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Running a Restaurant/Questions Answered by Expert Larry Edger
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Should I hire delivery driver as contractor or as an employee? | 2/4/2012 |
| Q: I am considering adding delivery services to my restaurant. Should I hire the delivery as ... A: Sam; Most delivery services are provided by a contractor just to avoid many of the issues raised ... | |
| Liquor Licensing for a small cafe | 1/28/2012 |
| Q: I am in the planning stages of opening a cafe/lounge type restaurant. I am in Florida, and will ... A: Kayla; Sorry for the delay in answering this question. Traveling! Certainly, the easiest way is to ... | |
| Fast casual startup not enjoying the onset of winter | 11/29/2011 |
| Q: I'll make this as short and sweet as I can. I opened an upscale hot dog stand that sells locally ... A: John; Let's be miserable together! Your e-mail prompted me to check sales yesterday for my ... | |
| Remotely Controlling an Overseas Business | 11/12/2011 |
| Q: Good day, I just got an opportunity of taking over a small restaurant business as part of a debt ... A: Yazan; My overall response to you is don't do it! While the attractive package of a successful ... | |
| Cost % | 10/27/2011 |
| Q: I have a question with regards to the food side cost of running a restaurant. I know that the break ... A: Jon; I am not trying to be difficult here - just helpful. I think you are on the right track to ... | |
| New Analyst looking to be Restauranteur | 10/26/2011 |
| Q: I am in a bit of a pickle here Larry and could use some advice. Within the past year and a half, I ... A: Matt; Sorry to take so long to answer your questions. Had a router melt down that was hard to track ... | |
| Cost % | 10/26/2011 |
| Q: I have a question with regards to the food side cost of running a restaurant. I know that the break ... A: Jon; Think about what you are asking me to do. I have to guess at the type of restaurant, ... | |
| Restaurant Idea | 10/18/2011 |
| Q: Good Morning Larry: I am very interested in opening a casual dining restaurant that would also ... A: I had to think about your answer overnight. You are asking my opinion about a relatively unique ... | |
| Florida Restaurant Lienses | 10/17/2011 |
| Q: In Brevard County, is there supposed to be someone on staff who is an alcohol beverage manager? A: Doug; I know of no state regulation that would require a separate person to be a "alcohol beverage ... | |
| Restaurant Equity among partners | 9/8/2011 |
| Q: Starting a Restaurant with family member. Start-up is 1.3 million. 15% of the 1.3 mil is being ... A: Scott; I assume the "partners" each own an equal share of the business. The person who puts up the ... | |
| euro snackbar question | 9/8/2011 |
| Q: I am contemplating opening a Dutch style snackbar with European style fast food. I plan to operate ... A: Fred; I always applaud anyone who is following their passion for becoming an entrepreneur - just ... | |
| Partnership with a restaurant | 8/19/2011 |
| Q: I am planning to start a catering business which will be driven by customised demands. I do not own ... A: Jade; A couple of details were notable in your question that may change the direction you move to ... | |
| Accounting for Employee Meal Discounts | 7/30/2011 |
| Q: In my restaurant, I have some managers who are paid some bonus on labor and food cost as percentages ... A: Jim The proper way to handle discounts of any type is to enter them at their full retail value. ... | |
| Partnership Agreement | 7/14/2011 |
| Q: I'm looking at a potential partnership opportunity to open the first of several planned restaurants ... A: Brian; Slow down and think this out. You are already splitting profits on multiple units before you ... | |
| Restaurant Troubles | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: Our situation is a bit different because we are in West Africa, business here is a little bit ... A: Corrine; I can understand how frustrations are built into the family run business. My oldest son ... | |
| Restaurant (idea) | 6/19/2011 |
| Q: Mr. Edger I am an immigrant(Haiti) in Montreal. My community is in the restaurant business, their ... A: Claude; Here are a few ideas that may help. As a restaurant owner I constantly find these as ... | |
| compensation | 6/15/2011 |
| Q: I have a question about how to compensate a friend who will be helping me with menu development at ... A: Neil; I can understand your quandary. Your friend's help, if experienced, could contribute to the ... | |
| food cost | 6/10/2011 |
| Q: any idea what the national or regional food cost average is for a restaurant with 2 banquet halls. ... A: Tom; It would be impossible to compare your operation to any existing statistics. One of the ... | |
| floor area required | 4/28/2011 |
