Many people express a desire to get into the restaurant business. According to the National Restaurant Association, in 2018, there were over $1 million restaurants in the U.S. employing 15.1 million people. A study from Restaurant Startup & Growth shows that 23 percent of all restaurants fail within their first year. There are four main restaurant objectives that any potential owner needs to consider to run a successful establishment.

Serving Quality and Affordable Foods

More and more restaurants are making the switch to eating organic food that is locally grown. The benefits of buying organic, locally grown food includes offering fresh produce and meats that taste better than food that previously was frozen, the meals you serve will be healthier for your customers and you will be helping local, small farmers stay in business.

It is true that buying organic food means you will incur additional upfront costs, but more and more restaurant customers are seeking out healthy dining alternatives. Additionally, buying locally grown organic foods allows you to offer an evolving menu as what you serve at any given time depends on what's available and in season at local farms.

Focusing on Atmosphere and Ambience

There is more to running a successful restaurant than just serving great food. Having a good atmosphere and ambiance is among important restaurant goals since it helps attract customers and leave them a huge impression on their overall dining experience. The right atmosphere leaves guests feeling relaxed throughout their meal and lends itself to generating repeat customers.

Remember that not everyone seeks the same type of ambiance when choosing a place to eat. Many people who work in an office setting all day often prefer a quiet, relaxed atmosphere while telecommuters and younger customers often prefer busier, even noisy, restaurants.

Knowing the Target Market

Another one of the goals and objectives of food service revolves around knowing your target market. Choosing the right concept, finding the right location and attracting the appropriate demographic all are important factors that will determine whether or not your restaurant succeeds or fails.

Are you planning to cater to the lunch crowd or the happy hour crowd? Are you trying to attract customers looking for a formal dining experience, or do you want to be a neighborhood hangout? Do you expect to serve more senior citizens or music fans? It is critical to determine the parameters of your target market and to understand what they expect when visiting your restaurant.

Managing Customer Relations

It's impossible to please every customer that ever walks through the front doors of your restaurant, but knowing how to appease even the most irate diner will help spread positive word-of-mouth about your business. Make sure to train your wait staff on how to properly engage your customers, which will differ depending on your target market.

Employees should wear appropriate attire at all times, and if there is a complaint, the wait staff should get the restaurant manager to step in and help solve the problem. Being courteous, kind and accommodating, even when faced with an extremely rude patron, will help your restaurant succeed and build a positive reputation in the community.