organization and management business plan restaurant

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

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

Maja Jankowska

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

What is a business plan for?

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

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

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

Create Restaurant’s Business Plan in these 9 steps:

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

1. Executive summary

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

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

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

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

2. Describe your concept

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

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

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

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

3. Market analysis

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

Target audience 

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

Competition

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

Market analysis for restaurant’s business plan

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

Example of SWOT analysis for a restaurant

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

4. Management and organization

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

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

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

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

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

5. Sample “yummy” Menu 

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

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

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

6. Design and branding 

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

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

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

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

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

resOS’ customizable interface for your booking system

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

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

7. Location

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

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

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

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

8. Marketing plan

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

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

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

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

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

9. Financial Plan

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

Here are the 🔑 key components to include:

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

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

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

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

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Restaurant Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Restaurant Business Plan

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

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

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

Restaurant Business Plan Example

Executive summary, business overview.

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

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

Products Served

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

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

Customer Focus

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

Management Team

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

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

Financial Highlights

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

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

Company Overview

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

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

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse History

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

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

Industry Analysis

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

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

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

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

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market, customer segmentation.

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

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

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

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

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

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

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

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

Competitive Advantage

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

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

Marketing Plan

Promotions strategy.

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

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

Operations Plan

Operation functions:.

The company will hire the following:

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

Milestones:

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

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

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

7/10/202X – Finalize menu.

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

8/15/202X – Start of marketing campaign

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

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

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

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

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

Chef Peter Logan, Co-Owner

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

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

Anastasia Gillette, Co-Owner

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

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

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

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

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

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

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

Financial Projections

Income Statement

  Balance Sheet

  Cash Flow Statement

Restaurant Business Plan FAQs

What is a restaurant business plan.

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

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

What Are the Main Types of Restaurants?

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

How Do You Get Funding for Your Restaurant Business Plan?

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

What are the Steps To Start a Restaurant Business?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Learn more about how to start a successful restaurant business:

• How to Start a Restaurant Business

Where Can I Get a Restaurant Business Plan PDF?

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

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How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan: Complete Guide

• January 31, 2023
• Food & Beverage

👇 Check all our resources on restaurants 👇

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.

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Restaurant Business Plan: What To Include, Plus 8 Examples

• Business Growth & Management , Templates & Guides

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

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

Table Of Contents

What Is A Restaurant Business Plan?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The questions are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

1) Executive Summary

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

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

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

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

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

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

2) Mission Statement

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3) Company Description

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

Useful details to include are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

4) Market Analysis

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

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

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

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

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

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

We break down our market into five distinct categories:

• High-end singles
• Businessmen and businesswomen

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

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

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

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

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

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

6) Location

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

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

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

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

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

7) Marketing

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

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

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

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

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

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

8) Financials

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elevator Pitch

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stakeholder Plan (External)

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

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

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

Management Plan (Internal)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The restaurant industry is as dynamic as it is diverse, with various types of restaurants catering to different culinary preferences. For those aspiring to open a new restaurant, understanding this vast landscape is crucial. One of the pivotal steps before diving into this venture is to create a business plan. It not only defines the unique essence of your eatery but also lays out a roadmap for its successful operation. Familiarizing oneself with the different types of restaurants is essential to pinpoint your niche and stand out in a bustling market.

What is A Restaurant Business Plan? 

When you’re planning to open a restaurant, a comprehensive restaurant business plan is your blueprint to success. It serves as a strategic guide, outlining your restaurant’s vision, objectives, and operational procedures. But beyond its functional use for the business owner, a well-crafted plan becomes a tool to attract potential investors.

Writing a business plan requires detailing every aspect of your restaurant dream, from the concept and target demographic to the financial projections and marketing strategies. For restaurant owners, this document encapsulates the essence of their establishment, ensuring they remain on the right track. Moreover, presenting this plan to potential investors offers a clear, organized view of your vision, increasing their confidence in the venture.

Ff you want to get your restaurant off the ground and appeal to both patrons and investors, a restaurant business plan is not just a recommendation—it’s a necessity.

Why A Business Plan Is Important For A Successful Restaurant Business?

Making a restaurant a reality isn’t just about great food or an attractive interior; it’s about laying the groundwork for success with a good business plan. A well-crafted restaurant business plan comes with a slew of benefits, not least of which are:

Clear Vision and Objectives: One of the foremost reasons to plan for your restaurant is to articulate a clear vision and set definitive objectives. This process helps you refine your restaurant ideas, making them more viable in the real world. With a concrete vision, you can maintain a consistent direction and avoid being swayed by fleeting trends that don’t align with your brand.

Financial Planning: Money is the lifeline of any venture. A restaurant business plan provides a detailed financial blueprint, determining startup costs, projecting revenues, and outlining budgetary constraints. It anticipates potential financial hurdles, allowing restaurant owners to make informed decisions. By meticulously charting out every financial detail, restaurant owners can ensure they have the necessary funds to sustain the business, even during lean periods.

Operational Efficiency: Operational hiccups can turn even the most promising restaurant ideas into failures. With a comprehensive business plan, you can optimize staffing, inventory management, customer service, and daily operations. A good plan streamlines the restaurant’s workflow, enhancing efficiency and customer satisfaction.

In a world teeming with culinary ventures, a business plan is essential to stand out. It gives clarity to your vision, ensures sound financial footing, and optimizes operations, paving the way for the restaurant needs to thrive.

Step-by-step Guide To Write A  Restaurant Business Plan

Starting a restaurant is a dream for many, but to make that restaurant dream into a reality, one needs a structured approach. A winning restaurant business plan provides a comprehensive roadmap to bring your vision to life. Here’s how to craft that perfect plan:

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary is a snapshot of your entire restaurant business plan. Typically, it should be concise, about one to two pages long, capturing the essence of what your restaurant is about and what it aims to achieve.

What should you cover in an Executive Summary?

• Introduce your bakery business : Begin by describing the kind of restaurant you’re opening.
• State your mission and vision : Your mission statement reflects your restaurant’s core purpose, while the vision paints a picture of its future.
• Outline your objective : Define the goals for your new business.
• Provide a financial overview : Offer a brief insight into the financial state of your business.

2. Restaurant Business Description

This section provides an in-depth look into what your restaurant is and what it aims to offer to the diner.

What should you cover in the restaurant description section?

• Talk about your bakery concept : Describe your restaurant, its theme, and its unique approach to serving patrons.
• Explain your unique selling proposition (USP) : What sets your restaurant apart?
• Operational model : Explain how you’ll operate your restaurant before and after opening.

3. Market Analysis

Market analysis provides data-driven insights derived from thorough market research. It helps restaurant owners understand their audience and the market landscape.

• Target market : Delve into the demographics of your potential clientele.
• Location : Describe where your restaurant fits geographically and why it’s an ideal spot.
• Competition : Analyze other restaurants in the area and their offerings.

4. Organization and Management

This section presents the business structure and the key players driving your restaurant’s operations.

What should you cover in the organization and management plan?

• Restaurant ownership information : Detail the type of business entity (e.g., LLC, Partnership) and ownership distribution.
• Profiles of your Restaurant management team : Introduce your core team members, their roles, and their experience in the restaurant industry.

5. Sample Menu

This section is a sneak peek into what diners can expect when they visit.

What should you consider when creating a sample menu?

• Menu items : List down dishes and beverages you’ll offer.
• Unique Selling Proposition (USP) : What makes your menu stand out?
• Menu Pricing : Provide a range or specific prices for your offerings.

6. Marketing Strategy

The marketing strategy outlines how you plan to market your restaurant and drive sales.

What should you cover in the marketing strategy for your restaurant business?

• Define your brand : Discuss the brand identity – from logo to restaurant design.
• Plan how you’ll attract diners, from online promotions to loyalty programs,  SEO for website, and partnerships with local local businesses
• Considering using an  online food ordering system  in your food truck
• Create a  digital menu with QR code  to make your menu easy for your customers to access online

7. Business Operations

This section delves into the day-to-day operations of running your restaurant.

What operational issues should you address in your business plan?

• Supply chain : Detail how you’ll procure ingredients and manage inventory.
• Operating hours : What days and hours will you operate? Consider peak meal times and special events.
• Staffing : Discuss hiring, training, and staff management plans.
• Equipment : List the equipment needed to run the restaurant.

8. Financial and Loans

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Restaurant?

Depending on the type of restaurant you’re opening, costs can vary significantly. Starting a bar business, for instance, can range anywhere from $95,000 to over $2 million. Several factors can influence these numbers. The size of the restaurant, its location, and the culinary offerings play crucial roles in the total investment. Want to delve deeper into the specifics? This comprehensive guide on how much it costs to open a small restaurant breaks down the various expenses you can expect.

How Many Ways to Fund Your Restaurant?

For every restaurant dream, funding is a pivotal aspect. From traditional bank loans to seeking angel investors or crowd-funding, there’s a multitude of avenues available for those considering opening a restaurant.

Important Questions to Consider When You Create Your Funding Request

Beyond just how much you plan to spend, you’ll want to include details on projected ROI, repayment strategies, and how the funds will directly help grow your business. Remember, lenders and investors are most interested in understanding how their contributions will help the restaurant flourish and ensure a return on their investment.

9. Financial Projections

Financial projections are a crucial aspect of the business plan, providing a roadmap for operating the restaurant and giving potential investors a clear picture of your business strategy.

Break-even analysis

This analysis tells you when your restaurant may start to turn a profit, balancing out initial investments and operational costs.  It’s essential to understand this when you plan to gain traction and open the restaurant.

To calculate the break-even point, use this formula:  Fixed Costs / (Price – Variable Costs) = Break Even Point  

Projected profit and loss statement

This section should include estimations of your future revenues, costs, and profits over a specific period, helping you and investors visualize the financial health of your restaurant.

Cash flow analysis

A comprehensive cash flow analysis is part of your business plan, showing the movement of cash in and out of your business. This plan can help identify periods of potential cash shortages and allow for strategic preparations.

Restaurant Business Plan Template

As you embark on the journey to make your restaurant dream come true, using a free template for guidance can be invaluable. This example provides a glimpse into what a business plan can look like. However, always remember to choose your restaurant’s features that align with your vision and market demand. For more insights, consider consulting various restaurant business plan examples and business plan samples to get a holistic view.

Mission : “To provide an unforgettable dining experience by blending authentic flavors with a modern twist.”

Vision : “To be the leading global chain offering our signature fusion cuisine.”

Restaurant Description : “DineFusion, an innovative blend of Italian and Japanese cuisines, located at the heart of downtown.”

Costs : Initial investment of $150,000.

Profits : Expected yearly net profit of $75,000 after operating costs.

2. Description of the Restaurant

Restaurant Concept : A fusion of Italian and Japanese cuisines, bringing together the best of both worlds.

Restaurant Name : “DineFusion”

Restaurant Type : Casual dining

Restaurant Location : 123 Downtown Street, Metropolis

Order Fulfillment : Dine-in, takeaway, and online delivery through partnering platforms.

Working Hours : 10 AM – 10 PM daily.

Type of Cuisine : Italian-Japanese Fusion

Offer : From sushi rolls with a twist of Italian herbs to pizzas topped with sashimi. Include a sample menu for a detailed look.

Unique Selling Point : “Where East meets West on a Plate!”

4. Market and Competition Analysis

Market Analysis : 

Target Customer : Young professionals aged 25-40 and tourists.

Size of the Target Customer : Approximately 150,000 individuals fit our target profile in Metropolis.

Competition Analysis : 

Size of the Competition : Collectively serve an estimated 500 customers daily.

Competitors’ Offer : Traditional fusion dishes without the unique Italian-Japanese blend.

Competitors’ Prices : Average meal price is $25.

5. Investment Plan (Detailed Cost Analysis)

Investment Cost :

• Renovation: $50,000
• Kitchen Equipment: $40,000
• Initial Inventory: $10,000
• Licenses and Permits: $5,000
• Marketing and Promotion: $20,000
• Miscellaneous: $25,000

Operating Costs (Monthly) :

• Rent: $5,000
• Salaries: $15,000
• Utilities: $1,000
• Inventory Replenishment: $4,000
• Marketing: $2,000
• Miscellaneous: $3,000

Total Cost : Estimated monthly operating cost of $30,000.

6. Financial Forecast

Based on the expected customer footfall and average ticket size, we anticipate monthly revenues of $60,000, with a profit of $30,000 before taxes.

Owner/Manager : Jane Smith, with 10 years of experience in the restaurant industry.

Chef : Marco Tanaka, a specialist in both Italian and Japanese cuisines.

Supporting Staff : 10 members, including servers, cleaners, and kitchen assistants.

8. Marketing Plan

Our marketing strategy involves an initial launch on social media platforms, collaborations with influencers, and partnerships with delivery platforms. Periodic offers, loyalty programs, and events like “fusion food fests” will help in consistent customer engagement.

Tips For Creating A Successful Restaurant Business Plan 

Opening your restaurant is exhilarating, but to transform your culinary dreams into business a reality, a well-crafted business plan is paramount. Here are some tips to ensure success:

Thorough Research : Before you put pen to paper, conduct in-depth research. Understand your target market, competition, and potential challenges. This will not only guide the rest of your plan but also demonstrate your commitment and seriousness to potential restaurant investors.

Use a Template : If you’re unsure where to begin, use a business plan template to get started. It will offer structure and ensure you cover essential sections of your business plan.

Clarity is Key : Your business plan should be concise yet comprehensive. Avoid jargon. Remember, you may be presenting this to individuals who might not be familiar with restaurant terminologies.

Be Realistic with Projections : Overestimating your future success can be as detrimental as underselling it. Ensure your financial forecasts are realistic and achievable.

Highlight What Sets You Apart : Whether it’s a unique theme, a special dish, or an innovative service model, pinpoint what makes your restaurant stand out.

Seek Feedback : Before finalizing, seek feedback. Whether from industry peers, potential restaurant investors, or mentors, a fresh set of eyes can offer invaluable insights.

Remember, to make a restaurant business plan truly effective, it should be a living document, revised and updated as you gather more information, make decisions, and choose your restaurant’s path forward. Keep refining and adjusting to ensure the best path to make the business a thriving success.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. what should be included in a restaurant plan, 2. what is a strategy plan of a restaurant, 3.  how do i write a business proposal for a food business, 4. how do you write a marketing plan for a restaurant.

A marketing plan for a restaurant should start with an understanding of your target customers. Identify where they spend their time online and offline and strategize accordingly. Outline your brand voice and how you’ll communicate your unique selling proposition. Factor in promotions, advertising campaigns, and loyalty programs. Also, consider modern restaurant technology tools that can aid in marketing, such as CRM systems or social media analytics tools. Ensure that each marketing initiative has clear objectives, a set budget, and methods to track effectiveness.

