Timeline for opening a Restaurant

For those of you who are working on a project such as opening a restaurant, a cafeteria
or a bar, I leave you a timeline that can be very useful to set goals in each of the
different phases.

PHASE 1.- PROJECT INITIATION. PLAN DE MARKETING Y

AUTORIZACIONES PREVIAS A LA APERTURA

- Búsqueda del local y constitución de la sociedad

- Estudio de Mercado
- Definición del concepto de negocio que deseamos crear
- Selección del Público Objetivo al que nos queremos dirigir
- Definir el tipo de servicio y gastronomí
- Contact with the architect and space designers
- Financial study
- Preparation of a preliminary project
- Evaluation of the economic viability of the business
- Beginning of the administrative procedures
- Execution of the project.
- If required, hiring of the director or manager of the facility.

STAGE 2.- PROVISION OF EQUIPMENT, WORKING EQUIPMENT AND

STAFF HIRING PROGRAM

- Definition of the ambience and decoration of the premises.

- Search and selection of suppliers to whom we will order the necessary equipment for
the kitchen, bar, dining room, offices and staff changing rooms.
- Search and selection of suppliers to whom we will entrust the provision of small
service material: glasses, cutlery, crockery, table linen, etc.
- Search and selection of suppliers to whom we will entrust the installation of the entire
billing system, security and computer networks.
- Elaboration of the organization chart
- Creation of the Jobs Descriptions or Professional Profiles
- Definition of the opening and closing days and hours. Calculation of required staffing.
- Publication of job offers in the media (specialized web portals, written press, public
Employment and Training Services, etc.)
- Preparation of operating budgets: Income and Expenditure Forecast. Previsional Profit
and Loss Statement. Implementation of accounting and computerized sales and control
programs (on-site control of personnel and management of purchases, warehouses and
stocks).
- Hiring of Insurance
- Hiring of Maintenance Services
- Preparation of all administrative processes and internal documents.
- Personnel selection: First to middle management (Head or Head of Kitchen, Head of
Room) and later, with the collaboration of the previous ones, the rest of the staff
(kitchen assistants, waiters, cocktail waiters, shift leaders, cashiers, cleaning staff, etc.)
- Development of the first commercial actions: contracting of advertising to announce
the opening.
- Creation of the Corporate Web. First communiqués on Social Networks. Web
Positioning and Geolocators.

STAGE 3.- ORGANIZATION AND SET-UP OF THE PREMISES

- Elaboration of the Working Procedures

- Search and selection of suppliers to whom we will entrust the elaboration of the
uniforms.
- Search and selection of suppliers of food, beverages, cleaning materials, office and
computer equipment
- Commissioning of work equipment (Functional test): cameras, refrigerators, air
conditioning, coffee machine, showcases, audiovisual equipment, computer equipment,
lighting, emergency lighting, security equipment, etc. in order to check the proper
functioning of all of them.
- Search and selection of the supplier for the laundering of work clothes and customer's
clothes.
- Acquisition of the latest accessories for the kitchen, bar and dining room
- Reception and control of the first purchases of food, beverages, cleaning materials, etc.
- Preparation of kitchen technical data sheets, scandals, printing of menus, menus and
sales supports.
- Preparation of technical data sheets for hot and cold beverages (cocktails, mixed
drinks, variety of coffees and infusions.)
- Cost studies and sales pricing, discount and promotion policies.
- Placement of internal and external signage (emergency signs, toilets, changing rooms,
etc.).
- General cleaning
- Planning of activities and agenda for the opening day.
- Elaboration and mailing of invitations for the inauguration.
- Reconfirmation of invitations for the opening day.
- Start of testing period without real customers. Training courses for personnel (Service,
Customer Service, Occupational Risk Prevention, Sales Techniques, Company Culture,
etc.). Distribution of uniforms. Reading and delivery of the internal regulations for all
employees.
- Simulation exercises, knowledge of the entire gastronomic offer by all kitchen and
dining room staff. Tasting.
- Meeting of the director and/or manager of the facility with all the staff to thank them
for their collaboration during the pre-opening process and to convey their wishes for
success.

PHASE 4.- OPENING

- Inauguration
- Review and correction of faults produced during the inauguration
- Adaptation to the work rhythm.
- Corrections. Two weeks after opening, first functional check-up

Jordi Rosell - Timeline for opening a hospitality business.