Guide

How to open a restaurant: steps, costs, menu, food cost

How to open a restaurant: the steps, what drives each cost, a short menu, costing dishes, food safety, a daily routine, mistakes and a checklist.

The Dashing team3 min read

The short answer: a restaurant sells cooked meals and service, so its cost sits in rent, kitchen equipment, staff and ingredients. To open one, pick a location that matches your menu and price, check food business, health inspection and signage rules with your local authority, plan the kitchen flow, write a short menu, cost every dish from its ingredients, and track waste from the first week.

The Dashing cashier home screen with the sale and shortcuts

The steps to open

  1. Choose the location and the idea together. A family meal, a quick lunch and a late-night grill need different spots.
  2. Check licences and inspections. Food business, health, fire safety, signage and seating rules differ by place. Ask your local authority. This is not legal advice.
  3. Plan the kitchen flow: receiving, storage, prep, cooking, serving and washing, with raw and cooked food kept apart.
  4. Buy equipment (below).
  5. Write a short menu and cost each dish.
  6. Set up suppliers for produce, meat, dry goods and packaging, and agree delivery days.
  7. Train staff on recipes, portions and hygiene so each plate looks and costs the same.
  8. Open softly, watch which dishes sell, and trim the menu.

What the money goes to

  • Rent and deposit.
  • Fit-out: kitchen, ventilation, plumbing, seating, lighting and signage. Ventilation and plumbing are often the surprise.
  • Equipment: cooking line, fridges and freezers, prep tables, dishwashing, till device and receipt printer. Your menu decides what you need.
  • Ingredients and packaging.
  • Staff: cooks, servers and cleaners for every hour you are open.
  • Running costs: electricity, gas, water, waste collection and cleaning.
  • A cash cushion for the weeks before regular customers form.

Use the break-even tool to see how many covers a day pay your fixed costs.

Choosing the first stock

Order less than you think, and match the amount to the menu. Fresh produce and meat spoil, while dry goods keep. A shorter menu needs fewer ingredients, which means less waste. Keep a purchase list per supplier, such as the free purchase order template for cafes and restaurants. The WHO five keys to safer food (keep clean, separate raw and cooked, cook thoroughly, keep food at safe temperatures, use safe water and raw materials) give a simple base for kitchen routines; your local rules come first.

Pricing and margin

Cost each dish from its ingredients, then add your share of rent and wages. Put the numbers in the margin calculator dish by dish, and build a printable menu with the menu maker. Ask whether your most popular dish is also the one that earns most; they are often different.

A daily routine

  • Open: check the kitchen, count the drawer, prep the day's items.
  • During: ring up every order, including staff meals and gifts, so waste is visible.
  • Close: clean, count the drawer against sales, list what to order.
  • Weekly: count stock against what you bought and sold.

Common mistakes

  • A long menu that multiplies waste.
  • Not costing dishes, so some sell below cost.
  • Staff meals and gifts that are never recorded.
  • Over-ordering fresh produce.
  • Hiring for the busiest hour and paying for it all day.

A checklist

  • Licences and inspections confirmed locally
  • Kitchen flow planned, raw and cooked apart
  • Equipment bought or quoted
  • Menu costed dish by dish
  • Suppliers and prices written down
  • Till and receipt printer tested
  • Cash cushion set aside

Where Dashing helps

Dashing has a cashier that works offline, records sales and expenses, and supports stock counts. The closest page is the cafe page; see also the cashier, log an expense and the free plan.

Costs, licences and margins vary by country; use your own quotes.

Sources

Outside facts come from the sources below. The statements about Dashing rest on the Dashing pages (accessed 2026-10-31).

This article is also available in العربية · کوردی

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