| Q: I am planning to open a 60seater fine dinning restaurant with a small bar area that will seat about ... A: Marcel; Your question is common, but difficult to answer. Each facility is different. Each set of ... | |
| mccallen 12 year old scotch | 4/22/2011 |
| Q: We charge 12.50 for a shot of 12yr old mccallan our competitor charges 8.00. What should a bar ... A: Jamie; I checked our current price at one of my restaurants. We charge $12. Your competitor is ... | |
| Start Up Deals | 4/19/2011 |
| Q: I have a gentleman that is interested in providing seed money for my restaurant start up. He knows ... A: Cody; Investors expect one thing - a viable return on their money. For instance, a common deal ... | |
| Casual Breakfast in a College Town | 4/6/2011 |
| Q: I'd like to open a breakfast restaurant in a college town. I graduated here, and see it as a ... A: No we do not open for dinner. We close at 2:30 and open at 7 daily. This allows us to run with only ... | |
| Casual Breakfast in a College Town | 4/5/2011 |
| Q: I'd like to open a breakfast restaurant in a college town. I graduated here, and see it as a ... A: Andrew; Before answering your your basic questions, let me say that the breakfast business is a ... | |
| opening a small restaurant | 3/2/2011 |
| Q: I am considering a switch back into the restaurant business after 17 years of being in the Insurance ... A: Dee; I have written books that are shorter than my answer could be on your questions! First, I ... | |
| marketing | 2/23/2011 |
| Q: I own a restaurant and we have had many inquiries about selling our house made bbq sauce. It will ... A: Scott; Sounds like you have all the bases covered from a regulatory perspective. There are some ... | |
| 2cop | 2/8/2011 |
| Q: I wanted to know, if we have a 2cop beer and wine license can we serve mixed drinks with less than ... A: Maricela; You don't say what state you are in. Each has their own set of regulations for the ... | |
| salad | 1/27/2011 |
| Q: I recently started a pizzeria and i will soon add salads to my menu. So my question is this: What ... A: Tarek; We have done salad prep both of the ways you suggest depending on the quantity and freshness ... | |
| cash calls | 1/10/2011 |
| Q: There are 3 partners in my company. They own 30/30/40. The man with the 40% refuses to contribute ... A: Rick; You asking me a question that I am afraid I hear all the time about partnerships. My quick ... | |
| MEP costs | 12/20/2010 |
| Q: I am building a 1600 sq ft. Bar and grill in the DC area. Our proposed budget for the project is ... A: Colin; I am assuming you are leasing the space and doing renovations. On the surface it appears to ... | |
| Restaurant Sales Tax | 12/16/2010 |
| Q: We are considering opening up a small chain restaurant in Birmingham, AL. Based on the research ... A: Shannon; I am going to assume you mean sales taxes. There may be several different tax rules that ... | |
| leasing a liquor license | 12/5/2010 |
| Q: Have friends who are leasing business: Name, building and liquor license. How do they file sales ... A: Mary; I am going to assume the "leasing" agreement is in writing as a functionally legally binding ... | |
| offering to take over a bar and grill... | 12/2/2010 |
| Q: Okay so I have been serving and bartending for over 15 yrs and now I feel as if an opportunity is ... A: Bryan; With regard to the floors and roof of the building, the repairs may not be your ... | |
| Starting up a restaurant | 11/29/2010 |
| Q: I am currently trying to setup a vegetarian restaurant in london Uk. I have found out that there is ... A: Jay; I applaud your entrepreneurial spirit. Your task is daunting, but not impossible. The first ... | |
| offering to take over a bar and grill... | 11/25/2010 |
| Q: Okay so I have been serving and bartending for over 15 yrs and now I feel as if an opportunity is ... A: Bryan; Sorry for the slight delay in answering your question, but Thanksgiving and Christmas are ... | |
| offering to take over a bar and grill... | 11/18/2010 |
| Q: Okay so I have been serving and bartending for over 15 yrs and now I feel as if an opportunity is ... A: Bryan; Most of the time I give long detailed answers for a question such as yours. However, in this ... | |
| Food & Labor cost | 11/15/2010 |
| Q: Fine dining restaurant, 44 seats, small bar and small private dining room for up to 12 people. ... A: Michael; I wish there was a magic number I could give you. Reality is that there are so many ... | |
| what is good service | 11/3/2010 |
| Q: What are the key elements that make up a good service in a fine dining restaurant? how would an ... A: Yiwen; I see you are still working on your restaurant plan. The term "good service" is subjective, ... | |
| Kitchen labor to food sales | 11/2/2010 |
| Q: My restaurant has a heavy bar component and we run around 60% bar and 40% food. I am trying to ... A: Bob; Labor costs can vary according to food type, restaurant concept and other factors. However, ... | |
