Find out how to run your restaurant like a chef!
Running a restaurant is like running any business. Although the restaurant sector has its own specific characteristics, the basis of your success is a heroine lurking in the shadows: impeccable overall management.
This is all the more true for catering establishments: unforeseen events, stocks, seasonality, staff turnover - their management can be a real source of stress.
The icing on the cake is that your customer is one of the most demanding in the world. The experience has to be impeccable at every level: quality, waiting time, service.
But are you short of time, or do you work nightmare hours? As a restaurateur, you can optimise your management with a few healthy basics and a few helping hands.
From accounting to stock management, from staff management to customer relations and restocking... have you thought about adopting software packages tailored to your needs?
Restaurant owners, we have compiled for you the basics of good restaurant management and solutions to support you on a daily basis. We'll also explain why you should choose restaurant management software.
More than just a financial issue, the efficiency of your teams and the satisfaction of your customers are at stake.
On the menu:
The ABCs of good restaurant management
Whether you run a catering service, a food truck, a sandwich shop, a tapas bar or a traditional restaurant, and whatever the number of covers, the management of your establishment needs to be rigorous. Here are a few obvious points to bear in mind and some levers for progress.
The quality of your offer
A restaurant outing is first and foremost an experience for the customer. At the very least, they expect to be satisfied by :
- Quality, fresh, local food if possible.
An uncluttered menu is often synonymous with a selection of the best seasonal produce.
☝️ Simplifying your menu not only reassures the consumer that the products are fresh, but also makes it easier to manage stocks and preparations in the kitchen and work in the dining room, thus motivating your teams.
- The speciality: sushi, pizza, tacos, it conveys an idea of mastery. You can also cater for a certain type of customer: vegan, to name but one!
- Innovation, through an original combination of products or a different presentation (e.g. molecular cuisine).
☝️ For your signature dishes, those that are destined to remain on the menu and win the loyalty of your customers, draw up technical information sheets. Customers want to eat their favourite dish exactly the same way, and your teams need guidance. This also makes it easier to manage supplies.
- Atmosphere: music or tranquillity, plants, themed decoration, all play a big part in the customer's experience and identification.
- Service: a good dish served very late, cold or by a bad-tempered waiter can really alter the customer experience. Staff must have both technical qualities (knowledge of dishes, wine pairings and their origins) and human qualities (availability, smile).
- Impeccable hygiene:
- of the premises: storage areas (food subject to expiry dates must be dated in case of inspection), kitchen, toilets, dining room and/or equipment (tables, chairs, bar, crockery),
- as well as staff (clean fingernails, tied back hair, etc.).
Meticulous administration and accounting
In addition to the basic rules that apply to any business, the restaurant sector has its own specific accounting and administrative requirements:
- You must have the necessary licences and operating permits (e.g. licence IV for the right to serve strong alcoholic beverages).
- Margins must be carefully managed.
☝️ The purchase price of materials represents between 35% and 25% of turnover. So don't hesitate to negotiate with your suppliers.
Source of figures: l-expert-comptable.com
- Different VAT rates apply: 5.5%, 10% and 20% depending on the type of products sold (drinks, food on the premises or taken away).
- Payment methods also vary widely: luncheon vouchers, restaurant cards, credit cards, cash, etc.
- The prices you offer should, at the very least, enable you to break even but also keep your customers coming back for more.
Controlling costs, whether in terms of payroll, food and equipment or rental charges, is essential. It's all about striking the right balance!
- It's highly advisable to check your income and expenditure every day to find out your gross margin and cost prices, and to keep a book of accounts. This will show you how healthy your business is and what adjustments need to be made.
Stock management
This is one of the main concerns of managers, closely linked to the financial management mentioned above.
You need :
- reliable suppliers, who attach importance to food quality, but also to delivery times and your customer relations;
- schedule regular inventories (every month) to optimise your supplies and achieve your target margins.
Flawless stock management, in particular by anticipating orders and monitoring trends, prevents :
- shortages, which cause you to miss out on sales,
- problems of wastage, which are not only ethical, but also affect your wallet!
☝️ A word of advice: check deliveries scrupulously, as oversights can happen very quickly.
Human resources
Another dynamic that is difficult to grasp.
Permanent staff, seasonal workers, chartered accountants- how do you recruit enough staff to meet management, service and short-term needs during peaks in activity?
The start-up Brigad, for example, has created a service to match supply and demand in recruitment, especially in the hotel and restaurant sectors.
How can you optimise the management of your restaurant?
Following on from the fundamentals outlined above, here are some other essential criteria for managing your restaurant:
Scrupulous and regular sales analysis
It allows you to forecast your cash flow accurately.
Rigorous monitoring of your business, using dashboards and performance indicators (KPIs), promises not only to keep your customers loyal thanks to a tailored offering, but also to make you more competitive.
In particular, you can observe :
- offers with the highest margins
- popularity of dishes
- the most profitable days/months/periods, etc.
Using the right tools for your sector
☝️ Are you looking for free restaurant management software? You should be aware that there is always a limit to the amount of free software you can use, whether in terms of duration, number of simultaneous cashings or connections, or customer support.
Tools dedicated to your sector provide a customised response to your constraints and needs.
Software packages exist for :
- stock and inventory management
- cash register management
- accounting
- invoicing
- loyalty programme management.
Restaurant management software
For example, Asterio is a comprehensive tool designed to optimise your restaurant business. This mobile and intuitive platform centralises all the information you and your teams need to improve efficiency and offer a quality service to your customers.
Features include advanced menu management, order taking, invoicing and collection, restaurant accounting, reservation management, real-time seating plan optimisation, key performance indicators, etc.
The plus? A tool that adapts to the specific features of your business, and that also manages hotels and hotel-restaurants.
Cash register software
L'Addition, for example, is a cash register on iPad and iPhone specially designed for catering professionals (cafés, hotels, restaurants).
Features include online reservations, table and online ordering, stock management, loyalty management and payment at the table.
Another example is Lightspeed, a new-generation touch-sensitive cash register software adapted to all types of restaurant. A true all-in-one tool, it combines cash register, stock, delivery and takeaway service on a single platform.
Features include real-time stock management, integrated seating plan organisation, 100% customisable menu creation, a kitchen display screen connected directly to the cash register software, synchronisation with the main delivery suppliers, and customer loyalty tools.
Then there's Tactill, a versatile application (designed for all types of point of sale, retail, shop, restaurant, bar) that is appreciated for its simplicity and user-friendliness.
Its features include building a customer database, tracking favourite products, sending sales reports to the accountant, tracking sales in real time, monitoring stocks, etc.
It's happy hour!
As you already know, you can't be in charge of everything at once! As a manager, you need to surround yourself with competent staff and equip yourself with the right tools.
You'll then be able to devote yourself to the tasks that generate added value: managing your teams, maintaining your supplier and customer relationships, thinking about the future, communicating...
By adopting cutting-edge management software, you can avoid burn-out, increase productivity, enhance your brand image and motivate your teams.
Why deprive yourself? Why not share your experience and tips with us?
Article translated from French