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Running a Restaurant/Questions Answered by Expert Tony Figurelli
| Subject | Date Asked |
| I need feet through the door | 2/28/2011 |
| Q: We recently opened our restaurant and things are going better than expected. We're making our ... A: It sounds like you're doing all the right things that will make you successful. The most obvious ... | |
| restaurant | 2/13/2011 |
| Q: If you kindly inform me about national peculiarities during service in a restaurant. May be you ... A: The best way to learn about the restaurant business is to work in it. I am sure there are books ... | |
| US food distribution | 2/7/2011 |
| Q: How are you ? I teach International Business at a private university in Illinois. My students and I ... A: I'm sorry this took me so long to answer. You may use my name and information in your report. ... | |
| TIPS | 1/4/2011 |
| Q: good afternoon!, you mentioned before that the tips are part of the net WHEN they are included in ... A: I know restaurants that take the CC fees from servers in their tip out calculation at the end of the ... | |
| Starting a fast food restuarant | 12/25/2010 |
| Q: My wife and i have been thinking of starting a small business for some time now. We've done some ... A: You are moving into an area that I have seen many investors go...the restaurant zone. I can't tell ... | |
| COGS | 9/8/2010 |
| Q: I run a franchise. Is a new franchise and I'm the first to be the a separate owner from the Brand ... A: I'm sorry for the delay in answering, I was doing an opening. I have never heard of putting a ... | |
| Labor, food and beverage cost % | 8/19/2010 |
| Q: In a restaurant doing 2mil a year what do you want your foh labor %, boh %, tot%, What do you want ... A: Some factors that play into analyzing food and labor costs are: 1. Food sales vs. alcohol sales (is ... | |
| starting a small sandwich shop or food truck | 8/19/2010 |
| Q: I have been working in the trades for the last 8 years or so but have found it time to move on. One ... A: I have a lot of information on all of the areas you asked about, it's tough to put that into a 1-2 ... | |
| increase traffic | 8/1/2010 |
| Q: I've been in this Restaurant for 23 years.We're in a small town,14,00 and business is flat.I ... A: First off, you have been there for 23 years and don't know what is wrong with your business being ... | |
| free standing building vs shopping center | 6/3/2010 |
| Q: i am a chef/owner of a 3500 Sqf italian restaurant,which it does pretty well so far, i am offered a ... A: Ciao Gian, It is difficult to rate a free standing restaurant over a strip mall spot because of the ... | |
| Location n Menu | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: I have heard that location is everything. My concept is vegetarian fast casual style food. What ... A: You are answering your own questions. The location has two restaurants that are failing, it's on ... | |
| costs | 3/4/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering what these percentage on average are or a range in many restaurant are, please? ... A: You really can't put an average on these numbers, sales volume alone will change your percentages in ... | |
| bar/restaurant lease and start up | 2/24/2010 |
| Q: looking to lease a restaurant, its 2 years old in a residential location, owners had unlimited funds ... A: You are correct in my opinion that total occupancy costs should be 6-10%, I look for it to be no ... | |
| pre-opening salaries | 1/11/2010 |
| Q: I am chef/owner of a new restaurant which will open in about 2 months, after some redecorating. I ... A: Depending on the scale of the operation and the project, I typically like to have my FOH mgr and ... | |
| Wine Promotion & Beverage Program -> Profitability | 12/21/2009 |
| Q: I have heard it said that "it's the wine list that is the profit centre in most restaurants." How ... A: So sorry this took so long getting back to you...the short answer is a lot! A restaurant can have ... | |
| information and guidelines | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: I'm looking into opening my own breakfast/lunch restaurant in San Diego, ca What are the first and ... A: You are taking on what could be either a very rewarding experience or a very frustrating one. It ... | |
| BOH vs. FOH Payroll | 12/9/2009 |
| Q: Could you provide a percentage benchmark for BOH vs. FOH salary percentages in respect to sales? I ... A: That's a little tough to pinpoint not knowing exactly what the concept and style of service is. ... | |
