Open a restaurant

krishantha

Few of my friends have an idea to open a restaurant in the town in Carlow. Do you guys know what should be aware before open an restaurant such as,

1. Health, safty & fire regulations

2. Rent

3. Link with social marketing such as just eat app.

Any ideas , suggestion are most welcome !

DubCount

A restaurant business is a far more difficult business than most people realise. There are big start up costs (kitchen and front of house as well as signage etc.), there are big fixed costs (rent, staff, insurance...) and then your stock (food) is perishable. Figuring out what (and how much) to buy and how much Margin you need etc. is a real art. Then there are all the regulatory compliance issues - food safety alone is a big item you didn't mention.

Suggestion 1 - find a different way to make money.

Suggestion 2 - Your friends should spend some time working in a restaurant to get more of an idea of the way the business is run etc.

Suggestion 3 - Check out Restaurant Association of Ireland - they may have some guides/articles to help.

Good luck

macvin

Absolutely wrong time to open a restaurant.

Input costs especially gas and electricity have gone through the roof.

Customers don't have spare cash.

No real tourist market there either.

It's also the business that has the highest number of failures

waterwelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058250584/open-a-restaurant

Run a mile.

dazed+confused

I know they're going to prove me wrong and open the most successful restaurant that Carlow has ever seen.

But how can you expect to run a viable business if you don't have any industry experience and at least know the answers to the questions above?

gmisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058250584/open-a-restaurant

You would be mad imo. A notoriously difficult area to succeed in. Do you and your friends have experience in the area?

Just eat is not social marketing...they also take 14% of every order...

Xterminator

hi op

you don't appear to have the greatest experience and knowledge. perhaps a franchise type deal where they help you with POS, suppliers, signage marketing, training etc.

i have some experience in this area. it needs capital investment to go down that route you need to do your sums and make sure you have sufficient funds to stay afloat. A little knowledge of the area and what exists/what there is demand for is needed.

As for the timing, there probably wont be an ideal time anytime soon. you will be competing with other restaurants who all pay the same rates/esb/min wage etc. So i dont see that as prohibitive, but is a factor in having the cash to stay afloat.

Alternatively you could open a very simple restaurant like a chipper that just does takeaway. a simplified menu, partners who work in the shop so you don't need to hire staff and keep wages minimal etc. Getting to break even in that sort of simple environment is very do-able. Working for yourself can be very rewarding.