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How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan
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When starting a business—no matter what type of business that may be—a business plan is essential to map out your intentions and direction. That’s the same for a restaurant business plan, which will help you figure out where you fit in the landscape, how you’re going to differ from other establishments around you, how you’ll market your business, and even what you’re going to serve. A business plan for your restaurant can also help you later if you choose to apply for a business loan .
While opening a restaurant isn’t as risky as you’ve likely heard, you still want to ensure that you’re putting thought and research into your business venture to set it up for success. And that’s where a restaurant business plan comes in.
We’ll go through how to create a business plan for a restaurant and a few reasons why it’s so important. After you review the categories and the restaurant business plan examples, you can use the categories to make a restaurant business plan template and start your journey.
Why you shouldn’t skip a restaurant business plan
First-time restaurateurs and industry veterans alike all need to create a business plan when opening a new restaurant . That’s because, even if you deeply understand your business and its nuances (say, seasonal menu planning or how to order correct quantities), a restaurant is more than its operations. There’s marketing, financing, the competitive landscape, and more—and each of these things is unique to each door you open.
That’s why it’s so crucial to understand how to create a business plan for a restaurant. All of these things and more will be addressed in the document—which should run about 20 or 30 pages—so you’ll not only have a go-to-market strategy, but you’ll also likely figure out some things about your business that you haven’t even thought of yet.
Additionally, if you’re planning to apply for business funding down the line, some loans—including the highly desirable SBA loan —actually require you to submit your business plan to gain approval. In other words: Don’t skip this step!
How to write a restaurant business plan: Step by step
There’s no absolute format for a restaurant business plan that you can’t stray from—some of these sections might be more important than others, for example, or you might find that there’s a logical order that makes more sense than the one in the restaurant business plan example below. However, this business plan outline will serve as a good foundation, and you can use it as a restaurant business plan template for when you write your own.
Executive summary
Your executive summary is one to two pages that kick off your business plan and explain your vision. Even though this might seem like an introduction that no one will read, that isn’t the case. In fact, some investors only ask for the executive summary. So, you’ll want to spend a lot of time perfecting it.
Your restaurant business plan executive summary should include information on:
Mission statement: Your goals and objectives
General company information: Include your founding date, team roles (i.e. executive chef, sous chefs, sommeliers), and locations
Category and offerings: What category your restaurant fits into, what you’re planning to serve (i.e. farm-to-table or Korean), and why
Context for success: Any past success you’ve had, or any current financial data that’ll support that you are on the path to success
Financial requests: If you’re searching for investment or financing, include your plans and goals here and any financing you’ve raised or borrowed thus far
Future plans: Your vision for where you’re going in the next year, three years, and five years
When you’re done with your executive summary, you should feel like you’ve provided a bird’s eye view of your entire business plan. In fact, even though this section is first, you will likely write it last so you can take the highlights from each of the subsequent sections.
And once you’re done, read it on its own: Does it give a comprehensive, high-level overview of your restaurant, its current state, and your vision for the future? Remember, this may be the only part of your business plan potential investors or partners will read, so it should be able to stand on its own and be interesting enough to make them want to read the rest of your plan.
Company overview
This is where you’ll dive into the specifics of your company, detailing the kind of restaurant you’re looking to create, who’s helping you do it, and how you’re prepared to accomplish it.
Your restaurant business plan company overview should include:
Purpose: The type of restaurant you’re opening (fine dining, fast-casual, pop-up, etc.), type of food you’re serving, goals you have, and the niche you hope to fill in the market
Area: Information on the area in which you’re opening
Customers: Whom you’re hoping to target, their demographic information
Legal structure: Your business entity (i.e. LLC, LLP, etc.) and how many owners you have
Similar to your executive summary, you won’t be going into major detail here as the sections below will get into the nitty-gritty. You’ll want to look at this as an extended tear sheet that gives someone a good grip on your restaurant or concept, where it fits into the market, and why you’re starting it.
Team and management
Barely anything is as important for a restaurant as the team that runs it. You’ll want to create a section dedicated to the members of your staff—even the ones that aren’t yet hired. This will provide a sense of who is taking care of what, and how you need to structure and build out the team to get your restaurant operating at full steam.
Your restaurant business plan team and management section should have:
Management overview: Who is running the restaurant, what their experience and qualifications are, and what duties they’ll be responsible for
Staff: Other employees you’ve brought on and their bios, as well as other spots you anticipate needing to hire for
Ownership percentage: Which individuals own what percentage of the restaurant, or if you are an employee-owned establishment
Be sure to update this section with more information as your business changes and you continue to share this business plan—especially because who is on your team will change both your business and the way people look at it.
Sample menu
You’ll also want to include a sample menu in your restaurant business plan so readers have a sense of what they can expect from your operations, as well as what your diners can expect from you when they sit down. This will also force you to consider exactly what you want to serve your diners and how your menu will stand out from similar restaurants in the area. Although a sample menu is in some ways self-explanatory, consider the following:
Service : If your brunch is as important as your dinner, provide both menus; you also might want to consider including both a-la-carte and prix fixe menus if you plan to offer them.
Beverage/wine service: If you’ll have an emphasis on specialty beverages or wine, a separate drinks list could be important.
Seasonality: If you’re a highly seasonal restaurant, you might want to consider providing menus for multiple seasons to demonstrate how your dishes (and subsequent purchasing) will change.
Market analysis
This is where you’ll begin to dive deeper. Although you’ve likely mentioned your market and the whitespace you hope to address, the market analysis section will enable you to prove your hypotheses.
Your restaurant business plan market analysis should include:
Industry information: Include a description of the restaurant industry, its size, growth trends, and other trends regarding things such as tastes, trends, demographics, structures, etc.
Target market: Zoom in on the area and neighborhood in which you’re opening your restaurant as well as the type of cuisine you’re serving.
Target market characteristics: Describe your customers and their needs, how/if their needs are currently being served, other important pieces about your specific location and customers.
Target market size and growth: Include a data-driven section on the size of your market, trends in its growth, how your target market fits into the industry as a whole, projected growth of your market, etc.
Market share potential: Share how much potential there is in the market, how much your presence will change the market, and how much your specific restaurant or restaurant locations can own of the open market; also touch on any barriers to growth or entry you might see.
Market pricing: Explain how you’ll be pricing your menu and where you’ll fall relative to your competitors or other restaurants in the market.
Competitive research: Include research on your closest competitors, how they are both succeeding and failing, how customers view them, etc.
If this section seems like it might be long, it should—it’s going to outline one of the most important parts of your strategy, and should feel comprehensive. Lack of demand is the number one reason why new businesses fail, so the goal of this section should be to prove that there is demand for your restaurant and show how you’ll capitalize on it.
Additionally, if market research isn’t your forte, don’t be shy to reach out to market research experts to help you compile the data, or at least read deeply on how to conduct effective research.
Marketing and sales
Your marketing and sales section should feel like a logical extension of your market analysis section, since all of the decisions you’ll make in this section should follow the data of the prior section.
The marketing and sales sections of your restaurant business plan should include:
Positioning: How you’ll describe your restaurant to potential customers, the brand identity and visuals you’ll use to do it, and how you’ll stand out in the market based on the brand you’re building
Promotion: The tools, tactics, and platforms you’ll use to market your business
Sales: How you’ll convert on certain items, and who/how you will facilitate any additional revenue streams (i.e. catering)
It’s likely that you’ll only have concepts for some of these elements, especially if you’re not yet open. Still, get to paper all of the ideas you have, and you can (and should) always update them later as your restaurant business becomes more fully formed.
Business operations
The business operations section should get to the heart of how you plan to run your business. It will highlight both internal factors as well as external forces that will dictate how you run the ship.
The business operations section should include:
Management team: Your management structure and hierarchy, and who is responsible for what
Hours: Your hours and days of operation
Location: What’s special about your location that will get people through the door
Relationships: Any advantageous relationships you have with fellow restaurateurs, places for sourcing and buying, business organizations, or consultants on your team
Add here anything you think could be helpful for illustrating how you’re going to do business and what will affect it.
Here, you’ll detail the current state of your business finances and project where you hope to be in a year, three years, and five years. You’ll want to detail what you’ve spent, what you will spend, where you’ll get the money, costs you might incur, and returns you’ll hope to see—including when you can expect to break even and turn a profit.
Financial statements: If you’ve been in business for any amount of time, include existing financial statements (i.e. profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow, etc.)
Budget: Your current budget or a general startup budget
Projections: Include revenue, cash flow, projected profit and loss, and other costs
Debt: Include liabilities if the business has any outstanding debt or loans
Funding request: If you’re requesting a loan or an investment, lay out how much capital you’re looking for, your company’s valuation (if applicable), and the purpose of the funding
Above all, as you’re putting your financials together, be realistic—even conservative. You want to give any potential investors a realistic picture of your business.
Feel like there are other important components but they don't quite fit in any of the other categories (or make them run too long)? That’s what the restaurant business plan appendix section is for. And although in, say, a book, an appendix can feel like an afterthought, don’t ignore it—this is another opportunity for you to include crucial information that can give anyone reading your plan some context. You may include additional data, graphs, marketing collateral (like logo mockups), and more.
The bottom line
Whether you’re writing a restaurant business plan for investors, lenders, or simply for yourself and your team, the most important thing to do is make sure your document is comprehensive. A good business plan for a restaurant will take time—and maybe a little sweat—to complete fully and correctly.
One other crucial thing to remember: a business plan is not a document set in stone. You should often look to it to make sure you’re keeping your vision and mission on track, but you should also feel prepared to update its components as you learn more about your business and individual restaurant.
This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.
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Restaurant Business Plan: What To Include, Plus 8 Examples
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Do you want to ensure the success of your new foodservice endeavor? Write a restaurant business plan.
In this article, the experts at Sling tell you why a business plan is vital for both new and existing businesses and give you tips on what to include.
Table Of Contents
What Is A Restaurant Business Plan?
Why is a restaurant business plan important, questions to ask first, what to include in an effective restaurant business plan, how to format a restaurant business plan, efficient workforce management is essential for success.
At its most basic, a restaurant business plan is a written document that describes your restaurant’s goals and the steps you will take to make those goals a reality.
This business plan also describes the nature of the business itself, financial projections, background information, and organizational strategies that govern the day-to-day activity of your restaurant.
A restaurant business plan is vital for the success of your endeavor because, without one, it is very difficult — sometimes even impossible — to obtain funding from an investor or a bank.
Without that all-important starting or operational capital, you may not be able to keep your doors open for long, if at all.
Even if funding isn’t a primary concern, a business plan provides you — the business owner or manager — with clear direction on how to translate general strategies into actionable plans for reaching your goals.
The plan can help solidify everything from the boots-on-the-ground functional strategy to the mid-level business strategy all the way up to the driving-force corporate strategy .
Think of this plan as a roadmap that guides your way when things are going smoothly and, more importantly, when they aren’t.
If you want to give your restaurant the best chance for success, start by writing a business plan.
Sitting down to write a restaurant business plan can be a daunting task.
As you’ll see in the What To Include In An Effective Restaurant Business Plan section below, you’ll need a lot of information and detail to ensure that the final document is both complete and effective.
Instead of starting with word one, it is hugely beneficial to answer a number of general questions first.
These questions will help you narrow down the information to include in your plan so the composition process feels less difficult.
The questions are:
- What problem does the business’s product or service solve?
- What niche will the business fill?
- What is the business’s solution to the problem?
- Who are the business’s customers?
- How will the business market and sell its products to them?
- What is the size of the market for this solution?
- What is the business model for the business?
- How will the business make money?
- Who are the competitors?
- How will the business maintain a competitive advantage?
- How does the business plan to manage growth?
- Who will run the business?
- What makes those individuals qualified to do so?
- What are the risks and threats confronting the business?
- What can you do to mitigate those risks and threats?
- What are the business’s capital and resource requirements?
- What are the business’s historical and projected financial statements?
Depending on your business, some of these questions may not apply or you may not have applicable answers.
Nevertheless, it helps to think about, and try to provide details for, the whole list so your finished restaurant business plan is as complete as possible.
Once you’ve answered the questions for your business, you can transfer a large portion of that information to the business plan itself.
We’ll discuss exactly what to include in the next section.
In this section, we’ll show you what to include in an effective restaurant business plan and provide a brief example of each component.
1) Executive Summary
You should always start any business plan with an executive summary. This gives the reader a brief introduction into common elements, such as:
- Mission statement
- Overhead costs
- Labor costs
- Return on investment (ROI)
This portion of your plan should pique the reader’s interest and make them want to read more.
Fanty & Mingo’s is a 50-seat fine-dining restaurant that will focus on Sweruvian (Swedish/Peruvian) fusion fare.
We will keep overhead and labor costs low thanks to simple but elegant decor , highly skilled food-prep staff, and well-trained servers.
Because of the location and surrounding booming economy, we estimate ROI at 20 percent per annum.
2) Mission Statement
A mission statement is a short description of what your business does for its customers, employees, and owners.
This is in contrast to your business’s vision statement which is a declaration of objectives that guide internal decision-making.
While the two are closely related and can be hard to distinguish, it often helps to think in terms of who, what, why, and where.
The vision statement is the where of your business — where you want your business to be and where you want your customers and community to be as a result.
The mission statement is the who , what , and why of your business — it’s an action plan that makes the vision statement a reality
Here’s an example of a mission statement for our fictional company:
Fanty and Mingo’s takes pride in making the best Sweruvian food, providing fast, friendly, and accurate service. It is our goal to be the employer of choice and offer team members opportunities for growth, advancement, and a rewarding career in a fun and safe working environment.
3) Company Description
In this section of your restaurant business plan, you fully introduce your company to the reader. Every business’s company description will be different and include its own pertinent information.
Useful details to include are:
- Owner’s details
- Brief description of their experience
- Legal standing
- Short-term goals
- Long-term goals
- Brief market study
- An understanding of the trends in your niche
- Why your business will succeed in these market conditions
Again, you don’t have to include all of this information in your company description. Choose the ones that are most relevant to your business and make the most sense to communicate to your readers.
Fanty & Mingo’s will start out as an LLC, owned and operated by founders Malcolm Reynolds and Zoe Washburne. Mr. Reynolds will serve as managing partner and Ms. Washburne as general manager.
We will combine atmosphere, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and menu variety to create a unique experience for our diners and to reach our goal of high value in the fusion food niche.
Our gross margin is higher than industry average, but we plan to spend more on payroll to attract the best team.
We estimate moderate growth for the first two years while word-of-mouth about our restaurant spreads through the area.
4) Market Analysis
A market analysis is a combination of three different views of the niche you want to enter:
- The industry as a whole
- The competition your restaurant will face
- The marketing you’ll execute to bring in customers
This section should be a brief introduction to these concepts. You can expand on them in other sections of your restaurant business plan.
The restaurant industry in our chosen location is wide open thanks in large part to the revitalization of the city’s center.
A few restaurants have already staked their claim there, but most are bars and non-family-friendly offerings.
Fanty & Mingo’s will focus on both tourist and local restaurant clientele. We want to bring in people that have a desire for delicious food and an exotic atmosphere.
We break down our market into five distinct categories:
- High-end singles
- Businessmen and businesswomen
We will target those markets to grow our restaurant by up to 17 percent per year.
Every restaurant needs a good menu, and this is the section within your restaurant business plan that you describe the food you’ll serve in as much detail as possible.
You may not have your menu design complete, but you’ll likely have at least a handful of dishes that serve as the foundation of your offerings.
It’s also essential to discuss pricing and how it reflects your overall goals and operating model. This will give potential investors and partners a better understanding of your business’s target price point and profit strategy.
We don’t have room to describe a sample menu in this article, but for more information on menu engineering, menu pricing, and even a menu template, check out these helpful articles from the Sling blog:
- Menu Engineering: What It Is And How It Can Increase Profits
- Restaurant Menu Pricing: 7 Tips To Maximize Profitability
- How To Design Your Menu | Free Restaurant Menu Template
6) Location
In this section, describe your potential location (or locations) so that you and your investors have a clear image of what the restaurant will look like.
Include plenty of information about the location — square footage, floor plan , design , demographics of the area, parking, etc. — to make it feel as real as possible.
We will locate Fanty & Mingo’s in the booming and rapidly expanding downtown sector of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Ideally, we will secure at least 2,000 square feet of space with a large, open-plan dining room and rich color scheme near the newly built baseball stadium to capitalize on the pre- and post-game traffic and to appeal to the young urban professionals that live in the area.
Parking will be available along side streets and in the 1,000-vehicle parking garage two blocks away.
7) Marketing
The marketing section of your restaurant business plan is where you should elaborate on the information you introduced in the Market Analysis section.
Go into detail about the plans you have to introduce your restaurant to the public and keep it at the top of their mind.
Fanty & Mingo’s will employ three distinct marketing tactics to increase and maintain customer awareness:
- Word-of-mouth/in-restaurant marketing
- Partnering with other local businesses
- Media exposure
We will direct each tactic at a different segment of our potential clientele in order to maximize coverage.
In the process of marketing to our target audience, we will endeavor to harness the reach of direct mail and broadcast media, the exclusivity of the VIP party, and the elegance of a highly trained sommelier and wait staff.
8) Financials
Even though the Financials section is further down in your restaurant business plan, it is one of the most important components for securing investors and bank funding.
We recommend hiring a trained accountant to help you prepare this section so that it will be as accurate and informative as possible.
Fanty & Mingo’s needs $250,000 of capital investment over the next year and a half for the following:
- Renovations to leased space
- Dining room furniture
- Kitchen and food-prep equipment
- Liquor license
Projected profit and loss won’t jump drastically in the first year, but, over time, Fanty & Mingo’s will develop its reputation and client base. This will lead to more rapid growth toward the third and fourth years of business.
Most entrepreneurs starting a new business find it valuable to have multiple formats of their business plan.
The information, data, and details remain the same, but the length and how you present them will change to fit a specific set of circumstances.
Below we discuss the four most common business plan formats to cover a multitude of potential situations.
Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch is a short summary of your restaurant business plan’s executive summary.
