In this blog post, we’re going to take a look at some of the most common mistakes in interview semil shah haystack vc miamiharibhakti made by aspiring chefs and restaurateurs, and give you actionable advice on how to avoid them. Getting into the culinary arts is an exciting endeavor. It should be fun and rewarding. But for far too many entrepreneurs it ends up being a miserable experience because they were not careful enough when launching their new business venture. Without further ado, let’s get started with our list of 8 Dumb Mistakes That’ll Tank Your Cuisine Business:
1. Using a restaurant name that’s similar to the food you offer
Dreaming of starting a food service business? You might want to think twice about going with a name that has the same character as your business model. A case in point is Yummy Food, which shares the same name as its food service. Waiters just call it “Yummy” on purpose because they know it will definitely lead to confusion. Also keep in mind that people can pronounce different words according to regional dialects, which adds another level of confusion for customers. This is why naming your business after a dish (e.g., Chicken and Dumplings) is much better than using the word in your company’s title- e.g., “Chicken and Dumplings”.
2. Focusing on profit over quality
There’s a common myth going around that many new business owners buy into. It goes like this: “If I offer a cheaper menu and squeeze the employees, I’ll make a lot of money.” While it’s true that your food cost will be lower and your margins bigger, the tradeoff is not worth it. When customers get bad service, they talk about it and word gets out about your establishment fast. The net result? Your customers start avoiding you because they’re not happy with their experience.
3. Using cheaper ingredients and oils
Cheaper ingredients and oils can lower your food cost, but they can also impart a bad taste to the dish. If you want to get the most value for your money, use quality products and ask for discounts from warehouse suppliers. You don’t have to be a mad scientist before you launch your business, but using the cheapest ingredients available can definitely cost you in the long run.
4. Not looking into packaging options
Everybody knows that packaging plays a crucial role in attracting more food traffic to your restaurant. It’s okay if your menu doesn’t include anything that requires packaging. But if there are things on it that will require some sort of wrapping (e.g. sandwiches, pizza), you should get a box that fits your business’ needs.
5. Being too vague in your menu
Customers love it when they can easily decide what to order from a menu because the options are clear and specific. You don’t have to list every single dish available, but give them enough information so that they won’t be confused about what’s for dinner. No one will order the wrong thing if your menu tells them exactly what it is and how much it costs!
6. Not learning the basics before you jump into your business
From having a working kitchen to food safety standards, getting the basics right is an absolute must. Doing so will save you a lot of time and money in the long run. People are not going to buy your food if it tastes bad or if they get sick because of it.
7. Not training your employees
Yes, competent people do not necessarily need extensive training because they’re already good at what they do. However, there is a limit on how many productive hours you can give to that person before he or she begins to slack off, which will eventually catch up with your business.
8. Not looking into professional help
Even if you’re a great cook yourself, don’t take the chance of launching your business without professional help. A lot of food business owners have had several instances where they’ve been clueless in their kitchen because they didn’t hire any kind of chef to make sure everything went well on launch day. If you want to avoid this scenario, get the help you need and don’t be afraid to pay for it. Take it from someone who has been there, done that (and then some).
Conclusion:
Starting and running a restaurant is not an easy endeavor. There are many things to consider, from the location you’re going to open your business to the type of food you’ll serve. Whatever it is, remember that decision making involves risk-taking; even if you choose the safest option (e.g., “Chicken and Dumplings”), there’s still a chance that you’ll end up like Yummy Food, which shares its name with the dish it serves.
In order to avoid becoming a cautionary tale for aspiring culinary entrepreneurs, be careful in what you decide to do and look into professional help when needed. The good news is that this kind of help is available through incubators such as MDB Capital Group Incubator Program .