| Long and detailed questions on opening a restaurant | 10/20/2010 |
| Q: I understand you are a busy person so feel free to take your time or just tell me that you don’t ... A: Yiwen; I have gone about as far as I can in answering your question about how many people you will ... | |
| Long and detailed questions on opening a restaurant | 10/18/2010 |
| Q: I understand you are a busy person so feel free to take your time or just tell me that you don’t ... A: Your follow up question may be as complex as the entire original one. You are asking me to predict ... | |
| Long and detailed questions on opening a restaurant | 10/18/2010 |
| Q: I understand you are a busy person so feel free to take your time or just tell me that you don’t ... A: Yiwen; If your goal was to set a record for the longest question, I think you met your objective. ... | |
| LABOR COSTS | 10/13/2010 |
| Q: i am being hit with the owners labor percentages 29.0 which includes gm ( myself) assistant manager. ... A: Richard; On the surface your labor costs do not seem to be unusually high. In general, restaurants ... | |
| restaurant | 10/11/2010 |
| Q: looking to open a restaurant soon. Curious how much on average is most domestic beer in 12 oz ... A: Brad; The cost of alcohol varies greatly around the country. The issue is taxes that are imposed by ... | |
| taking my small country restaraunt to the nest level | 10/2/2010 |
| Q: restaurant location in a small town of population of 800 we get surrounding small towners. We are ... A: Based on my understanding of what you are asking above, you want to know if it is economically ... | |
| Staffing a new restaurant | 9/8/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Edger, I am a newly hired General Manager for a Johnny Rockets Franchise in the Los Angeles ... A: Steve; Good luck on your new position. I can only give you general parameters for figuring the ... | |
| Partnership Opportunity-Need Timely Help! | 8/30/2010 |
| Q: A little background. My husband and I have spent most of our lives in the fine dining industry in ... A: Ann; Glad to hear you and your husband have carved out a niche that is working for you in these ... | |
| Help! | 8/23/2010 |
| Q: Sorry to trouble you. I am currently living in Beijing, China and just recently opened a small ... A: Arthur; Great to hear you are doing well in the new restaurant. I see this type of question ... | |
| Expanding our restaurant business | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: We are a successful restaurant operating in Goa, India. We started this restaurant with very small ... A: Rovino; Great job on your four years of growth. The majority of new restaurants never make it this ... | |
| Ideal Food Cost | 8/15/2010 |
| Q: I am in the process of opening a homestyle restaurant. I am building the menu from scratch. I want ... A: Cheryl; If you can maintain a 27% food cost as an independent restaurant, you will be starting out ... | |
| Fine dining restaurant. | 7/15/2010 |
| Q: I am designing a 80 seats upscale fine dining restaurant for my food and beverage management ... A: Jieyen; I am happy to answer any specific question about operating or planning a restaurant. Right ... | |
| Restaurant Labor Percentages | 7/15/2010 |
| Q: Is it still true that BOH labor should be less than 15% of food sales? Also - FOH & BOH labor ... A: With guest checks in the range you describe, I am assuming you are planning an upscale casual full ... | |
| Fine dining restaurant. | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: I am designing a 80 seats upscale fine dining restaurant for my food and beverage management ... A: Jieyen; There is no rule of thumb for a server/customer ratio. The variables are too great. Type of ... | |
| Restaurant Labor Percentages | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: Is it still true that BOH labor should be less than 15% of food sales? Also - FOH & BOH labor ... A: Connie; If you want to use these percentages as a beginning point for talking about general ... | |
| Market comparison | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: I've enjoyed reading your responses to the various questions that have been asked, and hope that my ... A: Amy; Good luck with your study. You doing what most people don't do - planning properly. Also, ... | |
| Location and Menu | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: I have heard that location is everything. My concept is vegetarian fast casual style food. What ... A: Clif; I may be over analyzing the questions you sent, but it sounds to me you already know what my ... | |
| staff meals | 4/11/2010 |
| Q: We have owned a small restaurant for 2 years now, first time in hospitality. We are not chefs. We ... A: Jan; Sorry for the delay in answering this question, however, I wanted to carefully think about the ... | |
