Running a successful restaurant depends on doing the basics right. I call it Restaurant 101. Let’s take a step back to the basics with your 2024 guide to running a successful restaurant.
Table of Contents
Restaurant success starts with Restaurant 101
To kick things off, let’s revisit Restaurant 101 – the foundation of any successful establishment. Remember the golden rule: hot food hot, cold food cold.
But it’s more than that; it’s about having solid systems in place. Line checklists, prep systems, ordering protocols and staffing guides ensure that your kitchen operates seamlessly.
Staff training is paramount, and having a manager or supervisor on every shift is non-negotiable.
This ensures your team is ready and your guests have the best possible experience.
Checklists and cash controls ensure accountability
Moving on to the next level of the basics, let’s delve into checklists and cash controls. Opening and closing checklists for all positions, including management, are crucial.
To supercharge your checklists, consider using a checklist software. I recommend Jolt, an online checklist system that ensures accountability like no other.
I like the software so much that I provide it to the members of my coaching group for their implementation of checklists as a basic system for success.
When it comes to cash controls, precision is the name of the game. No rounding up or down – you want exact change. Implement and review your DSR tracker daily to keep a close eye on your numbers.
Restaurant systems are a blueprint for success
Now, let’s talk about the broader picture – restaurant systems. This involves having a comprehensive set of processes in place. A few essentials include:
- Restaurant budget
- Daily admin systems such as sales forecasting, DSR tracking, invoice logs, paid out logs and manager logs
- Food cost management systems such as a key item tracker, waste tracker and a program I call the Restaurant Checkbook Guardian
- Labor cost control systems such as a program I call Restaurant Payroll Guardian, scheduling software and the labor discrepancy finder
- Monthly budget variance report allows you to evaluate where you hit or missed your budget and adjust systems accordingly
- Core values documentation to align your team’s decisions with your core values for a unified approach
- Organizational chart to establish clear responsibilities with a detailed organizational chart
Taking your restaurant business to the next level
When you’re ready to elevate your restaurant management game, consider implementing advanced systems like:
- Weekly prime budget variance report
- Recipe costing cards
- Weekly inventories
- Ideal vs. actual product usage analysis
- Dollars per labor hour worked analysis
- Training systems for every position
If you’re looking to make the money you deserve, have a management team that knows what their job is, how to do it, how well it should be done and by when, and have freedom from your business, it starts with making sure you’ve got the basics covered, starting with Restaurant 101.