Opening a restaurant is a thrilling yet intricate endeavor. Every section of the restaurant business plan serves as a roadmap, guiding entrepreneurs towards realizing their culinary dreams. As you choose your restaurant’s concept, location, and design, always revert to your business plan to ensure alignment with your vision. In essence, a meticulously crafted plan not only provides clarity and direction but also instills confidence in potential stakeholders. Remember, success in the restaurant industry goes beyond delectable dishes; it lies in foresight, strategy, and relentless execution.

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How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan

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

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

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

Why you shouldn’t skip a restaurant business plan

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

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

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

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

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

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

How to write a restaurant business plan: Step by step

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

Executive summary

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

Your restaurant business plan executive summary should include information on:

Mission statement: Your goals and objectives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Company overview

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

Your restaurant business plan company overview should include:

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

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

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

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

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

Team and management

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

Your restaurant business plan team and management section should have:

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

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

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

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

Sample menu

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

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

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

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

Market analysis

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

Your restaurant business plan market analysis should include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Marketing and sales

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

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

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

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

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

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

Business operations

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

The business operations section should include:

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

Hours: Your hours and days of operation

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

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

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

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

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

Budget: Your current budget or a general startup budget

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

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

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

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

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

Start Your Dream Business

The bottom line

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

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

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

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Writing the Organization and Management Section of Your Business Plan

What is the organization and management section in a business plan.

• What to Put in the Organization and Management Section

Organization

The management team, helpful tips to write this section, frequently asked questions (faqs).

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Every business plan needs an organization and management section. This document will help you convey your vision for how your business will be structured. Here's how to write a good one.

Key Takeaways

• This section of your business plan details your corporate structure.
• It should explain the hierarchy of management, including details about the owners, the board of directors, and any professional partners.
• The point of this section is to clarify who will be in charge of each aspect of your business, as well as how those individuals will help the business succeed.

The organization and management section of your business plan should summarize information about your business structure and team. It usually comes after the market analysis section in a business plan . It's especially important to include this section if you have a partnership or a multi-member limited liability company (LLC). However, if you're starting a home business or are  writing  a business plan for one that's already operating, and you're the only person involved, then you don't need to include this section.

What To Put in the Organization and Management Section

You can separate the two terms to better understand how to write this section of the business plan.

The "organization" in this section refers to how your business is structured and the people involved. "Management" refers to the responsibilities different managers have and what those individuals bring to the company.

In the opening of the section, you want to give a summary of your management team, including size, composition, and a bit about each member's experience.

For example, you might write something like "Our management team of five has more than 20 years of experience in the industry."

The organization section sets up the hierarchy of the people involved in your business. It's often set up in a chart form. If you have a partnership or multi-member LLC, this is where you indicate who is president or CEO, the CFO, director of marketing, and any other roles you have in your business. If you're a single-person home business, this becomes easy as you're the only one on the chart.

Technically, this part of the plan is about owner members, but if you plan to outsource work or hire a virtual assistant, you can include them here, as well. For example, you might have a freelance webmaster, marketing assistant, and copywriter. You might even have a virtual assistant whose job it is to work with your other freelancers. These people aren't owners but have significant duties in your business.

Some common types of business structures include sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations.

Sole Proprietorship

This type of business isn't a separate entity. Instead, business assets and liabilities are entwined with your personal finances. You're the sole person in charge, and you won't be allowed to sell stock or bring in new owners. If you don't register as any other kind of business, you'll automatically be considered a sole proprietorship.

Partnership

Partnerships can be either limited (LP) or limited liability (LLP). LPs have one general partner who takes on the bulk of the liability for the company, while all other partner owners have limited liability (and limited control over the business). LLPs are like an LP without a general partner; all partners have limited liability from debts as well as the actions of other partners.

Limited Liability Company

A limited liability company (LLC) combines elements of partnership and corporate structures. Your personal liability is limited, and profits are passed through to your personal returns.

Corporation

There are many variations of corporate structure that an organization might choose. These include C corps, which allow companies to issue stock shares, pay corporate taxes (rather than passing profits through to personal returns), and offer the highest level of personal protection from business activities. There are also nonprofit corporations, which are similar to C corps, but they don't seek profits and don't pay state or federal income taxes.

This section highlights what you and the others involved in the running of your business bring to the table. This not only includes owners and managers but also your board of directors (if you have one) and support professionals. Start by indicating your business structure, and then list the team members.

Owner/Manager/Members

Provide the following information on each owner/manager/member:

• Percentage of ownership (LLC, corporation, etc.)
• Extent of involvement (active or silent partner)
• Type of ownership (stock options, general partner, etc.)
• Position in the business (CEO, CFO, etc.)
• Duties and responsibilities
• Educational background
• Experience or skills that are relevant to the business and the duties
• Past employment
• Skills will benefit the business
• Awards and recognition
• Compensation (how paid)
• How each person's skills and experience will complement you and each other

Board of Directors

A board of directors is another part of your management team. If you don't have a board of directors, you don't need this information. This section provides much of the same information as in the ownership and management team sub-section. 

• Position (if there are positions)
• Involvement with the company

Even a one-person business could benefit from a small group of other business owners providing feedback, support, and accountability as an advisory board. 

Support Professionals

Especially if you're seeking funding, let potential investors know you're on the ball with a lawyer, accountant, and other professionals that are involved in your business. This is the place to list any freelancers or contractors you're using. Like the other sections, you'll want to include:

• Background information such as education or certificates
• Services provided to your business
• Relationship information (retainer, as-needed, regular, etc.)
• Skills and experience making them ideal for the work you need
• Anything else that makes them stand out as quality professionals (awards, etc.)

Writing a business plan seems like an overwhelming activity, especially if you're starting a small, one-person business. But writing a business plan can be fairly simple.

Like other parts of the business plan, this is a section you'll want to update if you have team member changes, or if you and your team members receive any additional training, awards, or other resume changes that benefit the business.

Because it highlights the skills and experience you and your team offer, it can be a great resource to refer to when seeking publicity and marketing opportunities. You can refer to it when creating your media kit or pitching for publicity.

Why are organization and management important to a business plan?

The point of this section is to clarify who's in charge of what. This document can clarify these roles for yourself, as well as investors and employees.

What should you cover in the organization and management section of a business plan?

The organization and management section should explain the chain of command , roles, and responsibilities. It should also explain a bit about what makes each person particularly well-suited to take charge of their area of the business.

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How to write a restaurant business plan

The three most important things you need to start a restaurant are passion, the ability to accept criticism, and a rock-solid plan.

The tech industry is full of dreamers. People fresh out of college with little or no experience have created major startups like Google and Facebook. They forged their own paths and did things nobody ever had before. 

Venture capitalists fund young entrepreneurs based less on their experience and more on their passion — and passion is necessary not just for achieving success but also responding to criticism and adversity.

What do your friends think of your cooking? No, what do they really think of your cooking? If they’ve never criticized it, you’ve never gotten the full story. If you’ve heard criticism but never accepted it, then you’re going to struggle to grow, innovate, and compete in the restaurant game.

As you know, starting a restaurant is much more than just having a passion for cooking and coming up with a menu. It takes a lot of careful planning. 

Writing a business plan does more than attract investors. It helps you to think critically about your business. It also forces you to gaze into the future and think about all the details you’ll need to work out before you get started.

Drafting a traditional business plan

A traditional business plan will help you organize your business and provide a roadmap for the future of your restaurant. And it’s probably necessary if you’re going to seek funding. Your restaurant business plan should include the following sections.

Executive summary

This is the place where you’ll talk about the business details of your restaurant. Where is your preferred location? What will set you apart from similar restaurants in the area?

Provide a mission statement here. It should be simple and clear — just one or two sentences to describe your restaurant. Try to make it something that resonates with you on a personal level; don’t use vague corporate language.

This is also where you should include financial and staff information. Think about how much the business will cost and what you will charge to make ends meet; add that information to your plan.

Provide some background on everyone who will be involved in your business and what their roles will be. It’s safe to assume that you’ll hire people as you go. Make sure you plan for their wages. 

Also mention the people you already know who will be directly involved. For example, if your friend Susan will be handling business and accounting, mention her. And if Jeff, your chef friend with a degree from Le Cordon Bleu, will be planning meals, mention him as well.

Company description

This section is for more day-to-day details about your business. This is your chance to boast a little bit and share your passion. What kind of food will you offer? What will your vibe be? Will you be formal or informal? How about cozy or sleek?

This is also where you’ll share your competitive advantage. Just how awesome is Jeff the chef? Will the feng shui captivate and entrance diners? How will you succeed when so many have failed?

Market analysis

This section is where the ability to take criticism and make adjustments comes into play. You need to know for sure that a lot of people will love your food and give you five-star Yelp reviews. You need to analyze your market.

Many cities have kitchens available for rent. You can use these kitchens and a Craigslist ad to gather as many people as possible to try your dishes.

Make lists of the recipes you’re going to prepare and the questions you’re going to ask. Be sure not to ask leading questions like, “How good was it?” Ask questions that you might be afraid to hear the answers to, like, “On a scale of one to five — with one being not enough, three being just right, and five being too much — how tart was it?”

Learn what people think of the flavor, texture, and presentation. Make sure the items you’ll be plating together complement each other well.

Gather as much information as you can and analyze it. Don’t be afraid to go back to the drawing board and try again if things didn’t go as planned. Doing so can show dedication to creating a great dining experience.

Once you have outstanding data, share your analysis in this section.

Organization and management plan

Now it’s time to talk about how you’ll organize your restaurant staff. How many chefs, line cooks, and dishwashers will you have? How many servers, greeters, and janitors?

Also talk about how you’ll manage your business. Will you have someone dedicated to management and bookkeeping? Or will you handle it yourself in the hours when the restaurant is closed?

Discuss the legal structure. What kind of corporation will you create — or will you be a sole proprietor? Here’s a tip: Always go with a corporation to protect yourself legally.

It would be a great idea to add an organizational chart to illustrate your staff structure. You may even want to collect the CVs and resumes of the people you know will be on your team (but you’ll share these in the appendix, as you’ll see a little later).

Marketing and sales plan

Marketing is a vast field that has changed a lot over the last 20 years. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind.

First, think about who you want to serve. What kind of people are they? Are they dining for prestige, comfort, or an experience? What will they talk about when they eat? What will keep them coming back again and again? Find your people and establish your restaurant as the place where they’ll go to eat.

Next, build a strategy, not a tactic. Putting an ad in the paper is a tactic. Giving people free shakes when they share food photos with your hashtag is a tactic. You need to combine many tactics that all work together as one unified strategy.

Seth Godin’s This is Marketing is a fantastic resource to help you think like a marketer. Once you’ve figured out your strategy, provide the details and include your cost analysis here.

Funding request

If you need help funding your restaurant, this is where you’ll share how much you need, why you need it, and what you need it for. Aim for a five-year projection. Think long and hard about how much everything will cost, and do some research.

Look at all of the previous sections for guidance on figuring out costs. Think about staff, incorporation fees, permits, credit card processing, marketing, etc. In addition, think about the cost of leasing a space and the renovations necessary to make it a restaurant. You also need to consider equipment, decor, and seating.

Plan for worst-case scenarios as well. What will you do if everyone gets food poisoning one night from some bad chicken? How will you handle an inspection that finds rats?

Finally, think about the future. How do you plan to pay off your debt? Will you expand to multiple locations? Will you need to renovate at some point in the near future?

Financial projections

This is where you can illustrate how your business will be a safe investment. Make multiple projections of reasonable, estimated revenues. For example, come up with a projection based on facts you’ve gathered about similar restaurants. 

Then provide optimistic and pessimistic alternatives based on a 25 percent margin of error. It’s a good sign if you can show that you’ll still be successful even with an extremely small margin of error.

Show your estimated income month by month for the first two years, quarterly for the third year, and annually after that. Add any collateral or extra funds you have to support your restaurant. Illustrate how your income data correlates with your funding and debt repayment. Use charts and graphs to tell the story of the growth of your business.

This is where you’ll include the resumes and CVs you’ve collected as well as any legal documents. If you’ve already gotten permits, incorporation paperwork, or contracts, share them here.

And, of course, make sure to share the awesome pictures of your food and testimonials you gathered from your market research.

Where to get more information

Starting a restaurant is challenging, but the path is well worn. Do your homework and study what makes restaurants succeed and fail. Stand on the shoulders of giants and learn to avoid costly mistakes.

The SBA (Small Business Administration) provides a lot of useful information on starting a business. Its page on business plans has two solid examples to help guide you. Jotform also offers a number of business plan templates .

The SBA provides lots of valuable information and can set you up with mentors and counselors. The mentors are usually retired individuals who donate their time to helping others succeed. If you live in a metropolitan area, the SBA probably already has people who have owned restaurants.

Getting help and counseling from the SBA costs you nothing. So write your plan and go get started.

Thank you for helping improve the Jotform Blog. 🎉

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Pie Restaurant Business Plan

Start your own pie restaurant business plan

UPer Crust Pies

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">.

UPer Crust Pies will specialize in meat, vegetable and fruit pies made using old-country traditional family recipes from the UP – Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Our pies will be baked fresh everyday and sold hot directly to customers through our retail stores. We will also sell frozen pies in lunch and family sizes that can be cooked at home in an oven or microwave. Our products are low fat and free of genetically modified ingredients and will be complemented by an assortment of fresh premium salads and desserts.

By importing our products directly from a private label bakery in the UP we avoid high labor costs, expensive investment in manufacturing and production equipment, and additional warehousing and production facility costs. Our major costs will be limited to product purchasing, shipping and cold storage.

We have plans to expand the company through further retail outlets and are focused on developing a business model that is favorable to franchise possibilities. With an exclusive import license that could be used to sell frozen product through supermarkets and bulk wholesale food chains, UPer Crust Pies could quickly and clearly establish itself as the market leader.

We have identified four main keys to our success. The first is to secure stores in highly visible locations. The second will be our unique value-for-money product line. The third will be a focus on superior customer service and education, and the fourth key will be employee retention through training and internal promotion.

The proposed business location for the first UPer Crust Pies store will be in downtown Yubetchatown. At this stage five possible sites are being considered in three areas. UPer Crust Pies will target three market segments within the core metro district. Our largest target market is young adults and business people (42%). Our next largest market, and the one with the greatest growth potential, is families with children (36%), and our final target market will be 15-24 year olds which includes students (22%).

Our marketing strategy will be to attract new customers, educate those customers and then create a loyal customer base. UPer Crust Pies will attract consumers through highly visible signage, print media advertising, flyers, entertainment book coupons, word-of-mouth advertising and strategic alliances.