Rather than being packed full of details, the elevator pitch is a quick teaser of sorts that you use on a short elevator ride (hence the name) to stimulate interest in potential customers, partners, and investors
As such, an effective elevator pitch is between 30 and 60 seconds and hits the high points of your restaurant business plan.
A pitch deck is a slide show and oral presentation that is designed to stimulate discussion and motivate interested parties to investigate deeper into your stakeholder plan (more on that below).
Most pitch decks are designed to cover the executive summary and include key graphs that illustrate market trends and benchmarks you used (and will use) to make decisions about your business.
Some entrepreneurs even include time and space in their pitch deck to demonstrate new products coming down the pipeline.
This won’t necessarily apply to a restaurant business plan, but, if logistics permit, you could distribute small samples of your current fare or tasting portions of new dishes you’re developing.
Stakeholder Plan (External)
A stakeholder plan is the standard written presentation that business owners use to describe the details of their business model to customers, partners, and potential investors.
The stakeholder plan can be as long as is necessary to communicate the current and future state of your business, but it must be well-written, well-formatted, and targeted at those looking at your business from the outside in.
Think of your stakeholder plan as a tool to convince others that they should get involved in making your business a reality. Write it in such a way that readers will want to partner with you to help your business grow.
Management Plan (Internal)
A management plan is a form of your restaurant business plan that describes the details that the owners and managers need to make the business run smoothly.
While the stakeholder plan is an external document, the management plan is an internal document.
Most of the details in the management plan will be of little or no interest to external stakeholders so you can write it with a higher degree of candor and informality.
After you’ve created your restaurant business plan, it’s time to take steps to make it a reality.
One of the biggest challenges in ensuring that your business runs smoothly and successfully is managing and optimizing your team. The Sling app can help.
Sling not only includes powerful and intuitive artificial-intelligence-based scheduling tools but also many other features to help make your workforce management more efficient, including:
- Time and attendance tracking
- Built-in time clock
- Labor cost optimization
- Data analysis and reporting
- Messaging and communication
- And much more…
With Sling, you can schedule faster, communicate better, and organize and manage your work from a single, integrated platform. And when you use Sling for all of your scheduling needs, you’ll have more time to focus on bringing your restaurant business plan to life.
For more free resources to help you manage your business better, organize and schedule your team, and track and calculate labor costs, visit GetSling.com today.
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How to write a restaurant business plan [with sample].
By D. J. Costantino
Spend 80% less time on restaurant scheduling.
You can't start a restaurant without a plan. A restaurant business plan is one of the most (if not the most) essential elements in getting a new restaurant off the ground. There are a few reasons for this:
- A business plan is typically the first thing any lender or investor will want to look at
- Taking the time and energy to create one proves to others (and yourself) that you're serious about the venture
- You'll have a document to reference during the planning or opening of your restaurant.
Although it's an essential step in starting a restaurant , creating a business plan can be challenging for an aspiring restaurateur. But it doesn't have to be overwhelming. There are a few key sections that should be included...
Table of Contents
- What is a Restaurant Business Plan?
- Restaurant Business Plan Sample Outline
- Section 1: Executive Summary
- Section 2: Company Description
- Section 3: Market Analysis
- Section 4: Marketing Plan
- Section 5: Operations Plan
- Section 6: Financials
Section 7: Appendix
- Other Resources
What is a restaurant business plan, and why do you need one?
A restaurant business plan is a document that outlines the various aspects of your restaurant business. It can be used to secure funding from investors or keep track of your progress as you develop your business. A business plan should include information on your target market, competition, business model, marketing strategy, and financial projections.
A business plan is commonly associated with investors—it's what they will look to for a better understanding of a business, its concept, and its competitive advantage. It will also show how you plan to create a successful restaurant.
Restaurant investor Lauren Fernandez at Full Course keeps it simple: “It's to convince someone to give you money.”
“If you seek investment, it tells the story of the venture to potential investors and/or banks. For the business owner, it sets parameters as well as goals for both the pre and post-opening period. A good operator looks back on their Business Plan on a monthly or quarterly basis to gauge where they are in terms,” says Mark Moeller, president, and owner of The Recipe of Success , a national restaurant consulting firm.
That being said, a business plan doesn't have to be extensive. “Be detailed but not overly so,” says Moeller. “When a plan is too wordy, it tends to turn off the reader and can actually prevent them from finishing,” Lauren Fernandez adds that the business plan should be more akin to a sales document, not an A-to-Z tactical roadmap. At the end of the day, the main goal is to convince a lender or investor to give you money.
Restaurant Business Plan Template
Start creating you restaurant business plan with our free PDF template
The key ingredients of a great restaurant business plan
Section 1: cover page and executive summary.
This is the “elevator pitch.” An effective executive summary quickly tells the reader who you are and leaves them wanting more. Include items like:
- Your restaurant's name, concept, and cuisine—if you have a logo, use it!
- The management team
- Your market position and competitive advantage
- Your financial projections and the break-even point in sales and days
Section 2: Company description
This section gives a high-level overview of the business you're looking to start: tell investors what your restaurant is all about, who your team is, and how you're going to serve the market.
Restaurant concept
What type of restaurant are you looking to open? Here is where you'll want to give investors an overview of your business. Speak to what sets you apart from the pack, what food you'll serve, the service style (fast-food, fast casual, fine dining, etc.) you'll use, and what makes your new business special. Check out these successful restaurant ideas .
Mission Statement
Your restaurant's mission statement should boil down the essence of why you're starting this new venture in just a few words.
Some mission statements are short and to the point, like Ninety Nine's (“A Passion to Serve”). If you can't simplify your mission in just four words, there's no harm in elaborating. Here is Union Square Hospitality Group 's mission statement: At Union Square Hospitality Group, our mission is to enrich lives through the power of Enlightened Hospitality. This unique approach puts our employees first because we believe that attracting, hiring, and nurturing the right people is what sets our businesses apart. We aim to find “51%ers”, individuals who embody our Family Values of Excellence, Hospitality, Entrepreneurial Spirit, and Integrity. While much longer, it clearly speaks to the company's unique position and goals for the industry.
Management team
Tell potential investors who you already have on your team. It works in your favor to show strong connections to the restaurant industry. “Are they an island, or do they have good connections? The more people they have around them, there's something about that; there's an indicator of success that I can't put my finger on.” says Lauren Fernandez. Investors want to see that you have good people around you. If you have a great GM on board, introduce them here. An award-winning chef in the kitchen? Tell investors about them. Include a headshot, quick bio, and list of relevant experience.
Sample Menu
You don't, by any means, have to have a menu ready to go. But give an idea of some dishes or drinks with projected price points. A sample menu can go a long way in helping a potential investor imagine themselves eating at your restaurant. It also shows that you've done your research given the market, suppliers, and have an idea on menu design.
Section 3: Conduct a market analysis
This covers the customer base you're hoping to appeal to, your position in said market, and what you'll do to catch people's eyes. Describe the current restaurant market where you want to open:
Target market and demographics
Who is your target customer? Here's where you'll explain the tactics you took in conducting your market research and the results of those findings.
You'll want to highlight the most relevant statistics you found about your restaurant business. For example, if you're starting a coffee shop , you may cover that your primary research concluded that 24-36 year-olds make up 40% of your area's population. Research from other outlets suggested that coffee consumption for millennials continues to rise.
This would lead to a convincing, research-based conclusion that the coffee shop could be a realistic and profitable endeavor for the area.
Location analysis
You don't have to have a specific restaurant location or address in mind when you create a business plan. Set your focus on the city or the general neighborhood you want open in, and why you're looking at that area.
Give an overview of the market conditions in your area. Talk about things like foot traffic, day-parts, local events, and what that part of the city looks like in the future. Is there a new stadium or highrise on the way? Outline it in this section.
Your location choice should align well with the market you intend to target. For example, if you're hoping that young professionals will make up a large portion of your business, ensure your chosen location has that density of people.
Competitive analysis
Explain how your restaurant will stand out in a sea of competition. A good idea is to include SWOT analysis for your restaurant, outlining the internal strengths and weaknesses you believe your new business would have, as well as any external opportunities and threats you'd face as an entrepreneur.
Here are examples of each:
- Strengths : Combined 30+ years of restaurant experience from the leadership team.
- Weaknesses : Needed ramp-up time for staff could set our financial projections back.
- Opportunities : Our location is near several office buildings, suggesting we would have a steady flow of white-collar lunch customers and after-work dinner guests.
- Threats : An established restaurant of a similar concept is close in proximity, posing a direct threat to our potential market share.
In your SWOT analysis, you should identify how you intend to overcome the weaknesses and threats your restaurant will face to reassure investors they won't be the downfalls of your business.
Section 4: Marketing strategy
How will you reach your target audience? Sticking with the above example of a coffee shop, you may want to talk about your restaurant advertising ideas for millennials, like using TikTok marketing to promote your menu items and an app-based loyalty program.
Marketing plan and channels
Talk about what marketing channels you plan to use to get butts in seats. Detail your plans for using social media, local advertising, promotions, and how you're going to reach your target audience.
Positioning
You'll also want to take a stance on how you'd like to position your restaurant's brand and how you'd like it to be perceived. 65% of consumers feel an emotional connection to brands, so the stronger your emphasis on yours, the more likely your target market will notice and identify with it.
Grand opening plan
You can't have a restaurant without a grand opening .
“Budget at least 2-3% build cost for Grand Opening marketing. You have ONE shot at making a splash in the market, and you must get the grand opening right,” says Lauren Fernandez.“Grand opening should be a week-long celebration, not just one day. Give loyal fans a reason to come back daily. The grand opening ramp-up should begin ~90 days to open, working the market and creating excitement,”
Recommended Reading: Simple Restaurant Marketing Plan + PDF Template
Section 5: An overview of operations
Some investors want to see how all the moving pieces will mesh daily with a detailed operations plan. This section should encompass your staffing strategies, what tech you'll use, and what your restaurant layout may be.
Hiring is routinely one of the most difficult tasks in food service. Recent statistics showed that the number of people working in restaurants is declining. Add to that rising restaurant labor cost and high staff turnover . Investors want to know your hiring and retention tactics, such as retention and engagement strategies.
Back of the house
Talk about the details of the back-of-house in your restaurant, such as the commercial kitchen equipment your cooks and chefs will be wielding during their shifts and what the kitchen layout and workflow will be. If you have mock-ups - such as a kitchen floor plan - you can include them here.
Here is also a good time to discuss processes you plan to adhere to in the back of the house, such as food cost control methods and who your inventory suppliers are.
Restaurant technology
Tell investors what technology you plan on using to run your business—and not just the POS (point of sale). Restaurants have access to a bevy of software to run their business efficiently, and investors want to see that you are a savvy operator. You may want to list out:
- Team Management
- Point of Sale Systems
- Scheduling software
- Inventory management systems
- Task management tools
- Time Clocking
- Manager Log Books
Section 6: The financials
Don't be offended if you see investors skip straight to this section. After all, a business comes down to making money.
So before you finalize this plan, quadruple check these projections, look over your graphs and tables, and consider running them by a hired financial professional in your area.
Startup costs
Any good investor will want to know what his or her money will be going to. Disclose how much money you'll need to get this project off the ground, identify the biggest expenses, and don't be afraid to put a line item in for working capital - which is a reserve fund for your first few (likely slower) months of operation. Also, disclose if there are any planned restaurant business loans .
Sales forecast
It can be hard to create an accurate forecast without a business. But a conservative yet confident restaurant sales forecast can show investors that you're doing the research and considering the right things. You should base this forecast on a few criteria: capacity, target market, delivery/takeout options, month-over-month growth expectations, hours of operation, and menu prices.
Projected Profit & Loss Statement
Use a projected (or pro forma) P&L statement to show investors how much money you expect to have made - or lost - by the end of your first year. This should be based on your sales forecast and your projected restaurant costs (both for opening the restaurant and operating it throughout the year).
Recommended Reading: Free Restaurant Profit and Loss Statement Template
Break-Even Analysis
It's an unforgettable day for a restaurant owner when the business becomes profitable - and you can determine that point in time with a break-even analysis . Calculating break-even will project the threshold to reach in time and sales to pay back investments and startup costs, thus reaching profitability.
Show investors how you reached your break-even point with a break-even calculation. You can reach this number by dividing total fixed costs by the difference between average revenue per guest and average variable cost per guest.
Alternatively, plug those projections in this formula to produce break-even dollars:
Break Even Point = Total Fixed Costs ÷ (Avg. revenue per guest - Avg. variable cost per guest)
You can then compare this number to your sales forecast to determine a timeline for the break-even point in days to let investors know what day they'll start seeing an ROI.
Recommended Reading: 15 Restaurant Metrics to Know and How To Use Them
The appendix and its contents are all optional, but this section could contain charts, plans, graphics, imagery, or any other material investors may find useful.
Floor Plans
As mentioned earlier, the appendix is the perfect place to include any mockups of your restaurant floor plans. These plans give readers an idea of how guests and employees will be able to maneuver through and interact with each other in the space.
Additional Financial Charts
Got supporting financial documents, like projected cash flow and a projected income statement? Awesome. Place them in here to show investors you really know your numbers.
Design Mockups
If you’ve worked with a building renovator and/or interior designer, include any graphic mockups of what the space would look like. Again, this section is completely optional, but it helps investors visualize the project you’re so passionate about and proves to them that you’ve gone the extra mile in your business research and preparation.
Use this sample template to help you build your restaurant business plan. Feel free to copy and paste this entire section into a Microsoft Word file or download the outline sample in Google Docs . Then replace the explanations for each section with information about your restaurant business.
Other Resources for Your Restaurant Business Plan
No great business plan is written in a vacuum. Use whatever you have at your disposal, from industry contacts to other entrepreneurs, and read up on more best practices. Here are a few resources that you can use to help you write a successful restaurant business plan.
- Writing a Business Plan
- US Gov - Start Your Own Business
- US Chamber: 64 Grants, Loans and Programs to Benefit Your Small Business
- SCORE Business mentors: About Score
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Hi! I'm D.J., 7shifts' resident Content Writer. I come from a family of chefs and have a background in food journalism. I'm always looking for ways to help make the restaurant industry better!
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How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan in 2023 (Step by Step Guide with Templates)
Jan 31, 2023 6:30:00 AM
Have you decided to open a restaurant? Has it been something you've thought of doing for years and are finally in a position to make it happen?
Regardless of how much time you've spent conceptualizing your idea and researching the industry, without proper planning, your restaurant is doomed for failure.
That's where a restaurant business plan comes in. A restaurant business plan is a framework that guides you to plan and forecast every element of restaurant management and operations; from menu design, location, financials, employee training, and a lot more, and helps develop your restaurant ideas into a reality.
Read on for everything you need to know about writing a restaurant business plan along with samples and tips.
Why is a Restaurant Business Plan Important?
Many new restauranteurs fail to put together a well-thought-out restaurant business plan because the process can be a bit difficult and time-consuming. But without a proper restaurant business plan, you're shooting in the dark without an aim. It's unlikely that you would be able to secure an investor to help fund your restaurant dream without a proper plan. And even if you do, the lack of proper planning, regulations, and forecasts will set your restaurant up for failure.
Your restaurant business plan is what is going to map out how you plan on turning a profit from your business as well as where your restaurant fits into the saturated market and how you plan on standing out.
A little time and pain early on are worth the reward of a successful restaurant in the long run.
11 key steps a restaurant business plan should include
A good business plan varies from restaurant to restaurant and takes into account factors like style of restaurant, target market, location, etc. If you're new to the restaurant game, the idea of creating a business plan can be daunting. To help you get started, we have highlighted the key elements you need to include when writing a restaurant business plan.
Depending on who you are presenting your business plan to, you can change the order of the sections to reflect priority.
Here are the main components of a restaurant business plan
- Executive Summary
- Company Description
- Market Analysis
- Restaurant Design
- Market Overview
- External help
- Financial Analysis
1. Executive Summary
A restaurant business plan should always begin with an executive summary. An executive summary not only acts as the introduction to your business plan but also a summary of the entire idea.
The main aim of an executive summary is to draw the reader (oftentimes an investor) into the rest of your business plan.
Common elements of an executive summary include:
- Mission statement (learn more about how to write a good mission statement here )
- Proposed concept
- A brief look at potential costs
- Expected return on investments
An executive summary is imperative for those looking to get investors to fund their projects. Instead of having to comb through the entire restaurant business plan to get all the information, they can instead just look through the executive summary.
2. Company Description
This is the part of the restaurant business plan where you fully introduce the company. Start this section with the name of the restaurant you are opening along with the location, contacts, and other relevant information. Also include the owner’s details and a brief description of their experience.
The second part of the company description should highlight the legal standing of the restaurant and outline the restaurant’s short and long-term goals. Provide a brief market study showing that you understand the trends in the regional food industry and why the restaurant will succeed in this market.
3. Market Analysis
The market analysis portion of the restaurant business plan is typically divided into three parts.
3.1 Industry Analysis
What is your target market? What demographics will your restaurant cater to? This section aims to explain your target market to investors and why you believe guests will choose your restaurant over others.
3.2 Competition Analysis
It's easy to assume that everyone will visit your restaurant, so it is important to research your competition to make this a reality. What restaurants have already established a customer base in the area? Take note of everything from their prices, hours, and menu design to the restaurant interior. Then explain to your investors how your restaurant will be different.
3.3 Marketing Analysis
Your investors are going to want to know how you plan to market your restaurant. How will your marketing campaigns differ from what is already being done by others? How do you plan on securing your target market? What kind of offers will you provide your guests? Make sure to list everything.
The most important element to launching your restaurant is the menu . Without it, your restaurant has nothing to serve. At this point, you probably don’t have a final version, but for a restaurant business plan, you should at least try to have a mock-up.
Add your logo to the mock-up and choose a design that you can see yourself actually using. If you are having trouble coming up with a menu design or don’t want to pay a designer, there are plenty of resources online to help.
