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If you are enthusiastic about opening an independent food business, you will rapidly discover that there is more administration behind it than simply loving blueberry muffins.
The food industry needs to respect strict health regulations concerning the food provenance, how it is stored, and what you tell your customers about it. On top of these considerations, you naturally need to be looking for an appealing location. For instance, there is no denying that a restaurant in town will have more customers than in a small village. However, if there is a decent amount of tourism or travel going through the place, a restaurant can be a successful attraction even in a small village. You also need to be very strict when it comes to recruiting the staff. It is about finding people who will personify your business’s vision and values. When you’ve got all of that, you’re ready to launch your food business. All you need to turn it into a success is to make sure that you’ve got the three following essentials covered.
#1. Don’t Make People Wait
As a rule of the thumb, a meal in a restaurant can last anything from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the type of meal and the party. Most guests don’t mind at all about the time they spend in a restaurant, as long as it isn’t time spent waiting. Attentive waiters and waitresses are therefore essential to ensure that your guests receive all the attention they require. Additionally, you also need to invest in smart wireless credit card scanners and terminals. Indeed, customers prefer to pay directly at the table than having to follow the waiter to the counter. Finally, you will also need to work with a minimum of two to three terminals so that several customers can pay at the same time.
#2. Tell Your Social Media Story
When you have a food business, you need an online presence. Your customers will not visit your website very often, unless you have an active blog publication. That’s why it’s important to make the most of your social media resources. Pinterest is a brilliant way of creating boards of interesting topics, which could be new menus, for example. As one of the most used social media platforms to share content, you can be sure that your content will get noticed. If you are worried about not having enough time, you can prepare your post in advance for Twitter, Instagram or Facebook using an auto-scheduler. It will save you a lot of time, and your content is ready for the days or weeks to come. Is there any better way to get people interested in your menu than talking about it?
#3. Different Customers Have Different Needs
Finally, there is a variety of dietary requirements. With an increase in allergies, alternative diets, and food intolerance issues, more and more customers are very cautious about their food. Consequently, you cannot open a food business without serving vegetarian or even vegan options as well as considering free-from alternatives. The most common food allergies tend to be related to dietary products, gluten, and nuts. So make sure that you’ve got options that address these issues. In short, keep all your customers happy, and respect their health requirements.
