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How to start a Business Plan for Restaurants

Summary

How to start a Business Plan for Restaurants

Define why you want to open your restaurant

Define your ideal client

What are you going to offer: gastronomic concept?

Do you have a great idea for opening a restaurant, but don't know where to start? Before thinking about decoration or your star dish, you need something much more important: a business plan for restaurants.

In this guide of nine points, we explain step by step how to do it, without technicalities or empty formulas. Just the essentials to start your project, and have it work from day one. Here are the details: 

1. Define why you want to open your restaurant

The sacrifice and dedication of a restaurant is huge. At Bookline we are aware of this because we talk every day with hundreds of entrepreneurs and business owners who plan and launch ideas and concepts where cost optimization and an efficient operations plan are key from day one.

It is because of this that the Why? is the heart of the plan. What problem are you solving? What experience are you going to offer that doesn't exist today? Examples:

  • Offer healthy and quick food for working people without time.

  • Create a place where signature dining is accessible to everyone.

  • Support a slow food concept in a neighborhood without quality options.

Do it in a clear sentence. If you can't explain it in one line, it's probably still not clear.

2. Define your ideal customer

You don't cook for everyone.  You need to know exactly who you are targeting. One thing we see that works is starting with very small niches with special tastes, which later become very exclusive and famous spaces. For this, put these questions on your table:

  • What age is your customer?

  • Where do they live or work?

  • What do they value when going out to eat or dine?

  • What is their budget?

The more specific, the better. It will help you with the design of the venue, the prices, the menu, and the communication.

3. What are you going to offer: culinary concept

Here you define the soul of your restaurant:

  • Type of cuisine

  • Price level (economical, medium, high)

  • Service (fast, casual, elegant)

  • Opening hours and days

  • What you are not going to do (key to focus)

Example: “Latino-Asian fusion restaurant, with shareable dishes and a short menu. Dinners only and weekends. Everything handmade and with quality products.”

4. Competitive Analysis

Conduct a realistic analysis of your environment. It is not about copying or criticizing them, but understanding how to position yourself better. If everyone offers the same, you need to stand out with something: 

  • What are the most similar restaurants?

  • What do they do well?

  • What do they do poorly?

  • What can you do differently?

5. Marketing Strategy for Restaurant

Nowadays, it is not enough to just open and wait. You have to attract your first customers and generate visibility. Include in your plan:

  • Social Media for Restaurants (Instagram and TikTok)

  • Positioning on Google (Google Maps for local SEO)

  • Website or landing page for restaurant with visible menu, reservation engine for restaurants, and contact form. 

  • Opening strategies: promotions, soft opening, collaborations

  • Offline campaigns if the neighborhood allows (flyers, local agreements)

6. How to make money in restoration?

Without this point, the plan is incomplete. Calculate:

  • Initial investment (renovations, equipment, permits)

  • Fixed costs (rent, salaries, supplies)

  • Margin per dish (cost of raw materials vs selling price)

  • Break-even point (how many daily covers you need to avoid losing money)

  • Forecast of income and expenses during the first 12-36 months


  • Tip: use simple spreadsheets. The important thing is to understand the numbers, not to make them pretty.

7. The team: who is behind the project

Describe who is on the founding team and what their experience is. If you don't have direct experience in hospitality, surround yourself with people who do. Include:

Investors do not invest in ideas, they invest in people who can execute them.

8. Key milestones before opening

Mark the main steps to open and what you need to move forward:

  • Find location

  • Obtain licenses

  • Close letter and suppliers

  • Renovations and decoration

  • Staff selection

  • Trial opening

  • Grand official opening

Having these points clear will help you better organize time, budget, and priorities.

9. Appendix: extras that can add up

Here you can add everything that doesn’t fit in the body of the plan, but adds value:

  • Designs of the premises

  • Menu sketches, although it's not always the best option, you always have "Canva for Restaurants" to see ideas.

  • Market studies 

  • Preliminary agreements with suppliers

  • Internal manuals in draft

  • Follow magazines like alimarket.es

  • Join WhatsApp communities like El Escandallo.

A good plan is not a document to make and store. It is a daily guide, your reference when in doubt, and your presentation letter if you need investment or external support.

If you have a good idea and a clear plan, you are already ahead of 90% of what it takes to open a restaurant. Now it's time to make a move.

Download the business plan template in PDF.

Get inspired by these 6 business plan examples to finish perfecting yours.

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