Issue
Many restaurants are equipped to handle most aspects of management but either lack the time or need help in specific areas. Traditional consulting arrangements often charge high fees for advice in areas where the restaurant doesn’t actually need assistance. Meanwhile, restaurants face a range of challenges, including kitchens unable to keep up with high volume, low sales in crowded markets, new government regulations, and the overwhelming process of opening a new restaurant.
Findings
Client experiences reveal how varied these needs can be. One restaurant was doing nearly everything right, which led to high volume it couldn’t handle. Its kitchen was disorganized, the production area was inadequate for growing demand, and an extensive menu required too much prep time.
Another client faced the opposite and more serious problem: low volume. As a small-town restaurant in an area with more restaurants than customers, it was competing for a thinly spread customer base. Investigation revealed that the town had no local steakhouse, a gap the restaurant could fill.
New regulations also create challenges. For example, a state health department recently began requiring restaurants to employ at least one certified food safety manager, and new restaurants must now have a food safety plan. In addition, many first-time owners come in without knowing where to begin. Some handle menus and design well on their own but get stuck on details such as licenses.
Solutions
The most effective approach is an “on call” consulting relationship, in which the consultant joins the restaurant’s team much like an hourly employee. The restaurant calls on the consultant when needed and carries on independently when it can, making the arrangement cost-effective while still providing expert input.
For the high-volume restaurant, poor sellers and labor-intensive items were removed from the menu, and money- and time-saving techniques were introduced to relieve pressure on prep cooks. High-quality alternative food items were purchased, and kitchen workflow was reorganized so cooks could meet demand. Because everything else was already working, a quick assessment and targeted changes set the restaurant on the right path.
For the low-volume restaurant, the menu was rewritten and reprinted to position it as the town’s steakhouse. Updated equipment reduced overhead, and the combination of higher sales and lower costs boosted profits considerably.
For regulatory compliance, the consultant provides on-site food manager certification courses required by law, writes food safety plans, and assists with other state programs. For new restaurants, services range from preparing a business plan to help secure financing to hiring staff and creating work schedules before opening. Owners can handle what they know and leave the rest to the consultant.
Each client has specific needs, and experience helps identify where support is required and where the restaurant is doing fine on its own. The consultant can offer advice, assign tasks for the owner to complete and report back on, be available as needed, or work alongside the client from start to finish. The goal is a collaboration that takes the owner’s vision and philosophy and brings it to life as efficiently and profitably as possible.