The key element of your sample menu though should be pricing. Your prices should reflect the cost analysis you’ve done for investors. This will give them a better understanding of your restaurant’s target price point. You'll quickly see how important menu engineering can be, even early on.
5. Employees
The company description section of the restaurant business plan briefly introduces the owners of the restaurant with some information about each. This section should fully flesh out the restaurant management team.
The investors don’t expect you to have your entire team selected at this point, but you should at least have a couple of people on board. Use the talent you have chosen thus far to highlight the combined work experience everyone is bringing to the table.
6. Restaurant Design
The design portion of your restaurant business plan is where you can really show off your thoughts and ideas to the investors. If you don’t have professional mock-ups of your restaurant rendered, that’s fine. Instead, put together a mood board to get your vision across. Find pictures of a similar aesthetic to what you are looking for in your restaurant.
The restaurant design extends beyond aesthetics alone and should include everything from restaurant software to kitchen equipment.
7. Location
The location you end up choosing for your restaurant should definitely be in line with your target market. At this point, you might not have a precise location set aside, but you should have a few to choose from.
When describing potential locations to your investors, you want to include as much information as possible about each one and why it would be perfect for your restaurant. Mention everything from square footage to typical demographics.
8. Market Overview
The market overview section is heavily related to the market analysis portion of the restaurant business plan. In this section, go into detail about both the micro and macro conditions in the area you want to set up your restaurant.
Discuss the current economic conditions that could make opening a restaurant difficult, and how you aim to counteract that. Mention all the restaurants that could prove to be competition and what your strategy is to set yourself apart.
9. Marketing
With restaurants opening left and ride nowadays, investors are going to want to know how you will get word of your restaurant to the world. The marketing and publicity section should go into detail on how you plan to market your restaurant before and after opening. As well as any plans you may have to bring a PR company on board to help spread the word.
Read more: How to write a restaurant marketing plan from scratch
10. External Help
To make your restaurant a reality, you are going to need a lot of help. List any external companies or software you plan on hiring to get your restaurant up and running. This includes everything from accountants and designers to suppliers that help your restaurant perform better, like POS systems and restaurant reservation systems . Explain to your investors the importance of each and what they will be doing for your restaurant.
11. Financial Analysis
The most important part of your restaurant business plan is the financial section . We would recommend hiring professional help for this given its importance. Hiring a trained accountant will not only help you get your financial estimates in order but also give you a realistic insight into owning a restaurant.
You should have some information prepared to make this step easier on the accountant. He/she will want to know how many seats your restaurant has, what the check average per table will be, and how many guests you plan on seating per day.
In addition to this, doing rough food cost calculations for various menu items can help estimate your profit margin per dish. This can be achieved easily with a free food cost calculator.
Restaurant Business Plan Template
Ready to get started? Download our free restaurant business plan template to guide you through the process.
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Writing or updating your restaurant business plan? Here’s what you should include
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Writing or updating your restaurant business plan? Here’s what you should include Are you considering opening a new restaurant, adding a virtual restaurant , or pivoting your restaurant’s business strategy to adapt to the industry’s “new normal” after the pandemic? Make sure you take the time to build a restaurant business plan. Why?
- Business plans are like professional road maps — they literally lead the way to success
- They’re critical if you’re looking for investors and need to outline your restaurant’s current wins and future revenue potential
- They help you foresee challenges before they arise, so you can sidestep some catastrophes and be better prepared for the others
Some 26% of restaurants fail within a year of opening, and failure to plan is one of the primary reasons those restaurants close. Create a business plan, and you’re setting yourself up to be on the right side of that statistic.
Here’s how to do it.
What is a restaurant business plan?
Before you learn how to write a business plan , it’s crucial to understand what a business plan is — and what it isn’t.
The goal of a business plan is to create a guide that helps you navigate each stage of launching and running your business. That plan should also be comprehensive and articulate enough that a total stranger, for instance an investor, could read through it and easily understand your vision, your goals, and how you intend to turn your restaurant dream into a reality.
Business plans come in a variety of structures and they can be as short as a single page or long enough to bind into a booklet. You may want to start with a lean startup plan that focuses on a high-level take on your strategy, then follow up with a more detailed plan that elaborates on key points and offers investors more information.
In short, your business plan should communicate everything you have and plan to put into your restaurant to ensure ongoing success.
7 elements every restaurant business plan should include
Your restaurant and mission statement should be unique to your business and your vision, but that doesn’t mean you have to start completely from scratch. There are plenty of restaurant business plan examples on the internet, or you can use a free template from the Small Business Association (SBA) as your starting point. However you write it, your finalized business plan should include seven key sections.
1. Executive summary
This is a brief summary of your company, why it’s something the community wants or needs, and why it will be successful. Many different types of restaurants speak to various demographics, and it’s important to know what kind of restaurant you want to run . Are you opening a quick-service deli focused on takeout sandwiches and ready-to-eat salads? Or are you going to be the first tapas restaurant in a city eager for more variety?
If you’re using your business plan to ask for financing, the SBA recommends including financial information and high-level growth plans in your executive summary, too.
Think of your summary as your opportunity to capture your reader’s attention. Many investors will make a split-second decision based on the executive summary alone — if this section is all they’re going to read, make every word count.
2. Restaurant description
Now it’s time to launch into a more detailed description of the company, including its vital differentiator(s) , target audience, and any other factors that could sway investors like experts you’ve brought on board as advisors or a location you’ve already scouted or secured.
You’ll want to include the legal structure of the business, explaining whether you’re a sole proprietorship, LLC, etc., and list out existing management and their roles (including your own).
Now comes the fun part: Writing out a description of your concept. This is where you can let your creative side come out, showcasing your passion for what you hope to create and using plenty of adjectives to engage your readers and give your concept life. You’ve already decided what type of restaurant you’re opening, now flesh out all the other details:
- Service style (counter vs. sit-down, casual vs. fine dining, etc.)
- Restaurant size and seating capacity
- General ambiance, including décor and music
- Options for styles of seating, lighting, and other fixtures
- Operating hours
- Style of cuisine
- Peripheral service offerings such as retail products, delivery/takeout, and catering
- Unique selling points such as using produce grown on an adjacent farm or a 30-minute lunch guarantee to serve the area’s office workers better
3. Sample menu
If you’re a new restaurant, including a sample menu is the only way investors will know what you plan on serving. It’s not enough to say you’re going for “rustic Italian,” as that could mean different things to different people. Chances are your menu is your key differentiator, or at least part of it — otherwise, why will customers choose you over tried-and-true competitors already offering similar dishes?
Collaborate with your chef and keep the core tenets of great menu design in mind:
- Know your audience and tailor your design and descriptions to your target customer base — a college crowd eager for drink deals and shareable eats will be more interested in pictures and flashy pricing than diners looking for a white tablecloth experience
- Menu descriptions should be short but evocative — choose words that help customers understand exactly what they’ll be eating and get them excited about trying it (for example, say “succulent tea-smoked duck with anise-scented plum sauce” rather than “duck with plum sauce”)
- Refer to menu psychology when determining and placing pricing, sticking to simple numerals (no dollar signs) placed to the right of the menu item with no dots or dashes in between
- Use that same psychology to guide customers through your offerings, using call-out boxes and bold text to highlight more profitable items
- View your menu as an extension of your restaurant branding, using the same colors, design elements, and fonts
4. Target market analysis
Detail your target market, using buyer personas to indicate who you see being your primary customer and what their dining habits might look like. These personas should include information on where target customers live, their income levels, their pain points (do they hate long waits or want restaurants that are open later?), and how often they dine out or order in.
5. Marketing plans and competitor analysis
Bolster your business plan with an overview of the industry. This should include competitive research that offers insight into how other restaurants in your niche are doing, what successes they’ve had, and where they’ve faltered so you can learn from those mistakes. Refer again to your key differentiators, this time explaining how your restaurant will address the current market and exceed customer expectations.
This is an excellent place to include your marketing plan , too. For example, how will you be promoting your restaurant? Will marketing be handled in-house or outsourced?
Promotional events, social media, and paid ads are just some ways you can help get your restaurant off the ground, and investors will be very interested to hear what you have planned.
6. Organizational management
While you’ve touched on your organizational structure and management earlier on in your business plan, now you’ll explain your business structure and share a more comprehensive look at your team. An organizational chart can be helpful, as is a summary of your collective experience. Some people include a bullet list of the team’s top achievements that’s easy to scan and digest.
In addition to listing out co-founders, managers, servers, etc., you can attach resumes from your executive team or critical players like a well-known mixologist that’s helping you develop your cocktail program.
7. Financial projections
Finally, it’s time to address the financial side of your business, especially if you’re using your business plan to acquire startup funds or additional capital after you’re already operational.
If you’re pre-launch, your projections are just that: guesses. But these guesses should be based on market research, actual expenses, and projected income, culminating in a five-year look at everything from estimated revenue to capital expenditure budgets.
If your business is up and running, you’ll include actual financial records such as cash flow statements and your P&Ls, ideally for the last five years. Use colorful charts and graphs to highlight financial wins and make it easier for investors to gauge your company’s financial health quickly.
If you’re asking for funding, specify how those funds will be used and whether you have collateral you’re able to put up to secure a loan.
Strengthen business plan by strategizing how you’ll capture new customers through takeout and delivery
COVID-19 has drastically changed the hospitality industry, but many restaurants like Pig & Khoa and The Council Cafe have found ways to revamp their restaurant models to support not only on-premise dining but expanded delivery and takeout orders as well.
In 2020, some 1.2 billion people worldwide used online food ordering. In addition, surveys found that 68% of consumers are more likely to grab takeout from a restaurant now than pre-pandemic, and 53% say takeout and delivery play an essential role in their way of life.
Platforms like Grubhub Marketplace can make it easier than ever to capture the attention of new customers and reinvigorate relationships with existing customers by offering quick-click access to ordering and stress-free pickup or delivery.
Ready to reach millions of hungry customers? Sign up for Grubhub for Restaurants today!
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Restaurant Business Plan Examples
Home » Services » Business Plan Consulting » Business Plan Examples » Restaurant, Lounge & Bar
A professional restaurant business plan is an important step towards launching a business in this challenging industry. Several of our restaurant & foodservice clients have graciously provided permission for us to share their plans with you. Below are several sample restaurant business plans and pitch decks created by Cayenne Consulting:
Fast Casual Restaurant Business Plan & Pitch Deck Samples
Hashi is a new fast-casual Asian-inspired restaurant concept. It will be positioned to take advantage of the fastest-growing segment within the foodservice industry and is designed to meet the evolving demands of today’s consumers. The menu offers a limited selection of Americanized Asian dishes. Cayenne Consulting prepared Hashi’s business plan, financial forecast, and pitch deck:
Hashi Business Plan
Hashi pitch deck, mexican restaurant business plan example.
Frida Mexican Café is a Mexican full-service restaurant that combines color, art, and great food and service in a Mexican art-oriented atmosphere. The name, personality, and even the ambiance of Frida Mexican Café is inspired by the artist Frida Kahlo whose life many moviegoers will remember from the Selma Hayek film, “Frida.” The menu is a fusion of authentic Mexican and Tex Mex. Cayenne Consulting prepared Frida’s business plan and financial forecast.
Frida Mexican Cafe Business Plan
Fast food franchisee business plan example.
Subway is a well-known fast-food franchise concept. Cayenne Consulting helped a client prepare a business plan and financial forecast for a potential franchisee. These materials were used in multiple ways: to show the franchisor of the potential of awarding a franchise to our client; to persuade lenders that the client presented a sound credit risk; to support the client’s E-2 Investor Visa petition; and to provide the client with a roadmap as he embarked on his new venture.
Subway Business Plan
Anatomy of a restaurant business plan.
Every restaurant business is unique. So, too, is its business plan. Nevertheless, most restaurant business plans share the following general structure:
- Introduction
- Funding Requirement & Capitalization Plan
- Summary Financial Highlights
- Cuisine Overview
- Keys to Success
- Dinner Menu
- Brunch Menu
- Children’s Menu
- Beverage menu
- Dessert Menu
- Inventory Controls
- Purchasing Cost Controls
- Recipe & Portion Controls
- Sanitation & Food Handling
- Software & Systems
- Training Program
- Cash Management
- Employee Recruitment & Retention
- Operating Details
- Target Market
- Market Segmentation
- Demographic Overview
- Neighborhood
- Competitive Landscape
- Key Competitors
- Competitive Advantages
- Market Positioning & Branding
- Marketing Strategies
- The Founder
- Compensation Program
- Professional Services Providers
- Summary Financial Assumptions & Highlights
- Projected Balance Sheet
- Projected Income Statement
- Projected Cash Flow Statement
How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan
My step-by-step recipe for success.
By Jimmy Lewin In the past two decades, we have written hundreds of business plans for restaurants, food trucks, ghost kitchens, bars, lounges, and other food & beverage businesses. You can see some sample restaurant plans here . We have enjoyed seeing the positive results achieved by many of our clients when their business plans and financial forecasts were submitted to banks, investors, and landlords.
Recently, it occurred to me that I have a formula, or recipe, that has provided excellent outcomes for our clients, and I decided to share my recipe with you. I hope you’ll find that the benefits of following my recipe are that it leads to a professional, organized, and concise document that is easy for bankers and investors to follow, and that it provides a roadmap for the successful launch and operation of your business.
By the way, I am happy to share my recipe for writing a successful restaurant business plan, but if you think I am going to share my recipe for my famous Poppyseed Wine Cake, you will have to wait for a later post.
Restaurant Business Plan Outline
Every restaurant business will include the following sections, though not necessarily in this order:
Executive Summary
Company overview.
- Sample Menu
- Location & Space
Industry Analysis
Market opportunity, marketing plan, competition, company & management, financial information.
The specific order of the sections depends on how best to tell your unique story. Let’s dig into each of these in more detail.
Every business plan should begin with an attractive cover page . This is your chance to make a great first impression. Your goal is to have your business plan be as professional as you are, and as professional as you intend for your restaurant business to be. This begins with your cover page.
The page must include the name of your restaurant and your logo. Your logo is not optional. If you do not have a logo, have one designed immediately. If you don’t know a graphic designer, find one online. Many are very talented and very affordable: always an excellent combination.
You will also want to include your name, contact details, and the current date.
Your Executive Summary should only be one page. It needs to be brief and to the point. Include a few sentences about each of the following topics:
- Description of the restaurant (QSR, Fast Casual, Fine Dining, Ethnic, Food Truck, etc.).
- Why you are the best person to launch (or expand or buy) this business.
- Funding requirement.
- Summary operating forecast of your sales and profits for at least 3 years.
If you don’t want to include an executive summary, that’s ok. Just feature the executive summary information at the beginning of the company overview. In this section you should explain:
- Details about your concept. For example, a BBQ, brick and mortar, 2,000 square foot location open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week.
- Your goals for the business, which might include building a base of regulars, sustainability, consistently great service, excellence in training, and other goals you may have.
- The strategies and tactics you will employ to accomplish your goals.
- Your 4-6 keys to your success. This might include finding, hiring, and retaining great staff, the importance of training, using technology to improve service, and finding a safe, visible, high-traffic location.
Restaurant Sample Menu
Use just one page to provide a sample menu. It doesn’t have to be fancy or even all-inclusive. Just give your audience a glimpse into your cuisine. Allow your readers to understand if your menu will be large and complex, or simple with just a few items, or somewhere in between.
Restaurant Operations
The restaurant operations section is your opportunity to explain that you know how to launch and operate a restaurant. It’s not about the food or the level of service, it is really about the nuts and bolts of the business. Here are some important areas to address:
- Purchasing and inventory controls
- Sanitation and food handling
- Software and systems
- Cash management and profit management
- Payroll management
- Controlling costs
- Equipment selection
- Training and staff retention
- HR policies and procedures
- Customer service as a business strategy
Restaurant Location & Space
I’ve seen business plans where this section was neglected or even omitted. That is a huge mistake. Even a very talented chef will not be successful if the business is located where no one can find it, or if the space is too small or too large. Don’t let your readers guess, tell them where you intend to locate, the amount of space you require, and how you intend to use it.
If you have selected a space, describe it in words, photographs, and floor plans. Provide a map that will support your location strategy. Your location strategy could, for example, include proximity to a heavily traveled roadway, to other restaurants and retailers, or perhaps near hospitals or in a downtown location.
If you haven’t selected a location, describe in as much detail as possible the type of neighborhood you would like to operate in, and why. Again, don’t leave your readers guessing.
The industry analysis can be its own stand-alone section or presented as a paragraph in the Market Opportunity section depending upon how much research you intend to do. Note that this post is being written as the United States and many other western countries are slowly coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, while many other countries are not so fortunate. This is important as the pandemic has had a huge impact on the restaurant industry worldwide. Therefore, it is important to analyze your industry at the time you prepare your business plan. For example, if you hope to open a restaurant in the U.S., the industry trends should be in your favor as so many restaurants closed last year, never to re-open, giving you an opportunity to snap up a great location and fill unmet demand. You will also want to discuss other trends in the restaurant industry such as the popularity of ethnic foods, fast-casual dining, the move towards more ghost kitchens, or other happenings in your industry.
This is an important section that will require a great deal of research on your part. You must answer a number of important questions, and in doing so, you may discover that you have an excellent market opportunity (or, perhaps, one that is not so exciting and should be reconsidered). Specifically, you will want to answer these questions:
- Who goes to restaurants like yours? Students, families, business people, low-income diners, high-income diners, people in a hurry, etc.
- What are the demographics of your patrons?
- What lifestyles, interests, or economic status do they have in common?
- Now, using demographic data available for your target location, see if it lines it up against the demographics of your intended customer profile?
Note that, sometimes, this information is readily available and easy to find. Other times, it is not, and may have to be purchased. Either way, it is important and must be accurate and current.
The marketing plan that I develop for most restaurants and food trucks is divided into 3 sections. In the first section, I like to describe the brand. In this case, when I use the word “brand,” I mean this: “What do you want your customers to think about your restaurant?” Perhaps you want them to think about great tasting food or reasonable prices. Perhaps you want them to think about consistently high customer service or how the staff is always so friendly. To me, this is your brand.
