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Restauranting: Most Popular Articles

These articles are the most popular over the last month.
Restaurant Name
Choosing a restaurant's name can reflect its theme, location or be a play on words. It should be easy to remember and easy to spell.
Menu Design
Tips for effective restaurant menu design layout and descriptions.
Before You Open a Restaurant
Everything you need to know about opening a restaurant, from choosing the perfect location to designing the menu.
food cost
There are simple ways to help you price your restaurant menu, including food cost and portion control.
Restaurant Buisness Plan
Tips for creating a business plan specifically for a new restaurant.
Famous Restaurant Names
Famous restaurant names often have a story attached to them. From Pizza Hut to Spago, how these people chose their restaurant name may inspire you in your own restaurant name.
Naming the Restaurant
How to Choose a Good Name for Your Restaurant.
Menu Tips
There are three main parts to writing a restaurant menu including menu pricing, menu layout and menu description.
Opening a Restaurant
So You Want to Open a Restaurant? It's one of the biggest decisions you'll ever make...
Restaurant Jobs
Description of various positions within a restaurant, as well as what type of employee goes best in each position.
Owning a Restaurant
Restauranting is a calling, not a job. Owning your own restaurant has great benefits and major drawbacks.
Fine Dining
How is fine dining different from casual dining in restaurants. How to open a fine dining resturant.
Restaurant Concepts
Types of restaurant concepts, including cafes, pubs, fast casual and fine dining.
Myths
Myths about owning a restauranting, including it is an easy way to make money.
Restaurant Location
Before you decide on any particular location for your restaurant, consider these four important factors first.
Creating a Concept
Deciding on a restaurant concept includes choosing whether or not to serve liquor, how large a menu to offer, whether to use wait staff or be self-service, how many hours of the day and week to be open, how formal or informal the dining room will be and whether to have take out and/or delivery and whether there will be off-site catering.
Filling the Seats
How to Market Your Restaurant So That You Generate Buzz & Plenty of Customers
Liquor License
What is a liquor license, why restaurants need a liquor license and how to apply for a liquor license.
Restaurant Promotions
Restaurant Promotions are a great way to bring in extra business.
A Safe Kitchen
Understanding Food Handling and Food Safety Rules in Restaurants.
How to Open a Restaurant
How to open a new restaurant, starting with a restaurant business plan and choosing a restaurant name. Looks at ways to finance your restaurant, find teh perfect location and market your new restaurant.
Customer Complaints
Tips for handling customer complaints. Send your customers home happy with a free round of drinks or a free dessert.
Concept Tips
Great tips for developing a unique and profitable restaurant concept.
Kitchen Checklist
Checklist for everything you need to outfit a restaurant kitchen.
Restaurant Bar Set Up
What equipment you need when opening a restaurant and stocking the bar, including POS systems, commercial refrigeration and commercial storage.
Finances
How to get money to open a restaurant, how to make money with a restaurant and how to deal with financial problems with a restaurant.
Lease
How to negotiate a good lease before opneing a new restaurant.
Kitchen Clean
list that outlines how to keep your restaurant kitchen spic and span. Some jobs should be done several times a day, while others need to only be done weekly or monthly.
Cooking Positions
Description of all the various cooking positions in a restaurant kitchen.
Kids Menu
Here's a sample of a restaurant kids menu that offers healthy options.
Sample Lunch Menu
Here is a sample lunch menu for a restaurant. It has simple menu description and proper food cost.
Upselling
How to train restaurant staff to up-sell menu items to increase restaurant profits.
Equipment Tips
Tips for buying or leasing restaurant equipment.
Employee Laws
Restaurant owners need to know laws pertaining to minimum wage, overtime, social security verification and illegal immigrants.
Hiring
How to Hire a Staff for the Restaurant. What positions need to be filled. How to fire people and what benefits to offer employees.
Restaurant Insurance
Understanding the basic differences in types of insurance you can buy for a new restaurant, from liquor liability to general liability.
Prix Fixe Menu
A prix fixe menu is type of limited menu that has a fixed price and a set list of dishes.
Buy A Restaurant Franchise
Everything you need to know about buying a restaurant franchise. Most restaurant franchises require signficant investment capitol and restaurant experience.
Sample Dinner Menu
A restaurant dinner menu that shows a wide variety of ingredients, descriptions and food cost.
