Opening a restaurant is an exciting but equally daunting experience, however much business experience you might have. There are a dizzying amount of variables you must consider when starting such a venture, and it is easy to get overwhelmed by everything. In this process, many fall into the trap of being fixated on inessential, tertiary details, forgetting the critical necessities of running a restaurant, whilst some might not even know where to begin. This blog post aims to remind you of the fundamental priorities in beginning to run a restaurant, demonstrating the groundwork that must be laid for a successful business to function effectively.
Read on to find out what points you should consider, and how Mitchell’s can help in creating a functioning commercial environment which works productively for you, your employees, and your customers.
Decor
For any restaurant, a customer’s first visual impression is of paramount importance. The look and feel of a restaurant are strongly defined by its decor, something that can be seen on both the outside and in of a commercial property. Try and think about what style you want your restaurant to evoke, and how that can impact a customer’s impression of your business.
Ask yourself some questions:
- Do you want a modern or more traditional feel?
- Which is more important in design; functionality or aestheticism? Or both?
- Is there an atmosphere or “vibe” you would like to evoke?
- Do you want there to be a continuity between the design of your restaurant and the food served?
- What makes your restaurant different from your competitors?
These questions should lead to some productive ideas in decor, influencing decisions on wall art, furniture design, carpeting, and lighting, amongst other things. Just remember to consider any technical ramifications a design choice might lead to – if a new lighting system drained the property’s energy source, which in turn negatively impacted the repair and maintenance of its HVAC system.
A restaurant’s layout is also a big decor-based decision which heavily influences the dining experience. Obviously depending on your property’s shape and size, you can create a cosier atmosphere by bringing tables closer together or you can have a more spacious dining layout, with a more efficient ‘flow’ throughout the restaurant. A smaller, more intimate layout might suit a family-run, home-cooked restaurant, whilst a more spatial, assertive table structure could suit more progressive and experimental food. The layout is a severely underrated element of a restaurant’s decor, and thinking outside of the box in this matter can lead to an expressive and unique dining experience.
Ventilation
Ventilation is vital in making a restaurant comfortable for both customers and employees. An air conditioning system gives you complete control over the restaurant environment and allows you to maintain a perfect temperature across all seasons. Cooling down the room when packed makes the dining experience more pleasant for customers, and also allows the staff to work more efficiently and without the stress that high temperatures can cause.
One must not forget about the kitchen too, where having air conditioning installed is vital in keeping chefs and kitchen staff cool from the extreme heat caused by ovens and grills. This allows them to keep controlled and calm during busy shifts, and reduces the risk of fainting or passing out in what can be a dangerously hot environment.
Whatsmore, air conditioning delivers fresh and clean air, as when fitted with modern filtration systems, the air is effectively filtered to remove allergens, odours, and pathogens. This works silently, without disruption, and can improve the air quality, and thus the hygiene of your restaurant.
With a hot summer on its way next year, it is vital to have an effective commercial air conditioning system in place for your business. Ductwork works in conjunction with ventilation systems and is responsible for circulating the air around your property. If installed improperly, this can negatively affect air pressure and the equilibrium of the space’s airflow. Getting this fitted with care and experience is vital, as is the same with air conditioning.
With vast experience and know-how, Mitchell’s are able to design, install, and maintain bespoke air conditioning systems in Gloucester and its surrounding areas. Our systems boast inverter-driven equipment, reverse-cycle heat pumps, and other advanced elements. All of these components give you precise control over the temperature and humidity of your environment – air conditioning installation being of essential importance for the running of a restaurant.
Product
The food and beverage options that you serve in a restaurant are quite obviously of incredible, if not defining importance. It is vital to consider not only what food and drinks you will offer, but how this relates to the other components of your restaurant.
Here are some points to consider when putting together a food and drinks menu.
Relationship Between Food and Decor
What is the relation between the restaurant’s product (food and drink) and its production (decor, atmosphere)? If you want your food to be part of a coherent, experiential theme, it should compliment your decor, but actually having a contradiction between the two can focalise elements of both, and can help your food stand out. Strike the balance in your own unique and creative way.
Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergy options
In this day and age, these are essential strictures to follow, and it is important to make your restaurant accessible to those who have dietary conditions, whether it be due to medical issues or out of their own socio-political or moral volition. The same goes for drinks; make sure you have got creative non-alcoholic options to meet all tastes and values.
Your competitors
What separates your restaurant from your competitors? This question should help you define a unique selling point for your restaurant, ensuring that you offer something distinctive that separates you from the competition. Finding a mix of originality and dependability is vital for a restaurant to be successful.
These rhetorical issues are creative starting points for establishing what your restaurant’s product is in relation to its marketplace, what is unique about it, and how it can enable you to consider the identity of your business.
Refrigeration
To make tasty food and have quenching drinks, good refrigeration is of vital importance. Having a well-installed, properly-maintained refrigeration unit widens your menu options and is essential in passing food safety requirements also. When starting a restaurant, there are a variety of commercial fridges available which vary in size, versatility, and practicality. Before purchasing any commercial fridges, you should weigh up your needs and value which type of catering fridge will suit them most
effectively. Four types of commercial refrigeration to consider include;
Retail Refrigerators
With Multiple shelves and a tall and upright design, this is a perfect product for those who need to store a large number of products, but only have a limited amount of space. There are dual versions of this product which allows you to keep items at two different temperatures in different areas of the fridge. This option would suit the smaller restaurants which don’t have the most extensive of menus.
Walk-in Refrigerators
One of the largest commercial fridges on the market, the brilliance of this option is how it can be as large as necessary, ranging from the size of a closet to a large room. Usually, shelves line the walls to store a huge amount of products in. These are excellent and effective for a restaurant with high qualities of products in its food stores, but admittedly host certain safety risks, so be sure to research the products’ safety measures if you’re thinking about purchasing the device.
Under-counter Refrigerators
This catering fridge is perfect for every restaurant kitchen, and is very useful in being small, versatile and in close proximity to the food preparation area, improving the kitchen’s efficiency. Both saving on time and space, this is a good option for a restaurant as a specific storage option for meats and fish.
Bar Refrigerators
These commercial fridges are placed underneath the bar and are often made to be at waist height, to save bar staff from having to constantly bend up and down to reach inside it. Canned and bottled drinks can be placed here, and the fridge should have a glass front in order to advertise the available beverages.
All of these options can have a place in your restaurant, but it is important to weigh up what will fit best with the kitchen’s workflow and the amount of storage space you need. In the arena of commercial refrigeration, efficiency and functionality are to be prioritised. As a company which boasts a wealth of experience in installing, repairing, and maintaining commercial fridges in Gloucester, Mitchell’s can help massively in choosing the right refrigeration option for you and your restaurant.
About Us
Mitchell’s are a building services and facility management company that has served Gloucester and its surrounding areas since 1905. If you are opening a restaurant, our experienced and dedicated team of technicians offers bespoke work for your commercial projects, and our services can range from HVAC repair to ductwork manufacturing. Contact us today at 01452 302206 and webenquiries@mitchells-glos.co.uk, or make an online inquiry here.