How to Manage the Life Cycle of Your Restaurant

Like any other product, your restaurant concept also has a life cycle. In this article we will help you understand your restaurant's life cycle dynamics and prepare you for managing each phase as you move your concept along in the marketplace.

When first planning to open your restaurant, your goal is to get open, your strategy is to get open and all support tactics involve getting open. On one hand you can't wait to hear the register start ringing. On the other, you just know that you're going to forget something.

Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one. -- Dr. Seuss

All in all, it's hard to think past opening day -- until after opening day. Then your goal is to do a better job tomorrow. Your strategy is to learn from your opening-day mistakes. But there is no time to plan any corrective tactics. You close the front door at 11 p.m., get home around 1 a.m., and open the back door maybe seven hours later, often sleep-deprived.

You've likely been warned of the reactive life of a restaurateur, constantly caught up in managing the business for today with no time to get ahead of the learning curve. There is, however, a way to be a proactive restaurateur.