Comments on: Don’t Be A Restaurant Owner http://restaurantcommando.com/restaurant-business/dont-be-a-restaurant-owner New Guests + Repeat Customers + Profit Margins = Successful Restaurant Business! Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:04:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Chief Commando http://restaurantcommando.com/restaurant-business/dont-be-a-restaurant-owner/comment-page-1#comment-77 Chief Commando Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:24:42 +0000 http://restaurantcommando.com/?p=44#comment-77 Hi Marilyn, All the best with your project. And good luck with the bank talk -- looks like these days you do need Lady Luck on your side in those negotiations. Glad you've found us in time to rethink your opening game plan. Now, the "location" thing... Good location certainly helps. It's just that many restaurant owners think it's everything so once you secure a good location it's like wining in a lottery and you're set for life. Well, these folks are going to get disappointed very fast. It is just silly to hope to build a healthy business just on the walk ins! It didn't work very well in the past, and it's not going to work at all in the future. You need systems in place of getting customers to come to you, again and again. Better food (better service, better mousetraps -- better anything) are not enough to have people beat a path to your door. All the best! -Alex Hi Marilyn,

All the best with your project. And good luck with the bank talk — looks like these days you do need Lady Luck on your side in those negotiations.

Glad you’ve found us in time to rethink your opening game plan.

Now, the “location” thing… Good location certainly helps. It’s just that many restaurant owners think it’s everything so once you secure a good location it’s like wining in a lottery and you’re set for life. Well, these folks are going to get disappointed very fast. It is just silly to hope to build a healthy business just on the walk ins! It didn’t work very well in the past, and it’s not going to work at all in the future. You need systems in place of getting customers to come to you, again and again. Better food (better service, better mousetraps — better anything) are not enough to have people beat a path to your door.

All the best!

-Alex

]]> By: Marilyn http://restaurantcommando.com/restaurant-business/dont-be-a-restaurant-owner/comment-page-1#comment-76 Marilyn Fri, 17 Oct 2008 02:40:51 +0000 http://restaurantcommando.com/?p=44#comment-76 Hello - I enjoyed reading all your articles, from June to October 2008. First time on your website today. I'm glad I read all your articles as I'm about to meet the Bank Manager to get a small business loan to take over a restaurant, currently operating as a coffee/donut shop and I'm turning it into a Diner with different spontaneous menu every week, different daily. You're absolutely right, I don't want to be a Restaurant Owner, I want to be a Strategic Business Owner and I was considering a Big Bang for the first day opening, but now reading your article, it makes sense to do soft opening, two to three weeks later do a big opening, this way I will have a chance to get to know these new customers, who can then do word of mouth marketing based on their experience with our food on the day of the soft opening. Your article also hit me big time "Location Location Location and good food will bring them in"..you're right, it's not always true however this is what motivated me to buy this small coffee/donut shop, because of the potential. Again thank you! Canadian Reader Marilyn Hello – I enjoyed reading all your articles, from June to October 2008. First time on your website today. I’m glad I read all your articles as I’m about to meet the Bank Manager to get a small business loan to take over a restaurant, currently operating as a coffee/donut shop and I’m turning it into a Diner with different spontaneous menu every week, different daily. You’re absolutely right, I don’t want to be a Restaurant Owner, I want to be a Strategic Business Owner and I was considering a Big Bang for the first day opening, but now reading your article, it makes sense to do soft opening, two to three weeks later do a big opening, this way I will have a chance to get to know these new customers, who can then do word of mouth marketing based on their experience with our food on the day of the soft opening. Your article also hit me big time “Location Location Location and good food will bring them in”..you’re right, it’s not always true however this is what motivated me to buy this small coffee/donut shop, because of the potential. Again thank you!
Canadian Reader
Marilyn

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