Hope for the best and be prepared for the worst. It's good advice when attempting to tackle any challenging project, but it particularly applies to restaurant buildout projects.... more >>

You can revamp your menu, your concept, and your operational methods; however, your location is almost impossible to change, so it's important to get it right from the start. Learn how to determine the right spot for your next location.... more >>

A business plan is your roadmap for the future of the business. Not only does it provide direction, but it also requires you to consider all the pitfalls and opportunities of your prospective enterprise, well before you open its doors. It is your script of how the business ought to be.... more >>

Our new business plan template has been designed by Stephani Robson, PhD, Senior Lecturer for the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. Like our Original Business Plan Template, the structure provides instruction and suggested text to help you in the composition of your business plan.... more >>

Marketing whiz Kamron Karrington shows why you must have a "USP" to be super successful and how to create one that positions your restaurant for significant sales growth.... more >>

Every restaurateur dreams of hitting a home run with their new restaurant. However, it takes more than a dream to have a winning concept. See how successful operators use a system for creating consistently great restaurant concepts... more >>

This worksheet is a tool that allows you to quickly enter your sales, cost percentages and other operating assumptions by period to efficiently prepare a comprehensive annual budget broken down into monthly reporting periods.... more >>

To most potential lenders and investors, the financial projections will be the most important part of your business plan. Even if the other sections of your plan are impeccable, the underlying assumptions and presentation of the financials will very likely make or break your presentation and your chances of securing capital. This series of Excel worksheets will help you prepare a comprehensive, professional, and convincing financial section for your business plan.... more >>

The Business Plan Financial Section instructional workbook walks you through the preparation of the financial sections of both our Tableservice Restaurant and Quick Service Restaurant Financial Models.... more >>

Weekly planning is best accomplished through effective weekly management meetings that are brief, well-organized, informative and motivational. This is achieved by using the weekly planning guide as an agenda and having all managers participate.... more >>

A well-conceived, professional restaurant business plan is your greatest single asset for turning your restaurant dreams into reality. It's the key to convincing anyone to invest money, make a loan, lease space or do business with you prior to opening.... more >>

The key to keeping your restaurant's opening schedule on track is to take it one week at a time. Project managers who excel in weekly planning are more likely to make a predetermined opening date than those with poor planning skills.... more >>

Virtual restaurants are one of the fastest-growing segments of the foodservice industry. Our virtual restaurant business plan resources include a completed sample plan that can be used as a source of ideas and a working template to reduce the time it takes to create your own plan.... more >>

As an owner, it's not your job to run the joint, it's to teach your STAFF how to run the joint! You will never be able to move on to new opportunities (or spend more time with your family) unless your crew can assume responsibilities that presently fall to you . . . and the only way they will be able to do these new jobs is if someone teaches them. Here's how to begin the process.... more >>

The Management Training Program Template is a valuable tool to help you improve your management training program quickly and easily. The newly updated program is designed to take advantage of your membership and link to hundreds of resources on RestaurantOwner.com, providing the most current best practices.... more >>

Use this anonymous survey-promotion technique to quickly build a database that targets the people in your community who eat out and spend the most! It's a great tool to add new customers and generate more sales.... more >>

Use this template to track the sales, costs and profit of the very profitable school fundraiser promotion. You can also use it to validate the number of certificates that were distributed and returned.... more >>

Writing a restaurant business plan has many benefits besides helping you raise money or secure a lease. Learning the MOST important reason will improve your plan AND your chances of restaurant success.... more >>

The growth and sustainability of your operation depend in large part on your ability to cultivate other leaders in your organization. If you are at the point where you have strong management talent, you might want to consider how to take them to next level as business leaders. This article explores the steps from management to leadership.... more >>

Effective leadership skills are not complicated. In fact, applying basic principles of good conduct learned in grade school might be enough to separate you from the pack, and give you the time needed to carry out your vision for your restaurant..... more >>