows, apple orchards, and birch and maple groves. The estate museum showcases Russian nature at its finest year-round.

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If my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow was a family tree, Tsaritsyno Park would probably be the crazy uncle that no-one talks about. It’s a large park in the south of the city of mind-boggling proportions, unbelievable in so many ways, and yet most travelers have never heard of it.

The palace was supposed to be a summer home for Empress Catherine the Great. But since the construction didn’t meet with her approval the palace was abandoned. Since the early 1990’s the palace, the pond, and the grounds have been undergoing renovations. The entire complex is now looking brighter and more elaborately decorated than at possibly any other time during its history. Like most parks in Moscow, you can visit Tsaritsyno free of charge, but there is a small fee if you want to visit the palace.

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Last, but by no means least on my Moscow itinerary is Kuskovo Park . This is definitely an off-the-beaten-path place. While it is not easily accessible, you will be rewarded with a lack of crowds. This 18th-century summer country house of the Sheremetev family was one of the first summer country estates of the Russian nobility. And when you visit you’ll quickly realize why locals love this park.

Like many other estates, Kuskovo has just been renovated. So there are lovely French formal garden, a grotto, and the Dutch house to explore. Make sure to plan your itinerary well because the estate is some way from a metro station.

Day 6 – Explore the Golden Ring

Creating the Moscow itinerary may keep you busy for days with the seemingly endless amount of things to do. Visiting the so-called Golden Ring is like stepping back in time. Golden Ring is a “theme route” devised by promotion-minded journalist and writer Yuri Bychkov.

Having started in Moscow the route will take you through a number of historical cities. It now includes Suzdal, Vladimir, Kostroma, Yaroslavl and Sergiev Posad. All these awe-inspiring towns have their own smaller kremlins and feature dramatic churches with onion-shaped domes, tranquil residential areas, and other architectural landmarks.

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I only visited two out of eight cities included on the route. It is a no-brainer that Sergiev Posad is the nearest and the easiest city to see on a day trip from Moscow. That being said, you can explore its main attractions in just one day. Located some 70 km north-east of the Russian capital, this tiny and overlooked town is home to Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, UNESCO Site.

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Sergiev Posad is often described as being at the heart of Russian spiritual life. So it is uncommon to see the crowds of Russian pilgrims showing a deep reverence for their religion. If you’re traveling independently and using public transport, you can reach Sergiev Posad by bus (departs from VDNKh) or by suburban commuter train from Yaroslavskaya Railway Station (Bahnhof). It takes about one and a half hours to reach the town.

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is a great place to get a glimpse of filling and warming Russian lunch, specifically at the “ Gostevaya Izba ” restaurant. Try the duck breast, hearty potato and vegetables, and the awesome Napoleon cake.

Day 7 – Gorky Park, Izmailovo Kremlin, Patriarch’s Ponds

Metro Station: Park Kultury or Oktyabrskaya on Circle Line / Partizanskaya on Dark Blue Line / Pushkinskaya on Dark Green Line

Gorky Park is in the heart of Moscow. It offers many different types of outdoor activities, such as dancing, cycling, skateboarding, walking, jogging, and anything else you can do in a park. Named after Maxim Gorky, this sprawling and lovely park is where locals go on a picnic, relax and enjoy free yoga classes. It’s a popular place to bike around, and there is a Muzeon Art Park not far from here. A dynamic location with a younger vibe. There is also a pier, so you can take a cruise along the river too.

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The Kremlin in Izmailovo is by no means like the one you can find near the Red Square. Originally built for decorative purposes, it now features the Vernissage flea market and a number of frequent fairs, exhibitions, and conferences. Every weekend, there’s a giant flea market in Izmailovo, where dozens of stalls sell Soviet propaganda crap, Russian nesting dolls, vinyl records, jewelry and just about any object you can imagine. Go early in the morning if you want to beat the crowds.

All the Bulgakov’s fans should pay a visit to Patriarch’s Ponds (yup, that is plural). With a lovely small city park and the only one (!) pond in the middle, the location is where the opening scene of Bulgakov’s novel Master and Margarita was set. The novel is centered around a visit by Devil to the atheistic Soviet Union is considered by many critics to be one of the best novels of the 20th century. I spent great two hours strolling the nearby streets and having lunch in the hipster cafe.

