The Restaurant Manager's Handbook

SCOUTING THE COMPETITION

GOVERNMENT LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND LICENSES

STATE REGISTRATION

STANDARD & POOR’S INDUSTRY SURVEYS

MARKET AREA RESEARCH

SELECTING THE RESTAURANT SITE LOCATION

3. After deciding the groups and categories that will go on your menu, you need to decide on the specifics of the dish. Will you be serving ground, cubed, solid, roast, baked, grilled, broiled, or fried?

4. Finally, you must decide on the dish itself. If you are offering three beef entrees, you may choose to serve two solid beef dishes and one ground. Your actual menu items may be a strip steak, a filet mignon, and a hamburger.

While it may sound like an

Pay attention to your most profitable clients. Listen. Keep in touch. Find out what they want and need and why they have chosen you

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS IS ALSO PUBLIC RELATIONS
You cannot succeed in the hospitality industry if your employees do not deliver excellent service. They have the most daily contact with your customers and are therefore responsible for the opinion — positive or negative — people have of your establishment. Therefore, one of the most important “publics” that your public relations program should focus on is your staff.

1. How your business is doing and what you are planning.
2. How the competition is doing and what you are planning.
3. What community issues you are concerned about and taking a role in.
4. Recent personnel changes.
5. Who is booked in the future: private parties, conventions, social events, etc.
6. Available training and job openings.
7. Staff weddings, birthdays, significant accomplishments, or happenings.

• What did and did not work for you in their restaurant?
• Do they serve your target customer?
• If not, who do they serve?
• Do their customers seem to like the surroundings?
• How busy are they at peak times?
• What kind of presentation do they have for their menu items?
• How is the food?
• What does the plate presentation look like?
• Do they offer anything unique?