Opening a restaurant? Some advice from a foodie
A recent question posed by a young individual on a Facebook group asked the community for their advice on opening his or her (it was an anonymous post) restaurant. Having some knowledge and insights of my own on the topic, I decided to offer some advice as well, which garnered a surprising number of likes. Hence, I thought, why not write an article on it? So here goes.
First of all, I am no restaurateur. When I cook, it is usually for relaxation, with some music playing in the background and a cocktail of choice by my side. I cook largely ‘on-the-fly’, I do not really measure or weigh my ingredients, or stick to strict cooking times and temperatures (unless it’s a steak – One Simply Does Not Mess Around With A Steak). I am no chef; I am a foodie. I love eating and am fairly open to trying new cuisines, unconventional cooking methods, and ingredients.
Hence, my advice stems from the customer, rather than business owner/operator side. And that’s a good thing I feel, because, end of the day, you’re catering to customers and not yourself. If customers don’t like your food, drink, service or ambiance, they may not return, and you’ll have to close up shop. So, here are my six points:-
Quick, tell me, what are the most common things you’ll find in the average Sri Lankan food shop? Fried rice, burgers, submarines, kothu and maybe some pasta. And that’s why I advise new restaurateurs not to go down this route. When everyone else is making it, what reason is there for customers to try yours? Customers tend to be creatures of habit, and have already identified their preferred outlets. I’m a prime example. When I crave a burger, I’ll typically get it from three to four preferred places, identified from experience. I don’t see the need to try a burger from elsewhere. This is why you should have a menu that’s not a carbon copy of everyone else’s. Yes, you can have some common things to appeal to a broader segment of customers, but try to offer something different, appealing and perhaps unconventional.
The majority of customers in this country are highly concerned with their monthly expenses thanks to the economic crisis, and one area that’s taken a hit, even in my household, is dining out or ordering in. Prior to the economic crisis, my wife and I would order in or dine out up to three times a week. Now, we strictly limit it to once a week. That’s why, price is more important than ever. Aim to provide value, rather than shooting for the moon with the aim of getting rich quick. That’s not going to happen; what will actually happen is, customers won’t return, and you’ll quickly go broke.
Sri Lanka is a country blessed with an abundance of vegetables and fruits, but the sad fact is, many restaurants don’t bother to explore beyond the standard array that’s available at supermarkets. One way you can stand out from the rest is to offer these, highlight their health benefits, and prepare them in delectable ways. Let’s take an example, the Thumba Karavila (Spine Gourd). Said to have health benefits that include medicinal value for stomach ailments and diabetes, I’ve yet to see it offered by a restaurant in a rice-and-curry. Moreover, it doesn’t have the bitter taste of the Bitter Gourd.
Starting a restaurant requires significant investment in the kitchen and food storage areas, and if you add the cost of a dining space, it can quickly expand beyond the reach of the average small entrepreneur, given how prices of things have skyrocketed. You’ll need interior décor, tables, chairs, lighting, air conditioning, cutlery, crockery, linen and more. Starting off as a cloud kitchen and operating via popular food ordering platforms is a great way to dip a toe in the waters and gauge customer reactions.
Everyone is on social media these days, and it’s a great way to remind customers that you exist, that you’re innovating, and that you’re waiting to welcome them with open arms. You should post something ideally every day, be it a TikTok, Instagram story or Facebook video. It can be something short, highlighting your dish of the day, cooking processes, innovations, team, etc. Importantly, define your digital marketing objectives. As James Eling, the founder of Marketing4Restaurants puts it “Remember Facebook marketing is not about how many likes you have. It is about having the right objectives and that is usually finding more new customers and turning them into repeat customers”.
Your biggest bottleneck is not getting foodstuff or the size of your kitchen. It’s employing staffs who share your vision. The more sophisticated your menu, the more difficult it is to find people with the right skills and the harder it will be to scale. As the adage ‘Teamwork makes the dream work’, goes, get onboard employees who can work as a team.
As a restaurateur, your job is not to please the reviewers or the entire country. The only people you have to delight are those who walk through the door and order your food. There are thousands of restaurants that have succeeded for decades without Michelin stars because they constantly understand this.
Ashraaq Wahab – Director of Sales & Marketing and Technical, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Automotive Journalist, Marketer, Photographer and Writer, who enjoys penning his thoughts, insights and ideas on a variety of topics
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