template of a business plan for a restaurant

How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan (+ Examples)

Learn how to create a restaurant business plan with the best format that outlines your concept, and financials. Get examples and templates to get started.

10 minute read

helped business professionals at:

Short answer

What is a business plan for a restaurant?

A business plan for a restaurant is a document that outlines the restaurant's concept, strategies, and financial forecasts. It serves as a roadmap for launching and growing the establishment successfully.

Don't just focus on profit margins, ensure your business plan is well-presented

In the competitive world of the restaurant industry, where low-profit margins are a well-known hurdle, there emerges a critical, yet often overlooked, factor pivotal to success: the design of the business plan.

As we enter 2024, it's becoming increasingly clear that the traditional overlook of business plan design can no longer be afforded.

This isn't just about financial projections or market analysis; it's about crafting a blueprint that encapsulates the essence of your restaurant, compellingly communicates its value, and sets a solid foundation for growth.

By focusing on the design of your business plan, you stand to gain not just the attention of potential investors but also a clearer roadmap to navigate the challenges ahead.

What makes an effective business plan?

Embarking on the restaurant business journey requires more than just a passion for food-it demands a comprehensive plan that lays out every aspect of your venture with precision and foresight.

Let's delve into what constitutes an effective restaurant business plan, ensuring it's not just another document, but a roadmap to success.

6 key components of a winning restaurant business plan:

1. Vision and concept clarity

Start with a crystal-clear articulation of your restaurant's concept. Whether it's a cozy vegan cafe or a high-end steakhouse, the essence of your establishment should leap off the page.

This clarity helps potential investors and partners instantly grasp what you're aiming to create.

Beyond the concept, delineate your restaurant's values, mission, and the unique selling points that set you apart in a crowded market.

2. Comprehensive market analysis

A deep dive into market analysis cannot be overstated. Here, you're not just identifying who your customers are but also understanding the competitive landscape.

What are the prevailing trends in the dining sector? Who are your direct and indirect competitors, and how do you plan to differentiate yourself? This section should reflect a meticulous research process, showcasing insights that guide your strategy.

3. Robust financial planning

In any successful business plan, sound financial management is key.

Essential elements include:

Realistic financial projections: Your forecasts should be realistic, and built on data-backed assumptions.

Detailed profit and loss forecasts

Cash flow predictions

Break-even analysis

Contingency planning: Preparing for unforeseen challenges is crucial.

Develop a well-thought-out contingency plan to navigate the industry's unpredictable nature.

Identify potential risks and solutions, including supplier issues, staffing shortages, and changes in consumer behavior, to ensure business resilience.

4. Operational strategies

Operational excellence underpins a restaurant's success. Detail your plans for day-to-day operations, from sourcing ingredients to managing inventory and staffing.

Highlight your commitment to quality and efficiency in every aspect of the operation, from the kitchen to customer service.

Also, outline the technology and systems you'll implement to streamline processes and enhance the dining experience.

5. Marketing and branding

In today's digital age, a savvy marketing and branding strategy is crucial.

Describe how you'll create a strong brand identity and the channels you'll use to reach your target audience.

From social media campaigns to community engagement initiatives, your plan should reflect a keen understanding of how to connect with potential customers and build a loyal following.

Discover how to create a marketing deck to align your strategy with your business objectives, target audience needs, and market trends.

6. Customer experience focus

Exceptional customer service is the lifeblood of any successful restaurant. Detail the steps you'll take to ensure every guest feels valued and satisfied.

From the ambiance and menu design to staff training programs, every element should contribute to a memorable dining experience.

Feedback mechanisms and how you'll adapt to customer preferences are also vital components of this section.

What should be included in a restaurant business plan?

Creating a restaurant business plan is a foundational step toward launching a successful dining establishment.

It outlines your vision, strategy, and the specific actions you plan to take to make your restaurant a success.

Below, we break down the essential components that should be included in your restaurant business plan, ensuring clarity, comprehensiveness, and appeal to potential investors.

8 essential sections of a restaurant business plan:

1. Executive summary

A compelling overview of the restaurant, showcasing its unique concept, mission, and strategic objectives that guide its operations.

Overview: Present a succinct snapshot of your restaurant, including its concept, mission, key goals, and ownership structure.

Purpose: Highlight what you aim to achieve with the restaurant and the appeal it has to potential investors or lenders.

2. Business description

An in-depth look at the restaurant's theme, location, and how these elements combine to create a distinctive dining experience.

Concept and theme: Describe the unique aspects of your restaurant's concept, from the cuisine and menu items to the design and ambiance.

Location analysis: Analyze the chosen location, discussing demographics, foot traffic, and how these factors make it an ideal spot for your target market.

3. Market analysis

An insightful examination of dining trends, target demographics, and customer needs to inform strategic positioning.

Trends: Examine current trends in the dining industry and how they influence your restaurant's positioning.

Target demographic: Identify your target customers, detailing their preferences, dining habits, and how your restaurant will meet their needs.

Needs and preferences: Focus on understanding and catering to what your target market seeks in a dining experience.

4. Competitive analysis

A detailed evaluation of competitors, focusing on differentiation and strategies for establishing a market edge.

Competitors: List direct and indirect competitors, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and how you'll differentiate your restaurant.

Differentiation: Explain the unique selling points that will set your restaurant apart in the competitive landscape.

5. Menu and product offering

Overview of menu design, ingredient sourcing, and special services that enhance the restaurant's appeal.

Menu design: Discuss the inspiration behind your menu, including how it reflects the theme and caters to your target demographic. Outline your pricing strategy and item selection.

Sourcing and suppliers: Detail your approach to sourcing high-quality ingredients, including partnerships with local suppliers and commitments to sustainability.

Special offerings: Highlight any additional services your restaurant offers, such as catering, special events, or exclusive seasonal menus, to draw in a wider audience and generate extra revenue.

6. Marketing and sales strategy

A summary of branding efforts, promotional tactics, and sales projections designed to attract and retain customers.

Branding: Detail your restaurant's brand identity, including name, logo, and how it communicates your restaurant's values and mission.

Marketing tactics: Outline the strategies you will employ to attract and retain customers, such as social media marketing, local advertising, partnerships, and loyalty programs.

Sales forecasts: Provide realistic sales forecasts, explaining the rationale behind these projections and how you plan to achieve them.

7. Operating plan

Description of daily operations, facility management, and health safety protocols to ensure smooth and compliant restaurant functionality.

Daily operations: Describe the operational flow of the restaurant, including hours of operation, staffing requirements, and customer service policies.

Facility management: Discuss the layout and design of your restaurant, kitchen equipment needs, and any other facility-related details that will ensure efficient operation.

Health and safety: Outline the health and safety measures you will implement to comply with local regulations and ensure the well-being of both employees and guests.

8. Management and organization

An outline of the restaurant's organizational structure, key personnel, and staffing strategies for operational excellence.

Ownership structure: Specify the ownership structure of the restaurant, including key stakeholders and their roles.

Team composition: Introduce the management team, chefs, and other critical staff, highlighting their experience and how it contributes to the restaurant's success.

Staffing plans: Discuss your plans for hiring staff, including numbers, positions, and the qualities you seek in employees to maintain high standards of service.

How to create a business plan for a restaurant?

Creating a standout business plan for your restaurant involves focusing on key components that blend your vision with practical strategies.

6 actionable steps to distill your restaurant business plan:

Define your concept clearly: Begin by articulating your restaurant's concept, ambiance, and what sets it apart. This clarity lays the groundwork for the entire business plan.

Conduct thorough market analysis: Dive deep into your target market and competitors. This research will guide your menu design, pricing strategy, and marketing efforts, ensuring you carve out a unique space in the marketplace.

Craft a compelling menu: Ensure your menu reflects your brand identity and appeals to your target audience, all while considering cost-effectiveness and supply chain realities. Aim for a balance between innovation and simplicity.

Develop realistic financial projections: Detail initial costs, revenue expectations, and a break-even point. Importantly, predict potential hurdles with ready contingency plans.

Outline operational strategies: Describe your daily management approach, including sourcing, staffing, and customer service. Efficient operations are crucial for a seamless experience and streamlined processes.

Implement strategic marketing: Choose the most effective ways to connect with your audience. Building a strong brand narrative and engaging actively with customers can help turn first-time visitors into regulars.

7 restaurant business plan examples for winning partners and investors

When it comes to crafting a business plan for a restaurant, the type of establishment you're planning significantly influences the structure and content of the document.

Each kind of restaurant from fast-casual and fine dining to food trucks and bistros-caters to different market segments and operational models.

Here's a look at how these differences manifest in their respective business plans:

1) Fine dining restaurant business plan

Market focus: Targets higher-income clientele seeking a premium dining experience. The plan should highlight exceptional service, high-quality ingredients, and unique culinary offerings.

Operational model: Detailed attention to the ambiance, chef expertise, and a higher staff-to-guest ratio. Wine lists and bar offerings also play a significant role.

Financial projections: Emphasizes higher check averages with a focus on profitability per guest rather than volume. The cost structure will detail higher initial investment in decor, kitchen equipment, and inventory.

Here’s an example of a fine-dining restaurant business plan:

2) Bar restaurant business plan

Market focus: Targets a diverse clientele, from young professionals to social groups, seeking a blend of dining and socializing.

Operational model: Balances innovative cuisine with an extensive beverage selection in a space designed for both eating and lounging, including live entertainment options.

Financial projections: Outlines dual revenue streams from food and drinks, emphasizing beverage sales' higher profit margins and detailing licensing, entertainment, and insurance costs.

Here’s an example of a bar restaurant pitch deck:

3) Bistro restaurant business plan

Market focus: Caters to locals and tourists seeking a casual yet refined dining experience, positioning itself as a cozy neighborhood spot.

Operational model: Highlights a selective menu that adapts seasonally, emphasizing a warm ambiance and personal service.

Financial projections: Projects moderate earnings with a strong local following, noting initial investments in location and ambiance to create a distinctive setting.

Here’s an example of a bistro restaurant pitch deck:

4) Food truck business plan

Market focus: Appeals to urban professionals, millennials, and foodies looking for unique, high-quality food options on the go.

Operational model: Mobility is key. The plan must address location strategy, permits and regulations, and adaptability to different events and seasons.

Financial projections: Lower startup costs compared to brick-and-mortar establishments but include considerations for vehicle maintenance, fuel, and parking permits.

5) Coffee restaurant business plan

Market focus: Appeals to a varied audience with a unique theme or specialty cuisine, standing out from conventional coffee shops.

Operational model: Details the influence of theme or cuisine on menu design, decor, and guest experience, aiming to make the restaurant a destination.

Financial projections: Anticipates varied financial outcomes based on concept uniqueness, with thorough market research guiding pricing and marketing strategies.

6) Italian, Mexican, Asian, etc., cuisine restaurant business plan

Market focus: Focuses on providing authentic dining experiences to both expatriates and locals interested in specific cuisines.

Operational model: Requires sourcing authentic ingredients and skilled chefs familiar with the cuisine. The business plan should address menu authenticity, culinary training, and potential partnerships for ingredient import.

Financial projections: Depending on the positioning (casual vs. fine dining), financials would reflect the cost of unique ingredients and the expected dining experience level.

Here’s an example of an Italian restaurant business plan proposal:

7) Fast food restaurant business plan

Market focus: These plans emphasize speed, efficiency, and affordability. The target market typically includes busy professionals, families looking for convenient meal options, and younger demographics.

Operational model: The business plan must detail quick service operations, including streamlined kitchen layouts, supply chain logistics for fast-moving inventory, and technology for order taking (e.g., apps, and kiosks).

Financial projections: Focus on volume sales, low to moderate check averages, and strategies for high turnover rates.

How to design a restaurant business plan?

Designing a restaurant business plan is much like crafting a compelling game pitch deck, it's all about presenting your concept in a way that's as irresistible as the dining experience you're proposing.

8 restaurant business plan design tips:

1. Embrace scrollytelling

Use narrative scrolling to take your audience through the journey of your restaurant's concept, from the inspiration behind your dishes to the ambiance you plan to create.

This dynamic presentation style keeps readers engaged, turning your business plan into an immersive experience.

Here's an example of scroll-based design:

2. Incorporate interactivity and multimedia

Go beyond static pages by embedding interactive elements like sample menu walkthroughs, virtual tours of the restaurant layout, or clips from cooking demos.

These elements not only highlight your restaurant's unique offerings but also keep potential investors or partners engaged throughout your presentation.

And here's what a static presentation looks like compared to an interactive one:

Static PowerPoint

Interactive Storydoc

3. Use data visualization

Present market research, target demographics, and financial projections through clear, compelling visuals.

Transform complex data into easy-to-understand graphs, charts, and infographics, making your business strategy both visually appealing and straightforward to grasp.

Here's an example of a presentation with dataviz elements:

4. Personalize your deck

Leverage software that allows for customization, such as incorporating the viewer's name or tailoring content to specific investor interests.

A personalized approach demonstrates meticulous attention to detail and can forge a stronger connection with your audience.

5. Use cohesive branding

Ensure your business plan reflects your restaurant's identity through consistent use of colors, fonts, and imagery that align with your branding.

This not only enhances the visual appeal of your plan but also immerses your audience in the atmosphere you aim to create.

6. Ensure mobile-responsive

Given the variety of devices stakeholders might use to view your plan, ensuring a mobile-responsive design is essential.

This ensures that your business plan is accessible and engaging, whether it's being viewed on a smartphone or a desktop computer.

7. Highlight key information

Design your business plan to draw attention to critical information.

Techniques such as strategic content placement and highlighting can guide the reader's focus, ensuring that essential points stand out without overwhelming the viewer with too much information at once.

8. Segment content in tabs

Organize your business plan into sections or tabs that cater to different aspects of your restaurant concept and business strategy.

This not only makes your plan more navigable but also allows readers to easily find the information most relevant to their interests or concerns.

Here's an example of a tabs slide:

Restaurant business plan templates

Kicking off your restaurant business plan is a daunting task, especially when you aim to capture the essence of your dining concept in a document.

Interactive restaurant business plan templates are designed to simplify this process. They provide a structured framework that incorporates interactive and multimedia elements, essential for presenting your restaurant in a vibrant and dynamic manner.

These templates not only save you precious time but also guarantee that your business plan conveys a polished and compelling story.

Snag one today!

I am a Marketing Specialist at Storydoc, I research, analyze and write on our core topics of business presentations, sales, and fundraising. I love talking to clients about their successes and failures so I can get a rounded understanding of their world.

Found this post useful?

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Get notified as more awesome content goes live.

(No spam, no ads, opt-out whenever)

You've just joined an elite group of people that make the top performing 1% of sales and marketing collateral.

Make your best business plan to date

Stop losing opportunities to ineffective presentations. Your new amazing deck is one click away!

Restaurant Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Restaurant Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your restaurant business plan.

We have helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs and business owners with how to write a restaurant business plan to help them start or grow their restaurants.

Below is a restaurant business plan template to help you create each section of your business plan.

Restaurant Business Plan Example

Executive summary, business overview.

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is a new restaurant and steakhouse located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The menu of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will include bistro-type dishes that are authentically created and crafted by acclaimed Chef Peter Logan. It will be located in the trendy part of town, known as the Plaza District. The restaurant will be surrounded by classy art galleries, live theater, high-end restaurants and bars, and expensive shopping.

Owned by emerging restaurant operators Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette, Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse’s mission is to become Oklahoma City’s best, new restaurant for patrons to celebrate their next big event, have a nice date night, or gather with friends or family for a fun evening while dining over finely crafted entrees, desserts, and cocktails.

Products Served

The following are the menu items to be offered by Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse:

• Soups & Salads
• Gourmet sides
• Wine, Beer & Spirits

Customer Focus

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will target adult men and women between the ages of 21 – 65 with disposable income in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Within this demographic are millennials, young professionals, newlyweds, young families, more established families, and retirees. Because of the pricing structure of the menu, the patrons will likely be upper middle class to the wealthy population of Oklahoma City.

Management Team

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is owned and operated by fellow Oklahoma City natives and culinary enthusiasts, Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette. Both come with a unique skill set and complement each other perfectly. They formerly worked together at another OKC fine dining establishment and made a great team for serving guests delectable food and wine while ensuring the highest level of customer service.

Chef Peter will manage the kitchen operations of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse, while Anastasia will oversee front of the house operations, maintain and ensure customer service, and manage all reservations.

Financial Highlights

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is seeking $300,000 in debt financing to open its start-up restaurant. The funding will be dedicated for the build-out and design of the restaurant, kitchen, bar and lounge, as well as cooking supplies and equipment, working capital, three months worth of payroll expenses and opening inventory. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Restaurant Build-Out and Design – $100,000
• Kitchen supplies and equipment – $100,000
• Opening inventory – $25,000
• Working capital (to include 3 months of overhead expenses) – $25,000
• Marketing (advertising agency) – $25,000
• Accounting firm (3 months worth and establishment/permitting of business) – $25,000

Company Overview

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is a new restaurant and steakhouse located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will serve a wide variety of dishes and beverages and will cater to the upper middle class to wealthier population of Oklahoma City. The menu of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will include bistro-type dishes that are authentically created and crafted by acclaimed Chef Peter Logan. It will be located in the trendy part of town, known as the Plaza District. The Plaza District is one of Oklahoma’s trendy neighborhoods and is considered the “it” area for newlyweds, millennials, professionals, and young singles. The restaurant will be surrounded by classy art galleries, live theater, high-end restaurants and bars, and expensive shopping.

Owned by emerging restaurant operators Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette, the restaurant’s mission statement is to become the best new steak restaurant in OKC. The following are the types of menu items Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will serve- shareables, steaks, soups, gourmet sides and salads.

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse History

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is owned by two Oklahoma City natives, Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette. They have both worked around the country in fine dining establishments and have a combined twenty years in the restaurant industry. Upon working alongside each other at another fine dining establishment in Oklahoma City, the two of them became good friends and decided to venture into owning their own restaurant.

Chef Peter is the kitchen guru and critically acclaimed chef, while Anastasia manages the front of the house and is a certified Sommelier. Together, with both of their expertise and knowledge, Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is destined to become Oklahoma City’s next big restaurant.

Industry Analysis

The Restaurant industry is expected to grow to over $220 billion in the next five years.

Consumer spending is projected to grow. The Consumer Confidence Index, a leading indicator of spending patterns, is expected to also grow strongly, which will boost restaurant industry growth over the next five years. The growth in consumer confidence also suggests that more consumers may opt to segment their disposable income to eating outside the home.

Additionally, an increase in the number of households earning more than $100,000 annually further contributes to the industry growth, supporting industry operators that offer more niche, higher-end products.  This group is expected to continue to grow in size over the next five years.

The urban population represents a large market for the industry. Specifically, time-strapped individuals living in urban areas will likely frequent industry establishments to save time on cooking. The urban population is expected to increase, representing a potential opportunity for the industry.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market, customer segmentation.

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will primarily target the following customer profile:

• Upper middle class to wealthier population
• Millennials
• Young professionals
• Households with an average income of at least $75k
• Foodies and culture enthusiasts

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will be competing with other restaurants in Oklahoma City. A profile of each competitor is below. The Press Located in the trendy area known as the Plaza District, The Press has reimagined our favorite foods of the surrounding regions through the lens of home.

The menu consists of appetizers, soups, burgers and sandwiches, bowls, main dishes, sides, desserts, and a large selection of alcoholic beverages. The Press serves craft beer, domestic beer, wine spritzers, house cocktails, wine, and mimosas. They also offer brunch. The menu of The Press is affordable with the most expensive dish being $16. The wine menu is also not pretentious as the wine is sold either by the glass or bottle, with the most expensive bottle being $52 for the Gruet Sparkling Brut Rose. Oak & Ore Oak & Ore is a craft beer and restaurant in OKC’s Plaza District. They have a 36-tap beer selection and offer vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free dining options. Oak & Ore offers a rotating, 36-tap selection of their favorite brews from Oklahoma and around the world. Each beer is thoughtfully paired with a craft beer-inspired dining experience.

The food menu of Oak & Ore offers starters, salads, wings, fried chicken, sandwiches, tacos, banh mi, and sides. They also have a selection of kids dishes so the whole family can enjoy comfort food while sampling one of their delectable beers.

The Mule OKC The Mule is a casual, hip restaurant offering a large beer and cocktail menu plus sandwiches and more. Located in the constantly growing and buzzing hub that is the Plaza District, The Mule takes the timeless favorite and contorts it into a whole menu of wild offerings.

There is also a fantastic assortment of soups offered and The Mule shakes up a seasonal list of cocktails designed by their bar staff. During the winter months, patrons can stave off the cold with their versions of hot toddies and buttered rum. For the beer drinkers, they always have a reliable line-up of fresh cold brews on draft, as well as a wide selection of can.

Competitive Advantage

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse offers several advantages over its competition. Those advantages are:

• Gourmet dishes elegantly prepared to the finest standard.
• Selection of steaks sourced from local Oklahoma farms.
• An exclusive and unique wine menu that includes a wine selection of all price points.
• Highly sought after location: Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will be located in the trendy and attractive neighborhood known as The Plaza District.
• Trendy, welcoming, and energetic ambiance that will be perfect for a night out or a celebration.

Marketing Plan

Promotions strategy.

The marketing strategy for Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is as follows: Location Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse’s location is a promotions strategy in itself. The Plaza District is a destination spot for locals, tourists, and anyone looking for the trendiest food fare in Oklahoma City. The Plaza District is home to OKC’s most popular bars and restaurants, art galleries, theaters, and boutique shopping. The millennials, young professionals, and foodies will frequent Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse for the location itself.

Social Media Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will use social media to cater to the millennials and Oklahoma City residents. Chef Peter and Anastasia plan to hire an advertising agency to take professional photographs of the menu items and location to create appealing posts to reach a greater audience. The posts will include pictures of the menu items, as well as upcoming featured options. SEO Website Marketing Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse plans to invest funds into maintaining a strong SEO presence on search engines like Google and Bing. When a person types in “local fine dining restaurant” or “Oklahoma City restaurant”, Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will appear in the top three choices. The website will include the full menu, location, hours, and lots of pictures of the food, drinks, and steaks. Third Party Delivery Sites Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will maintain a presence on sites like GrubHub, Uber Eats, Doordash, and Postmates so that people looking for local food to be delivered will see Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse listed near the top.

Operations Plan

Operation functions:.

The company will hire the following:

• 4 sous chefs
• 2 bartenders
• 2 hostesses
• The company will hire an advertising agency and an accounting firm

Milestones:

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse aims to open in the next 6 months. The following are the milestones needed in order to obtain this goal.

7/1/202X – Execute lease for prime location in the Plaza District.

7/2/202X – Begin construction of restaurant build-out.

7/10/202X – Finalize menu.

7/17/202X – Hire advertising company to begin developing marketing efforts.

8/15/202X – Start of marketing campaign

8/22/202X – Final walk-thru of completed restaurant build-out.

8/25/202X – Hire team of sous chefs, servers, and bussers.

9/1/202X – Decoration and set up of restaurant.

9/15/202X – Grand Opening of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will be owned and operated by Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette. Each will have a 50% ownership stake in the restaurant.

Chef Peter Logan, Co-Owner

Chef Peter Logan is an Oklahoma City native and has been in the restaurant industry for over ten years. He was trained in a prestigious Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Academy in San Francisco and has worked in some of the nation’s most prestigious fine dining restaurants. His tenure has took him from the west coast to the east coast, and now he’s back doing what he loves in his hometown of Oklahoma City.

Chef Peter will manage the kitchen operations of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse. He will train and oversee the sous chefs, manage inventory, place food inventory orders, deal with the local food vendors, and ensure the highest customer satisfaction with the food.

Anastasia Gillette, Co-Owner

Anastasia Gillette was born and raised in Oklahoma City and has garnered over ten years in the restaurant industry as well. While in college, Anastasia worked as a hostess at one of the area’s most prestigious restaurant establishments. While there, she was eventually promoted to Front of the House Manager where she oversaw the hostesses, servers, bussers, bartenders, and reservations. Her passion always led to the beverage portion of the restaurant so she obtained her Sommelier certificate in 2019. With her wine education, Anastasia is able to cultivate an interesting and elegant wine selection for the restaurant.

Anastasia will oversee front of the house operations, maintain and ensure customer service, and manage all reservations. She will also be in charge of the bar and wine ordering, training of front of the house staff, and will manage the restaurant’s social media accounts once they are set up.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will come from the food and drink menu items being offered daily.

The cost drivers will be the ingredients and products needed to make the menu items as well as the cooking materials. A significant cost driver is the fine dining equipment, serving dishes, and beer and wine glasses. Other cost drivers will be the overhead expenses of payroll for the employees, accounting firm, and cost of the advertising agency.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is seeking $300,000 in debt financing to open its start-up restaurant. The breakout of the funding is below:

Financial Projections

Income Statement

  Balance Sheet

  Cash Flow Statement

Restaurant Business Plan FAQs

What is a restaurant business plan.