| Profit margin of different products | 12/8/2009 |
| Q: What is the profit margin of different products/industries? A: Not sure exactly what this means but I keep my food costs between 26-32% of food sales. I keep ... | |
| operating partner | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: I have a great location but I'm unable to make it work, I have 7 years on a lease with an option. ... A: Jim, Email me at tfigurelli@gmail.com with some specific information on the location, -name of the ... | |
| Kitchen Labor Cost | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: We are a full-service upscale casual restaurant with 110 seating capacity. I try to keep my kitchen ... A: Everyone manages their labor differently, in my opinion, you are correct to only include your hourly ... | |
| sweat equity | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: print, etc) as well as event planning and overall management. I was invoicing the company directly ... A: Well, it would be better to get a proposal from the owners rather give them one. Let's say for ... | |
| Employee Meal Periods | 11/26/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could clarify a few things? I'm am a first time GM in a restaurant in CA. ... A: I am not an attorney nor do I give legal advice. I would strongly suggest that you consult with an ... | |
| Time Sheet rights | 11/6/2009 |
| Q: I work in a restaurant in California. I have worked there for almost a year now.. In this year, I ... A: I know that California is very strict regarding employee breaks, and there are many instances where ... | |
| wanna know | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: do we need to register our trademark or logo anywhere? what is the tax principle applicable to our ... A: You should register your name and your logo if possible. Don't understand your other question...you ... | |
| Headquarter Overhead | 10/2/2009 |
| Q: Perhaps it's different by concept, but in a large restaurant chain or multi-concept organization ... A: Obviously you are going to have to account for all expenses of a HQ/Corporate office and it should ... | |
| restaurant location | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: I am looking to purchase a small breakfast/lunch cafe. The places I am looking at are located ... A: If they show you tax returns or sales tax returns you can be assured of the numbers. You are ... | |
| raising restaurant capital for expansion | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: I currently own a quick service breakfast and lunch restaurant now for 4 yrs. The restaurant is 2000 ... A: It is much easier for an established restaurateur as yourself to raise capital for future ... | |
| Taking over an existing Deli | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: So, my husband has been in the food industry for 20+ years, we've happened to come across the ... A: Unfortunetly my advice to you is to stay away from this deal. Owning a restaurant can be a moneypit ... | |
| Average rent for a 500sq feet restaurant in Manhattan | 8/1/2009 |
| Q: I am doing a business plan for a restaurant, and was wondering the average rent per month for a 500 ... A: I haven't had to do any dealings in NYC for a long time so my current knowledge of average rents ... | |
| Formula for finding average cost per person | 7/25/2009 |
| Q: I am considering starting a restaurant with a partner. Our question is how can we come up with a ... A: Christopher, Asking me what profit you can expect from a potential investment is like asking me how ... | |
| restaurant maintenance | 7/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a 14 room boutique Hotel with a 90 seat fine dinning restaurant and 60 seat lounge that I ... A: I really would have no way of knowing what your maintenance costs SHOULD be, not knowing the size, ... | |
| no capital | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: I've heard that if a property has been sitting for a bit you can ask the owner to give you a chance ... A: You should always ask for free rent, especially in these hard times. All he can do is say no, but ... | |
| liquor and food costs | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: How do I calculate food and liquor costs? A: There are two types of costs on a restaurant financial statement: "Cost of Goods Items" instead of ... | |
| building a kitchen | 6/24/2009 |
| Q: Can you tell me if the inspection will pass with us having popcorn type ceilings in the kitchen. ... A: The ceiling needs to be fire rated, most drop ceilings have tiles that will suffice in a kitchen ... | |