In the second section of the marketing plan, I like to detail the strategies and tactics that you will employ to create awareness of the business. If no one knows about your restaurant, I promise that no one will visit. So, let’s list some strategies and tactics you might utilize:
- An informative, attractive, and easily discovered website
- A grand opening
- Local advertising
- Advertising on sites like Yelp
- Takeout menu mailers
- A concierge program with local hotels
- Appealing exterior signage
- Marketing partnerships
- Social media
In the final section, you should talk about the importance of social media. I like to talk about starting a Facebook page, an Instagram account, and using Twitter to engage with potential customers. Once you have a social media following, you can use social media to distribute images of your culinary creations or to promote specials.
Like the Marketing section discussed above, I like to separate this section into three parts: the competitive landscape, your direct competitors, and your competitive advantages.
In the Competitive Landscape section, you should discuss the other restaurants or retailers your customers can decide to visit, other than yours. For example, if you are opening a sandwich shop, where else can a busy, hungry customer buy a similar sandwich at a similar price point: perhaps other sandwich shops, fast-food franchises, and supermarkets? Are there many alternatives in the area, or just a few?
In the Direct Competitors section, you should define what you believe constitutes a direct competitor and then list 4-6 of those competitors. If you define direct competitors as other sushi restaurants, then you should list 4-6 other nearby sushi bars and include their web addresses so that your audience can better understand who you are competing against.
In the Competitive Advantages section, you must explain how you will distinguish your restaurant from your competition. Perhaps you will offer better service or higher quality ingredients. Maybe your restaurant will be in a safer neighborhood with better parking options.
I usually include four or more parts in this section. I begin by first describing the company itself. If it has been incorporated, I include the precise legal name so that if someone wants to check to ensure that the company is properly registered, they can do so. I also like to mention how many staff members are working for the company or will work for the company. Some might be full-time; some might be part-time and some might be consultants. I like to mention that as well.
Most investors will tell you that the most important aspect of any business is the experience of the management team and its ability to execute the plan. I agree, so this is a very important part of your restaurant’s business plan. Begin by telling your audience about the team. Tell the reader that this team has many years of restaurant industry experience. Or, if it does not, then what other important benefits do the members of the team bring to the business? In the restaurant business, sometimes the team is initially just you. If that is the case, say so and explain how you intend to manage the business. Be sure to mention that you have surrounded yourself with, or intend to surround yourself with, loyal, capable staff members who share your goals for the business.
Next, provide your biography, as well as for other key members of the team. The bio should detail past successful jobs and entrepreneurial ventures, as well as relevant educational backgrounds. You should also indicate what each member of the team will do at the restaurant.
Of course, no one works alone, and no one works 7 days a week. So you must create a staffing plan. You should include how many team members work in the front of the house (the dining room) and how many work in the back of the house (kitchen). How many are full-time, and how many are part-time? Here’s a tip: the restaurant business is known for high turnover, so you need a plan for quickly recruiting and training new hires.
Begin this section by describing how much capital you require, how you intend to use the capital, and how you intend to source that capital, e.g. savings, investors, bank loans, etc.
The financial information section should also include at least a 3-year income statement forecast and the financial assumptions that you used to support the forecast. This way, your reader will understand how you arrived at your numbers. A simple income statement forecast (also called a P&L forecast) may suffice for some investors. However, if you intend to borrow money from a bank, you will likely also need to provide a balance sheet forecast and a cash flow forecast along with your underlying assumptions.
You are not quite finished. There is a bit more to do:
- Proofread the business plan at least 2 times to ensure that it is grammatically correct and well written. You should also double-check your spelling. You might also ask someone you trust to proofread it as well.
- Include a table of contents after the cover page so that it is easy for your reader to navigate the document in the case that he or she wishes to re-read, say, the marketing section.
- Include 8-10 photographs including pictures of food, interior and exterior space, and perhaps a picture of happy customers sitting at a table or ordering food. You can even include your headshot next to your bio.
- You may want to include a Disclaimer that will cover two important issues. The first is to remind the reader that your business plan is confidential and that the information in the plan is proprietary. That means the information belongs to you and no one else. In your disclaimer, you will also want to remind the reader that he or she should not rely on the business plan exclusively to make an investment or underwriting decision. Rather, they should do their own research and homework to verify that the information that you have provided is reliable and truthful. Your attorney can give you some boilerplate language to include in your disclaimer.
- Not every restaurant entrepreneur is a brilliant writer. If this is a task that you do not have the confidence to complete, or complete to your satisfaction, let us know. We can help.
As mentioned earlier, my partners and I have written hundreds of restaurant business plans in just the past two decades. If you would like to see an actual business plan that was written based on the guidelines provided above, you can see some sample restaurant business plans here . If you would like to talk to us about helping you create a winning business plan for your restaurant, please contact us .
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Sample Restaurant Business Plan
- 23. June 2016
- BrainHive Know-How Base @en , Business Plan Samples EN
This is an example of a completed business plan for a restaurant, in this case an upscale modern-day alpine concept in Munich, Germany, with a variety of traditional meals that are prepared with regional and seasonally adequate ingredients, without the use of prefabricated products.
The founder has a wide experience in the food as well as the hospitality business and will manage the various aspects of the company herself. She has already established herself in Munich with excellent local contacts and knowledge
The business plan elaborates on crucial points like the restaurant concept (product range, general business strategy and USP, Vision and Mission), provides a brief overview of the market situation, location and competition as well as a risk analysis. It also gives information regarding potential business partners, the marketing plan, the venue organization and financing.
The financing of a business is an important issue, and being able to present an appropriate and convincing business plan to banks and/or potential investors is a prerequisite for obtaining such financing.
This might be important for you: A good way to get started quickly, efficiently and professionally is to hire a business plan writing company to write your business plan. At BrainHive, we offer flexible business plan consulting packages. If you want to know the business plan cost , we can also help you out, being one of the most affordable and yet professional business plan consulting firms in the market. Don’t hesitate to approach us anytime if you want to learn more about us or get an individual quote for your business plan project. It is perhaps also worthwhile to note that we can also help you with your existing business plan , as well as prepare just the your business plan’s financial part . This way, you can rest assured that you will receive a custom business plan service that fits your exact need at the best price imaginable.
Sample Restaurant Business Plan Overview
1 Business Concept 1.1 Product Range 1.2 General Business Strategy / USPs 1.3 Vision/Mission 2 The Market 3 The Location 4 Competition Review 5 Risk Analysis 6 Partner/s 7 Marketing Plan 7.1 Pricing Strategy 7.2 Communication Policy 8 Venue Organization and Financing 8.1 About the Founder 8.2 Staff 8.3 Legal Form 8.4 Capital Contribution 8.5 Accounting
Sample Restaurant Business Plan: Business Concept
The [Sample Restaurant Business Plan Ltd.] emanates the concept of upscale modern-day alpine hospitality. The experienced founder Mrs. [Sample Restaurant Business Plan] has secured a suitable site, potential staff and suppliers. The dishes are prepared by original home recipes and served in a cozy and refined atmosphere. The most important elements of the concept are the alpine character, variety of traditional menus (regional & seasonal cuisine without prefabricated products), appealing interior decoration, and an excellent location in XX Frauenstrasse in Munich with access to well-paying casual customers. The selected site has XX indoor seats, XX outdoor seats and a courtyard with another XX seats. The founder Mrs. [Sample Restaurant Business Plan] will manage all the aspects of the business. She has been active in food service for X years, has completed training in the hotel business, has been working for some years in Munich and has very good local relationships.
Product Range The restaurant will feature traditional cuisine. Some of the specialties of the restaurant will include: • Schnitzel • Sugared pancake with raisins • Salzburg dumplings The offer consists of lunch menu, business lunch, standard lunch and a varying daily menu. The menus will be based on the products in stock, as every product has to be fresh. The restaurant will be independent of breweries (hence will offer only the best quality beverages in glass bottles). The unique, unfiltered house beer will be a special attraction enhancing the image of the restaurant by endowing it with local charm.
General Business Strategy / USPs The restaurant will differentiate itself from other dining establishments in the area with its particularly down-to-earth atmosphere, high quality and original homemade dishes, giving its guests an exceptional experience. Staffed by highly motivated employees, the Sample restaurant will not be forgotten by its guests. They will keep coming back whenever the opportunity arises. The site of the establishment has a large storefront, where one can “see and be seen”, a key part of Munich entertainment. The interior will be welcoming and cozy, with a large main table and several small tables for 2-4 people. The Sample restaurant will offer only regional and seasonal products produced by local farmers or sold in the area of Munich. The dishes will always be freshly prepared. Customers will know they are getting good and healthy food whenever they come to the Sample restaurant. Acquiring a solid customer base, connections and advertising partners is an important component of the overall business strategy. The founder expects that her personal expertise and focus on a friendly welcome will prove to be the decisive factor pushing her establishment to the top of the list in the area. To achieve this goal, each customer will be approached individually. Staff competence and skills will be highlighted by specific knowledge, such as information about ingredients, recommendations, and more.
Vision/Mission The aim of the restaurant is to become the first choice for a special dining experience in the area. Customers should be fully assured of the quality of service, good management and the product variety so that they’ll come again. In the first three years the restaurant will have up to six staff members apart from the manager herself. The annual revenue in the third year should be around XXX,XXX Euro. In the fourth or fifth year a management holding company could be founded and other venues could open, while the revenue is expected to reach one million Euro by means of creating a loyal customer base, who will recommend the establishment to other people. Go back up
Sample Restaurant Business Plan: The Market
In order to assess the market entry prospects of the (sample) restaurant, we will look at both the consumer confidence in Germany and that in the region of Munich. The local competition and the advantages of the location are reviewed in more detail in the following parts of the business plan. Consumers expressed optimistic attitudes in XXXX and consumer confidence continued to grow. The economic and income expectations as well as the buying power are very high. The dramatic drop in energy prices in XXXX boosted disposable income and encouraged spending. Consumers also see the German economy improving after the downturn in the fall of XXXX. The inclination to save dwindled down to a new record low in January XXXX due to low interest rates and mistrust of banks, with consumers preferring to spend their money. The following graph illustrates this trend.
Germany Consumer Confidence
[TABLE REMOVED]
Source: Statista, ifo-Konsumklimaindex
Consumers expect that the German economy will continue developing favorably in the coming months. It is clear that the lower energy prices play an important role. Low energy prices combined with a significant depreciation of the euro act as a stimulus package, encouraging business investment as well as export. German companies are also optimistic about the economy, as the high level of the ifo business climate shows. The hospitality industry is relatively resistant to the crisis on one hand, but on the other hand it is dependent on consumer spending, meaning that the current data are to be taken very positively overall. Specifically in Munich there are numerous other factors that make the success of the planned startup even more likely. Munich is still the leading retail location in Germany according to data of CBRE, one of the largest and most renowned real estate consulting companies in the world. Rent in prime locations is as much as XXX Euro / m² (XXXX). This dominant position results from important economic conditions: Munich and Stuttgart have the lowest unemployment rates in Germany. The average per capita purchasing power in Munich in XXXX was XX XXX Euro, which is the highest in all major German cities. The regions of Starnberg (XX,XXX Euro per capita) and Munich (XX,XX Euro per capita) are two of the four with the highest purchasing power in the immediate vicinity of the Bavarian capital.
Tourists also contribute to the high retail turnover in Munich, especially from China and Arab countries. A recent study by BBE Handelsberatung shows that overnight guests in Munich spend around 1 billion Euro in the inner city annually. The Russians are another important group of tourists. Many of them come for medical treatment. These factors underlie the fact that Kaufingerstrasse and Neuhauser Street were two of the busiest shopping streets in Germany in XXXX. Even neighborhoods in these areas benefited from this tendency. Overall, retail trade in Bavaria in XXXX generated a real increase in turnover of X.X%. The number of employees rose by X.X%. The following table illustrates the strong position of Munich and makes a comparison with other German cities.
[Table Removed]
Overall, the results of the market review from different perspectives give the planned restaurant a positive outlook. In all likelihood the venue will become popular with customers very quickly and this will turn into a sustainable trend. Word-of-mouth will bring new customers and the growing customer base will provide a reliable source of revenue for the restaurant.
Sample Restaurant Business Plan: The Location
The very well-off people of Munich are always on the lookout for special entertainment options. XX Frauenstrasse (Street), where the restaurant will be rented is close to popular shopping areas with many specialist shops and catering establishments. The street is right on Viktualienmarkt and is easy to reach. Integrated window frames, lots of light and high ceilings will also entice potential customers. The building also has a large basement available to store goods on site. The following map section shows the attractive location within walking distance of numerous Munich hubs.
Source: Google Maps
The fact that these premises are vacant is important motivation for the founding. Mrs. [Sample Restaurant Business Plan] is certain that she will be able to do better business here than at other relevant / available locations.
[PHOTO REMOVED]
Storefront 10 Frauenstr.
[SKETCH REMOVED]
Premise sketch
Sample Restaurant Business Plan: Competition Review
The restaurant will have to deal with stable competition no matter its location – there will always be a lot of other entertainment venues in the area. Their product focus isn’t always the same, though, and they don’t have craft beer. Often the service is neither personalized nor especially competent. The following venues are potential key competitors:
- Hacker Pschorr Viktualienmarkt (Bavarian cuisine, but too many prefabricated products)
- Goldenes Kalb (steak house)
- Fisch Witte (offers only fish dishes, very expensive)
- Tian (only vegetarian food; hotel restaurant: fear of entering)
- Cafe Nymphenburg Sekt (alpine but no kitchen license)
As in most industries, three factors play an essential role in whether a business in gastronomy will succeed or fail: quality, price and marketing. The restaurant will not allow any shortfalls in these areas and turn special attention to communication with the client. Customers expect high-quality service. This is why the founder herself should be right behind the counter. One usually has only one opportunity to satisfy a guest. If this opportunity is missed, they will just go somewhere else. Moreover, you risk getting a bad rating on Yelp or Google Places. The new realities of the Internet are another reason to be one hundred percent present with each individual customer and meet all their needs. Face-to-face communication with the customer will give a face and a friendly voice to your establishment that he’ll remember with pleasure. This personal touch is a decisive factor behind your success in the highly competitive environment.
Sample Restaurant Business Plan: Risk Analysis
The operational risk is the main one the founder will have to reckon with. For example, it is important to start generating income as soon as possible to cover high fixed costs like rent and electricity. Moreover, the investment cost in the dining facilities will reduce the available liquidity. The product is fresh and perishable. You will then have to sell a sufficient quantity. The founder must assess the effectiveness of the available marketing investments by observing the competition over a longer period of time and doing a comprehensive analysis. Health, contingency and occupational accident insurance must be checked very thoroughly to guarantee legal protection. Insurance against damages and theft is also recommended. Given the nature of the business project, it is extremely important not to compromise on performance and to focus on quality, attention to hygiene and reliability. This is the only way to create the right ambience and gain loyal customers. You will need a well-designed website and local search engine optimization, which is why positive reviews are of paramount importance given that they are communicated on review sites (ex. Google Places, Facebook etc.). The numerous challenges of the business model are very likely to be overcome given the experience and qualifications of the founder.
Sample Restaurant Business Plan: Partner/s
The founder already has numerous business contacts with potential suppliers. Some of these suppliers are friends of the founder, making them particularly reliable and flexible. Moreover, the long-year friendship of the founder and supplier guarantees that only the freshest goods will be offered in the restaurant and supplied directly from the region.
[LIST REMOVED]
Sample Restaurant Business Plan: Marketing Plan
Pricing Strategy
The restaurant can offer an authentic Bavarian dining experience with local dishes, which are made using only the highest-quality ingredients. The enterprise will thus be operating in the premium price segment, also due to the location in part. High fixed costs make it difficult to lower prices, which is why the venue has only limited possibilities to launch special promotions. It can offer discounts on certain seasonal products in the initial period after opening or on special days.
Communication Policy
Given the strong competition already mentioned, the sample restaurant will choose its marketing mix so as to build the best status on the broadest possible front. The target group – tourists and families – is well-defined. Well-designed storefronts, a pleasant interior, online advertising and to some extent magazine and outdoor advertising have been identified as good marketing methods to make the presence of the newly opened restaurant known. The founder should also design eye-catching business cards and flyers. We have planned public events with costumes and stilts, at which we will also distribute flyers. The founder has a huge Facebook contact network and has already set up a website at……: The founder is familiar with cutting-edge POS and will utilize Orderbird software, which provides further options for digital marketing. For example, the program offers interfaces to social media platforms. The founder plans to give discount coupons to guests who allow posts of advertisements of her restaurant to their Facebook wall.
[LOGO REMOVED]
Pictured: Sample Restaurant Logo
Since the location of the restaurant in a busy district of Munich promises a lot of pedestrian traffic, it can be assumed local advertising will prove quite lucrative. It is possible to promote the venue with car stickers and similar measures such as distribution of promotional gifts in pedestrian areas. The Internet presence and local search engine optimization will be an important component of success for the long-term success of the sample restaurant, as they will be a permanent source of information and contact platform around the clock, thereby fulfilling quite important functions. In Munich there are numerous markets and events in the neighborhood, at which the sample restaurant can rent a booth/stand. These events create opportunities for direct sales and promote the shop via flyers and displays. The company may obtain contact information of potential customers and do some legal e-mail marketing by using sweepstakes. To this end we could put a plexiglass box with some completed entry flyers to encourage visitors to fill in a survey too. Organizing events such as guided beer tasting tours or movie nights planned on social networking sites and event pages are also among the effective marketing activities. We can post free invitations on websites like Facebook (using local groups), meetup.com or CouchSurfing.
Sample Restaurant Business Plan: Venue Organization and Financing
About the Founder
Mrs. [Sample Restaurant Business Plan] will open and manage the sample restaurant. Her qualifications are suitable for this business. She has completed training in hotel management and has worked in some of the most exclusive hotels in Munich and in the administration for Bayern FC. She has worked in the gastronomy industry since XXXX. In this time she has worked in some trendy gastronomies where she has been responsible for staff management and also at various festivals as a freelance waitress. Mrs. [Sample Restaurant Business Plan] describes herself as a hard-working leader personality with excellent communication skills and also has many contacts in Munich. This mix of expertise and soft skills ensures her success in overcoming all challenges as the manager of the sample restaurant.