A restaurant business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your restaurant business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your restaurant business plan using our Restaurant Business Plan Template here .

What Are the Main Types of Restaurants?

There are many types of restaurant businesses. Restaurants can range in type from fast food, fast casual, moderate casual, fine dining, and bar and restaurant types. Restaurants also come in a variety of different ethnic or themed categories, such as Mexican restaurants, Asian restaurants, American, etc.  Some restaurants also go mobile and have food trucks.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Restaurant Business Plan?

Restaurant businesses are most likely to receive funding from banks. Typically you will find a local bank and present your business plan to them. Another option for a restaurant business is to obtain a small business loan. SBA loans are a popular option as they offer longer loan terms with lower interest rates.

What are the Steps To Start a Restaurant Business?

1. Develop A Restaurant Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed restaurant business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your restaurant business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your restaurant business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Restaurant Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your restaurant business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your restaurant business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Restaurant Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your restaurant business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your restaurant business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful restaurant business:

• How to Start a Restaurant Business

Where Can I Get a Restaurant Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free restaurant business plan template PDF here . This is a sample restaurant business plan template you can use in PDF format.

Eat App for

How it works

How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan in 2024 (Step by Step Guide with Templates)

A restaurant business plan is a framework that guides you to plan and forecast every element of restaurant management and operations.

This includes anything from your restaurant's menu design , location, financials, employee training , and a lot more.

Creating a solid business plan is important, as it helps:

• Transform your restaurant ideas into reality.
• Boosts entrepreneurial success by 16% (Harvard Business Study) .
• It equips you to navigate challenges before they arise.
• Attracts potential investors.

Planning is key to restaurant success. Without a plan, you're more likely to join the 26% of restaurants that fail within a year.

Create a business plan to set yourself up for success.

Here's how to get started. 

What is a restaurant business plan? 

Before writing a business plan, it is important to understand its fundamentals.

It serves as a roadmap for starting and running your restaurant , making it easy for outside parties, such as investors, to understand your objectives, vision, and plan of action for your restaurant.

The length and level of detail of business plans vary, ranging from brief synopses to large papers. Investors can benefit from clear insights and additional information provided by beginning with a concise plan and working their way up to a detailed one.

In short, a thorough description of the resources allocated to the success of your restaurant should be included in your business plan.

Steps to include in your business plan 

Your restaurant and mission statement needs to reflect your brand and goals, but you don't have to start from scratch.

The Eat App Restaurant Business Plan template , created by industry professionals and packed with insider information, is your go-to manual for creating a profitable business plan.

Your finalized business plan should have 11 essential elements, no matter how you write it. Continue reading below. 

1. Executive summary

A restaurant business plan should always begin with an executive summary. Why?

• 80% of venture capitalists say they read the executive summary first.
• 62% of investors say they would not continue reading a business plan if the executive summary did not capture their interest.
• A strong executive summary can increase the likelihood of securing funding by up to 40%.

An executive summary not only acts as the introduction to your restaurant business plan samples but also as a summary of the entire idea.

The main aim of an executive summary is to draw the reader (oftentimes an investor) into the rest of your business plan.

The executive summary also helps you envision the identity of your restaurant which essentially shapes the customer experience and sets you apart from competitors.

To establish a distinct identity, you need to focus on c ommon elements of an executive summary, including:

• A mission statement  
• Proposed concept development
• Cuisine selection
• The overall execution
• The potential costs
• Expected return on investments (ROI)

Let's take a more in-depth look at the concept development, cuisine selection, and mission statement.

Further reading

• How to write a restaurant executive summary

Concept Development

Selecting the type of restaurant, service style, and atmosphere is the first step towards creating a unique dining experience. Whether you envision a sample menu for a:

• cozy, intimate bistro
• bustling quick-service deli
• fast-casual restaurant
• fine dining establishment

Your concept should reflect your passion and expertise in the industry.

Cuisine Selection

The cuisine you select for your restaurant can significantly influence its success.

Choosing the appropriate cuisine is vital for distinguishing your establishment from competitors and attracting your target market.

To make an informed decision, consider factors such as:

• Market demand
• Expertise and passion
• Ingredient availability
• Competition
• Profitability
• Cultural fit
• Seasonality
• Dietary restrictions and trends

In the highly competitive restaurant industry, keeping track of current and emerging cuisine trends can be a significant advantage.

Creating a mission statement

A well-constructed mission statement communicates the purpose, values, and goals of your restaurant to potential investors and customers alike.

A mission statement serves as a guiding light for decision-makers and employees, fueling their efforts to achieve your restaurant’s objectives.

To create an impactful mission statement, consider the following steps:

• Identify the purpose of the restaurant.
• Contemplate the brand’s image.
• Account for the target audience.
• Incorporate company values.
• Ensure brevity and comprehensiveness.

Related content:  How to Write a Restaurant Mission Statement  

Remember, your mission statement should not only differentiate your restaurant from competitors but also resonate with your target market .

2. Company description

This is where you carefully introduce the company in the restaurant business plan. Include the name of the restaurant you are launching in this field along with its address, phone number, and other important information. Then, also include the owner's information as well as a synopsis or explanation of their background. The restaurant's legal position and its short- and long-term objectives should be outlined in the second section of the company description. To demonstrate your understanding of the changes in the local food business and the reasons why the most independent restaurant investors will be successful in this market, please submit a brief market research.

Here's an example of the page layout:  

Company Description

Restaurant Name: [Restaurant Name]

Location: [Restaurant Address]

Contact: [Restaurant Phone Number] | [Restaurant Email Address]

Owner: [Owner Name]

Experience: [Owner Name] has over [Number] years of experience in the restaurant industry. They have worked in various roles, including [List of Roles]. They are passionate about food and creating a memorable dining experience for their guests.

Legal Standing: [Restaurant Name] is a [Type of Legal Entity] registered in [State/Province].

3. Market analysis

The market analysis portion of the restaurant business plan is typically divided into three parts.

3.1 Industry analysis

What is your target market? What demographics will your restaurant cater to?

This section aims to explain your target market to investors and why you believe guests will choose your restaurant over others.

Comprehending your target market is key to customizing your restaurant offerings to their preferences and needs.

By diving into demographics, preferences, dining habits, and trends, you can fine-tune your concept and marketing strategy to reach and appeal to your target audience effectively.

An example of analyzing your target market

  Comprehending your target market is key to customizing your restaurant offerings to their preferences and needs.

Demographics and preferences

Identifying your primary target market involves considering factors such as:

For example, a neighborhood with a high concentration of families might prefer a family-friendly restaurant with a diverse menu catering to various age groups and dietary preferences.

Conversely, a trendy urban area with a predominantly young and affluent population may gravitate towards upscale dining experiences and innovative cuisine.

Cultural and ethnic backgrounds also have a significant impact on restaurant preferences, with people from different backgrounds having distinctive tastes and customs that influence their dining choices.

By thoroughly understanding the demographics and preferences of your target market, you’ll be better equipped to create a restaurant concept that resonates with them and ultimately drives success.

Dining habits and trends

As the restaurant industry continues to evolve, staying informed about dining habits and trends is crucial for adapting your offerings and attracting customers.

For example, the rise of online ordering and delivery services has significantly influenced dining habits, with many consumers seeking the convenience of having their meals delivered to their doorstep.

Health trends have also had an impact on dining habits, with an increasing number of individuals seeking healthier options when dining out.

• How to find your restaurant's target market

3.2 Competition analysis

It's easy to assume that everyone will visit your new restaurant first, so it is important to research your competition to make this a reality.

What restaurants have already established a customer base in the area?

Take note of everything from their prices, hours, and service style to menu design to the restaurant interior.

Then explain to your investors how your restaurant will be different.

3.3 Marketing analysis

Your investors are going to want to know how you plan to market your restaurant. How will your marketing campaigns differ from what is already being done by others in the restaurant industry?

How do you plan on securing your target market? What kind of offers will you provide your guests? Make sure to list everything.

The menu is the most important part of a restaurant's debut. Your restaurant wouldn't be able to operate without it.

You most likely don't have a final draft at this time, but you should aim to create a mock-up for your restaurant business plan. You can choose a design that you can envision yourself using and add your logo to the mock-up.

• Top Free Restaurant Menu Makers

There are several resources available online if you need assistance with menu design or don't want to hire a designer.

But the price should be the most important component of your sample menu. The cost research you've completed for investors ought to be reflected in your prices. They will have a clearer idea of your restaurant's intended price range as a result.  You'll quickly see how important menu engineering can be, even early on.

5. Employees

The company description section of the restaurant business plan briefly introduces the owners of the restaurant with some information about each. This section should fully flesh out the restaurant's business plan and management team.

The investors don’t expect you to have your entire team selected at this point, but you should at least have a couple of people on board. Use the talent you have chosen thus far to highlight the combined work experience everyone is bringing to the table.

6. Restaurant design

The design portion of your restaurant business plan is where you can really show off your thoughts and ideas to the investors. If you don’t have professional mock-ups of your restaurant rendered, that’s fine.

Instead, put together a mood board to get your vision across. Find pictures of a similar aesthetic to what you are looking for in your restaurant.

The restaurant design extends beyond aesthetics alone and should include everything from restaurant software to kitchen equipment. 

7. Location

The location you settle on for your restaurant should be well aligned with your target market (making it easier to cater to your ideal customer) and with your business plans.

At this stage in the process, it's not uncommon to not have a specific location in mind - but you should at the very least have a few options to narrow down.

Pro Tip: When you approach your investors about potential locations, make sure to include as much information as possible about each venue and why it would be ideal for your brand. 

Example for choosing an ideal location

Choosing the ideal location for your restaurant is a pivotal decision that can greatly influence your success. 

To make the best choice, consider factors such as foot traffic, accessibility, and neighborhood demographics.

By carefully evaluating these factors, you’ll be better equipped to maximize visibility and attract your target market.

Foot traffic and accessibility

Foot traffic and accessibility are important factors in selecting a location that will attract customers and ensure convenience.

A high-traffic area with ample parking and public transportation options can greatly increase the likelihood of drawing in potential customers.

Additionally, making your restaurant accessible to individuals with disabilities can further broaden your customer base and promote inclusivity.

Neighborhood demographics

Analyzing neighborhood demographics can help you determine if your restaurant’s concept and cuisine will appeal to the local population.

Factors such as income levels, family structures, and cultural diversity can all influence dining preferences and habits.

By understanding the unique characteristics of the neighborhood, you can tailor your offerings and marketing efforts to resonate with the local community.

Conducting a market analysis can be a valuable step in this process.

To gather demographic data for a particular neighborhood, you can utilize resources such as the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and reference maps.

Armed with this information, you can make informed decisions about your restaurant’s concept, menu, and pricing, ensuring that your establishment is well-positioned for success within the community.

Conducting market research will further strengthen your understanding of the local demographic.

8. Market overview

The market overview section is heavily related to the market research and analysis portion of the restaurant business plan. In this section, go into detail about both the micro and macro conditions in the area you want to set up your restaurant.

Discuss the current economic conditions that could make opening a restaurant difficult, and how you aim to counteract that. Mention all the other restaurants that could prove to be competition and what your strategy is to set yourself apart.

9. Marketing

With restaurants opening left and ride nowadays, investors are going to want to know how you will get word of your restaurant to the world.

The next marketing strategy and publicity section should go into detail on how you plan to market your restaurant before and after opening. As well as any plans you may have to bring a PR company on board to help spread the word.

Read more: How to write a restaurant marketing plan from scratch

10. External help

To make your restaurant a reality, you are going to need a lot of help. List any external companies or software you plan on hiring to get your restaurant up and running.

This includes everything from accountants and designers to suppliers that help your restaurant perform better, like POS systems and restaurant reservation systems .

Explain to your other potential investors about the importance of each and what they will be doing for your restaurant.

11. Financial analysis

The most important part of your restaurant business plan is the financial section . We would recommend hiring professional help for this given its importance.

Hiring a trained accountant will not only help you get your own financial projections and estimates in order but also give you a realistic insight into owning a restaurant.

You should have some information prepared to make this step easier for the accountant.

He/she will want to know how many seats your restaurant has, what the check average per table will be, and how many guests you plan on seating per day.

In addition to this, doing rough food cost calculations for various menu items can help estimate your profit margin per dish. This can be achieved easily with a free food cost calculator. 

• Important restaurant metrics to track

A well-crafted restaurant business plan serves as a roadmap to success, guiding every aspect of the venture from menu design to employee training.

By carefully considering each component of the plan, aspiring restaurateurs can increase their chances of securing funding, attracting customers, and achieving their long-term goals.

Remember, a restaurant business plan is not just a document to satisfy investors; it is a living tool that should be revisited and updated regularly as the business grows and evolves.

By staying committed to the plan and adapting it as needed, restaurateurs can ensure that their culinary dreams have a solid foundation for success.

Growth Marketing Manager at Eat App

Saif Alnasur used to work in his family restaurant, but now he is a food influencer and writes about the restaurant industry for Eat App.

Reviewed by

Nezar Kadhem

Co-founder and CEO of Eat App

He is a regular speaker and panelist at industry events, contributing on topics such as digital transformation in the hospitality industry, revenue channel optimization and dine-in experience.

Share this article!

How to Calculate Food Cost in:...

Whether you're putting together a menu for your...

The A to Z Guide to:...

86 that dish? Camper? Kill it? In the weeds?

OpenTable vs. Resy::...

When it comes to choosing an online restaurant...

Join restaurants in 70+ countries using Eat App

Empowering restaurants, one table at a time Discover seamless dining with Eat App

• Reservation system
• Table management
• CRM and guest profiles
• Reports & trends
• Integrations
• Privacy policy
• Terms of service
• The 16 Best Reservation Systems
• Guide to Restaurant Marketing
• Guide to Customer Service
• Guide to Making a Restaurant Website
• All articles

"> "> Compare us

• Seven Rooms
• Compare All

© Eat App. All rights reserved.

• Canada (EN)
• Canada (FR)
• Deutschland
• Netherlands
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Take reservations
• Market your restaurant
• Run smoother shifts
• Sell events & experiences
• Manage reviews
• Manage guest profiles
• View all restaurant solutions
• Robust reporting and insights
• The largest diner network
• 24/7 customer support
• For restaurants
• For restaurant groups & enterprise
• For bars & wineries
• For hotels & casinos
• Integrations
• Pricing and plans
• View all industry insights
• Industry expertise Get advice and tactics from top industry authorities.
• Hospitality Find out how the most successful restaurants make every guest feel like a VIP.
• Marketing Learn how to bring new guests to the table with the latest tech, tools, and ideas for every marketing budget.
• Operations How to iron out operations for shifts smooth as butter.
• Industry trends
• Product innovation
• Advisory board
• Case studies
• Get started

How to write a restaurant business plan

A small restaurant business plan is the roadmap you use to open a successful spot. As a first step to creating yours, ask your friends and colleagues to share restaurant business plan examples. Their restaurant business plan samples can inspire yours.

Once you’ve studied those examples, it’s time to start writing your own. No matter how much thought you’ve put into your concept or how many trusted colleagues have assured you of its greatness, you must write a restaurant business plan. It will prove the viability of your concept to potential investors and provide them with a clear and engaging answer to the question: “Why does the world need this restaurant?”

“The point of a business plan is to show that you’ve done your homework,” says Charles Bililies, owner of Souvla , a fine casual Greek restaurant in San Francisco that has received national acclaim since opening in the spring of 2014.

“You have to show any potential investor that you have an actual plan, you know what you’re talking about, it looks professional, and you’re not just screwing around.”

Quick links Branded cover Table of contents Concept Sample menu Service Management team Design Target market Location Market overview Marketing and publicity Specialists and consultants Business structure Financials

1. Branded cover

Include your logo (even if it’s not finalized), the date, and your name.

2. Table of contents

A table of contents in a restaurant business plan provides an organized overview of the document’s structure and content. It typically appears at the beginning of the plan and lists the major sections and subsections with their corresponding page numbers.

The table of contents is important for several reasons. Firstly, it allows readers to quickly navigate through the plan, enabling easy access to specific sections of interest. Secondly, it helps in presenting a professional and well-structured document, showing that you have carefully organized your thoughts and ideas. It also improves readability and comprehension, as readers can easily locate and refer back to relevant information

3. Restaurant concept

Describe your restaurant concept and get the reader excited about your idea. Specify whether the restaurant will be fine dining or more casual. Include an executive summary and go into detail about the food you’ll be serving, inspiration behind your concept, and an overview of service style.

Define clearly what will be unique about your restaurant and include your mission statement. This section should include a market analysis that shows how your restaurant will be similar and different from competing restaurants.

4. Sample menu

The menu is the most important touchpoint of any restaurant’s brand, so this should be more than just a simple list of items. Incorporate your logo and mock up a formatted menu design (tap a designer for help if needed).

Your sample menu should also include prices that are based on a detailed cost analysis. This will:

• Give investors a clear understanding of your targeted price point
• Provide the info needed to estimate check averages
• Show the numbers used create financial projections for starting costs
• Show investors that you’ve done the homework
• Prove you can stay within a budget

This section is most relevant for:

• Fine-dining concepts
• Concepts that have a unique service style
• Owners who have particularly strong feelings about what role service will play in their restaurant.

It can be a powerful way of conveying your approach to hospitality to investors by explaining the details of the guest’s service experience.

Will your restaurant have counter service and restaurant hostess software designed to get guests on their way as quickly as possible, or will it look more like a theater, with captains putting plates in front of guests simultaneously?

If an extensive wine program is an integral part of what you’re doing, will you have a sommelier? If you don’t feel that service is a noteworthy component of your operation, address it briefly in the concept section.

6. Management team

Write a brief overview of yourself and the team you have established so far. You want to show that your experience has provided you with the necessary skills to run a successful restaurant and act as a restaurant business owner.

Ideally, once you have described the strong suit of every member of your team, you’ll be presenting a full pitch deck. Most independent restaurant investors are in this for more than just money, so giving some indication of what you value and who you are outside of work may also be helpful.

Incorporate some visuals. Create a mood board that shows images related to the design and feeling of your restaurant.

Whether you’re planning to cook in a wood-burning oven or are designing an eclectic front-of-house, be sure to include those ideas. Photos of materials and snippets of other restaurants that you love that are similar to the brand you’re building are also helpful.

8. Target market

Who is going to eat at your restaurant? What do they do for a living, how old are they, and what’s their average income? Once you’ve described them in detail, reiterate why your specific concept will appeal to them.

9. Location

There should be a natural and very clear connection between the information you present in the “Target Market” section and this one. You probably won’t have a specific site identified at this point in the process, but you should talk about viable neighborhoods.

Don’t assume that potential investors will be familiar with the areas you’re discussing and who works or lives there—make the connections clear. You want readers to be confident that your restaurant’s “ideal” diner intersects with the neighborhood(s) you’re proposing as often as possible.

If you don’t have a site , this is a good place to discuss what you’re looking for in terms of square footage, foot traffic, parking, freeway accessibility, outdoor seating , and other important details.

10. Market overview

Address the micro and macro market conditions in your area and how they relate to licenses and permits. At a macro level, what are the local and regional economic conditions?

If restaurants are doing poorly, explain why yours won’t; if restaurants are doing well, explain how you’ll be able to compete in an already booming restaurant climate. At a micro level, discuss who your direct competitors are. Talk about what types of restaurants share your target market and how you’ll differentiate yourself.

11. Marketing and publicity

The restaurant landscape is only getting more competitive. Discuss your pre- and post-opening marketing plans to show investors how you plan to gain traction leading up to opening day, as well as how you’ll keep the momentum going.

If you’re going to retain a PR/marketing company, introduce them and explain why you’ve chosen them over other companies (including some of their best-known clients helps). If not, convey that you have a solid plan in place to generate attention on your own through social media, your website , and media connections.

12. Specialists and consultants

List any outside contractors you plan to retain, such as:

• General contractor
• PR and marketing

Briefly explain the services they’ll be providing for you, why you chose them, and any notable accomplishments.

13. Business structure

This section should be short and sweet. What type of business structure have you set up and why did you make that specific decision? You will need to work with an attorney to help you determine what business structure is best for you.

“Step one: write a business plan. Step two: hire a good attorney. In addition to helping me build a smart, sustainable business structure, my attorney was also a great resource for reviewing my business plan because she’s read thousands of them. She was a very helpful, experienced outside perspective for more than just legal matters,” says Charles Bililies.

14. Financial projections

Let your accountant guide you through this portion of your business plan. It is crucial that whoever you hire to help you with your finances has a wealth of restaurant experience (not just one or two places). They should be familiar with the financial specifics of starting a restaurant and know what questions to ask you.

Before creating realistic financial projections, your accountant will want to know:

• How many seats the restaurant will have
• What your average check will be
• How many covers per day you plan to do

Being conservative in these estimations is key. These three data points will be used as the basis for figuring out whether your concept is financially feasible.

Lou Guerrero, Principal at Kross, Baumgarten, Kniss & Guerrero, emphasizes, “You’ll get a lot of accountants that tell you that they’ve done a couple of restaurants, but you have to choose someone that has a deep expertise in what you’re doing. There’s nothing to gain from going with someone that doesn’t have a very restaurant-centric practice.”

A well-vetted accountant with restaurant experience will know exactly what you’ll need to have prepared to show investors.

The key projections you can expect to work on are:

• Pro forma profit and loss statement for the first three to five years of operation
• Break even analysis
• Capital requirements budget

Writing a comprehensive restaurant business plan is a crucial step towards opening a successful establishment. By seeking inspiration from examples, demonstrating your expertise, and addressing all the essential components, you can prove the viability of your concept to potential investors.

Remember, a well-prepared business plan demonstrates professionalism and a clear understanding of your goals, increasing your chances of achieving long-term success in the competitive restaurant industry.

Discover how OpenTable can take your business where you want to go

Take the Quiz

Explore more articles

• Restaurant reservation software
• Digital marketing solutions
• Restaurant table management
• Online ordering for restaurants
• Experiences
• Reputation and reviews
• Relationship management
• OpenTable integrations
• For restaurant groups
• For bars and wineries
• For hotels and casinos
• The best customer service
• Private dining
• Data & security
• Online waitlist
• Benchmark reporting
• Direct messaging
• About OpenTable
• New on OpenTable

Need help deciding which option is best for you? Give us a call at

(866) 951-7154

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
• Do Not Sell My Info (California)

Get the latest resources to help power up your hospitality.

Email Address * Restaurant Country * Please select United States United Kingdom Canada Netherlands Australia France Germany Mexico Spain Japan Italy -------------- Afghanistan Åland Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, The Dem. Republic Of Cook Islands Costa Rica Côte d'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Terr. Gabon Gambia Georgia Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard/McDonald Isls. Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Jamaica Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea (North) Korea (South) Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar N. Mariana Isls. Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Sint Maarten (Dutch part) Saint Martin (French part) Samoa San Marino Sao Tome/Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovak Republic Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Sri Lanka St. Helena St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and Grenadines Sudan Suriname Svalbard/Jan Mayen Isls. Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks/Caicos Isls. Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates US Minor Outlying Is. Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands (British) Virgin Islands (U.S.) Wallis/Futuna Isls. Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Submit

By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy . You also agree to receive marketing communications from OpenTable about news, events and promotions. You can unsubscribe from OpenTable emails at any time.

How to Write a Small Restaurant Business Plan + Free Sample Plan PDF

Makenna Crocker

10 min. read

Updated March 18, 2024

Free Download:  Sample Restaurant Business Plan Template

From greasy spoon diners to Michelin Star restaurants, food service has captured the hearts and imaginations of countless culinary entrepreneurs.

In the United States, 90% of restaurant owners operate small restaurants with fewer than 50 employees . And 70% operate in just one location.

If you’re passionate about food and dream of opening a restaurant, you have plenty of company. But cooking skills alone won’t cut it. You need a plan.

In this article, we’ll walk you through writing a small restaurant business plan, from conducting market research to developing promotional strategies and creating a financial forecast. 

Need more guidance? Download our free small restaurant business plan template .

Why write a small restaurant business plan?

Starting a restaurant from scratch isn’t cheap.  Startup costs range from $175,000 to $750,000 and include hefty upfront expenses like:

• Building lease
• Kitchen equipment
• Ingredient sourcing

The financials section of a business plan gives you space to compile these costs into an expense budget and compare them to your revenue projections . These will be invaluable in helping you determine if your restaurant concept is financially viable.

And if you need a bank loan or investor to help fund your restaurant , they’ll want to see a plan that includes financial projections (more on that later).

Brought to you by

Create a professional business plan

Using ai and step-by-step instructions.

Secure funding

Validate ideas

Build a strategy

• How to write a small restaurant business plan

The business plan is not only where you lay out your plan, vision, and goals for the restaurant – it pushes you to thoroughly research and understand your market , competitors , and customers to make informed decisions. It guides you through the intricacies of opening and running a small restaurant and helps you keep your finances in order.