| Investing in a restaurant | 6/24/2009 |
| Q: A woman I know who has successfully operated a cafe in Atlanta for 10 years has asked if I want to ... A: It depends...your question is hard to answer and will change with different situations If she is ... | |
| Payroll Methods | 6/13/2009 |
| Q: I've been with this restaurant for a year and recently just changed their method of Payroll. Before ... A: Illiana, I don't really know the law in Washington state but it sounds a little fishy to me. You ... | |
| Business plan | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: Tony, I am putting together a business plan for a blues / BBQ bar in Philly. I do not have a ... A: Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I was involved with a restaurant opening... In answer ... | |
| Labour costs and wages Part 2! | 5/21/2009 |
| Q: Tony, I recently became the GM of a casual fine dining restaurant. I'm responsible for scheduling, ... A: Edward, I'd have to say you seem to be up against it. REVISED ANSWER BASED ON YOUR NEW INFO You ... | |
| Labour costs and wages | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: Tony, I recently became the GM of a casual fine dining restaurant. I'm responsible for scheduling, ... A: Edward, If I am understanding you correctly, it sounds like you are being given a total labor budget ... | |
| FOOD PORTIONS | 5/16/2009 |
| Q: I'M LOOKING TO OPEN A FAMILY DINER. I NEEBAJJD HELP FINDING A PORTION BOOK ON SERVING SIZES.IS THERE ... A: There is no set size for portions, rather systems to ensure the portions you set are adhered to. ... | |
| what to do with amazing cook son | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: My 22 year old son has had a passion for cooking spicy foods for many years. He has concocted dishes ... A: My last question that I answered addressed a lot of your question to me, but like many, many people, ... | |
| college | 5/6/2009 |
| Q: I REALLY WANT TO OPEN A RESTAURANT IN THE DISTRICT OF WAIANAE ON THE ISLAND OF OAHU WHERE I ... A: I can't tell you how many people contact me with absolutely no idea of how hard and how expensive ... | |
| resrevations | 5/2/2009 |
| Q: We have 150 seats in our new restaurant. Everyone wants to come between 5 and 730 pm what is the ... A: This is a nice problem to have these days...a lot of restaurants would kill for too many customers ... | |
| restaurant accounting staff | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: Fiurelli, Just to ask how many staff should compose your adminisstrative team for accounting in a ... A: I think one bookkeeper to record sales and invoices daily or weekly and perform any other admin ... | |
| LABOR COST. | 4/26/2009 |
| Q: Could you please explain to me the formula on labor cost for expample.business volume and average ... A: No. I am not sure I understand what you are confused about. To find the percent of labor cost, you ... | |
| LABOR COST. | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: Could you please explain to me the formula on labor cost for expample.business volume and average ... A: It's easy. Let's say you know you will have $10,000 a week in sales. If you want a 26-28% labor ... | |
| rent equiped restaurant | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: how much should i pay in rent per month for a fully equiped rest. in a suburban area of NJ aprox ... A: I'm a NJ boy myself having lived most of my life in Montclair, West Orange...actually had a small ... | |
| Club Sandwiches | 3/30/2009 |
| Q: A simple question, but what do club sandwiches usually have in them? I had a "club" item before that ... A: Not to my knowledge...other than mayo. But these days anything can be called a club sandwich so... ... | |
| opening a pizzeria | 3/4/2009 |
| Q: Tony,I own 2 dry cleaners and in one of them I own the building .I have a free standing building ... A: You can absolutely do a pizzeria in 1260 sq ft, and I do agree with you that it should be take ... | |
| Starting a new restaurant? Process & Procedures | 2/17/2009 |
| Q: I am in the process of planning to open a new fusion concept based restaurant to be located in ... A: First off, I am not sure I entirely agree with you on the state of restaurants in DFW vs the rest of ... | |
| labor cost | 2/13/2009 |
| Q: Tony, I operate a full service 175 seat Italian restaurant. My question is, as a rule of thumb where ... A: Theoretically yes, but you can also expect that number to be a little higher than your target goal, ... | |