Conclusion and Recommendations

To conclude, Moscow is a safe city to visit. I have never had a problem with getting around and most locals are really friendly once they know you’re a foreigner. Moscow has undergone some serious reconstruction over the last few years. So you can expect some places to be completely different. I hope my one week Moscow itinerary was helpful! If you have less time, say 4 days or 5 days, I would cut out day 6 and day 7. You could save the Golden Ring for a separate trip entirely as there’s lots to see!

What are your thoughts on this one week Moscow itinerary? Are you excited about your first time in the city? Let me know in the comments below!

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24 comments.

Ann Snook-Moreau

Moscow looks so beautiful and historic! Thanks for including public transit information for those of us who don’t like to rent cars.

MindTheTravel

Yup, that is me 🙂 Rarely rent + stick to the metro = Full wallet!

Mariella Blago

Looks like you had loads of fun! Well done. Also great value post for travel lovers.

Thanks, Mariella!

I have always wanted to go to Russia, especially Moscow. These sights look absolutely beautiful to see and there is so much history there!

Agree! Moscow is a thousand-year-old city and there is definitely something for everyone.

Tara Pittman

Those are amazing buildings. Looks like a place that would be amazing to visit.

Adriana Lopez

Never been to Moscow or Russia but my family has. Many great spots and a lot of culture. Your itinerary sounds fantastic and covers a lot despite it is only a short period of time.

What was their favourite thing about Russia?

Gladys Parker

I know very little about Moscow or Russia for the\at matter. I do know I would have to see the Red Square and all of its exquisite architectural masterpieces. Also the CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR. Thanks for shedding some light on visiting Moscow.

Thanks for swinging by! The Red Square is a great starting point, but there way too many places and things to discover aside from it!

Ruthy @ Percolate Kitchen

You are making me so jealous!! I’ve always wanted to see Russia.

Moscow is in my bucket list, I don’t know when I can visit there, your post is really useful. As a culture rich place we need to spend at least week.

DANA GUTKOWSKI

Looks like you had a great trip! Thanks for all the great info! I’ve never been in to Russia, but this post makes me wanna go now!

Wow this is amazing! Moscow is on my bucket list – such an amazing place to visit I can imagine! I can’t wait to go there one day!

The building on the second picture looks familiar. I keep seeing that on TV.

Reesa Lewandowski

What beautiful moments! I always wish I had the personality to travel more like this!

Perfect itinerary for spending a week in Moscow! So many places to visit and it looks like you had a wonderful time. I would love to climb that tower. The views I am sure must have been amazing!

I was lucky enough to see the skyline of Moscow from this TV Tower and it is definitely mind-blowing.

Chelsea Pearl

Moscow is definitely up there on my travel bucket list. So much history and iconic architecture!

Thumbs up! 🙂

Blair Villanueva

OMG I dream to visit Moscow someday! Hope the visa processing would be okay (and become more affordable) so I could pursue my dream trip!

Yup, visa processing is the major downside! Agree! Time and the money consuming process…

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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

News & Views

The MICHELIN Guide Poland Expands to the Pomorskie Region

The expansion includes the tri-cities of Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. The full restaurant selection for The MICHELIN Guide Poland will be announced on Thursday 20th June 2024.

Lithuania Joins The MICHELIN Guide Collection!

On 13th June 2024, the first MICHELIN Guide selection to Lithuania will be unveiled, covering not only the capital, Vilnius, but the rest of the country too. Watch this space to be the first to discover this new selection...

The MICHELIN Guide Extends to "Da Nang", Vietnam

Joining Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang becomes the third Vietnamese destination to be scouted by the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors. The restaurant selection for Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang will be revealed in June 2024!

The Time Has Come: The MICHELIN Guide Rio de Janeiro & São Paulo 2024 Has a Release Date!

Discover when the new selection of restaurants for the two Brazilian cities will be unveiled.

Keep Exploring - Stories we think you will enjoy reading

The MICHELIN Guide France 2024 is Revealed!

This year's selection features 2 new Three Stars, 8 new Two Stars and a new generation of chefs earning their first Star before the age of 40

MICHELIN Guide 2023 Vienna and Salzburg selections are online

Today, the MICHELIN Guide has revealed online the new 2023 selections in Austria, highlighting the best restaurants in Vienna and Salzburg.

4 New Stars In The MICHELIN Guide Shanghai 2023

The latest selection recognises one new Two-MICHELIN-Star and 3 new One-Michelin-Star restaurants, while the Bib Gourmand selection expands with 7 new restaurants. The MICHELIN Sommelier Award also makes its debut in Shanghai amid wider recognition of hospitality talents.

