Layout Best Practices for New Restaurant Owners

December 28, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Careers

Amy Nutt asked:


It is easy to become overwhelmed when planning the layout of a new restaurant. No two restaurants are the same. The type of clientele, the design of the building and the intended atmosphere can all influence the choice of layout. There are some basic fundamentals, however, which should be followed when planning a layout.

First, do not underestimate the importance of layout. Layout is one area which is frequently discussed in restaurant reviews. Not only is important to the diners at a restaurant, but it is important to the overall operations. If there is not adequate room for the servers to move in, the promptness of the meals can be impacted. On the other hand, there needs to be plenty of seating so that waits are minimized. A good layout can dramatically improve the revenue of an establishment, while a bad layout could have a strong negative impact.

Next, the restaurant should be set up to encourage people to visit the area in which the most money can be made. This will depend on the type of restaurant. Some restaurants gain a large amount of revenue from the bar. Others earn mostly from their seated food purchases. The goal is to move customers from the door to the areas which they will spend the most money. An effective layout allows this to happen without impacting service. There should never be a time where the aisles or walkways become crowded. A good way to handle congestion is to set up several areas in which customers can spend money. This allows you to maximize your space and earn the most revenue without compromising on atmosphere. Remember to allow diners approximately twelve square feet per person. Tables which are appropriate for large or small groups are preferred over rearranging and combining smaller tables.

Besides the main dining and bar areas, attention must be given to several other key areas. The customer service area in the front of the restaurant should be inviting. Simple is best in this area as you do not want it to detract from the flow of the rest of the restaurant. The waiting area should be comfortable and large enough to handle peak wait times. You do not want a large number of people gathered by the front door with nowhere to go. If possible, place the bar area near the front door so that it can also serve as a waiting area. In the kitchen, efficiency is key. An assembly line style layout often works the best. The less cluttered this area is the better. Make sure that your layout complies with all health department regulations.

If your budget can afford it, it is often best to hire an interior designer who has experience working with restaurants. They can often determine the best layout for the particular space. Do not be afraid to adjust your layout if you find that something is not working smoothly. Sometimes a small adjustment is all that is needed in order to increase efficiency and revenue.



Eating On A Budget In Las Vegas Restaurants

June 11, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Travel

Dustin Garrido asked:


A Las Vegas vacation for many familys is an experience to enjoy for everyone with all of the food, drink, gambling, and kid-friendly games. In fact, one of the biggest reasons that people visit Las Vegas is for the delectible Las Vegas restaurants. You do not have to be wealthy to experience many of the exquisite Las Vegas restaurants – you just have to know where to go!

Las Vegas has so much more than gambling to offer its thousands of visitors. The days when gambling was the only income stream for casinos is gone, the casinos have had to develop a multitude of income avenues to remain successful. The Las Vegas of old is nothing like the Las Vegas of today. Las Vegas has been changing year-to-year to cater to all walks of life and become the ultimate travel destination for everyone! Look at the Las Vegas sky line right now and you will be hard pressed to find any of the old Las Vegas casinos.

Las Vegas is quickly becoming a city that offers five star world-class food to its residents and tourists. Las Vegas has some of the best dining anywhere on the planet. Many of the best dining experiences are located within the Las Vegas strip casinos, but they would not be as successful as they are if there was not a reason to keep the tables full. Obviously, diners don’t tend to dine if the food isn’t any good, and for a first-class Las Vegas restaurant, one bad review will travel around the world faster than ten good reviews. This means that all of the world-class Las Vegas restaurants really must work hard to earn their badges of honor in order to bring in the customers to stay in business.