| Restaurant cost | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: Is there a ballpark percentage for the accounting/finance costs as to gross revenue? In house being ... A: 1.7M annually is not huge volume and having two outside companies to handle your invoice transmittal ... | |
| chef career | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: I want to ask you some questions about what you do as a chef. 1.What made you decide to become a ... A: I am not a chef. I am a Restaurant Consultant with much experience as a Manager, Director, ... | |
| Restaurant cost | 2/9/2009 |
| Q: Is there a ballpark percentage for the accounting/finance costs as to gross revenue? In house being ... A: It's hard to put a percentage to costs because sales volumes fluctuate from one operation to ... | |
| labor cost | 2/9/2009 |
| Q: Tony, I operate a full service 175 seat Italian restaurant. My question is, as a rule of thumb where ... A: Normally a lot of your targets are going to be related to any salaried costs you might have in ... | |
| Potentially opening a Restaurant in the VI's | 1/23/2009 |
| Q: I have an opportunity to open a restaurant in the VI's, St. Croix (Christanstead) to be exact. I ... A: I'm sorry for the delay in answering... The best thing to do is contact your local business ... | |
| This will be my first time running a kitchen by myself and I have some ?'s | 1/23/2009 |
| Q: First, I live on the Jersey Shore and will be taking on the position of running the ENTIRE food half ... A: sorry for the delay in answering ... First off congratulations on your new adventure. Working on ... | |
| Buying/Taking over an existing restaurant | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: I live in a smallish family oriented town in northern CT. The town has a really nice town green that ... A: I would have some questions for you first and foremost that don't relate to the current situation ... | |
| French Culinary Institute | 12/27/2008 |
| Q: I am 19 years old and would like to pursue a career in culinary arts. I have been looking into the ... A: The answer to your question is yes. FCI is a well respected school and produces many fine quality ... | |
| Labor Cost | 12/23/2008 |
| Q: ..I operate a seasonal bar/ restaurant that runs the gamut in terms of cuisine offered. We offer ... A: The reason you can't find any industry standard to your question is probably because when ... | |
| restaurant sales | 12/17/2008 |
| Q: our company has opened frozen and read to eat meat products in various parts of the town.Please ... A: Some of the things you are currently doing, training staff, marketing on local FM radio, using ... | |
| wine presentation | 11/14/2008 |
| Q: Simple question or two. Should (red)bottles in wine racks for display in restaurants be left to ... A: In my opinion...Dust on a wine bottle has no impact on an increased perception of the wine to an ... | |
| corn oil residue | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: Tony , if you can answer this question correctly I will consider you brilliant! I have researched ... A: Ahh, the old corn oil question. Sounds like a homework assignment. In my opinon, the best way to ... | |
| please help me im confused | 11/10/2008 |
| Q: !! A: Danielle, Not knowing where the restaurant is, it is hard to say what steps need to be taken to get ... | |
| Cutting Costs at Corporate Level | 11/8/2008 |
| Q: I work as Purchasing Manager at a multi unit fast casual restaurant. The senior staff has been ... A: The first place I look when trying to cut corporate costs is to look to anyone who does not directly ... | |
| Pre-tax profit margins US/Canada | 10/21/2008 |
| Q: Pre-tax profit margins for a small to medium size Restaurant comparing a Canadian Resto to an ... A: For a $2million(US) restaurant I would say 8% is also a decent EBDITA (Earnings Before Depreciation ... | |
| Partnership arrangement | 10/17/2008 |
| Q: Tony, I own a small restaurant and it has been in opperation for almost 1.5 years. Starting from ... A: In my mind, the best way to do it is to create a separate corporation, possibly an LLC that is ... | |
| Increasing outside catering sales | 9/22/2008 |
| Q: I am the general manager of a great bbq restaurant. We have a standout name in the community and ... A: It sounds like you are doing a lot already. Have you had sucess with your efforts? I would scour ... | |
| 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: Any retail food establishment needs to have the same licenses regardless of your level of ... | |
