[Ravedge]

I’m a newbie who is interested in restaurant business. I thinking of opening my own restaurant, and if it is successful I’ll open a few more branches all over the country. Right now I have a few questions which I hope you guys can help.

1) If I own a restaurant which I’m putting other people in charge when I’m not around, how do I make sure that there is no ‘foul play’? How do I prevent some dishonest employees taking the restaurant’s money and putting into their own pocket? For example instead of putting the customer’s payment into the cashier machine, they may put the money into their own pocket?

2) Is there a simple way of keeping track of the money or profit earn everyday? Do we keep track of the amount of food supplies used in order to estimate the amount of profit earn at the end of the day?

Please help. Thanks.

[Breton Beats]

This is going to come across harsh, but remember it is just an opinion.

My opinion is that if you do not know the answers to those questions, you don't have the experience to open a restaurant. Unless you have some money you are trying to launder.

Why? Because running/opening is SO much more than cooking, or some good recipes. It is first and formost a business, and not just the business classes you take in CC. I mean food cost, labor cost, yield cost, dishwasher breaks on a Sunday cost, bar tender is bringing her own bottles in cost. It is a case of having to spend a lot of money in the hopes of breaking even, and it rare when that happens. Even for top chefs.

Saying that, it is possible and profitable when done right and even a newbie can suceed, but in order to do so I would reccomend get some experience that will answer those questions for you, because honestly knowing them are more important than any concept or recipe you may have.

Sorry.

[CACook]

Also, there is no such thing as not being around. You need to be ready to work 16 hour days, 7 days a week, for five years or until it gets a permanent rythym.

[even stephen]

I agree....if you are wondering how to keep track of paper revenue,
food, wine, liquor, then perhaps your getting in above your head.
Of course there are ways to track things. Go back to school....
Or work for someone else for a while.....Remember, its not if they will
steal, its when they are going to steal.....Whether its cooks, waiters,
or bartenders, there are a thousand ways to steal, even with proper
procedures and checks in place.

[nowIamone]

Most restaurants have all order slips numbered. Each server works off of their own book. Checking to see if the order receipts are in numerical order and accounted for is one way. Then you balance to the till.

Since this is a chef and cooking forum most discussion is about food. Try the restaurant owners forum at foodservice . com. Reading past posts you will see a lot of discussion regarding openings, managing and restaurant ownership.

[castironchef]

I'm with Breton on this one.

From your questions and your tone, I get the impression that you are well meaning, woefully inexperienced and quite naive.

I can just see the glint in the eyes of your employees as they realize that it's open season on everything you own.

What is it that makes you qualified to be a restaurant owner, let alone a chain operator? (I don't mean this as an insult, but as a legitimate question.) Most new restaurants die in the first two years, taking their owners' fortunes, credit and hard work with them. NO ONE should consider opening a restaurant without a very solid idea of why that won't happen to them. Not wishful thinking, not an iron determination, but a solid, realistic, achievable business plan and set of skills that sets them apart from the already failed and the doomed.

For instance, do you think that you'll make it in the restaurant business because you have a killer recipe for your mother's apple pie? You want to build a restaurant around that? It can be done, but only with very strong financial backing, operations know-how and marketing skills. In that case, it would be best to find a partner with those skills and abilities, who shares your vision.

And, yeah, forget about having a life for the next five to seven years, minimum.

I know that these responses seem harsh, but we really are your friends - especially if your real friends are all saying "go for it."

[foodpump]

As with the other posters, I'm suggesting to leave the dream of owning a restaurant and subsequent chain a dream until you work as a manager for a few places and establish a good track record.

In answer to your questions, there is a simple answer: You can't. If you develop a foolproof system for cashing out or inventories, someone will develop a better fool and find a way of beating the system. As long as there are employees there will always be theft. The only real deterrent for theft is constant villigence, good management, and little surprise inspections.

[durangojo]

if you want to open a restaurant you need to lay down til the feeling passes!..sorry, but i don't think you have a clue as to what it takes to open, manage and maintain a restaurant, let alone multiple ones..even your best employees know how to steal from you and the good ones are really good..you may never know it, or perhaps not for years..it may not be overt hand in the till stealing, but giving away drinks or food to get better tips, ordering food without tickets, then selling it and pocketing the money etc. there are as many ways to steal as there are restaurants in the world...you sound young, which is what you need to be, but you more than anything need to be realistic..and have a good, solid business plan and money to back it up. i would take the advice of the other posters here, as they in the end are the ones who know..they have lived it or are living it..go work for someone, someplace who's style you like and train, train, train!...take business classes,management classes and get cross trained in every position in the kitchen, bar and front of house..you need to know EVERYTHING! it is hard,physically unforgiving work, you will work every holiday, miss birthdays, weddings, funerals, parties. vacations will be a thing of the past..you just need to be aware of what this lifesytle is really about and the sacrifices that are involved... but, good luck!

[adamm]

about 2 year ago i was a cook for a place that switched ownership, the old owners didnt give a crap about the property and left it go to pieces in there last few months theres. the new owner came it and had to replace so much, if he was an everyday person off the street i have no doubt in my mind it would have failed by now. But he was a restaurant manager that came in from pittsburg. He lived in the apartment there, it was an inn besides just being a restaurant, he was responsible for cooking breakfast and such. He or his wife was there all the time, there was very few times when either were there those few time the chef was there to run the place. The point is if you dont think you can be there all i woundnt waste the money. like everyone else said its more than just good recipes and such.

[panini]

You know, when I'm dreaming about a next venture or a first one, many questions pop into my head. It does not have anything to do with experience.
Your answer is there are tools to help you on the electronic side. Research POS systems. It might answer some of your questions.
Many great chef's don't have a clue about 60% of opening a business. These are good questions.
Pan
heck, this site is for asking questions.
Most negetive answers to a question like this is probably from those who want, those who tried and failed, yadda yadda. oh my! I'm so bad.
oh, stealing, an eye for and eye.
I took on a partner onetime, church buddie, nicest guy...well took me for 80K plus before I realized. If someone wants to take you they will.

[kuan]

I bet I can run a small restaurant without people stealing me blind.

The bar, OTOH, is a totally different story. There's very little you can do if a bartender decides he needs extra money.

[Montelago]

Now I have proof that there is someone crazier than me out there. Good luck buddy.

[panini]

Friends,
I just wanted to add that there is a large percentage of restauranteurs and food operation owners that have little to no food experience. It seems to be a quick learn once started but cooking experience is not a qualification to open a restaurant. As a whole, most cooks/chefs who dive into business without other types of experience usually crash and burn. I'm currently looking at three projects I might want to involve myself in as I move towards retirement. Vineyard, check cashing business, opening a professional guide service. I'm asking clueless questions of these guyus all the time
pan

[KYHeirloomer]

Pan, you want to become a guide after you retire?

If you've got that kind of energy you may as well stay in the restaurant industry. Guiding is a lot of things, but relaxing is hardly one of them.

Or are you talking about becoming an outfitter, who merely manages the guides?

[panini]

An outfitter. I don't have the energy to be guided right now