| Sales per hour as a percentage of sales | 3/22/2010 |
| Q: I am opening a Sandwich Shop in a downtown core, running from 7am to 7pm. do you have any ... A: Alan; You are asking a question that has a lot of variables. For instance, are you focusing on ... | |
| Supplies | 2/14/2010 |
| Q: I'm trying to find out what is the best way to break out supplies. Are all juices, sodas, fruit for ... A: Bob; Supplies and paper goods are always difficult to allocate to different accounting departments ... | |
| Fl Beer and Wine License | 1/30/2010 |
| Q: I own a small cafe, 1400 Sq Ft and 40 seats. We interested in a just a Beer and Wine License. I ... A: Erica; There is what is known as a 2 COP license that is beer and wine only. It is relatively ... | |
| 4 COP + food | 1/28/2010 |
| Q: We've recently purchased a bar (4 COP not SRX) and it's license in Florida. We'd like to have a ... A: Sharon; A 4 COP license in the state of Florida is the best you can get. It allows you to do a lot ... | |
| deadbeats | 1/19/2010 |
| Q: Recently I have had a rash of callers ordering pizza then failing to show. We do not require a ... A: Allen; There are a number of ways to combat this problem. You mentioned the least desired method - ... | |
| food court | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could offer any advice or input regarding my prospective business situation. ... A: Van; You have quite a project in mind. While you don't say, I am going to assume the location is in ... | |
| Food cost for pizza, pasta rest. | 1/16/2010 |
| Q: I manage a pizza restaurant in Andover MN and just checking to see what the average food cost ... A: Joe; I wish there was a rule of thumb for "standard" percentages for all types of restaurants. The ... | |
| Buying an existing restaurant. | 1/6/2010 |
| Q: Larry, I am a foreigner and have a friend who is working for a restaurant as a manager. She told me ... A: Verena; The restaurant business is risky. You should be very cautious about the seller's motives ... | |
| Limited partnership | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: I want to open a 4th restaurant as a limited partner and would like to know your opinion and how you ... A: Roger; You asked what I thought about opening a fourth restaurant that is some distance away from ... | |
| selling/saving a restaurant | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: My husband, who is currently running many businesses, purchased a building outside Boston in a ... A: Judith; Ah, dealing with family - how well I know. I have a son and another family member in ... | |
| Buying an existing restaurant | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: I am looking into buying an existing restaurant. I have never owned one, but food and service are my ... A: Vera; Buying an existing restaurant is always risky. Be cautious and make sure your due diligence ... | |
| ventilation | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: Larry, I just got off of the phone with the State Mechanical inspector and I received some bad ... A: Scott; Almost everything is negotiable between buyer, seller and landlord. However, under most ... | |
| buying an existing restauant | 9/22/2009 |
| Q: My wife and I are thinking of buying an existing cafe. It has been in business for 20 years. The ... A: Scott; Sounds like you are on top of things. One point that should be made - the purchase of the ... | |
| buying an existing restauant | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: My wife and I are thinking of buying an existing cafe. It has been in business for 20 years. The ... A: Scott; Generally building codes are implemented by municipal and/or county authorities. To ... | |
| buying an existing restauant | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: My wife and I are thinking of buying an existing cafe. It has been in business for 20 years. The ... A: Scott; Here are some things to look at when buying an existing and operating restaurant: 1) Make ... | |
| Challenges Starting a Restaurant. | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: Edger, I have been working as a Marketing Manager for a Consumer Durables company in India since 4 ... A: Rohan; You indeed have some valuable skills needed to enjoy success in the restaurant business. One ... | |
| Recent Partnership cash call | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: I opened a restaurant with 3 partners in dec of 08. I am the chef and have worked with the same ... A: John; Since I know you probably aren't going to like my answer, just remember this little phrase ... | |
| Coding Soda to Food or Beferage | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: For years I have coded Tea & Coffee into food cost & Soda into bar cost. What is typical in this ... A: Rob; For the sake of clearly looking at the profitability of various areas of your operation, I ... | |