Our sales strategy includes hiring employees who genuinely enjoy their jobs. We will continually assess all aspects of the business and interact with our customers personally, evaluating food choices for popularity and keeping favorites on the menu as we rotate weekly and seasonal specials.

UPer Crust Pies is a Limited Liability Company. All membership shares are currently owned by Lina and Olie Mackinac-Gogebic, with the intent of using a portion of shares to raise capital. UPer Crust Pies is currently seeking a bank loan with an additional private investment contribution from outside investors. The majority of these funds will be used for corporate design, remodeling and lease payments three months prior to opening.

Start-up costs include initial inventory for the first store including shipping and cold storage fees associated with the product. Equipment assets such as a commercial oven, pie warmers, ambient display cases, refrigerators, freezers and miscellaneous one-time furnishings must be purchased. In addition, UPer Crust Pies anticipates the need for liquid cash for operating expenses, unforseen expenses and to help cover wages for the first three months of business.

UPer Crust Pies has forecasted a modest growth rate for the first year of business. In the second year, the company will add two more stores and in the third year, an additional two stores. The addition of these stores will increase the gross revenue in the second and third years. Compared to industry standards we have forecasted a very conservative growth rate for the first three years of operations.

1.1 Objectives

• Achieve first year sales above $120,000.
• Maintain a healthy average gross margin.
• Develop a business model that is favorable to expansion.
• Establish five store locations by the end of the third year.

1.2 Mission

Customer satisfaction and education are our paramount missions. We will endeavor to meet the highest standards of excellence through superb customer service and consistent product delivery in a friendly and comforting environment.

We seek fair and responsible profit, enough to keep the company financially healthy and ensure continued growth and development.  Responsible profit will fairly compensate owners and investors for their risk and reward employees for their hard work, loyalty and commitment.

Employee welfare, participation, and training are equally important to our success. Every employee will be treated fairly, with dignity and the utmost respect. It is our responsibility to provide employees with a friendly, comfortable and challenging work environment with opportunities for growth and development.

1.3 Keys to Success

• Locations: visibility, high traffic patterns, convenient access.
• Store design: visually attractive, relaxed atmosphere, fast and efficient operations.
• Unique products: differentiation, competitive pricing, no direct competition.
• Quality controls: genetically modified free policy, consistency, clean presentation.
• Service: cheerful, professional, articulate and informative.
• Marketing: positive image, educational, word-of-mouth advertising.
• Employee retention: training, ongoing education, recognition programs.

Company Summary company overview ) is an overview of the most important points about your company—your history, management team, location, mission statement and legal structure.">

UPer Crust Pies is a specialty meat and fruit pie retailer importing its products from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. At present there are only two small competitors servicing the entire U.S.A. UPer Crust Pies will offer hot ready-to-go meat and fruit pies and frozen take-home options as well as an assortment of fresh salads and cold beverages.

We are considering five possible locations for its first store in downtown Yubetchatown. The company has plans to expand with an additional four stores in the local megalopolis over the next three years. Implementing a sound business model into our first store will aid expansion plans and open up the possibility of franchising.

UPer Crust Pies is currently seeking a bank loan and an additional private investment contribution from outside investors and family members.

Major costs include initial inventory purchases, equipment purchases, shop rental, personnel wages, site remodeling, marketing and various other operating expenses. Projected gross sales for the first year of business are expected to be over $120,000.

2.1 Company Ownership

UPer Crust Pies is a Limited Liability Company. All membership shares are currently owned by Lina and Olie Mackinac-Gogebic, with the intent of using a portion of these shares to raise private investment through outside investors and family members.

If all funds are raised, based on the investment requirements established in the financial section of this plan, Lina and Olie Mackinac-Gogebic will maintain ownership of no less than 51% of the company.

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2.2 Start-up Summary

Start-up expenses and assets are shown below, and the majority of these funds will be used for corporate design, re-modeling and to pay rent for three months prior to opening.

No legal costs will be incurred as the owners have agreed to trade a stock option with the company’s legal counsel in return for on-going legal services.

Start-up assets include initial inventory for the first store including purchasing, packaging, shipping and cold storage fees associated with buying the product inventory. Purchases of equipment assets such as a commercial oven, pie warmers, ambient display cases, refrigerators and freezers and miscellaneous one-time furnishings are necessary. The company anticipates the need for liquid cash for operating expenses, unforseen company expenses and to help cover wages for the first three months of business.

UPer Crust Pies will specialize in quality pies and pastries, imported frozen from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and baked fresh every day. The premium taste, presentation and quality of our pies will not only be unique in Yubetchatown and the greater megalopolis area, but in the entire United States.

UPer Crust Pies are low in fat, free of genetically modified ingredients and made with premium ingredients. After oven baking, pies are put into warmers and held at a steady temperature to ensure rapid service and high customer satisfaction.

The company will also sell frozen pies that can be taken home and cooked in an oven or microwave. New technology in manufacturing has enabled New Zealand producers to develop a pie that can be heated by microwave in less than three minutes with the pastry remaining flaky as if it had been cooked in a convection oven for thirty minutes.

Our pies experience will be complemented by an assortment of premium salads and desserts as well as cold beverages. Savory samples will also be offered to first-time visitors.

What is a Pie?

The meat pie is a traditional old-country food consisting of savory fillings in a pastry shell. Traditional fillings include beef and cheese, steak, bacon and egg, and chicken and vegetable to name a few.

Usually eaten hot from a paper bag, with flaky golden pastry and savory fillings, the pie is unpretentious comfort food. UPer Crust Pies will bring the Upper Peninsula pie experience to the U.S. and endeavor to establish the humble meat pie as gourmet fare for Americans while bringing a taste of home to “UPers” living throughout America.

The Menu

The Classic Pie Selection (6.25 oz)

• Beef : Lean savory ground beef in a smooth sauce with fresh herbs and spices in a low-fat pastry.
• Steak : Prime lean steak in rich hearty gravy wrapped in a low-fat flaky pastry.
• Chicken & Vegetable : Chicken breast with garden vegetables in creamy white sauce and wrapped in a low-fat flaky pastry.
• Bacon & Egg : One egg cracked on top of a lean slice of shoulder bacon wrapped in a low-fat flaky pastry.
• Potato Top : A traditional Shepherds pie with lean ground minced beef and a creamy mashed potato topping.
• Steak & Mushroom : Chunky steak prepared in a smooth dark sauce with fresh sliced mushrooms in a low-fat flaky pastry.
• Steak & Cheese : Chunky steak in a dark gravy mixed with pizza blended cheese and wrapped in a low-fat flaky pastry.
• Beef & Cheese : Ground beef in rich gravy mixed with pizza blended cheese and wrapped in a low-fat flaky pastry.

The Gourmet Pie Selection (9.5 oz)

• Thai Chicken : Succulent chicken breast in a creamy oriental sauce wrapped in a light low-fat flaky pastry.
• Bacon & Egg : Two whole eggs cracked on top of lean shoulder bacon, wrapped in a low-fat flaky pastry.
• Beef, Cheese & Tomato : Ground beef in dark gravy with low fat cheese, garden tomatoes and wrapped in a low-fat flaky pastry.
• Chicken & Vegetable : Succulent chicken breast and garden vegetables in a creamy white sauce wrapped in low-fat flaky pastry.
• Butter Chicken : Chicken breast in a smooth, creamy Indian delight prepared in a low-fat flaky pastry.
• Cracked Pepper : Prime strips of beef in rich creamy sauce complimented with spicy cracked pepper corns.
• Beef, Bacon & Double Cheese : Lean beef in a rich gravy, creamy cheese sauce and slices of bacon wrapped in a low-fat flaky pastry.
• Steak & Cheese : Chunky steak in a rich hearty gravy with fresh herbs and spices, wrapped in a low-fat flaky pastry.
• Vegetarian : Garden vegetables prepared in a smooth creamy sauce and wrapped in a true light vegetable pastry.

Rolls & Savories: Sausage rolls, beef rolls, garlic and cheese rolls and small savories all wrapped in a low-fat flaky pastry.

Desserts & Fruit Pies: Low-fat lattice-top dessert pies in cherry, apple, apricot, custard, apple and a selection of cheese cakes.

Salads: Caesar Salad, Greek Salad, French Salad, Potato Salad, Fruit Salad.

Cold Beverages: Coke, Sprite, 7-Up, Carrot, Apple and Orange Juice, spring water, energy drinks.

Market Analysis Summary how to do a market analysis for your business plan.">

The market we will engage in first is the downtown Yubetchatown district. Yubetchatown is centrally located in the Bigriver Valley, home to approximately 3.5 million people. It is an integral part of greater Megalopolis.

Yubetchatown is the seventh largest city in the state with a population of 84,560 and a geographic area of 29 square miles. With a growth rate of 8.5% Yubetchatown’s population is projected to grow well over 100,000 by 2008. It is anticipated that Yubetchatown will become the largest city in south Bigriver Valley.

Yubetchatown’s trade area consists of approximately 160,000 residents and is home to a diverse economic base including corporate offices, retail, industrial and manufacturing companies and one of the largest warehouse and distribution centers in North America.

The median household income in the Yubetchatown area is around $91,000 and the median age is 34 years old. Of the south Bigriver Valley population 13% are under 14, 14.5% are 15-24, 21.5 % are 25-34, 36% are 35-59 and 15% are over 60 years of age.

Demographically the UPer Crust Pie customer will come from all age and income levels of the market. Within this population we will focus on three separate groups with different needs: 15-24 year olds (including students), young adults and business people (25-34) and families with children under 14.

4.1 Market Segmentation

UPer Crust Pies intends to market to a wide customer base. However, we have defined the following groups as targeted segments that contribute to our growth projections:

• Families with Children

The largest target market is young adults and businesspeople. Our next largest market and the one with the greatest growth potential is families with children followed by the 15-24 year-old segment.

4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy

Young adults and businesspeople have the potential of providing large volume sales to the company during the peak hours of 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The lunch business is driven by individuals. Many go out to lunch to get out of the office setting or have business meetings at lunch either in or out of the office. We will endeavor to accommodate surrounding businesses placing phone-in orders for business meetings. Satisfaction of this group will provide a vital long-term revenue stream.

Families with children are a growing population, both numerically and in their choice for convenient foods. Two-income families have less time to prepare meals so they are an easy group to market to because their lifestyle is very specific. We will aggressively target single and working mothers who tend to turn to fast and convenient food choices to accommodate family demands. By targeting this group, we not only generate a large volume of immediate business, but also create long-term customers in their children.

Our downtown location and increasing customer base will probably draw in customers outside of our targeted groups to include visitors and downtown shoppers. We believe these customers will be glad to pay a reasonable price for our products in exchange for high quality, great taste and the uniqueness they receive.

4.3 Service Business Analysis

The United States Fast Food Industry

The U.S. has 277,208 fast-food outlets from coast to coast, that’s one for every 1,000 people. According to the U.S. department of Agriculture, consumption of food away from home accounted for 47% of total food expenditures in 2001, up from 45% in 1990 and 26% in 1960. The National Restaurant Association estimates that by 2010, total sales in the fast food industry will exceed $577 billion. At that time, consumers will spend 53% of every food dollar on meals, snacks and beverages away from home.

The strong demand for takeout food, prepared and packaged for busy customers to eat at home, should continue to grow solidly over the next few years, especially with a significant decline in the cost difference between dining out and cooking at home. The NPD Group, Inc.’s 2003 Consumer Spending Survey indicated the recent drop in the economy has encouraged more people to eat ‘on-the-go’ fast foods. Food on the run has now become the food of choice from executives to blue collar workers. According to Technomic Inc., a Chicago based research firm, take out sales accounted for 67% of total sales at the top 25 limited service chains.

The NPD 2003 Consumer Spending Survey also found that 18 to 34 year olds are turning towards new dining venues that are more likely to serve specialty foods like, sandwiches, Mexican wraps and home meal replacements instead of fried foods. NPD found that consumers frequenting these types of outlets are interested in higher quality food preparation and taste, better physical eating conditions and superior customer service, and are willing to pay a higher price.

Increases in income, especially when coupled with exposure to new and different foods, will stimulate Americans’ continuing quest for increased variety in their diets. Technomic Inc. suggests the most successful food companies in 2020 are likely to be those that tap most effectively into Americans’ appreciation for diversity in their lives, especially the insatiable desire for new and different food choices.

The United States Pie Industry

The U.S. Retailer’s Bakery Association stated in 2001 that bakeries will become the new springboard for successful retail meal programs. The Association believes there are unlimited opportunities for fresh pizza, quiche, pot pies, vegetable pies, soup, pasta and sandwiches.

According to the Bakery Production & Marketing Red Book, total U.S. fresh pie sales for 2003 were $204,567,600 compared to fresh pie sales in 2000 which totaled $182,602,096. Total U.S. frozen pie sales were $339,121,696 in 2003, a substantial increase when compared to 2000 sales of $141,488,000.

An estimated 70% of total pie sales in the U.S., including both frozen and fresh pies, are sweet pies. Although statistics complied by the American Institute of Baking stated that frozen pot pies contributed $68,705,000 to the total figure of $141,488,000 frozen pie sales in 2000.

An increase in consumer demand for the convenience of pot pies corresponds with U.S. consumer’s passion for meat and poultry. In 2002 total meat consumption (red meat, poultry and fish) reached 195 pounds per person, 57 pounds more than the average annual consumption in the 1950s. Each American consumed an average of 7 pounds more red meat than in the 1950s, 46 pounds more poultry and 4 pounds more fish and shellfish.

The Upper Peninsula Pie Industry

The pie is considered the national food of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the pie making business is a serious endeavor. Pie sales contributed substantially to the UP’s economy according to a statistics report in 2002.

UP brand Chequamegon is the present market leader in fresh pies with a 54.7% market share, well ahead of their closest competitor on 15% share. Chequamegon offers fresh single and multi-pack pies in as well as a range of sausage rolls and savories. Chequamegon also produces frozen family pies, single pies, frozen single sausage rolls and unbaked sausage rolls.

According to Rosemary Ontonagon, marketing manager for Chequamegon, frozen family pies and multi-pack pies are being used as convenient value-for-money family meal solutions. Single pies are purchased with snacking in mind, being a handy product for households to have on hand for hungry family members. Sausage rolls and savories are being used for more social occasions.

4.3.1 Competition and Buying Patterns

Within the restaurant and fast food industry there are several different segments:

• Fast food: McDonald’s, Burger King
• Pizza: delivery and dine in
• Buffets: all you can eat
• Lounges: combining food and alcohol
• Fine dining: typically restaurants at the highest price point
• Fast-casual: combination of fast service and sit down dining

Local Competitors

The Tintagel Pasty Company

The Tintagel Pasty Company has been operating since 1998. The company recently opened its second store, a small retail outlet on Bass Street in the heart of downtown which is supplied by their original store. The company is owned and operated by Anne Thracite, a Cornish woman with no previous baking or relevant industry experience.