2022 California MICHELIN Stars

18 new MICHELIN Stars are joining the California guide, including a 3 Star restaurant in San Diego and two MICHELIN Green Stars

2022 California MICHELIN Bib Gourmands

15 new Bib Gourmands are joining the MICHELIN Guide California

MICHELIN Guide California 2022: Meet the New Stars LIVE!

On Monday, 5 December at 7:30 pm PST, MICHELIN Guide California will reveal the 2022 selection. Follow the event live!

422 restaurants, including 2 new Two Starred establishments, spotlighted in the MICHELIN Guide Tokyo 2023

Myojaku and SÉZANNE receive Two MICHELIN Stars, and 16 new restaurants are distinguished One MICHELIN Star, while the Bib Gourmand celebrates 38 new restaurants which have been rated as best value-for-money by MICHELIN inspectors.

2022 Vancouver MICHELIN Bib Gourmands

12 Bib Gourmands are joining the inaugural MICHELIN Guide Vancouver. Here's where to eat focaccia sandwiches, dim sum with craft beer, and best-in-class pad Thai.

2022 Vancouver MICHELIN Stars

The stars are shining brightly over Vancouver, with 8 MICHELIN-Starred restaurants joining the inaugural MICHELIN Guide Vancouver.

The MICHELIN Guide Celebrates Its Debut in Malaysia

The inspectors of the MICHELIN Guide are in the field to spot the best restaurants in Kuala Lumpur and Penang. The first edition of the MICHELIN Guide Kuala Lumpur and Penang will be unveiled in December 2022.

53 restaurants spotlighted in the first selection of the MICHELIN Guide Istanbul

Michelin is pleased to present the very first selection of restaurants of the MICHELIN Guide Istanbul 2023. With 53 restaurants making the selection, the Istanbul culinary map greatly impressed the MICHELIN Guide inspectors.

2022 Toronto MICHELIN Stars

The stars are shining brightly over Toronto, with 13 new MICHELIN-Starred restaurants joining the inaugural MICHELIN Guide Toronto

The inaugural MICHELIN Guide Dubai 2022 has been revealed, with 11 MICHELIN-Starred and 14 Bib Gourmand restaurants

The MICHELIN Guide marked its debut in the Middle East with the MICHELIN Guide Dubai 2022 highlighting 69 restaurants covering 21 cuisine types. 9 receive a MICHELIN Star, 2 receive Two MICHELIN Stars, and 14 restaurants are awarded a Bib Gourmand.

MICHELIN Guide

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April 29, 2024 • 47:53 Trump 2.0: What a Second Trump Presidency Would Bring
April 26, 2024 • 21:50 Harvey Weinstein Conviction Thrown Out
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Harvey Weinstein Conviction Thrown Out

New york’s highest appeals court has overturned the movie producer’s 2020 conviction for sex crimes, which was a landmark in the #metoo movement..

Hosted by Katrin Bennhold

Featuring Jodi Kantor

Produced by Nina Feldman , Rikki Novetsky and Carlos Prieto

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Engineered by Chris Wood

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When the Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was convicted of sex crimes four years ago, it was celebrated as a watershed moment for the #MeToo movement. Yesterday, New York’s highest court of appeals overturned that conviction.

Jodi Kantor, one of the reporters who broke the story of the abuse allegations against Mr. Weinstein in 2017, explains what this ruling means for him and for #MeToo.

On today’s episode

Jodi Kantor , an investigative reporter for The New York Times.

Harvey Weinstein is walking down stone steps surrounded by a group of men in suits. One man is holding him by the arm.

Background reading

The verdict against Harvey Weinstein was overturned by the New York Court of Appeals.

Here’s why the conviction was fragile from the start .