| opening a a restaurant | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: Mr. Edger I am looking into starting a restaurant that is based around health. My vision is to ... A: Matt; You have set some lofty goals for yourself, but not impossible targets. Some of the best new ... | |
| Experience Opening a Restaurant | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: I graduate from a 4 year accredited college with a degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional ... A: Katie; You have a stellar background and exceptional experience in the restaurant industry. ... | |
| Temakeria in NYC | 8/2/2009 |
| Q: I saw that you answered a question about a brazilian temakeria, and was wondering your opinion on ... A: Gabriel; Just go to Google, Yahoo and Bing. Search "temaki restaurants". You will find listings ... | |
| Temakeria in NYC | 8/1/2009 |
| Q: I saw that you answered a question about a brazilian temakeria, and was wondering your opinion on ... A: Gabriel; I would agree that the fixed costs in the main business districts of New York City may be ... | |
| Buffet service | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: I would like to know how many waiters I would need to run a buffet style restaurant (they basically ... A: Karla; In a semi-casual full service restaurant, we would assume a waiter/server could handle 4 ... | |
| Buffet service | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: I would like to know how many waiters I would need to run a buffet style restaurant (they basically ... A: Karla; It is a little difficult to answer your question without more detail. How many tables ... | |
| Incentives for kitchen | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: I am about to replace a chef and want to offer an attractive package to my next head chef. I planned ... A: Karene; The simple way, of course, is to set a budget and offer an incentive for all amounts below ... | |
| Liquor licence's | 7/8/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could explain the different types of liquor license's to me. Why can some ... A: Suzi; Sorry for the delay in answering this question. I am traveling and this is the first ... | |
| Temakeria | 6/21/2009 |
| Q: Edger Hope you remember me! Sorry this is a bit long and it is a two part question. Its been 10 ... A: Elissar; I remember you very well. You inspired me to do some research on the growing Japanese ... | |
| Insustry Books | 5/28/2009 |
| Q: Larry in your opinion what is the one or two must read books for someone looking to buy and build up ... A: Gabriel; This question is too easy! I am going to give you a very prejudiced answer! One of the top ... | |
| Kitchen size approx | 5/24/2009 |
| Q: Barbecue business for 15 years. Sauce in stores see at(sauce4u.com)Lots of catering, blessed with ... A: Gene; Sounds like you have a growing successful business going. Based on the information above, I ... | |
| moving to new location | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: My lease is up in 2 1/2 years and there is another bar/restaurant for sale right across the street ... A: Phil; Dealing with an uncooperative and/or unreasonable landlord can be a detriment to your ... | |
| finding a chef | 5/1/2009 |
| Q: We are a 50 room resort-3+star-that just lost our CIA Hyde Park trained chef coming into peak ... A: Bob; While not really a question I can answer here, may I suggest you check one of the culinary ... | |
| starting a new restaurant | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: I am studying management so that I may start my own restaurant one day, what can I expect my annual ... A: Pam; I hope you realize your dream one day. The restaurant business is one of the most challenging ... | |
| Liquor License Lawyer | 4/21/2009 |
| Q: Larry, I will be opening up a bar in Philadelphia and am currently looking for a location and ... A: George; Best wishes on your planned venture. You are in the most important stages of the process. ... | |
| tips/wagesand taxes | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: does the owner of the restaurant pay taxes on the tips their employees make and how are the tips ... A: Here are the basics. The owner of the restaurant pays social security taxes (FICA) on the gross ... | |
| restaurant delivery service | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: I am a new start up company looking for a few answers before I begin operation. How does a mid-west ... A: Best wishes on your new venture! There are a couple of business models for restaurant delivery ... | |
| inventory management scale/software | 3/8/2009 |
| Q: We have been working with the third party inventory audit company Bevinco, our company's owner has ... A: David; I rarely recommend a particular company unless I have a long term relationship and know they ... | |
| HELP | 2/27/2009 |