However, not all of the Las Vegas restaurants will cost you an arm and a leg. I personally tend to look for the dining bargains and that is what this particular article focuses on. There are many great places to eat in Las Vegas that will not have you busting open your wallet. Now my wife is a steak loving woman so I always try to look for good steak bargains around town. She loves the Sahara’s Caravan Cafe. Here you can get a complete prime rib dinner with a baked potato and your choice of soup or salad for only $8.99 (4:30pm to 7pm). They even offer a large T-bone steak dinner for just $13.99. This is truly one of the many unknown Las Vegas restaurant gems that is known for providing good food at a price that easy on your wallet.

This is just one of the many Las Vegas restaurants that a family can get an affordable, and great tasting meal in a Las Vegas strip casino. Not all great bargains involve steaks though, as there are a lot of high quality, inexpensive Las Vegas restaurants to be found. Many Las Vegas casinos offer valuable coupon books, provided that you ask for them at the front desk. Please note that you will want to be cautious of these coupons because many of them have fine print. So make sure to read the coupons fine print before you try to use it! Oftentimes, they will have some type of restriction that could cost you in the long run. However, using coupons effectively can and will save you money that you can then use for whatever you desire! Go ahead and put some of that money you saved on dinner and put it on the tables – you just might get lucky!

Eating cheap in Las Vegas by no means indicates a lack of quality. While it may not be as pricey as some of the five star Las Vegas restaurant offerings, you will find that a lot of the cheaper places to eat will taste just as good as many of the more high-class Las Vegas restaurants, and it’s just nice to get away from buffet food lines once in a while during your Las Vegas stay. You can only endure so many buffets before they all begin looking and tasting alike.



The Art of Choosing a Good Restaurant

June 4, 2009 by admin  
Filed under News And Society

Kristien Wilkinson asked:


So deciding where to have dinner may not exactly qualify as one of humanity’s most crucial choices but it doesn’t mean that you should just pig out at the nearest dining dumpster either. Food, after all, is not merely a physiological necessity; it also happens to be one of life’s greatest pleasures and should be thoroughly enjoyed in the best possible manner. Thus, it is only appropriate that the choice of a restaurant be given its rightful consideration.

Let’s start off with the basics. One of the most important criteria in choosing a dining spot is cleanliness. Before even bothering with star rating, a restaurant must at least pass sanitary requirements. You don’t want to worry about intestinal disorders while having dinner, do you? Be wary of flies hovering around, messy tables, stinky smells, or spilled food stuck on the floor. A filthy bathroom is a very bad sign. If a restaurant doesn’t look clean in the areas you can see, then imagine the sanitary conditions in the areas you can’t see, like the kitchen for instance.

Another indicator of the quality of a dining establishment is the number of its customers. Restaurants who have a steady stream of diners are more likely able to provide good food and great service. You may also ask your friends for recommendations. It is also helpful to consult restaurant reviews for a more professional opinion. Keep in mind though that the respectable opinion of your friends and the food critics in your local newspaper are based on their own palates and may not agree with your own unique taste.

If the dinner you’re planning happens to be a romantic date or an important business meeting, it would be worth your while to conduct your own reconnaissance of the restaurant. Befriend the bartender or the maître d’. Check out the menu and the wine list. Take note of the lighting, amount of noise, and interior design. And make sure to make a quick trip to the restroom before you leave. Of course, it’s not always possible to make an advanced personal inspection of each restaurant you want to eat at but doing so would definitely increase the certainty of an excellent meal.

These days, most restaurants, especially the fancy ones, already maintain their own websites. These sites usually feature the menu, house specialties, wine selections, additional services, and some even cater to online reservations. There are also sites which contain comprehensive listings and reviews of dining spots in a particular city or community. With the wealth of resources about restaurants on the internet, it’s much easier for you to check out the eateries in your area without having to step out of the house.

Finally, your choice of a dining spot ultimately depends on the kind of dining experience you want to have. Are you aiming for a gastronomic adventure or would you prefer a more familiar and comfortable dinner? Do you want to taste a specific cuisine? Or a certain specialty perhaps? Your particular preferences, as well as those of your dining companion/s of course, are invaluable in coming up with that all-important decision of choosing where to eat.