Discover how to run your restaurant like a chef!
Running a restaurant is like running any other business. Although the catering sector has its own specificities, the basis of your success lies in a heroine lurking in the shadows: impeccable overall management.
This is all the more true for foodservice establishments: unforeseen events, inventories, seasonality, staff turnover - their management can be a real source of stress.
The icing on the cake is that your customer is one of the most demanding in the world. The experience must be irreproachable at every level: quality, waiting time, service.
But are you short of time, or do you work nightmarish hours? As a restaurateur, you can optimize your management with a few healthy basics and a little help.
From accounting to inventory management, from personnel management to customer relations and replenishment... have you considered adopting software packages tailored to your needs?
Restaurant owners, we compile for you the basics of good restaurant management and solutions to support you on a daily basis. We also explain why you should choose a restaurant management software package.
More than just a financial issue, the efficiency of your teams and the satisfaction of your customers are at stake.
On the menu:
The ABCs of good restaurant management
Whether you run a catering service, a food truck, a sandwich shop, a tapas bar or a traditional restaurant, and whatever the number of covers, the stewardship of your establishment must be rigorous. Here are a few obvious points to consider, and some levers for progress.
Offer quality
A restaurant outing is first and foremost an experience for the customer. At the very least, they expect to be satisfied by :
- Quality food, fresh and local if possible.
An uncluttered menu is often synonymous with a selection of the finest seasonal produce.
☝️ Simplifying your menu not only reassures the consumer of the freshness of your products, but also makes it easier to manage stocks and preparations in the kitchen, and work in the dining room, thus motivating your teams.
- Specialties such as sushi, pizza or tacos convey a sense of mastery. You can also cater to a certain type of customer: vegan, to name but one!
- Innovation, through an original combination of products or a different presentation (e.g. molecular cuisine).
☝️ For your signature dishes, those destined to remain on the menu and win the loyalty of your customers, draw up technical specifications. Customers want to eat their favorite dish exactly the same way, and your teams need guidance. This also makes it easier to manage supplies.
- Atmosphere: music or calm, plants, thematic decoration, all play an important role in the customer's experience and identification.
- Service: a good dish served very late, cold or by a bad-tempered waiter can really alter the customer experience. Staff must have both technical qualities (knowledge of dishes, wine pairings and origins) and human qualities (availability, smile).
- Impeccable hygiene:
- of the premises: storage areas (food subject to expiry must be dated in case of inspection), kitchen, toilets, room and/or equipment (tables, chairs, bar, crockery),
- staff (clean fingernails, tied-back hair, etc.).
Meticulous administration and accounting
In addition to the basic rules that apply to any business, the restaurant sector has its own specific accounting and administrative requirements:
- You must have the necessary licenses and operating permits (e.g. license IV for the right to serve strong alcoholic beverages).
- Margin management must be rigorous.
☝️ The purchase price of materials represents between 35% and 25% of sales. So don't hesitate to negotiate with your suppliers.
Source of figures: l-expert-comptable.com
- Different VAT rates apply: 5.5%, 10% and 20% depending on the type of products sold (beverages, on-site or takeaway food).
- Payment methods also vary widely: luncheon vouchers, restaurant cards, credit cards, cash, etc.
- At the very least, the prices you offer should enable you to break even, but also keep your customers coming back for more.
Controlling costs, whether in terms of payroll, food and supplies, or rental charges, is essential. Strike the right balance!
- It's highly advisable to check your income and expenditure on a daily basis, to find out your gross margin and cost prices, and to keep a book of accounts. In this way, you'll be able to see just how healthy your business is, and what adjustments need to be made.
Inventory management
This is one of the main concerns of managers, closely linked to the financial management mentioned above.
You need :
- reliable suppliers, who attach importance not only to food quality, but also to delivery times and your customer relations;
- schedule regular inventories (every month) to optimize your supplies and achieve your target margins.
Flawless inventory management, in particular by anticipating orders and monitoring trends, prevents :
- shortages, which cause you to miss out on sales,
- wastage problems, which affect not only your ethics but also your wallet!
☝️ A word of advice: check deliveries scrupulously, as oversights can happen very quickly.
Human resources
Another dynamic that's hard to grasp.
Permanent staff, seasonal workers, chartered accountants- how do you hire the right number of staff to meet management, service and short-term needs during peaks in activity?
The start-up Brigad, for example, has created a service to match supply and demand in terms of recruitment, especially in the hotel and restaurant sectors.
How can you optimize your restaurant management?
Following on from the fundamentals outlined above, here are some other essential criteria for managing your restaurant:
Scrupulous, regular sales analysis
It enables accurate cash flow forecasting.
Rigorous monitoring of your business, thanks to dashboards and performance indicators (KPIs), promises not only customer loyalty thanks to an adapted offer, but also exemplary competitiveness.
In particular, you can observe :
- offers with the highest margins,
- popularity of dishes,
- most profitable days/months/periods, etc.
Use tools adapted to your sector
☝️ Are you looking for free restaurant management software? There's always a limit to what you can do for free, whether in terms of duration, number of simultaneous cash-ins or connections, or customer support.
Tools dedicated to your sector provide a personalized response to your constraints and needs.
Software packages are available for :
- stock and inventory management,
- cash register management
- accounting
- invoicing,
- loyalty program management.
Restaurant management software
For example, Asterio is a comprehensive tool designed to optimize your restaurant business. This mobile, intuitive platform centralizes all the information you and your teams need to improve efficiency and offer quality service to your customers.
Features include: advanced menu management, order taking, billing and collection, restaurant accounting, reservations management, real-time seating plan optimization, key performance indicators, etc.
Plus? A tool that adapts to the specific needs of your business, and also manages hotels and hotel-restaurants.
Cash register software
L'Addition, for example, is a cash register on iPad and iPhone specially designed for foodservice professionals (cafés, hotels, restaurants).
Features include: online reservations, online and table orders, inventory management, loyalty management, payment at table.
Another example is Lightspeed, a new-generation touch-sensitive cash register software adapted to all types of restaurant. A true all-in-one tool, it combines cash register, stock, delivery and takeaway on a single platform.
Features include real-time inventory management, integrated seating plan organization, 100% customizable menu creation, a kitchen display connected directly to the cash register software, synchronization with major delivery suppliers, and customer loyalty tools.
Then there's Tactill, a versatile application (designed for all types of point of sale - retail, store, restaurant, bar) appreciated for its simplicity and ergonomics.
Among its features: creation of a customer database, tracking of favorite products, sending of sales reports to the accountant, real-time sales tracking, inventory tracking...
It's happy hour!
As you already know, you can't be at the mill and the oven at the same time! As a manager, you need to surround yourself with competent staff, and equip yourself with the right tools.
You'll then be able to devote yourself to the tasks that generate added value: managing your teams, maintaining your supplier and customer relationships, thinking about the future, communicating...
By adopting state-of-the-art management software, you can avoid burn-out, increase productivity, and enhance your brand image and team motivation.
Why deprive yourself? Why not share your experience and tips with us?
Article translated from French