How to Open a Fast Casual Mexican Restaurant

Tacos and burritos are the most common items served in fast casual Mexican restaurants.

Fast casual is a style of restaurant that allows customers to order quality food from a cashier that would normally be served in a casual dining establishment. Mexican, Tex-Mex and Cal-Mex are popular cuisines to serve in a fast casual format. Restaurateurs can serve dinners, cafeteria style, or fill the order in the kitchen and ding a bell or call the customer's name to pick up their order. Opening a fast casual Mexican restaurant requires a strong menu, a cozy restaurant space in a great location, health inspections and food service licenses.

Instructions

1. Calculate the budget available to start the restaurant. The budget must take into account building, decorating, furnishing the kitchen, hiring workers, obtaining permits and licenses, advertising and providing cups, plates, utensils and napkins as well as stocking the food and beverages. If needed, confirm where to secure additional capital to support the business.

2. Lease or buy a location in a strip center or area with a high concentration of the ideal customer. Ideal customers can include office workers, hipsters and suburbanites.

3. Design a look for your restaurant that has a cantina-style atmosphere. Designate a workflow of customer service. Cafeteria style service allows customers to see menu items before ordering and watch service workers as they add the food to their plate. Order-and-wait style service asks customers to queue at a cashier, place their order and then await their number or name to be called for food pick-up.

4. Create a menu. Develop a list of entrees and side dishes. Experiment with different salsas and combinations to give customers many options within a small selection. For example, you may offer tacos and burritos with a choice of four meats, beans, rice and salsas. Establish a prices range of $6 to $12 for a meal plus drink. Consider serving beer, which, in many states, does not require a liquor license and which will encourage dinner customers.

5. Secure suppliers of quality meats, vegetables, fruits, beverages, plates, cups and utensils. Contact purveyors of organic or naturally raised meats. Organic meats are from animals that have been raised on certified organic feed and without the use of growth hormones. Naturally raised meats are from animals on which growth hormones have not been used or added to the feed.

6. Read and understand food safety regulations defined by your state and local governments. Obtain licenses and permits from your state and local department of health services.

7. Train employees in proper food safety and customer service. Encourage employees not only to wash their hands frequently but to smile and behave in a warm manner toward customers. Express that it is highly important that the service be thoughtful.

8. Advertise the opening of the restaurant. Set up advertising through social media to reach customers in the area directly. Offer a discount through an Internet discount coupon provider to kick off awareness of your restaurant. Call the local newspaper or radio station to announce your grand opening and a special discount for readers or listeners. Join the local Chamber of Commerce and join in on group advertising campaigns.

References

• Nation's Restaurant News: Chipotle to Open Asian Fast-Casual Concept
• Fast Casual: New Fast Casual Concept to Open at Forth Worth Stock Show
• Entrepreneur: Yes, You Can Start a Restaurant in a Down Economy
• Entrepreneur: Waiter, Bring Me a Fresh Idea
• Texas Department of State Health Services: Rules and Regulations