Limited planning and organization have affected the company and there are no procedures or sufficient systems in place to deal with rapid expansion or substantial increases in production. The company is presently struggling to fulfill the demands of having a second retail outlet, regularly running out of product or unable to fulfill customer requests during peak times of the year. The quality of the company’s products can vary from week to week. Product is sometimes overcooked or very dry and equipment is not reliable. Product is sometimes baked twice and then sold frozen to customers in order to fulfill demands.

The company’s products include six varieties of beef pie, three varieties of Chicken pie and one vegetable pie. Pies come in Lunch size (5 inch, $3.25 to $3.75), Family size (9 inch, $10.75) and Party size (2 inch, $10.00 per dozen). There are also spinach and sausage rolls ($2.50 each) and rotational weekly specials that include, Thai Curry Chicken, Indian Butter Chicken, plain Chicken, Ham and Brie, and Beef Stroganoff. Of the customers that have entered both stores, one in five has asked for sweet pies and desserts.

All product ingredients are presently bought by the owner and purchased at locally. Beverages are out-sourced and delivered weekly by Fizzy Beverage also locally based. Cornish dry foods sold through the store are imported by the owner through her brother in Falmouth, Cornwall, U.K.

The estimated gross profit for the company after the cost of goods in 2000 was $70,185, in 2001 $69,531, 2002 $82,029, in 2003 $100,729 and in 2004 around $132,353. Shipping of frozen product accounts for around 30% of the gross profit for each year. These figures show a healthy growth rate of over 20% in the last 3 years of business. Based on income and expenses over the last five years, wages have averaged between 25-30%, cost of goods around 20% and rent around 20%.

These figures do not take into account the gross profit of the new Bass Street store which started operations in late October 2004. Gross profit after three months of business at this store was $22,730. Based on the present growth rate and an influx of tourists during the summer months the annual gross profit of the Pike Street store alone is estimated to be between $90,000 and $100,000 gross.

The Quern Flour Bakery (Tidalborestad)

The Quern Flour Bakery is based in Tidalborestad, on the East Coast and has been operating since December 2003. Maltese owner and operator Siggiewi Gozo is a former corporate recruiter with an Masters Degree in Psychology who originally came to Tidalborestad for a job with a national sportswear company. He has no previous baking or relevant industry experience.

A one man shoe-string operation, Siggiewi works 15 hour days to make between 700 and 900 pies per week. In early 2004 Gozo was making and selling about 400 pies per month. In January of 2005 he sold 4,000 in bars and Irish pubs alone. Business is now good enough for him to take on extra staff and to scout a bigger location for the bakery. Currently he operates out of a rented nightclub kitchen after hours.

Quern Flour produces seven varieties for the Tidalborestad market, including steak and mushroom, beef and cheese and a shepherd’s pie. He also makes a breakfast egg and bacon pie and a sausage roll. He sells his pies to several midtown pubs, caters events around town and delivers by the dozen directly to customers’ homes by bicycle or subway. Quern Flour Bakery now offers overnight shipping via FedEx anywhere in the country.

The majority of his clientele hail from British Mediterranean areas. There are around 2,300 Maltese and Gibraltarian customers in Tidalborestad that make up the company’s customer base. Quern Flour supplies around six restaurants and pubs with frozen and hot pies within the Tidalborestad area. Gozo also caters for holiday parties and his pies were served at  some consulates during morning tea in 2004.

All the ingredients considered carefully. The flagship ‘chunky steak’ pie is made from sirloin steak and all cuts of meat are inspected to make sure there is no gristle. To develop the perfect pie crust, Quern Flour Bakery sources special margarine directly from Malta.

Quern Flour Bakery pies retail for up to $5.00, and last year the company turned over $90,000 gross. Based on the current market Siggiewi Gozo expects the company to quadruple turnovers by 2005.

Buying Patterns

The most difficult function in predicting customer buying patterns is following the fine line of baking too much product or not having enough product left to serve customers late in the day. Despite implementing sophisticated POS systems that track hourly sales figures, there is no predictable pattern of daily activity. One Tuesday could be a sellout and the next Tuesday there could be pie warmers left full of product.

Despite customer unpredictability, buying patterns typically revolve around several different factors:

• Quality . The menu items must meet minimum levels of quality for people to be willing to spend money on the food, particularly when there are so many different options available.
• Location . Proximity to home or work is very important; so is convenient parking for the end-of-workday traffic stopping to pick up hot food to go or frozen meal solutions.
• Price . Low price or lowest price is not essential. Many customers associate low price with lower quality.
• Convenience . People tend to eat out because it’s quicker than preparing a meal themselves.
• Uniqueness . As consumers seek variety and new experiences, the challenge is to stand out from competitors, not only as an alternative fast food option, but as one that offers consistently high-quality food and a distinctive atmosphere.

The proposed business location for the first UPer Crust store will be in downtown Yubetchatown. Five possible sites are being considered in three areas: the new Yubetchatown Station presently under construction, central downtown Yubetchatown, and the area of Chambers Street and 18th Avenue.

Each will need approximately 500-700 square feet. This area will include freezer space for on-site storage of frozen product. The operating space will consist of an oven, counter and serving area, pie warmers and ambient display cases, cold beverage display, an eating area and a restroom.

The stores will be located on high traffic commuter routes and close to shopping facilities in order to catch customers going to or from work, while they are out for lunch, or on a shopping expedition. The business will operate from Monday through Sunday. Hours of operation will depend entirely on the area and final location of each store.

5.1 Facilities and Equipment

Pie warmers are custom designed and manufactured display cases. Chilled and ambient display cases that house salads, desserts and cold beverages, uniform in design, will also be purchased. Commercial ovens, cash registers and point of sale (POS) accounting systems will be necessary capital asset acquisitions.

5.2 Suppliers and Alliances

UPer Crust Pies is in negotiations with two Michigan Upper Peninsula pie manufacturers to supply frozen pies, rolls and a small selection of dessert pies. It will establish a relationship with a reputable shipping company and a freight agent to aid in the smooth transition of product from the UP to our distribution center.

The company is also currently seeking reputable organizations to supply its stores with fresh salads and desserts on a daily basis, and will also establish contracts with a beverage company to provide popular product brands. Credit and delivery policies will be established; to avoid fluctuating costs the company will endeavor to build a fixed product rate into the contracts.

UPer Crust Pies wishes to establish long-term loyal relationships with its suppliers. Factors such as history, reliability, reputation, delivery system, service, product guarantees and liability issues will be crucial in the final decision. Due to the company’s expansion plans in years two and three, it is important that our suppliers have regional and possibly national coverage.

5.3 Inventory

Our imported products will be stored locally with a company that specializes in cold storage. Lead time for ordering, production, shipping and receiving is expected to be two months, although this will depend on sales volumes and product demand during the first year of business. This lead time will be reviewed constantly and altered in accordance with company expansion and seasonal demands.

Frozen and chilled pastries will be distributed to stores on a weekly basis, dependant on turnover, and will be kept frozen on site. Perishables such as salads and some desserts will be delivered fresh directly to our stores on a daily or two- to three-day schedule. Cold beverages will also be delivered directly to stores according to demand. A small back-up supply of products will also be kept on site.

5.4 Legal Environment

A submission of application for a food license to the State Department of Health will include prepared plans and specifications for review and approval before the construction or remodeling of the initial establishment. The application fee is $300.00.

The State Department of Health will conduct one or more pre-operational inspections to verify that the establishment is constructed and equipped in accordance with the approved plans and in compliance with the Food Code.

The State Department of Health  also requires that each employee possess a Food Handlers Permit. This permit is $10.00 and is obtained after a simple exam.

The company will adhere to the State Department of Health and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Food Code standards. An appropriate insurance policy will also be taken out in accordance with State Department of Health regulations.

5.5 Policies and Procedures

Establishing company policies and procedures will be important the company’s growth and employee development. The following policies and procedures will be adopted:

• Development of an employee policy handbook
• Development of a company procedures and systems handbook
• Clearly defined employee job descriptions, training, reviews and monthly meetings
• An open-door policy for employee suggestions and concerns

The company’s credit policy will be to accept only cash, Visa or MasterCard credit cards.

Strategy and Implementation Summary

UPer Crust Pies will penetrate the commuter and captive consumer markets by setting up stores in highly visible and accessible locations. With the proliferation of coffee and fast-food chains across America, customers expect product consistency. Although our unique products will initially captivate a curious market and compete on a consistency level, it will be our fast and cheerful customer service that will differentiate us from competitors and keep our customers returning.

UPer Crust Pies has identified its market as busy, mobile people whose time is already at a premium. This market desires exciting, new-tasting products with familiar ingredients for lunch time or while commuting to or from work or school.

Strategic Assumptions:

• Every resident in the greater Yubetchatown area is a potential customer.
• Each location gives us an opportunity to increase customer awareness.
• Marketing to our target segments will expose us to additional new customers.

6.1 Competitive Edge

UPer Crust Pies’ unique products and focus on the customers experience will give it a significant market edge and differentiate the company from its competitors.

The company has several distinct advantages over its two leading competitors; its authentic products, modern baking and presentation equipment, and the latest operating systems and technology.

A fast and unique food alternative: We offer our customers a completely new experience through our pies, pastries, salads and desserts. The look, feel and taste of our products when compared to the competition will initially establish a sense of curiosity, followed by a value for money reputation and eventually a loyal following of pie lovers and connoisseurs.

Products are made from the finest quality ingredients and are low in fat and free of genetically modified foods. Many products, such as the authentic Upper Peninsula pies, will not be available anywhere else.

Our products will be served fast and ready to consume and will be an alternative to the usual fast-food options available in today’s market.

The importance of the experience: With so many fast food restaurants and prepared foods being offered at grocery markets, the customer experience becomes extremely important as an effective way of distinguishing offerings. It is this experience that remains in the customer’s mind well after they have consumed their food. This memory is what is communicated to their friends and colleagues.

We realize that our business is a lot more than just pies. It’s our pies, our people and the experience the customers have in our stores. The store environment will play a major role in a positive customer experience. The cleanliness, smoke-free environment, color scheme and nostalgic Upper Peninsula/Great Lakes images will create a completely new experience.

6.2 Marketing Strategy

The focus of our marketing strategy will be to attract new customers, educate those customers and create a loyal base. Our goal is to be known as a unique food experience with superior customer service.

The following marketing strategies will be employed in the first year of business:

Signage: Highly visible, eye catching and recognizable signs and logos at each store.

Print media advertising: Weekly and monthly food and dining out guides will be used for print advertising.

Flyers:  Distributed to local businesses to create customer awareness, accompanied with buy-one get one-free coupons during our Grand Opening.

Entertainment book coupons: Create initial customer awareness and economic incentive to try our products. The effectiveness of these books diminishes after approximately eight months and UPer Crust Pies will turn to more cost effective marketing.

Word of mouth: Unsurpassed customer service and our unique products will help develop strong word-of-mouth advertising and in turn help extend the company brand.

Alliances: Although the company is primarily in the fast-food industry, it’s unique products and cultural origins could be used as a tourism vehicle to promote the Upper Peninsula through a strategic alliance with Michigan Tourism.

6.3 Sales Strategy

We intend to succeed by giving our customers a combination of delicious food in an appealing environment with outstanding customer service. Once a customer enters our store, it is our job to make sure their experience with us is enjoyable. To establish a loyal customer base, it is vitally important we develop repeat business.

Our pies will be cooked throughout the day, ensuring they can be served with confidence while guaranteeing our customers supreme freshness and taste. We will also offer fresh baked samples free of charge to those who enter our store for the first time.

We need to offer fast service at peak times. To speed up customer service, at least two employees will be servicing customers. One employee will be preparing the customer’s order, the other one will be taking care of the sales transaction. All sales data logged on our computerized POS system will be analyzed for marketing purposes.

We will offer punch cards, meal deals and weekly menu specials and keep accurate track of what types of pies and associated foods sell well through a customer feedback program. With this information we will be able to streamline our food line to match local tastes and encourage more people to eat at the pie shop.

We need to sell the company as well as the product. All employees will go through a comprehensive training process on how to offer customers the finest experience. Employees will be empowered to resolve issues and are encouraged to seek assistance from managers for any conflicts they are unable to resolve.

Part of our mission is to educate our customers about pies. However, this must be done in a respectful fashion. Our knowledge is a resource, and must never be used to make a customer feel uncomfortable or ignorant.

In the first year of business we will implement a Point-of-Sale (POS) computerized cash register system that will make tracking and managing receipts and charitable contributions more robust. We will seek a professional who has experience in how to tie in POS systems to the Internet and inventory controls. This individual’s knowledge will also help establish technology guidelines for the company.

Our sales strategy requires consistently high quality food and fast service in a relaxed atmosphere. We can accomplish this by:

• Hiring employees who appreciate our unique products.
• Continually assessing the quality of all aspects of the business and immediately addressing any issues.
• Interacting with our customers personally, so they know that their feedback goes directly to the owners.
• Evaluating food choices and keeping favorites on the menu as we rotate weekly and seasonal specials.

6.3.1 Sales Forecast

Our sales forecast shows modest estimates for the first year of operations beginning in July 2005. Cost control is a critical focus for UPer Crust Pies. Because we are importing our product from Michigan, we will negotiate a flat purchase price for the first three years of business to compensate for fluctuating economic conditions. We have projected a 60% gross mark up over the first three years of business. Keeping costs low while increasing sales will be vital to the company’s profitability in subsequent years.

UPer Crust Pies envisions the first three months of sales to be fairly slow due to limited product awareness, the competitive nature of the market and existing customer loyalty. We have therefore forecasted a 5% growth rate over the first year. In the second year, UPer Crust Pies will add two more stores and in the third year, an additional two stores. The addition of these stores will nearly triple the gross revenue in the second year and increase half again as much in the third year. Compared to industry standards we have taken a very conservative 10% growth rate over the first three years of operations.

Not projected in this sales forecast is the possibility of additional revenue generated from shipping via an e-commerce facility to be added to our website in year two. Based on current market research, shipping could be a significant profit center. We would sell frozen products that could be shipped overnight via DHL or FedEx to customers throughout the U.S. Shipping would also become an integral part of the company’s marketing plan to help develop brand recognition and build product awareness.

