Starting your own business takes a lot of courage, especially since there are many pitfalls and risks involved. Small restaurants have gotten the reputation that they are the riskiest form of startup. Supposedly, 90 percent of them shut down in the first year. This is patently untrue. Research indicates that a small restaurant has as much chance of success as any other startup business.
A startup restaurant does face challenges and risks unique to the food service industry. If you’re a small-time restaurateur, your business needs every advantage to secure profits and make it big.
Here are a few tidbits of advice that can help sweeten your restaurant’s future.
Update Your Menu With the Latest Food Trends
People’s taste, in fashion and food, changes each year and your menu may no longer be as appetizing as it once was. Check out the food trends for 2019, and see if you can incorporate any of these delicious new delights.
Flavors derived and inspired from the Pacific Rim are hitting it big among foodies. This is a vast region with dozens of cultures and recipes, which you can use for inspiration. Maybe you can infuse your meals with the sultry spices of Indonesia, or use tropical favorites, like pineapples and watermelons, as garnish and ingredients. Think of ways that you can use condiments, like soy sauce and shrimp paste, or spices, like coriander and ginger.
The Pacific Rim encompasses many countries and cuisines. Some, Japanese and Thai cooking particularly, have already become mainstays. But you can explore the food of nations, like Tonga or Kiribati and see if they can add zest to your menu.
Invest in Social Media and Marketing
Your restaurant can get more customers if more people know about it. The easiest way to increase your restaurant’s exposure is to use social media. You can create a Facebook page and an Instagram profile for your restaurant, and provide customers an easy way to view your menus and get updates about promos and other events. Social media accounts for a single restaurant are also easy enough that you can delegate this task to one or two staffers to manage them.
Your business can still undoubtedly benefit from a marketing campaign or a re-branding. But a small restaurant probably won’t have all the expertise or manpower needed to make it viable. There are companies that offer outsourced marketing services. These companies can whip up a marketing campaign and implement it, and you don’t even have to hire new staff or start a new department.
Save Money in Small Ways
Your restaurant can make more profits if you can find ways to spend less. Many of these methods are beneficial to your finances and the environment.
Trim down on utility bills by replacing light bulbs with low-energy counterparts. You can conserve water by switching to low-flow toilets and faucets. Put your takeout in biodegradable materials, and teach your staff to recycle certain waste products.
Your restaurant can turn a profit without sacrificing quality. These small changes can even improve your restaurant and help you grow your business. Exceptional restaurants, like exceptional food, can maintain classic tastes while exploring new ingredients. So spice up your business, and make your restaurant’s future sweeter.
