The restaurant industry is changing all over the globe, and London is no exception.
Although this is good news for successful restaurant owners, it can give more competition to the newbies. Almost every street in London has bars, pubs, and cafes that offer everything from Italian, and Spanish, to Indian cuisine.
London Eye is one of the best attraction in London that almost every visitor desire to catch during their visit to London.
So, if you want to set up an evening restaurant near the London Eye then this article is for you.
Here, in this article, we are going to wrap up almost every aspect of setting up a restaurant near the London Eye.
With a positive mindset continue reading this article to become as successful as existing ones.
Let’s dive into deep!
A Complete Guideline to Setup an Evening Restaurant near London Eye:
Before opening a restaurant near London Eye in London, you can consider these few factors:
1. Research and Planning:
Before going ahead, first, you need to put some time into researching and planning for setting up a new restaurant in London.
You must budget various costs including premises costs, legal costs, staffing costs, interior and exterior costs, equipment costs, utility costs, and more. You need to work out these reasonable costs and then figure out your estimation. Then you are required to assume your profitability.
It can be tough to keep tracking where your money is going out but it is essential. so, you can invest in any effective accounting software once you have set up and running.
2. Location of the Restaurant:
Whether you are purchasing or renting a location in London to set up an evening restaurant, you must secure your restaurant premises first.
The more popular the location will be near the London Eye, the higher the rent will be. For example, you can expect to pay upwards of 80,000 Pounds for the premises.
Since your restaurant will be a start-up at the beginning, you must choose a location that will satisfy the theme/concept of your restaurant. Also, you must choose a location that accommodates diners and service costs without bankrupting you.
In addition, you must ensure that the location has the appropriate planning licenses such as A3 that allows you to serve hot food.
3. Concept and Design:
London has every kind of restaurant so choosing a concept that can be crucial for you. You must choose a concept or theme that is very unique in every possible way.
You must think about what kind of experience you want to offer to your guests and what kind of food you want to serve them.
You must decide what kind of cuisine you want to serve. Also, you can research what kind of food the London Eye visitors expect from the nearby restaurants.
You can explore London’s food scene and also research what kind of food near the London Eye is missing.
According to the concept of your restaurant, you can plan for interior and exterior designs. The decoration and styling must be aligned with the concept of your dream restaurant near the London Eye.
4. Menu Creation:
The menu creation is one of the most crucial aspects of setting up a restaurant.
So, you must work on it to get it right. At first, you must select a head chef and then seek help from him/her to design a menu that reflects your concept. The menu is a great way that appeal to your target guests.
You must keep in mind that the menu should be seasonal, and you need to prepare the dishes using all the fresh ingredients.
It will be cost-effective as you can get discounts from suppliers for ordering in bulk. Also, you must make changes to your menu according to customers’ feedback and what item is selling well.
5. Licensing and Permits:
Like any business in the UK, you must acquire a license to open a restaurant in London. There are two types of licenses that you need to get in to legitimize your business as one that sells food.
First, you must opt for a food business registration license that will cover all food-based operations on your premises. This license will cover cooking, storing, serving, selling, and distribution of your food at your premises. Without this license, you can not open a restaurant near the London Eye.
The second license that you require to get in is a food business approval that you can obtain from the local council. This license is essential for any restaurant that sells meat, fish, egg, or dairy products.
You must keep in mind that you need to apply for both the license and you need to get approval at least 28 days before your restaurant opens its doors to guests.
6. Design and Decor:
To offer a truly immersive dining experience, you must let your guests indulge more than just ending their food cravings.
You must look for an interior design for your restaurant that wows your customers while building brand recognition and loyalty. You must ensure the entryways of your restaurant must be welcoming, and aesthetically pleasing.
You must put some more time into choosing a theme for your decor is crucial. You do not go forward with too many different styles that may confuse your guests. Instead, your space should evoke a distinct theme.
You can infuse the cosy space with greenery, it will be the best way to boost the moods of your guests. The scene of green can eliminate stress and also can reduce air toxins by 87% in just 24 hours.
you can hang some modern light fixtures, create an accent wall, highlight the kitchen, try typography, or anything else that suits your taste and preference. Additionally, you can consider a good sound that can complement the overall ambience of the restaurant.
7. Staffing:
Once you have the funding in place, it is the right time to build up your team. Depending on the size of your restaurant, you may require a head chef, Sous chefs, a restaurant manager, and a Waitstaff.
You can look for talented people from the hospitality industry, and then you need to clear your vision towards your team.
During the hiring process, you do not only focus on qualifications, instead, you can look for professionals who are passionate about providing the best service to your customers.
You can give opportunity to the fresher but also look for some experienced people who can run your business efficiently.
8. Marketing and Promotion:
When you are happy with the decor, staffing, and menu of your restaurant, it is time to think about how you will go to the market of your restaurant.
Yet you own the best restaurant in the world, but if no one knows about it then you can not be successful in the long run.
There are various marketing channels that you can use to promote your business, that include:
Social media:
social media is a great way to reach a wide range of audiences and it is very cost-effective. You can create accounts on different social media platforms and start posting about your restaurant.
PR:
if you can get some press coverage that can really help you to raise awareness of your restaurant. You need to try to get featured in local, national, and online publications. Londoners love to visit a new restaurant so getting featured in the right places will be a bonus for you.
9. Grand Opening:
Now comes the dream as well as the scary part, launching your restaurant near the London Eye to the common people.
On the day of launching your restaurant, you need to be sure that everything runs smoothly and your staff are on their game.
The first few weeks of your restaurant will be crucial as this is the time when most newbies fail. If you can manage this period very efficiently then you are on the way to success.
You must remember that it can take some time to build a customer base, so don’t get hurt if you are not immediately busy. You must keep working hard and promote your business so that you can see the positive results.
10. Customer Experience:
As soon as you open the doors of your restaurant to your guests, you can start a write-up procedure.
In this procedure, the guests will provide their feedback regarding your quality of service, food quality, the ambience of the space, the assistance of the staff, and more.
You can check the reviews once a week and take the necessary steps accordingly. It will take you on the way to success.
Wrap up:
opening a restaurant near the London Eye is a huge undertaking but it can be a truly rewarding experience. The important thing is that you do your research, plan very carefully, and work hard to make your dream come true.
If there are some aspects you do not know, then you can seek help from experienced team members and take your customer feedback seriously. Hope, this guide will help you on your way to success! Good Luck!