Here are some tips for writing a small restaurant business plan that sets you up for success.

• Start with a company overview

A good place to start is to think about the big picture. What do you want your restaurant to be? Are you envisioning upscale dining in a candlelit, intimate setting? Or maybe you’re going for comfort food in a family-friendly atmosphere?

Capture the essence of your restaurant with a brief, attention-grabbing overview. Think of the start of your overview section as an elevator pitch. You’re introducing your concept and vision to highlight what will make your business unique .

Just keep it succinct. 

You’ll need to include other important information about your business here, such as the legal structure of your business and the qualifications of you and your management team.

If you’re writing a business for an existing restaurant, you should also cover its history – when the restaurant was founded, who was involved, and milestones it has reached.

• Understand your target market

Conducting a thorough market analysis is key to the success of your small restaurant. In an industry as competitive as the restaurant business, you’ll need to have your finger on the pulse of your dining market if you hope to create a unique offering.

Defining your target market is essential when starting your restaurant, helping answer questions like:

• Is there demand in the local market for your food?
• Who are your primary competitors? 
• Is there building space for lease near where your target customers live or work?
• What types of partnerships with food distributors (wholesalers, farmers, butchers, etc.) will be needed to ensure a steady flow of fresh ingredients?

The first step is to identify who your diners will be. 

It’s unrealistic to try to appeal to every single customer. So, ask yourself who you envision walking through your doors. Are they:

• Adults aged 40 and over, with lots of disposable income and exotic culinary tastes.
• Children, young adults, and families looking for quick, convenient food that doesn’t stretch their budgets.

Of course, these aren’t the only two customer demographics for a restaurant. But you should get the sense that these customer segments have very different preferences.

Read more: Target market example

Understanding your target market involves more than just demographics. Consider their:

• Spending habits
• Daily routines

If you plan to operate in a busy city center, your target market might include working professionals seeking quick lunch options or upscale dining options after work. But if you’re opening in a less visible area near residential neighborhoods, you may be more likely to target families.

• Size up your competition

With a target customer in mind, you need to understand who you’ll be competing with for their dining budget.

Analyzing your competitors is about understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and strategies. 

Start by identifying direct competitors (other small restaurants) and indirect competitors (like fast-food chains or food trucks). Observe how they attract customers, the ambiance they create, and the variety and pricing of their menus.

Get a feel for their operational strategies:

• How much staffing do they have?
• How fast (or slow) is their service?
• What kinds of supplier relationships do they seem to have?

And their marketing tactics :

• How do they engage with customers?
• What deals or promotions do they offer?
• What kind of reviews are they getting online?

Finally, think about their long-term position: 

• Have they expanded or downsized recently?
• Have they changed their operating hours?
• Have they changed their menu?

As you observe these competitors and their customers, ask yourself what they are doing right and where they are coming up short. 

This knowledge will help you identify gaps in the market and opportunities to offer a unique experience.

• Create a detailed operations plan

With so many moving pieces to manage as a restaurant owner, writing an operations plan is just as important as creating a market analysis.

The operations section of your business plan details how your restaurant will function daily. 

It should briefly touch on every aspect of running the business–from staffing needs to how often you will need to buy new ingredients, kitchen equipment, or dining utensils.

Your operations plan will reflect the unique needs of your business, but a typical restaurant operations plan might include:

• Staffing and training: Lay out a staffing plan, with the roles and responsibilities of each team member. Include strategies for hiring, training, and employee retention.
• Equipment and technology: Outline your dining, kitchen, and technology needs, from tables and chairs to ovens and point-of-sale systems.
• Supply chain management: Explain your ingredient sourcing and inventory management strategies and your plan to build relationships with suppliers.
• Customer service policies: Describe how you manage customer service needs and feedback to ensure a positive dining experience.
• Health and safety protocols: Detail procedures for maintaining kitchen hygiene practices and food handling standards to ensure food safety and compliance with health regulations.

Without an operations plan, you’ll lack a documented strategy for managing your kitchen workflow, maintaining customer satisfaction, or even basic tasks like inventory or staffing.

And if you’re writing a business plan to get a bank loan or investment , they’ll want to see that you have a plan for successfully managing the restaurant. 

• Actively market your restaurant

Your small restaurant may serve the most mouthwatering dishes in town, but no one will discover it without effective promotional strategies. 

You need to develop a comprehensive marketing plan to showcase your culinary delights and entice customers through your doors.

Consider both traditional and digital marketing channels to reach your target audience. Traditional methods may include:

• Hosting special events
• Participating in local food festivals
• Partnering with complementary businesses in your community

Digital strategies may include:

• Creating an engaging website
• Building a strong presence on social media platforms
• Utilizing online review platforms to build credibility and foster positive word-of-mouth.

When developing your promotional strategies, consider the following tips:

Be smart about your online presence

Build a visually appealing and user-friendly website that showcases your restaurant’s ambiance, menu, and story. 

Leverage social media platforms to engage with your audience, share enticing food photos, and run targeted advertising campaigns.

Consider promotions

Encourage repeat business by implementing a loyalty program that rewards customers for their patronage. Offer incentives such as discounts to certain customer segments, like seniors, veterans, or students.

Engage with the local community

Participate in community events, sponsor local sports teams or charity initiatives, and establish partnerships with neighboring businesses. 

Becoming an active community member will build brand awareness and loyalty.

Don’t ignore your pricing and financial strategy

According to data from the National Restaurant Association , about 60% of restaurants fail in their first year, and 80% close within five years.

You need to understand your startup and ongoing operating expenses to run a successful small restaurant.

Start by estimating your startup costs , including:

• Site acquisition (down payment if owning the space, initial payment if leasing)
• Building improvements
• Equipment purchases
• Licenses and permits
• Initial inventory
• Menu creation

Then, account for ongoing operating expenses, such as:

• Employee wages
• Mortgage or rent payments
• Ingredient costs

Pricing your menu items strategically is essential to ensuring profitability. Analyze ingredient costs, consider portion sizes, and compare prices in your local market to determine competitive yet profitable pricing.

Conduct a break-even analysis to determine the number of customers you need to serve to cover costs and start generating profits. Regularly review your financials and adjust your pricing as needed to maintain a healthy bottom line.

Consider these financial aspects when developing your small restaurant business plan:

Budget Allocation

Determine how you will allocate your budget across different areas of your restaurant, such as kitchen equipment, interior design, marketing, and staff training.

Prioritize investments that will have a direct impact on customer experience and operational efficiency.

Revenue Streams

Identify multiple revenue streams for your restaurant. This may include revenue from food sales, catering services, private events, or partnerships with local businesses.

Diversifying your revenue sources can help stabilize your cash flow.

Cost Control

Develop strategies to control costs without compromising quality. Efficient inventory management, negotiation with suppliers, and staff training on waste reduction can contribute to cost savings.

Sales Forecasting

Create a sales forecast based on your market research, pricing strategy, and seating capacity. Consider seasonal fluctuations and special events that may impact your restaurant’s performance.

Other information to include in your small restaurant business plan

As a restaurant owner, a few components of your business plan are unique to your industry. 

None of these fit neatly into any one section of a business plan. We suggest addressing them in additional sections or within the appendix .

Restaurant location and layout

Include information about your restaurant’s location . 

Some of this information will be included in your market analysis, but once you’ve secured a location, you should go deeper and analyze factors like:

• Rent and utilities
• Foot traffic
• Parking availability
• Nearby businesses

Explaining the layout of your restaurant – especially your kitchen – is also important. Consider adding photos or diagrams of each room to your plan. 

Diagrams can be especially helpful. You can add in-depth details for seating arrangements in the dining room or how staff should move efficiently throughout the kitchen.

What do many people do before deciding whether to eat at a restaurant? 

They look at the menu.

You can gain or lose customers on the strength of your menu. It affects numerous business areas, from marketing to pricing and operations.

For instance, if you’re running a family-friendly restaurant but your prices are too high, people will see that on your menu and may decide to eat somewhere cheaper. 

On the other hand, if you’re running a fine dining restaurant , but your menu fails to describe your dishes in an appealing way, diners may go somewhere they perceive as having higher quality meals.

That makes the business plan a great place to create menu concepts. 

You can experiment with different offerings, price points, and menu designs until you’re confident about sharing them with customers. 

And since business plans are continuously updated as your business changes—you can see how your menu has changed over time and what’s been most successful.

Download your free small restaurant business plan template

If you’re ready to start a restaurant, you can download our free small restaurant business plan template from our library of over 550 sample business plans . 

Get started today, and discover why businesses that plan grow 30% faster than those that don’t .

More restaurant business plan examples:

• Food truck business plan
• Coffee shop business plan
• Bakery business plan
• Brewery business plan

Makenna Crocker is the Marketing Specialist at Richardson Sports. Her work focuses on market and social trends, crafting gripping and authentic content, and enhancing marketing strategy to foster stronger B2B and B2C relationships. With a master’s degree in Advertising and Brand Responsibility from the University of Oregon, she specializes in generating a strong and responsible brand presence through content that positively influences and inspires others.

Table of Contents

• Why you need a plan
• Don’t ignore your pricing and financial strategy
• Additional info to include
• Free business plan template

Related Articles

9 Min. Read

Free Etsy Business Plan Template [2024 PDF + Sample Plan]

5 Min. Read

How to Write a Personal Shopper Business Plan + Example Templates

13 Min. Read

How to Write an Online Fitness Business Plan

6 Min. Read

Free Agriculture Sample Business Plan PDF + How to Write

The Bplans Newsletter

The Bplans Weekly

Subscribe now for weekly advice and free downloadable resources to help start and grow your business.

We care about your privacy. See our privacy policy .

The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

No thanks, I prefer writing 40-page documents.

Discover the world’s #1 plan building software

Upmetrics AI Assistant: Simplifying Business Planning through AI-Powered Insights. Learn How

• AI ASSISTANTS

Upmetrics AI Your go-to AI-powered business assistant

AI Writing Assist Write, translate, and refine your text with AI

AI Financial Assist Automated forecasts and AI recommendations

• TOP FEATURES

AI Business Plan Generator Create business plans faster with AI

Financial Forecasting Make accurate financial forecasts faster

Strategic Planning Develop actionable strategic plans on-the-go

AI Pitch Deck Generator Use AI to generate your investor deck

See how it works  →

AI-powered business planning software

Very useful business plan software connected to AI. Saved a lot of time, money and energy. Their team is highly skilled and always here to help.

- Julien López

• BY USE CASE

Starting & Launching a Business Plan your business for launch and success

Validate Your Business Idea Discover the potential of your business idea

Secure Funding, Loans, Grants Create plans that get you funded

Business Consultant & Advisors Plan seamlessly with your team members and clients

Business Schools & Educators Simplify business plan education for students

Students & Learners Your e-tutor for business planning

• Sample Plans
• WHY UPMETRICS?

Reviews See why customers love Upmetrics

Customer Success Stories Read our customer success stories

Blogs Latest business planning tips and strategies

Strategic Planning Templates Ready-to-use strategic plan templates

Business Plan Course A step-by-step business planning course

Ebooks & Guides A free resource hub on business planning

Business Tools Free business tools to help you grow

• Sample Business Plans
• Food, Beverage & Restaurant

How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan + Free Template

You have cracked the recipe for good food & great ambiance and are planning to start a restaurant, fantastic!

Whether starting a cozy corner cafe, a theme-based fine dining restaurant, or growing an existing one, you will need a restaurant business plan as a roadmap for your business success.

But writing a business plan is complex, isn’t it? That is why we are here with our comprehensive restaurant business plan template to help you in writing yours.

Key Takeaways

• Highlight the concept of the restaurant along with the ambiance, types of cuisines, customer base, and USPs of the restaurant in the plan.
• Utilize tools for SWOT analysis to assess your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for making informed decisions.
• Craft an impactful executive summary that outlines your restaurant’s concept, marketing approach, financial outlook, and team expertise to attract potential investors and partners.
• Conduct thorough market research to understand market trends, consumer preferences, and the needs of your target market.
• Analyze the competitive landscape, and identify direct & indirect competitors, to develop strategies that maintain your restaurant’s competitive advantage.
• To ensure efficient daily operations, provide in-depth operational plans that incorporate staffing, additional services, inventory control, and customer service.
• Create realistic financial projections for sales revenue, expenses, and profit forecasts while considering contingencies & emergencies.

Why is a restaurant business plan important?

Crafting a restaurant business plan is daunting but its significance cannot be underestimated. It is essential to drive your business toward success.

In the competitive atmosphere where there are 700,000+ restaurants in the USA, having a proper plan will help you get funding and better adaptability in a constantly changing business environment.

Even if funding isn’t a primary concern, a plan provides the restaurant owner or manager with clear direction on how to create actionable strategies for reaching business goals.

Your business plan will also help solidify the viability of the restaurant’s idea and concept.

In short, think of it as a guide for running all the aspects of the business smoothly.

How to write a restaurant business plan: Step-by-Step Guide

Since we are talking about a restaurant business plan; let us walk you through this restaurant business plan outline step-by-step without any delay:

1. Executive summary

An executive summary is the first section and the most significant section of any business plan. It captures the essence of your whole plan summarizing it for a quick understanding of your business.

Think of it as a sneak peek for the readers that draws their attention to the entire restaurant business plan.

You should start your summary with a compelling introduction with the name of your restaurant. It should also focus on the essence of your restaurant concept.

Give a brief overview of your unique selling points, emphasizing what makes your restaurant special. It might be the signature dishes, innovative ambiance, prime location, or some new cuisine experience.

Apart from the above essential points, your executive summary should include:

• Mission statement
• Vision statement
• Execution structure
• Potential costs
• Expected return on investment

Many readers will read the executive summary before making a judgment, so if this is all they read, make every word count.

Also, SBA advises to include financial projections in your executive summary if you’re using your business plan to request funding.

Say goodbye to boring templates

Build your business plan faster and easier with AI

Plans starting from $7/month

2. Company Overview

Company overview is a part where you fully introduce your restaurant business including legal business structure, location, and your restaurant’s proposed concept.

Here you have the liberty to be a little more creative in describing your restaurant in the whole business plan.

Here are some points to incorporate in the company overview:

• Detailed vision and mission statement
• Type of restaurant (fine dining, small restaurant, bistro, cafe, etc.)
• Legal business structure
• Service style
• History and background of the restaurant (if existing)
• Owners’ names and qualifications
• Cusinies & menu highlights
• Restaurant size and seating capacity
• Operating hours & meal plans
• Related service availability (delivery, catering, etc)

Mainly emphasize the chosen location because easily accessible locations with high foot traffic will attract more walk-in customers. And if you haven’t decided on a specific location yet, then mention the type of place you are looking for to give an idea about it to your readers.

Besides, mention the short-term and long-term goals of your restaurant business in the later part of the company description. Along with that mention regional industry trends and your USPs.

Need Assistance Writing a Restaurant Business Plan?

Get Upmetrics’ business plan template, import data directly into the editor, and start editing using Upmetrics AI Assistant.

Start Planning Now

3. Market analysis

The market analysis section provides you with a clearer picture of your target market, competitors, and industry trends.

Based on the above details, one can make informed decisions while creating strategies. Therefore, make this section precise and concise to understand.

Here are some steps to follow to write an engaging market analysis section of the restaurant business plan:

• Define your customer base: Identify and describe whom you are going to serve. Make a consumer base after considering the demographics, location, and concept of your restaurant.
• Competitive analysis: List out the names of other restaurants in your location and do the SWOT analysis. You can get the competitive advantage of your restaurant this way.
• Market trends: Discuss any shift in consumer behavior like healthy choices, an increase in vegan food consumption, or technological breakthroughs that might affect your restaurant.

Consider conducting market research, TAM-SAM-SOM analysis , and SWOT analysis to get insights for this section.

Remember, this section helps your readers and potential investors understand your target market, restaurant market overview, market size, and growth potential, so make sure you play your cards right.

4. Sample Menu

The most vital step in launching your restaurant business is the menu. A well-curated menu design will sell itself for your restaurant. Even if you are a new restaurant, then present the sample menu with the name and logo of your restaurant on it.

The menu will showcase all the unique offerings your direct competitors might not provide. Not just the list of cuisines but the pricing is also crucial. This way potential investors and readers can understand your restaurant’s target price point.

Plus your menu should be in sync with target customers; for example, a restaurant near the university should contain more beverages and delicious food options for brunch as students prefer those things more.

Consider your menu as a part of branding, choose the same theme for the menu as for the restaurant.

5. Restaurant Design

Restaurant design is the part where you can show your restaurant concept to potential investors and readers practically. Moreover, create a mood board to explain things smoothly.

Utilize this section to show the uniqueness of your restaurant, and how it is different from competitors.

Explain how your design represents your restaurant’s branding and visual identity. Furthermore, mention how your target market will enjoy and appreciate the ambiance you plan to provide.

Note that restaurant design is one of the key elements to running a successful restaurant, so match the theme and cuisines accordingly.

In this section, you also have to provide a detailed description of how many seats are going to be there along with the floor plan of your restaurant.

6. Management Team

As the name suggests, the management team section of your restaurant’s business plan introduces restaurant owners, key executives, and the management team. It also incorporates the experience, qualification, and restaurant industry knowledge of every individual who is on the team.

A strong management team section can be essential to weigh authority and help potential investors be confident about your restaurant’s idea and vision.

You might consider including the following information in the management team section:

• Business owner or founder’s information
• Executive chef and culinary team
• Front-of-house manager
• Operations and back-of-house team
• Advisors/consultants
• The organizational structure of the team

Showcase how each member fits and what roles & responsibilities they will play.  You should include a resume-styled summary for each person in the restaurant’s management section.

7. Operations Plan

The operations plan section outlines the daily business processes and activities centered on achieving the restaurant dream and objectives described in the rest of the plan.

A detailed operations plan helps you and your team define your responsibilities, daily tasks, and short-term goals you need to achieve, keeping track of your long-term objective.

Here are a few key elements to include in your operations plan section:

• Staffing and training
• Operating hours
• Operational process
• Tools and equipment
• Inventory control
• Technology and software
• Quality control measures
• Customer service policies

Remember it should incorporate all important daily tasks. Also, an operations plan is a living document, you can change it often according to the change in the dynamics of the work.

Read More: The Ultimate Guide to Restaurant Operations Planning

8. Marketing Plan

Even with great food, prices, and ambiance, you won’t attract enough diners without marketing.

Thus, a well-crafted restaurant marketing plan is necessary to spread awareness and build a strong brand presence.

The marketing plan can help you streamline your marketing efforts and create impactful and effective marketing campaigns while keeping track of the projected budget and maximizing return on investment.

Hence, this is the section in which you give an idea to your potential investors about how you will acquire new customers and retain existing ones. This section should include:

• Target market and their dining habits
• Branding and positioning
• Marketing strategies (website, social media accounts, etc.)
• Marketing Calendar
• USPs of your restaurant (unique ambiance, amiable staff, new cuisines in the local area)
• Your marketing goals
• Customer retention strategies (loyalty program, giving coupons or discounts on bulk orders or events)

Even if you are going to hire a PR agency for marketing, then mention it and the reason why you chose them.

After taking care of marketing, let us move further to finances.

Read More: Step-by-Step Guide to Restaurant Marketing Plan

9. Financial Plan

The financial plan is the most crucial and demanding section of any business plan. It is one of the deciding factors for potential investors, banks, or any financial institute to invest in your restaurant business.

This section of your plan details your restaurant’s financial information and how it will reach its financial goals or how much revenue potential it has.

Here are key components and statements that you should include in your financial plan section:

• Pro forma profit and loss statement
• Break-even analysis
• Balance sheet
• Sales forecast
• Detailed cost analysis
• Cash flow projections
• Business ratios
• Funding request
• Tax considerations
• Exit strategy

Before you create financial projections, know how many seats the restaurant will have and what services you plan to provide. This will help you in making realistic financial projections if you are going to start a new business.

Also, if you are asking for funding, then mention where you will utilize your funds.

We hope that this sample restaurant business plan will provide you with an idea for writing a successful plan.

Restaurant Industry Highlights 2024

• Growth forecast : National Restaurant Association predicted US restaurant sales to reach $898 billion in 2022 which would further grow by 4% yearly to reach $1.2 trillion by 2030.
• Technology is everywhere : Automation is helping staff maximize their efficiency by handling orders, deliveries, and communication effectively.
• Sustainability & ethical sourcing : Eco-friendly practices such as minimizing food waste, avoiding single-use plastics, and ethical plus local sourcing are encouraged by customers.
• Delivery is the new deal : People prefer deliveries over dining out as they are time-saving. So, there is an incline in the number of delivery apps and delivery services providing restaurants.
• Kiosks are the preference : The number of people who prefer ordering and paying through kiosks is increasing due to the convenience.

How to Refine & Present a Restaurant Business Plan

Once you have written your entire business plan, it is time to read and re-read it and make it error-free. You have to be confident about every aspect of the plan before you present it in front of your audience.

Moreover, alter your plan to suit different audiences to enhance your communication. For instance, keep your plan professional and include all the growth potential, profitability, and ROI data when you present your restaurant business plan for seeking funding.

Also, when you present your restaurant business plan to potential partners or vendors, emphasize collaboration benefits and how it can help in their individual growth.

Apart from the above points, make sure your plan has various engaging visuals, interactive elements, and enhanced storytelling to present all the data interestingly. Thus, make a digital presentation of your plan to incorporate all the above things clutter-free.

Once you are confident, it is time to email your plan to the people already on your mind. And give a pat to yourself for finally taking that step.

Download a sample business plan for a restaurant

Ready to kick-start your business plan writing process? And not sure where to start? Here you go, download our free restaurant business plan pdf , and start writing.

This intuitive, modern, and investment-ready template is designed specifically for restaurants. It includes step-by-step instructions & examples to help in creating your own restaurant business plan.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

Related Restaurant Resources

• Restaurant Marketing Plan
• Restaurant Financial Plan
• Restaurant Operations Plan
• Restaurant Industry Trends

Discover how Upmetrics can help you write a business plan

With Upmetrics, you will receive step-by-step guidance, customizable templates, 400+ sample business plans , and AI assistance to streamline your business planning process.

In fact, if you are not adept with finances, the financial forecasting tool Upmetrics provides will help you create realistic financial forecasts for 3 or more years.

Whether you’re starting a new venture or looking to grow one, Upmetrics offers the resources and insights you need to develop a successful & professional business plan that aligns with your goals.

Related Posts

Fast Food Restaurant Business Plan

Seafood Restaurant Business Plan

Tips for Business Plan Cover Pages

Best AI Tools for Small Business

Frequently asked questions, why do you need a restaurant business plan.

A solid business plan is an essential tool for anyone looking to start or run a successful restaurant business. It helps to get clarity in your business, raise money, and identify potential challenges while starting and growing your business.

How to get funding for your restaurant business?

There are several ways to get funding for your restaurant business, but self-funding is one of the most efficient and speedy funding options. Other options for funding are:

• Bank loan – You may apply for a loan in government or private banks.
• Small Business Administration (SBA) loan – SBA loans and schemes are available at affordable interest rates, so check the eligibility criteria before applying for it.
• Crowdfunding – The process of supporting a project or business by getting a lot of people to invest in your business, usually online.
• Angel investors – Getting funds from angel investors is one of the most sought startup options.

What is the easiest way to write your restaurant business plan?

A lot of research is necessary for writing a business plan, but you can write your plan most efficiently with the help of restaurant business plan samples and edit it as per your needs. You can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less with the help of our business plan software .

Can a good restaurant business plan help me secure funding?

Indeed. A well-crafted restaurant business plan will help your investors better understand your business domain, market trends, strategies, business financials, and growth potential—helping them make better financial decisions.

What's the importance of a marketing strategy in a restaurant business plan?

Marketing strategy is a key component of your restaurant business plan. Whether it is about achieving goals or helping your investors understand the return on investment—an impactful marketing strategy is the way to do it!

Here are a few pointers to help you understand the importance of having a marketing strategy:

• It provides your business an edge over your competitors.
• It helps investors better understand your business and growth potential.
• It helps you develop products with the best profit potential.
• It helps you set accurate pricing for your products or services.

About the Author

Vinay Kevadiya

Vinay Kevadiya is the founder and CEO of Upmetrics, the #1 business planning software. His ultimate goal with Upmetrics is to revolutionize how entrepreneurs create, manage, and execute their business plans. He enjoys sharing his insights on business planning and other relevant topics through his articles and blog posts. Read more

Plan your business in the shortest time possible

No Risk – Cancel at Any Time – 15 Day Money Back Guarantee

Popular Templates

Create a great Business Plan with great price.

• 400+ Business plan templates & examples
• AI Assistance & step by step guidance
• 4.8 Star rating on Trustpilot

Streamline your business planning process with Upmetrics .