Customer Appreciation
Tips for showing customer appreciation, including getting to know your regular customers and dealing with customer complaints.
Catering101
The basics of starting a restaurant catering business.
Advertising Budget
Traditional methods of advertising, such as TV, radio commercials and newspaper ads can be very expensive. If you are getting ready to open a new restaurant and don’t have a very big advertising budget, there are still several ways to promote your restaurant, even on a shoe string budget, such as flyers, take out menus and websites.
Glossary
A helpful list of common restaurant terms.
Restaurant Lingo
Everything you should know about restaurant terms from baine marie to upselling, especially if you are opening a restaurant.
Restaurant Bar Checklist
List of supplies to stock a restaurant bar, including POS systems, liquor, glasses and refrigeration equipment.
POS System
POS (point of sale) system is an invaluable piece of equipment for a new restaurant.
Used Restaurant Equipment
Buying used restaurant equipment can save you a lot money when you are getting ready to open your own restaurant.
Superhero
A day in the life of a restaurant owner shows common mistakes many owners make trying to save money when opening a new restaurant.
How to Promote Like a Pro
Top Ways to Promote Your Restaurant
What to Skip on the Menu
When writing a restaurant menu avoid things like clip art and a lot of techinal jargon.
Hiring a Bartender
How to hire a bartender. Hiring a bartender should be based on experiences, references and reputation. A good bartender knows how to relate to staff and customers.
Restaurant Kitchen Station
A commercial restaurant kitchen is made up different cooking stations, including saute and grill stations.
Restauranting FAQs
Questions commonly asked when opening a new restaurant, such as how to get a business loan, what type of restaurant equipment to buy and how to choose a restaurant location and restaurant name.
Restaurant Sales
Estimating resetaurant sales is a very important part of writing a restaurant business plan.
Catering List
Checklist for catering small and large events in a restaurant or off premise.
Dinner Buffet Menu
Sample of a dinner buffet menu that gives several selections for customers to choose as well as outlines restaurant catering policies.
Restaurant Franchise
Restaurant franchises have several benefits, such as name recognition and bigger buying power. However, they also have several drawbacks.
Existing Restaurant
Should you buy an existing restaurant? Or should you just open your own restaurant? Is an existing restaurant a good investment?
Population Base
Tips for using free information to determine if there is a big enough population base to support your restaurant.
Market Price
Understaning how to use market price in a restaurant menu to protect food cost.
Locating Your Restaurant
How to Find a Good Location for Your Restaurant. How to negotiate a lease.
Food Cost
Food Cost definition
Kitchen_catalogue
A list of useful equipment to stock your restaurant kitchen.
Catering 101
Catering is a good way for restaurants to boost sales and expose their food and service to a wider audience.
Restaurant Business Plan
A business plan is a road map to success for any new restaurant.
Leasing Equipment
Leasing restaurant equipment may be a better option for a new restaurant owner, then buying new restaurant equipment.
Commercial Ovens
Select the right commerical oven for your restaurant. Commerical ovens include grills, convection ovens, conveyor ovens and Pizza ovens.
Why Restaurants Fail
Ten reasons that restaurants fail within the first three years, including high payroll, taxes, food cost and bad locations.
fronthouse
Front of the House Equipment Catalogue
Restaurant Design
How to design a restaurant and blance seating capacity with a welcoming ambience. Problem areas like tables near restrooms can be hidden with simple steps.
Monthly Advertising
Guide to effective month by month advertising for a restaurant, including dinner specials, prix fixe menus and restaurant promotions.
Advertise For a New Restaurant
Advertising is essential for a new restaurant. Great food, service and atmosphere will keep customers coming back, but you need advertising to get them through doors that first time.
Guide to Restaurant Catering
Guide to all aspects of restaurant catering, including how to write and price a catering menu, catering equipment checklists and catering on and off premise.
Restaurants Save Money
Restaurants can save money by using energy efficient appliances, turning off the lights and cutting back the menu.
Employee Theft
Six steps to preventing employee theft in restaurants, from tracking food and alcohol sales to installing security cameras.
Bank Interview
Make your visit to the loan officer easier by having all your paperwork in order, for a new restaurant.
