How to Survive 5 Common Restaurant Nightmares

Are you living the dream or experiencing a living nightmare? Ask any a startup or independent operator and the answer might depend on the day, even the hour. The good news is you can enjoy more of the former and less of the latter with a little foresight and preparation. In this article, we look at five common restaurant crises, and how to prevent and manage them.

The Dreaded Health Inspection

If it can go wrong, it will go wrong-with restaurants as with life. Rather than panic when the inevitable happens, prepare ahead for common restaurant crises, so you can reduce the stress in the moment and weather the storm with confidence that you'll make it through the night.

Ask any restaurant owner what they dread most and they'll probably tell you a health inspection problem. Some worry about not making the grade when trying to open a new restaurant, while others fret over how to handle a surprise visit after something like a consumer health complaint.

While many operators worry about the financial and reputational costs of a food safety problem, they often forget the true motivates of health inspectors. Inspectors don't want to punish restaurant operators, they want to prevent and fix problems, to protect the public health.