We understand product sales will also vary according to the season. Dessert and salad sales in the summer months are expected to be slightly higher since more people will be having barbecues and picnics requiring ad-on products. Pie and pastry sales should be higher in winter because of food oriented holidays and pies tend to be viewed as a comfort food. It is anticipated that sales of sodas during the summer months should be substantially higher.

Please note that the sales forecast for the first year reflects store number one at a 5% growth rate. In the second year, the forecast reflects the combined sales of three stores at a 10% growth rate, and in the third year,  the combined sales of five stores at a 10% growth rate.

Web Plan Summary

In the first year of operation UPer Crust Pies will establish a basic Internet presence. The website will be a virtual business card and portfolio for the company with a simple yet contemporary design to keep up with the latest trends in user interface. The site will have general information about the company, its products, prices, store locations, hours of operation and contact information.

In year two, the company will launch an e-commerce facility for customer ordering and shipping of frozen products throughout the U.S.

7.1 Website Marketing Strategy

Marketing efforts will start with our existing brick-and-mortar store customer base, informing them of our Internet presence and encouraging their word-of-mouth recommendations. Further awareness will be heightened by utilizing search engine submissions, URL links and e-mail marketing.

The company website and email address will be referenced on all printed material and correspondence including menus, business cards and advertising media.

The launching of our e-commerce facility for shipping in year two will also be marketed in our stores through word of mouth and on all printed media. Expansion into outside sales will help us to create greater community awareness.

7.2 Development Requirements

Development Costs

• Site design: $1000 – $2,000.
• Website name registration for www.UPerCrustPies.com is $149.00 for 10 years.
• Site implementation: UPer Crust Pies will utilize the programming services of a friend with 12 years of experience in software development, including custom programming, data management and Web development.

Ongoing Costs

• Site hosting: $19.95 per month. Includes 250 MB Disk Space, 10 GB Data transfer and 20 POP e-mailboxes. (Year 1)
• Fully integrated e-commerce site hosting: $99.95 per month. Includes 5,000 MB Disk Space, 200 GB Data transfer and 200 POP e-mailboxes, storefront and shopping cart, secure online credit card processing and payment options. (Year 2)
• Search engine submission: $44.95 per month. Guaranteed placement in Google and Yahoo! (Year 2)
• Site design changes: Free of charge; however, material for changes such as photography, new logos or designs may incur a fee but will be considered part of  the marketing budget.

Management Summary management summary will include information about who's on your team and why they're the right people for the job, as well as your future hiring plans.">

The strength of our management team positions us for success. We have assembled a team that embraces different disciplines with expertise in all areas of the business. Overhead for management will be kept to a minimum and initially all managers will be hands-on workers. There is no intention of having a top-heavy organization that drains profits and complicates decisions.

UPer Crust Pies’ management style will encourage all employees to learn as much as possible about all aspects of the business and be involved in decision making where appropriate. The company respects its community of co-workers, and will treat all workers well. It is important to us that they enjoy their jobs, feel part of the company and are well rewarded for their work.

In addition to the day-to-day operations, the management team, as principals within the company, will oversee product development, purchasing, positioning, pricing, inventory control and approval of all financial obligations of the company. They will plan, develop, and establish customer service policies and objectives, write employee job descriptions and draft an employee manual for all employee-related policies. They will:

• Manage working capital, including receivables, inventory and cash.
• Perform financial forecasting, budgeting, cash flow analysis and external financing requirements.
• Prepare financial analyses for guiding management, including  income and expense reports.
• Prepare budgets and financial forecasts and arrange for audits of the company’s accounts.

8.1 Management Team

Lina Mackinac-Gogebic, CEO – Accounting, Marketing, Legal, Human Resources

Confidential and proprietary information removed from this sample plan.

Olie Mackinac-Gogebic, COO – Operations, Marketing, Financial, Business Development

Misty Glade – Vendor Relationships, Sales, Recruitment, Training

Full Time Employee – Operations, Inventory, Store Development

Advisory Board

8.2 Personnel Plan

UPer Crust Pies will be slow to hire people in the first year of operation, but very loyal to those who are hired. Initially all employees will be part time as the majority of work will be done by the owner. As the company grows, we intend to hire employees with relevant skills and reward them accordingly. From that point, we intend to increase the responsibilities of each employee as opposed to hiring more people.

Retail and restaurant businesses live or die on customer service, yet their employees have among the lowest pay and worst benefits of any industry. We know we have great products, but it’s the way those products are delivered that will determine our success. We realize that our employees are our biggest asset and that the image of our company is built by the people who work for us.

Compensation for employees will include direct monetary payments and as the business progresses, performance bonuses will be paid to full-time employees. Because this is a small business, employees will be paid a comfortable wage that is fair to both the employees and the business.

Our opening employment goal is one full-time and one part-time employee with an additional two full-time and three part-time employees by the end of the second year. All employees with be trained in food handling and store procedures and will be required to hold a food handlers permit.

Our employee policies will include:

• Weekly management meetings
• Monthly employee meetings
• On-going training
• Performance reviews every six months
• Performance incentives
• Encouragement of creativity

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

A bank relationship will be established as soon as possible. Sales could very well increase at a much sharper rate than assumed in these conservative projections. Sharper sales will result in a greater need for funds in support of inventory and store growth and a line of credit will need to be established.

We will set a budget for marketing and advertising and will continue to reinvest residual profits into company expansion and personnel.

Sales growth will be aggressive during the first 18 months as we sharpen our product line and inventory to better meet our customer’s requirements. Although we anticipate substantial growth in years two and three we are forecasting a very conservative 10% growth rate.

• Salaries and rent are two major expenses. Depreciation will also increase as the company develops.
• The owners will not take any profits out of the business and will be paid as an employees.
• Payoff of private investment is expected within four to five years.

9.1 Start-up Funding

Total startup funding amounts are shown in the table below. This includes initial start-up expenses, liquid cash for operating expenses, unforseen expenses, to help cover wages, and also includes start-up inventory. This inventory will include the purchase and storage costs of frozen products, purchasing of cold beverages and daily delivery of fresh salads and various other desserts.

The purchase of long-term assets that will include an oven, two pie warmers, an ambient display case, freezers and refrigerators, a dishwasher and microwave, a three-compartment sink, decor and furnishings, utensils, a cash register and Point-Of-Sale software and accessories.

A long-term loan has been secured for the purchase of the long-term assets.

A first round of private investment from outside investors and family members will begin in April 2005. A second round will commence at the end of April 2006 for the purchase of further inventory and long-term assets to service the next two stores.

Profits will be reinvested and the owners will be employees collecting a very modest wage. This will ensure that any operating debts incurred are paid for within the shortest possible time period.

9.2 Important Assumptions

Payroll burden is calculated at an estimated 12.65% made up of 7.65% for social security and medicare, 2% for unemployment, and 3% for worker’s compensation.

The tax rate has been left at 0% in the first year plan due to accumulated losses carried forward and that as an LLC the the owners will be taxed personally.

Our long-term interest rate is 6%.

Our State Sales tax is 4%. This does not affect our total profitability, but monthly payments to the State does impact our cash flow and cash balance.

Our financial plan depends on important assumptions. Our key underlying assumptions are:

• A slow-growth economy without major recession.
• Access to sufficient capital to sustain the company’s projected growth plan.

9.3 Break-even Analysis

Our break-even analysis is summarized by the following chart and table.

9.4 Projected Profit and Loss

The following table and charts indicate projected profit and loss.

9.5 Projected Cash Flow

Our projected cash flow is outlined in the following chart and table.

9.6 Projected Balance Sheet

The following table explains the projected balance sheet.

9.7 Business Ratios

Projected business ratios are provided in the table below. The final column, Industry Profile, shows ratios for the Fast-Food Restaurant, Independent industry, as determined by the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) Index code 7999.

Risk Management

New restaurants and fast-food outlets often make one of two mistakes: they are either unprepared or under prepared for opening. Initial poor service or product quality discourages customers from returning. Many first businesses spend all of their efforts at opening and are unable to maintain the quality customers expect on return visits, decreasing word-of-mouth advertising and leading to poor revenues.

UPer Crust Pies will be as prepared as it can possibly be with back–up equipment, alternative suppliers and at least three month’s inventory of frozen product.

Initial costs will be planned accordingly and kept to a minimum. The company recognizes the importance of its image, first-time impressions and customer service and it will not sacrifice this in order to satisfy the bottom line.

It is anticipated that marketing costs will be significantly higher in the first three months of business. Marketing activities will be closely monitored and constantly analyzed to decide what marketing activities are successful and what are not. A marketing budget will be set for the first store and for each subsequent store.

UPer Crust Pies will establish a loyal and long-term relationship with our suppliers and always pay on time. We wish to establish fixed-product rates with our suppliers as a buffer to avoid fluctuating economic conditions that may affect our purchasing capabilities.

Changes in importation policies and health regulations will always affect UPer Crust Pies. We need to establish a strong working relationship with the relevant authorities to ensure all procedures are followed correctly and ensure that we have a steady supply of product.

Because our products are unknown to the general consumer, marketing activities are vitally important. We plan on implementing several marketing strategies as outlined in the marketing section of this business plan. To establish product and brand awareness, we will give-away small samples to encourage first timers to try our products. Although we have quality products, building a loyal customer base will take time. We realize that training and empowerment of our employees will be reflected in their customer service and that word-of-mouth advertising will be paramount to our success.

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The Importance of a Business Plan for Restaurant – Cooking Up Success in 2023

Starting a restaurant can be an exciting venture, but it often requires significant financial investment. To secure the necessary funds, it is crucial to develop a well-structured business plan for restaurant that not only outlines your restaurant’s concept, menu, and marketing strategies but also appeals to potential investors. This article will guide you through the process of creating a business plan for restaurant that can help you find investors for your restaurant.

The Importance of a Business Plan for a Restaurant

Overview of the restaurant industry.

• Crafting an Investor-Friendly Business Plan for a Restaurant 

Menu and Concept

Organization and management, understanding the target market, marketing and promotion strategies, building a team, conducting market research, financial projections and budgeting.

• Implementing the Business Plan for Restaurant 

What is an example of a business plan for restaurant?

How can i write a business plan for restaurant, how do i write a business plan for a fast-food restaurant.

A well-crafted business plan is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it serves as a tool to attract potential investors or secure funding from financial institutions. A comprehensive plan demonstrates professionalism, expertise, and a clear vision, increasing the chances of obtaining financial support. Additionally, a business plan helps the restaurant owner identify potential challenges, develop contingency plans, and make informed decisions.

Before diving into the specifics of a restaurant business plan details, it’s essential to understand the restaurant industry as a whole. The restaurant industry is a dynamic and competitive sector, encompassing a wide range of establishments, from fine-dining restaurants to fast-food chains. Understanding industry trends, customer preferences, and market demands is crucial for crafting a successful business plan.

Crafting an Investor-Friendly Business Plan for a Restaurant 

When creating your business plan for restaurant, keep in mind that it should be investor friendly. Start with a compelling executive summary that highlights the unique aspects of your restaurant and its growth marketing potential. Include an overview of the market, competitive analysis, and your target audience. Clearly outline your revenue streams, marketing strategies, and financial projections. Use visual aids, such as charts and graphs, to make the information more digestible and engaging.

Are you looking to secure funding for your restaurant business? At Easy Capraise , we specialize in connecting businesses like yours with potential investors. Our experienced team understands the unique challenges of the industry and can help you navigate the fundraising process successfully.

Key Components of a Restaurant Business Plan

A well-structured restaurant business plan consists of several key components that provide a comprehensive overview of the venture. These components include:

The menu and concept section outlines the cuisine, theme, and dining experience offered by the restaurant. It should showcase the unique aspects of the menu, the sourcing of ingredients, and the overall dining atmosphere.

This section highlights the organizational structure of the restaurant and the key members of the management team. It should outline the responsibilities and qualifications of each team member and their contributions to the success of the restaurant.

When creating a business plan for restaurant, it is crucial to understand your target market. Research the demographics, preferences, and dining habits of your potential customers. Analyze the competition and identify gaps in the market that your restaurant can fill. This information will help you tailor your business plan to meet the needs of your target market.

Outline your marketing and promotion strategies in your business plan for restaurant. Identify the channels you will use to reach your target markets, such as social media , online advertising, and local partnerships. Develop a strong branding strategy that resonates with your target audience. Include a detailed marketing budget and timeline to demonstrate your commitment to attracting customers.

Describe the key roles and responsibilities in your restaurant and the skills required for each position. Explain how you will recruit, train, and retain qualified staff members. Investors want to see that you have a strong team in place to execute your business plan for restaurant successfully.

Thorough market research is essential to validate your business concept and identify potential opportunities and challenges. Gather data on market trends, customer preferences, and industry forecasts. Analyze the market saturation and identify gaps that your restaurant can capitalize on. Use this information to refine your business plan and make informed decisions.

Develop realistic financial projections for your restaurant, including revenue, expenses, and profitability. Consider factors such as food and beverage costs, staff salaries, rent, utilities, and marketing expenses. Create a budget that covers startup costs, ongoing expenses, and contingencies. Investors will be interested in the potential return on their investment, so ensure your financial projections are well-researched and based on accurate data.

Implementing the Business Plan for Restaurant 

With the funds secured, it’s time to put your business plan into action. Follow the strategies outlined in your plan to launch and operate your restaurant successfully. Monitor your progress regularly and make adjustments as needed. Stay focused on providing exceptional customer experiences, maintaining quality standards, and adapting to market trends.

An example of a business plan for a restaurant can include sections such as an executive summary, market analysis, concept and vision, menu and cuisine selection, target market and competitive analysis, marketing and advertising strategies, operational plan, staffing and management, financial plan, and risk assessment. Each section provides detailed information about different aspects of the restaurant’s business operations and goals.

To write a small business plan for a restaurant, start by outlining the executive summary, which briefly describes your concept, target market, and financial projections. Conduct a market analysis to understand the local trends, demographics, and competition. Define your restaurant’s concept and vision, and select a menu and cuisine that aligns with your target market. Develop marketing and advertising strategies, outline operational plans, and define staffing and management requirements. Finally, create a financial plan and assess potential risks.

Writing a business plan for a fast food restaurant requires careful planning and attention to detail. Here are some essential steps to guide you:

Executive Summary : Start with a compelling overview of your fast-food restaurant concept, mission statement, and the unique value you offer to customers. Highlight your experience and expertise in the industry.

Company Description : Provide a detailed description of your fast-food restaurant, including its legal structure, location, target market, and competitive advantages. Explain the type of fast-food cuisine you will offer and any unique selling points.

Market Analysis : Conduct thorough research on the fast-food industry, including market trends, customer preferences, and potential competitors. Identify your target market and analyze their demographics, eating habits, and spending patterns. Use this information to develop effective marketing and sales strategies.