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

When starting a business—no matter what type of business that may be—a business plan is essential to map out your intentions and direction. That’s the same for a restaurant business plan, which will help you figure out where you fit in the landscape, how you’re going to differ from other establishments around you, how you’ll market your business, and even what you’re going to serve. A business plan for your restaurant can also help you later if you choose to apply for a business loan .

While opening a restaurant isn’t as risky as you’ve likely heard, you still want to ensure that you’re putting thought and research into your business venture to set it up for success. And that’s where a restaurant business plan comes in.

We’ll go through how to create a business plan for a restaurant and a few reasons why it’s so important. After you review the categories and the restaurant business plan examples, you can use the categories to make a restaurant business plan template and start your journey.

Why you shouldn’t skip a restaurant business plan

First-time restaurateurs and industry veterans alike all need to create a business plan when opening a new restaurant . That’s because, even if you deeply understand your business and its nuances (say, seasonal menu planning or how to order correct quantities), a restaurant is more than its operations. There’s marketing, financing, the competitive landscape, and more—and each of these things is unique to each door you open.

That’s why it’s so crucial to understand how to create a business plan for a restaurant. All of these things and more will be addressed in the document—which should run about 20 or 30 pages—so you’ll not only have a go-to-market strategy, but you’ll also likely figure out some things about your business that you haven’t even thought of yet.

Additionally, if you’re planning to apply for business funding down the line, some loans—including the highly desirable SBA loan —actually require you to submit your business plan to gain approval. In other words: Don’t skip this step!

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

How to write a restaurant business plan: Step by step

There’s no absolute format for a restaurant business plan that you can’t stray from—some of these sections might be more important than others, for example, or you might find that there’s a logical order that makes more sense than the one in the restaurant business plan example below. However, this business plan outline will serve as a good foundation, and you can use it as a restaurant business plan template for when you write your own.

Executive summary

Your executive summary is one to two pages that kick off your business plan and explain your vision. Even though this might seem like an introduction that no one will read, that isn’t the case. In fact, some investors only ask for the executive summary. So, you’ll want to spend a lot of time perfecting it.

Your restaurant business plan executive summary should include information on:

Mission statement: Your goals and objectives

General company information: Include your founding date, team roles (i.e. executive chef, sous chefs, sommeliers), and locations

Category and offerings: What category your restaurant fits into, what you’re planning to serve (i.e. farm-to-table or Korean), and why

Context for success: Any past success you’ve had, or any current financial data that’ll support that you are on the path to success

Financial requests: If you’re searching for investment or financing, include your plans and goals here and any financing you’ve raised or borrowed thus far

Future plans: Your vision for where you’re going in the next year, three years, and five years

When you’re done with your executive summary, you should feel like you’ve provided a bird’s eye view of your entire business plan. In fact, even though this section is first, you will likely write it last so you can take the highlights from each of the subsequent sections.

And once you’re done, read it on its own: Does it give a comprehensive, high-level overview of your restaurant, its current state, and your vision for the future? Remember, this may be the only part of your business plan potential investors or partners will read, so it should be able to stand on its own and be interesting enough to make them want to read the rest of your plan.

Company overview

This is where you’ll dive into the specifics of your company, detailing the kind of restaurant you’re looking to create, who’s helping you do it, and how you’re prepared to accomplish it.

Your restaurant business plan company overview should include:

Purpose: The type of restaurant you’re opening (fine dining, fast-casual, pop-up, etc.), type of food you’re serving, goals you have, and the niche you hope to fill in the market

Area: Information on the area in which you’re opening

Customers: Whom you’re hoping to target, their demographic information

Legal structure: Your business entity (i.e. LLC, LLP, etc.) and how many owners you have

Similar to your executive summary, you won’t be going into major detail here as the sections below will get into the nitty-gritty. You’ll want to look at this as an extended tear sheet that gives someone a good grip on your restaurant or concept, where it fits into the market, and why you’re starting it.

Team and management

Barely anything is as important for a restaurant as the team that runs it. You’ll want to create a section dedicated to the members of your staff—even the ones that aren’t yet hired. This will provide a sense of who is taking care of what, and how you need to structure and build out the team to get your restaurant operating at full steam.

Your restaurant business plan team and management section should have:

Management overview: Who is running the restaurant, what their experience and qualifications are, and what duties they’ll be responsible for

Staff: Other employees you’ve brought on and their bios, as well as other spots you anticipate needing to hire for

Ownership percentage: Which individuals own what percentage of the restaurant, or if you are an employee-owned establishment

Be sure to update this section with more information as your business changes and you continue to share this business plan—especially because who is on your team will change both your business and the way people look at it.

Sample menu

You’ll also want to include a sample menu in your restaurant business plan so readers have a sense of what they can expect from your operations, as well as what your diners can expect from you when they sit down. This will also force you to consider exactly what you want to serve your diners and how your menu will stand out from similar restaurants in the area. Although a sample menu is in some ways self-explanatory, consider the following:

Service : If your brunch is as important as your dinner, provide both menus; you also might want to consider including both a-la-carte and prix fixe menus if you plan to offer them.

Beverage/wine service: If you’ll have an emphasis on specialty beverages or wine, a separate drinks list could be important.

Seasonality: If you’re a highly seasonal restaurant, you might want to consider providing menus for multiple seasons to demonstrate how your dishes (and subsequent purchasing) will change.

Market analysis

This is where you’ll begin to dive deeper. Although you’ve likely mentioned your market and the whitespace you hope to address, the market analysis section will enable you to prove your hypotheses.

Your restaurant business plan market analysis should include:

Industry information: Include a description of the restaurant industry, its size, growth trends, and other trends regarding things such as tastes, trends, demographics, structures, etc.

Target market: Zoom in on the area and neighborhood in which you’re opening your restaurant as well as the type of cuisine you’re serving.

Target market characteristics: Describe your customers and their needs, how/if their needs are currently being served, other important pieces about your specific location and customers.

Target market size and growth: Include a data-driven section on the size of your market, trends in its growth, how your target market fits into the industry as a whole, projected growth of your market, etc.

Market share potential: Share how much potential there is in the market, how much your presence will change the market, and how much your specific restaurant or restaurant locations can own of the open market; also touch on any barriers to growth or entry you might see.

Market pricing: Explain how you’ll be pricing your menu and where you’ll fall relative to your competitors or other restaurants in the market.

Competitive research: Include research on your closest competitors, how they are both succeeding and failing, how customers view them, etc.

If this section seems like it might be long, it should—it’s going to outline one of the most important parts of your strategy, and should feel comprehensive. Lack of demand is the number one reason why new businesses fail, so the goal of this section should be to prove that there is demand for your restaurant and show how you’ll capitalize on it.

Additionally, if market research isn’t your forte, don’t be shy to reach out to market research experts to help you compile the data, or at least read deeply on how to conduct effective research.

Marketing and sales

Your marketing and sales section should feel like a logical extension of your market analysis section, since all of the decisions you’ll make in this section should follow the data of the prior section.

The marketing and sales sections of your restaurant business plan should include:

Positioning: How you’ll describe your restaurant to potential customers, the brand identity and visuals you’ll use to do it, and how you’ll stand out in the market based on the brand you’re building

Promotion: The tools, tactics, and platforms you’ll use to market your business

Sales: How you’ll convert on certain items, and who/how you will facilitate any additional revenue streams (i.e. catering)

It’s likely that you’ll only have concepts for some of these elements, especially if you’re not yet open. Still, get to paper all of the ideas you have, and you can (and should) always update them later as your restaurant business becomes more fully formed.

Business operations

The business operations section should get to the heart of how you plan to run your business. It will highlight both internal factors as well as external forces that will dictate how you run the ship.

The business operations section should include:

Management team: Your management structure and hierarchy, and who is responsible for what

Hours: Your hours and days of operation

Location: What’s special about your location that will get people through the door

Relationships: Any advantageous relationships you have with fellow restaurateurs, places for sourcing and buying, business organizations, or consultants on your team

Add here anything you think could be helpful for illustrating how you’re going to do business and what will affect it.

Here, you’ll detail the current state of your business finances and project where you hope to be in a year, three years, and five years. You’ll want to detail what you’ve spent, what you will spend, where you’ll get the money, costs you might incur, and returns you’ll hope to see—including when you can expect to break even and turn a profit.

Financial statements: If you’ve been in business for any amount of time, include existing financial statements (i.e. profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow, etc.)

Budget: Your current budget or a general startup budget

Projections: Include revenue, cash flow, projected profit and loss, and other costs

Debt: Include liabilities if the business has any outstanding debt or loans

Funding request: If you’re requesting a loan or an investment, lay out how much capital you’re looking for, your company’s valuation (if applicable), and the purpose of the funding

Above all, as you’re putting your financials together, be realistic—even conservative. You want to give any potential investors a realistic picture of your business.

Feel like there are other important components but they don't quite fit in any of the other categories (or make them run too long)? That’s what the restaurant business plan appendix section is for. And although in, say, a book, an appendix can feel like an afterthought, don’t ignore it—this is another opportunity for you to include crucial information that can give anyone reading your plan some context. You may include additional data, graphs, marketing collateral (like logo mockups), and more.

Start Your Dream Business

The bottom line

Whether you’re writing a restaurant business plan for investors, lenders, or simply for yourself and your team, the most important thing to do is make sure your document is comprehensive. A good business plan for a restaurant will take time—and maybe a little sweat—to complete fully and correctly.

One other crucial thing to remember: a business plan is not a document set in stone. You should often look to it to make sure you’re keeping your vision and mission on track, but you should also feel prepared to update its components as you learn more about your business and individual restaurant.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

On a similar note...

Restaurant Business Plan: Step-by-Step Guide + examples

Dreaming of opening a 🍴 restaurant? Passion, creativity, and delicious food are key. But for long-term success, a business plan is essential too.

Maja Jankowska

Are you dreaming of owning your own restaurant? Picture the sizzle of a hot skillet, the laughter of satisfied guests, and the fulfillment of sharing your culinary creations with the world. But before you dive into this flavorful adventure, there’s a crucial ingredient you can’t overlook: a winning restaurant business plan.

What is a business plan for?

A business plan is a vital document for every restaurant owner. It provides a roadmap for success, helps secure funding, guides financial and operational decisions, mitigates risks, and facilitates effective communication. 

Just like any other business, a restaurant needs a well-crafted business plan to ensure its success and sustainability. Without a business plan, you risk operating in the dark, making decisions on a whim, and facing unexpected challenges that could have been avoided. 

Investing time and effort into creating a solid business plan sets your restaurant on the path to achieving your culinary dreams and exceeding customer expectations.

Create Restaurant’s Business Plan in these 9 steps:

✔️ 1. Start with an executive summary ✔️ 2. Describe your concept ✔️ 3. Conduct Market analysis ✔️ 4. Define your management and organization ✔️ 5. Give a sample “yummy”  Menu ✔️ 6. Create design and branding ✔️ 7. Provide a Location ✔️ 8. Establish Marketing plan ✔️ 9. Define Financial plan

1. Executive summary

The executive summary is like the appetizer of your restaurant business plan – it’s the first bite that leaves a lasting impression. Its purpose is to capture the essence of your entire plan and entice time-crunched reviewers, such as potential investors and lenders, to delve deeper into your vision. It’s worth noting that the executive summary should be the final section you write.

To craft a concise and captivating summary, it’s crucial to highlight key points, including your unique concept, target market, and financial projections. Additionally, bear in mind that the executive summary sets the tone for the rest of your plan, so it’s essential to make it irresistible and leave readers yearning for more.

When it comes to the executive summary of your restaurant business plan, brevity is key . You have only one page to capture the attention of readers, but don’t worry, it’s definitely doable. Here’s what your executive summary should include:

• Restaurant concept : What does your business do?
• Goals and vision : What does your business want to achieve?
• Restaurant differentiation : What makes your menu/concept different, and what sets you apart?
• Projected financial state : What revenue do you anticipate?
• The team : Who is involved in the business?

2. Describe your concept

In the world of restaurant business plans, there’s a section that holds immense importance. It’s the one that answers two fundamental questions: Who are you, and what do you plan to do?

This is the section where you fully introduce your company, and it deserves special attention. Share all the important details that paint a vivid picture of your unique business. Include the restaurant’s name, location, and contact information. Additionally, provide relevant details such as the chef’s background and what makes your restaurant stand out in the market.

Curious about concept creation? Watch our short video featuring a summary of an example restaurant concept below! 👇

Now is your opportunity to showcase your vision and establish a unique identity for your restaurant. Utilize this section to highlight what sets you apart and capture the reader’s imagination.

3. Market analysis

Market analysis helps you understand your potential customers, competition, and overall restaurant market trends. It’s like having a crystal ball to shape your restaurant’s success.

Target audience 

When it comes to your potential market, you want to know how many people are hungry for what you’re serving. Sounds exciting, right? To estimate this, you’ll gather data on your target customers, like their age group or preferences, and combine it with industry trends. It’s like finding the perfect recipe to satisfy their cravings.

Competition

Now, let’s tackle the competition. Every restaurant has rivals, even if they’re serving a unique dish. It’s crucial to identify direct or indirect competitors and understand what makes you stand out. Are you offering affordable prices, a one-of-a-kind experience, or catering to a specific niche? Highlight your “secret sauce” that sets you apart from the rest.

Market analysis for restaurant’s business plan

Market analysis also involves a SWOT analysis. Don’t let the jargon scare you. It simply means evaluating your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Think of it as a superhero assessment for your restaurant. Identify what you excel at, areas for improvement, potential market opportunities, and external factors that could impact your success.

Example of SWOT analysis for a restaurant

Remember, market analysis is like a compass guiding your restaurant’s journey. It helps you make informed decisions, attract investors, and stay ahead of the game. So, embrace the power of market analysis, and let it shape the destiny of your delicious dining destination.

4. Management and organization

Effective management and organization are critical for success in the restaurant sector. This section of your business plan introduces the talented individuals who will lead your restaurant to new heights.

Outline your legal structure, whether it’s an S corporation, limited partnership, or sole proprietorship, providing key information for stakeholders.

Showcase your management team using an organizational chart to highlight their roles, responsibilities, and contributions. Their expertise and guidance are crucial for seamless operations and exceptional customer experiences.

With a strong management team in place, your restaurant is poised for success. They are the driving force behind your journey to greatness. Let’s meet the key players who will make it happen!

Streamline your operations and optimize your financial performance With resOs , you can efficiently manage reservations, track inventory, analyze sales data, and streamline your overall workflow. Get your FREE plan

5. Sample “yummy” Menu 

In the restaurant industry, your menu plays a main role as the core product. Include a section in your business plan that highlights key details about your menu offerings to engage readers.

If you offer a diverse range of dishes, provide a brief overview of each category. Alternatively, if your menu focuses on specific specialties or signature dishes, provide more detailed descriptions for each item.

You can also mention any upcoming menu additions or unique culinary creations that will enhance profitability and attract customers.

6. Design and branding 

When it comes to starting a restaurant, don’t underestimate the power of design and branding. They’re the secret ingredients that can make your establishment truly stand out. Think about it – when customers walk through your front door, what do they see? The right design and branding can instantly captivate their attention and make them feel right at home.

So, take some time to envision the overall aesthetic and mood you want to create.

Do you imagine a cozy and rustic setting or a sleek and modern vibe?

Let your creativity shine through! Include captivating photos of similar restaurants that inspire you and give potential investors a glimpse of your vision.

And don’t forget about your logo! If you’ve already designed one, proudly showcase it in your business plan. It’s the visual representation of your restaurant’s personality and will help establish brand recognition.

resOS’ customizable interface for your booking system

Stand out in the competitive restaurant industry with resOS’ customizable booking management system . Personalize every aspect of the interface to reflect your restaurant’s unique brand identity. Seamlessly integrate your logo, colors, and visual elements, creating a cohesive and immersive experience for your guests. With resOS, you have the power to revolutionize your restaurant’s image and leave a lasting impression.

Details matter too! Share your plans for specific design elements , from the choice of furniture to the color palette that will adorn your space. The more you paint a vivid picture, the more investors and customers will be enticed by your unique ambiance.

7. Location

For a restaurant, location can make or break the business. Occasionally, a restaurant concept is so good that people go out of their way to find it. But, more realistically, your location needs to be convenient for your target market. If it’s hard for your customers to get to you, hard for them to park, and not something they notice as they drive by, they’re unlikely to check your restaurant out.

In your business plan, make sure to discuss the potential locations that you hope to occupy, assuming you haven’t already secured the location. Explain why the location is ideal for your target market and how the location will help attract customers.

Unlock the potential of your restaurant’s location and streamline reservations with resOS. Our platform offers seamless integration with Reserve With Google , allowing customers to easily discover and book tables directly from Google search results and maps. By enabling this feature, you’ll maximize your restaurant’s visibility and attract more diners with just a few clicks. Experience the power of location-based reservations with resOS .

Be sure to explain the complete costs of your location and what kinds of renovations will be necessary to open your restaurant.

8. Marketing plan

In today’s competitive restaurant industry, it’s important to showcase your marketing strategy to investors. They want to know how you’ll create buzz and keep it going before and after your grand opening.

Create a winning business plan with a strong marketing focus. Our Restaurant Business Plan Steps Graphic (👆 see above) is your visual guide, including key marketing strategies. Download or save for later and plan your path to success.

Whether you’ve enlisted a top-notch Marketing company or have a solid ready-to-go marketing plan, highlight your chosen path. Discuss the unique strengths of your selected agency and why they stand out, including their notable clients. Alternatively, showcase your in-house plan, leveraging social media, your website, and valuable media connections.

A well-crafted marketing plan holds the key to differentiating your restaurant and attracting customers. Prepare to tantalize taste buds and offer an exceptional dining experience. Stay in tune with the latest restaurant industry trends, leverage effective marketing tools, and optimize your online presence. 

Lastly, integrate a robust restaurant booking system to streamline reservations and enhance the overall customer experience. With these strategic elements in place, success is within your reach.

9. Financial Plan

Financial analysis is a crucial part of your restaurant’s business plan. It helps investors assess the profitability of your concept and whether it’s a worthwhile investment. In this section, you’ll outline how you plan to allocate your funds in the first year and provide projections for costs and revenues.

Here are the 🔑 key components to include:

Investment Plan: Explain the initial investment costs, such as kitchen equipment, furniture, employee wages, legal fees, marketing expenses, and working capital. This shows how you’ll use your funds effectively.

Profit and Loss Projection: Estimate your restaurant’s costs and sales figures in the profit and loss statement. Consider factors like the size of your establishment, your target market, and the existing competition in your chosen location.

Break-Even Analysis: Show investors the monthly revenue you need to achieve to cover all your expenses and reach profitability. This analysis considers overhead costs, operational expenses, and factors that may affect revenue fluctuations throughout the year.

Claim your FREE plan on resOS today! Ready to revolutionize your business management? Join resos.com for FREE and take control of your operations. ✅ Seamless calendar integration ✅ Customizable booking forms ✅ Automated reminders ✅ Real-time availability updates Don’t miss out! Sign up now at resos.com and experience stress-free scheduling. Your time is valuable, so claim your FREE plan today!

Latest from the blog

10 Restaurant copywriting tips for your website, social media and newsletter

Transform your restaurant’s online presence with expert copywriting tips. Boost engagement on your website, social media, and newsletters.

How to reduce no-shows in the restaurant industry: strategies and solutions

Discover how no-shows affect the restaurant industry's bottom line and explore effective strategies, including prepayments and reminders, to combat them.

How to engage your guests online when your restaurant is closed for the season

How do you stay engaged with your guests when you are closed for the season? Avoid 'online hibernation'!

Read more at our blog

Sling is now Sling by Toast! Learn more

More Features

• Restaurants
• Get Started

Restaurant Business Plan: What To Include, Plus 8 Examples

• Business Growth & Management , Templates & Guides

Do you want to ensure the success of your new foodservice endeavor? Write a restaurant business plan.

In this article, the experts at Sling tell you why a business plan is vital for both new and existing businesses and give you tips on what to include.

Table Of Contents

What Is A Restaurant Business Plan?

Why is a restaurant business plan important, questions to ask first, what to include in an effective restaurant business plan, how to format a restaurant business plan, efficient workforce management is essential for success.

At its most basic, a restaurant business plan is a written document that describes your restaurant’s goals and the steps you will take to make those goals a reality.

This business plan also describes the nature of the business itself, financial projections, background information, and organizational strategies  that govern the day-to-day activity of your restaurant.

A restaurant business plan is vital for the success of your endeavor because, without one, it is very difficult — sometimes even impossible — to obtain funding from an investor or a bank.

Without that all-important starting or operational capital, you may not be able to keep your doors open for long, if at all.

Even if funding isn’t a primary concern, a business plan provides you — the business owner or manager — with clear direction on how to translate general strategies into actionable plans  for reaching your goals.

The plan can help solidify everything from the boots-on-the-ground functional strategy  to the mid-level business strategy  all the way up to the driving-force corporate strategy .

Think of this plan as a roadmap that guides your way when things are going smoothly and, more importantly, when they aren’t.

If you want to give your restaurant the best chance for success, start by writing a business plan.

Sitting down to write a restaurant business plan can be a daunting task.

As you’ll see in the What To Include In An Effective Restaurant Business Plan section below, you’ll need a lot of information and detail to ensure that the final document is both complete and effective.

Instead of starting with word one, it is hugely beneficial to answer a number of general questions first.

These questions will help you narrow down the information to include in your plan so the composition process feels less difficult.

The questions are:

• What problem does the business’s product or service solve?
• What niche will the business fill?
• What is the business’s solution to the problem?
• Who are the business’s customers?
• How will the business market and sell its products to them?
• What is the size of the market for this solution?
• What is the business model for the business?
• How will the business make money?
• Who are the competitors?
• How will the business maintain a competitive advantage?
• How does the business plan to manage growth?
• Who will run the business?
• What makes those individuals qualified to do so?
• What are the risks and threats confronting the business?
• What can you do to mitigate those risks and threats?
• What are the business’s capital and resource requirements?
• What are the business’s historical and projected financial statements?

Depending on your business, some of these questions may not apply or you may not have applicable answers.

Nevertheless, it helps to think about, and try to provide details for, the whole list so your finished restaurant business plan is as complete as possible.

Once you’ve answered the questions for your business, you can transfer a large portion of that information to the business plan itself.

We’ll discuss exactly what to include in the next section.

In this section, we’ll show you what to include in an effective restaurant business plan and provide a brief example of each component.

1) Executive Summary

You should always start any business plan with an executive summary. This gives the reader a brief introduction into common elements, such as:

• Mission statement
• Overhead costs
• Labor costs
• Return on investment (ROI)

This portion of your plan should pique the reader’s interest and make them want to read more.

Fanty & Mingo’s is a 50-seat fine-dining restaurant that will focus on Sweruvian (Swedish/Peruvian) fusion fare.

We will keep overhead and labor costs low thanks to simple but elegant decor , highly skilled food-prep staff, and well-trained servers.

Because of the location and surrounding booming economy, we estimate ROI at 20 percent per annum.

2) Mission Statement

A mission statement is a short description of what your business does for its customers, employees, and owners.

This is in contrast to your business’s vision statement which is a declaration of objectives that guide internal decision-making.

While the two are closely related and can be hard to distinguish, it often helps to think in terms of who, what, why, and where.

The vision statement is the where of your business — where you want your business to be and where you want your customers and community to be as a result.

The mission statement is the who , what , and why of your business — it’s an action plan that makes the vision statement a reality

Here’s an example of a mission statement for our fictional company:

Fanty and Mingo’s takes pride in making the best Sweruvian food, providing fast, friendly, and accurate service. It is our goal to be the employer of choice and offer team members opportunities for growth, advancement, and a rewarding career in a fun and safe working environment.

3) Company Description

In this section of your restaurant business plan, you fully introduce your company to the reader. Every business’s company description will be different and include its own pertinent information.

Useful details to include are:

• Owner’s details
• Brief description of their experience
• Legal standing
• Short-term goals
• Long-term goals
• Brief market study
• An understanding of the trends in your niche
• Why your business will succeed in these market conditions

Again, you don’t have to include all of this information in your company description. Choose the ones that are most relevant to your business and make the most sense to communicate to your readers.

Fanty & Mingo’s will start out as an LLC, owned and operated by founders Malcolm Reynolds and Zoe Washburne. Mr. Reynolds will serve as managing partner and Ms. Washburne as general manager.

We will combine atmosphere, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and menu variety to create a unique experience for our diners and to reach our goal of high value in the fusion food niche.

Our gross margin is higher than industry average, but we plan to spend more on payroll to attract the best team.

We estimate moderate growth for the first two years while word-of-mouth about our restaurant spreads through the area.

4) Market Analysis

A market analysis is a combination of three different views of the niche you want to enter:

• The industry  as a whole
• The competition your restaurant will face
• The marketing  you’ll execute to bring in customers

This section should be a brief introduction to these concepts. You can expand on them in other sections of your restaurant business plan.

