Introduction
Building a restaurant is a big endeavor. When you get into the planning stages there are so many things to consider. Restaurants are one of the hardest things to build and maintain because there are so many upfront costs and a relatively low amount of income that will be coming in at first. There are so many factors to consider the costs of building a restaurant. Consider these things before getting yourself into the restaurant industry.
Building the Site
The actual location of the restaurant is super important. You want to be somewhere where you will be sure to get lots of walks and drive by activity. Having a well-located restaurant is one simple marketing tactic. Along with that, consider the property that you are going to put your restaurant. Ensuring that it has the proper water and sewer available is important. Also, be sure that the property can sustain a building. Will the building sink into the ground?
Then there is the actual building of the building. It is expensive to build a restaurant from scratch. The cost of supplies adds up. Even if you decide to put the restaurant in a pre-existing building it is still expensive to renovate a building.
Marketing: Getting the Word Out
Getting the word out about your up and coming restaurant is huge. You won’t make any money if people don’t know that you are there. So getting your name in papers and social media is expensive. Along with that, it is important to have your restaurant’s name clearly posted on the side of the building. People knowing that you are there and are a restaurant is important to get new traffic through the door.
Permits
The permits that go into building a restaurant are super expensive. You have to have the health department come in and approve everything which is also expensive. If you plan to serve alcohol then you will have to get an alcohol permit as well. Each city and state has a different process of getting restaurant, food and alcohol permits. So it is important to be ahead of the game. It can be time-consuming and expensive to get these permits. So it is important for your restaurant contractor to be aware of the paperwork and money that you are going to need.
A Positive Market
It is important to analyze the market you are in before you do anything. If there are five Italian restaurants within miles of your site, then it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to have an Italian restaurant. There needs to be enough foot traffic to keep up with yourself and the surrounding competition. Also, consider what other restaurants are offering for food and prices. You need to find something that sets your restaurant apart.
The Technology
The technology that goes into a restaurant is super expensive. Between the point of sale systems, input to the kitchen and printers there is tons of electronics. Electronics are expensive. Technology is expensive. But it is basically required in today’s restaurant industry. So this is something to be aware of and ahead of when you are building a restaurant.
Conclusion
Building a restaurant and being a restaurant contractor can be expensive. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. There are a lot of financial factors that play into the building and owning a restaurant. There are many marketing costs and permits that have to be purchased. Along with that, you want to make sure that you are building your restaurant in a positive market. The technology that goes into a restaurant is huge. It will be one of your biggest costs. All of these things have to be considered when putting together a plan for a restaurant.
