{"id":3364,"date":"2026-01-13T05:01:38","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T11:01:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/?p=3364"},"modified":"2026-03-31T10:32:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T15:32:31","slug":"open-a-restaurant-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/open-a-restaurant-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Checklist to Opening a New Restaurant"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>According to the National Restaurant Association, restaurant industry sales in the U.S. are set to <a href=\"https:\/\/restaurant.org\/downloads\/pdfs\/research\/restaurant2030.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">hit $1.2 trillion by 2030<\/a>. That\u2019s nearly the entire GDP of Switzerland and Argentina \u2013 combined.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"203\" data-end=\"291\">That growth is driven by entrepreneurs launching thousands of new restaurants each year.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"293\" data-end=\"345\">But what does opening a restaurant actually involve?<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"347\" data-end=\"488\">First, you\u2019ll need to secure the capital \u2014 whether that\u2019s personal savings, a loan, or bringing on a partner. From there, the real work begins.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"490\" data-end=\"558\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Here\u2019s your ultimate checklist for opening a new restaurant in 2026:<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"why-open-a-restaurant\"><\/span>Why Open a Restaurant?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Opening a restaurant is risky, but what about the good reasons for opening one?<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a short list:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Being your own boss means you have greater control of your destiny and have unlimited growth opportunities.<\/li>\n<li>You get to choose your own team, which means you never have to work with people you don\u2019t enjoy spending time with.<\/li>\n<li>Opening a restaurant impacts the community. It gives people a place to socialize, make connections, and create memories.<\/li>\n<li>You get to make creative choices like what goes on your menu, restaurant decor, and how you enhance the customer experience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Opening a restaurant can be extremely rewarding and a great way to pass your passion for food to others.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/restaurant-management-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA.png\" alt=\"Restaurant Management Download Button\" width=\"1138\" height=\"401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA.png 1138w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA-300x106.png 300w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA-1024x361.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA-768x271.png 768w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA-746x263.png 746w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA-91x32.png 91w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1138px) 100vw, 1138px\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3652 size-full no-lazyload\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the-ultimate-checklist-for-opening-a-new-restaurant\"><\/span>The Ultimate Checklist for Opening a New Restaurant<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The checklist you follow when starting a restaurant relies on a variety of factors. The city, state, and country will likely have specific rules and regulations to follow. Local competition will dictate some of your choices as well. Even accessibility (or lack of) to fresh ingredients can play a role.<\/p>\n<p>Leavening some of that aside, here are a few things to consider when opening a new restaurant:<\/p>\n<h3>1. Cultivate Your Vision<\/h3>\n<p>Before you do anything else, you\u2019ll want to get a grip on what makes your restaurant unique. Sure, you could probably get by opening a decent pizza joint or burger spot just like everyone else, but it won\u2019t be as fun as adding your own flare.<\/p>\n<p>In practice, that means deciding on a theme. Will you serve Tex-Mex? Asian cuisine? Perhaps, vegan dishes? Picking a theme makes picking a name a great next step. Ideally, it\u2019s something original and easy to remember. With a name and a theme, it\u2019ll be easier to create a logo and signage.<\/p>\n<p>Next, you\u2019ll want to create a mission and vision statement to determine what makes you stand apart from the competition. Finally, you\u2019ll want to iron out what employees you\u2019ll need, where you\u2019ll get food supplies, and what dishes you\u2019ll serve. The more detail in this step the better.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Opening-a-Restaurant-Checklist.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1050\" height=\"700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Opening-a-Restaurant-Checklist.jpeg 1050w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Opening-a-Restaurant-Checklist-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Opening-a-Restaurant-Checklist-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Opening-a-Restaurant-Checklist-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Opening-a-Restaurant-Checklist-453x302.jpeg 453w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Opening-a-Restaurant-Checklist-91x61.jpeg 91w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3366 no-lazyload\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>2. Make It Legal and Real<\/h3>\n<p>Now that the fun stuff is out of the way, you need to make sure that everything\u2019s legal. Without the proper <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/restaurant-licenses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">restaurant licenses and permits<\/a>, your restaurant won\u2019t last long. Some can take months to secure, so it\u2019s good to get a head start on them.