Even if you’ve spent years managing a restaurant, the process of getting one set up and going from the ground up is difficult. There are countless things to keep track of that (chances are) you forget exist until you need them and, importantly, they’re not always easy to get at the drop of a pin.
If you’re here to figure out how to set up a restaurant, you’re in the right spot. Below, you’ll find guides to picking the right equipment, getting licensing and proper permitting, tips on getting suppliers and staff, and more.
Essential Equipment and Supplies
First things first, you will need equipment. After you’ve found the space for your restaurant, it’s time to fill it. While this can be a stressful time, I find that there are few things more rewarding than seeing your new kitchen filled with shiny new gadgets, dishes, furniture, and lighting. It makes everything worth it — so let’s discover what you need to get there.
Kitchen Equipment
Without the proper equipment, no kitchen will ever function at its best. This makes picking the best equipment that you can afford absolutely crucial, but it also means you’ll have some hard choices ahead of you.
At this point, you should have an idea of your menu and what you want to make, which means you already know at least some of what you’ll need. While that’ll be helpful, you also need to keep space in mind. While that massive range may be appealing, you’ll have to consider if you’ll need fryers vs more oven space. It’s a struggle, to say the least — so measure out your kitchen before diving in on equipment.
I highly recommend building a restaurant equipment list for your kitchen based off of your menu, taking measurements, and then returning to the list to see what is necessary, what would be nice, and what would be a stretch given your spatial constraints. It’s never fun to turn down that shiny tilt skillet in exchange for room to easily clean at the end of the night, but these are the decisions you need to keep in mind when buying kitchen equipment.
Dining Area Furniture
Among the most important of things you need to run a restaurant is furniture (and, by extension, lighting and decoration). It’s where your guests will stay during their meal, the most obvious thing they’ll see when they enter, and ultimately, it’s your main stage. While the kitchen makes your food out of sight, what’s in your lobby will be what guests immediately latch onto. This makes their seating, the tables between them, and the decoration you scatter around of the utmost importance.
Don’t skimp out on cheap chairs and flimsy tables! It may seem obvious, but it’s important to find comfortable seating and tables that are also well-built.
Point of Sale (POS) Systems
There are a lot of potential point of sale (POS) systems out there, but there’s really only a few questions to ask yourself: do you need just a POS, or do you need something with more options? Most modern POS systems tend to offer modular support for inventory management, accounting or payroll, or marketing efforts via customer loyalty programs.
Beyond your direct needs, it’s important to think about cost. Not every POS system is created equally, and that means that some are more expensive than others. Because of this, I highly recommend that you tackle your POS after getting other high-cost tasks (like equipment) out of the way.
Necessary Permits and Licenses
Finding the proper permits and licenses is incredibly important when building a list of things you need to run a restaurant. We all know to respect the health inspector, and every branch of your local city has a similarly respectable role that involves permitting.
Business License
The most obvious license to begin with is a business license. While this will vary greatly based on where your business is located, you can generally acquire one by filing through the US Small Business Administration portal or US based businesses.
You’ll also need to register as an LLC or similar business.
Food Service License
To get a restaurant up and running, you’ll need licensing to sell food. This is a similar process as above, but you’ll need to get in touch with your local health department. The licensing process generally requires an inspection of the building (and your service, once that starts).
Health and Safety Permits
Once again, you’ll be dealing with the health department here; their health and safety permits (varying by jurisdiction) will generally require you to demonstrate that you understand the basics of food safety and, importantly, will ensure that your business’s bones are in good shape for a safe service.
Liquor License (if applicable)
Now, not everyone sells alcohol, but if you plan to, it’s crucial to ensure you have the right licensing for your jurisdiction.
Initial Capital and Funding
This is where the most work generally goes in the early stages. If you haven’t already gotten your startup capital, you’ll need to find private investors. Whether this takes the form of a bank or an individual, most restaurants begin with some form of loan. It’s also worth looking into local grants, as many city and state legislators will set up grants and funding to encourage new businesses in the area.
Staff and Management
Staff are what makes your business run, so you should take your time with hiring.
Hiring Key Staff
The most important people that you’ll hire in any restaurant is your management. This can include bar and FoH managers, chefs, and the classic General Manager (GM) or Assistant General Manager (AGM).
Once you’ve gotten a solid management crew established, then (and only then) can you continue to hire your day-to-day workers.
Staff Training Programs
Staff training is incredibly important to the health of a restaurant, which is why we hire our managers first. Give them time to get to know the restaurant, menu, and (eventually) staff, and then get them tasked onto creating training programs. These should not only cover the basics of daily service, but should include long-term coaching programs for customer interaction, guest service, and even plating for your kitchen.
Suppliers and Inventory
Suppliers are the lifeblood of your restaurant; without them there’s not much you can do.
Finding Reliable Suppliers
If you’re familiar with your local suppliers, chances are that you have a pretty good grasp on who’s reliable and who isn’t already. There will always be massive chains like Sysco and U.S. Foods, but the smaller, local suppliers often have higher-quality offerings. Make sure to test any supplies you get before deciding to keep them as a long-term supplier.
Marketing and Promotion
Branding and Identity
Your brand identity is crucial to learning how to market effectively. This means that you need to figure out what your business is, exactly, and how to properly communicate that to your audience. This can take many forms, but first, it requires an understanding of what you offer. Are you hip and trendy? Lean into it. Are you a quiet bar with pool and darts? Make sure people know your brand and that your brand resonates with your target audience.
Online Presence
An online presence isn’t just good to have nowadays, it’s essential. Build your business a website, establish yourself on social media, and make sure to keep yourself in the public’s eye. Regular posts on social media such as Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, and email outreach can allow you to draw more attention and, ultimately, gain more guests.
Operational Systems and Procedures
When figuring out how to set up a restaurant, it’s important to have standard systems in place.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
SOPs are something that you’ll find in most restaurants. They’re what ensures each day runs (mostly) the same, and they operate on a simple concept — repetition and guidelines. Establish “if/then” cases, such as “if a guest gets the wrong food, then we push their food to the front and refire it.”
Reservation and Seating Systems
Trust me here — you need to build reservation systems and plans for seating before you need them. Make sure your host is familiar with the layout of your restaurant and its flow, and establish sections for seating. This will allow you to avoid overwhelming any one server and, importantly, help to bring food more gradually into the kitchen, rather than in one big rush.
Starting a restaurant is a monumental task that requires careful planning, significant investment, and a strong commitment to excellence. From selecting the right equipment to building a solid management team, every decision you make will impact your restaurant’s success. By following the steps outlined above, you can set up your restaurant for success and create a welcoming environment that keeps customers coming back. Remember, the key to running a successful restaurant is not just in the food you serve but in the experience you create for every guest who walks through your doors.
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