Planning the Opening of Your Restaurant: Unless You Have Your 'Ducks in a Row,' Opt for a Soft Opening

My friend eagerly anticipated the opening of a Mexican restaurant in his neighborhood. He had seen the "Coming Soon" banner for months each time he drove by its shopping center location. He was well acquainted with the concept, based on many enjoyable experiences he had at the restaurant's original location, on the other side of town. He had been telling his family, workers at the office, and friends in the neighborhood, how much easier it was going to be to enjoy his favorite fajitas and margaritas now that it was opening so close to home.

When the day finally came that he saw the "Now Open" banner hanging and plenty of cars out front of the restaurant, he planned his first visit. That weekend with family and friends in tow, he arrived at its door, ready to be served.

Although the design, décor, furniture, menu, and staff uniforms looked quite familiar to him, the experience he was in for was far from what he had grown accustomed to. While standing in the bar area waiting his turn to be seated, he couldn't help but notice the disarray at the hostess station. There was uneasiness in the air among the staff and hardly a smile to be found. There was much confusion among the bartenders as they reached for their glasses and looked for items in the refrigerators and cabinets. Once his party was seated he enjoyed a brief moment of security as he dipped the crisp tortilla chips into the familiar-tasting salsa and looked over the menu finding all of his favorite items. That moment quickly turned into disappointment as he and his party waited what seemed like a lifetime for their server to appear.

What followed was a series of mishaps and apologies. When the cocktails finally arrived there was the apology that the bartenders were so busy and too new. When their meals arrived (late and cold) there was the apology that the kitchen was so busy and the cooks were too new. When the server finally presented the check, and it was incorrect, there came another apology that … you guessed it. She had been so busy and was too new to master the point-of-sale system.

As my friend was leaving, he stopped at the door to mention to the manager that he hoped the restaurant would get organized quickly. He then asked a question that caught the manager by surprise: "Why did you open if you weren't prepared?"

In fact, that is a question this industry must address every day. Customers want the restaurants they like to succeed. Although apologies may seem sincere they are no replacement for the quality and service all your guests deserve each shift. Successful operators teach their staff that being busy is a reason to be in the restaurant business, not an excuse for a less-than-desirable experience.