From Salt Lake City to Provo, Utah boasts of a wide variety of restaurants with delicious food. Whatever cuisine you’re in the mood for, it’s available. If you want to dine with a view, you can enjoy your meal up in the mountains. If you have dietary restrictions, you can order gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian dishes.
Planning to open up a restaurant of your own? Here are five lessons to take from successful businesses in Utah and the rest of the U.S.:
Tasteful Design
A quality architect and general contractor in Utah could be the make-or-break factor for a restaurant. In the age of social media, looks go a long way. A well-designed interior and exterior can translate into features on national publications. It can also mean free promo. People will take photos of your restaurant’s Instagram-worthy spots and share them online.
It’s best to add something pretty—it could be a centerpiece or artwork nearby—to every table so that the attention isn’t all on one spot. You can go big with a fancy chandelier or go for cozy with strategically placed plants. Aside from social media users, an attractive business attracts and keeps people coming.
Strategic Location
It won’t matter that your restaurant is the fairest of them all if it’s not accessible. When scouting for the location, consider all angles. Check out the neighborhood in various hours of the day during weekdays and weekends. Is the place near schools or offices? Is the area big enough to accommodate all the equipment required by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food? Is it accessible by public transportation? Is there a car park nearby, or can you add one to the property?
Make sure that the concept of your restaurant and the planned location make sense. If you plan to start a diner, it’s best to have it near a business area so that it’s reachable for workers on the way to the office.
Good Concept
What people see from outside of the establishment should correspond with what’s inside. The name, menu, exterior, and interior should show a cohesive idea and tell people what to expect. For example, a place built for kids would have a playful name, colorful design, and a menu of pizza and ice cream. A concept gives a restaurant clear direction in areas such as uniform and campaigns as well.
When thinking of your business’ concept, consider the demand, demographic, and marketability. If you plan to target young professionals, it’s important to note that organic food is popular with adults under 30. Then, you should partner with providers specializing in organic food and emphasize it on your menu and promo materials. You can also appeal to more people by accommodating various diets. Americans are increasingly going gluten-free and being selective of their consumption.
You can grab a bite to eat in almost every street in a major American city. But finding a good restaurant is hard.
With the right recipe, you can open a restaurant that’s worth coming back to. All you need is an appealing design and location, good food, a smart theme, and a leap of faith.