To save resources in the initial phase, there will be only one waiter/waitress, one chef / cook and 1-2 temps in the summer along with the manager of the restaurant. The waiter is responsible for taking orders and has direct contact with the guests at all times. He / she will also set the tables, serve orders, prepare the checks, clean up and be responsible for general maintenance tasks. He/she will also tap the beer. The chef prepares all the dishes. Before and after carrying out his main job responsibilities he also has to take stock and do general clean-up, maintenance and organization work. The temps have various service tasks, stock work and tidying / cleaning. More full-time staff will join the team as soon as the operational infrastructure is in place and there is a loyal customer base generating predictable and stable revenue. The main responsibility is carried out by the founder and manager. Apart from the management and accounting, she will be working on the busiest stations at any given point in time.
The Ltd. legal form is selected based on the premise of avoiding personal liability and entering the market with a reputable form. Other advantages are that more shareholders can join a Ltd. and the costs of founding and operating an enterprise in this legal form are easy to predict. The form is also a juridical entity, meaning that contracts and accounts can be signed and opened in the name of the Ltd., which later makes it easier to sell among other things. Some disadvantages of this legal form are the slightly higher notary fees and the costs of drafting the partnership agreement. In addition, it must be ensured that no actions are taken that could be construed as gross negligence, because in this case the managing partner may also carry private liability. The accounting and expenses for tax consulting services are usually a bit higher than those for joint partnerships. In conclusion, we can say the Ltd. provides some tax benefits and can also serve one well as a tax “piggy bank” for a rainy day. You can develop hidden assets / reserves because profits are not distributed as they would be with other business partnerships. The corporate tax is lower than the income tax levied on joint partnerships.
Capital Contribution
Chief Operating Officer Mrs. [Sample Restaurant Business Plan] is planning to provide equity contribution in the amount of XX,XXX Euro. Target debt financing in the amount of XXX,XXX Euro is intended to complement the contribution, thus creating the material basis for a fast, uncomplicated market launch.
The necessary routine work related to taxes, electricity, Internet and telephone bills and bank statements is assigned to an accountant on a month basis. Also, a tax consultant is entrusted with the preparation of VAT returns and financial statements.
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Home » Food
A Sample Crepe Restaurant Business Plan Template
A crepe restaurant is a niche restaurant that serves crepes (pancakes) as its main menu. A crepe is a French pancake that is made with a thin batter containing flour, eggs, melted butter, salt, milk, and water. Crepes can be filled with a variety of sweet or savory mixtures. Savory buckwheat crepes are always served for lunch and dinner in a crepe restaurant while sweet crepes are for dessert or snack.
The crepe restaurant business is a subset of the culinary cum food services industry. Available data shows that the food service industry is the largest retail employment segment in the world. In the United States, sales of food and beverages are over $700 billion and over $1.2 trillion when combined with retail food supermarkets.
Steps on How to Write a Crepe Restaurant Business Plan
Executive summary.
Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. is an American based restaurant that will major in preparing and serving different flavors of Crêpes and other typical French dishes, coffee and wine served in an intimate, mosaic-tiled bistro with sidewalk seats and good music. Our restaurant will be located in the heart of Montpelier, Vermont.
At Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc., we prepare our crepe fresh to order with only the finest and freshest ingredients (fillings). We take great pride in all the crepes (pancakes) we make. Chef Chloé Raphaël is the founder and CEO of Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc.
Company Profile
A. our products and services.
Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. will be involved in;
- Preparing and serving different flavors of crepes (pancakes)
- Preparing and serving niche foods (French dishes)
- Sales of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and water.
b. Nature of the Business
Our crepe restaurant will operate the business-to-consumer model.
c. The Industry
Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. will operate in the culinary cum food services industry.
d. Mission Statement
Our mission is to establish a standard and world-class crepe business that will sell franchises all across the United States of America and other countries of the world. We want to become a household name when it comes to serving crepes (pancakes).
e. Vision Statement
Our vision is to establish a niche crepe restaurant that will become the number one choice for both residents and tourists in our restaurant locations.
f. Our Tagline (Slogan)
Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. – Delicious Crepes, Our Craft!
g. Legal Structure of the Business (LLC, C Corp, S Corp, LLP)
Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. will be formed as a Limited Liability Company (LLC). The reason why we are forming an LLC is to protect our assets by limiting the liability to the resources of the business itself. The LLC will protect our CEO’s assets from claims against the business, including lawsuits.
h. Our Organizational Structure
- Chief Chef (Owner)
- Restaurant Manager
- Human Resources and Amin Manager
- Accountants (Cashiers)
- Chef (Cooks)
- Kitchen Assistants
- Waiters and Waitress
i. Ownership/Shareholder Structure and Board Members
- Chloé Raphaël (Owner and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer) 52 Percent Shares
- Gabriel Léo (Board Member) 18 Percent Shares
- Macron Hugo (Board Member) 10 Percent Shares
- Julie Arthur (Board Member) 10 Percent Shares
- Maribel Lucas (Board Member and Sectary) 10 Percent Shares.
SWOT Analysis
A. strength.
- Ideal location for a crepe restaurant
- Highly experienced and qualified employees and management
- Access to finance from business partners
- Excellent customer testimonials.
- A reliable and efficient method of preparing crepe (pancake).
b. Weakness
- Financial Constraints
- A new business that will be competing with well-established crepe cum niche restaurants.
- Inability to retain our highly experienced and qualified employees longer than we want
c. Opportunities
- A rise in people who want to experiment with crepes
- Good support from the city
- Online market, new services, new technology, and of course the opening of new markets
i. How Big is the Industry?
Although the culinary cum food services industry is a massive global industry that is worth over $700 billion and more than $1.2 trillion when combined with retail food supermarkets, it is important to state that the crepe restaurant business is a very small segment in the industry.
ii. Is the Industry Growing or Declining?
The crepe restaurant line of business is growing because loads of people are beginning to embrace crepes.
iii. What are the Future Trends in the Industry
The future trends in the crepe business will revolve around technology. Software that is meant to predict what customers want from a crepe restaurant.
iv. Are There Existing Niches in the Industry?
No, there is no existing niche idea when it comes to the crepe restaurant line business because the business is a niche restaurant business and a subset of the restaurant industry.
v. Can You Sell a Franchise of your Business in the Future?
Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. has plans to sell franchises in the nearest future and we will target major cities with thriving niche restaurant markets in the United States of America.
- The arrival of new niche restaurants that also serve crepes within our market space
- Unfavorable government policy and regulations.
- Steady wage expenses
- Economic uncertainty
- Liability problems
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could change its regulatory status and decide to enforce strict regulations that can strangulate new businesses like ours.
i. Who are the Major Competitors?
- The Crepe House
- Crepeccino Café & Crêperie
- Crêpes n’ Crepes – Cherry Creek North
- La Crepe de France
- 48th & Crepe
- Creme De La Crepe Long Beach
- The Crepevine
- Bonjour Crepes & Wine
- Creme de la Crepe
- Crepes-a-Go-Go
- Vive la Crêpe!
- La Crepe Nanou
- Crepes Bonaparte
- Stephanie’s Crepes
- Crêpes Parisiennes
- Crepe De France
- Crêpes à la Cart
- Choupette Crêperie & Cafè
- Flint Crepe Company.
ii. Is There a Franchise for Crepe Restaurant?
Yes, there are franchise opportunities for crepe restaurants. Here are they;
- Crepe Delicious
- Crepe Company
- The Crêpe Café
- Eight Turn Crepe
- Crepe Station Café
- Sofi’s Crepes.
iii. Are There Policies, Regulations, or Zoning Laws Affecting Crepe Restaurant?
Yes, there are county or state regulations or zoning laws for the crepe restaurant business. Players in this industry are expected to work with the existing regulations governing similar drinks and food-related businesses in the county where their business is domiciled.
The regulation of the industry is shared by the FDA and the Treasury Department’s Tax and Trade Bureau. Essentially, every crepe shop must register with the FDA, and are subject to random FDA inspections without warning.
Please note that in the United States, you are required to follow your state’s foodservice code. Visit the FDA website for a list of food service codes by state. Use this to find the state authority handling restaurants and shops and view the laws that apply in your state.
Marketing Plan
A. who is your target audience.
i. Age Range
Our target market comprises adults above 18 years old who have the finance to purchase crepes from us.
ii. Level of Educational
We don’t have any restrictions on the level of education of those we will sell our crepes to.
iii. Income Level
There is no cap on the income level of those who will buy crepes from us.
iv. Ethnicity
There is no restriction when it comes to the ethnicity of the people who will buy crepes from us.
v. Language
There is no restriction when it comes to the language spoken by the people who will buy crepes from us.
vi. Geographical Location
Anybody from any geographical location is free to purchase crepes from us.
vii. Lifestyle
Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. will not restrict any customer from purchasing crepes from us based on their lifestyle, culture, or race.
b. Advertising and Promotion Strategies
- Deliberately Brand All Our Vans and Bikes.
- Tap Into Text Marketing.
- Make Use of Bill Boards.
- Share Your Events in Local Groups and Pages.
- Turn Your Social Media Channels into a Resource
- Develop Your Business Directory Profiles
- Build Relationships with players in the event planning industry and culinary cum food services industry.
i. Traditional Marketing Strategies
- Marketing through Direct Mail.
- Print Media Marketing – Newspapers & Magazines.
- Broadcast Marketing -Television & Radio Channels.
- OOH, Marketing – Public Transits like Buses and Trains, Billboards, Street shows, and Cabs.
- Leverage direct sales, direct mail (postcards, brochures, letters, fliers), print advertising (magazines, newspapers, coupon books, billboards), referral (also known as word-of-mouth marketing), radio, and television.
ii. Digital Marketing Strategies
- Social Media Marketing Platforms.
- Influencer Marketing.
- Email Marketing.
- Content Marketing.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Marketing.
- Affiliate Marketing.
- Mobile Marketing.
iii. Social Media Marketing Plan
- Start using chatbots.
- Create a personalized experience for our customers.
- Create an efficient content marketing strategy.
- Create a community for our target market and potential target market.
- Gear up our profiles with a diverse content strategy.
- Use brand advocates.
- Create profiles on the relevant social media channels.
- Run cross-channel campaigns.
c. Pricing Strategy
When working out our pricing strategy, Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. will make sure it covers profits, insurance, premium, license, and economy or value and full package. All our pricing strategies will reflect;
- Cost-Based Pricing
- Value-Based Pricing
- Competition-Based Pricing.
Sales and Distribution Plan
A. sales channels.
Our channel sales strategy will involve using partners and third parties—such as referral partners, affiliate partners, strategic alliances in the tourism industry, the event planning industry, and the culinary cum food services industry, to help refer customers to us.
Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. will also leverage the 4 Ps of marketing which are place, price, product, and promotion. By carefully integrating all these marketing strategies into a marketing mix, so we can have visible, in-demand products and services that are competitively priced and promoted to our customers.
b. Inventory Strategy
The fact that we will need supplies – food ingredients (flour, eggs, butter, salt, milk, sweet sauce or garnish, sugar, jam, or Nutella et al), means that Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. will operate an inventory strategy that is based on a day-to-day methodology for ordering, maintaining and processing items in our warehouse.
We will develop our strategy with the same thoroughness and attention to detail as we would if we were creating an overall strategy for the business. Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. will make sure we work with “Just-in-time (JIT) inventory” – (JIT involves holding as little stock as possible, negating the costs and risks involved with keeping a large amount of stock on hand.)
c. Payment Options for Customers
Here are the payment options that Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. will make available to her clients;
- Payment via credit cards
- Payment via online bank transfer
- Payment via mobile money transfer
d. Return Policy, Incentives, and Guarantees
At Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc., our customers are our top priority hence if you receive food (crepe) that is different from your receipt, we sincerely apologize. Please call us as soon as you notice that there was an error in your order and you may come to pick up the correct food item.
For credit card payments, you will be refunded the sales price amount associated with the error and recharged for the new items’ price. For cash payments, you will be asked to pay the difference of the balance if the new food has a greater value than the one received in error.
In some cases, we may offer you store credit. Your order will be a priority if you come to pick it up. In all cases, please return the crepe order in the original container(s) to our host. Please, if you have any questions regarding the Return & Refund Policy, please call our restaurant.
e. Customer Support Strategy
Our customer support strategy will involve seeking customer feedback. This will help us provide excellent customer service to all our clients. We will work with effective CRM software to be able to achieve this. Regularly, we will work towards strengthening our Customer Service Team and also Leverage Multi-Channel Servicing as part of our customer support strategy.
Operational Plan
We plan to expand our revenue by 25 percent in the second year and the plan will include a marketing, sales, and operations component. The operations component of the plan would include attracting partnership and retainer deals that will enable the firm to boost our crepe restaurant service offerings and support revenue growth.
a. What Happens During a Typical Day at a Crepe Restaurant Business?
- The business is open for the day’s work
- The restaurant serving area and kitchen are cleaned and ready for the day’s business
- Food ingredients are purchased, washed, and ready for use
- Customer’s orders are taken and they are served or their orders are delivered to them
- Cashier collect’s cash and reconciles account for the day
- Administrative duties are carried out
- The store or warehouse is restocked when required.
- The business is closed for the day.
b. Production Process
Preparing crepe starts with acquiring your food ingredients (flour, eggs, butter, salt, milk, water, sweet sauce or garnish, sugar, jam, or Nutella et al).
You are expected to heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown.
c. Service Procedure
The service procedure for a crepe restaurant starts with a customer requesting crepe (pancake) and perhaps drinks. Once the request is gotten, it will be processed and the customer will be served or the order delivered to a location as requested.
d. The Supply Chain
Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. will rely on key players in the tourism industry, event planning industry, and the culinary cum food services industry to refer business deals to us. So also, we have been able to establish business relationships with wholesale supplies of food ingredients (flour, eggs, butter, salt, milk, water, sweet sauce or garnish, sugar, jam, or Nutella et al).
e. Sources of Income
Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. will make money from;
- Preparing and serving different flavors of crepes
Financial Plan
A. amount needed to start your crepe restaurant.
Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. would need an estimate of $250,000 successfully set up our crepe restaurant in the United States of America. Please note that this amount includes the salaries of all our staff for the first month of operation.
b. What are the Costs Involved?
- Business Registration Fees – $750.
- Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits – $1,300.
- Marketing, Branding and Promotions – $1,000.
- Business Consultant Fee – $2,500.
- Insurance – $1,400.
- Rent/Lease – $75,000.
- Other start-up expenses include commercial satellite TV subscriptions, and phone and utility deposits ($1,800).
- Operational Cost (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $40,000
- Start-up Inventory – $25,000
- Store Equipment (cash register, security, ventilation, signage) – $1,750
- Furnishing and Equipping the Restaurant and Kitchen – $60,000
- Website: $600
- Opening party: $3,000
- Miscellaneous: $2,000
c. Do You Need to Build a Facility? If YES, How Much Will It cost?
Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. will not build a new facility for our crepe restaurant; we intend to start with a long-term lease and after 5 years, we will start the process of acquiring our facility.
d. What are the Ongoing Expenses for Running a Crepe Restaurant?
- Cooking supplies – food ingredients (flour, eggs, butter, salt, milk, water, sweet sauce or garnish, sugar, jam, or Nutella et al)
- Utility bills (gas, internet subscriptions, phone bills, signage and software renewal fees et al)
- Salaries of employees
- Trucks and vans maintenance
- Marketing costs
e. What is the Average Salary of your Staff?
- Chief Chef (Owner) – $45,000 Per Year
- Restaurant Manager – $39,000 Per Year
- Human Resources and Admin Manager $38,600 Per Year
- Accountants (Cashiers) $37,000 Per Year
- Chef (Cooks) – $36,600 Per Year
- Kitchen Assistants – $28,700 Per Year
- Waiters and Waitress – $26,000 Per Year
- Cleaners -$24,000 Per Year
f. How Do You Get Funding to Start a Crepe Restaurant?
- Raising money from personal savings and sale of personal stocks and properties
- Raising money from investors and business partners
- Sell shares to interested investors
- Applying for a loan from your bank
- Pitching your business idea and applying for business grants and seed funding from the government, donor organizations, and angel investors
- Source for soft loans from your family members and friends.
Financial Projection
A. how much should you charge for your product/service.
The price of our crepe will be between $4 and $10. It is important to state that the price will depend on the fillings inside the crepe.
b. Sales Forecast?
- First Fiscal Year (FY1): $250,000
- Second Fiscal Year (FY2): $350,000
- Third Fiscal Year (FY3): $550,000
c. Estimated Profit You Will Make a Year?
- First Fiscal Year (FY1) (Profit After Tax): $100,000
- Second Fiscal Year (FY2) (Profit After Tax): $200,000
- Third Fiscal Year (FY3) (Profit After Tax): $350,000
d. Profit Margin of a Crepe Restaurant
The ideal profit margin we hope to make at Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. will be between 20 and 40 percent depending on the ingredient used in filling the crepe.
Growth Plan
A. how do you intend to grow and expand .
Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. will grow our crepe restaurant by first opening other restaurant outlets in key cities in the United States of America within the first five years of establishing the business and then will start selling franchises from the sixth year.
b. Where do you intend to expand to and why?
Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. plan to expand to Brattleboro – Vermont, San Francisco – California, Chicago – Illinois, Washington, D.C., Boston – Massachusetts, Miami – Florida, Seattle – Washington, Dallas – Texas, and Las Vegas – Nevada.
The reason we intend to expand to these locations is that available statistics show that the cities listed above have the highest and most thriving market for niche restaurants such as crepe restaurants in the United States.
The founder of Chloé Raphaël© Crêpe Restaurants, Inc. plans to exit the business via family succession. We have placed structures and processes in place that will help us achieve our plan of successfully transferring the business from one family member to another and from one generation to another without hitches.