The restaurant industry in our chosen location is wide open thanks in large part to the revitalization of the city’s center.

A few restaurants have already staked their claim there, but most are bars and non-family-friendly offerings.

Fanty & Mingo’s will focus on both tourist and local restaurant clientele. We want to bring in people that have a desire for delicious food and an exotic atmosphere.

We break down our market into five distinct categories:

• High-end singles
• Businessmen and businesswomen

We will target those markets to grow our restaurant  by up to 17 percent per year.

Every restaurant needs a good menu, and this is the section within your restaurant business plan that you describe the food you’ll serve in as much detail as possible.

You may not have your menu design complete, but you’ll likely have at least a handful of dishes that serve as the foundation of your offerings.

It’s also essential to discuss pricing and how it reflects your overall goals and operating model. This will give potential investors and partners a better understanding of your business’s target price point and profit strategy.

We don’t have room to describe a sample menu in this article, but for more information on menu engineering, menu pricing, and even a menu template, check out these helpful articles from the Sling blog:

• Menu Engineering: What It Is And How It Can Increase Profits
• Restaurant Menu Pricing: 7 Tips To Maximize Profitability
• How To Design Your Menu | Free Restaurant Menu Template

6) Location

In this section, describe your potential location (or locations) so that you and your investors have a clear image of what the restaurant will look like.

Include plenty of information about the location — square footage, floor plan , design , demographics of the area, parking, etc. — to make it feel as real as possible.

We will locate Fanty & Mingo’s in the booming and rapidly expanding downtown sector of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Ideally, we will secure at least 2,000 square feet of space with a large, open-plan dining room and rich color scheme near the newly built baseball stadium to capitalize on the pre- and post-game traffic and to appeal to the young urban professionals that live in the area.

Parking will be available along side streets and in the 1,000-vehicle parking garage two blocks away.

7) Marketing

The marketing section of your restaurant business plan is where you should elaborate on the information you introduced in the Market Analysis section.

Go into detail about the plans you have to introduce your restaurant to the public and keep it at the top of their mind.

Fanty & Mingo’s will employ three distinct marketing tactics to increase and maintain customer awareness:

• Word-of-mouth/in-restaurant marketing
• Partnering with other local businesses
• Media exposure

We will direct each tactic at a different segment of our potential clientele in order to maximize coverage.

In the process of marketing to our target audience, we will endeavor to harness the reach of direct mail and broadcast media, the exclusivity of the VIP party, and the elegance of a highly trained sommelier and wait staff.

8) Financials

Even though the Financials section is further down in your restaurant business plan, it is one of the most important components for securing investors and bank funding.

We recommend hiring a trained accountant  to help you prepare this section so that it will be as accurate and informative as possible.

Fanty & Mingo’s needs $250,000 of capital investment over the next year and a half for the following:

• Renovations to leased space
• Dining room furniture
• Kitchen and food-prep equipment
• Liquor license

Projected profit and loss won’t jump drastically in the first year, but, over time, Fanty & Mingo’s will develop its reputation and client base. This will lead to more rapid growth toward the third and fourth years of business.

Most entrepreneurs starting a new business find it valuable to have multiple formats of their business plan.

The information, data, and details remain the same, but the length and how you present them will change to fit a specific set of circumstances.

Below we discuss the four most common business plan formats to cover a multitude of potential situations.

Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a short summary of your restaurant business plan’s executive summary.

Rather than being packed full of details, the elevator pitch is a quick teaser of sorts that you use on a short elevator ride (hence the name) to stimulate interest in potential customers, partners, and investors

As such, an effective elevator pitch is between 30 and 60 seconds and hits the high points of your restaurant business plan.

A pitch deck is a slide show and oral presentation that is designed to stimulate discussion and motivate interested parties to investigate deeper into your stakeholder plan (more on that below).

Most pitch decks are designed to cover the executive summary and include key graphs that illustrate market trends and benchmarks you used (and will use) to make decisions about your business.

Some entrepreneurs even include time and space in their pitch deck to demonstrate new products coming down the pipeline.

This won’t necessarily apply to a restaurant business plan, but, if logistics permit, you could distribute small samples of your current fare or tasting portions of new dishes you’re developing.

Stakeholder Plan (External)

A stakeholder plan is the standard written presentation that business owners use to describe the details of their business model to customers, partners, and potential investors.

The stakeholder plan can be as long as is necessary to communicate the current and future state of your business, but it must be well-written, well-formatted, and targeted at those looking at your business from the outside in.

Think of your stakeholder plan as a tool to convince others that they should get involved in making your business a reality. Write it in such a way that readers will want to partner with you to help your business grow.

Management Plan (Internal)

A management plan is a form of your restaurant business plan that describes the details that the owners and managers need to make the business run smoothly.

While the stakeholder plan is an external document, the management plan is an internal document.

Most of the details in the management plan will be of little or no interest to external stakeholders so you can write it with a higher degree of candor and informality.

After you’ve created your restaurant business plan, it’s time to take steps to make it a reality.

One of the biggest challenges in ensuring that your business runs smoothly and successfully is managing  and optimizing  your team. The Sling  app can help.

Sling not only includes powerful and intuitive artificial-intelligence-based scheduling tools but also many other features to help make your workforce management more efficient, including:

• Time and attendance tracking
• Built-in time clock
• Labor cost  optimization
• Data analysis and reporting
• Messaging and communication
• And much more…

With Sling, you can schedule faster, communicate better, and organize and manage your work from a single, integrated platform. And when you use Sling for all of your scheduling  needs, you’ll have more time to focus on bringing your restaurant business plan to life.

For more free resources to help you manage your business better, organize and schedule your team, and track and calculate labor costs, visit GetSling.com  today.

See Here For Last Updated Dates: Link

This content is for informational purposes and is not intended as legal, tax, HR, or any other professional advice. Please contact an attorney or other professional for specific advice.

Find the article useful? Share with others:

Related articles

How To Write Your Ideal Restaurant Mission Statement + 15 Inspiring Examples

Whether you run a one-person food cart, a small eatery with fewer than five empl...

12 Examples of Small Business Goals, Plus How to Achieve Your Own

Want to improve the way your business operates? Learn some of the more common bu...

55 Restaurant Marketing Tips To Win Your Market

Discover the best restaurant marketing tips and learn how you can harness onlin...

Get started today

Schedule faster, communicate better, get things done.

• Restaurant Type
• Reports & Guides
• Tools & Templates
• Case Studies
• Become a Partner

• Design Inspiration
• Diner Relationships

New Openings

• Product Updates

How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan [Free Template]

Start creating your restaurant’s business plan with BentoBox’s free business plan template.

The restaurant business plan is a crucial first step in turning an idea for a restaurant into an actual business. Without it, investors and lenders will have no way of knowing if the business is feasible or when the restaurant will become profitable. Business plans span dozens (or even hundreds) of pages, and due to the stakes that lie within the document and the work required to write it, the process of writing a restaurant business plan can threaten to overwhelm. 

That’s why BentoBox has created a restaurant business plan template for aspiring restaurant owners. With section prompts for business plan essentials like financial projections, market analysis and a restaurant operations overview, this template makes creating a business plan significantly more manageable. 

Included is a professionally designed, customizable version of the template on Google Docs. Restaurants can download the template below, make a copy and tailor it to their specific concept. For design inspiration,  download here .

Restaurant Business Plan Template

Download the Free Restaurant Business Plan Template from BentoBox

Recommended

How to Open a Bakery: The 6 Key Steps

June 20, 2023

A step-by-step guide to planning, financing, designing, staffing, and marketing a new bakery.

How To Expand Into A Multi-Unit Concept

June 30, 2017

Advice from The Meatball Shop, Tacolicious and Next Door on growing your restaurant business

How to Find Restaurant Investors

June 14, 2017

Tips and tricks from pros who’ve done it themselves

Restaurant Business Plan PDF Example

• February 28, 2024
• Business Plan

Creating a comprehensive business plan is crucial for launching and running a successful restaurant. This plan serves as your roadmap, detailing your vision, operational strategies, and financial plan. It helps establish your restaurant’s identity, navigate the competitive market, and secure funding for growth.

This article not only breaks down the critical components of a restaurant business plan, but also provides an example of a business plan to help you craft your own.

Whether you’re an experienced entrepreneur or new to the food and beverage industry, this guide, complete with a business plan example, lays the groundwork for turning your restaurant concept into reality. Let’s dive in!

Our restaurant business plan is structured to cover all essential aspects needed for a comprehensive strategy. It outlines the restaurant’s operations, marketing strategy , market environment, competitors, management team, and financial forecasts.

• Executive Summary : Offers an overview of the restaurant’s business concept, market analysis , management, and financial strategy.
• Restaurant & Location: Describes the restaurant’s prime location, size, seating capacity, and distinctive design, emphasizing its appeal to the target demographic.
• Supply & Operations: Outlines the supply chain management, focusing on local sourcing and quality ingredients, and details the operational aspects, including kitchen layout, equipment, and front-of-house operations.
• Key Stats: Shares industry size , growth trends, and relevant statistics for the full-service restaurant market.
• Key Trends: Highlights recent trends affecting the restaurant sector, such as health-conscious dining, sustainability, and technology integration.
• Key Competitors : Analyzes the main competitors in the vicinity, showcasing the restaurant’s unique selling proposition in comparison.
• SWOT: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis.
• Marketing Plan : Strategies for promoting the restaurant to maximize visibility and customer engagement.
• Timeline : Key milestones and objectives from the initial setup through the launch and operational optimization.
• Management: Information on who manages the restaurant and their roles.
• Financial Plan: Projects the restaurant’s financial performance, including revenue, profits, and expected expenses, aiming for profitability and sustainable growth.

Restaurant Business Plan

Fully editable 30+ slides Powerpoint presentation business plan template.

Download an expert-built 30+ slides Powerpoint business plan template

Executive Summary

The Executive Summary introduces your restaurant’s business plan, offering a concise overview of your establishment and its offerings. It should detail your market positioning, the variety of cuisines and dining experiences you offer, its location, size, and an outline of day-to-day operations. 

This section should also explore how your restaurant will integrate into the local market, including the number of direct competitors within the area, identifying who they are, along with your restaurant’s unique selling points that differentiate it from these competitors. 

Furthermore, you should include information about the management and co-founding team, detailing their roles and contributions to the restaurant’s success. Additionally, a summary of your financial projections, including revenue and profits over the next five years, should be presented here to provide a clear picture of your restaurant’s financial plan.

Make sure to cover here _ Business Overview _ Market Overview _ Management Team _ Financial Plan

Dive deeper into Executive Summary

Business Overview

For a Restaurant, the Business Overview section can be concisely divided into 2 main slides:

Restaurant & Location

Briefly describe the restaurant’s physical environment, emphasizing its design, ambiance, and the overall dining experience it offers to guests. Mention the restaurant’s location, highlighting its accessibility and the convenience it offers to diners, such as proximity to entertainment venues or ease of parking. Explain why this location is advantageous in attracting your target clientele.

Supply & Operations

Detail the range of cuisines and dishes offered, from appetizers and main courses to desserts and specialty beverages. Outline your sourcing strategy, ensuring it reflects a commitment to quality and sustainability, and matches the market you’re targeting.

Highlight any unique culinary techniques, exclusive ingredients, or innovative kitchen technologies that set your restaurant apart. Discuss your operational strategies, including inventory management, supplier relationships, and kitchen workflow, to ensure efficiency and consistency in delivering exceptional dining experiences.

Make sure to cover here _ Restaurant & Location _ Supply & Operations

Market Overview

Industry size & growth.

In the Market Overview of your restaurant business plan, start by examining the size of the restaurant industry and its growth potential. This analysis is crucial for understanding the market’s scope and identifying expansion opportunities.

Key market trends

Proceed to discuss recent market trends , such as the increasing consumer interest in farm-to-table dining, ethnic cuisines, and experiential dining experiences.

For example, highlight the demand for restaurants that offer unique cultural dishes, the growing popularity of health-conscious and dietary-specific menus, and the integration of technology in enhancing the dining experience.

Key competitors

Then, consider the competitive landscape, which includes a range of dining establishments from gourmet fine dining to fast-casual eateries, as well as the rise of food delivery services and meal kits.

For example, emphasize what makes your restaurant distinctive, whether it’s through a unique culinary approach, a niche market focus, or a strong commitment to sustainability and local sourcing.

Make sure to cover here _ Industry size & growth _ Key market trends _ Key competitors

Dive deeper into Key competitors

First, conduct a SWOT analysis for the restaurant , highlighting Strengths (such as a unique menu and exceptional customer service), Weaknesses (including potential high operational costs or strong competition in the area), Opportunities (for example, a growing interest in diverse cuisines and healthy eating), and Threats (such as economic downturns that may decrease consumer spending on dining out).

Marketing Plan

Next, develop a marketing strategy that outlines how to attract and retain customers through targeted advertising, promotional discounts, an engaging social media presence, food blogger outreach, and community involvement, such as local events or charity sponsorships.

Finally, create a detailed timeline that outlines critical milestones for the restaurant’s opening, marketing campaigns, customer base growth, and expansion objectives, ensuring the business moves forward with clear direction and purpose.

Make sure to cover here _ SWOT _ Marketing Plan _ Timeline

Dive deeper into SWOT

Dive deeper into Marketing Plan

The management section focuses on the restaurant’s management and their direct roles in daily operations and strategic direction. This part is crucial for understanding who is responsible for making key decisions and driving the restaurant towards its financial and operational goals.

For your restaurant business plan, list the core team members, their specific responsibilities, and how their expertise supports the business.

Financial Plan

The Financial Plan section is a comprehensive analysis of your financial projections for revenue, expenses, and profitability. It lays out your restaurant’s approach to securing funding, managing cash flow, and achieving breakeven.

This section typically includes detailed forecasts for the first 5 years of operation, highlighting expected revenue, operating costs and capital expenditures.

For your restaurant business plan, provide a snapshot of your financial statement (profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow statement), as well as your key assumptions (e.g. number of customers and prices, expenses, etc.).

Make sure to cover here _ Profit and Loss _ Cash Flow Statement _ Balance Sheet _ Use of Funds

Privacy Overview

Sample Restaurant Business Plans For a New Business Owner

Writing a business plan is an essential part of starting a restaurant. Not only does it provide a roadmap for the future but it also helps to create funding opportunities and attract potential investors. For new business owners, having access to sample restaurant business plans can be especially helpful in providing direction and insights into how to write a restaurant business plan on their own.

Download our Ultimate Restaurant Business Plan Template

Having a comprehensive business plan in place is vital for any successful restaurant venture. It will serve as the foundation for your operations, setting out the goals and objectives that will help guide your decisions and actions. A well-written business plan will help you understand your restaurant’s startup costs and can also give you clarity on realistic financial projections and help you secure financing from investors and/or get a loan to start a restaurant. Examples of restaurant business plans are great resources to draw upon when creating your own plan to ensure that all the key elements are included in your document.

Below is an example restaurant business plan to help you see what one should look like. It is not however nearly as comprehensive and successful in raising capital for your restaurant as Growthink’s Ultimate Restaurant Business Plan Template , but it can help you write a business plan for your restaurant.

Restaurant Business Plan Example #1 – Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant

Table of contents.

Executive Summary

Company Overview

Industry analysis, customer analysis, competitive analysis, marketing plan, operations plan, management team, financial plan.

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant is a high-end seafood restaurant located in the heart of the historic district in New Orleans, LA. The restaurant will serve fresh seafood dishes with a modern twist and provide an unforgettable culinary experience for its guests.

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant is seeking to raise $200,000 in startup capital from a group of private investors. The funds will be used to cover the costs of building out the restaurant’s specific location, purchasing equipment and supplies, and hiring staff.

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant has a projected annual revenue of $1,200,000 and is expected to be profitable within its first year of operation. The restaurant’s target market is affluent diners who are looking for an exquisite seafood dining experience.

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant offers a unique and innovative menu that features fresh seafood dishes with a modern twist. The restaurant’s menu includes items such as:

• Blackened salmon with shrimp and grits
• Fried catfish po’ boy with remoulade sauce
• Grilled Louisiana shrimp skewers
• Crawfish etouffee
• Shrimp gumbo

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant also offers a wide selection of wine and beer to complement its menu.

Company Description

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant is owned and operated by John Doe. Mr. Doe has over 10 years of experience in the food and beverage industry. He has worked as a chef at several renowned restaurants in New Orleans and has also owned and operated his own catering business.

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant will be located at 123 Main Street in New Orleans, LA. The restaurant will occupy a 3,000-square-foot space that was formerly occupied by a pizzeria. The location is in close proximity to several hotels and tourist attractions, which will generate significant foot traffic for the business. It is also located within walking distance of the Central Business District attracting local office workers and residents.

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant will have a seating capacity of 60 guests. The restaurant will also have a full-service bar that will serve beer, wine, and cocktails.

The seafood restaurant industry is one of the fastest-growing segments of the food service industry. Over the past five years, the industry has experienced strong growth due to an increase in the popularity of seafood as a healthy dietary choice.

The seafood restaurant industry is expected to continue to grow over the next five years as consumers’ preference for healthy and delicious food continues to rise. In addition, the industry will benefit from an increase in per capita disposable income, which will allow consumers to spend more on dining out.

Other Industry Analysis Points

• The seafood restaurant industry is regulated by the FDA
• Changes in government policies could impact the industry
• The seafood restaurant industry is sensitive to changes in the economy
• An economic downturn could lead to a decline in revenue and profit margins
• The seafood restaurant industry is influenced by consumer trends and preferences
• Health-conscious consumers are increasingly seeking out seafood as a healthy dietary choice

Technological:

• The seafood restaurant industry is impacted by advances in food technology
• New cooking techniques and equipment can help to improve the quality of dishes served
• The seafood restaurant industry is subject to food safety and sanitation regulations
• Changes in the law could impact the way that restaurants operate

Environmental:

• The seafood restaurant industry is impacted by changes in the environment
• The quality of seafood dishes can be impacted by pollution and other environmental factors

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant will target two primary customer market segments: tourists and local residents.

The tourist market segment consists of individuals who are visiting New Orleans for leisure or business purposes. This market segment is significant for the business as it represents a large portion of the city’s population. New Orleans is a major tourist destination, with over 16 million visitors per year.

The local resident market segment consists of individuals who live and work in New Orleans. This market segment is significant for the business as it represents a stable source of income. Local residents are more likely to visit the restaurant on a regular basis and recommend it to friends and family.

Competitor Analysis

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant will compete in the seafood restaurant industry. Through our competitive research, the restaurant’s closest direct competitors will be Red Fish Grill, Bourbon House, and GW Fins.

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant will compete in the seafood restaurant industry. The restaurant’s closest competitors will be Red Fish Grill, Bourbon House, and GW Fins.

Red Fish Grill is a seafood restaurant located in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The restaurant offers a casual dining experience with a menu that features fresh seafood dishes.

Bourbon House is a seafood restaurant located in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The restaurant offers a more upscale dining experience with a menu that features fresh seafood and steak dishes.

GW Fins is a seafood restaurant located in the Warehouse District of New Orleans. The restaurant offers an upscale dining experience with a menu that features fresh seafood dishes.

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant will differentiate itself from its competitors by offering a more innovative and modern menu with fresh seafood dishes that are prepared using unique cooking techniques. In addition, the restaurant will provide a superior level of customer service and create an unforgettable dining experience for its guests.

Our competitive advantages include:

• Unique menu with fresh seafood dishes that are prepared using unique cooking techniques
• Superior level of customer service

Products : The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant will serve a variety of fresh seafood dishes that are prepared using unique cooking techniques.

Price : The price of menu items will be competitive with other seafood restaurants in the area.

Promotion : The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant will use a combination of marketing strategies to promote the business and attract customers.

• Develop a website and create social media accounts to reach a wider audience
• Develop a promotional video to generate interest in the restaurant
• Participate in local food festivals and events to generate awareness
• Launch a targeted advertising campaign in local publications and on radio and television
• Develop relationships with local tour operators to promote the restaurant to visitors
• Offer discounts and special promotions to generate repeat business

Place : The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant will be located in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. The restaurant will be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant will source seafood from local suppliers and growers to ensure the freshest ingredients are used in dishes.

The restaurant will use a point-of-sale system to manage inventory and track sales.

The restaurant will seat up to 100 guests at a time. Reservations will be accepted for parties of eight or more. Walk-in guests will be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant will have a staff of 20 employees, including a head chef, sous chefs, kitchen staff, servers, and hostesses.

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant will be owned and operated by John and Jane Doe.

John Doe has over 10 years of experience in the restaurant industry. He has worked as a chef, manager, and consultant for a variety of restaurants.

Jane Doe has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. She has worked as a hotel manager, event planner, and marketing consultant.

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant will have start-up costs of $500,000. The majority of the start-up costs will be for leasing and outfitting the restaurant space. Other start-up costs include purchasing kitchen equipment, hiring staff, and marketing the business.

The Black Pearl Seafood Restaurant is projected to generate $1.5 million in sales in the first year of operation. The restaurant is expected to have net profits of $250,000 in the first year.

Sample Menu

Appetizers:

• Jumbo shrimp cocktail
• Oysters Rockefeller

Soups and salads:

• Seafood bisque
• Caesar salad with grilled shrimp
• House salad with tuna steak
• Spinach salad with scallops
• Shrimp scampi
• Surf and turf (filet mignon and lobster tail)
• Grilled salmon with roasted vegetables
• Blackened redfish
• Bread pudding with rum sauce
• Bananas Foster
• Cheesecake with berry sauce
• Key lime pie
• Soda, coffee, tea, milk
• Beer, wine, cocktails

Financial Projections

Balance sheet.

[insert financial statement]

Income Statement

Cash flow statement, restaurant business plan example #2 – la cocina de el paso: home of authentic mexican cuisine.

La Cocina de El Paso is a restaurant that specializes in serving authentic Mexican cuisine. The owners, John and Jane Doe, have over 30 years of combined experience in the hospitality and restaurant industry. This wealth of experience will ensure the success and longevity of the business.

Located in the heart of El Paso, La Cocina de El Paso will offer a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Guests can expect to be served freshly made dishes, prepared with only the freshest ingredients. The restaurant will also serve a selection of beer, wine, and cocktails.

La Cocina de El Paso will cater to both locals and tourists alike. To promote the business, the owners plan to launch an aggressive marketing campaign that will include print ads, radio spots, and social media. In addition, the restaurant will partner with local businesses to offer discounts and promotional offers.

The owners have estimated start-up costs of $500,000. The majority of this amount will be used to lease and outfit the restaurant space. Income is projected to reach $1.75 million within the first year of operations, with net profits of $350,000.

La Cocina de El Paso is an upcoming restaurant that will offer authentic Mexican cuisine. The restaurant will be located in downtown El Paso, Texas, and will feature a relaxed atmosphere with seating for up to 150 guests.

The restaurant will utilize only the freshest ingredients in its dishes and offer a selection of beer, wine, and cocktails. The menu will feature appetizers, soups and salads, entrees, desserts, and drinks.

The restaurant industry is highly competitive. In particular, Mexican cuisine has gained popularity in recent years. To succeed, La Cocina de El Paso must differentiate itself from other restaurants in the area.

The restaurant will focus on offering fresh and authentic Mexican cuisine with a welcoming atmosphere. The owners plan to partner with local businesses and offer discounts and promotional offers. In addition, the owners plan to launch an aggressive marketing campaign that will include print ads, radio spots, and social media.

The target market for La Cocina de El Paso will be both locals and tourists. The restaurant is located in a tourist area and is close to several attractions. As such, it will be well-positioned to attract customers from out of town as well as local residents.

The restaurant will serve a variety of customers, including young adults and families. To appeal to this demographic, the restaurant will offer an inviting atmosphere with comfortable seating and a selection of entertainment options. Additionally, the menu will feature authentic Mexican dishes that are sure to please all tastes.

Ideal Customer Demographics:

• Young adults: ages 18-34
• Local residents

Psychographics:

• Adventurous eaters
• Value conscious
• Seeking authentic experiences

There are several other restaurants in El Paso that specialize in Mexican cuisine. Main competitors include El Paso’s Best, El Taco Loco, and Casa Azul.

El Paso’s Best is the area’s premier Mexican restaurant. The food is of high quality and the atmosphere is casual yet upscale. Prices are slightly higher than La Cocina de El Paso, but the quality of the food makes it worth the price.

El Taco Loco is a fast-food Mexican restaurant. The food is inexpensive, but the quality is not as high as La Cocina de El Paso.

Casa Azul is a family-style Mexican restaurant with more of a casual atmosphere. Prices are slightly lower than La Cocina de El Paso and the menu features traditional Mexican dishes.

