July 10, 2023
It's not simple to run a restaurant. Consumers, your team—who are also your family at work—and your actual family put a lot of pressure on you to grow.
People have claimed that the product, not branding or marketing, is what matters. But if the Product is the King, then Marketing is your Queen, in my opinion, having tried and failed to run and make a business out of two restaurants successfully. Although a great product is necessary for success, it is insufficient. You also need to promote your goods and persuade customers to acquire them.
I ventured into the competitive world of the food business with Millets, a rising category in the market. As Millets gained popularity, I seized the opportunity to harness its potential and ride the wave of this trend.
Nevertheless, I gradually came to realize that entering a fiercely competitive market makes it challenging to disrupt existing patterns. When introducing a new category/subcategory, it becomes crucial to assess whether the majority of your target audience is ready to embrace the change.
Here are some things I've learned from working in food and beverage. But this definitely isn't the end.
Your employees are your most valuable resource. If you treat them well, they'll look after your customers.
Ensure that your clients have a wonderful experience from beginning to end. They'll be more inclined to return and invite family or friends.
Your cuisine and service must be of the highest caliber. Customers directly correlate with quality. High quality attracts more customers.
The F&B industry has hefty costs. Raw materials, labor, and other ad hoc costs quickly pile up. Be careful to keep track of the costs from the beginning and adjust as necessary.
Let people know about the restaurant and what they can expect.
Things don’t go as per the plan always. Your staff will fall sick, some equipment will breakdown and other thousand things can go wrong. Own it and be prepared to handle it.
100 sq. ft - rolling out healthy food
As Yoda, the legendary Jedi Master from the Star Wars franchise, said - The greatest teacher, Failure is
Running a restaurant can provide valuable insights and learnings that can be applied to product management:
Until next time, keep trying and keep learning!