Preparing for Your Restaurant's Grand Opening
June 1, 2017Starting a restaurant is an adventure, especially with the Grand Opening.
There will have been months of planning, preparation, purchasing and hiring for your grand opening. When you finally have everything ready, your grand opening is a big deal. If everything is perfect, your grand opening will leave a lasting impression on your prospective customers. Start early and put in place a rocket solid plan. The following tips should come in handy.
- Create a feasible plan for your grand opening
Have a workable plan for your opening day. Set a date on your calendar and ensure your best hands are on deck to dish out a great experience for your customers. Take note of upcoming events around your restaurant. If possible, schedule your opening to coincide with an event that will bring hungry customers to your area, setting the stage for a massive turnout. Ensure you and your employees know what you’ll be doing on opening day.
- Invite friends and family to a pre grand opening
Invite friendly faces to experience an exclusive pre-opening. Ask your friends and family to provide feedback on their experience – both what they enjoyed and what could be improved. This will give you an assessment of your readiness and performance before a grand opening to the general public.
It will also allow you to identify unforeseen issues and make adjustments to ensure your restaurant will run smoothly before the big day. Pay attention to how your team works together, the quality of the food and the level of service. Coach your employees to help them correct any problems they encounter during the grand opening.
- Get the word out of your grand opening
If you don’t tell people your grand opening, you can’t expect them to come. Marketing is a key aspect of your business, so employ multiple advertising methods. Social media is an inexpensive and effective way of raising awareness among your target market. Print attractive flyers and signs that will attract the attention of passers-by. A new restaurant opening is a newsworthy event, so get local media involved – it’s free exposure!
- Go to your customers.
Why wait for your customers to find you when you can go to them? Setting up a stand at a festival or your local market is an excellent way to get people to try a bit of your fresh culinary taste. If they love what they taste, they will want to come to your restaurant for more on your grand opening! Remember to use this opportunity to hand out flyers and invite people to attend your grand opening.
- Don’t skimp on training before a grand opening
Your employees should be well-trained in everything from the menu to the company’s mission. Make sure every server has the menu memorized and is able to suggest dishes to your customers during your grand opening. If you have an electronic order system, staff should be well-versed in how to use it. A strong system of communicating orders is also essential to the efficiency and effectiveness of your restaurant. All your employees should know the mission of your restaurant; this creates a sense of loyalty and team spirit.
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