| key success factors in the fast food industry | 8/4/2008 |
| Q: what are the key success factors in the fast food industry ? A: I have worked in all segments of the food industry, including fast food, and the number one success ... | |
| Opportunity to purchase a new existing Italian Restaurant | 8/4/2008 |
| Q: Good Afternoon Tony, I have an opportunity to purchase a new existing Italian Restaurant. The ... A: Adam, Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I was on a project. It sounds as if you have ... | |
| Country Club Food and Labor Costs | 7/27/2008 |
| Q: Can you give me an idea of what the average food costs are and labor costs at a country club? A: That really depends on the club itself and the membership. Some clubs are happy to break-even, some ... | |
| I am thinking of purchasing a restaurant | 7/19/2008 |
| Q: I have been offered the opportunity to purchase a local neighborhood Italian restaurant for under ... A: It sounds like you've answered your own question...reasons to buy a business are basically two, one ... | |
| labor | 7/18/2008 |
| Q: What should a full service restaurant's labor percentages be? and what are some ways to cut it down ... A: You really have to break labor percentages down into your fixed labor and your variable labor. ... | |
| I am thinking of purchasing a restaurant | 7/14/2008 |
| Q: I have been offered the opportunity to purchase a local neighborhood Italian restaurant for under ... A: Let me offer some questions... Is the $15,000 owed in back rent included in the $60,000 sale price ... | |
| Food Costs at restaurant | 7/5/2008 |
| Q: I own a 210 seat restuarant (acquired 2 years ago). Our food cost is running 42% and labor 25%. We ... A: It really depends on the menu you are running and your overall volume. 210 seats is a large ... | |
| bonus plan for BOH manager | 7/3/2008 |
| Q: I run a Gourmet Pizza Kitchen that opened 4 months ago. Business is good in that we dont do lunches ... A: I would ask you to look at why you took this position...was it just the money or the challenge of ... | |
| Partnership | 6/24/2008 |
| Q: I am opening up a small lodge, and my main focus will be on the accommodation side of things. I am ... A: If you assume that the restaurant is making 10% of gross sales as an operating profit (a VERY good ... | |
| kitchen cleaning | 6/21/2008 |
| Q: I am curios about how often and/or if you should get your kitchen professionally cleaned by a ... A: Shelly I dont use professional cleaners for the kitchen, I use my existing staff either my normal ... | |
| Negotiating restaurant rent | 6/10/2008 |
| Q: We are a mobile catering business that has been asked to bring our mobile kitchen to an established ... A: First off, you should check to see if you are able to serve a "brick and mortar" operation from a ... | |
| Small Restaurant | 6/5/2008 |
| Q: My friend plans to open a small theme restaurant, with no prior experience. What resources are ... A: That's a tough one...having no experience in this business is probably the number one reason why a ... | |
| Problems with looking at blank spaces | 6/4/2008 |
| Q: I'm in a situation where I am interested in opening a restaurant. I've experience and training in ... A: Kendle, You have a lot of questions, all good ones...and it may not be the best vehicle here to ... | |
| help me plz | 6/2/2008 |
| Q: can you help me find the cost of renting a place. i would like to find about a lot of things..about ... A: Pretty vague question there Lina...I always try to keep total occupancy costs (rent, CAM-common area ... | |
| opening a restaurant with a partner | 5/27/2008 |
| Q: My wife and I operated a Zagat rated restaurant for 5 years. We were renting. During the third ... A: Christopher It sounds to me that you are getting the run-around but it may be because you haven't ... | |
| PIZZERIA SLICES? | 5/22/2008 |
| Q: I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO START A SMALL PIZZERIA IN A HIGH DENSITY UPCOMING AREA IN CHICAGO'S NORTH ... A: .. I am sorry for the delay in answering you, hope it hasn't caused you too many sleepless nights. ... | |
| partnership proposal | 5/17/2008 |
| Q: I am a seasoned chef in the us. I am entering a partnership with two other individuals. The ... A: As to your follow-up John... I would think it reasonable to ask for any intellectual property that ... | |
| A GOOD HOT DOG | 5/14/2008 |