<\/p>\n<p>Some licenses and permits to look into include a liquor license, business license, health permit, and food handling licenses. You should also get ready to meet OSHA requirements and ensure all health, safety, and cleanliness standards are maintained.<\/p>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve got some momentum on the license and permit front, it\u2019s time to secure a location and, if necessary, work with an engineer, architect, or project manager that can help transform your new space. You&#8217;ll need to order furniture like tables, chairs, barstools, umbrellas, etc. You\u2019ll also need cookware and appliances, and you can\u2019t forget to order signs, menus, and uniforms.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Lead With Automation<\/h3>\n<p>Running a restaurant requires constant attention to a lot of details \u2013 inventory management, food prep, and on, and on. Since the restaurant is new, you\u2019re not stuck to any archaic processes or manual work. In fact, you can automate a lot from the beginning.<\/p>\n<p>One must-have item includes a point of sale (POS) system. A POS system will not only keep track of all transactions but can keep up with inventory tracking as well. No more keeping physical lists and doing constant audits. Your team can focus their efforts elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p>Staffing a restaurant and keeping up with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/restaurants\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">employee scheduling<\/a> is another time-consuming process ripe for automation. Software like ZoomShift streamlines the scheduling process so you can easily track your employee\u2019s shifts and run payroll in a fraction of the time.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Start Interviewing Early<\/h3>\n<p>People are your greatest resource in any business but especially in a restaurant. Often you only get one chance at a first impression which makes hiring the right people paramount to a successful restaurant opening. Ideally, you\u2019d start hiring a few months out but no later than 30 days, so you\u2019re fully staffed come opening day.<\/p>\n<p>The main qualities to look for in a candidate are punctuality, reliability, and curiosity. If they show up on time, ask questions, and can be relied upon in most situations, you\u2019ve found a winner. Finding someone who\u2019s a self-starter and will finish their work and immediately find more to do is worth a premium price. Finding such people boils down to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/restaurant-interview-questions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">asking the right interview questions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Plan a Memorable Grand Opening<\/h3>\n<p>Everyone\u2019s heard the statistics that say most restaurants fail in their first year. Instead of letting that dissuade you, focus on making sure you don\u2019t become part of the statistic. To do so, it\u2019s imperative that you get the word out about your new restaurant.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/restaurant-grand-opening-ideas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Host a grand opening<\/a> that will help your restaurant explode onto the scene. Invite influential people and make it a big party. Give away prizes, free food, or free drinks. Make it an event people will remember for years to come and give them a reason to come back and bring their friends next time.<\/p>\n<p>Opening a restaurant may seem overwhelming, but if you tackle things one at a time and bring enthusiasm to every task, you\u2019ll find it much more enjoyable.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s missing from our restaurant opening checklist? Let us know in the comments below:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/restaurant-management-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA.png\" alt=\"Restaurant Management Download Button\" width=\"1138\" height=\"401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA.png 1138w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA-300x106.png 300w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA-1024x361.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA-768x271.png 768w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA-746x263.png 746w, https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA-91x32.png 91w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1138px) 100vw, 1138px\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3652 size-full no-lazyload\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to the National Restaurant Association, restaurant industry sales in the U.S. are set to hit $1.2 trillion by 2030. That\u2019s nearly the entire GDP of Switzerland and Argentina \u2013 combined. That growth is driven by entrepreneurs launching thousands of new restaurants each year. But what does opening a restaurant actually involve? First, you\u2019ll need [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":3365,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.10 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Ultimate Restaurant Opening Checklist<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Starting a restaurant involves numerous considerations and tasks. This comprehensive checklist covers everything you need to open a new restaurant.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/open-a-restaurant-checklist\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Ultimate Restaurant Opening Checklist\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Starting a restaurant involves numerous considerations and tasks. 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