01 · Plan
Turn the idea into a restaurant that can work.
Define the concept, guest, format, market and financial assumptions before expensive commitments narrow your choices.
Work before commitment
Make the assumptions visible.
The most valuable planning work identifies what must be true before a lease, buildout or permanent team makes experimentation expensive.
Choose a restaurant concept with a clear reason to exist
A concept is a set of operating choices, not a cuisine label. It should explain the guest, occasion, promise, price, format and reason to return.
Define the guest without inventing a fictional persona
Use observable occasions, constraints and behaviors instead of demographic stereotypes. The useful question is what job the restaurant performs for the guest.
Select a service model that matches the promise and the numbers
Counter service, full service, delivery, tasting menus and hybrids each create different staffing, space, technology and throughput requirements.
Evaluate a market before evaluating a specific lease
Separate market demand from the emotional pull of a particular storefront. A good-looking space does not create the right guest, occasion or check average.
Build a startup budget around uncertainty
A useful budget separates committed costs, estimates, allowances, recurring obligations and working capital. It also makes missing information visible.
Working plan