| Q: I live in Nashville, TN. & can't seem to find any specialty restaurants/drive ups which sell or ... A: Sorry Mike, I am not a huge fan of big hot dogs, I prefer Nathans footlongs which are long and ... | |
| partnership proposal | 5/12/2008 |
| Q: I am a seasoned chef in the us. I am entering a partnership with two other individuals. The ... A: It sounds as if you've done quite a bit of quality work developing this business which is essential ... | |
| Purchasing a closed resturant | 5/9/2008 |
| Q: A restaurant and bar had closed down because of non-payment of the rent. So essentially the ... A: Normally when you purchase a restaurant you are purchasing assets, either equipment, inventory, ... | |
| menu planning | 5/9/2008 |
| Q: what are some of the most important step when planning a reataurant menu A: Brent, Look first at the layout of your kitchen...a menu should be easy to produce and to do so you ... | |
| bonus | 5/5/2008 |
| Q: do chefs get monetary bonus every month?.,what is it based on?,and how much is it ?. A: I have given chef's a monetary bonus both monthly and quarterly as I have also given managers. A ... | |
| Start-Up Traffic | 5/2/2008 |
| Q: I have a 9 week old small (100 seats) music pub in the southern US. I am building some decent ... A: Lunch business is mostly very close business. People tend to eat close to where they work, mostly ... | |
| Ideal Liquor Cost | 4/18/2008 |
| Q: What is an ideal liquor cost? I have a restaurant in Cental America and the pricing structure is ... A: Depending on the establishment you should look to your closest competitors to find out what they are ... | |
| restaurant percentages | 4/11/2008 |
| Q: Hey Tony. I understand that a successful restaurant has to be sitting on some set percentages. For ... A: Typical percentages vary for each type of concept however in a broad sense I like to use the ... | |
| hawaiian BBQ | 3/29/2008 |
| Q: See L&L growing, like to open the Hawaiian BBQ restaurant. I got a great deal, the owner runs a ... A: Your numbers are flawed and it is obvious you don't have a grasp on what it takes to succeed in this ... | |
| gift certificates | 3/26/2008 |
| Q: We purchases a restaurant 8 years ago kept the same name and licensing through the state, just ... A: Not sure how Hew Hampshire is but some states require that Gift Certificates not have an exporation ... | |
| bar developement | 3/26/2008 |
| Q: i've been in the restaurant industry for ten years, and have done eveything you can do, from dishes ... A: Good question Jason, you seem like a smart guy. First and foremost you need a good attorney, you ... | |
| Rest Industry | 3/24/2008 |
| Q: 1. In fresh produce industry there is a "Blue Book" credit rating book. Is there a similar ... A: I have nt heard of such of a book but in these days of all-information I am sure it must be ... | |
| What to sell | 3/8/2008 |
| Q: I would like to know what the most popular item of food would be to sell in a small five table ... A: What to sell is one of the most important choices in opening a restaurant. There is no way to make ... | |
| opening labor costs | 2/27/2008 |
| Q: After working in the corporate environment for the last 15 years I was given a budget for running my ... A: Mike, There are many tools I use to calculate my labor cost, but having worked in the business for ... | |
| salary | 2/21/2008 |
| Q: I have been working at a bar/restaurant for 6 years and managing it for 3 years. i am currently ... A: Jake, You say you have been managing the bar/restaurant for 3 years, I am assuming that you are ... | |
| Question about starting a franching business.. | 2/20/2008 |
| Q: Im Vito and im based in Europe. After my trip to U.S this summer i got this idea about starting ... A: You are asking to learn a lot here in a short amount of time. I get quite a few people who do the ... | |
| Employee meal policy | 2/12/2008 |
| Q: Is there a recommended policy for employee meals? Free, percentage discount, only certain items? A: How you feed your employees is really different in a lot of places...there is no set policy but most ... | |
| Should I buy the building that I am leasing | 2/12/2008 |
| Q: My husband and I own a restaurant for 5 years. The landlord wants us to buy the property instead of ... A: Not having the advantage of knowing the location really limits my ability to give you a good ... | |
| Software and pos systems | 2/5/2008 |
| Q: I am in the process of writing a business plan to open a market deli. I am hoping to have a very ... A: Ask ten people what restaurant POS they prefer and odds are you will get 10 different answers. I am ... | |
