For the past year, I've talked to my wife about starting a small restaurant. I'd like short hours to start, so I considered a place that specializes in sandwiches, pastries and snacks.
Currently, I'm an arborist and landscape designer, and the work is a bit hard. I enjoy people and customers a lot, and that's why the restaurant industry seems like a good idea.
My father had two restaurants and one motel when I was younger. I helped him with serving, dishes and light food preparation. I also traveled 70 miles to buy the food for the restaurant. When I was about 26, I spent time almost every other day, hanging around a chef in Beaverton, Oregon, and helped him arrange his kitchen. That enabled me to see how he handled his serving, food storage, etc..
My wife is very good with food preparation, and cake decorating (although we won't sell cake).
Several people have told me that their friends had problems with cash and food theft, but I think I've got that one figured out. I plan to have security cameras placed viewing the tables, cash register, employee lockers, refrigerators and back door, etc.. The cameras will feed back over the internet to our home / office, so we can have 24 hour surviellance.
A few question I had were:
1. If it were you, would you rather purchase an older home or building in a commercial zoned area, or would you rather lease?
2. If space and funds were limited at first, what small appliances would you absolutely buy of commercial grade?
3. Since this operation would not dwell on dinner meals, what hours of operation do you think would be essential?
4. If you tried this, what style of advertising would you try?
5. Do you think that it would be good to start with an employee or two from day one, and absorb the expense until business made up for the cost?
Thanks, if you have the time to reply.
I put this in this category since it's not a "chef" style question.
Currently, I'm an arborist and landscape designer, and the work is a bit hard. I enjoy people and customers a lot, and that's why the restaurant industry seems like a good idea.
My father had two restaurants and one motel when I was younger. I helped him with serving, dishes and light food preparation. I also traveled 70 miles to buy the food for the restaurant. When I was about 26, I spent time almost every other day, hanging around a chef in Beaverton, Oregon, and helped him arrange his kitchen. That enabled me to see how he handled his serving, food storage, etc..
My wife is very good with food preparation, and cake decorating (although we won't sell cake).
Several people have told me that their friends had problems with cash and food theft, but I think I've got that one figured out. I plan to have security cameras placed viewing the tables, cash register, employee lockers, refrigerators and back door, etc.. The cameras will feed back over the internet to our home / office, so we can have 24 hour surviellance.
A few question I had were:
1. If it were you, would you rather purchase an older home or building in a commercial zoned area, or would you rather lease?
2. If space and funds were limited at first, what small appliances would you absolutely buy of commercial grade?
3. Since this operation would not dwell on dinner meals, what hours of operation do you think would be essential?
4. If you tried this, what style of advertising would you try?
5. Do you think that it would be good to start with an employee or two from day one, and absorb the expense until business made up for the cost?
Thanks, if you have the time to reply.
I put this in this category since it's not a "chef" style question.