When opening a new restaurant, it seems as though there are countless things to consider. You have to identify the right location, create and develop a delicious menu, begin the marketing for your business to create a buzz and find the right people to make your restaurant perfect. Your people will be what make or break your restaurant, and it is never too early to begin setting expectations and planning the new staff for your new place.
The right staff is always a key element to any business. In a restaurant, the people you hire should create the right image, attitude, and environment that you plan to nurture through every other aspect of the business. They will cook the food, greet the guests and be the face of your business to the outside world. It is important to decide in advance how many people you will need, what positions to fill and how much of your budget you should be allocated towards staff salaries.
Size and Cost
Obviously, the size of your staff will depend on the size of your restaurant. You want to hire the kind of people you’ll feel comfortable to represent and run your new place. You will clearly need people with experience, but personality is also important. This is not only true with the front of the house positions; you also want back-end people who can get along well with the rest of the staff and properly represent your company.
As far as the cost of your staff, it can vary. However, there are some basic guidelines you can go by that will remain constant, no matter the size of your establishment. Generally, your staffing costs should be around 25 to 35 percent of your total gross sales. This includes the costs of managers and your own salary into this if you plan on taking one.
The exact number of people you need to hire will vary according to the size of your restaurant, and it may change as the business evolves. Even if your new place is going to be relatively small, there will be some specific positions that you will need to fill right off the bat for the restaurant to run smoothly.
Manager
Perhaps the most important position in any restaurant, your manager will be crucial when starting out. He or she should essentially be an extension of you as the owner and be able to handle situations as you would. The manager needs to appropriately reflect the image and style of your restaurant.
You want someone with at least two years of restaurant managerial experience as well as food manager certification. Your manager should have great leadership skills and the ability to supervise workers at every level of the restaurant including servers, chefs, hospitality and all others.
Chef
The main attraction of your establishment, you will want a chef who can develop and enhance your menu as well as be flexible to any changes. Creativity, experience and work ethic are important qualities in the right chef, but talent is the most important aspect here.
Cooks
The backbone of the back of the house, you will want cooks who are hard-working and flexible. They should be able to handle multiple tasks at once and communicate well with other staff members. Salary will depend on a number of factors, and experience is usually the key element.
Servers
The servers will be the face of your restaurant, as they may be the only direct contact your customers have with your staff. The number of servers you need will vary according to a number of factors, but it is better to be over-staffed than the alternative. Personality, work-ethic, flexibility and experience make for a good server.
Hosting staff, bussers, bartenders, and others may be required, depending upon your establishment. As your business grows and develops, you may need to bring on more people at additional positions, but the staff listed above are a must for any new spot. The success of your restaurant will be in their hands, so choose wisely.