| Labor and COGS | 1/30/2008 |
| Q: Excellent page, lots of good advice here. We are starting a dinner and a movie theater in a small ... A: Depending on the concept and the food being served your food costs can go as low as 25% and as high ... | |
| Calculating food costs | 1/29/2008 |
| Q: I am having a difficult time in calculating my actual food costs on some of my menu items. a few ... A: You are confusing two separate functions...when you make sauce, grate cheese, break-out toppings you ... | |
| Pre-opening costs | 1/27/2008 |
| Q: Figurelli I'm thinking of starting a restaurant and is in the process of doing a business plan. My ... A: A restaurant financial statement has many parts to it, first your COGS or Cost of Goods Sold is the ... | |
| Legal registration for food industry | 1/24/2008 |
| Q: My question is what type of State/Federal regulations/permits must I apply for? I'm located in PA ... A: I am not familiar with PA laws, all states are different and each local town has it's own set of ... | |
| Pre-opening costs | 1/23/2008 |
| Q: Figurelli I'm thinking of starting a restaurant and is in the process of doing a business plan. My ... A: Stocking the bar should be the least of your expenses. Consider the process and every expense along ... | |
| Restaurant Rent | 1/22/2008 |
| Q: I am considering purchasing a building that has apartments and a 8600 sq ft restaurant. I'm new to ... A: In a restaurant as large as this you might want to consider a lease with a guaranteed term in it. ... | |
| possible restaurant opeing | 1/21/2008 |
| Q: We are thinking and processing the idea(s) of opening a small diner in our community.There is ... A: If you are considering doing double duty as pastor and cafe owner-operator I would ask you to ... | |
| staffing | 1/20/2008 |
| Q: I am designing a 60 seat casual/fine dining restaurant as a project for my culinary school ... A: The ratio of server to guest is different for a lot but I think the norm is somewhere around 4 ... | |
| Small restaurant in Texas | 1/18/2008 |
| Q: Myself and another individual are opening up a new restaurant in Texas, we were told we would need ... A: These days seem to be popular days for LLC's. Not knowing the laws of Texas, I would urge you to ... | |
| take out-drive-through | 1/8/2008 |
| Q: I would like to read books and/or guides and manuals on how to open a take-out/drive-through place. ... A: I'm not really sure there of any "great" books out there on opening a drive-through/take-out. I am ... | |
| opening restuarant | 12/28/2007 |
| Q: an opportunity came along to open a restuarant,the owner has offered to not charge any rent for the ... A: It's very difficult to determine if this is a good deal or not...not knowing anything about the ... | |
| Restaurant question | 12/8/2007 |
| Q: I am considering opening a restaurant in Hammond Louisiana near a college campus, the name will be ... A: Darren, Not knowing the specific location or area that you are considering, I can tell you that your ... | |
| Food Testing | 11/29/2007 |
| Q: My wife and I are preparing to open a patio style takeout restaurant. The menu will be Southern ... A: The idea of a "patio-style" restaurant sounds like an interesting idea...with your described menu I ... | |
| Ideal Labor Costs for Pizza Restaurant | 11/15/2007 |
| Q: My family and I own small pizza restaurant that employs 11 people. I fear we our labor costs are ... A: Jarryd, It is difficult to calculate if your labor costs are high or not based solely on the amount ... | |
| % expenses | 11/9/2007 |
| Q: Mr Figurelli In a restaurant operation, after taking out the cost of sales of the total revenue, ... A: Your cost of goods sold is but one key cost in a restaurant financial statement. You have what ... | |
| opening a business | 11/1/2007 |
| Q: How much does it roghly cost to start a small sports bar with around 30 seats? A: It really depends on many factors, .... I obviously can't ask all those questions here, but a few of ... | |
| Partnership proposal | 10/30/2007 |
| Q: Figurelli I'm a chef, returning from Italy to Puerto Rico after 5 years working in different ... A: If you have the capital to do it, I would first determine an agreed upon value of the business which ... | |
| help with essay introduction to hospitality & managment | 10/14/2007 |
| Q: Sally is the General Manager of one of the best restaurants in town, known as The Pub. As usual, ... A: Well Omar, Short of answering your homework assignment I would say you have a few issues that need ... | |