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We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

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Katrin Bennhold is the Berlin bureau chief. A former Nieman fellow at Harvard University, she previously reported from London and Paris, covering a range of topics from the rise of populism to gender. More about Katrin Bennhold

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COMMENTS

How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan in 2024 (Step by Step Guide
6. Restaurant design. The design portion of your restaurant business plan is where you can really show off your thoughts and ideas to the investors. If you don't have professional mock-ups of your restaurant rendered, that's fine. Instead, put together a mood board to get your vision across.
How to Open a Restaurant: 11 Steps to Success
Click any of the tips below to skip to the restaurant startup tip that interests you: Choose a Restaurant Concept. Write a Restaurant Business Plan. Obtain Restaurant Funding. Create a Menu. Find a Commercial Space. Plan Your Restaurant's Layout. Acquire Restaurant Permits and Licenses.
How to Open a Restaurant Step By Step (2023)
Hire your manager at least a month before you open so he or she can help you set up your restaurant. Chefs and cooks. When you start out, you'll probably need three cooks--two full time cooks and ...
How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan
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 ...
How to Open a Restaurant: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step 3. Choose your restaurant's name and legal structure. If you plan to use a unique name for your restaurant, go ahead and file your "doing business as" (DBA) name with your state's ...
How to write a restaurant business plan
6. Management team. Write a brief overview of yourself and the team you have established so far. You want to show that your experience has provided you with the necessary skills to run a successful restaurant and act as a restaurant business owner.
Restaurant Business Plan Template & Example
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.
How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan: Complete Guide
Use this template to create a complete, clear and solid business plan that get you funded. Let's dive in! 1. Restaurant Executive Summary. The executive summary of a business plan gives a sneak peek of the information about your business plan to lenders and/or investors. If the information you provide here is not concise, informative, and ...
How to Write a Small Restaurant Business Plan
Download your free small restaurant business plan template. If you're ready to start a restaurant, you can download our free small restaurant business plan template from our library of over 550 sample business plans. Get started today, and discover why businesses that plan grow 30% faster than those that don't. More restaurant business plan ...
How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan [with a Template ...
Marketing analysis & plan. This part of your restaurant business plan should include the following sections: Marketing analysis: Explain the market in which your restaurant will operate and where you may want to expand the business. Share any special considerations associated with this location.
How to Start a Successful Restaurant
2. Have a solid business plan in place. You can't scratch a business plan out on a cocktail napkin. You need a detailed business plan that charts the course for your success. That said, we suggest beginning with a one-page plan that keeps the business planning process simple. Think of your business plan as a living document that you return to regularly to help you plan for growth and measure ...
How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan
Below is an in-depth look at each section of a restaurant business plan, what information you should include, and how to write them. 1. Executive Summary. The executive summary is a brief overview of all the information contained in your restaurant business plan. A strong executive summary is essential not only for starting a business, but also ...
How to create a restaurant business plan
Use a logo maker to generate some ideas, or narrow down your options with a dedicated restaurant logo maker instead. 06. Financial plan. Opening a restaurant can be an expensive endeavor, with some estimates putting the cost between $175,000 and $750,000. A financial plan is a critical component of your business plan.
How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan
Compare the existing market conditions to your intended target market. Potential restaurant investors will look at this section of the business plan carefully to make sure that the market in the proposed location aligns with the ideal customer profile. 3. Competitive Analysis.
Restaurant Business Plan Template [Updated 2024]
This section of your restaurant business plan should have two key elements as follows: Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your restaurant such as serving customers, procuring supplies, keeping the restaurant clean, etc. Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve.
Writing A Restaurant Business Plan
Financial Plan. The financial plan is the most critical part of your business plan. It should clearly show how much money you need to start, run and grow your restaurant. You will need to show a ...
Business Plan Template: Restaurant
Tool. A restaurant business plan provides the foundation for your business. Not only is a detailed business plan the key to your restaurant's success, but it also outlines your vision by detailing how your business will take shape and operate. Highly customizable - Easily add your concept, ideas and information into the editable template.
How to Start a Restaurant in 2024: Key Steps
4. Writing a restaurant business plan. For the purposes of this guideline, we're going to use a fictional establishment - let's call it The Goodfare Restaurant* - to show you exactly how a restaurant business plan should work in practice. You can find a more comprehensive breakdown of what to include in our general business plan template.
How to start a business plan for a restaurant
6. Restaurant Design. The restaurant design should reflect the overall concept of the business and create a pleasant and inviting space for customers. The design should be functional and efficient, with careful consideration given to the flow of traffic and the layout of the dining room, kitchen, and bathroom.
10 Best Restaurant Business Models (Ultimate Guide)
Starting a restaurant business is a lifelong dream for many. However attractive as it may seem, opening a restaurant comes with a good amount of challenges. ... Follow the link for a restaurant business plan template—it will make more sense once it's put along with your executive summary, market research, and the rest of the key information.
Advice on how to write a "Business Plan" for a restaurant
/r/business brings you the best of your business section. From tips for running a business, to pitfalls to avoid, /r/business teaches you the smart moves and helps you dodge the foolish.
Moscow's culinary opportunities: How to open a restaurant
Investment. Of course, setting up a firm without back is impossible. "To open a small restaurant or a cafe one would need 5 million rubles ($87,160)," Vladimir Shalaev, a lawyer at BMS Law ...
Ask a question or make a comment
By James Sillars, business reporter A fresh high for the FTSE 100 to start the week. The index of leading shares in London was 0.5% up at 8,179 in early dealing.
The Modern Indigenous, from Owamni co-founder ...
Related: Awards are nice, but it's time for Sean Sherman to start his real plan Time lists Twin Cities chef among 2023's Most Influential People Related: Time lists Twin Cities chef among 2023's ...
Seaport Village restaurants OK'd 3 years ago aren't close to opening
But our construction crew is mobilizing and we plan to start construction May 14." Stasiuk said his company plans to invest $3 million in a makeover of the former two-level Pier Cafe, which has ...
Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow
Day 6 - Explore the Golden Ring. Creating the Moscow itinerary may keep you busy for days with the seemingly endless amount of things to do. Visiting the so-called Golden Ring is like stepping back in time. Golden Ring is a "theme route" devised by promotion-minded journalist and writer Yuri Bychkov.
69 culinary hotspots in the very first MICHELIN Guide Moscow
2 Two MICHELIN Star restaurants ARTEST Chef's table - Offering foodies a visual and immersive experience, thanks to the very special design of the small restaurant, Artem Estafiev's Chef's table, focuses on fermentation, contrasting flavors and extremely variable textures. Certainly one of the most modern cuisines in Moscow. Twins Garden - Twin brothers Ivan & Sergey Berezutsky ...
Harvey Weinstein Conviction Thrown Out
Harvey Weinstein Conviction Thrown Out New York's highest appeals court has overturned the movie producer's 2020 conviction for sex crimes, which was a landmark in the #MeToo movement.
Restaurant on the 89th floor at Moscow-City business centre The 360
Start your day with a hearty breakfast and a refreshing cup of coffee while watching the city slowly wake up, and in the evening, enjoy gourmet food and drinks in the setting sun. The 360 restaurant with a panoramic view creates a perfect atmosphere for a romantic dinner, corporate parties, birthday parties, or any festive event.