| Q: Do you think tou can help me out with a school project, it is about creating a restaurant.... Or if ... A: Based on your numbers above, the restaurant will have 46 seats. The number of employees will vary ... | |
| HELP | 2/27/2009 |
| Q: Do you think tou can help me out with a school project, it is about creating a restaurant.... Or if ... A: Jacqueline; What kind of help do you need? You may also want to go to ... | |
| deli buffet | 2/1/2009 |
| Q: I am catering a weekend event for 40 women. I am doing a deli buffet for one of the meals. I am ... A: Carrie; The answer is dependent on what you are serving along with the deli meat. If you are ... | |
| seasonal restaurant | 1/15/2009 |
| Q: My question is do you have any suggestions on what to do to prepare for the season that will ... A: Mike, you don't say what type of seasonal environment you are in. However, I am going to assume you ... | |
| Restaurant Manager Share | 12/19/2008 |
| Q: Someone wants me to take over their restaurant as manager. I think I want 10 percent share. ... A: Ryan; My first reaction to your question is whatever you do, get it in writing. Verbal agreements ... | |
| Food Cost % | 12/17/2008 |
| Q: i manage a casual dining resturant and my food cost is running at 38% thats food to food.How do i ... A: Food cost control is always a big part of managing a restaurant. However, there is no guide to the ... | |
| Starting my own restaurant | 11/19/2008 |
| Q: I have always worked in finance and feel now i need to divert away from the desk and do something a ... A: Marie; Sorry for the delay in answering your question. I have been traveling in an area where there ... | |
| country club restaurant | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: i own a small 9 hole golf course with a clubhouse with a restaurant and bar facility. I have leased ... A: Ivy; You have a very challenging situation. One reason your cost of goods is out of control is ... | |
| country club restaurant | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: i own a small 9 hole golf course with a clubhouse with a restaurant and bar facility. I have leased ... A: Ivy; To give you a good answer, I would have to know more about your operation. Things like number ... | |
| Advertising | 11/12/2008 |
| Q: I am happy that I found you and I am hoping that you can help me. I bought a restaurant 16 months ... A: Anna; Good luck on your renovations. I am building my fourth restaurant right now and the ... | |
| BOOSTING SALES | 11/6/2008 |
| Q: ) I'VE GONE TO SOME LOCAL CAR DEALERSHIPS AND HOSPITALS AND OFFERED THEM SPECIALS DISCOUNTS TO BOOST ... A: Laura; It looks like you understand what is necessary to bring new guests into the restaurant. ... | |
| seating and dishes | 10/30/2008 |
| Q: I figure that a 1500 sq ft kitchen is good enough for my moderately upscale full service dine-in ... A: Martin; Good luck on your new venture! I will try to give you my perspective on each of the issues ... | |
| Alcohol Inventory | 10/6/2008 |
| Q: I hope you’re a man of many hats. As you might remember I am thinking of opening up a poolroom in ... A: I have worn many hats - almost a necessity in this business! While you don't say, I am going to ... | |
| Restaurant Startup Costs | 10/6/2008 |
| Q: If the menu is where it starts, then let us start with one that is similar to a small diner. ... A: Let's start with your food inventory. You should open your restaurant with three full days of food ... | |
| labor costs | 10/3/2008 |
| Q: What is the industry standard for labor costs versus sales? A: I can give you the easy answer first and then the explanation that renders the easy answer almost ... | |
| startup | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: Considering starting a small 10-12 seat breakfast place open F,S,Sn only til noon. You think that's ... A: The costs to open a small 10-12 seat operation depends on what you plan to serve. A juice bar may be ... | |
| startup | 9/27/2008 |
| Q: Considering starting a small 10-12 seat breakfast place open F,S,Sn only til noon. You think that's ... A: I can only respond by saying anything is possible in this business. To properly answer your ... | |
| Financing | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: I have been in the F&B business for over 25 years starting from the bottom. The vast majority of the ... A: John; Get ready for the biggest roller coaster ride of your life. My guess is you have had this ... | |
| RE: Small Bakery Business | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: Greeting, Thank you for taking time on this email. I have a few questions on starting a small ... A: Good luck on your venture in New York. Your operation sounds more like a retail store than a ... | |
| Stove Inquiry | 9/16/2008 |
| Q: Just sourcing expertise on Given a choice between Induction stove (Hot Plate) and Microwave And ... A: There is a great deal of difference between a microwave and a hot plate or induction plate. A ... | |
