When you’re buying your first restaurant in the Florida Keys, here’s what you need to watch for as far as features go.
Features to Look for in a Building When You’re Buying Your First Restaurant
If you’re interested in opening your first restaurant, you have a lot of research that you need to do. Starting a restaurant is a big endeavor, and running a successful restaurant over the long term is even more challenging. Choosing the building is one of the more important aspects of starting a successful restaurant business, so here are a few features that you should look for when finding a building to buy or lease.
Know Your Concept and Layout Needs
One of the most important parts about choosing a building is having a strong understanding of the concept of your restaurant. You can have a full-service restaurant, a fast food restaurant, a diner, a supper club, and several other types of restaurants. Each one will need a slightly different layout, and you’ll have to know what it will take to convert the existing building into the type of restaurant that you’re opening.
Look for a Solid Structure, Electrical and Plumbing
While cosmetic updates can get pricey, structural, electrical, and plumbing issues can be very expensive, and you need to fix them immediately so that you’re up to code. Employ an inspector who’s knowledgeable about restaurant buildings, and start adding up the costs as they find issues about the building that you’ll need to address. In a restaurant, especially, this will also include the ventilation, air conditioner, and heating system, too.
Kitchen Space
People who have worked in the restaurant industry know that having a functional kitchen is one of the best ways to ensure great customer service. Ensure that you have enough freezer and cooler space that you’ll be able to purchase enough food for at least a couple of weeks into the future. Also, if you think that you’ll need to reconfigure the kitchen, make sure that you’ll still have plenty of space for cooks to prepare food efficiently. You’ll also want plenty of storage space for dry goods. In fact, a separate room is ideal.
Features That Comply With Building Codes
When you’re buying a restaurant building, you’ll be serving the public, so learn about fire codes and ADA compliance for restaurants in the area that you live in. For instance, if there are stairs in front of the building, you’ll need a ramp for people in wheelchairs. There are numerous laws that you’ll need to comply with, and they can vary by your location, so a little bit of research can save you a lot of money in renovation costs.
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