How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan in 2024 (Step by Step Guide with Templates)

What is a restaurant business plan?

Steps to include in your business plan

1. Executive summary

Further reading

Concept Development

Cuisine Selection

Creating a mission statement

2. Company description

3. Market analysis

3.1 Industry analysis

An example of analyzing your target market

Demographics and preferences

Dining habits and trends

3.2 Competition analysis

3.3 Marketing analysis

5. Employees

6. Restaurant design

7. Location

Example for choosing an ideal location

Foot traffic and accessibility

Neighborhood demographics

8. Market overview

9. Marketing

10. External help

11. Financial analysis

How to Calculate Food Cost in:...

The A to Z Guide to:...

OpenTable vs. Resy::...

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How to Start and Open a Restaurant Step by Step (2023) If you're interested in starting a restaurant business, this guide provides all the information necessary to open and operate a successful eatery.

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A Step-by-Step Guide to Opening a Restaurant

A step-by-step guide to starting a restaurant

Step 1. Pick a niche

Step 2. Write your business plan

How much do you need?

Step 3. Choose your restaurant's name and legal structure

Step 4. Get a tax identification number for your restaurant

Step 5. Register your restaurant for state and local taxes

Step 6. Secure permits, licenses, and insurance for your restaurant

Step 7. Set up accounting documents

Step 8. Invest in the right tools for your restaurant

Step 9. Keep up with your restaurant's tax obligations

Step 10. Fund your newly opened restaurant

How much does it cost to open a restaurant?

Step 11. Market your restaurant

The bottom line

How to write a restaurant business plan

1. Branded cover

2. Table of contents

3. Restaurant concept

4. Sample menu

6. Management team

8. Target market

9. Location

10. Market overview

11. Marketing and publicity

12. Specialists and consultants

13. Business structure

14. Financial projections

Discover how OpenTable can take your business where you want to go

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Restaurant Business Plan Template

Restaurant Business Plan

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