Menu and Pricing : Outline your fast-food menu, including a variety of dishes and options. Consider factors such as nutritional value, affordability, and potential for customization. Determine pricing strategies that align with your target market and maintain profitability.

Marketing and Sales : Develop a comprehensive marketing and sales plan to attract customers to your fast-food restaurant. Define your brand positioning, target audience, and marketing channels such as social media, online advertising, and local promotions. Include strategies for customer retention and loyalty programs.

Operations : Explain how your fast-food restaurant will operate on a daily basis. Outline the layout of the restaurant, equipment and technology needed, staffing requirements, and standard operating procedures. Address food safety and hygiene practices and any necessary permits or licenses.

Management and Organization : Describe the structure of your management team and key personnel, highlighting their relevant experience in the fast-food industry. Define their roles and responsibilities and outline a plan for staff training and development.

Financial Projections : Present detailed financial projections, including startup costs, monthly expenses, revenue forecasts, and profit margins. Include a break-even analysis and cash flow projections. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the financial viability of your fast-food restaurant.

Funding Request : If you require funding for your fast-food restaurant, clearly state the amount you need and how you plan to utilize the funds. Explain the potential return on investment for investors or lenders and outline any collateral or security you can offer.

Appendix : Include any supporting documents, such as market research data, menu samples, licenses, permits, or resumes of key team members.

Remember to tailor your small business plan for restaurant to the specific needs and goals of your fast-food restaurant. It should be well-organized, concise, and compelling. Regularly review and update your plan as your business evolves and new opportunities arise.

Developing a business plan for a restaurant that attracts investors requires careful planning, market research, and financial projections. By understanding your target market, defining your concept, and presenting a compelling plan, you can increase your chances of finding investors who believe in your vision. Remember to approach the process with professionalism, be prepared to negotiate, and finalize investment agreements that benefit all parties involved. With a well-executed business plan and the support of investors, your restaurant can thrive in a competitive industry.

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Chapter 2 – Organization and Management

Pauline Milwood

“People make the place.”

—Benjamin Schneider, The People Make the Place

Learning Objectives

At the end of this chapter, students will be able to:

• Understand and apply the concept of pop-up to management planning
• Understand and apply the concept of pop-up to staffing needs, volunteers, and training
• Identify gaps and opportunities in personnel planning for pop-ups
• Create a protocol for team engagement and handling conflict for pop-ups
• Apply the concept of bootstrapping to personnel planning for pop-ups
• Create an organization structure for a pop-up restaurant.

Chapter Warm-Up

Prechapter reading materials.

• “ Building Innovation Dream Teams ” in The Uncertainty Mindset: Innovation Insights from the Frontiers of Food (Tan 2020, 126–28)
• “ Are You a Good Candidate to Host a Pop-Up? ” (Baras 2015)

Prechapter Exercises

• Think of a time or situation where you (or someone you know) were part of a team involved in achieving a specific goal or objective but were unsuccessful in completing the goal. Describe how not achieving the goal impacted the team and what was learned from the experience.
• In teams of two, play the assigned online game using the instructions found on the web homepage.

Chapter Outline

• Management Planning for Temporary Occurrences
• Planning for and Handling Conflict in Pop-Up Teams
• Team Organization and Planning for Pop-Ups
• Gaps and Opportunities in Personnel Planning for Pop-Ups
• Organizing Pop-Up Teams

Management planning for temporary occurrences

One of the most impactful decisions for planning for a pop-up is the formation of a core management and staff team to oversee activities and decision-making related to planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating the pop-up restaurant. In fact, labor and staffing needs for the pop-up are just as important for permanent food-service operations. The temporary nature of the pop-up as well as the variation in what appeals to customers seeking a pop-up experience will influence how plans are made for organization and management. For example, pop-ups are short term, and position needs may invariably be filled with volunteers, family members, friends, students, interns, persons seeking part-time or “gig” employment, or other forms of temporary work.

Food for thought!

“’Hey, I only need a couple of people to work for a day or maybe a week, so I don’t need to look for anyone with a lot of experience or relevant skills,’ that should not be your attitude when wanting to pull off a successful pop-up” (Baras 2015).

The temporary nature of the event may therefore not create opportunities for workers to establish and foster long-term service relationships with diners as traditional restaurants are able to do. This reality creates a need for teams to be organized, knowledgeable, and able to handle conflict when it does arise.

Planning for and handling conflict in pop-up teams

Conflict, whether good or bad, is bound to arise within the pop-up management team, as creative or tactical differences often exist within talented and diverse teams. Often, hospitality managers will be responsible for handling conflict among team members who may be working together for the first time. Conflict management is the application of strategies to settle opposing ideas, goals, and/or objectives in a positive manner (Walker 2021). To effectively manage conflict, hospitality managers must delicately navigate objective (facts) and subjective (emotions) realities surrounding the conflict case.

Walker (2021) suggests a five-step conflict management process:

• Who is involved?
• How did the conflict arise?
• Can a positive spin be put on the situation?
• Are there any secondary issues?
• Have positions been taken?
• Is negotiation plausible?
• Is there a way to serve all interests at hand?
• Are there external constraints/influences?
• Is there a previous history of conflict?
• Collaboration. Parties agree to consider the other party’s point of view, and work together to resolve the issue.
• Compromise. Parties agree to a resolution which partially addresses concerns of both parties.
• Competition. Parties could seek team input or ‘votes’ to determine how an issue should be resolved.
• Accommodation. One party agrees to give ‘space’ to the other party’s concerns at the potential detriment of their own concerns.
• Ignorance/Avoidance. As the name suggests, ignore or avoid the conflict in the hope that the situation will ‘go away’ or resolve itself.
• Step 3: Pre-negotiate . This step involves bringing together the parties to agree on the key negotiable and non-negotiable issues central to the conflict; how the conflict will be resolved; and the possible need for a conflict mediator (e.g., course instructor, manager).
• Step 4: Negotiate .  This step involves discussing the issues leading to the conflict, determining a feasible set of possible solutions, and deciding to accept and commit to the solution most universally acceptable to all parties.
• Step 5: Implement and Monitor . The parties involved should actively pursue the solution agreed to. Managers should continue to monitor the situation to ensure follow through by all parties.

“It is tempting as a manager to ignore conflict, or to just tell your employees to get along. If you discourage reports of friction, you might shut off a crucial flow of information that could lead to innovation” (Walker 2021).

Team organization and planning for pop-ups

Assembling a well-rounded mix of hospitality student or hospitality manager talent is a core part of planning and a critical ingredient to the successful implementation of the pop-up restaurant. An effective team organization plan will result in a more efficient and effective planning process. Similar to traditional restaurants, pop-up managers are responsible for the basic leadership roles associated with planning, organizing, communicating, decision-making, motivating, and control.

It is generally a good principle to organize team members according to their individual strengths, skills, and abilities. For example, a student manager who is comfortable with numbers and figures may be key to budget planning and control during the development stage of the project. A student manager with significant BOH experience may be key to production management and working in the kitchen on the night of the event, while a student manager who loves interacting with guests and is comfortable resolving service concerns may be key to communicating and motivating front-of-house (FOH) team members.

Gaps and opportunities in personnel planning for pop-ups

Whatever the goal of the pop-up restaurant experience being planned, there is always the possibility of insufficient human resources to effectively plan and execute the event. Insufficient human resources can create gaps and opportunities in the planning for the pop-up event. For example, the absence of a permanent, in-house chef affords an opportunity to reach out to local chefs interested in engaging in a community-based project. Depending on the frequency or duration of the pop-up restaurant, new dishes, cuisines, and culinary talents may be featured across the same or multiple “visiting” chefs. A personnel planning gap for culinary talent also provides an opportunity for industry partnership. For example, a hospitality management degree-granting program at a public university or college might want to reach out to a neighboring hotel or restaurant to partner for the use of the hotel’s executive chef at the pop-up restaurant. These forms of public-private partnerships (PPPs) are both a great way to strengthen relationships between the industry and academia and key to gaining support from potential diners who want to support sustainable community partnerships while experiencing high-quality dining.

Due to the temporary nature of the event, the use of easily accessible and least-cost resource alternatives (e.g., volunteers, student interns) should be pursued. The term bootstrapping is an entrepreneurship-based term that describes starting up or launching a new business using existing or minimal resources. Effective bootstrapping for pop-up restaurant human resource needs is critical to overcoming some of the challenges associated with pop-up restaurants. First, the temporary nature of pop-up events means that the owner/managers will not necessarily have the ability to offer employee benefits (e.g., health insurance, vacation time) to attract workers. Second, local laws and regulations may require food safety–certified workers. Depending on prevailing unemployment trends, freelance and “gig” workers may be in great supply. It is, however, the responsibility of the pop-up management team to ensure these individuals are certified to safely handle food being served to the public. A third challenge associated with personnel gaps is the likelihood of team conflict, given that the need for short-term work may lead to volunteers, students, and interns working together for the first time.

Understanding small group dynamics and effectively managing the five stages of small group development are therefore critical to managing personnel gaps within the pop-up restaurant team. In addition, providing necessary training for FOH and BOH team members is critical to successfully implementing the pop-up event. Table 2.1 shows key positions of production (BOH) and service functions (FOH) and the supporting roles across the four phases of planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating a pop-up restaurant project.

Table 2.0 – Management functions and roles in pop-up restaurant planning

• Bootstrapping
• Conflict management
• Organization plan
• Personnel gaps

REVIEW Questions

• What are some of the characteristics of successful pop-up management teams?
• Discuss the pop-up concept from the perspective of Taylor, DiPietro, and So (2018) . What are the key features of pop-ups that require critical management planning?
• How does planning for management and staffing needs differ between a pop-up versus traditional dining?
• What are the unique issues and challenges to personnel planning for a pop-up restaurant?

Review Activities

Assemble in teams of two members each. Select one strip of paper from a bowl provided by your instructor. Sitting opposite and facing your team member, open your internet browser and navigate to the game (instructor will provide URL). Read the tips and instructions provided. If your strip of paper reads “Player 1,” click “Start Player 1.” If your strip of paper reads “Player 2,” click “Start Player 2.” Each team has one hour to solve the puzzle. At the end of the session, reassemble as a class. Appoint a scribe to take a poll on which teams were successful and which teams were unsuccessful in completing the puzzle. Discuss similarities and differences between successful and unsuccessful teams.

2. Reflect on the ten-minute read “ Are You a Good Candidate to Host a Pop-Up? ” (Baras 2015). Share your response to this question with your team members.

Pop-up Project Task

• Using your knowledge of conflict resolution and discussions in this chapter, create a policy statement for how your pop-up management team will make decisions and handle conflict when it arises among team members.
• Design an organizational plan for your pop-up team, identifying clearly production (BOH), service (FOH), and support flows. Note: a thoughtful plan will identify personnel gaps and ways to address them (e.g., by hiring volunteers).

Chapter references

Baras, Jeremy. 2015. PopUp Republic: How to Start Your Own Successful Pop-Up Space, Shop, or Restaurant. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/popup-republic/9781119145912/ ( Penn State–authenticated link ).

Schneider, Benjamin. 1987. “The People Make the Place.” Personnel Psychology 40 (3): 437–53. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.1987.tb00609.x .

Tan, Vaughn. 2020. The Uncertainty Mindset: Innovation Insights from the Frontiers of Food. New York: Columbia University Press. http://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-uncertainty-mindset/9780231196895 ( Penn State–authenticated link ).

Taylor, Scott, Jr., Robin B. DiPietro, and Kevin Kam Fung So. 2018. “Increasing Experiential Value and Relationship Quality: An Investigation of Pop-Up Dining Experiences.” International Journal of Hospitality Management 74:45–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.02.013 ( Penn State–authenticated link ).

Walker, John R. 2021. The Restaurant: From Concept to Operation. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

West Chester University. 2020. “Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development.” https://www.wcupa.edu/coral/tuckmanStagesGroupDelvelopment.aspx .

A Pop-up Restaurant Business Guide for Capstone Hospitality Entrepreneurship Education Copyright © 2022 by Pauline Milwood is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Your Checklist for How to Open a Small Restaurant: Steps to Culinary Success

If you’re itching to turn the key in the door of your very own small restaurant, clarity, and guidance are pivotal.

This step-by-step guide on how to open a small restaurant demystifies the process, providing the nuts and bolts on developing a solid restaurant concept, securing financing , and selecting your spot in the bustling culinary scene.

By the end, you’ll have a tangible roadmap that navigates through the essentials: permits, menus, staffing, and more.

Let’s get started on the pathway to making your small restaurant a reality.

The first ingredient of a successful restaurant is a distinctive concept. This goes beyond creating a menu or selecting a color scheme for your dining room; it includes the entire dining experience you want to offer your customers. The concept of your restaurant sets the stage for your success, carving out a unique identity in the highly competitive restaurant industry.

Understanding your target audience is fundamental to developing a successful concept. You need to consider their preferences, behaviors, and expectations.

Further reading

• Top 12 Restaurant Innovations to Inspire Owners

Your restaurant’s concept must resonate with your intended audience, ensuring customer satisfaction and encouraging repeat business. This is where your personal preferences, target audience, market demand, and cuisine types come in, helping you create a concept that not only attracts customers but also aligns with your work routine and the type of alcohol service, if any, you intend to provide.

No matter how small your restaurant is, having a distinctive concept will serve as a memorable identity that sets your establishment apart and turns dining into an event.

Moreover, a well-defined restaurant concept forms the foundation of your branding and marketing strategies , helping in attracting and retaining customers.

Small restaurants can adopt various formats such as:

• Top Strategies on How to Manage a Cafè Effectively

These formats cater to different customer preferences.

Creating a concept for your restaurant is an exercise in balancing innovation with practicality. Your chosen concept must be operationally feasible and financially sustainable for long-term success.

As you move from conceptualization to realization, remember that the concept you choose today will influence the many decisions you make down the line, from creating your business plan to selecting your restaurant location.

Creating a comprehensive business Plan

After defining your restaurant concept, the next step is to create a comprehensive business plan. This is a strategic outline of the restaurant’s components, providing a snapshot of your restaurant including its:

Target market

Competitive advantage

Marketing strategies

Financial projections

An effective business plan should also include a detailed industry analysis, which offers insights into the restaurant market, detailing opportunities, challenges, and an actionable strategy for growth.

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

Your business plan should leave no stone unturned. The business plan should include:

Executive summary

Company description

Industry analysis

Geographic analysis

Target market analysis

Food safety plan

Sample menu

Marketing plan

Management strategy

Financial plan

Each of these elements forms the backbone of your business plan, painting a clear picture of how your restaurant will operate, what it needs to succeed, and how it will overcome potential challenges.