Running a Restaurant
Review of the book Running a Restaurant for Dummies by Garvey, Dinsmore & Dinsmore.
Drunk Customers
How to deal with drunk customers at your new restaurant.
Food Runner
Runner definition
Menu Guide
A restaurant menu is a showcase for a restaurant’s signature dishes, reflecting the theme, ambiance and style of a restaurant. Restaurant menus can be very formal or very casual.
Menu Writing Tips
How the size and layout of your commercial kitchen will affect what you put on your restaurant menu.
Wait Station
Checklist for a well stocked restaurant wait station
Restaurant Equipment Lease
Certain pieces of commercial restaurant equipment are better suited for leasing than buying outright. Items such as commercial dishwashers, coffee makers, and ice makers are all ideal for leasing rather than buying new.
Buying a Restaurant
Before you buy a restaurant, do your homework. Make sure you research why the restaurant is for sale and carefully examine the books, the equipment, the location and more.
Restaurant Buffet
Restaurant buffets are one type of restaurant concept that includes self service and catering services. If you are opening a new restaurant, you can offer a buffet for special occasions or as a restaurant promotion.
Paula Deen
Paula Deen gives a candid and refreshing account of her life and how she started her own successful restaurant.
Catering FAQ
Frequently asked questions about restaurant catering
Restaurant Booths
If you planning to open a new restaurant, booths offer great restaurant seating and fit with any restaurant design.
Restaurant Kitchens
The kitchen is command central of any restaurant. It is where food gets delivered, prepped, cooked and plated before being served to customers. Read on to learn all the basics of designing, stocking and maintaining a smooth running restaurant kitchen.
Restaurant Customer Service
How to Restaurants Can Give Great Customer Service, from showing customer appreciation to how to handle drunk customers and customer complaints.
How Restaurants Go Green
Go green at your restaurant by banishing styrofoam, installing low flow faucets and recycling. Choose restaurant equipment with the energy star seal to save money and utilities cost.
How To Guides
Here are step-by-step guides that outline every aspect of opening and managing a restaurant. Find everything you need to write a restaurant business plan, purchase commercial equipment and market your new restaurant.
Restaurant Refrigeration
All about restaurant refrigeration, including coolers, walk-ins and freezers for your commercial kitchen equipment needs.
Restaurant Dishes
Today’s restaurant dishware is far more than just functional. Commercial dishes add personality to restaurant table settings, reflecting the ambience, design and theme of a restaurant.
Outsourcing
Consider outsourcing your website, laundry, taxes, payroll and kitchen cleaning as part of owning a restaurant.
Franchise vs. Your Concept
How should you decide between buying a franchise or creating your own restauarant concept from scratch? Here's a list of the pluses and minuses of each.
Wine Tasting Menu
Sample menu for a wine tasting party and restaurant promotion.
Open My Own Restaurant
I’ve always dreamed of opening my own restaurant. Should I do it?
Cash Flow
Maintaining the cash flow of your restaurant.
Restaurant Wine Tasting
How to choose wines and plan a menu for a restaurant Wine Tasting, as well as hire a sommelier. Wine tastings are good restaurant promotions that increase sales.
Restaurant Employee Manual
How to write a restaurant employee manual for new servers, kitchen staff and bartenders. Be sure to include food safety, harassment and job policies.
10 Restaurant Tips
Ten tips for opening a new restaurant, from choosing a restaurant name to buying the right kind of commerical kitchen equipment.
Staffing a Restaurant
How to hire for a new restaurant, including chefs, bartenders, front of the house and other back of the house positions.
Touchpoints
What is the buzz on touchpoints? More businesses are using touchpoints as a way to improve and expand their relationships with customers.
The Dining Rooms
Designing the dining rooms and areas that will used by customers.
NY Chocolate Cafe
A Chocolate Cafe from London Comes to NYC
Just Desserts
Dessert specialty restaurants
Wine Tasting
How to host a wine tasting, including hiring a sommelier and writing a wine tasting menu. Perfect for a restaurant promotion.
Chef Garde Manager
Defintion of Chef Garde Manager
Kid Friendly Restaurant
Kid friendly restaurants are a great way to bring in whole families to dine on a regular basis. Update your restaurant's kid menu to include healthy options.
TIPS Training
TIPS training provides restaurant workers with valuable knowledge about how to safely serve alcohol, wine, and spirits.