More on Food
Restaurant Business Plan Sample
Hospitality is competitive, and has a major requirement for working capital. Opening a restaurant can be a great idea, but only if you’re prepared! The following restaurant business plan sample will show you what it takes to develop a plan that answers all the major questions in operations, marketing, HR and financials.
1.0 Executive Summary
In the summer of 2021, Sample Restaurant operating as “Sample Restaurant” is set to serve the Ottawa-Gatineau metropolitan area with world-renowned, modern Mexican cuisine. With 14 years of culinary experience spanning over three continents, Executive Chef and Owner, Max Smith looks to offer the National Capital Region a truly distinguished dining experience.
Located in Gatineau’s newly developed Sage Complex, Sample Restaurant is positioned to attract a loyal customer base from residents within the Sage Complex, downtown Ottawa, and the nearby Hull-Aylmer district. Moreover, the Ottawa-Gatineau region has a substantial median household income of $82,053, and median family income of $105,050 which positions Sample Restaurant in one of Canada’s highest earning metropolitan areas.
Sample Restaurant’s launch is timed favourably, considering the surrounding community that is eager to get back out, and enjoy food and drinks with loved ones again. As many bars and restaurants have barely weathered the effects of Covid-19, Sample Restaurant will launch on what is anticipated to be the last twelve months of this pandemic. Year 1 will be foundational to the long-term success of Sample Restaurant by utilizing a defensive strategy that focuses efforts on takeout, and building brand awareness.
As the pandemic subsides the restaurant will welcome more and more guests to dine in. Sample Restaurant’s open concept, vibrant feel and warm ambience will set the tone as the National Capital Region’s new place to be. Overtime guests will stay fulfilled through an innovative and eclectic menu developed by Executive Chef and Owner, Max Smith. At the bar, guests will be transported from tradition to novelty. A selection of wines, spirits, and cocktails (Mexican emblematic distilled) will be carefully chosen to create a wonderful modern Mexican experience.
Sample Restaurant’s total budget for the leasehold improvements, equipment, inventory, furniture and decor is $384,312. Sample Restaurant is seeking a $60,000 loan from Futurpreneur Canada, and a $324,312 loan through the Canadian Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP). Even with conservative projections the restaurant anticipates an annual net income before interest, tax, depreciation, or amortization of $114,418 in Year 1, $200,232 in Year 2 and $235,108 in Year 3. In addition to being one of the region’s most sought-after restaurants, Sample Restaurant will be recognized as a fair and equitable employer.
2.0 Business Overview
Sample Restaurant, operating as “Sample Restaurant” (12721716 Canada Inc.) was incorporated in the Province of Quebec on February 8, 2021. Sole shareholder, and Executive Chef, Max Smith seeks to utilize over two decades of culinary expertise through Sample Restaurant. Although the Covid-19 pandemic has largely been a loss for full-service restaurants, Sample Restaurant is positioned to develop brand awareness via social media and food-delivery partnerships throughout the latter part of the pandemic. In 2022, as the pandemic subsides, the restaurant will shift its efforts to welcome more and more guests inside.
2.1 Business Summary
With a population of 1,408,000, the Ottawa-Gatineau region 1 is Canada’s sixth largest metropolitan area, and has the third highest median family income at CAD $105,050. Sample Restaurant is located at the heart of this booming metropolis, in the ultramodern Sage Complex. A perfect location, in an exceptional area when we consider that 52.1% of industry revenue in 2020 came from the “middle-income quintile”.
To lead Sample Restaurant is an individual with a lifetime of culinary experience, rooted in a passion for good food and people. Mr. Smith’s culinary journey started at the helm of his mother, learning to cook traditional Mexican food in his family’s kitchen. This experience grew into a passion that has taken Mr. Smith to the highest levels of the culinary field in Italian and Mexican cuisines. In addition to over two decades of experience, Mr. Smith possesses an impressive culinary academic background.
With a lifetime of experience and knowledge, Mr. Smith will develop Sample Restaurant into the Ottawa-Gatineau region’s leading modern Mexican restaurant. Furthermore, Sample Restaurant will be located in the cutting edge Sage Complex, an area with high earning individuals and families, plus additional establishments attracting even more of the region’s affluent population.
2.2 Industry Overview
In 2020, Canada’s “Full-Service Restaurant Industry” had a gross revenue of $33.1 Billion CAD, and over the five years to 2025 the industry is forecasted to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.4% to $39.1 Billion CAD. 2 The “Full-Service Restaurant Industry” NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) code 7225, comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing food services to patrons who order and are served while seated and pay after eating.
Consumer spending is projected to continue growing, driven by relatively low unemployment and high levels of disposable income. Corporate profit, which enables businesses to allocate more funds to entertaining clients and prospects at restaurants, is also expected to improve in coming years, bolstering industry growth. Furthermore, strong growth in the number of households earning more than $100,000 per year will likely lead to greater spending in the industry’s high-end segments.
Like many other industries, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought challenges to the Full-Service restaurant industry. However, where some industries will be permanently transformed, the Full-Service Restaurant industry differs.
Throughout the many closures and reopenings of full-service restaurants in Canada and across the world, meeting with loved ones for food and drinks has stood the test of the pandemic. Therefore, the Covid-19 vaccination is largely seen as the saving grace for the full-service restaurant industry, and will indefinitely provide a strong return to industry health.
Some notable changes have come with “young adults” recently surpassing “baby boomers” as the highest spending demographic in the Canadian Full-Service Restaurant Industry. This new wave of consumers are driving demand for health conscious options including vegan and vegetarian cuisine.
2.3 Mission Statement
Sample Restaurant’s mission is to deliver impact to all five senses; by creating a modern restaurant that has the style of an art gallery, taste and aroma of modern Mexican cuisine, touch of eclectic design, and the universal sound of good music.
2.4 Vision Statement
Sample Restaurant’s vision is a connected supply-chain of our restaurant, customers, local farmers, and latin american artists; where stakeholders are encouraged to be their authentic selves.
2.5 Company Values
Sample Restaurant’s Company Values:
Respect: Understanding that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and that we must work to be courteous with others regardless of any differences.
Excellence: Excellence starts with ourselves, by ensuring that our side of the street is clean. From there we can inspire our colleagues to reach higher, and to provide the ultimate customer experience.
Love: We work to maintain an environment of love and compassion, then we ensure our customers feel that love through a warm ambience, thoughtful food and drinks.
Creativity: Ask questions, be curious, and use your imagination as a tool to solve problems and prevent potential problems from happening.
Care: We are all responsible for executing on these values, and to be accountable for our own actions.
2.6 Goals and Objectives
- Secure funding for capital expenditures.
- Complete all required renovations.
- Purchase equipment, inventory, furniture and decor.
- Hire and train staff.
- Launch Sample Restaurant on July 1, 2021 (Canada Day).
- In Year 1, establish our brand in the Ottawa-Gatineau region through consistent social media engagement, and a food-delivery partnership.
- Significantly scale up our “dine in” operations in Year 2. Welcome the region back to normal with Sample Restaurant as the new place to be.
2.7 Key Success Factors
Sample Restaurant has identified the following key success factors:
- To maintain a clear market position as a “modern Mexican restaurant”, therefore differentiating ourselves from our
- Ensuring an appropriate pricing policy. To maintain costs and profit on meals, we must ensure that our pricing and portion control process is reviewed regularly.
- Ability to control stock on hand. Controlling orders, stock and food waste, which are major cost areas, will reduce unnecessary expenses.
- Maintaining our location within the Sage Complex, Gatineau. This location is easily accessible to the broader Ottawa-Gatineau region.
- Maintaining access to a multi-skilled and flexible workforce: Access to suitably skilled and trained staff on hourly rates is required to meet peak customer demand.
2.8 Staffing
Back of House
Executive Chef: Will oversee all kitchen areas, logistics, management, plus the creation of new menus and concepts.
Sous Chef: Responsible for kitchen operations, to supervise, train and support kitchen staff, and to be the Executive Chef’s replacement.
Chef De Partie 1: (Dinner) To prepare cold food items including salads, ceviches, cold cuts and salad dressing. To prepare supplies, food items for production, and dishes.
Chef De Partie 2: (Dinner, Part-Time) To prepare hot food items including sautes, grills, rice, and prepare supplies, food items for production, and dishes.
Chef De Partie 3: (Lunch) To prepare cold food items including salads, ceviches, cold cuts and salad dressing. To prepare supplies, food items for production, and dishes.
Chef De Partie 4: (Lunch, Part-Time) To prepare hot food items including sautes, grills, rice, and prepare supplies, food items for production, and dishes.
Dishwasher 1: (Dinner) Responsible for the cleanliness and sanitization of the kitchen area, dishes, tableware, glassware, pots, pans, and utensils through manual and machine cleaning methods.
Dishwasher 2: (Lunch) Responsible for the cleanliness and sanitization of the kitchen area, dishes, tableware, glassware, pots, pans, and utensils through manual and machine cleaning methods.
Front of House
Restaurant Manager: Responsible for leading the front of house, restaurant administration, recruiting, hiring restaurant staff, training, and supervising the bar, as well as greeting and serving restaurant guests.
Server 1: (Dinner) Responsible for taking orders, answering questions about the menu, selling the restaurant’s food, drinks, taking payment, communicating orders with the kitchen staff, seating customers, and helping with customer service and cleaning.
Server 2: (Dinner, Part-Time) Responsible for taking orders, answering questions about the menu, selling the restaurant’s food, drinks, taking payment, communicating orders with the kitchen staff, seating customers, and helping with customer service and cleaning.
Server 3: (Lunch) Responsible for taking orders, answering questions about the menu, selling the restaurant’s food, drinks, taking payment, communicating orders with the kitchen staff, seating customers, and helping with customer service and cleaning.
Server 4: (Lunch, Part-Time) Responsible for taking orders, answering questions about the menu, selling the restaurant’s food, drinks, taking payment, communicating orders with the kitchen staff, seating customers, and helping with customer service and cleaning.
Bartender 1: (Dinner) Responsible for mixing and serving alcoholic beverages based on customer requests, verifying the identification and age of customers, accepting payment from customers, cleaning glasses, bar utensils and recording sales.
Bartender 2: (Lunch) Responsible for mixing and serving alcoholic beverages based on customer requests, verifying the identification and age of customers, accepting payment from customers, cleaning glasses, bar utensils and recording sales.
Host: Responsible for greeting guests, providing accurate wait times and escorting guests to the dining and bar areas.
2.9 Management
Executive Chef and Owner
Experienced Chef, degree in culinary arts, with a wide knowledge of international cuisine specializing in Italian and Mexican. Quality-focused, specializing in implementing innovative culinary techniques and developing complex flavor combinations. Has successfully lead teams for over two decades.
- Dynamic, perceptive and focused on details
- Solid interpersonal, strong leadership with exceptional team building skills
- Efficient multitasker
- Wide knowledge in food handling (HACCP) – Certified Food Handler
- Strong knowledge on inventory control
- Focused and disciplined
- Oriented to new trends, innovative and creative
- Attentive to productivity and financial goals
- Strong training in HR, energetic work attitude
Languages
3.0 Products & Services
Sample Restaurant is committed to providing an innovative and eclectic menu, in addition to a premium dine in service. Executive Chef and Owner, Max Smith will oversee the evolution of the menu, and ensure the Sample Restaurant team delivers on the highest possible service standards.
3.1 Dine In
It is Sample Restaurant’s perspective that the food and drinks customers receive is equally as important to their general experience in our restaurant. From the moment customers walk in they are greeted with the accepting, relaxed ambience of our team. Sample Restaurant’s Front of House staff work diligently to ensure each customer is heard, and through consistent improvement in “Front of House to Back of House” communication, our kitchen staff delivers delicious, modern Mexican cuisine, tailored to our customers desires.
3.2 Takeout
Sample Restaurant offers a takeout service for customers who live nearby, or are passing by the restaurant. The benefit of takeout over food-delivery is that the restaurant keeps one-hundred percent of the sale with takeout. With the emergence of food-delivery apps, takeout is declining in popularity, thus Sample Restaurant will offer it as a service, but will invest minimally in advertising it.
3.3 Food-Delivery
For Sample Restaurant’s first year of operation the restaurant will work to use food-delivery service, Skip the Dishes, as a means to infiltrate the market. The restaurant recognizes Skip the Dishes and competing food-delivery service, Doordash as unsustainable options for long-term growth due to an approximate 20-30% commission charge. Although, while the tail-end of the Covid-19 pandemic is upon us, Sample Restaurant will partner with Skip the Dishes to advertise on the app in the Ottawa-Gatineau area. This immediate investment will familiarize the local market with Sample Restaurant and assist in the transition to our dine in service in Year 2.
MERENGADO GUANAVANA 13
Guanavana Cremoso, vanilla merengue, peach gel, candied cacao nibs.
EL ITALOMexicoANO 12
Lucuma/mascarpone tiramisú, lady fingers, cocoa powder and espresso syrup.
QUESO APACIONADO 13
Passion fruit cheesecake bar, graham cookie butter crust, cheese, passion fruit coulis.
ALFAJOR AL PLATO 12
Broken alfajor, pate brisee, dulce de leche, coconut ice cream, lemon zest.
EL TRADICIONAL 19
Classic Mexican ceviche, red snapper, tigers’ milk, caramelized sweet potato, chulpe corn.
EL APALTADO 18
Sockeye salmon Ceviche, yellow tigers’ milk, charred avocado, purple potato chips.
EL CARRETILLERO 22
Inspired in the vibrant Guadalajara’s street food, Red snapper, and octopus ceviche, rocoto
tigers’ milk, calamari chicharron, chulpycorn, seaweed.
TIRADITO DE ATUN 22
Albacore tuna slices, citrus ponzu sauce, sesame tossed avocado, plantain chips, cilantro sprouts.
Tender Octopus, botija olives sauce, creamy avocado and garlic crostini.
LOMO SALTADO 34
Tenderloin Beef stir fry, soy/oyster sauce, purple potatoes, Mexican corn/roasted garlic rice.
ARROZ VERDE 32
SECO DE CABRITO 36
Braised lamb shank, cilantro jus, navy beans, mint pico de gallo.
Braised short ribs, garlic mash potato, grilled bb carrots, panca red wine jus.
PESCADOS Y MARISCOS
ARRISOTADO 28
Grilled octopus, aji panca, butternut squash and black mint risotto, feta, fava beans.
ARROZ CON CONCHAS 29
Grilled scallops, shellfish rice, Mexican corn, carrots, peas, and yellow tiger’s milk.
Black cod, shellfish brood, blistered cherry tomatoes, shallots, colored potatoes.
CHICHARRON 36
Black cod/octopus/calamar chicharron, crispy black yucas, criolla and trio sauces
(herbed chimichurri, huancaina and rocoto sauce).
CAUSA JARDINERA 17
Beets, peas, avocado, olive sauce, spiced vegan mayo, aji Amarillo and potato dough.
HUERTO PACHAMANQUERO 26
Baby carrots, baby corn, sweet potato, dry fava beans, soft tofu, Andean herbs
Chimichurri.
CARAPULCRA HINOCENTE 29
Sun dried potato spiced stew, shiitake, grilled bok choy.
ENSALADA Sample Restaurant 15
Asparagus, blueberries, quinoa, feta, greens, spicy dressing – vegetarian.
4.0 Operations
Sample Restaurant has a standard full-service restaurant operations plan. Through a hiring process of experienced front and back restaurant staff, Sample Restaurant will execute on operations methodically, and with safety at top of mind. Our operations plan will be reviewed and updated quarterly, incorporating ideas from our staff that improve safety and efficiency.
4.1 Location
According to Statistics Canada’s 2019 Population Growth Rate Study, Ottawa-Gatineau ranks as the third fastest growing metropolis in Canada 3 . This region is not only fast growing, but also high-earning. Moreover, the Ottawa-Gatineau region has the third highest median family income in Canada at CAD $105,050. This is especially important when realizing that 89.5% of industry revenue comes from the middle and top income quintiles.
The Sage Complex within the Le Plateau district, is close to everything, from Gatineau Park to downtown Gatineau, only 8 minutes away from Ottawa, near public transportation, schools, clinics, and stores. This sprawling community encapsulates our target customer: social and affluent.
4.2 Equipment
- Gas Countertop Heavy Duty Charbroiler
- Gas Countertop Heavy Duty Griddles
- Bottom Mount Reach-in Refrigerator
- Bottom Mount Reach-in Freezer
- Full-size Gas Convection Oven
- Vacuum Machine
- Standard Top Sandwich Preparation Table
- Under Counter/Worktop Refrigerator
- Coffee/Espresso Maker
- Coffee Grinder
- Glass Door Back Bar Refrigerator
- Self-Contained Ice Machine
- Tables/Chairs
- Hood System
- Smallware (Pots, Pans, Utensils)
4.3 Inventory
- Canned Goods
- Herbs and Spices
- Jars, Cartons, Condiments
- Fruit, Vegetables, Produce
- Baking Goods
- Cleaning Supplies
4.4 Health and Safety
Food Safety Plan
Sample Restaurant’s Food Safety Plan incorporates best practices and regulations from the Canadian federal government, Quebec’s Food Regulations (sections 1.3.1.2.1 and 2.2.4) and the City of Gatineau. Sample Restaurant works to uphold the highest food safety practices by ensuring the following:
- Our Executive Chef to show proof of Food Establishment Manager training before applying or reapplying for a business licence.
- An active business license through the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- A record of training certificates for all current employees and past employees who have worked in the past 12 months.
- Either one employee or 10% of our staff on any given shift with a valid Food Handler certification
- At least one member of our team, or 10% of our team present on any given shift with a valid Food Handler Certificate
Covid-19 Safety Plan
Sample Restaurant’s Covid-19 Safety Plan works to monitor the information provided by our local, provincial and federal government, and adapts this very plan as new information is provided. The health and safety of our staff and patrons is of our highest priority. This plan outlines the policies, guidelines, and procedures we have put in place to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission.
