Identify a concept for your restaurant
Identifying your restaurant concept
This article is the first in a series called “Open a Restaurant” – a guide for anyone who wants to open an establishment in the food industry. In this article, we will look at how to keep your dream intact and turn it into a consistent restaurant concept.
Plan your dream; use a concept
First, you must clearly define the concept of your restaurant, such as the style of service, price range, type of dishes, and atmosphere. Will you be a high-end, casual, or fast-food restaurant? Will you offer take-out, delivery, or home-cooked meals? Even if you think you know your restaurant concept, write it down in as much detail as possible. Creating a mood board or collage can help you get started.
If your concept is a fast-casual Mexican food restaurant, the details will set it apart from the competition. Perhaps you will mix local and Mexican cuisine. You can also set up online ordering and payment systems, such as self-service ordering kiosks, and the ability to pay via QR codes at the table to reduce wait times during peak hours.
As you develop your concept, don’t forget to research the competition. Look into what has been tried before and determine which concepts work best and why. This way, you can build on a concept that customers like and are willing to pay for, and turn it into your own product. Also, look into what is available in your immediate geographic area and try to find a market opening. Perhaps you saw something that doesn’t exist in your area during your travels.
A consistent mission and vision
A consistent vision and mission In addition to your concept, you need a brand identity that works. The branding of a restaurant allows you to communicate its personality and identity, and should include a mission statement that summarizes your goals and values. It also increases loyalty while attracting new customers through marketing.
Your brand should stem from the concept of your restaurant and permeate everything surrounding your establishment, such as the name, logo, marketing, atmosphere, music, or food. If your concept is focused on healthy and locally sourced food, for example, you may want to avoid an overly cluttered restaurant interior and stick to a simple, natural-looking visual on your social media, menus, and other marketing channels.
It is important that your brand and concept reflect each other and remain consistent. This link should also be felt in your online presence. A gourmet restaurant should not be cynical on social media, while a trendy fast-casual restaurant might get away with a slightly more casual attitude online, or even benefit from it.
At the design and branding stage, you should also determine the main items on your menu. A good tip is to intrigue customers with new ideas on dishes they already know. We will return to the menu later in this text to address its design and how you can create a good menu. But first, it is important to decide what will be on it when you determine the equipment you will need, the staff you will hire, and how you will ensure the success of the business. That’s our next step.
Hospitality innovator matches up with Trivec
JO&JOE in southwest France has an innovative concept in hospitality, an open house that offers overnight stays, great food, events and seminars and targets everyone from families to surfers and artists. Designed by the Accor Group, this open and welcoming concept can be seen through the beautiful garden, the large terrace, climbing wall, ping-pong tables, slacklines, and so on. For guests to feel welcome, the service must be stellar. During events such as the world surfing competition Quiksilver Pro, visited by thousands, it’s important for the staff to be well organized, and to work with the right tools.
JO&JOE decided on Trivec’s POS solutions and pager system to speed up service. Each customer receives a pager after ordering and sits down at a table. When the order is ready, the beeper starts to vibrate. In high season, JO&JOE can accommodate 300 to 500 people in one day. For the JO&JOE establishment in Paris they also chose to work with Trivec’s bar automation system and in particular the self-service beer walls to speed up service. In the event of a problem with their cash register, pagers or bar automation system, they rely on Trivec’s 24/7 technical support.