Times of Eswatini

Tips for starting successful restaurant

-

MONDAYS

will never be complete without the countless business opportunit­ies that are presented in this section. ,

Have the right intentions

) you want to make it as a restaurant owner, you have to love what you do, .im 6trengari said. :hile she knew a restaurant was the right path for her, she had to work nights cleaning office buildings to make ends meet when she first opened her restaurant.

³, wanted the restaurant more than anything else in life, so the sacrifices were endless and , never minded making them,” she said.

To be successful, you’ll invest a lot of time and money²so make sure that starting a restaurant is your passion, not just a business venture you hope will make money. ³,t’s harder than you can imagine,” said Omer Orien, ³but people do it all the time. ,t’s not at all dreamy.”

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

Orien said, ³A lot of it has to do with

Top of the list is an establishe­d restaurant at a perfect location located in the Manzini Central Business District (CBD). On top of being situated in an ideal location, the business is fully-fitted. It is selling with all its assets and the asking price is negotiable.

As usual, there are also tips and today’s focus is on those selling their businesses during this COVID-19 era.

You will again be spoilt for choice, as you make another informed decision. who have an eye for design.” Orien sat down with his co-founders and built a

-' model to plan the layout of their first location. And ultimately, they did most of the work to build out the space themselves.

Have a solid business plan in place

Orien said that he really got serious about his business plan when it was time to grow and e[pand to a new location. ,t helped them figure out what was feasible and figure out how to move forward.

Watch your labor costs

A lot of restaurate­urs have the urge to hire, hire, hire. :hile you will probably need to hire some staff to make your restaurant a success, don’t go overboard. 3aying employees can be daunting, especially in the first few months when you’re not making a lot of money. ,t’s not always easy to figure out how many staff to hire the right amount of staff, Macejewski said.

³,t’s tough to plan for if you are seasonal or have sporadic business, but you don’t want people on the clock if you don’t have the business,” she said. ³

QUOTE

“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

Do not forget to send feedback on or

7627 9456 times.co.sz at business@

or check out /ive3lan business planning software, that will walk you through the process.

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

3ay special attention to your marketing plan.

Here are a few ideas:

◗ 3articipat­e in community events and give out food samples.

◗ Offer discounts to new customers.

◗ -oin the local business associatio­n.

◗ 8tilise social media channels.

◗ /ocation, location, location.

:ith a restaurant, location is everything.

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

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Eswatini