What Does a Restaurant Consultant Do? A Comprehensive Guide
You may consider hiring a restaurant consultant if you’re opening a new restaurant or operating an underperforming restaurant. But what does a restaurant consultant actually do? Can they really help get your restaurant off the ground? A good restaurant consultant has years of experience in restaurant operations and management. They act as your coach in a highly competitive marketplace and can help with everything from concept design and securing funding to setting up business operations.
I am a passionate hospitality professional with extensive experience in restaurant operations. I’ve been in the industry for 35 years and am a proud owner of three Colorado Springs restaurants. I’ve partnered with bars, restaurants, and coffee shops to help them refine their business operations and maximize profit. My mission is to help your restaurant succeed.
Types of Restaurant Consultants
Like many business professionals, restaurant consultants often specialize in a single area of restaurant operations. Some consultants are well-versed in multiple areas, but that is less common. When looking for a restaurant consultant, make sure their expertise matches the problem you are trying to solve or work with a firm that will allow you to work with multiple experts. Here are the three most common types of restaurant consultants:
Food Consultant
A food consultant will focus on issues in the kitchen. They likely have a background in the culinary arts and experience in management and can help with inventory, supply chain, food safety, kitchen staff training, and menu development.
Beverage Consultant
Beverage consultants are your bar experts. They have experience in mixology and bar management and will help you source ingredients, develop a drink menu, train bartenders, and other similar tasks.
Restaurant Business Consultant
A restaurant business consultant focuses more on restaurant-wide operations, such as securing funding for a new restaurant, creating business plans, supporting concept design, and addressing staffing issues.
The Role of a Restaurant Consultant
The role of a restaurant consultant is to serve as an extra set of eyes to identify any issues in your restaurant plan or operations. They are essentially your business advisor for all things hospitality. It’s important to note that though a restaurant consultant will offer advice and implementation strategies, it’s up to you to follow through on their recommendations. Here are a few standard services that your consultant can provide:
Helping with Restaurant Business Plan Creation
If you’re looking for a restaurant consultant to help open a new restaurant, your first step is to create a business plan. Restaurant business plans usually run between 20 and 30 pages and need to include everything from market research to a sample menu. Your business plan is the key to getting lenders and investors on board and convincing prospective employees to come work for you. Getting your business plan right is crucial to the success of your new restaurant, so this is a great thing to have your consultant help with.
Finalizing Restaurant Concept
The second thing that your new restaurant needs is a unique concept that will bring guests in and keep them coming back. Your concept includes everything from interior design to the food you serve and how your menu looks. It’s also a valuable tool for analyzing the market in your area. For example, what niche are you filling, and who are your competitors? Restaurant consultants have experience branding and marketing restaurants, so they can help you finalize your concept or develop a new concept that will help drive revenue.
Menu Development: Planning and Design
Menu development is probably the most crucial element to a new restaurant’s success or a successful restaurant relaunch. Though the atmosphere is important, people come to a restaurant primarily to eat and drink and often decide where to go based on the menu alone. Restaurant consultants can help you develop a delicious and cost-effective food and beverage menu with a beautiful design that will delight and intrigue your guests.
Restaurant Operations Analysis
If you feel overwhelmed as a restaurant owner-operator and like you can’t step away, you may need someone to review your restaurant operations to increase efficiency and profit. This includes evaluating:
Current financials
Staffing
Ordering processes
Onboarding and training
And more
Management Training
Having good processes is half the battle, but you also need people who can implement those processes and keep your restaurant running smoothly. Restaurant consultants usually have management backgrounds and can help develop managerial skills in your staff. A consultant may also review your onboarding process and look for ways to improve staff training.
Should I Hire a Restaurant Consultant?
You should hire a restaurant consultant if you are starting a restaurant for the first time, want to see your profits increase, or just have a persistent issue that you can’t seem to solve. Sometimes restaurant owners are too close to the problem to find the best solution. Everyone can benefit from a second opinion, whether you are a brand new restaurant owner or have been in the industry for years.
DMD Restaurant Consultants is here to facilitate your success. I specialize in all areas of restaurant consulting, but if it’s not the right fit, I will connect you with other hospitality professionals who can mentor or consult with you. Whether you want a consultant to help with opening a new restaurant or to revitalize an existing one, I can help. Contact me today to schedule a free consultation.