First, we will educate staff on when to stay home. Any staff member that has symptoms of Covid-19, or has been in the presence of someone with the virus should stay home. Masks will be worn when within 6 ft of coworkers or customers. Hands are to be frequently washed throughout the day, under warm-soapy water.
As the employer, Sample Restaurant will ensure there is an adequate supply of personal protective equipment, sanitizers and cleaning agents. Ventilation systems are to be checked monthly, and running smoothly to ensure sufficient air flow. Between booths and tables there will be a minimum of 6 ft between either party, and plexiglass barriers will be utilized to keep our guests as safe as possible.
As regulatory changes unfold, Sample Restaurant’s management team will update staff via email. The restaurant will always have a designated Covid-19 point of contact that will receive comments and concerns from team members.
5.0 Market Overview
Despite a significant revenue drop in 2020, the Canadian Full-Service restaurant industry is poised for growth in the next 5 years. Furthermore, strong growth in the number of households earning more than $100,000 per year will likely lead to greater spending in the industry’s high-end segments. Overall, industry revenue is forecast to increase at an annualized rate of 3.4% to $39.1 billion in 2025. 5
5.1 Market Segment
It’s important to note the broader Canadian Foodservice Industry, which the Full-Service Restaurant Industry belongs to. The Canadian Foodservice Industry is segmented into full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, self-service restaurants, cafes/bars, home delivery and takeaway stores. By structure, the market is segmented into chained restaurants and independent restaurants.
According to IBIS World’s, 2020 Canadian Full-Service Restaurant Industry report, Mexican and Latin American restaurants only make up 3.3% of the national market. This means Mexican and Latin American restaurants are the third least saturated segment, thus offering greater opportunity for expansion.
Of the Mexican and Latin American segment, Mexican cuisine is even more unique. Mexico has a varied cuisine with essential ingredients such as potato , uchu, avocado , lúcuma , pineapple , deer ( taruca ) , and llama .
The combination of new and old Spanish culinary traditions, resulted in new meals and ways of preparing them. The arrival of Africans, Chinese and Japanese immigrants in the 19th century also resulted in the development of Creole cuisine in the city of Guadalajara , where the vast majority of these immigrants settled.
5.2 Market Trends
- Unequal economic growth has assisted the industry. Specifically Canadian households that earn above $100,000 per year growing at a rate of 2.3% is accretive to Full-Service restaurants.
- Rising food prices and labour costs have placed downward pressure on industry profits.
- Demand from everyday Canadian households has surged in recent years.
- Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, takeout has been an emerging trend in the restaurant industry.
- Over the next five years, per capita disposable income in Canada is expected to rise at an annualized rate of 0.9%, enabling a greater number of consumers to increase discretionary spending on meals at full-service restaurants.
- Rising health consciousness is also expected to affect the overall performance of industry players by rewarding operators that expand their menu choices to include healthy meal options, among other more indulgent food items.
5.3 Competition
Technically, all upscale restaurants in the Ottawa-Gatineau region are competitors of Sample Restaurant, although the following three competitors put specific pressure on Sample Restaurant to differentiate as much as possible:
https://towncitizen.ca/
https://labelleverte.ca/
https://chezfatima.ca/
5.4 Competitive Advantage
From the moment our guests walk in we want them to feel at ease. Executive Chef and Owner, Max Smith is driven to deliver on an experience as much as on delicious meals. Sample Restaurant’s warm ambience isn’t by accident, through a supportive company culture our staff treat one another with the same compassion we provide to our guests. Aesthetically, the restaurant has similarities to an art gallery, serving as a window to showcase Latin American visual and plastic arts, thus attracting high level clientele.
Every successful company has a secret sauce. Sample Restaurant differentiates itself in a number of ways, one of them being its offering of modern Mexican cuisine in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. Furthermore, Executive Chef and Owner, Max Smith has a track record of developing new, complex flavours from a wealth of international culinary experience. The Sample Restaurant menu will evolve overtime with Mr. Smith and his team at the forefront of its evolution.
The first step to delivering to our guests is curating a team with a passion for the culinary arts. Sample Restaurant aims to provide an upscale culinary experience, and in order to do this an experienced and dedicated team is required. By focusing on the “end result”, or how our guests enjoyed their meals, beverages and experience we can pinpoint areas of improvement. Sample Restaurant’s obsession with delivery, is a key differentiator and competitive advantage over our competition.
5.5 Risk Analysis
The following is a list of potential risks and how Sample Restaurant plans to mitigate them:
A Drop in Household Disposable Income
The Full-Service Restaurants industry in Canada is sensitive to factors that affect the growth in household income because disposable income is required to finance restaurant and dining expenditures. As long as perpetual economic growth continues our target, “middle-high income quintile” customer will continue to grow their expendable income.
Rising Food Prices and Labour Costs
Rising food and labour costs have put pressure on profits in the full-service restaurant industry. 6 However, by putting a focus on portion control, waste reduction, and operating efficiences Sample Restaurant will be able to ensure profitability. Moreover, with annual inflation the restaurant will be able to gradually increase the costs of menu items.
The Covid-19 Pandemic
For the past year Sample Restaurant’s management team has seen the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on industry operators, and their respective responses. The risk of Covid-19 on the restaurant’s staff, customers, and business is an inherent part of this very business plan. By executing a defensive strategy in Year 1, which puts a focus on partnering with popular food-delivery app, Skip the Dishes, Sample Restaurant will build brand awareness within the Ottawa-Gatineau area; therefore, laying the groundwork for a bustling “dine in service” in years 2, 3, and on. For further information on Sample Restaurant’s approach to the Covid-19 Pandemic please see “3.4 Covid-19 Safety Plan”.
6.0 Marketing Plan
The first step to developing an effective Sales & Marketing Plan is establishing a clear competitive advantage. Therefore, establishing Sample Restaurant as the Ottawa-Gatineau region’s “go-to modern Mexican restaurant”, paves the way to defining our target customers, and the channels in which they are best reached.
6.1 Target Customer
Sample Restaurant has two target customers:
Young Professionals
Young adults between 19 and 30 are delaying marriage and having children later. This enables young consumers to spend a greater portion of their income on dining out. In fact, young adults in this age bracket spend more of their food budget on eating out than any other age group.
- 19 – 30 years of age
- All genders, all ethnicities
- Disposable income (Gross income of $50,000 – $75,000)
- Lives in the Ottawa-Gatineau metropolitan area
- Looking for a fun atmosphere to meet friends, eat and often drink
- Expects a modern experience and ambience
High-Earning Households
Households earning $100,000 or more per year are one of the biggest drivers of industry demand, particularly for the high-end dining segment. This demographic is expected to grow at an annualized rate of 3.5% over the five years to 2025, which should give rise to greater spending at restaurants.
Unequal economic growth, whereby the lowest income earners experience their incomes rising at a slower pace than high earners, has assisted the domestic Full-Service Restaurants industry over the past few decades. If this trend continues, it will likely continue to benefit the industry as high-income households will eat out more often.
- 30 – 55 years of age
- Often married, or common-law, and collectively earning above $100,000
- Often have 1-2 children
- Looking for an atmosphere to meet friends, family and business colleagues
- Expects quality service and food
6.2 Key Channels
Food-Delivery Apps
In Year 1 Sample Restaurant will utilize Skip the Dishes, as our preferred food-delivery provider. By taking it a step further and becoming a Skip the Dishes Partner, Sample Restaurant will be seen over our competitors, when prospective customers sign into the app. By reaching these customers through a food-delivery app in Year 1, we will lay the foundation for dine-in customers for Years 2, 3 and so on.
Social Media
Considering the B2C (Business to Customer) nature of Sample Restaurant we have identified Instagram and Facebook as our two preferred platforms for social media development. Through instagram we’ll portray our brand message to young professionals, and through Facebook we’ll increase brand awareness with high-earning households.
Google Search
Our website is at the centre of our sales and marketing plan. In order to appease all target customers we’ll include an online reservation system for greater ease and functionality. Customers can stay up to date with our menu, news, promotions, videos and images. Through a long-term SEO (search engine optimization) strategy Sample Restaurant will work to rank on Google for relevant keywords, thus ensuring long-term visibility for target customers.
6.3 Sales Funnel
Our target customers will gain awareness of Sample Restaurant through our partnership with Skip the Dishes, activity on social media, and our website.
Consideration
A strong presence on the above platforms is key, but not enough to convert from prospective customer to customer. Sample Restaurant will execute on the following strategies in order to convert prospective customers:
- Through Sample Restaurant’s Google My Business listing we will encourage, friends, family and loyal customers to provide genuine Five Star reviews, thus social proofing our product and services
- Tantalizing images of our delicious, modern Mexican cuisine for our website, social media, and food-delivery platforms
- Professionally developed videos of our team, story, and the experience we provide. These will be utilized primarily on social media and our website
The part we love, serving our incredible customers! From the back of the house ensuring every meal is cooked to the highest standards, to our front staff ensuring our customers experience a fun and welcoming ambience. This is where the Sample Restaurant team shines, providing innovative food and drinks in a special atmosphere.
Loyalty can be developed from consistency. Consistency comes from a strong management team, and staff base. By incentivizing the right people, and treating them with dignity and respect, we can ensure our beloved customers keep coming back for more.
The greatest form of advertising comes from satisfied customers. By focusing on the above sales funnel, our customers will become advocates of Sample Restaurant, and tell their friends about their experience at our restaurant.
6.4 SWOT Analysis
7.0 Financial Projections
7.1 Capital Expenditures
There will be leasehold improvements of $120,000 and additional supplies, equipment and decor that brings Sample Restaurant’s total start-up costs to the sum of $384,312.
7.2 Breakeven Analysis
Sample Restaurant can cover fixed costs when revenues are less than a quarter of projected sales. Even during challenging economic times Sample Restaurant can support itself.
7.3 Income Statement
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Search articles and guides
How to write a restaurant business plan.
Listen to this article
Your business plan will be the roadmap from which your new restaurant develops. No matter how much thought you’ve put into your concept or how many trusted colleagues have assured you of its greatness, you should write a business plan. It will prove the viability of your concept to potential investors and provide them with a clear and engaging answer to the question: “Why does the world need this restaurant?”
“The point of a business plan is to show that you’ve done your homework,” says Charles Bililies, owner of Souvla , a fine casual Greek restaurant in San Francisco that has received national acclaim since opening in the spring of 2014.
“You have to show any potential investor that you have an actual plan, you know what you’re talking about, it looks professional, and you’re not just screwing around.”
What your business plan should cover
The strongest business plans always include all or most of the components described below. Bililies advises that first-time restaurateurs read a bunch of different business plans for other restaurants and technology and retail companies to get a better sense of layout options, writing styles, and clarity of concept. Put the sections that you feel would be most compelling to someone who’s never met you first: the “Management Team” section if you’re coming from high-profile establishments, for example. The goal is for the reader to keep turning the page.
Quick links Branded cover Concept Sample menu Service Management team Design Target market Location Market overview Marketing and publicity Specialists and consultants Business structure Financials
1. Branded cover
Include your logo (even if it’s not finalized), the date, and your name.
Describe your restaurant concept and get the reader excited about your idea. Include an executive summary and go into detail about the food you’ll be serving, inspiration behind your concept, and an overview of service style. Define clearly what will be unique about your restaurant and include your mission statement.
3. Sample menu
The menu is the most important touchpoint of any restaurant’s brand, so this should be more than just a simple list of items. Incorporate your logo and mock up a formatted menu design (tap a designer for help if needed).
Your sample menu should also include prices that are based on a detailed cost analysis. This will give investors a clear understanding of your targeted price point, provide the first building block to figuring out average check estimations needed to create financial projections for starting costs, and show investors that you’ve done the homework needed to be confident that you’ll be able to sell these items at these prices and operate within your budget.
This section is most relevant for fine-dining concepts, concepts that have a unique service style, or if you have particularly strong feelings about what role service will play in your restaurant. It can be a powerful way of conveying your approach to hospitality to investors by explaining the details of the guest’s service experience.
Will your restaurant have counter service and restaurant hostess software designed to get guests on their way as quickly as possible, or will it look more like a theater, with captains putting plates in front of guests simultaneously? If an extensive wine program is an integral part of what you’re doing, will you have a sommelier? If you don’t feel that service is a noteworthy component of your operation, address it briefly in the concept section.
5. Management team
Write a brief overview of yourself and the team you have established so far. You want to demonstrate that the work experience you’ve acquired over the course of your career has provided you with the necessary skills to run a successful restaurant and act as a restaurant business owner. Ideally, once you have described the strong suit of every member of your team, you’ll be presenting a full deck. Most independent restaurant investors are in this for more than just money, so giving some indication of what you value and who you are outside of work may also be helpful.
Incorporate some visuals. Create a mood board that shows images related to the design and feeling of your restaurant. Whether you’re planning to cook in a wood-burning oven or are designing an eclectic front-of-house, be sure to include those ideas. Photos of materials and snippets of other restaurants that you love that are similar to the brand you’re building are also helpful.
7. Target market
Who is going to eat at your restaurant? What do they do for a living, how old are they, and what’s their average income? Once you’ve described them in detail, reiterate why your specific concept will be appealing to them.
8. Location
T here should be a natural and very clear connection between the information you present in the “Target Market” section and this one. You probably won’t have a specific site identified at this point in the process, but you should talk about viable neighborhoods. Don’t assume that potential investors will be familiar with the areas you’re discussing and who works or lives there—make the connections clear. You want readers to be confident that your restaurant’s “ideal” diner intersects with the neighborhood(s) you’re proposing as often as possible.
If you don’t have a site , this is a good place to discuss what you’re looking for in terms of square footage, foot traffic, parking, freeway accessibility, outdoor seating , and other important details.
9. Market overview
Address the micro and macro market conditions in your area and how they relate to licenses and permits. At a macro level, what are the local and regional economic conditions? If restaurants are doing poorly, explain why yours won’t; if restaurants are doing well, explain how you’ll be able to compete in an already booming restaurant climate. At a micro level, discuss who your direct competitors are. Talk about what types of restaurants share your target market and how you’ll differentiate yourself.
10. Marketing and publicity
The restaurant landscape is only getting more competitive. Discuss your pre- and post-opening marketing plan to show investors how you plan to gain traction leading up to opening day, as well as how you’ll keep the momentum going. If you’re going to retain a PR/marketing company, introduce them and explain why you’ve chosen them over other companies (including some of their best-known clients helps). If not, convey that you have a solid plan in place to generate attention on your own through social media , your website , and media connections.
11. Specialists and consultants
List any outside contractors you plan to retain, such as:
- General contractor
- PR and marketing
Briefly explain the services they’ll be providing for you, why you chose them, and any notable accomplishments.
12. Business structure
This section should be short and sweet. What type of business structure have you set up and why did you make that specific decision? You will need to work with an attorney to help you determine what business structure is best for you.
“Step one: write a business plan. Step two: hire a good attorney. In addition to helping me build a smart, sustainable business structure, my attorney was also a great resource for reviewing my business plan because she’s read thousands of them. She was a very helpful, experienced outside perspective for more than just legal matters.” — Charles Bililies.
13. Financials
Let your accountant guide you through this portion of your business plan. It is crucial that whoever you retain to help you with your finances has a wealth of restaurant experience (not just one or two places), as they should be familiar with the financial specifics of starting a restaurant and know what questions to ask you.
Before creating realistic financial projections, your accountant will want to know approximately how many seats you’re planning on having, what your average check will be, and approximately how many covers per day you plan to do. Being conservative in these estimations is key as these three data points will be used as the basis for figuring out whether your concept is financially feasible.
Lou Guerrero, Principal at Kross, Baumgarten, Kniss & Guerrero, emphasizes, “You’ll get a lot of accountants that tell you that they’ve done a couple of restaurants, but you have to choose someone that has a deep expertise in what you’re doing. There’s nothing to gain from going with someone that doesn’t have a very restaurant-centric practice.”
A well-vetted accountant with restaurant experience will know exactly what you’ll need to have prepared to show investors. The key projections you can expect to work on are:
- Pro forma profit and loss statement for the first three to five years of operation
- Break even analysis
- Capital requirements budget
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- What problems can be solved with my business?
- What solution could my product give?
- What is going to be the niche of my business?
- Who are going to be my customers?
- How can I sell my products?
- What is the size of the market that I will target?
- How can I find a business model?
- How can I make money through this business?
- Who are my possible competitors?
- How can I have a business advantage?
- How can I manage the growth of my company through a business plan?
- Who are the persons that will run the business?
- How qualified are the persons that will run the business?
- What could be the risks that I could encounter?
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- What is the history of the business?
- What are the financial statements?
- The mission of the business
- The concept of the proposal
- The execution of business
- The actual potential costs
- The return of all the investment
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How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan (with Samples)
Table of contents.
Jump to:
What Should a Restaurant Business Plan Include?
Sample restaurant business plans.
- Better Market Your Restaurant
If you’ve made the decision to start your own restaurant, congratulations! Running your own business is incredibly exciting, and can be rewarding as well. Yet having a great idea is just the first step in the process – you’ll need to put in a lot of work to make your dream a reality.
To start, you will need a concrete, detailed business plan. Not only will this plan serve as a blueprint for how you will run your restaurant, it is also necessary to secure funding. But, knowing that you need a solid restaurant business plan is different from actually writing one.
Below, we outline what you should cover in a business plan for your restaurant. This guide is meant to help you get started as you begin the process of opening up your own place. If you’re ready to move to the next level, reach out to Budget Branders for a quote on custom branded disposable products for your restaurant . Our custom printed disposables are the most cost-effective advertising your restaurant could invest in.
A business plan isn’t something that you should just slap together to check it off of your to-do list. A well-drafted business plan will demonstrate the viability of your concept to potential investors and show that you have done your homework.
A strong business plan should contain a number of components to ensure that it covers most or all of the questions that investors may have. It should also be professionally printed and bound, with a branded cover that includes your logo and/or slogan . The business plan should start with an executive summary, which should include a brief overview of what is contained in the entire document.
Read on to learn more about what should be contained in a restaurant business plan.