To differentiate itself, La Cocina de El Paso will focus on fresh ingredients and authentic Mexican dishes. The restaurant will also offer a selection of beer, wine, and cocktails, as well as discounts and promotional offers. Finally, the owners plan to launch an aggressive marketing campaign that will help spread the word about La Cocina de El Paso.

To attract customers, La Cocina de El Paso will focus on marketing its fresh and authentic Mexican cuisine.

Below is a sample menu for La Cocina de El Paso, featuring traditional Mexican dishes and a selection of beer, wine, and cocktails.

• Quesadillas
• Guacamole and Chips
• Stuffed Jalapenos
• Queso fundido, taquitos

Soups & Salads:

• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Caldo de Res (Beef Soup)
• Taco Salad with Ground Beef or Grilled Chicken
• Ensalada de la Casa (House Salad)
• Ensalada Fresca (Fresh Salad)
• Tacos al Carbon (Grilled Steak Tacos)
• Fajitas (Steak, Chicken, or Vegetarian)
• Chiles Rellenos (Stuffed Peppers)
• Carne Asada con Papas
• Camarones a la Diabla
• Enchiladas Verdes
• Churros con Chocolate
• Tres Leches Cake
• Flan Napolitano
• Beer & Wine

Promotions:

The restaurant will offer promotional discounts and specials. For example, customers who purchase two entrees may receive a complimentary appetizer or dessert. The owners plan to partner with local businesses to offer additional discounts and promotional offers.

La Cocina de El Paso will offer competitive pricing. Prices will be slightly lower than El Paso’s Best, but higher than El Taco Loco and Casa Azul.

The restaurant will be located in downtown El Paso, close to several attractions and tourist sites. The owners hope that the convenient location will help bring in both tourists and local residents.

Marketing Mix

To reach its target customers, La Cocina de El Paso will use a combination of traditional marketing strategies such as print ads, radio spots, and TV commercials, as well as digital marketing tactics such as content marketing, social media campaigns, email newsletters, and online advertising.

• Print Advertising : The owners plan to run print ads in local newspapers and magazines that target young adults and families.
• Radio & TV Spots : The restaurant will also air radio spots and TV commercials that feature its menu items and promotional offers.
• Content Marketing : La Cocina de El Paso will create content that highlights the freshness of its ingredients and the authenticity of its Mexican dishes. The content will be shared on social media, in email newsletters, and on the restaurant’s website.
• Social Media Campaigns : The restaurant will run campaigns on Facebook and Instagram that feature customer reviews, contests, and giveaways.
• Online Advertising : The owners plan to use Google Ads and other online platforms to reach potential customers.

The owners of La Cocina de El Paso are confident that their marketing strategy will help the restaurant stand out from its competitors and attract customers. With its fresh and authentic Mexican cuisine, competitive prices, convenient location, and aggressive marketing campaigns, La Cocina de El Paso is sure to be a success.

Collaborative Promotion: The owners of La Cocina de El Paso plan to partner with local businesses in order to create mutually beneficial promotional offers. For example, the restaurant may offer discounts to customers who use services from one of its partners. The owners believe that this type of collaborative promotion will help draw in more customers and generate additional revenue for the business.

Events: La Cocina de El Paso plans to host events such as cooking classes and live music performances in order to build relationships with customers and increase brand awareness. The restaurant will also use these events to showcase the freshness of its ingredients, its Mexican cuisine, and the quality of its drinks (margaritas, beer & wine, cocktails).

These strategies are designed to help La Cocina de El Paso build a strong customer base and become a popular destination in downtown El Paso. The owners are confident that these tactics will help the restaurant stand out and create a positive impact on the local community.

La Cocina de El Paso will have a skilled team of servers, cooks, and bartenders who are knowledgeable about the restaurant’s Mexican cuisine. The owners plan to focus on delivering high-quality customer service in order to ensure customers have a great experience. The owners also plan to invest in modern kitchen equipment that can help streamline the cooking process.

The restaurant will be open from 11 am to 10 pm on weekdays and from 11 am to 11 pm on weekends. The owners plan to hire additional staff during peak hours in order to handle the influx of customers. The owners also plan to use advanced reservation systems and delivery services to accommodate customers who would prefer not to wait in line.

The owners of La Cocina de El Paso have extensive experience in the restaurant industry. They plan to hire a team of experienced managers who can handle day-to-day operations and ensure that the restaurant runs smoothly. The management team will also be responsible for developing marketing strategies, overseeing staff training programs, and creating promotional offers.

The job description for the management team includes:

• Overseeing day-to-day operations
• Developing marketing strategies and managing promotional campaigns
• Creating training programs for staff members
• Handling customer inquiries and complaints
• Ensuring that food safety standards are met
• Analyzing data to identify areas for improvement.

The total start-up cost of La Cocina de El Paso is estimated at $500,000.

This includes:

• $100,000 for lease deposits and renovations costs;
• $200,000 for furniture and fixtures;
• $50,000 for marketing and advertising;
• $50,000 for kitchen equipment;
• $100,000 for the salary of the management team.

The owners plan to finance the start-up costs through a combination of their personal savings and bank loans. They also plan to generate additional revenue by offering catering services and hosting special events at the restaurant.

The financial forecast for La Cocina de El Paso is optimistic. The owners expect to break even in the first year of operations and reach profitability within five years.

Free Restaurant Business Plan Example PDF

Download our restaurant business plan pdf here. This is a free restaurant business plan example to help you get started on your own restaurant plan.

How to Finish Your Restaurant Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your restaurant business plan?

With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Restaurant Business Plan Template [Updated 2024]

Restaurant Business Plan

If you want to start a new restaurant or expand your current restaurant, you need a business plan.

Fortunately, you’re in the right place. Our team has helped develop over 100,000 business plans over the past 20 years, including thousands of restaurant business plans.

The following restaurant business plan template and example gives you the key elements you must include in your plan. A business plan template for a restaurant can be used to create a small restaurant business plan, a business for a fine dining restaurant, fast casual restaurant, and many other types of restaurant businesses. In our experience speaking with lenders and investors, the template is organized in the precise format they want.

You can download our Restaurant business plan template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.

Sample Restaurant Business Plan

I. executive summary, business overview.

[Company Name], located at [insert location here] is a new, upscale restaurant focusing on providing organic, healthy and/or premium food and beverage products. Our product line fits nicely with health trends nationwide – as individuals are seeking healthier lifestyles complimented by natural, low-fat, and organic foods.

Products Served

[Company Name] will offer a full menu of appetizers, salads, soups, sandwiches, entrees and desserts. All products will use 100% all natural and organic ingredients. Several products on the menu will be highlighted as being lower in fat, cholesterol, or sodium.

In addition to a full menu of food items, [Company Name] will offer beer, wine, coffee, tea, and soft drinks.

Customer Focus

[Company Name] will primarily serve the residents within a 15 mile radius of our restaurant. The demographics of these customers are as follows:

• 27,827 residents
• Average income of $74,700
• 58.9% married
• 49.6% in Mgt./Professional occupations
• Median age: 38 years

In addition to this prime adult demographic for an upscale and healthy restaurant, there are five elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. This will make [Company Name] an ideal location for parents to spend time while waiting for their children or to bring their children to after school.

Management Team

[Company Name] is led by [Founder’s Name] who has been in the restaurant business for 20 years. While [Founder] has never run a restaurant himself, he has taught cooking classes at the local culinary institute for 20 years and has worked as a sous-chef at some of the most upscale restaurants in the community over the past 10 years. As such [Founder] has an in-depth knowledge of the restaurant business including the operations side (e.g., running day-to-day operations) and the business management side (e.g., staffing, marketing, etc.).

Success Factors

[Company Name] is uniquely qualified to succeed due to the following reasons:

• There is currently no upscale and healthy restaurant in the community we are entering. In addition, we have surveyed the local population and received extremely positive feedback saying that they explicitly want to frequent our business when launched.
• Our location is in a high-volume area with little direct traffic, and will thus be highly convenient to significant numbers of passerby’s each day.
• The management team has a track record of success in the restaurant business.
• The upscale and healthy restaurant business is a proven business and has succeeded in communities throughout the United States.
• Market trends such as healthy and organic living support our business opportunity as well as growing awareness about the obesity epidemic and repercussions of non-nutritious eating

Financial Highlights

[Company Name] is currently seeking $370,000 to launch. Specifically, these funds will be used as follows:

• Store design/build: $250,000
• Working capital: $120,000 to pay for Marketing, salaries, and lease costs until [Company Name] reaches break-even

II. Company Overview

Who is [company name].

[Company Name], located at [insert location here] is a new, upscale and healthy restaurant focusing on providing organic and delicious foods to the local community.

[Company Name] was founded by [Founder’s Name]. While [Founder’s Name] has been in the restaurant business for some time, it was in [month, date] that he decided to launch [Company Name]. Specifically, during this time, [Founder] took a trip to Fort Lauderdale, FL. During his trip, [Founder’s Name] frequented a restaurant that enjoyed tremendous success. After several discussions with the owner of the restaurant, [Founder’s Name] clearly understood that a similar business would enjoy significant success in his hometown.

Specifically the customer demographics and competitive situations in the Fort Lauderdale location and in [insert location here] were so similar that he knew it would work. Furthermore, after surveying the local population, this theory was proven.

[Company Name]’s History

Upon returning from Fort Lauderdale, surveying the local customer base, and finding potential location, [Founder’s Name] incorporated [Company Name] as an S-Corporation on [date of incorporation].

[Founder’s Name] has selected three initial locations and is currently undergoing due diligence on each property and the local market to assess which will be the most desirable location for the restaurant.

Since incorporation, the company has achieved the following milestones:

• Developed the company’s name, logo and website located at www…
• Created the menu
• Determined equipment and inventory requirements
• Began recruiting key employees with experience in the restaurant industry

[Company Name]’s Products

Below is [Company Name]’s initial menu. All items will be 100% natural and organic. As you can see all items are classified under the following six main categories:

The location has 40 dedicated parking spots which should suffice even in peak hours.

[Company Name] plans to be open 7 days a week, from 12PM to11PM. As demand dictates, we may extend or reduce our hours. Likewise, as demand dictates, we may offer delivery service.

III. Industry Analysis

The following industry trends and statistics bode well for [Company Name].

According to a recent National Restaurant Association Restaurant Industry Forecast, annual restaurant industry sales are expected to reach $566 billion.

Full-service restaurants are expected to reach $182.9 billion; in contrast, quick service restaurants are expected to grow to $163.8 billion, a gain of 4.0 percent over last year. Eating-and-drinking places will see an increase in sales from of 2.2 percent from last year, totaling $395 billion.

The forecast projects that while overall restaurant industry sales will increase in current dollars by 2.5 percent over recent figures; the numbers translate to an inflation-adjusted decline of 1.0 percent. The industry will remain a cornerstone of the economy, representing 4 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product.

Consumer and Menu Trends Among top trends restaurateurs see are an expanded focus on value, healthy options in kids’ meals, locally sourced items and green initiatives.

• Among 1,600 of American Culinary Federation member chefs, it was decided that balanced children’s meals was number 4 on list of the most popular recent trends and fruit/vegetable side items for kids ranked sixth. In a separate survey, quick-service operators named healthy options in kids meals as the No. 1 food trend in the segment.
• Overall, chefs ranked nutrition/health as the No. 11 trend on restaurant menus—this includes healthy foods, produce and fruit, smaller dishes, fish and gluten-free/ allergy According to Association consumer research, three in four adults say they are trying to eat healthier now at restaurants than they did two years ago. Nearly three in 10 adults – 27 percent – have gone online to search for nutrition information about restaurant food, up from 24 percent a year ago.
• Restaurateurs will also continue to show increasing leadership in becoming “greener”— by taking action such as reducing energy and water use—in step with patrons’ interest in environmental issues. About four in 10 full-service-restaurant operators and nearly three in 10 quick service operators say they plan to devote more of their budgets to green initiatives. Restaurant patrons like the idea: 44 percent surveyed recently said they are likely to make a restaurant choice based on an operation’s practices in the areas of energy and water conservation.

IV. Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

[Company Name] will serve the residents of [company location] and the immediately surrounding areas as well as those who work in [company location].

The area we serve is affluent and has an affinity to healthy and organic foods and beverages like we will be offering.

Customer Segmentation

We will primarily target the following customer segments:

• Local office workers: approximately 5,000 individuals work in offices within a quarter mile of our location and we expect a fair portion of these individuals to frequent us during lunch hours.
• Students: there is a middle school and a high school in the town and the high school are within one half mile. Students from these schools will be targeted to frequent [Company Name].
• Families and Couples: We expect couples and families to frequent our restaurant and enjoy our dinner atmosphere.

V. Competitive Analysis

Direct & indirect competitors.

The following restaurants are located within a 2 mile radius of [Company Name], thus providing either direct or indirect competition for customers:

Joe’s Tavern

Joe’s Tavern is the town’s leading local restaurant and has been in business for 32 years. Joe’s offers a wide array of foods, with local bands as entertainment, and is a highly family friendly environment. .

Joe’s has an extensive menu, with some healthy options and some fried foods and bar favorites. While it has an established clientele, Joe’s Tavern does not differentiate itself as a healthy food choice.

Old Time Organics

Old Time Organics has been in business for 5 years. Old Time offers a variety of baked goods, organic teas and coffees, and sandwiches served to-go.

While Old Time Organics’ food is entirely organic, they have a very limited selection of items and are not open for dinner. The location only has four sit down tables and is thus targeting to-go customers that are either stopping for a quick breakfast or picking up baked goods and coffee for work.

Freddy’s Deli

Freddy’s Deli is a recently opened restaurant. Freddy’s offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner and is open until 1am nightly.

[Company Name] has several advantages over Freddy’s Deli including:

• Freddy’s Deli does not offer products, including pastries, sandwiches, soups and more, made with organic ingredients
• Freddy’s has very little ambience and due to enormous portion sizes and low quality ingredients, the food is largely unhealthy

While we expect that Freddy’s Deli will continue to thrive based on its location and excitement about a new restaurant, we expect that more and more customers will frequent [Company Name] based on the high-quality and organic ingredients we use and product selection.

Competitive Advantage

[Company Name] enjoys several advantages over its competitors. These advantages include:

• 100% Natural/Organic/High-Quality Ingredients: getting 100% Natural/Organic baked goods, soups, sandwiches and more in the local market is challenging and is being increasingly demanded by the local community
• Management: Our management team has years of business and marketing experience that allows us to market and serve customers in a much more sophisticated manner than our competitors.
• Relationships: Having lived in the community for 25 years, [Founder’s Name] knows all of the local leaders, newspapers and other influencers. As such, it will be relatively easy for us to build branding and awareness of our restaurant.

VI. Marketing Plan

The Marketing Plan describes the type of brand [Company Name] seeks to create and the Company’s planned promotions and pricing strategies.

The [Company Name] Brand

The [Company Name] brand will focus on the Company’s unique value proposition:

• Offering organic, high-quality food items including baked goods, sandwiches, soups, salads and more
• Offering a convenient location that offers both eat-in or take-out options
• Providing excellent customer service

Promotions Strategy

[Company Name] expects its target market to be individuals working and/or living within a 15-mile radius of each of its store. The Company’s promotions strategy to reach these individuals includes:

Direct Mail

[Company Name] will blanket neighborhoods surrounding its locations with direct mail pieces. These pieces will provide general information on [Company Name], offer discounts and/or provide other inducements for people to frequent the restaurant.

Public Relations

We will contact all local and area newspapers and television stations to tell them about the opening and unique value proposition of [Company Name].

Advertising

[Company Name] will initially advertise in local newspapers and sponsor community events in order to gain awareness.

[Company Name] employees will initially give free food samples to passerby’s to enable them to taste the quality of our products and learn about us.

Ongoing Customer Communications

[Company Name] will maintain a website and publish a monthly email newsletter to tell customers about new events, products, and more.

Pre-Opening Events

Before opening the store, [Company Name] will organize pre-opening events designed for prospective customers, local merchants and press contacts. These events will create buzz and awareness for [Company Name] in the area.

Pricing Strategy

[Company Name]’s pricing will be moderate so customers feel they receive great value when patronizing the stores.

VII. Operations Plan

Functional roles.

In order to execute on [Company Name]’s business model, the Company needs to perform many functions including the following:

Administrative Functions

• General & administrative functions including legal, marketing, bookkeeping, etc.
• Sourcing and storing ingredients
• Hiring and training staff

Kitchen Functions

• Food preparation
• Ongoing menu creation and modification

Restaurant Service Functions

• Order taking and fulfillment (for take-out and dine-in)
• Customer service
• Janitor/maintenance personnel to keep the restaurant clean

[Company Name] expects to achieve the following milestones in the following [] months:

VIII. Management Team

Management team members.

[Company Name] is led by [Founder’s Name] who has been in the restaurant business for 20 years.

While [Founder] has never ran a restaurant himself, he has taught cooking classes as the local culinary institute for 20 years. Two courses that he taught included:

1. How To Cook for Everyday Eating This course was designed to give students an overall understanding of basic dishes that could be cooked for everyday healthy home-style meals

2. Vegetarian Cooking This course was designed to give students an overall understanding of how to cook with the necessary vitamins and proteins needed to enrich a vegetarian diet without compromising on taste.

[Founder] has also worked part-time at restaurants throughout the region. Specifically, he has worked for Giana’s Patisserie and Mike’s Place, where he was responsible for overseeing kitchen quality.

[Founder] graduated from the University of ABC where he majored in Communications.

Hiring Plan

[Founder] will serve as the restaurant manager. In order to launch the restaurant, we need to hire the following personnel:

• Wait staff (4 full-time equivalents to start)
• Chefs (3 to start)
• Sous-chefs (2 to start)
• Assistant Restaurant Manager (will manage cash register and other administrative functions)

IX. Financial Plan

Revenue and cost drivers.

 [Company Name]’s revenues will come from the sale of natural and organic food products to its customers.

The Company will have dine-in, takeout, and possibly delivery systems to cater to a broad spectrum of customers in its target market.

The major costs for the company will be food production costs and salaries of the staff. In the initial years, the company’s marketing spend will be high, as it establishes itself in the market.  

Capital Requirements and Use of Funds

 [Company Name] is seeking a total funding of $370,000 to launch its restaurant. The capital will be used for funding capital expenditures, manpower costs, marketing expenses and working capital.

Specifically, these funds will be used as follows:

• Working capital: $120,000 to pay for marketing, salaries, and lease costs until [Company Name] reaches break-even

Key Assumptions & Forecasts

 Below please find the key assumptions that went into the financial forecast and a summary of the financial projections over the next five years. Please see the Appendix for more detailed financial forecasting information.

Comments are closed.

• Restaurant Business Plan

Article Index:

2.0 Company Description

3.0 daily operations and production, 4.0 market analysis, 5.0 marketing strategy and implementation, 6.0 organization and management, 7.0 financial plan.

1.0 Executive Summary

The Traditional Home-Style Restaurant (“THR”) will be a moderately priced 86 seat restaurant offering family style food and service. Broasted chicken, pot roast, steaks and pork chops along with classic hamburgers, wraps and generous salads are all on the menu. We will offer specialty selections including a lighter options and smaller portions for a children’s menu.

The restaurant will be family owned and operated by Jeff and Betty Wright. Together they have over 25+ collective years experience in the restaurant and catering industry.

The Wrights will be leasing a 3,400 square foot space located at West Roads Shopping Center, an existing retail center located in Benbrook, a suburb in Fort Worth, Texas. The site was previously leased as an Italian Restaurant. Although the location was previously utilized as a restaurant, the former tenant removed the majority of the furniture, fixtures and equipment which will need to be replaced. The location will also require some additional renovation to update the lavatories and increase table space in the dining area.

The décor will feature wood accented chairs with blue and white checked table cloths. Dinner style tables will be surrounded by wooden chairs with comfortable seating cushions.

Sales projections assume 1700 customers per week resulting in weekly sales of just over $19,777, or $1,028,000 annually. This equates to around $302 per square foot in sales annually which positions THR as a highly desirable concept for ownership in a table service market where $200 to $325 per square foot is considered moderately profitable and therefore a good investment. Total start up costs will be $363,000, $174,000 of which will be contributed by the owners and the remainder will be secured by a proposed bank loan.

1.1 Business Objectives

The primary objectives of the business plan for Restaurant are below:

• To be the premier home-style restaurant in western Fort Worth, Texas
• To provide quality meals at reasonable prices with exemplary service
• Achieve Cover ratios of 1.00X at each lunch and dinner serving
• To achieve Prime Cost Ratios lower than 65%

1.2 Mission Statement

Our Mission is to provide a unique and relaxing dining experience – similar to dining at home. We will strive to achieve this goal by: 1) by providing menu items incorporating quality ingredients at reasonable prices, and 2) we will be mindful of the well being of our customers and staff– treating each and everyone with dignity and respect – just like we would at our own home!

1.3 Guiding Principles

• Being Mindful of our Customers and our Staff Coinciding with our family values, we will treat both our customers and staff in a manner in which we ourselves would want to be treated (or better!).
• Gratitude “An attitude of gratitude” shown to our customers, employees and vendors – because without their input, service, labor and time, our business would not be here without them!
• Our Service Provide the warm and friendly service expected from a family-style restaurant creating an informal, comfortable environment which will make the customers satisfied and want to return again and again.

1.4 Keys to Success

• Repeat business. Every customer who comes in once should want to return, and recommend us. Word–of–mouth marketing is a powerful ally.
• Hire top notch chefs and offer training to keep the chef on top of his/her game, and pay top wages to ensure they stay with us.
• Location. Convenience is essential to us; we need to be close to our market because we are not trying to get people to travel to reach us.
• A variety of menu offerings with a “down home” theme, reasonably priced to establish credibility, but not so high as to limit customers.

The Traditional Home-Style Restaurant will be located 7950 Camp Bowie West Blvd, Fort Worth, Texas. The restaurant will be wholly owned and operated by Jeff and Betty Wright. The restaurant will serve a variety of classic home-style favorites from pot roast and mashed potatoes to patty melts and vanilla ice cream.

The restaurant will be open 7 days a week with hours as follows:

Monday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm Tuesday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm Wednesday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm Thursday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm Friday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm Saturday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm Sunday 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

2.1 Ownership

The restaurant will be owned by Jeff Wright. Jeff began his restaurant career at the age of 15 working in a quick-service foodservice operation and earned his way through college as a server and bartender. After earning his degree, he worked for a regional restaurant chain and an independent fine dining restaurant. In these organizations he held the positions of Assistant Manager and then General Manager.

Betty Wright received her Culinary Degree from the Art Institute in Dallas. After graduation she was employed by a local chain restaurant and then at a Five Star Hotel in Dallas. Betty will be employed as the Kitchen Manager.

With the high turnover of help for startup restaurants, we will rely on family to fill in where required until we are off the ground and making a profit.

2.2 Legal Form

THR will be organized as a sole proprietorship, wholly owned and operated by Jeff Wright d/b/a Traditional Home-Style Restaurant. THR is registered in the state of Texas a community property state.

2.3 Start-Up Summary

The cost to open the restaurant is $363,000. The majority of the expenses are in furniture fixtures and equipment totally $110,000. The location requires some build-out and renovation totally $50,000 and will require approximately 30 days to complete. The Wrights will sub-contract the work themselves. Costs are detailed in a later section of this restaurant business plan.

$175,000 of the start-up costs will be funded by the owners. The owner’s source of funds is a combination of liquid assets and marketable securities, primarily from their existing catering business.

2.4 Location and Facilities

The 3,400 square foot restaurant will be located in a West Roads Shopping Center, a retail strip center located in the Benbrook suburb of Fort Worth, Texas. The restaurant is located in a major traffic area, at the intersection of Camp Bowie and Cherry Road.

Benbrook, a suburb of Fort Worth, Texas, has a population of over 51,000 according to the 2010 U.S. Census Report. The residential population in the immediate area is comprised of a mixture of single family and multi-family housing. The median household income is $46,532. Major employers include Union Pacific and Bank of America.

THR will be open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner requiring multiple shifts. Jeff will write the schedules. The schedules will be written in a manner that will allow the ability to increase or decrease hourly labor according to sales volume in order to maintain a consistent labor cost control.

Proper labeling and rotation techniques, accompanied by ample storage facilities will ensure that high quality prepared product will be sufficiently available to meet the demands during peak business hours. Replenishment and ongoing preparation will continue during off peak business hours.

Jeff Wright will be responsible for ordering, receiving and maintaining sufficient inventory to meet production demands. Ordering schedules will be staggered with perishable products being ordered multiple times per week to preserve freshness. Standard grocery and supply orders will be ordered less often, according to a predetermined schedule and storage capacity.

Mr. Wright will rely on operational checklists to verify that each work shift has been properly prepared for and to insure the operational standards are followed before, during and after work shifts.

