# General Business Category > Business Finance Forum >  Restaurant Business Plan

## Mafiaisland

Good day everybody out there,
I would like to start a restaurant business,someone told me if i could write a nice business plan he could give me a cash to start such a business,but myself i don't know how to write it,can somebody told me how am going to write it?
Thanks in advance

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## AndyD

Hi  Mafiaisland, welcome to TFSA  :Smile: 

What is your area of expertise? Are you a chef or an entrepreneur or did you just decide that opening a restaurant would be the thing to do? There are existing threads on business plans if you use the forum search tool above.

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## IanF

Welcome Mafiasland, I have a customer who consults to restaurants Brand Strategy look at his website as he has lots of articles on running restaurants. For the plan I would search for templates and start from there.

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## Mafiaisland

Thanks alot Mr. Andy D,i would like to open in Jo'burg Centre,and i just decide opening a restaurant is the thing to do,thanks again for your answer


> Hi  Mafiaisland, welcome to TFSA 
> 
> What is your area of expertise? Are you a chef or an entrepreneur or did you just decide that opening a restaurant would be the thing to do? There are existing threads on business plans if you use the forum search tool above.

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## Mafiaisland

Thanks Mr Ian


> Welcome Mafiasland, I have a customer who consults to restaurants Brand Strategy look at his website as he has lots of articles on running restaurants. For the plan I would search for templates and start from there.

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## Johann D Landsberg

A restaurant is hard work.  You must have a passion for food and people if you want to make it in the restaurant business.  You can find a lot of examples of restaurant business plans and business plan templates on the web.  The success of your business plan and your business is dependend on the amount of time you spend on your research.

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## AndyD

Yeah, it's going to be a lot of hands-on hard graft. There's a fairly common mistake where people are sitting in a restaurant in the middle of peak season and do a quick head-count and some spend per head calculations on the back of their napkin. Next thing they're in the market for a restaurant. I'm not suggesting you fall into this bracket but the failure rate of these businesses is very high. The only way I would buy or start a restaurant would be if I was head of a drug dealing syndicate and I needed a front for money laundering  :Smile:

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## wynn

Or a mayoress looking to launder  tender backhands!

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AndyD (08-Feb-11)

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## AndyD

> Or a mayoress looking to launder  tender backhands!


I believe you look mighty fine in that mayoress outfit of yours Wynn ;-)

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## Mafiaisland

> Yeah, it's going to be a lot of hands-on hard graft. There's a fairly common mistake where people are sitting in a restaurant in the middle of peak season and do a quick head-count and some spend per head calculations on the back of their napkin. Next thing they're in the market for a restaurant. I'm not suggesting you fall into this bracket but the failure rate of these businesses is very high. The only way I would buy or start a restaurant would be if I was head of a drug dealing syndicate and I needed a front for money laundering


 Should i quit or should i stick with plan?

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## AndyD

Lol, you're asking me....I've never owned a restaurant. Seriously though, if my post struck a nerve or made you think, it's good cause that was what it was designed to do.

If you have no working knowledge of the restaurant industry then you're going to need to consult with someone who does and preferably before you commit your hard earned cash.

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## AmithS

Hi Guys & Gals,

Sorry for late reply on this thread.  If you still looking for some advise\insight to you question i can give you this quick overview of my experiences.

I am now in the fast food business for 16 months.  I have a very simple line, with about 4 main items.  I started out with a franchise and got screwed badly losing alot of money.  I had to learn and implement all my own systems and procedures in store right from financial management to stock control to HR to you name it all as i got no support from the franchise at all accept for taking my money.  

After about 16 months of alot of extremely hard work, long hours, stress and frustrations I am proud to say I am getting there however there is still alot that can be improved on.

From what I can tell you, not only does it depend on what experience you already have or if you have or have not worked in the industry but in general what type of a person you are and what you are looking for in life and what are you expecting out of your dream business\job.

Are you willing to work long hours(some times from opening the store 6\8am to closing the store 8\10pm monday to sunday for weeks on end)  are you willing to work irregular hours?  Are you willing to take work home with you to complete? Are you willing to complete all the necessary paper work (finances, stock take, hr items, etc...) and go through them all to make sure your business is heading upwards and not downwards?  Are you willing to deal with customers being very difficult for every single small thing from wanting to sit in your establisment without buying from you to demanding to use your toilet without purchasing a single item from you to actually having food thrown in your face? Are you willing to wake up in the morning with the best attitude only to get to work and find out that half your staff have decided to be sick today and you need to get extra staff in asap without warning? and this is just the tip of the iceberg!!!!!!

This is why i would largely say it depends on you as an individual if you are willing to work in these conditions and make the best of it.  Are you a fighter or will you throw in the towel after a few months?  

Having said the above, it is not all doom and gloom as now that i am getting my systems in place things are not as hectic but it took me 16 months to get here.  Read the blog of the link posted in this thread, everything posted in it is true true true and not the whole truth as there is more more more. The food industry is an extremely difficult industry.  

I would say if you dont have a passion for the industry stay away from it dont do it for the wrong reasons "Money"

Rather do something you know you will be happy with.

It works for some and it doesnt for others.

My final advise would be if you feel this might be a good move in life for yourself.  Arrange that you can spend a few weeks or at least a month in a resturant as a manager or with a manager to see for yourself exactly what goes on and the you will have a better idea to making a decision.

Ultimately and i am sure everyone in this forum will agree its going to be your own choice if you decide or not decide to go ahead.

I always say, "You take the decision and you either face the consequences or reap the rewards"

Hope this helps. Really didnt mean to scare you if i did (but i do know i wish i knew all of this before i made my decision)

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Dave A (14-Feb-11), rob.b (14-Feb-11)

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## rob.b

Good reply




> Hi Guys & Gals,
> 
> Sorry for late reply on this thread.  If you still looking for some advise\insight to you question i can give you this quick overview of my experiences.
> 
> I am now in the fast food business for 16 months.  I have a very simple line, with about 4 main items.  I started out with a franchise and got screwed badly losing alot of money.  I had to learn and implement all my own systems and procedures in store right from financial management to stock control to HR to you name it all as i got no support from the franchise at all accept for taking my money.  
> 
> After about 16 months of alot of extremely hard work, long hours, stress and frustrations I am proud to say I am getting there however there is still alot that can be improved on.
> 
> From what I can tell you, not only does it depend on what experience you already have or if you have or have not worked in the industry but in general what type of a person you are and what you are looking for in life and what are you expecting out of your dream business\job.
> ...

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## Pap_sak

I could only recommend a restaurant as a business to someone a really, really did not like. Unless, of course, they had a passion for food - even then catering is easier by far.

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