An effective coffee shop floor plan uses visual cues and physical barriers to guide customers through the ordering process and showcase retail products along the route. The best coffee shop floor plans are easy to navigate and contain options that appeal to customers looking for a comfortable space to lounge and work or simply grab…
How to Do Bar & Liquor Inventory in 4 Steps [+ Free Template]
Bar inventory is the total supply of beer, wine, spirits, and mixers that your restaurant or bar has on hand. The phrase “bar inventory” can also refer to the process of physically counting that supply. Restaurant workers may feel that inventorying is worse than a month of Mondays but, with the right planning, it doesn’t…
The Ultimate Guide to Restaurant Food Suppliers
Restaurant food suppliers are vendors that sell products directly to restaurants, whether wholesale purveyors or local farms. The critical function of a restaurant supplier is to allow a restaurant to purchase products at lower prices to increase their profit margins. When choosing food suppliers, restaurants should consider cost, delivery schedule, minimum order requirements, and quality…
The Ultimate Restaurant Name Generator
It can be challenging to create a restaurant name that is distinctive, memorable, and gives your customers an idea of what style of food and service to expect. This restaurant name generator gives you dozens of possibilities, the steps below will help you refine them. Enter your name, type of food, and location to get…
13 Key Restaurant Metrics All Restaurant Owners Need to Know
Restaurant metrics are calculations that illustrate the health of your business. Such restaurant calculations allow restaurant owners to measure, evaluate, and adjust their operation for maximum profitability. Metrics differ from the computations performed to create a business plan for a new restaurant; business plan calculations are based on projected numbers, while metrics work with actual…
How to Use a Restaurant Schedule Template [+Free Templates]
A restaurant schedule template can help you keep your staff schedules organized that, in turn, can help you control labor costs and positively impact your staff morale. Creating a restaurant schedule can be tedious and time-consuming, but with the right tools and a little preparation, you can easily speed up your scheduling process. Restaurant Scheduling…
The Basics of Restaurant Management in 6 Steps
Effective restaurant management balances many different targets and processes to create a seamless operation. Food and labor costs, inventory tracking, staff training, food production, customer service, and marketing are part of daily restaurant management. Here’s a look at how to manage a restaurant in six steps, along with tips and advice from experienced restaurateurs. What…
What Is a Tip Out? Restaurant Tipping Methods
In restaurant lingo, “tip out” is a practice where staff members who receive tips distribute a portion of those tips to other co-workers who are involved in the chain-of-service to customers. Typically, this means that servers and bartenders give a portion of their tips to bussers, runners, and sometimes kitchen staff. Note: Customers can leave…
15 Unique Coffee Shop Menu Ideas
There are numerous coffee shop menu ideas you can use to market your cafe. With the right color scheme, font, and menu design theme (for instance, magazine-style vs hipster), you can help customers connect to your brand. It’s best to design your menu to align with the ambiance you want to create. Here are 15…
Write a Restaurant Business Plan in 7 Steps [+ Free Template]
A restaurant business plan is a blueprint for starting and operating your restaurant. You can use it to explain what type of restaurant you’re opening, why you’re in business, what food you serve, and how you will be profitable. Additionally, a business plan can help you to obtain funding from a bank or investor. The…
6 Best Restaurant Scheduling Software & Apps
We’ve uncovered the best restaurant scheduling apps to eliminate manual employee scheduling on paper and spreadsheets. The best restaurant scheduling software offers templates, drag and drop scheduling tools, shift swaps, mobile apps, employee communication, and more. Most can track employee time and attendance as well. Best of all, many are free. Top 6 Restaurant Scheduling…
Restaurant Profit Margin: Definition and Tips to Improve It
Restaurant profit margin is the percentage of annual sales revenue a business has left over after subtracting all expenses, including utilities, lease or mortgage, payroll, taxes, and insurance, from gross revenue. To determine gross revenue, subtract costs of goods sold (COGS) from total sales. Average profit margins for restaurants are typically between 3% to 6%….