You’ve just decided to open your own restaurant. You’re excited; you have an original menu, your own recipes and excellent décor ideas. Several of your friends and family members are willing to invest in the business, and you have leads on premises. The brainstorming for these aspects of the project was fun, but you are also responsible for several less glamorous tasks before you can open your doors.
1. Employee Hygiene
No matter what kind of food you will sell, in order to pass health inspections and ensure your customers’ health, you need to purchase equipment that prevents you and your employees from contaminating the food. Hand soap, hairnets, disposable gloves, and commercial aprons are integral to making sure that your restaurant will not be closed for a health code violation.
2. Cooking Machinery
Although how much equipment you will need depends on if you are starting a traditional French restaurant or a fast-casual diner, every restaurant requires certain tools. Most restaurants require at least sinks, refrigerators, freezers, and ovens. Much of your investment in this business will go towards machinery, but without it, you wouldn’t be able to cook your food or keep it in a healthy environment.
3. Customer Comfort
You’ve got the materials to make your food and keep it clean. Now you must think about your customers. Make sure to keep a careful inventory of hand soap, paper towels, and toilet paper for the bathroom. More technical considerations include adequate lighting, heating, and air conditioning for the dining area. The temperature between the kitchen and where customers will eat may vary, so you need to check that your clients won’t sweat or freeze, even if your employees are comfortable.
Opening a restaurant can be nerve-wracking but should also be enjoyable and exciting. Take care of the technical, behind-the-scenes requirements for owning a restaurant ahead of time so that you can focus on the rest of the work worry-free.