The restaurant layout, including the dining room, kitchen and serving line, has been designed for efficiency and flexibility to accommodate the fluctuation in customer traffic and peak meal periods.

Upon arrival, guests will be greeted immediately by either the assistant manager or a server and asked for the seating preference. Drink orders will be taken and guests can munch on our complimentary rolls. Once the customer’s order is taken, the order will automatically be printed to a requisition printer located in the grill area. The grill cook will use the printed ticket to keep track of orders and place the meal under the heating lamps until the order is complete. The kitchen preparation line has been designed to be operated by a minimum staff of 1 line cook and a maximum of 4 cooks. This design allows line staffing to be adjusted to the business volume. Shift changes for all staff will involve cleanup, restocking and preparation. All monies will be settled at the end of each shift. The closing shift will involve designated closing duties that will leave the restaurant clean and fully prepared for the next day.

3.2 Competitive Comparison

The US restaurant industry includes about 480,000 restaurants with combined annual revenue of about $400 billion. Major companies include Brinker International which owns Chili’s Grill & Bar) and Maggiano’s, Ruby Tuesdays McDonald’s; YUM! Brands (KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell); and Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden, Red Lobster). The industry is highly fragmented: the 50 largest companies hold just 20 percent of the market.

Local competitors within a five mile radius are as follows.

• Hedarys Restaurant – This is a full service family restaurant established in 1977. The 5,000 SF restaurant run as a sole proprietorship, has 17 employees and generates $1.7 million in revenue annually. Prices are higher than THR and range from $8.00-$20 per entrée.
• Applebee’s – this is a chain restaurant offering standard fare. The food quality is average. Entrées range from $6.99 – $20.
• Chili’s – this is a chain restaurant also offering standard fare. Food choices are varied and prices range for $8-$21.
• Barbeque Ben’s – This is sole proprietorship offering primarily barbeque item. Although the food offering does not compete directly with the subject, the restaurant targets the same neighborhood families and has been operating at the single location since 1978. Entrée range from $8.99-$12.
• Cracker Barrel – located along Interstate 30, the restaurant is not located within the target market area. However due to its menu offering of home comfort food, the restaurant attracts a similar market, although Cracker Barrel’s attract the tourist business as well. Entrées range in price from $7.99-$14.

3.3 Suppliers

Because of their years of experience combined with their existing catering business, Jeff and Betty Wright have established relationships with qualified suppliers. These suppliers can provide reasonably priced products, delivered according to the schedule.

3.4 Management Controls

The Wrights will practice sound management procedures in order to control costs, insure quality of product and provide friendly customer service. The following systems will be used by management:

Order Guide: The restaurant will use an item specific order guide to track order history and maintain designated levels of product in inventory.

Weekly Inventory: Management will conduct a weekly inventory to determine valuation for use in the preparation of weekly profit and loss reports.

Daily Inventory Tracking: Daily inventory will be taken on specific items. Movement will be compared to sales data to ensure designated products have been properly accounted for.

3.5 Administrative Systems

With a limited staff, it is crucial that the Wrights remain current with daily cash outlay. The purchase of a POS system will immensely help them with these daily administrative reports:

Daily Cash Control.  Sales and receipts recorded by the POS system will be compared to actual cash and credit card deposits on a daily basis. Acceptable over/short amounts will be limited to $5.00 per day. Discrepancies greater than $5.00 will prompt management to conduct an immediate audit to account for the difference. Monthly totals will be compared to actual P&L statements for accuracy. Cash, debit card and credit card receipts will be deposited in a deposit.

Weekly Prime Cost Report.  Jeff Wright will prepare a weekly report that shows the gross profit margin after cost of goods sold and labor cost has been deducted from the sales revenue. The prime cost for this type of restaurant is expected to range from 60% to 65%. Proper control of the prime cost is the single most effective measure of management’s ability to operate the restaurant.

Purchasing Records/Payables.  A part time bookkeeper will process and record invoices and credits daily. Reports detailing cash expenditures, payments by check, and accounts payable transactions will be readily available. Check disbursements will be prepared by the bookkeeper. Check signing authority for the general operating account will be given to the general manager.

Payroll Processing.  Payroll checks will be issued bi-monthly. Jeff Wright will run reports from the time & attendance system, make necessary adjustments, and prepare for transfer to the payroll system. Payroll will be processed by a payroll processing service.

3.6 Future Services

THR has future plans to provide catering services for family reunions, weddings and other events desiring a “home-style” menu. This could potentially become a large portion of gross sales. The Wrights are targeting Year 2 and at that point, a sales agent would be hired to directly market the products for daily delivery or catered functions.

The restaurant industry is a large and diverse business: Restaurant-industry sales are forecast to reach $580.1 billion in 2010 – an increase of 2.5 percent over 2009. Restaurant-industry sales are projected to total $604 billion in 2011 and equal 4 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product. The overall economic impact of the restaurant industry is expected to exceed $1.7 trillion in 2011. On a typical day in America in 2010, more than 130 million people will be foodservice patrons. Sales at full service restaurants reached $184.2 billion in 2010. Sales at limited service restaurants increased to $164.8 billion in 2010, while snack and non-alcoholic-beverage bar sales rose to $24.7 billion. (National Restaurant Association).

The US restaurant industry includes about 480,000 restaurants with combined annual revenue of about $400 billion. Major companies include McDonald’s; YUM! Brands (KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell); and Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden, Red Lobster). The industry is highly fragmented: the 50 largest companies hold just 20 percent of the market. (First Research).

The industry consists of full-service restaurants (FSR) and limited service eating places, which include quick-service restaurants (QSR); cafeterias; buffets; snack bars; and nonalcoholic beverage bars. (First Research)

4.1 Industry Analysis

This analysis is based on the Standard Industry Code (“SIC”) 5812: Eating and Drinking Places Establishments primarily engaged in the retail sale of prepared food and drinks for on-premise or immediate consumption. It is also based on the North American Industry Classification System (“NAICS”) 722110 – Full-Service Restaurants.

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing food services to patrons who order and are served while seated (i.e., waiter/waitress services) and pay after eating. These establishments may provide food services to patrons in combination with selling alcoholic beverages, providing carry out services, or presenting live nontheatrical entertainment.

Demographics, consumer tastes, and personal income drive demand. The profitability of individual companies can vary: while QSRs rely on efficient operations and high volume sales, FSRs rely on high-margin items and effective marketing. Large companies have advantages in purchasing, finance, and marketing. Small companies can offer superior food or service. The industry is labor-intensive. (First Research)

Wages form a significant proportion of operating costs. The existence of a statutory minimum wage in most states increases the need for players to keep other costs as lean as possible, which in turn increases the importance of suppliers. A slight complication is that in some states, foodservice employers are able to treat tips received by their staff as contributing to their wages; in such states, this policy reduces the impact of the minimum wage from the employers’ perspective. (Data Monitor)

Annual revenue per worker is less than $50,000.

Restaurants compete with companies that serve meals or prepared foods, including grocery stores, warehouse clubs, delis, and convenience stores. In addition, restaurants compete with home cooking.

Among FSRs, most establishments focus on Italian cuisine, steak, or seafood. Hamburger joints make up a majority of QSR locations, along with pizza parlors and sub sandwich shops. Industry revenue is roughly evenly split between FSRs QSRs.

In FSRs, waiters take orders, serve beverages and meals, present the check, and process payment. FSRs include casual dining (full bar); family dining (limited bar); and fine dining establishments.

Annual sales average $860,000 for FSRs.

An FSR’s square footage and the number of seats and tables dictate how many patrons it can serve (also known as table turns or covers) directly affects sales. Because the restaurant industry is highly competitive, site selection is critical: companies may consider population density, household income, competition, visibility, accessibility, and traffic.

Companies carefully manage inventory of perishable food products, such as fresh seafood and dairy goods, to reduce losses due to spoilage.

Computerized information systems can improve and link food preparation and serving operations. Touch screen ordering programs ensure accurate communication of customer orders. Timing systems monitor meal progress and can alert staff if an order is running behind schedule. Reservations programs maximize traffic flow and seating. Inventory management systems track supply levels and can help reduce waste due to spoilage. Cost accounting programs help companies determine the profitability of individual menu items. Handheld point-of-sale (POS) devices allow servers to place orders and print checks tableside, improving accuracy and reducing ordering time. Some handhelds can also print customer checks and process credit card payments. (First Research)

4.1.1 Market Size

The US restaurant industry includes about 480,000 restaurants with combined annual revenue of about $400 billion.

4.1.2 Industry Participants

Major participants include Major companies include McDonald’s; YUM! Brands (KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell); and Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden, Red Lobster).

4.1.3 Main Competitors

The following restaurants are located within a five mile radius of THR:

• Applebee’s – This is a chain restaurant offering standard fare. The food quality is average. Entrées range from $6.99 – $20.
• Chili’s – This is a chain restaurant also offering standard fare. Food choices are varied and prices range for $8-$21.
• Cracker Barrel – Located along Interstate 30, the restaurant is not located within the target market area. However due to its menu offering of home comfort food, the restaurant attracts a similar market, although Cracker Barrel’s attract the tourist business as well. Entrées range in price from $7.99-$14.

4.1.4 Market Segments

THR will appeal to a broad base of consumers in both the residential and business community. The location selected for THR was chosen primarily to appeal to the growing number of households in the area.

The suburb of Benbrook located in western Forth Worth, TX has a population of over 51,000 according to the 2010 U.S. Census Report. The residential population in the immediate area is comprised of a mixture of single family and multi-family housing. The median household income is $46,532 for 2010 and estimated to be $54,646 for 2015. (US Census).

Major employers include Union Pacific Railroad and Bank of America.

(www.Business Decision. Info)

4.2 Market Tests

For the past 10 years, Jeff and Betty have been catering part-time. Their home-style menu is very popular with family reunions. More often than not, the couple gets asked to open a restaurant full-time so that patrons can return again and again.

Through Constant Contact (an online marketing program) the couple has stayed in touch with their host and hostesses, and has been asked to return to provide catering services to several repeat events. Home-Style Catering as also grown by word of mouth.

The couple also co-authors a home-style blog – attracting foodies nationwide and globally, swapping recipes, compiling the most sought after home-style comfort recipes, and identifying current trends, for example, providing expanded menus for children and for those with food allergies.

The Wrights already have a customer base through their catering business and local blog visitors. These customers will be the first to be contacted when they announce the grand opening of the brick and mortar restaurant.

4.3 Target Market Segment Strategy

Jeff and Betty Wright selected the subject area for its restaurant primarily because of its location to the very busy intersection of Cherry Street and Camp Bowie. The restaurant located in a retail strip center is located on “going home” side of Camp Bowie. This will encourage families tired from a day of work to stop in for a home cooked meal they can enjoy – without the cleanup!

Cherry Road which runs North and South is connected to the busy Interstate 30 corridor, 1/2 mile north of the shopping center. Camp Bowie which runs East and West connects to the newer western suburbs of Fort Worth.

4.3.1 Market Needs

The Benbrook area is in great need of a family style restaurant. This section of Camp Bowie is commonly referred to as “fast food alley” The selection of fast food is vast however; the area is limited on its family restaurant choices. THR’s nearest competitor, The Hedary Restaurant is located over 5 miles away from the location. Further, established in the 1970’s the Hedary Restaurant’s customers are older than the targeted family group THR focuses on.

4.3.2 Market Trends

According to the National Restaurant Association, the top 10 trends for are:

• locally sourced meats and seafood,
• locally grown produce,
• sustainability as a culinary theme,
• nutritious kids’ dishes,
• hyper-local items, (networked locally grown – like a Craigslist for restaurants)
• children’s nutrition as a culinary theme,
• sustainable seafood,
• gluten-free allergy conscious items,
• back to basics cuisine, and
• farm brand ingredients.

4.3.3 Market Growth

US consumer spending on services, an indicator of restaurant sales, rose 1.8 percent in November 2011 compared to the same month in 2010. The average US retail price for diesel and regular gas, which influences discretionary consumer spending on eating out, rose 13.1 percent and 9.3 percent respectively in the week ending January 16, 2012, compared to the same week in 2011. US tourism spending for food services and drinking places, an indicator for restaurant revenues, increased 6.1 percent in the third quarter of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010. (First Research)

4.4 Positioning

Consumers believe that meals at home are healthier and higher quality than eating at restaurants. At THR, we will position ourselves as the premier home-style restaurant by preparing quality home cooked meals with simple wholesome ingredients. Jeff and Betty Wright will also provide home cooked fare that appeals to the current trends of healthier food and offer menu selections which will appeal to this group. THR will be positioned as the premier traditional home-style restaurant.

THR will position itself as the premier home-style restaurant in the Benbrook suburb of Fort Worth, Texas. We will do this by providing quality home style meals, prepared with quality ingredients at a reasonable prices. Customers will enjoy the quaint surroundings inside with the wood tables and checkered table cloths. Our restaurant will provide a relaxed atmosphere and when customers walk in they will be greeted by warm smiles and greeted just as they were arriving home.

The chains have tried to create home-style restaurants but where they have failed is in the personal aspect of the business. The POS system known as “The Expediter” used to monitor inventories and time meals has replaced one of the most important aspects of a restaurant – the friendliness of the staff! And in light of this, a handful of chain restaurants are beta testing self-pay tables!

Our customers will enjoy our standard menu fare, along with seasonal menus so that we can better take advantage of cost savings and stay current with some of the food industry trends.

At THR we plan to be the premier restaurant to work for as well. We believe that the restaurant industry is a great place to begin one’s career or pursue full-time. In fact, according to the Restaurant Association, nearly half of all adults have worked in the restaurant industry at some point during their lives, and more than one out of four adults got their first job experience in a restaurant. At THR we believe that our restaurant will provide job opportunities both for the entry level applicant was well as for the part-time worker searching for flexibly in job hours. We will pay our employees a competitive salary and believe we can do so by meticulously keeping our records, including daily review of the Prime Cost Report, and utilize Cost Accounting Systems, to prevent inventory shortfalls. We will be proactive with our employees by scheduling regular performance reviews, and provide bonuses and other incentives to motivate our staff. We will also provide our employees with the most current training programs regarding safe food handling, and worker protection. (Additional information regarding our employees is explained in Section 6.1 which follows).

THR will also remain current with current industry marketing tends. In addition to a website with our menu, map and driving directions, we will also have a Facebook page and utilize other social media such as Twitter. We will team up with Groupon and Yelp. We will offer a loyalty club and birthday club which recent reports indicate increases earnings as much as 15%.

5.1.1 Strengths

• Prime location with easy access from Interstate 30
• Exceptional staff with the can do attitude. Combined 25 years in the restaurant industry
• Because owner has catering industry experience, he already has established a customer market and approved vendors
• Due to our small size, we believe we can provide exceptional quality by hand selecting our market specials when compared to our larger corporate competitors
• The same concept holds true in our staffing requirements, by hand selecting our employees we will strive to offer unsurpassed service when compared to our larger competitors

5.1.2 Weaknesses

• Recruiting and retaining quality employees
• Tight margins will allow little wiggle room for error

5.1.3 Opportunities

• Little barriers to entry allows for immediate business opportunities
• Offer additional catering services

5.1.4 Threats

• Government mandates (restaurant operation, food safety, and worker protection at the federal level and health, sanitation, safety, fire at the local level)
• Rising operating costs
• Building/maintaining sales volume
• Supermarkets and convenience stores
• Consumers that believe that meals at home are healthier than those prepared in restaurants.

5.2 Strategy Pyramid

Strategy:  Be the Benbrook area’s premier Home-Style Food Restaurant in Customer Satisfaction.

Tactics:  First create awareness– our signage on the front of restaurant will bring customers to us and once inside, we will immediately acknowledge the customer with the warmest and most sincere greeting and begin the service process anticipating repeat customers.

Programs:  Provide employee training on customer service and retention; offer ongoing training programs for employees keeping them current on industry trends and food safety. Keep track of employee’s progress through performance reviews and offer employees incentives attracting and retailing customers. Employ Mystery Shoppers. Employ the use of surveys both at the table and online.

5.3 Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

THR will be able to offer home-style meals for a reasonable price in a comfortable ‘home-like’ setting. The average check price is expected to be between $8-$15 which appears in line with industry standards below $25.00 (First Research). Because of our current expertise with vendors, and our excellent credit, we can negotiate better credit terms than say someone brand new starting a restaurant. We will also be able to keep our menu reasonably priced by offering menu items that take advantage of seasonal produce further reducing price. Finally we will keep our prices in check by meticulous monitoring of our controllable expenses – keeping close eye on our Prime Cost Report and Inventory. By initially employing family members who will work for lower and reduced wagers, for example, we can further reduce our controllable expenses.

5.4 Competitive Edge

THR’s competitive edge is in its people. We truly believe that your business is not only as good as your products (meals) but the quality of your staff as well. Our staff is a reflection of us. Initially, we intend to employ our family members who will work for lower and reduced wages. Our long term goal is to hire team members that are truly hand selected and have the same honest to goodness family values we do. And unlike our big chain competitors, because of our lean size, we can turn on a dime when economically pushed and make changes quickly allowing us to be proactive. (Whereas our corporate competitors have to adhere more closely to their company policies thus impeding their reaction time)

5.5 Marketing Strategy and Positioning

We realize the success of THR will have to be achieved by doing more that serving great food, and providing friendly service. We will utilize a restaurant marketing plan to build customer traffic. At THR we will continually strive to win more customers by being proactive rather than reactive in our marketing efforts and stay current with popular industry trends. We will achieve these goals by using the following:

• Database: We will begin our campaign by marketing to our existing database of customers. We will email fliers announcing our grand opening. We will continually update our database by providing a fishbowl for business cards in the lobby and offer a weekly or monthly drawing.
• Loyalty Program/Birthday Program. THR will offer a birthday/loyalty club proving a complimentary hamburger or chicken sandwich or wrap to the for the birthday person. A recent report from the National Restaurant Association explained how this simple technique can increase revenues as much as 15% due to repeat business.
• Our restaurant team will also be active in the local community and we plan to take an active role by participating, sponsoring, and donating to local churches, sports clubs or teams in the market area.
• We will also strive to develop rapport with local business as a quick, comfortable lunch choice. In the future, we plan on establishing a marketing campaign to call on the local business in the market area, deliver samples, and encourage them to consider our restaurant as the restaurant of choice for their next business luncheon

5.5.1 Positioning Statement

THR will be the premier home-style dining restaurant in western Fort Worth. We will offer reasonably priced meals, in a warm, relaxed and comfortable setting. We have a wide selection on our menu and also have menu options for lighter fare as well as a children’s menu. We are open 7 days a week and unlike our chain competitors, our servers won’t try to be your best friend our rush you thought your meal. Our name says it all  “Traditional Home-Style Restaurant – – honest to goodness food served to you by honest to goodness people!”

5.5.2 Pricing Strategy

At THR, cost accounting is important, since the profitability of individual dishes can vary significantly and will initially determine the cost of the menu items. We will take advantage of our excellent credit terms with our suppliers and will also update our menu to take advantage of seasonality for example in local produce items. We will also closely monitor the Prime Cost Report which focuses on the controllable expenses of Cost of Goods Sold and Labor. As a new start-up we can currently control employee cost by hiring family members who will work for low and reduced wages.

5.5.3 Promotion and Advertising Strategy

• Location- The restaurant will be located in a strip center at the busy intersection of Cherry road and Camp Bowie. With easy access to Interstate 30 (less than ½ mile south) and located on the “going home side” (Western Corner) of the intersection. We will have Signage on the West Roads Shopping Plaza as well as signage over our entrance
• Word of Mouth – We already have a database of existing catering customers and will rely heavily on this method to attract and grow new business.
• Participate with Costco as Small Business of the Month – We will leave our menu, a fishbowl for business cards and a small ‘homey’ display with the retailer announcing us as new entrants in the local restaurant arena.
• Direct Mail – Bulk mailing either directly to potential customers or by including a postcard in a value-pack-type mailing.
• Event Marketing -We plan on joining our local chamber of commerce and utilizing their networking services for our grand opening

5.5.4 Website

• We will stay current with industry trends and have a webpage, Facebook page and Twitter site. Our menu, map, and hours of operation will be easily accessed. In the future we may consider fax or email orders as well a phone application.

5.5.5 Marketing Programs

• Our initial marketing campaign will consist of contacting our databases clients and notifying them of our grand opening. We will seek the use of a local mailing service program to assist us in the implementation of the campaign.
• Ongoing- we will meticulously keep our database current and use the Constant Contact program
• Loyalty and Birthday Club members will notified of upcoming special menu items and to alert them of our catering service.

5.6 Sales Strategy

Customer service is of the utmost importance. Customer surveys estimate that only 1 in 20 customers that have a problem in a restaurant will tell management about it. It will be our goal to provide a wonderful home-style meal combined with superior customer service. Training programs will include teaching materials to train our employees about service attitudes, customer perception and how to handle guest complaints. Jeff and Betty will conduct periodic staff meetings intended to review policy, increase guest satisfaction and to keep a general line of communication between staff and management. All guest complaints will be acknowledged by the staff and referred to management. Programs will be in place for all types of guest complaints. More serious complaints will be documented and kept on file. Customer feedback will be accomplished by customer surveys or the use of mystery shoppers.

5.6.1 Sales Forecast

We are expecting a conservative 5% increase in sales revenues annually over the next 3 years. The growth is adjusted for inflation. With the addition of catering revenues, sales will increase by 12.93% in Year 2 and 6.02% in Year 3.

The following table shows expected Sales Forecast for the next 3 years:

5.6.2 Sales Programs

We will encourage our employees to grow our customer base and provide incentives and regular bonuses to employees for referrals and repeat customers. These initiatives are still in the planning stages as we gear up to hire and staff. They will play an active role in our employee culture.

It is also anticipated that as we grow our catering business, along with our lunch business group, we will hire a sales director to facilitate this portion of the business. The sales director will be compensated similarly to their national peers (national Restaurant Association)

Initially we will be formed a sole proprietor: Jeff Wright d/b/a Traditional Home Style Restaurant. The State of Texas is a community property state. Over time, the couple plans to form a Limited Liability Company.

5.8 Milestones

Our initial milestones are as follows:

6.1 Organizational Structure

THR expects to hire 19 employees. Together, Jeff and Betty Wright will personally select each candidate. They’ve adopted an effective interview process designed to staff the restaurant with highly qualified people for each position. Each applicant will be rated and evaluated according to a pre-defined set of standards designed for each position. Background checks will be utilized for designated positions. Recruiting efforts will always center on referrals.

6.2 Management Team

Betty Wright received her Culinary Degree from the Art Institute in Dallas. After graduation she was employed by a local chain restaurant and then at a Five Star Hotel in Dallas. Betty will initially be employed as the Kitchen Manager.

6.3 Management Team Gaps

Initially Jeff and Betty will fill in many of the management gaps. Jeff has been responsible for developing the restaurant business plan and will be developing the marketing plan. Over time, they have plans to hire a sales director, a general manager, and a kitchen manager.

To meet the gaps associated in payroll, inventory management, and cost accounting, the Wrights will purchase have considered a POS (point of sale system) that it simplifies communications between the kitchen and the wait staff. Orders go through the computer, directly to the kitchen printer. Another benefit of a restaurant POS programs is that it can track everything from food usage, to the most popular menu items. Because the POS system acts as a time clock, it can also help prepare payroll – which will save some money in the bookkeeping department. Along with the daily operations of running a restaurant, a POS system can organize profit and loss statement and sales tax.

6.4 Personnel Plan

The following sections outline our financial plan:

• Required Cost of Start-Up
• Profit and Loss
• Balance Sheet
• Financial Ratios
• Hourly Labor Costs
• Weekly Sales Projections

7.1 Important Assumptions

• Meal Price range from $8.00 – $15.00
• Average lunch price: 8.79
• Average dinner price: 13.74
• The restaurant is located in the West Roads Shopping Center and is comprised of 3,400 square feet
• The dining room will be comprised of 20 tables with a seating capacity of 86 seats and 40 available parking spaces to meet the needs of the customers.
• The restaurant will employ 19 employees
• $860,000 -1,200,000 revenue target; Industry average for casual restaurant average of $860,000.
• Annual 3% increase for inflation and 5% annual increase in revenues
• Year 2 Assumes Catering Business in Place. Assumes 4 parties monthly @ $15 per plate and $50 persons. Catering will escalate to 8 parties monthly in month 20 and then 10 parties monthly thereafter. Also assumes additional increase in staffing (4 persons to be hired at 6 hours @ $8.00 per hour.

7.2 Start-Up Costs

Total start up costs will be $363,000, $174,000 of which will be contributed by the owners and the remainder will be secured through a proposed bank loan.

7.3 Source and Use of Funds

Total start-up costs are estimated to be $363,000. The majority of the costs are associated with the restaurant equipment, inventory and furniture and furnishings for the dining room. Total costs for these items are reported to be $110,500. The costs are associated with build out and renovation of the restaurant to provide updated plumbing and creating additional space in the dining area by removing a non-supporting wall: $50,000. Additional start up expenses are in the form of working capital and contingency $182,500.

