If you dream of serving others delicious meals, you're one of two people: 

1) My grandmother 

2) A restaurant owner/an aspiring one. 

Considering you successfully navigated to this website, I'm going to assume you're the latter. Anyway, starting a restaurant is no piece of cake (or as we prefer to say: no piece of beef). There's a lot to keep track of; from creating a menu to training staff, your brain might start to feel like a french fry. We put together this list of insider tips to make the process easier.

Advice for Running Your Restaurant

1. Have a clear vision and mission for your restaurant

Why are you starting a restaurant? What experience do you want to give your customers? Do you want to feed them mega-tasty comfort food 🙋? Or, create a fine-dining restaurant where carrots are the single ingredient? Hey, we respect your dreams.

But, before you get into the thick of it, map out your vision. It'll help you make all sorts of decisions, from the menu to decor. Without it, it's too easy to lose sight of your goals and end up with a project you're not feeling.

Take us, for example. After receiving our Masters in Burgerology & Fry Sciences, we knew we wanted to feed you exceptional burgers n' fries and use them as a canvas to explore the foods of the world. We revisit this vision daily.

2. Keep your menu simple

You know the saying: Jack of all trades, master of none. Too many items on your menu make it much harder to edit your recipes and keep each dish up to standard. This is especially true for small business owners who don't have the resources of say a global franchise. When in doubt, go for flavor over complexity

Also, focus on the dishes you want to create instead of succumbing to peer pressure or trendy foods. Trust us, it’ll be easier to come up with new ideas and your brand will become more recognizable.

But, that doesn't mean you can't get creative within your genre. We've got our staple Smash Burgers, but we also come out with monthly Duos to give customers something one-of-a-kind to try out. (Have you tried our What's Poppin Duo?)

3. Train your staff well 

Let's face it— unless you're planning on opening that carrot-themed restaurant we mentioned before, there's probably another restaurant out there doing something similar to you. Here's where customer service can boost you up.

Take the time to train your staff, so you can create good vibes only for them and the customers. A few tips:

• Make sure your staff knows your restaurant's mission: This way, they can interact with customers in a way that reflects your values.

• Feed 'em: Ever asked a server for a recommendation and watch them stumble to an answer they almost definitely picked at random? Don't let that happen at your restaurant. Treat their taste buds to your menu. Customers will know when people are speaking from their stomachs and not just their minds.

• Listen: While you might have come up with the vision to start your restaurant, they're the ones who deal with the daily challenges and wins. Listen to their feedback and see how you can use it to make your business tastier.

4. Market yourself

Social media: Hate it? Love it? Both? We get it. But, it's a good way to get the word out about your spot. Look back at your mission and vision to find your brand personality, and build a memorable voice across platforms.

Are you the kind of brand that posts TikTok's about a depressed potato (hard to explain– click here)? Or, maybe you post elevated photos of carrots (have we taken this too far?).

If you're feeling stumped, it helps to look at competitors' socials to see what they're doing well (or badly). Copy and tweak to suit your restaurant. The goal is to put a personality behind the brand and engage with customers. But, before you spread your social media wings, make sure customers can find info about your restaurant online. Your location and operation hours should come up after a quick Google.

Make Your Life Easier (and Tastier)— Franchise with BFF

Whether you're already a small business owner or are considering getting into the game, buying a BFF franchise is a better way to start a restaurant. We've done a lot of the hardest parts for you— like building a recognizable brand and a social media presence. So, you can get to the good stuff.

Look out for more info about buying a franchise coming at you soon. We hope to meat with you!

 

BFF isn’t your typical burger n’ fries joint. Our food helps to remove barriers and unite people from different backgrounds over memorable and nostalgic flavors. With quality ingredients and creative combos, we aim to be your (tastebuds’) BFF.  Stop by one of our locations in Ottawa or Toronto. 

Order takeout or delivery directly through our website, and tag us in pics of your fave BFF foods @burgersnfriesforever.