First Year in Business
Practical guidance for navigating your restaurant's first year of operation. Topics include accounts management, business planning, menu writing, portion control and establishing repeat customers.
How to Establish Repeat Business
Build customer loyalty in your restaurant by treating regulars like they own the place and rewarding their repeat visits.
How to Write Your Menu to Boost Sales
Menu descriptions that highlight ingredients and sourcing can significantly increase what customers order and spend.
How We Handled the Recession
We cut costs and adapted our menu during the recession instead of laying off staff, and it worked out better than we expected.
Keeping Up to Date with Accounts and Paperwork
Restaurant owners need to stay on top of accounts and paperwork to avoid business failure and cash flow problems.
Renegotiating Deals After Your First Year
Use your first year's data to renegotiate better deals with suppliers, staff and landlords heading into year two.
Retraining Helped Me to Cut Costs
How a restaurant owner reduced expenses by investing in staff training and building a skilled, affordable team.
Revisiting Your Business Plan
Annual business plan reviews help you spot what worked, fix mistakes, and keep your company on track.
Should You Change the Name of Your Restaurant?
Weigh up whether changing your restaurant's name makes sense by checking what locals think and how attached you are to a new one.
Should You Include Dietary Information on Your Menu?
Most restaurants don't list nutrition info yet, but growing pressure suggests this could become a legal requirement soon.
Taking Stock of Your First Year in Business
Look back on your first year to see what worked, what didn't, and where to focus next.
Understanding Portion Control
Getting portion sizes and ingredient costs right keeps your restaurant kitchen running smoothly and protects your profit margins.
Would You Benefit from a More High Profile Chef?
Hiring a famous chef can boost your restaurant, but it only works if their style fits your business and you can work together well.