SPLENDID! ENTREPRENEUR- STARTING YOUR OWN RESTAURANT

The restaurant business is one of the few not affected by any economic meltdown. This because people must eat no matter how poor they are; no matter the situation they are, even if unemployed. Anyone would eat even if it is with the last penny he or she can afford. That is what makes restaurant business very lucrative. Serious-minded investors, especially job-seekers, should give it a serious look.

With less than N 300,000 (three hundred thousand naira) one can start a nice local restaurant with good food, good business practice, and proper customer care. For a start, one could actually make as much as N 120,000 (one hundred and twenty thousand naira) on a monthly basis!

To start your own restaurant business, certain factors have to be taken into consideration for a smooth and easy take-off.

·         Good Space for your Restaurant

The average person likes to enjoy his food in a serene and laid back environment. Make sure you get a place as nice as possible you can afford. In fact, a great percentage of your investments go into this. If it is going to be a shop, let it be the one with extended frontage so that you can build canopy to afford your customers more space.

The cost of rent depends on the environment but one can get a nice place with N 100,000 (one hundred thousand naira). One should go for the best that is affordable. A lot of attention should also be paid to the location. For obvious reasons, areas with enough movement of people are better.

·         Furnishing your Restaurant

First impression, they say, matters a lot. The looks of the restaurant really matters. Many people would pay a lot of attention to this kind of details and this would influence patronage, to some extent. Therefore, ensure that that your restaurant is properly furnished. The first impression any one would have of your restaurant would come from the environment, particularly the furniture. The quality of your food and the type of cook you are can be perceived through your restaurant furniture.

The furniture may cost about N 150,000 (one hundred and fifty thousand naira) depending on what you go for and your bargaining power. One could get a local carpenter (with proper supervision) that could do very good furniture at affordable cost. The use of plastic chairs and table is not advised. They would make your restaurant look too cheap, unorganized and untidy. But if that’s what you can afford then go for it.

·         Utensils and Accessories

At most, N 50,000 (fifty thousand naira) is all one needs to take care of these. It is not advisable to buy childish accessories like plastic plates and cutleries. Many people will reject the food no matter how good it looks if you serve it using plastic plates and spoons. Besides the fact that they look cheap and childish, the tendency of dirt hiding somewhere and the plate being discoloured is high.

Breakable and ceramic plates are the preferred type one should use. They are not very expensive. Feeding is a very sensitive aspect of human life. A lot of people don’t take what goes into their stomach for granted. It is not just about filling the stomach, it’s about satisfaction, health and enjoyment. While you make effort to prepare good foods for your customers, make sure you don’t ridicule your effort with cheap plates because, food look and taste great when served in a nice plate.

·         Employ Good Cook

People will fall in love with your food if they are well cooked and taste great. Make sure the cook you intend to employ knows how to cook different types of meals very well.  Utmost consideration should be given to this as no one would want to waste money twice in a bad restaurant.

With the aforementioned factors in place, one is set and good to go. Just start small and grow with time.