| non payment | 10/3/2007 |
| Q: I worked in a reastaurant in Brooklyn for about 5 motnths and they never had me fill out any ... A: Not sure if you can even prove you worked there, it sounds like everything was "off the books". You ... | |
| Business loan | 9/27/2007 |
| Q: I am with my family trying to buy a subway or some kind of fast food restaurant or by an existing ... A: Buying an existing restaurant is a common thing today and should be approached as any other major ... | |
| bonus | 9/26/2007 |
| Q: What percentages are usually offered as a bonus to an executive chef for beating or making projected ... A: I am a big believer in offering performance-based bonus incentives to the management team. I like a ... | |
| advise on opening a small cafe | 9/22/2007 |
| Q: I am thinking about renting a small cafe hambugers and hotdogs. It is already setup for operation ... A: Debbie, Your question is EXACTLY the reason why most restaurants don't make it. People always ... | |
| opening a resturant | 9/12/2007 |
| Q: I want to open a small family resturant. I have no actual resturant background but management and ... A: Opening any small business is hard, but I really don't think most people know just how hard it is to ... | |
| Is this a good idea ? | 9/9/2007 |
| Q: I have been contemplating opening a small restaurant for a long time. I am a US citizen with a ... A: Your question has reminded me of an old episode of Seinfeld where Jerry tells a local restaurant ... | |
| Starting a restaurant | 9/7/2007 |
| Q: I would like to start a pizza restaurant in a very busy location. There are not many restaurants ... A: Paying $48/square foot for base rent on a restaurant is risky business. Odds are you also have a ... | |
| Selling my Restaurant | 8/22/2007 |
| Q: How do you determine the price of a Restaurant? I have a Touristic Restaurant in a Resort (Cancun) ... A: It's very difficult to determine the price of a business based on what you've given me here...I can ... | |
| Restaurant Partner | 8/3/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help us with some advise. I own a small restaruant that fits 30 ... A: One of my favorite incentive plans for operating partners is to offer them a hearty base salary and ... | |
| Bringing back a home town name to the city. | 7/14/2007 |
| Q: I am looking at bringing back a home town restaurant to my city. This place has been in the city for ... A: I think it was Tom Wolfe who wrote the book, "You Can't Go Home Again". While memories of a great ... | |
| All you can eat restaurants | 6/25/2007 |
| Q: I am thinking about opening a restaurant sometime in the future and I was just wondering what you ... A: Depending on the size and concept $500,000 can be sufficient to open a restaurant, although most ... | |
| Operator/Partner for Bistro in Cancun, Mex. | 6/20/2007 |
| Q: with the imminent opening of Puerto Cancun Marina and Golf just across the street, we are now ... A: Whenever I want to reach out to restaurant professionals I have always had success utilizing the ... | |
| Operator/Partner for Bistro in Cancun, Mex. | 6/18/2007 |
| Q: with the imminent opening of Puerto Cancun Marina and Golf just across the street, we are now ... A: One of the questions a potential investor is going to want to know is the total cost of the project ... | |
| menu pricing | 6/12/2007 |
| Q: I am opening an organic health bar in San Diego, CA. I am in the process of pricing out my menu and ... A: I always like to keep food costs and paper costs separate so you can better identify a problem if ... | |
| liquor costs | 5/22/2007 |
| Q: can you tell me if I am right on this? I run a bar and the liquor cost is consistently below 20%. ... A: It sounds to me like you have several potential problems with your beer cost. I typically like to ... | |
Running a Restaurant
Answers by Expert:
Tony Figurelli
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I am well versed on all aspects of the restaurant industry. I have been President of a national chain of full-service restaurants, have operated in fast food, casual and fine-dining segments as well. I have opened(and successfully sold)my own restaurant and have opened over 25 restaurants in one capacity or another. I currently operate a consulting business, Meridian Hospitality Associates and can be reached at tonyfig@msn.com or by going to my website at www.meridianhospitality.com
Experience
Over 30 years, see description above.
Education/Credentials
BA - Kansas State University
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