Wanting a Successful Restaurant?

Wanting a Successful Restaurant?

A major crowd surrounds a good size, but elegant bar on the usual Thursday night. All of seats are taken, there is enough space for someone to hold their drink and not move. From 10 p.m. until 1 a.m. Downtown Grill is packed like a sardine can. The sight and sounds of laughter, small conversations, gossip, occasional flirtation, and basically fun fills the Thursday night atmosphere.

The pleasant sight and sounds of Downtown Grill are only around by reason of certain successful attributes that Downtown Grill has obtained over the years. A person that has an abundance of insight toward Downtown Grill's successful attributes is no other than Lee Cauthen the general manager. As a new graduate from college, Lee needed some sort of income. He applied at several different places. Soon he was hired at Downtown Grill as a waiter. A year goes by and the general manager position becomes available. The three owners met to decide who should be put in this honorable, heavily responsible position. They chose a very hard working, smart, college graduate to take the respectable job. Twenty years have passed and that new bright young college graduate is still the general manager of the prestigious Downtown Grill.

The insight on the successful attributes that Lee so graciously has shared is summed up as follows: location, location, location; a niche in the restaurant market; and having excellent food quality. Lee suggested that these three attributes are critical success of fail factors of a restaurant.

Success or fail factor number one is Lee's suggestions is location, location, location. He implies that a prime people active location is the first step in making a successful restaurant. Lee uses the location of Downtown Grill as an example. Lee states, "First of all, Downtown Grill is in a well known college town, and it is located on a popping corner. It is close to many great places like Rooster's and Taylor's pub, and to get to those other restaurants/bars it is necessary to walk past here. The passersby often notice this fine establishment and come in here instead of one of the other places." Lee has noticed the benefits of the prime location by looking at the customer population of Downtown Grill compared to other spots in the square.

Lee does say that location, location, location will get a restaurant noticed and business, but the success of fail factor number two will give a restaurant repeat customers. He said, "Having a niche in the restaurant market will definantly promote the business' profit and customer repeat visits. The niche that Downtown Grill has, according to Lee, is not being solely appealing to the young college crowd, but the older members of society as well. A special on Thursday nights that attracts the young college crowd is the two for the price of one on drinks. It is the aspect of fine dining