Creating a detailed business plan is not just about having an operational guide for your restaurant. It serves as a persuasive tool for investors and stakeholders.

A solid business plan demonstrates that you have:

A clear vision for your restaurant

Understanding of the market in which you’ll operate

Thought through the financial and operational challenges you’ll encounter

Think of your restaurant business plan as a roadmap to success, guiding you from the initial stages of opening your restaurant to its eventual growth and expansion.

• 9 Essential Steps For Opening A Restaurant (Free Checklist)

Securing funding and financial resources

Once you have a comprehensive business plan in place, your next step is to secure the funding necessary to bring your restaurant to life. As a small restaurant owner, you have several funding options at your disposal, including:

Small business loans

Crowdfunding

Private investments

The support of alternative lenders

The U.S. Small Business Administration offers small business loan programs with variable timeframes, typically ranging from a few weeks to a few months, to secure funding for small business owners.

Additionally, small restaurants can benefit from grants provided by local farms, state governments, and organizations like the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest , Minority Business Development Center , and Grants.gov .

If you’re considering private investments, bear in mind that this involves an impressive sales pitch due to the high-risk nature of the food service industry. You might need to offer investors a share of profits or operational responsibilities.

Regardless of the funding option you choose, having a solid business plan is crucial. It gives potential investors confidence in your venture and increases your chances of securing the necessary financial resources.

Selecting the ideal location

Armed with a well-defined concept, a comprehensive business plan, and secured funding, the next step is selecting the ideal location for your restaurant. This decision is a lot more than just finding a space that fits your budget.

The surrounding demographics, including:

can inform the type of cuisine and menu pricing suited to local tastes and budgets.

Competition analysis is another factor to consider. It helps you avoid entering a market saturated with similar restaurants and underlines the need to create a distinctive dining concept.

Your restaurant’s location should also be chosen for its high visibility and heavy foot traffic to increase customer notice and visitation.

While a prime location may come with a higher price tag, the potential increased traffic and sales it can bring must be weighed against these cost implications, ensuring the financial viability of the restaurant.

Finally, the chosen location should align with your restaurant’s service style. For example, quick-service restaurants may seek convenience, while full-service restaurants might choose leisure-focused areas.

Designing an appealing menu

After securing the perfect location, it’s time to tantalize taste buds with a well-designed menu. Your restaurant’s concept dictates its menu creation, steering cuisine choices, presentation style, and the dining experience to align with themes, branding, and specialized offerings.

Cost efficiency and adaptability are key to menu design. Here are some important factors to consider:

Menus should be concise, with a focus on top-selling, brand-supportive items that lessen specialized equipment needs.

Menus should be capable of accommodating regular updates, especially seasonally.

The physical design elements of the menu, including the use of white space, consistency between online and print versions, strategic placement of profitable or popular items using the ‘golden triangle’ design concept, visually appealing descriptions, and brand-reflective colors, all influence customer decisions and restaurant profits.

Just as critical as the design is the feedback from your customers. Actively seeking and incorporating customer feedback is vital for continuously refining the menu, ensuring it remains fresh, relevant, and tailored to consumer preferences.

So, whether you’re serving up a classic dish or introducing a new culinary delight, keep your customers’ preferences at the heart of your menu decisions.

Obtaining necessary licenses and permits

Now that your menu is ready to wow diners, it’s time to ensure you’re legally ready to open your doors. Opening a small restaurant requires obtaining a food service license through the local health department and, if you plan to sell alcohol, a liquor license.

It’s important to thoroughly understand local regulations and zoning laws, as compliance is crucial to avoid legal issues and ensure the safety of customers.

The process for applying for a food service license typically involves supplying restaurant information, paying fees, and passing a health department inspection, while a liquor license application requires additional details like a business license, zoning permit, and federal excise tax registration.

Given the time-consuming nature of the licensing process, you may benefit from professional legal assistance to navigate the application steps, compliance, and periodic renewals.

Managing restaurant finances and operating expenses

With the necessary licenses and permits in place, the next step is to manage your restaurant’s finances and operating expenses effectively.

Restaurants typically start with costs around $275,000, with additional expenses if purchasing the property, making it crucial to build a projected budget with detailed expense categories and sales targets based on past financial data and 12-month or 13-period tracks.

Maintaining a budget necessitates regular audits, understanding the importance of working capital to cover three to six months of expenses, and daily reviews of financial reports to adjust the budget and keep track of labor costs and cash flow.

Forecasting sales are enhanced by analyzing past POS data and factoring in external market changes, which assists in managing future financial planning and allowing for unexpected costs.

Significant restaurant expenses include food costs, labor, rent, and operating costs, requiring differentiation between fixed and variable costs and that the restaurant’s floor plan budget reflects initial financial projections.

Effective budget management involves implementing pricing strategies like psychological pricing and keeping abreast of cost-saving strategies through networking, while also being flexible with non-traditional costs.

Building your restaurant's brand and marketing strategy

With the finances in place, it’s time to build your restaurant’s brand and marketing strategy. A strong brand identity is vital for making a restaurant memorable and driving revenue.

Key elements of restaurant branding include:

Marketing materials

• How to Name a Restaurant (Expert Tips, Ideas & Examples)

These elements should be consistent to make the brand recognizable and create emotional connections with customers.

Understanding the customer demographic is instrumental in shaping marketing strategies that resonate with the intended audience and can involve special offers to create a unique selling proposition.

Creating a marketing plan involves:

Setting measurable goals

Selecting marketing methods

Budgeting according to the restaurant’s life stage

Running campaigns based on customer profiles

• A Complete Guide to Writing a Restaurant Marketing Plan (Free Template)

Making use of social media platforms and email marketing are key strategies in spreading the word about the restaurant and engaging potential diners.

Promotions and trendsetting are marketing tactics that can position a restaurant as a leader in the industry and attract customers by offering variety and exclusivity.

Finally, integrating a quality customer experience into marketing efforts is foundational, as the restaurant itself can act as a significant medium for marketing to ensure repeat customers.

Setting up an efficient layout and atmosphere

Once your brand identity and marketing strategy are established, it’s time to focus on setting up an efficient layout and atmosphere for your restaurant.

An effective restaurant floor plan should include:

Proper circulation and movement

A mix of dining, waiting areas, kitchen, storage, restrooms, and entryways

Accessible spaces to accommodate all guests, including those with disabilities

Considerations for social distancing

By considering these factors, you can create a layout that maximizes efficiency and provides a comfortable experience for your customers.

Smaller restaurants, particularly in urban areas focusing on takeout and delivery, benefit from kitchen designs that optimize space and allow for flexible, efficient operations in the restaurant business.

Restaurant owners should consider incorporating adaptable equipment, as it is crucial for meeting changing service demands and promoting staff efficiency.

To improve the overall customer experience, furniture, and seating layout should be deliberately planned, with dimensions that ensure comfortable customer flow and an atmosphere that conveys the restaurant’s brand identity.

• 25 Strategies to Improve Efficiency at Your Restaurant

Hiring and training a talented team

Now that your restaurant layout and atmosphere are set, it’s time to bring in the heart of your restaurant - your team. Determine staffing needs and define roles based on the size of your restaurant to ensure all operational areas are adequately covered.

Create detailed job descriptions using keywords that embody the restaurant’s culture and service style, and specify schedule requirements, wages, and benefits.

Offer competitive compensation and benefits to attract and maintain a skilled workforce, based on research and a defined pay scale. Train interviewers on interpreting applicants’ physical cues and use standardized questions to objectively assess candidates’ values alignment and work history.

Foster teamwork and a sense of ownership among employees by adopting an open-book management style, and sharing financials and operational challenges.

Implement career progression opportunities to improve retention and encourage feedback through performance reviews and one-on-one meetings. Regularly train staff to maintain necessary skills and offer cross-training for career development.

Promote work-life balance with flexible scheduling options, and provide access to earned wages to enhance employees’ financial stability.

Implementing a reliable point-of-sale system

With a talented team in place, the final step before opening your restaurant is implementing a reliable point of sale (POS) system.

Restaurant POS systems handle all transactions including cash, card, and digital payments, and adapt to different restaurant types and sizes, eliminating miscommunications by sending orders directly from servers to the kitchen.

POS systems offer features such as:

Cloud-based software for remote management

Performance management tools

Staff scheduling automation

Detailed insights into menu item popularity

Inventory management down to the ingredient level

Automation of repetitive tasks like inventory alerts and reordering

These features enhance coordination between restaurant staff and operations, making POS systems a valuable tool for restaurant management.

Built-in reporting capabilities in POS systems provide essential sales performance and customer data, which are crucial for strategic planning and informed business decisions.

They also improve customer service through fast and accurate order processing, and built-in loyalty programs cultivate customer loyalty by rewarding repeat business and tracking preferences for targeted promotions.

Cloud-based POS software offers the flexibility to manage the restaurant from any location with internet access and to make menu updates and administrative changes on the go.

• 10 POS Integrations to Help Boost Efficiency at Your Restaurant

Congratulations! You’ve journeyed through the essential steps of opening a small restaurant, from defining your unique concept and crafting a compelling business plan to implementing a reliable POS system.

Each step along the way has been designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to navigate the exciting world of the restaurant industry.

Remember, the road to a successful restaurant is a journey, not a race. With careful planning, a clear vision, and a passion for delivering an unforgettable dining experience, you’re well on your way to becoming the next sensation in the restaurant industry.

So, are you ready to turn up the heat and start cooking up your culinary success story?

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make money with a small restaurant.

Yes, it is possible to make money with a small restaurant, but it can be challenging due to low-profit margins and a high failure rate, with profitability depending on various factors.

Is it hard to run a small restaurant?

Running a small restaurant is challenging due to long hours, tight finances, and potential initial unprofitability. The turnover of staff and challenging customer interactions can also add to the difficulty.

Is $ 10,000 enough to open a restaurant?

No, $10,000 is not enough to open a restaurant from the ground up, but it could be enough to purchase a pre-existing restaurant and put additional funds into it. Keep in mind that building from the ground up could be considerably more costly.

Why is defining a restaurant concept important?

Defining a restaurant concept is important because it serves as a memorable identity, helps the restaurant stand out, and forms the foundation of branding and marketing strategies, aiding in attracting and retaining customers. This is crucial for the success of the business.

What are the components of a comprehensive business plan?

A comprehensive business plan should include an executive summary, company description, industry analysis, target market analysis, marketing plan, management strategy, and financial plan to provide a thorough overview of the business.

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Elana Kroon used to work in restaurants before becoming a journalist and expert restaurant industry content creator at Eat App.

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Restaurant Management: The 7 elements of a Business Plan

June 28, 2019 •

11 min reading

Unless you are self-funding your food business, you will need to find investors. To woo investors, you will need a business plan that outlines the essentials of your food business. Time spent creating your business plan more than pays you back by making your idea easy to understand by people who can help you launch your dream.

Here's what you need to know about creating a food business plan.

The 7 elements of a Business Plan

Business plans follow a template, which means you don't need to reinvent the wheel to come up with your business plan for a food concept. All you need to do is understand what is expected in each aspect of the business plan and then pull together the information that will help you complete the section correctly.

While you can include more elements to make your case, as long as your plan covers these seven topics, you're in good shape.

1. Executive Summary

The point of the executive summary is to give context to the rest of your business plan with a high-level overview -- essentially an elevator pitch. Entrepreneurs frequently complete the executive summary last, because it sums up what's in the rest of the business plan.

Business owners often talk about the mission of their business idea, as well as the history of the business founders. A value proposition is usually found in the executive summary as well, which explains how the new business idea differs from other companies on the market, which could be competing for the same audience.

For instance, someone who wants to open a coffee shop might talk about their experience as a barista, their connections with coffee farmers in a given region, and what sets their coffee shop apart from others, such as a line of vegan breakfast pastries or a planned coffee educational component for customers.

2. Business Description

While you want to tease out your business in the Executive Summary, the Business Description section lets you go into full detail on your food business concept.

No two business descriptions are exactly alike, since no businesses are quite the same. Questions to guide your thinking in writing this section include:

• Where are you located?
• What products will you sell?
• Who are your target customers?
• What is your projected growth?
• What opportunities does your business have?
• Who are the principal partners in your business?
• What factors give you a competitive advantage vis-a-vis your concept?

The Business Description can be a powerful motivator for you as you hustle to open your business. Read it over anytime you need to remember the end goal of all your hard work!

3. Market Analysis

To succeed in business, you need to know who your competitors are and where you fit in the market. In a Market Analysis, you'll need to outline where your business fits in the market, for instance whether your coffee shop targets college students who need a late-night study hangout or the morning commuter crowd, who want healthy breakfast items and strong coffee.

As you describe your target market, you might include profiles or personas of your ideal customers.

• Who are they?
• what else do they like to do?
• why would they choose your new coffee shop over others in the same neighborhood?

You might also include a SWOT analysis, in which you discuss the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats affecting your business. An opportunity might be a trending neighborhood location where there are no other coffee shops, where a threat might be a neighborhood saturated with cafes. A strength could be your coffee education; a weakness might be the lack of a coffee education, to be overcome with smart hiring.

Going into depth this way will show investors that you understand your customer and have anticipated their needs within your business model. If you have customer testimonials -- for instance, if you tested out your concept with a coffee cart and gained a following -- you can include this information here.

The last section of the market analysis includes research, which looks at the chief trends within the industry and geographic area . For instance, third wave coffee is a major trend, thus a new coffee shop would want to offer high-quality beans sourced directly from coffee farmers. Wellness foods are another major trend, thus vegan pastries with superfoods could be a hit.

4. Organization and Management Structure

You're not starting your business alone. This section of the business plan lets you show off the superstar talent who are going to help you launch your new cafe.

Perhaps you've heard the saying "it's not what you know, it's who you know."

Well, that holds true in many pitch rooms, because funders value your management and leadership connections more than, say, your connections to the best Nicaraguan coffee farmers (although they'll want to hear about that, too).

Funders place such a high value on management, because they know that an effective management team has the experience to weather tough storms. A good manager can help you pivot your concept if there's something that's not working -- say, your vegan pastries aren't a hit.

Spend time talking about the different players on your team, highlighting the qualifications, experience, and education of everyone who plays a role in your venture.

5. Sales Strategies

Your idea won't be a hit unless you hit your sales goals. That means funders won't bite unless you show them how you've got creative ideas to push your product.

Start by discussing your price point.

• How much will your beverages and food cost?
• How does the price point relate to everything else you're doing?
• How does it relate to the competition?

If your coffee drinks cost more than others in the neighborhood, be prepared to explain why you're charging more money.