When you decided to open a restaurant, you probably did so on the basis of a great concept or idea. Your concept is what makes your restaurant unique – and what will bring customers in the door.
Spend some time fleshing out your concept, describing your inspiration, the type of food that you will be serving, and an overview of how your restaurant will be run. Make sure that you explain what makes your concept unique.
For example, after a health scare, you decided to focus on a more plant-based diet. You noticed that few restaurants in the area offer vegetarian or vegan options, and decided to open a restaurant that offers a fresh take on healthy, mostly vegetarian foods. In your restaurant plan, you can describe why you decided to go this route, what type of food you plan to serve, and how this concept sets you apart from other restaurants in the region.
Sample Menu
The menu is one of the most important elements of any successful restaurant. After all, you can have the best concept and the most amazing location, but if your food is bland and uninspired, no one will want to patronize your establishment. For this reason, a sample menu is a critical component of a restaurant business plan.
The sample menu shouldn’t just be a list of what you plan to serve. Instead, you should mock up a menu that looks like it could be handed out to diners. It should also include prices for each option that are based on a detailed cost analysis. Including these prices will demonstrate to potential investors that you have done the necessary work to make your business successful.
An attractive, pleasing design is critical to the success of any restaurant. Studies show that we use all five senses when eating, so that things such as the color of tableware can affect how a person feels about a meal. Having a good design concept can also help to lure in customers who want to take pictures – and share them on social media.
As part of your business plan, be sure to include elements of your proposed design. Include swatches of color, pictures of your inspiration, and anything else that may be relevant. For example, if you plan to cook food in a wood-burning oven, sending delicious, smoky scents wafting throughout the restaurant, describe that element in your business plan. If you want to include a wall of plants to attract Instagram Influencers, be sure to include that information as well.
Although you may not have identified a specific location yet, it is important to include some details about where you plan to operate, as this will affect profitability. For example, if your goal is to provide to-go breakfast and lunch meals for workers, specify that you want to find a space near large office buildings or in a downtown area.
If you haven’t picked out a site for your restaurant, list the criteria that you will use to select a place. This may include information such as parking, square footage, availability of outdoor dining, accessibility to major highways, and foot traffic.
Market Overview
Before anyone can know that your restaurant is a good investment, they have to know about the market. This section should include both micro and macro economic factors that influence profitability – everything from COVID-19 restrictions (macro) to direct competitors in your area. Describe each of these in detail, and address how you plan to overcome any challenges or differentiate yourself from other restaurants.
Target Market
In this section, you will describe who you think will eat at your restaurant. Will they be young or older? What is their average income? Talk in detail about who you think will patronize your restaurant – and why you think that your concept will appeal to them. For example, if you’re trying to appeal to a young crowd/ Gen Z , you may talk about how you plan to offer healthy choices, vegetarian options, and convenient delivery.
Service Style
We have moved beyond the basic restaurant service options of fast food and fine dining. There are a lot of different types of restaurant services now, from take-out only to fast casual to pop-ups. If there is anything unique about your planned service style, it should be included as part of your business plan.
Management Team
One of the most critical elements of a successful business is the people who are running it. If you want investors to take a chance on your restaurant concept, you will need to show that you have the experience necessary to turn a profit.
In this section of the business plan, introduce each member of the management team. Describe their work experience, both in the industry and in business generally. This will give potential investors a good idea of the likelihood of making money.
Business Structure
Before you open for business, you will need to establish some type of business structure – such as a partnership, an LLC, or even a corporation. Explain what business structure you have chosen and why you selected it.
Consultants
Behind every successful business owner is a team of specialists. No matter how good you may be at running a restaurant, you can’t go it alone. You will likely need a team of consultants – such as a lawyer, accountant, general contractor, or marketing agency – to truly succeed.
Investors want to know that you understand your limitations, and have planned accordingly. Listing your outside consultants shows that you have considered all of the various aspects of running a business. Be sure to explain the services that they will provide, why you selected them, and how much they charge for their services.
Marketing Plan
The success of any business is dependent in part on branding and marketing. You can have the most delicious food at the best prices around, and if people don’t know about your restaurant, they won’t patronize it. In this section, describe what you plan to do to market your business – such as developing a website, retaining a marketing company, establishing social media accounts, and even using branded paper bags for your takeout items.
Finally, it is time to get down to the nitty-gritty. How much is this going to cost?
Most entrepreneurs will need the help of a financial professional to draft this section of the business plan. You will need to incorporate data points, such as labor cost percentages , average check amount, and how many meals you plan to serve each day, to determine whether your concept is financially viable.
An accountant can also help you make financial projections that should be included in your business plan. This may include a projected budget for capital, a break even analysis, and a pro forma profit and loss statement for the first 3 to 5 years of operation.
Feeling overwhelmed? This may seem like a lot, but each of these elements is necessary if you want a solid business plan that will attract investors. Fortunately, there are a number of sample restaurant business plans available online for you to review:
- Specialty restaurant and bakery business plans
- Basic restaurant business plan template
- Small restaurant business plan
- Pizza shop business plan
- Fast food business plan
- Steak house business plan
- Café business plan
- Traditional restaurant business plan
- Fast-casual restaurant business plan
These samples can help you get a good idea of what you should – and should not be – including in your business plan. If you are concerned about your ability to draft this type of document, consider reaching out for help. There are many writers and business professionals who have significant experience making business plans. Hiring one as a consultant can help make the process easier and less stressful for you.
Market Your Restaurant with Budget Branders
Writing a restaurant business plan is hard work. Marketing your restaurant doesn’t have to be. One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to spread the word about your establishment is through custom branded disposable products.
Budget Branders offers high quality branded cups , bowls , bags , and more in quantities and at prices that make sense for small and medium sized businesses. As entrepreneurs ourselves, we understand the challenges that come from running a company – and we’re here to help.
If you’d like to learn more or to request a quote, contact us today by pressing the live chat button, or sending us a message online.
David Kranker
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Restaurant Business Plan Template
Used 6,862 times
Restaurant Business Plan
Executive summary.
[COMPANY.Company]
c/o [NAME] [ADDRESS] [PHONE] [EMAIL]
In order to fulfill our vision for [RESTAURANT NAME] we will require [AMOUNT] in capital, which will be allocated roughly according to the following table:
If we are fully capitalized, we hope to be profitable by [TIME PERIOD] .
Marketing plan
Our Clientele:
Our Competition:
Our Specific Marketing Plan:
Our kitchen
Operations plan.
We expect our monthly outlay of expenses to approximate to the following:
Management team
Describe team
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Restaurant Business Plan
Are you thinking of starting a restaurant business? We have prepared a solid restaurant business plan example that guides you on every stage of your business plan writing
A restaurant business plan will serve as a compass no matter where you are in the restaurant ownership journey.
Introduction
The rise of the restaurant sector is revved by the expansion of multi-cuisine restaurants across regional borders. Everyone needs to eat, and there are still many specialist areas of the food and beverage industry for owners to explore. If you are planning to start an F&B business, then start it by outlining your business plan .
Need A Restaurant Business Plan? We’re Here To Help!
A company’s recipe would be tasteless and odorless without it. Since the restaurant industry has one of the worst failure rates , starting one is a challenge. It is successful because of the careful planning and execution of the restaurant business plan.
In 2020, the size of the world’s restaurant industry was 3.5 trillion dollars. According to forecasts, this amount will increase to 4.2 trillion US dollars in 2027.
A business plan provides you with direction and a practical strategy for growing your restaurant business. Starting with a sample restaurant business plan is the first step toward success.
Spend time reading through several examples of food and restaurant business plans before you begin drafting your own. You can better apprehend your goals and the format of your final business plan by studying them.
How To Write A Restaurant Business Plan?
The most effective substitute for writing a business plan is to use a template. Using the restaurant business plan template , you can quickly compose each phase. Let’s look at the topics the business strategy covers.
Restaurant Business Plan Outline
This is the standard restaurant business plan outline which will cover all important sections that you should include in your business plan.
Market Opportunity
Financial projections & funding.
- Business Model
- Keys to Success
- Long Term Strategy
- Intellectual Property
- Sustainability
- Customer Service
- Strict Inventory Controls
- Purchasing Cost Controls
- Recipe a Portion Controls
- Menu Blending
- Sanitation of Food Handling
- Management’s Role
- Software a Systems
- Money a Profit Management
- Hiring the Best
- Training for Excellence
- Retaining the Best
- Equipment Costs
- Staff Turnover / Training Costs
- Operating Details
- Restaurant Demographics
- Millennials
- Denning Fast Casual
- Fast Casual Asian Food
- Select Demographic Data
- Competitive Landscape
- Direct Competitors
- Competitive Advantages
- Target Market Overview
- Market Positioning & Brand
- Marketing Strategies
- Staffing Plan
- External Issues
- Startup Expenditures
- Revenue Assumptions
- Cost of Goods Sold
- Operating Expense Assumptions
- Balance Sheet Assumptions
- Bank Loan Assumptions
- Balance Sheet Forecast – Years 1 to 5
- Income Statement Forecast Year 1 to 5
- Cash Flow Forecast – Year 1 to 5
After getting started with Upmetrics , you can copy this restaurant business plan example into your business plan and modify the required information. It’s the fastest and easiest way to start writing your business plan .
What To Include In The Restaurant Business Plan?
Before you get started with writing your business plan, here are a few areas that you should include in your business plan:
Executive Summary
An introduction to a business plan starts with an executive summary section . It covers a general overview of the business, management functions, market opportunities accessible, and a summary of the financial projections & funding .
The second section shows the restaurant concept, business models, objectives, long & short-term strategies, intellectual properties, and sustainable approach.
- Describe the restaurant’s status within the sector.
- Identify the key players in the industry and the current competition.
- Indicate the target market’s demographics as well as information on the industry the business will operate in, projected revenues , market trends , and governmental influences.
- Establish your target market’s demographics , needs, and geography.
- Describe the market’s size , the number of units that potential buyers might purchase of the company’s products , and any potential market changes brought on by broader economic changes.
- Give a summary of the anticipated sales volume in comparison to what the competition sells.
- Give a strategy for how the restaurant intends to compete with rivals already in the market to increase and maintain market share.
- Describe the company’s organizational structure.
- List the restaurant’s owners along with their stakes in the business.
- List the chefs and executives, together with their positions and pay scales.
- List any internal and outside experts that the organization intends to hire, along with their compensation arrangements.
- If one is available, include a list of the advisory board members.
- Include the projected income statement , projected cash flow statement, and projected balance sheet in your description of the company’s financial projections .
Restaurant Operations
You can plan the functionality of the restaurant with the help of restaurant operations. Quick-service, online food delivery compatibility, and drive-through operations should be defined underneath. Customer service, training, cost control , and operating standards should be mentioned here with careful attention.
Describe your possible site (or locations ) in this part so that you and your investors can picture what the restaurant will look like.
To make the setting feel as authentic as possible, provide a wealth of details about it, such as the square footage, floor plan, design, demographics of the neighborhood, parking, etc.
As a result, your restaurant’s location is noted in this area along with a plan to accommodate additional options.
Industry Analysis
Based on the demographic information that is available for the company, industry analysis presents an overview of the sector. The industry analysis of demographic habits and buying patterns is essential for developing a suitable menu for them.
Competition
The competition is arguably the biggest test for the restaurant industry. However, the level of competition can also benefit because it would attract customers.
In addition, the absence of competition in a region may indicate that it is not where the restaurants are offering their services, so you should research the area before developing it for your restaurant.
The list of restaurants with concepts similar to yours should be recognized and included in your restaurant business plan.
Every day there is more competition in the F&B industry. Marketing is therefore a crucial component in creating a restaurant business plan. Before starting, you should have a clear understanding of your market approach.
Set up money for both traditional and internet advertising. A portion of every rupee you make should go into advertising the eatery. It becomes crucial to define marketing strategies and set up a suitable plan to draw in the target market.
All of your restaurant’s marketing methods will be covered in this section on marketing.
Company Management
The heart of your organization is covered in the company & management area. Someone should be able to guide your business decisions and lay out the boundaries you must follow. A strong staff decides the precise orientation of the company.
Financial Plan
The financial plan section shows the startup expenditures, cost of goods sold , projection of cash flow statement , balance sheet & income statements. If a business thinks about the other means of finance through a bank, then the cost of funds and sources of finance need to be mentioned here.
Restaurant Business Plan Summary
Creating a competitive advantage for your business in the target market is challenging. Serving distinctive food items and updating your food menus are crucial for maximizing business potential due to increased competition.
Writing a business plan with a comprehensive strategy provides a detailed view of how to establish a business without making mistakes. Also, add an appendix for the restaurant business plan to provide a clear idea.
The restaurant business plan template allows you the flexibility to change each aspect. After completing your business plan, you will have a thorough understanding of how a restaurant operates.
Ready To Start Your Planning?
Owning a restaurant might be the most lucrative choice right now. But very few people turn it into a fulfilling career that pays well. Launch a business with a visually engaging restaurant business plan with Upmetrics.
Download the sample restaurant business plan template now.
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Upmetrics help in customizing your restaurant business plan as per your requirements. So, signup with Upmetrics today!
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There's no absolute format for a restaurant business plan that you can't stray from—some of these sections might be more important than others, for example, or you might find that there's a...
What To Include In An Effective Restaurant Business Plan In this section, we'll show you what to include in an effective restaurant business plan and provide a brief example of each component. 1) Executive Summary You should always start any business plan with an executive summary.
Restaurant Business Plan Sample Outline Section 1: Executive Summary Section 2: Company Description Section 3: Market Analysis Section 4: Marketing Plan Section 5: Operations Plan Section 6: Financials Section 7: Appendix Other Resources What is a restaurant business plan, and why do you need one?
Here are the main components of a restaurant business plan Executive Summary Company Description Market Analysis Menu Employees Restaurant Design Location Market Overview Marketing External help Financial Analysis 1. Executive Summary A restaurant business plan should always begin with an executive summary.
There are plenty of restaurant business plan examples on the internet, or you can use a free template from the Small Business Association (SBA) as your starting point. However you write it, your finalized business plan should include seven key sections. 1. Executive summary
Fast Casual Restaurant Business Plan & Pitch Deck Samples Hashi is a new fast-casual Asian-inspired restaurant concept. It will be positioned to take advantage of the fastest-growing segment within the foodservice industry and is designed to meet the evolving demands of today's consumers.
13+ Restaurant Business Plan Examples 1. Restaurant Business Plan Details File Format MS Word Google Docs Apple Pages Size: A4 & US Download 2. Restaurant Business Plan Outline Details File Format MS Word Google Docs Apple Pages Size: A4 & US Download 3. Food Restaurant Business Plan Details File Format MS Word Google Docs Apple Pages Size: A4 & US
Sample Restaurant Business Plan: Competition Review The restaurant will have to deal with stable competition no matter its location - there will always be a lot of other entertainment venues in the area. Their product focus isn't always the same, though, and they don't have craft beer.
A Sample Crepe Restaurant Business Plan Template. A crepe restaurant is a niche restaurant that serves crepes (pancakes) as its main menu. A crepe is a French pancake that is made with a thin batter containing flour, eggs, melted butter, salt, milk, and water. Crepes can be filled with a variety of sweet or savory mixtures.
Sample Restaurant's total budget for the leasehold improvements, equipment, inventory, furniture and decor is $384,312. Sample Restaurant is seeking a $60,000 loan from Futurpreneur Canada, and a $324,312 loan through the Canadian Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP).
Your business plan will be the roadmap from which your new restaurant develops. No matter how much thought you've put into your concept or how many trusted colleagues have assured you of its greatness, you should write a business plan.
Check out our library of sample restaurant business plans to be sure you have everything in order to confidently take your first order. LivePlan. It contains the same templates and information you see here, but with additional guidance to help you develop the perfect plan. Plan, fund, and grow.
Themed Restaurant Business Plan Specialty Food & Beverage Shop Business Plans Butcher Shop Business Plan Coffee Kiosk Business Plan Coffeehouse Business Plan Dinner Theater Business Plan Ethnic Food Import Business Plan Ethnic Food Restaurant Business Plan Frozen Custard Shop Business Plan Convenience Store Soda Fountain Business Plan
With the most basic description, a restaurant business plan is a document that states all your goals for your restaurant business. It has objectives that you have to turn into reality. Your goals and visions are clear in it. Whatever you have in mind for your restaurant is written in it.
Fortunately, there are a number of sample restaurant business plans available online for you to review: Specialty restaurant and bakery business plans Basic restaurant business plan template Small restaurant business plan Pizza shop business plan Fast food business plan Steak house business plan Café business plan
Executive summary. In your Executive Summary, you want to paint a picture and create a narrative for the birth of your restaurant. Get people emotionally invested in your vision. Introduce yourself and your company to your reader. Talk about your planned opening location. You can start in the opening paragraph with some abstract information but ...
A business plan provides you with direction and a practical strategy for growing your restaurant business. Starting with a sample restaurant business plan is the first step toward success. Spend time reading through several examples of food and restaurant business plans before you begin drafting your own.
Businesses in Santa Clara County are responsible for taking steps to protect the health of their workers and customers. All businesses and workplaces in Santa Clara County are subject to the requirements in Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Guidance. Some workplaces must also follow regulations in the Cal/OSHA Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (ATD) Standard, and ...
A separate floor plan showing plumbing and electrical details including lighting (Remodel plans shall identify all existing structures, spaces, and equipment). 7. A finish schedule for walls, ceiling and floors indicating the type of material, surface finish, and the color. Samples of the proposed finish materials may be required. Give
We are also excited to introduce the newest version of our FREE MOBI Business Plan Template, to make it easier than ever to put your ideas on paper and take the first steps to starting your own business! MOBI's courses include: Starting a Business, Business Expansion, Quick Start Entrepreneur, and the Sales & Marketing Badge Short Course.
Restaurants November 24, 2020 This guidance is designed to address sectors and activities opening ... for the county the business is operating in and make required adjustments to their ... and a sample written plan. Elements of a heat illness prevent plan must include: o Access to potable drinking water 5. o Access to shade