Reduce Food Spoilage
How to reduce food spoilage saves restaurants money and ensures customer safety and the best possible food from the restaurant kitchen.
Host Station
Checklist for a well stocked host station
Bar-back
Restaurant Definition of Bar-Back. An assistant for the bartender. A bar-back usually runs glasses through the dishwasher, stocks the coolers and liquor bottles, and pours beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks for the wait staff.
Business Structure
Formalizing your Business Structure
Writing Your Business Plan
How to write your business plan.
Restaurant Seating
How to choose restaurant seating for a new restaurant. Consider the design of your restaurant, size of the dining room and your budget when choosing restaurant seating.
Back of the House
Back of the House definition
Energy Star Program
The Energy Star Program can save restaurants money on commercial kitchen equipment.
Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares
Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares profiles failing restaurants and British restaurateurGordon Ramsay's attempt to get them back on their feet and bring in new business.
Reservations
Should your restaurant take reservations? Restaurant reservations make it easier to control staffing and cooking times. However, restaurant reservations also run the risk of alienating customers.
Restauranting - HowTos
An index of HowTos for the Restauranting guide site.
Exterior Design
Tips for creating the exterior design of your restaurant.
Everything Guide to Catering
The Everything Guide to Starting and Running a Catering Business by Joyce Weinberg is a good resource for restaurants looking to expand their catering business.
Tipping
Differnces between restaurant tipping, gratuity and service charges. How bad tips hurt the whole restaurant, not just the servers.
Meal Service
Meal Service definition
Back of The House Terms
Glossary terms of back of the house positions.
Line Cook
Line Cook definition
Meal Assembly
Meal Assembly definition
Employment Law
employment law -- the rules you need to follow when dealing with your staff from the minimum wage and overtime to OSHA and the ADA act.
Check Average
Defintion of Check Average
Problem Solving
Training to avoid problems. De-escalation of angry or sick customers, how to diffuse a situation.
Southbend
Guide review of the southbend commercial oven. Not a good choice for a restaurant kitchen or any other commercial use.
Child-Friendly Restaurants
top 10 ways to have a kid-friendly, child-welcoming eatery.
Break Even Sales Number
Your Break Even Sales Number must be tracked closely. Find out how to adjust your pricing and track sale to make sure you earn a profit!
Turnover Rate
Definition of Turnover Rate.
Mother's Day Blunders
Restaurants can ruin busy days, like Mother's Day by overbooking, understaffing and complicated menus. Avoid these common restaurant blunders and keep customers coming back week after week.
Local Foods
More and restaurants are turning to their local neighbors for fresh, flavorful foods. Local foods are finding their way to all kinds of different restaurants, from fine dining to casual sandwich shops. Here are ten reasons your restaurant can benefit from buying local foods.
Baine Marie
Glossary of common cooking terms used in restaurant kitchens.
Restaurant Tablecloths
When opening a new restaurant do you want to buy restaurant tablecloths? Restaurant linen is an easy way to dress up a restaurant dining room, but they can cost a lot to take care of.
Chaffing Dish
Glossary Definition Of Chaffing Dish - A metal dish that is filled with water and kept warm with a candle or fuel cell underneath. These are typically used on buffets.
Restaurant Legal Basics
all about opening a restaurant and insurance, liqour licenses, and other legal areas new restaurant owners should know about.
Blender
Guide review of the Waring Commercial Blender. This piece of commercial restaurant equipment is ideal for restaurant kitchens.
Mothers Day Menu
Keep restaurant kitchen's running smoothly with a limited menu on busy days, like Mother's Day and New years Eve. Balance easy to prepare menu items like salads and casseroles with menu items that need to be prepared on the spot.
Bussers
Bussers definition
Sous Chef
Definition of Sous Chef
Financing a New Restaurant
Guide for finding financing for a new restaurant. Includes tips on how to find investors, how to write a restaurant business plan and how to choose a restaurant name and location.
What is a Prix Fixe Menu?
What is a prix fixe menu restaurant
POS Systems for Restaurants
Frequently asked questions about POS or point of sale systems, what they are, who sells them, what they do and how much they cost.
Restaurant Books
Guide review of Running a restaurant for dummies, how to open and run a successful restaurant by christopher Egerton-thomas
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