After you situate your products on the market, you should talk about the promotional strategies you're using while launching the business and any great ideas you want to try later. While you're not open yet, perhaps you're teasing your coffee company on social media or writing a press release to announce that you've secured a location. Detail these strategies along with anything you're planning for your grand opening and beyond.

Don't forget to talk about your business website, including your SEO (search engine optimization) strategy, or any customer loyalty strategies, like a student discount.

Finally, the money you need to open your business comes into play. In this section, you talk about how much money you need to open your business.

This section can be stressful for business owners, but as long as you are being realistic and backing up your ask with data, you will be in good shape. Look for funding data on the type of business you want to open to guide your thinking. Coffee shops cost anywhere from $200,000 to $500,000 to open and can enjoy a profit margin as high as 25 percent. After three years in operation, a successful coffee shop can earn annual revenues of $1 million.

If you're not 100 percent sure how much money you need, a range is acceptable. If you are giving a range rather than a precise figure, make sure to include best-case and worst-case scenarios that explain why your maximum and minimum are set where they are.

Along with financials, you'll want to include a timeline, so anyone who invests understands when you plan to open and what needs to happen between now and then. In the timeline, you can talk about your location, build-out, licenses and permits, business insurance, inventory sourcing, hiring, employee training, and more.

The more detail you include in this section, the more impressed funders will be. When they see that you know your stuff and have thought through everything that needs to happen, they'll be more likely to sign on.

7. Financial Projections

You may have thought the last section covered all your financials, but there's one more thing you need to cover: projections for the future.

Draw on market trends and projected revenue growth to talk about how profitable your business will be. Point out when investors would be repaid. Talk about the cash flow you will develop, then paint a picture of how your cash flow will help you grow.

To ace this section, you'll need to connect the dots between all the other information in your business plan, from your sales strategies to trends in the market to revenue growth. If you've had any earlier successes, such as a well-received trial run with a coffee cart, describe these here.

If you have a small food business and are seeking expansion funds, you'll also want to dwell on your successful track record, pointing out things like profitability, repeat customers, media attention, and more.

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Trump’s Lawyer Said There Were “No Plans” For Trump Tower Moscow. Here They Are.

Rudy Giuliani claims the Moscow tower was barely more than a notion. “There were no drafts. Nothing in the file.” Documents obtained by BuzzFeed News tell a different story.

BuzzFeed News Reporter

The plan was dazzling: a glass skyscraper that would stretch higher than any other building in Europe, offering ultra-luxury residences and hotel rooms and bearing a famous name. Trump Tower Moscow, conceived as a partnership between Donald Trump ’s company and a Russian real estate developer, looked likely to yield profits in excess of $300 million .

The tower was never built, but it has become a focal point of the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Trump’s relationship with Russia in the lead-up to his presidency.

The president and his representatives have dismissed the project as little more than a notion — a rough plan led by Trump’s then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, and his associate Felix Sater, of which Trump and his family said they were only loosely aware as the election campaign gathered pace.

On Monday, his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani , said “the proposal was in the earliest stage,” and he went on to tell the New Yorker that “no plans were ever made. There were no drafts. Nothing in the file.”

However, hundreds of pages of business documents, emails, text messages, and architectural plans, obtained by BuzzFeed News over a year of reporting, tell a very different story. Trump Tower Moscow was a richly imagined vision of upscale splendor on the banks of the Moscow River.

A long-held dream

Trump had for 30 years tried to extend his real estate empire to Moscow. He even wrote about it in his book The Art of the Deal . But he never found the right opportunity — until 2013, when he visited Russia to host the Miss Universe pageant. “TRUMP TOWER-MOSCOW is next,” he tweeted after the event.

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The tallest skyscraper in Europe

Two years later, a vision had emerged. Trump Tower Moscow was to be much more than just another upscale apartment building. It was to be a vast — and vastly lucrative — undertaking that would elevate the Russian capital’s skyline and extend the perimeter of the New York developer’s influence.

By September 2015, a New York architect had completed plans for a bold glass obelisk 100 stories high, to be topped by a gleaming, cut-diamond–like shape emblazoned on multiple sides with the Trump logo.

“The building design you sent over is very interesting,” the Russian real estate developer Andrey Rozov wrote to Cohen in September 2015, “and will be an architectural and luxury triumph. I believe the tallest building in Europe should be in Moscow, and I am prepared to build it.”

“First class luxury”

According to a finalized letter of intent signed by Donald Trump on Oct. 28, 2015, the tower would have “approximately 250 first class, luxury residential condominiums.”

It would be located in Moscow City, a former industrial complex outside of the city center that has since been converted into an ambitious commercial district clustered with several of the tallest skyscrapers in Europe.

Its hotel portion would feature “approximately 15 floors” and contain “not fewer than 150 hotel rooms,” the letter of intent stated. The building would feature a luxury spa and fitness center, a commercial component “consistent with the overall luxury level of the Property,” and an office space “consistent with Class A luxury office properties,” as well as “luxury” parking.

Spa by Ivanka

An aerial view of the proposed development site (lower left).

As with most of Trump’s other big real estate ventures, the plan was for a local developer — Rozov — to build Trump Tower Moscow. Trump’s team would provide the glittering name and would manage the building’s operations, such as restaurants and bars.

The Trump team would also have the option to “brand all or any portion of the spa or fitness facilities” as “The Spa By Ivanka Trump ,” according to the plans. If they exercised that option, Ivanka or one of her representatives would choose all interior design elements for the spa and health club.

Other Spas by Ivanka Trump offer a clue as to what it might have looked like. At the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, the 10,000-square-foot spa and fitness center offers “a carefully orchestrated spa experience” designed to produce “a fresh, authentic and purposeful visit.” Guests are invited to enjoy “an immersion lounge, reflective of local culture and craftsmanship,” specialized massage treatments called “curated rituals,” “aspirational quotes,” a Himalayan salt chamber, a waterfall, and hallways, curtains, and floors in her signature color of rose gold.

Putin’s perks

The top residence of the Moscow tower, enjoying a view without equal in all the continent, was to be a gleaming penthouse, the most luxurious property in a seriously luxurious building.

A show-stopping apartment like that could have been marketed for $50 million. But as BuzzFeed News reported in November, Trump’s fixers planned not to sell it — but to give it away for free, to none other than Vladimir Putin himself. Two US law enforcement officials confirmed that Cohen discussed the idea with an aide to Putin’s press secretary .

The hope was that the lavish gift would help grease the wheels, and in the process entice more Russian elites to move in. “My idea was to give a $50 million penthouse to Putin and charge $250 million more for the rest of the units,” Felix Sater told BuzzFeed News in November. “All the oligarchs would line up to live in the same building as Putin.”

The Oct. 28 letter of intent, signed by Trump and Rozov.

An eye on the bottom line

The plans included detailed financial arrangements. According to the signed letter of intent, Trump’s company would get a $4 million up-front payment — a quarter when the licensing agreement was executed, another quarter when they finalized a location for the tower, and the other half either a week before the project’s groundbreaking or two years after the execution of the licensing agreement, whichever came first.

From there on out, Trump’s company would also get a cut of all the condominium sales at the tower, the agreement stated. From the total selling price of each unit, his company would get 5% for sales up to $100 million, 4% for the next bracket up to $250 million, 3% for anything between that and $500 million, 2% for anything up to $1 billion, and thereafter, a solid cut of 1%. For commercial and office spaces, it would get a 3% cut of all the rent. It’d get another 3% of sales on food and beverages, spa and fitness center use, and conference fees.

The deal also stipulated how much Trump’s management company would get paid for running operations at Trump Tower Moscow over 25 years. For the first five years, it would get 3% of all revenue generated by operating the hotel per month. Over the next two decades, it’d receive a flat 4%. In addition, the management company would also receive a monthly “incentive fee” — an additional 20% of the gross operating profit for the hotel — subject to annual negotiations.

The Trump Organization did not respond to a request for comment on this story, nor did Giuliani, Rozov, Ivanka Trump, or the White House. A spokesperson for the special counsel declined to comment.

Frequent updates

Trump has many times denied having any business interests in Russia. But last year, BuzzFeed News revealed that negotiations over the tower lasted at least through June 2016, just a few weeks before Trump clinched the Republican nomination. The special counsel has since confirmed this fact, saying in a court filing that Cohen discussed the plan multiple times with the Trump Organization and asked Trump and a senior campaign staffer about traveling to Russia.

Last November , Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about when the deal ended. Trump then struck a new note, defending his involvement in the Moscow project during the election: “There was a good chance that I wouldn’t have won,” he told reporters , “in which case I would have gotten back into the business, and why should I lose lots of opportunities?”

BuzzFeed News reported on Thursday that Trump received at least 10 updates about the plans, and then directed Cohen to lie to Congress about when those negotiations ended in order to obscure his own involvement. Mueller’s office issued a statement Friday saying that “BuzzFeed’s description of specific statements to the Special Counsel’s Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen’s Congressional testimony are not accurate.” BuzzFeed News stands by its story and the two law enforcement sources who informed it.

Giuliani has since acknowledged the plan went on longer than previously stated. “It’s our understanding that it — that they went on throughout 2016,” Giuliani told CNN . “Weren’t a lot of them, but there were conversations. Can’t be sure of the exact date. But the president can remember having conversations with him about it.”

He then told the New York Times that Trump remembers discussing the project with Cohen up until November 2016, when Trump was elected president. “It was all going from the day I announced to the day I won,” Trump said, according to Giuliani.

He has since backtracked , stating that his comments on Trump Tower Moscow were “hypothetical and not based on conversations I had with the president.”

A great lifetime goal

Sadly for luxury-loving Muscovites, the tower project never came to be. It’s not entirely clear why the deal fell through, but today on the bend of the Moscow River, on the edge of the Presnensky District and only a few miles from the Kremlin, there is no Ivanka-branded salt chamber and no Trump-approved luxury parking.

By the time Donald Trump signed the project’s letter of intent, he was four months into his presidential campaign — running for the highest office in America while conducting private business negotiations with a hostile nation.

Today that choice has produced controversy and possible legal risk. But back then, it seemed to be pure upside.

“Let’s make this happen and build a Trump Moscow,” Sater wrote to Cohen shortly beforehand. “And possibly fix relations between the countries by showing everyone that commerce & business are much better and more practical than politics. … Help world peace and make a lot of money, I would say that’s a great lifetime goal for us to go after.”

Anthony Cormier, Jason Leopold, Tanya Kozyreva, and Chris Geidner contributed to this story.

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Moscow is not only the political, cultural, and business centre of modern Russia, but also one of the oldest Russian cities, with a history that goes back 1000 years and many monuments of original Russian architecture and art. The golden domes of its churches, world-famous museums and theatres, broad avenues with high-rises, and cozy, typically ‘Moscow’ streets with merchants’ houses – all make Moscow one of the most popular tourist destinations. In addition to its unique attractions, Moscow is undoubtedly attractive for its economic and business potential. It possesses a wonderful infrastructure, an extensive choice of hotels, and modern exhibition centres hosting important international exhibitions and congresses. Moscow is one of the most colourful and interesting cities in the world, being equally well suited as a location in which to relax and do business.

 The Moscow region is represented by DMC Moscow , one of the leading Destination Management Companies (DMCs) in Moscow .

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A dynamically developing company with considerable experience of working in this field, DMC Moscow has shown itself to be a responsible partner. Our success is built on our constant striving for perfection and our quest for new ideas and opportunities in this constantly developing and competitive field.

DMC Moscow was set up by professionals. Our main aim in founding our company was to bring together experience, knowledge, creative ideas, and creative management in the MICE industry so as to be able to offer you high-quality service which is focused entirely on the client. Organizing unique business events requires profound and comprehensive knowledge of the region, advanced technologies, a team of experienced professionals, and, of course, responsible suppliers of services. We are proud to be able to call upon reliable and professional partners who provide excellent quality of service at competitive prices. Our extensive network of contacts throughout the region gives you access to experienced and well-qualified specialists.

As a leading DMC, we offer a wide range of destination-management services to participants in and organizers of conferences, seminars, exhibitions, and incentive tours in Moscow and in popular cities in our region, offering all our clients exceptional quality of service. We are keen to share with you our knowledge and experience in organizing events – including events in the most unusual forms. During the course of any event that we organize our employees will be at your complete disposal from the moment you arrive in Moscow to the moment you leave. We will do everything to ensure that your event is organized in complete accordance with your desires and is carried out to the highest professional standard. We will put together the most attractive programme for you while keeping within your budget.

Destination-management services in Moscow:

If you are planning a business meeting, conference, seminar, corporate event, incentive or teambuilding programme, or business tour, we will make sure that your programme is organized with the minimum of fuss or effort on your part. Any event of this kind will require a range of services, which we can easily tailor them to match your desires and budget. With our considerable experience in realizing international projects, we will gladly prepare and conduct your event to the highest standard. We offer the following services:

Venues for all occasions in Moscow: We will organize inspection visits and help you draw up a detailed programme. We will organize bids competitions to find the right service provider and venue for your event. We will help you choose a venue to suit both you and your business event. You will have a choice of modern and comfortable hotel conference rooms, luxurious state rooms in palaces, and much else besides. We will find the option that works best for your business event.

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An individual approach to selecting and booking hotels in Moscow: We will help you choose and book hotel rooms in the most convenient locations and at special rates to suit your desires, budget, and the status of your delegates. The hotels with which we work are always situated in locations which are as convenient as possible for getting around the city.

Organization and holding of conferences in Moscow: The success of a dynamically developing business depends on the promotion of the goods and services which the company offers. For this purpose participation in business events is essential; conferences, in particular, are especially important for corporate image and a company’s work with its partners. We will help you organize and conduct events of whatever complexity.

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Transport services are essential to the success of your event. Our work in this area includes coordination of transport services for participants in corporate events, provision of business and executive-class cars, provision of coaches and minibuses, meets at airports and railway stations, group transfers, exclusive transport for evening events, VIP services, and provision of chauffeured cars (for groups of whatever size). We can also place banners and notices on buses and provide special transport for baggage.

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Special events are an effective way to underline the importance of an event. They include opening and closing ceremonies, evening receptions, exclusive concerts and shows, and gala suppers held in the location of the client’s choice (including the most exotic locations). We can take care of catering and musical accompaniment.

Provision of high-class service staff in Moscow:

We can arrange for uniformed guides in your company’s corporate style, professional translators, designers, scriptwriters, directors, and audio-video equipment and IT solutions.

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An individual approach to organizing events for both groups and VIP guests. We can arrange special out-of-hours visits to museums and pre- and post-conference tours. We will do everything to ensure that nothing distracts you from contemplation of our region’s unique beauty and cultural attractions.

We are confident that an event which has been professionally prepared and conducted to the highest standard will make an unforgettable impression on all involved.