| Bar & Restaurant Assumptions | 9/7/2008 |
| Q: In writing the business plan for a new pool room in Orlando, Florida I need to make assumptions. ... A: Essentially, you are correct. However, to be safe and accurate, you should estimate your sales for ... | |
| Liquor to food ratios | 8/30/2008 |
| Q: I'm currently in Orlando, FL looking to open up an upscale pool and billiard club. I want a sports ... A: Rolando; Your investor is correct. Florida has a license known as a 4COP - SRX which is for ... | |
| overall costs | 8/29/2008 |
| Q: When managing a hotel restaurant what would be the first things you would look at to lower overall ... A: Cody; Controlling costs in the restaurant business is a battle we fight constantly. However, the ... | |
| cleaning companies | 8/25/2008 |
| Q: I am in the process of starting a restaurant. I am trying to find a cleaning company but do not ... A: Good luck on your new venture. Cleaning companies will do what you want them to do. Most come in ... | |
| leasing a existing restaurant | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: I am considering leasing a building which is currently permitted as a bar with a full liquor ... A: You are getting into very complicated agreements to meet the goals of both parties. Again, I ... | |
| leasing a existing restaurant | 8/17/2008 |
| Q: I am considering leasing a building which is currently permitted as a bar with a full liquor ... A: Kat; The first thing that comes to mind is - be cautious! A management agreement is used as a ... | |
| getting business | 8/15/2008 |
| Q: I work for a local health club. Recently I was hired on to change the lunch program around. Since we ... A: Willie; Sounds like a great idea! I assume you will focus on healthy alternatives to the fast food ... | |
| Temakeria | 8/10/2008 |
| Q: In 20 days I’ll be opening my restaurant. It’s a new concept, all dishes will have the shape of a ... A: The strongest form of marketing is word of mouth recommendations from customers. Studies show that ... | |
| Temakeria | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: In 20 days I’ll be opening my restaurant. It’s a new concept, all dishes will have the shape of a ... A: Before evaluating my answer for implementation into your concept, let me give you my limited ... | |
| Temakeria | 8/4/2008 |
| Q: In 20 days I’ll be opening my restaurant. It’s a new concept, all dishes will have the shape of a ... A: Congratulations on your new venture! The industry averages for restaurant marketing is 4 to 6 ... | |
| starting up | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: Recently, a very good friend of mine and I have been planning out maybe starting a restaurant ... A: First let me say that once you get the restaurant bug, it is hard to get out of your mind. However, ... | |
| your fav restaurant | 5/16/2008 |
| Q: What would you like to see in your favourite restaurant? - in terms of service...? A: Service is subjective. If I am at a four star restaurant in Chicago, I expect much more than a beach ... | |
| estimates for opening a restaurant | 5/14/2008 |
| Q: i have to do a project for school. and i want to know how much it would cost(estimate) if i wanted ... A: Sarah; Since posting this reply, you may want to look at a new blog about starting a restaurant at ... | |
Running a Restaurant
Answers by Expert:
Larry Edger
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Multi concept restaurant owner. Just finished fourth restaurant. Can answer questions on all aspects of running, owning and starting a restaurant, cafe or hospitality operation. Enjoy helping other restaurant owners. Most "consultants" have no idea what a restaurant operator needs to be successful. Let me know if I can assist you finding answers to your operating and marketing questions. Accomplished chef and menu development a particular talent for upscale casual restaurants.
Experience
Owner and operator of several multi-concept restaurants. Successful entrepreneur, started businesses from scratch on many occasions. Know the problems with planning and running a restaurant. Always independent operations and not the product of chain restaurants.
Publications
As an author of The Restaurant Ebook, A Guide to Keeping Your Dream Off the Chopping Block, I have helped hundreds of restaurateurs to market and run a better restaurant.For more information visit http://www.therestaurantebook.com or http://www.onawait.com
Education/Credentials
Attended Ohio State University and have gone through many extended classes relating to marketing and management. Written many courses and training manuals.
Currently building fourth restaurant and created a blog to keep track of daily activities. Readers can see the various steps from leasing to opening. Visit http://www.startingarestaurantblog.com
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