Are you a genius in the kitchen? Is your cooking always praised thousands of times? Then, most likely you had thoughts of opening a restaurant. You may tell yourself that you can cook effortlessly and your food is mouth-watering; for you, a restaurant is a no-brainer. However, what's the risk of opening a restaurant?

If you will conduct your research, you'll discover that the restaurant business is infamous for experiencing failure. Several statistical research claims that foodservice business failure measures up as high as 60% within the first year. This is why it's important to identify and address the greatest risks facing their business. It's a concern that business owners can't afford to take lightly. 

In this article, we'll share with you some of the most common and major problems that can happen to our own restaurant business. 

1. Poor Flow of Cash 

If you will not see the value of the amount of time required for a restaurant to set itself up in order to become profitable is usually the only biggest mistake that new owners can make. Although the costs of startups can be huge, if you fail to increase enough capital, it can only lead to a disaster. While your restaurant may seem promising, it may have the possibility to be forced to operate for months or even longer years before meeting the adequate revenue to cover its operational costs.

 

 2. High Costs and Lack of Cash Resources 

It can be terrifying to see the amount of money to begin a food service business from the costs of payroll, leasehold improvements, food, business insurance, waste, and the unending list goes on. If you are not able to control the costs, then cash resources can be a big risk of starting a restaurant business. 

There are three main costs factors that restaurants normally experience: 

• Labor 

• Food 

• Ancillary costs (rent, marketing, utilities, etc.) 

 

3. Getting Food Low Sales 

A lot of restaurant owners will think that their idea in mind is unique. But the reality is, the risk is large when opening a restaurant. First-time owners may have the problem of not getting enough customers, the menu is boring, the decor of the place is not appealing, the staff is unfriendly, or the location doesn't have enough traffic. So, if you want to gain more sales, try avoiding these things. Also, you can build a great reputation through social media by taking wonderful food photos. Try to show your audience that the restaurant you have is awesome. 

As a matter of fact, a restaurant business can make you do all things right and still have low sales. Plenty of factors can contribute to restaurant receipts. The sales of your restaurant can differ depending on the time of day or year or even changed depending on the food or kind of food category. For instance, your cafe restaurant sells more drinks in the morning and more sandwiches during lunchtime but this happens on weekdays only.   

 

4. Below Standard Marketing Promotional Efforts 

Most restaurants are persuaded to deal with numerous competitors out there and instantly find themselves vanishing in the crowd, particularly in times where owners can't make marketing a top priority. A key asset for your business to be successful is by having and doing promotional campaigns and effective marketing. It's crucial to set your new business on the map and get some buzzing to happen as soon as possible. 

 

5. Incompetent Management and Bad Reputation 

To ensure the success of your restaurant business, you need to find ways how you can better manage your brand and reputation. You must avoid negative press, bad word-of-mouth reviews, and poor customer service experience. It's the main concern for owners to take care of their reputation and management, otherwise, it makes or breaks your new business. Most restaurants highly depend on online reviews in order for them to drive foot traffic and must be treated as an essential revenue channel. 

 

6. Failure in Licensing and Certification 

It would be tragic if you fail to maintain all the necessary permits and licenses. There are many possible fines and extra complications that may come out sooner when you don't pay attention to these concerns. You must be smart to make sure that all paperwork and licensing are maintained without any problem. You may talk to a professional risk manager who can guide you with the needed precautions you must know. 

 

7. Don't Have Proper Food Storage 

You need to make sure that all the foods or products you have must be preserved as far as possible and may go a long way towards reducing the day to day costs. Trying to find restaurant suppliers and appliance outlets that will help you to have access to the entire range of food storage and preservation options is usually a time-consuming effort. The foods and ingredients must be stored safely and conveniently. You must invest in walk-in freezers and serving stations. This will give restaurant owners to remove any potential concerns or issues which may otherwise emerge. 

 

8. Possibility of Foodborne Sickness

Don't underestimate the little foodborne illnesses threats that can harm your customers' well-being and health, together with irrecoverable harm to your brand and reputation. You must avoid having your food tainted, handled improperly, and use risky storage methods that can instantly increase the risk of foodborne sickness. As a great business owner, you need to make safety the top priority. 

You can examine your current food-handling policies and do some modifications if you think it's necessary, as well as the option of working with restaurant suppliers who have the equipment and other resources suited for operating your restaurant better. This assessment is required for you to be able to handle a broader range of problems and concerns that may come your way.