Jeff and Betty Wright will contribute $174, 000 and are requesting an additional $189,000 in the form of a bank loan. The loan is expected to be a fully amortizing 5 year term note secured by UCC filings on all furniture fixtures and equipment.

7.4 Break-Even Analysis

Total fixed costs associated with the restaurant are $669,186 and represent the annual expenses. The variable cost (overhead) is estimated to be $4.51 per meal. Based on the assumption of $11.37 as the average meal price, the breakeven revenue then is $1,108,970 or 97,535 meals (units). This is further depicted in the Table Below and the Graph that follow:

7.5 Projections

7.5.1 projected profit and loss.

The profit and loss demonstrates modest increases in revenues over the three expected years with adjustments for inflation.

7.5.2 Projected Cash Flow

The statement of cash flow shows the incoming and outgoing cash of the business.

7.5.3 Projected Balance Sheet

Table 7.5.3 Pro Forma Balance Sheet

7.6 Business Ratios

7.7 Hourly Labor Schedule

7.8 Weekly Sales Projections

Filter by Keywords

10 Free Business Plan Templates in Word, Excel, & ClickUp

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

February 13, 2024

Turning your vision into a clear and coherent business plan can be confusing and tough. 

Hours of brainstorming and facing an intimidating blank page can raise more questions than answers. Are you covering everything? What should go where? How do you keep each section thorough but brief?

If these questions have kept you up at night and slowed your progress, know you’re not alone. That’s why we’ve put together the top 10 business plan templates in Word, Excel, and ClickUp—to provide answers, clarity, and a structured framework to work with. This way, you’re sure to capture all the relevant information without wasting time. 

And the best part? Business planning becomes a little less “ugh!” and a lot more “aha!” 🤩

What is a Business Plan Template?

What makes a good business plan template, 1. clickup business plan template, 2. clickup sales plan template, 3. clickup business development action plan template, 4. clickup business roadmap template, 5. clickup business continuity plan template, 6. clickup lean business plan template, 7. clickup small business action plan template, 8. clickup strategic business roadmap template , 9. microsoft word business plan template by microsoft, 10. excel business plan template by vertex42.

A business plan template is a structured framework for entrepreneurs and business executives who want to create business plans. It comes with pre-arranged sections and headings that cover key elements like the executive summary , business overview, target customers, unique value proposition, marketing plans, and financial statements.  

A good business plan template helps with thorough planning, clear documentation, and practical implementation. Here’s what to look for:

• Comprehensive structure: A good template comes with all the relevant sections to outline a business strategy, such as executive summary, market research and analysis, and financial projections 
• Clarity and guidance: A good template is easy to follow. It has brief instructions or prompts for each section, guiding you to think deeply about your business and ensuring you don’t skip important details
• Clean design: Aesthetics matter. Choose a template that’s not just functional but also professionally designed. This ensures your plan is presentable to stakeholders, partners, and potential investors
• Flexibility : Your template should easily accommodate changes without hassle, like adding or removing sections, changing content and style, and rearranging parts 🛠️ 

While a template provides the structure, it’s the information you feed it that brings it to life. These pointers will help you pick a template that aligns with your business needs and clearly showcases your vision.

10 Business Plan Templates to Use in 2024

Preparing for business success in 2024 (and beyond) requires a comprehensive and organized business plan. We’ve handpicked the best templates to help you guide your team, attract investors, and secure funding. Let’s check them out.

If you’re looking to replace a traditional business plan document, then ClickUp’s Business Plan Template is for you!

This one-page business plan template, designed in ClickUp Docs , is neatly broken down into the following sections:

• Company description : Overview, mission, vision, and team
• Market analysis : Problem, solution, target market, competition, and competitive advantage
• Sales and marketing strategy : Products/services and marketing channels
• Operational plan : Location and facilities, equipment and tools, manpower, and financial forecasts
• Milestones and metrics: Targets and KPIs

Customize the template with your company logo and contact details, and easily navigate to different sections using the collapsible table of contents. The mini prompts under each section guide you on what to include—with suggestions on how to present the data (e.g., bullet lists, pictures, charts, and tables). 

You can share the document with anyone via URL and collaborate in real time. And when the business plan is ready, you have the option to print it or export it to PDF, HTML, or Markdown.

But that’s not all. This template is equipped with basic and enterprise project management features to streamline the business plan creation process . The Topics List view has a list of all the different sections and subsections of the template and allows you to assign it to a team member, set a due date, and attach relevant documents and references.

Switch from List to Board view to track and update task statuses according to the following: To Do, In Progress, Needs Revision, and Complete. 

This template is a comprehensive toolkit for documenting the different sections of your business plan and streamlining the creation process to ensure it’s completed on time. 🗓️

If you’re looking for a tool to kickstart or update your sales plan, ClickUp’s Sales Plan Template has got you covered. This sales plan template features a project summary list with tasks to help you craft a comprehensive and effective sales strategy. Some of these tasks include:

• Determine sales objectives and goals
• Draft positioning statement
• Perform competitive analysis
• Draft ideal customer persona
• Create a lead generation strategy

Assign each task to a specific individual or team, set priority levels , and add due dates. Specify what section of the sales plan each task belongs to (e.g., executive summary, revenue goals, team structure, etc.), deliverable type (such as document, task, or meeting), and approval state (like pending, needs revisions, and approved).

And in ClickUp style, you can switch to multiple views: List for a list of all tasks, Board for visual task management, Timeline for an overview of task durations, and Gantt to get a view of task dependencies. 

This simple business plan template is perfect for any type of business looking to create a winning sales strategy while clarifying team roles and keeping tasks organized. ✨

Thinking about scaling your business’s reach and operations but unsure where or how to start? It can be overwhelming, no doubt—you need a clear vision, measurable goals, and an actionable plan that every member of your team can rally behind. 

Thankfully, ClickUp’s Business Development Action Plan Template is designed to use automations to simplify this process so every step toward your business growth is clear, trackable, and actionable.

Start by assessing your current situation and deciding on your main growth goal. Are you aiming to increase revenue, tap into new markets, or introduce new products or services? With ClickUp Whiteboards or Docs, brainstorm and collaborate with your team on this decision.

Set and track your short- and long-term growth goals with ClickUp’s Goals , break them down into smaller targets, and assign these targets to team members, complete with due dates. Add these targets to a new ClickUp Dashboard to track real-time progress and celebrate small wins. 🎉

Whether you’re a startup or small business owner looking to hit your next major milestone or an established business exploring new avenues, this template keeps your team aligned, engaged, and informed every step of the way.

ClickUp’s Business Roadmap Template is your go-to for mapping out major strategies and initiatives in areas like revenue growth, brand awareness, community engagement, and customer satisfaction. 

Use the List view to populate tasks under each initiative. With Custom Fields, you can capture which business category (e.g., Product, Operations, Sales & Marketing, etc.) tasks fall under and which quarter they’re slated for. You can also link to relevant documents and resources and evaluate tasks by effort and impact to ensure the most critical tasks get the attention they deserve. 👀

Depending on your focus, this template provides different views to show just what you need. For example, the All Initiatives per Quarter view lets you focus on what’s ahead by seeing tasks that need completion within a specific quarter. This ensures timely execution and helps in aligning resources effectively for the short term.

This template is ideal for business executives and management teams who need to coordinate multiple short- and long-term initiatives and business strategies.

In business, unexpected threats to operations can arise at any moment. Whether it’s economic turbulence, a global health crisis, or supply chain interruptions, every company needs to be ready. ClickUp’s Business Continuity Plan Template lets you prepare proactively for these unforeseen challenges.

The template organizes tasks into three main categories:

• Priorities: Tasks that need immediate attention
• Continuity coverage: Tasks that must continue despite challenges
• Guiding principles: Resources and protocols to ensure smooth operations

The Board view makes it easy to visualize all the tasks under each of these categories. And the Priorities List sorts tasks by those that are overdue, the upcoming ones, and then the ones due later.

In times of uncertainty, being prepared is your best strategy. This template helps your business not just survive but thrive in challenging situations, keeping your customers, employees, and investors satisfied. 🤝

Looking to execute your business plan the “lean” way? Use ClickUp’s Lean Business Plan Template . It’s designed to help you optimize resource usage and cut unnecessary steps—giving you better results with less effort.

In the Plan Summary List view, list all the tasks that need to get done. Add specific details like who’s doing each task, when it’s due, and which part of the Business Model Canvas (BMC) it falls under. The By Priority view sorts this list based on priorities like Urgent, High, Normal, and Low. This makes it easy to spot the most important tasks and tackle them first.

Additionally, the Board view gives you an overview of task progression from start to finish. And the BMC view rearranges these tasks based on the various BMC components. 

Each task can further be broken down into subtasks and multiple checklists to ensure all related action items are executed. ✔️

This template is an invaluable resource for startups and large enterprises looking to maximize process efficiencies and results in a streamlined and cost-effective way.

The Small Business Action Plan Template by ClickUp is tailor-made for small businesses looking to transform their business ideas and goals into actionable steps and, eventually, into reality. 

It provides a simple and organized framework for creating, assigning, prioritizing, and tracking tasks. And in effect, it ensures that goals are not just set but achieved. Through the native dashboard and goal-setting features, you can monitor task progress and how they move you closer to achieving your goals.

Thanks to ClickUp’s robust communication features like chat, comments, and @mentions, it’s easy to get every team member on the same page and quickly address questions or concerns.

Use this action plan template to hit your business goals by streamlining your internal processes and aligning team efforts.

For larger businesses and scaling enterprises, getting different departments to work together toward a big goal can be challenging. The ClickUp Strategic Business Roadmap Template makes it easier by giving you a clear plan to follow.

This template is packaged in a folder and split into different lists for each department in your business, like Sales, Product, Marketing, and Enablement. This way, every team can focus on their tasks while collectively contributing to the bigger goal.

There are multiple viewing options available for team members. These include:

• Progress Board: Visualize tasks that are on track, those at risk, and those behind
• Gantt view: Get an overview of project timelines and dependencies
• Team view: See what each team member is working on so you can balance workloads for maximum productivity

While this template may feel overwhelming at first, the getting started guide offers a step-by-step breakdown to help you navigate it with ease. And like all ClickUp templates, you can easily customize it to suit your business needs and preferences.

Microsoft’s 20-page traditional business plan template simplifies the process of drafting comprehensive business plans. It’s made up of different sections, including:

• Executive summary : Highlights, objectives, mission statement, and keys to success
• Description of business: Company ownership and legal structure, hours of operation, products and services, suppliers, financial plans, etc.
• Marketing: Market analysis, market segmentation, competition, and pricing
• Appendix: Start-up expenses, cash flow statements, income statements, sales forecast, milestones, break-even analysis, etc.

The table of contents makes it easy to move to different sections of the document. And the text placeholders under each section provide clarity on the specific details required—making the process easier for users who may not be familiar with certain business terminology.

No business template roundup is complete without an Excel template. This business plan template lets you work on your business financials in Excel. It comes with customizable tables, formulas, and charts to help you look at the following areas:

• Highlight charts
• Market analysis
• Start-up assets and expenses
• Sales forecasts
• Profit and loss
• Balance sheet
• Cash flow projections
• Break-even analysis

This Excel template is especially useful when you want to create a clear and visual financial section for your business plan document—an essential element for attracting investors and lenders. However, there might be a steep learning curve to using this template if you’re not familiar with business financial planning and using Excel.

Try a Free Business Plan Template in ClickUp

Launching and running a successful business requires a well-thought-out and carefully crafted business plan. However, the business planning process doesn’t have to be complicated, boring, or take up too much time. Use any of the above 10 free business plan formats to simplify and speed up the process.

ClickUp templates go beyond offering a solid foundation to build your business plans. They come with extensive project management features to turn your vision into reality. And that’s not all— ClickUp’s template library offers over 1,000 additional templates to help manage various aspects of your business, from decision-making to product development to resource management .

Sign up for ClickUp’s Free Forever Plan today to fast-track your business’s growth! 🏆

Questions? Comments? Visit our Help Center for support.

Receive the latest WriteClick Newsletter updates.

Thanks for subscribing to our blog!

Please enter a valid email

• Free training & 24-hour support
• Serious about security & privacy
• 99.99% uptime the last 12 months

Got any suggestions?

We want to hear from you! Send us a message and help improve Slidesgo

Top searches

Trending searches

11 templates

21 templates

holy spirit

35 templates

memorial day

12 templates

17 templates

art portfolio

81 templates

Seafood Restaurant Business Plan

It seems that you like this template, seafood restaurant business plan presentation, free google slides theme, powerpoint template, and canva presentation template.

Download the Seafood Restaurant Business Plan presentation for PowerPoint or Google Slides. Conveying your business plan accurately and effectively is the cornerstone of any successful venture. This template allows you to pinpoint essential elements of your operation while your audience will appreciate the clear and concise presentation, eliminating any potential misunderstandings. It's not just about content, as our design also commands attention! Your business plan will definitely make a positive impression.

Features of this template

• 100% editable and easy to modify
• Different slides to impress your audience
• Contains easy-to-edit graphics such as graphs, maps, tables, timelines and mockups
• Includes 500+ icons and Flaticon’s extension for customizing your slides
• Designed to be used in Google Slides, Canva, and Microsoft PowerPoint
• Includes information about fonts, colors, and credits of the resources used

How can I use the template?

Am I free to use the templates?

How to attribute?

Attribution required If you are a free user, you must attribute Slidesgo by keeping the slide where the credits appear. How to attribute?

Related posts on our blog.

How to Add, Duplicate, Move, Delete or Hide Slides in Google Slides

How to Change Layouts in PowerPoint

How to Change the Slide Size in Google Slides

Related presentations.

Premium template

Unlock this template and gain unlimited access

• 400+ Features
• Website Templates
• Website Designs
• WordPress Themes
• Joomla Templates
• HTML Templates
• HTML Website Builder
• WordPress Website Builder
• Joomla Page Builder
• Video Tutorials
• Documentation
• Contact Support

15,000+ Free Templates 2024

Popular template categories.

Choose the best templates and use our visual template editor to add and modify the content with no coding. The design of any page template looks great on all modern devices.

Featured Block Categories

You can choose templates from our latest responsive templates and then customize them with the code-free drag-and-drop template editor.

Favorite Block Designs

Meet our unique multi-purpose block templates hand-picked by the professional design team. Modify the design of block templates with our powerful editor.

15,000+ Awesome Templates Of 2024

Select from over 15,000 templates from the portfolio, business, fashion, technology, education, blog, and other trending themes. All templates are fully responsive and available for free.

• Build Website with no Coding Download

• Free Website Builder Software Download

• Create your own Website Download

• Customize Any Template Download

Templates with Nicepage

Many people want to have an online presence besides email, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other social media. They need a website, personal blog, portfolio, landing pages for a store, online stores, email marketing template, a business website for a real estate agency, marketing company, etc. Most of them are afraid even to think about such things as a website, blog, web design, maps, templates, media, brand, eCommerce templates, responsive templates website, etc. People do not know how to start, what to create and tools to use, what design tools and features are best, what are best practices in general, whether they need a website builder or website design apps, have cover letters, logo or logo maker. It depends on the fact that beautiful websites require graphic design and coding made by professional web designers and web developers. Nobody thinks of a responsive website with a free design.

Engaging Customers

What do you get if you start with a template? Intuitive drag and drop editor. You can inspire your friends and surprise any community with a new website featured with professional graphic design. Browse and choose from thousands of new and popular design templates popular to fulfill any plans and resources, regardless if you need website for business, online store, product, support, social, terms, privacy, policy, pricing, contact, log, and service pages. Today, you can use a site template as a home page or dashboard engaging customers. Templates can be useful for presentation stories, press card brochures, resume covers for careers, schedule events, certificates, in general, to sell or present anything online. For example, decor artists can publish designs as photo galleries, agencies can show and plan achievements, affiliates can learn about the process, and students can provide resumes in English and other languages. There are featured templates popular for small sites about life, winter, and summer, in white and dark, to tell a story, review. All you need is text and photo content.

Responsive Templates

However, responsive website templates by Nicepage make this work easy, beautiful, and creative. Our high-quality free design templates help anyone build a professional free website without learning, education, books, teachers, and need to be students of graphic design online courses. Each template comes with media graphics, which you can later use for social media graphics, Twitter and Instagram posts, and ads. It can also be suitable for other products, like a media kit, posters, flyers, cards, postcards, business cards, gift cards, video posters, channel art, youtube thumbnails, etc. Anyone from novice users to blogging professionals of a high level can use Nicepage for their top projects and affiliate collaboration.

You can create an account and profile and access the platform's center assets, including various videos and tutorials to learn how to use Nicepage for enterprise businesses, small business and services, customize and manage ready themes, find ideas, check data and content. Suppose you have Facebook and Linkedin skills and have some experience with Wix, Squarespace, WordPress, cms, cookies, domain, and hosting, and you want to know anything like HTML, code, webinars. In that case, this information may be a good share. At that, you can pick from all feature collections, items, and perfect with year updates.

Template Categories

You can easily choose themes templates designed for various categories to create a site for an event, travel, holiday, family, health, wedding, studio, fitness, restaurant, food, Christmas, legal, industry, photography, nonprofit, consulting, and invitation. Add multiple photos, documents, visual infographics, and other digital materials, or get started from blank. All solutions are customizable. You can use stock images and other items, like logos, background, headers, even for something specific like a custom sitemap, shopping cart, greeting flyer, news, accessibility calendars, shop invitations, music charts, text, bar and chart reports, or eye-catching infographic presentations. Starting a page in the app or plugin, you have the full functionality to edit each mobile view, having it ready in minutes and saving much time.

Using free templates professionally designed with Nicepage, you get everything you need to create any modern web project in clicks for free, becoming a web designer. You do not need to have premium training, to hire pro designers, expert developer, or management teams. You can create beautiful pages based on free online templates website design templates. It's a huge step ahead of the market competition and a sign of hundreds in sale figures. Follow us on social networks and our forum or help center.

You may also be interested in Template Design

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• License Agreement

Themes & Templates

• CSS Templates
• HTML5 Templates
• One Page Templates
• Website Builder
• WYSIWYG HTML Editor
• Static Site Generator
• HTML Code Generator
• Web Page Designs
• eCommerce Designs
• Landing Pages
• Homepage Designs
• Website Mockup

El Torito Tacos - Middleburg Heights

Review Highlights

“ The house margarita was also tasty and not bland or too sweet like most places serve. ” in 3 reviews

“ I got the el Chapin burrito and the pineapple woth the chorizo on top was delish! ” in 2 reviews

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

7523 Pearl Rd

Middleburg Heights, OH 44130

You Might Also Consider

Greg M. said "Came in late on a Saturday afternoon. Was immediately seated at a high top table in the bar. Server was very friendly and attentive. I ordered off the special menu, wood fired scallops and Bronzini served with a mixed vegetable…" read more

in American, Beer, Wine & Spirits

Fiesta Habaneros Mexican Grilled and Margaritas

We're blending our passion for making delicious food with our extensive knowledge of our cuisine to create authentic and classic dishes for your enjoyment. We use the freshest, locally-sourced ingredients and promise to give your… read more

in Seafood, Mexican, Salad

Amenities and More

Powered by Health Department Intelligence

Ask the Community

Ask a question

Yelp users haven’t asked any questions yet about El Torito Tacos - Middleburg Heights .

Recommended Reviews

• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

Select your rating

Overall rating

Highly recommend this Mexican restaurant, nice and modern look. Food was excellent!! Very friendly staff, salsa and chips were excellent!!

I loves their chips and salsa. The sangria margarita was excellent and strong. I ordered the lunch fajitas and it was delicious, except for the mushrooms but my mom liked those. My mom got the lunch Chimichanga. We both really loved that but it wasn't crispy like other places. The place is very narrow with booths along the wall then four tops and then a bar. It's not super wheelchair friendly but in off times manageable.

On our first visit to this newly opened restaurant, we were pleasantly surprised. For an unassuming exterior, the ambiance inside was very nice - clean, comfortable and inviting. My wife and I shared a house margarita pitcher - wow! Great flavor and they did not skimp on the good stuff. It was smooth and went down easy - no heartburn here. Onto the food - we both had fajitas. I had steak, chicken and shrimp combo fajitas which were perfect. Meat was juicy and quality and the onions, peppers and mushrooms were great. Homemade salsa with chips was tasty - just the right level of spice with a sweet finish. Rice was ok, not great. I didn't care for the refried beans - there was a different spice taste that I didn't recognize which I didn't like personally but it wasn't bad. Overall, for a new place they delivered on a great experience. We will return for sure.

I used to frequent this location when it was Three Brothers (Italian and Greek cuisine). I was disappointed to see them go.....but not so much anymore. The wife and I have been fans and regular visitors of the same couple of Mexican places for many years. More often than not if we venture away from those places we're either disappointed, or just okay with the new place, and not compelled to return. I'll admit I've driven by several times and was turned off by "Tacos" in the name. I don't eat Taco Bell, don't really care for tacos (unless the wife is making hers), and was convinced this was some sort of gimmicky taco bar, being familiar with the layout of the restaurant. I was wrong. Way, way wrong. The menu is expansive by any Mexican restaurant's standards. I'm not even sure I saw a taco on the menu, now that I think about it! Food was excellent, drinks were great and comparably priced to other places in the area. Food may have been even a little less expensive than our regular place. Very cozy (okay, a bit tight), and they've done a nice job with the decor. The Latino musica playing from the speakers under the overhang as you approach from the parking lot was a nice touch. We will be back!

Very spacious place with a large full bar. Friendly staff and I had good service my two visits. Food has been very good w large portions. The salsa is especially great, and comes before every meal(along w chips). I would like to see this place succeed as it's a great stop for a post workout lunch and beer, plus the area lacks variety. Only minor issue is the music is a little too loud, but I'm old and have to complain about something

Ate here for the first time for lunch. Excellent lunch choices. Ordered the chicken with cream dish and it was tasty. The meat was very tender. Liked how it was seasoned too. Sauce was good and I liked the rice that came with it. The lettuce, tomato & guacamole was very fresh. Can't comment on the refried beans as I didn't have room to finish my lunch. Portions are substantial here. Great prices too. Really enjoyed the salsa! The staff was friendly and helpful. Will eat here again.

Chicken a la crema

Food is solid, service is good also. The dinner items are a few bucks cheaper than all of their competition that is close also.

Why on earth would you put plasticky queso all over an avocado chicken SALAD? it's not listed on the menu that it comes with queso all over it. the service wasn't great either. the staff was just crowded around the end of the bar talking to each other and either talking or playing on their phones. there are much better Mexican spots to go to around.

We visited this past Saturday around 3:30 or so and it was not busy we got seat right away we got house margaritas very good we ordered and the food came shortly after we finished our salsa and chips Food was hot and delicious will be returning

A brand new Mexican spot just freshly opened in the former 3 Brothers Pizza location. The food menu is huge, diverse, and affordable. Had a chicken / shrimp fajita. This sizzling skillet of awesome arrived within 15 minutes of placing my order. My 3 friends and I downed 3 pitchers of the house Margarita with zero regrets. As it's within walking distance of my house, I plan on returning to sample other menu items. Service was fast, friendly, and professional even with a packed house. They also have a bar that runs the length of the restaurant. I highly recommend giving this new place your business. You will leave with a full stomach and possibly a strong buzz.

3 other reviews that are not currently recommended

Nemo Grille

Holly M. said "I've now been to Nemo Grille three times and have to say it's one of my favorite restaurants, especially found locally. During typical business hours, it's best if you have a reservation - but you can typically squeeze a person or…" read more

in Steakhouses, Seafood, New American

Merwin’s Wharf

Joy P. said "My fiancé and I stopped in before a boat tour with the Metroparks hoping to get a table along the river. When we arrived at 6:35pm on a Wednesday night, they had a 45 minute wait for two. So we decided to find a spot at the inside…" read more

in New American, American

Collections Including El Torito Tacos - Middleburg Heights

By Shelly C.

People Also Viewed

El Palenque

Don Ramon Mexican Restaurant

Tijuana’s Street Tacos

Hacienda Tapatia

Blue Habanero

Tacologist Tacos-Tequila-Margaritas

Agave & Rye - Woodmere

Rico’s Tacos & Tequila

Best of Middleburg Heights

Things to do in Middleburg Heights

Other Places Nearby

Find more Cocktail Bars near El Torito Tacos - Middleburg Heights

Find more Mexican Restaurants near El Torito Tacos - Middleburg Heights

Find more Seafood Restaurants near El Torito Tacos - Middleburg Heights

Browse Nearby

Restaurants

Things to Do

Dining in Middleburg Heights

Search for Reservations

Book a Table in Middleburg Heights