Shifting demographics and changing lifestyles are driving the surge in food-service businesses. Today’s busy consumers don’t have the time or the inclination to cook—they want tasty, nutritious meals without dishes to wash. More and more singles, working parents, and seniors are demanding greater convenience and are looking to restaurants and food services to fill that need. There’s plenty of room for more food businesses, but for a successful startup you need more than just good recipes. You also need to know about planning, capitalization, inventory control, and payroll management. The staff of Entrepreneur has put together everything you need to know to start, run, and grow the successful restaurant or food service of your dreams.

"This book covers all aspects of the restaurant business -- from initial startup, to building up a loyal trade and -- crucially -- putting yourself in your customers' shoes."--Cover.

This classic guide has been completely updated, providing would-be restaurateurs with everything they need to know to succeed and profiles of those who have successfully opened their own small restaurants.

Do restaurants make you think of tempting dishes served in a cozy, intimate setting? Or fine dining in elegant surroundings? It takes a lot more than culinary skill and appealing ambience to open a restaurant. In this invaluable guide, coomplete with charts, facts, and figures, Richrd Ware and James Rudnick draw upon years of successful experience to tell you everything you need to know about: Money: How much you need to start up; how to find sources for funding; step-by-step plans for forecasting expenses; what you should know about the hidden costs Location: How to research the competition; whether to seek a residential or commercial setting; how to build a customer profile; revealing case studies and critiques Design and Operation: Floor plans and seating; constructing; inventory; twenty steps to opening Hiring: How to find the experts; free advice as well as professional assistance; how to establish rules for your day-to-day staff; when to use advertising. Don't even think about starting a restaurant without first reading How to Open Your Own Restaurant

Earlier editions by Entrepreneur Press and Jacquelyn Lynn.

Around 90% of all new restaurants fail in the first year of operation. Many owners think they have the perfect idea, but they have terrible business plans, location, or other issues. Idiot's Guides: Starting and Running a Restaurant shows budding restauranteurs the basics of honing in on a concept to gathering start-up capital to building a solid business plan. You will also learn how to choose a great restaurant location, select an appealing design, compose a fantastic menu, and hire reliable managers and staff. In this book, you get: • Introduction to basic requirements of starting a restaurant such as time management, recognizing your competition, choosing your restaurant concept, and making it legal. • Information on building a solid business foundation such as a solid business plan, a perfect location, where to find investors, and securing loans. • Suggestions on how to compose the perfect menu, laying out the front and back of house and bar, and choosing the must-have necessities such as security alarms and fire prevention. • Techniques on how to hire and train your staff, purchasing or renting supplies, understanding costs and setting up your financial office, and using social media as a marketing tool. • Secrets for keeping your customers returning, running a safe restaurant, managing employees, and building your PR sales plan. • Pre-opening checklists to ensure everything is ready by opening day. Operational checklists and forms a successful restaurateur will need to manage their restaurant.

How to Start, Run & Grow a Successful Restaurant Business A Lean Startup Guide Let's start your restaurant legacy right now, right here! National chains and single independent restaurants all started with an individual and an idea. A concept. A dream. Small ideas can grow into big business. Who would have thought that a guy with a milkshake machine could start a hamburger empire? A pizza made in a garage would start today's pizza wars? A guy with a pressure-cooker would start a fried chicken phenomena? Business ownership has always been part of the all-American dream. Restaurants are the largest entrepreneurial opportunity in America for starting the dream. According to Restaraut.org, the industry stands as follows: $799 billion: Restaurant industry sales. 1 million+: Restaurant locations in the United States. 14.7 million: Restaurant industry employees. 1.6 million: New restaurant jobs created by the year 2027. 10%: Restaurant workforce as part of the overall U.S. workforce. 9 in 10: Restaurant managers who started at entry level. 8 in 10: Restaurant owners who started their industry careers in entry-level positions. 9 in 10: Restaurants with fewer than 50 employees. 7 in 10: Restaurants that are single-unit operations. In this book, you will realize why your concept and theme are critical. Factors to include in a business plan. How to start your restaurant, how to grow and how to be successful. It is a detail guide that will guide you through the process. After Reading You Will Know: How To Develop A Concept That Will Fly The WHAT and WHY factors 5 Types Of Restaurants And Their Variations Popular QSR Franchises And Their Costs How And Where To Find A Restaurant To Buy Or Lease What Legal Structure You Will Need For Your Business How To Comply With Uncle Sam Costs To Open A Restaurant Writing The Right Business Plan How To Get A Bank To Finance Your Restaurant How To Find And Hire The Right Staffing Restaurant Menu Development POS System, Accounting And Bookkeeping Marketing Development Grand Opening Steps The Keys To Success Few Important Statistics You Should Know About Appendix - A Full Restaurant Business Plan Is Included Appendix -B A Sample Personal Financial Statement Is Included This is about time you make your longtime dream of opening your own restaurant a reality. It's not as hard as you think. Remember opportunities are being taken by someone every day, waiting another day means you are passing up another opportunity. Good Luck!