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smokelahoma · BBQ Fan Joined: 22 Mar 2009 Posts: 314

hey y'all

i am new to the forum (this is my first post). i have been day dreaming about opening a bbq/microbrewery.

just wanted to ask a couple of questions from those of you that own restaurants

1) how many covers do you do in one lunch or dinner service on average?

2) rank the sales of your meat items by popularity. what sells best and what sells least.

thanks

Jeff Hughes · Posted: Mar 22 2009 Post subject:

Where is Okie land are you?
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Harry Nutczak · Posted: Mar 22 2009 Post subject:

Your questions although good, are near impossible to answer.

What you will need to do is a "Market Analysis" for the area that you plan on opening the restaurant at. (part of a thorough business plan and P&L estimates that will be needed to secure commercial funding)

You will need to design a menu, figure your costs to put the food on a plate and in front of the customer, then figure what you need to sell daily just to meet your "Break Even point"

There are plenty of books on this very subject. and I suggest reading every book you can find more than once. The hiring of a restaurant consultant may not be a bad idea either.

Now for the biggie; Have you ever worked in the restaurant industry?

it looks easy when your a customer, but it is a whole other world when you are the one writing the checks to keep the doors open.

As a basic rule, for every $1.00 you put in the cash register, you will be able to call $0.04 - $0.07 of each dollar your profits. that other 93-96 cents is already spent on expenses. That should give you an idea of how much money you'll need to bring in daily to break even.
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smokelahoma · BBQ Fan Joined: 22 Mar 2009 Posts: 314

sorry what i'm trying to ask is not how many do you think my fictional restaurant will do; but what does your actual restaurant do as far as covers a day and sales of meat.

thanks

btw i'm in tulsa

smokelahoma · BBQ Fan Joined: 22 Mar 2009 Posts: 314

Pit Boss · Posted: Mar 23 2009 Post subject:

Harry's numbers are the reality you should be considering. I've seen many years that my former place profited WELL under 10%. Think about it...long & hard.

Restaurant ownership isn't catering and/or vending. I see where those professions can make a better profit.

Restaurants are labors of love. They can be profitable...and sometimes VERY profitable...but most struggle to make ends meet...and the hours small business owners dedicate to their business can be stifling.
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Jeff Hughes · Posted: Mar 23 2009 Post subject:

Is your hypothetical place going to brew 3.2 or full strength beer?

The restaurant business in Tulsa is fickle and tough. I have several friends that have been in it for years. Are you planning on a midtown or south location?

I don't know how long you have lived here, the Grey Snail and Ryans on South Memorial are both former microbrewery/restaurants. Neither lasted more than a year.
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marvsbbq · BBQ All Star Joined: 15 May 2005 Posts: 6186

BBQMAN · Posted: Mar 24 2009 Post subject:

Pit Boss · Posted: Mar 24 2009 Post subject:

My best year had a profit margin of 12%...mostly well under 10%. I've seen numbers under 7%. Believe it.
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SoEzzy · Posted: Mar 24 2009 Post subject:

I can see that profit margins could be that low, remember that is after all payments have been made, taxes accounted for, wages paid including the owners.

It's not what's left to go in the owners pocket as spending money, it's the profit that is increasing the companies coffers.
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Wild West BBQ · Posted: Mar 24 2009 Post subject:

I just opened the sit down raunt in january before that we had a patio to go type biz. including catering and festivals my c.p.a. asked me what I pay myself I had to laugh I work 18 hour days but I'm making it this has to be a labor of love getting rich is not in the formula

BobbyT · Posted: Mar 26 2009 Post subject:

I've been trudging along for 6 months now and am starting to see an increase in revenue but yet to see a penny in my pocket. My business plan that I paid to have done for this, had me and my 2 family members making 45,000 the first year. Still looking over that damn plan to figure where it's going wrong to no avail! Mad