Restaurant Assessment / Maryland SBDC

The Basics

Your business is making money

You are paying your bills on time - especially invoices with discounts

Your vendors and suppliers are shipping you with terms

You are current with your taxes, permits, and licenses

Your business is trending up overall since you opened

Your business is trending up compared to last year

You comply with all Health Department Standards

You have an effective and consistent customer service plan in place

You work beside your employees to help them succeed in their job

Finance

You reconcile your checking accounts

You are producing regular, consistently formatted statements

You operate with a rolling cash flow 12 - 18 months out

Your receivables are current

Shrinkage (bad debt, internal and external loss) is less than 2% of gross revenue

There is a sales plan in place.

Your lease is competitive

Your payroll is an acceptable percentage of sales

A basic ratio analysis corresponds favorably to industry benchmarks

You monitor and manage your Cost of Goods and Payroll according to business levels

Operations

You always keep to your Posted Hours of Operation

Vendors respond and deliver promptly and consistently and at convenient times

You match packing slips with purchase orders with invoices and check quality of goods

You have policies for damaged or spoiled supplies received from vendors

The process of ordering and delivering product is adequately controlled

Your system allows for orderly register "closings" at C.O.B

You make bank deposits daily

You record weather on your daily business summary report

You anticipate business needs and work loads based on weather predictions and/or seasonal variations

Supplies, Food and Produce

You store your goods so they can be rotated and used in the order received

Portions are clearly defined, measured and controlled

All prep work is complete by open of business or prior to peak business hours

Storage areas are clean, orderly, and kept at proper temperature

Foods to be carried over are properly packaged, legended and dated, and kept at proper temperature

Foods are disposed of properly in a timely fashion

You are able to anticipate quantities and usage and order so that supply levels are adequate to meet customer demands with a minimum of spoilage

Menus and Presentation

Menus are clean, attractive, easy to read, and understandable

Lighting is adequate or even enhancing

Display menus or signage is attractive, distinct, easy to read, and clearly priced

Cold and hot cases look full, fresh, and ready for business

Cold or hot case beverages and dispensers are maintained throughout the day to be ready at peak hours

Visible cooking areas are clean, orderly, and constantly maintained

These areas enhance the perception of your food

Food is attractively and appetizingly presented to the customer

Location - Front Of House

The front/entrance of your location is clean and in good condition

Windows are clean

All light bulbs are working and interior is well lit

Window displays and signage are effective and in order

Furnishings and decor are clean and in good condition

Tabletops are clean

Utensils, napkins, and condiments are clean and readily accessible - whether on the table or at a central station

The floor in clean

The bathrooms are clean

The music is appropriate

Refuse containers are periodically emptied and wiped down

The shop opens daily ready for business regardless of your presence

Location - Back Of The House

All equipment works and is safe and in good condition

All prep stations are set up correctly and on time at the start of the day

All food and beverage prep areas are thoroughly cleaned at C.O.B.

Floors are clean

Storage areas are neat, orderly and clean

Cleaning suppliers are properly stored

Watwer temperatures are appropriate

Food prep and utensils cleaning equipment is properly maintained

All aspects of operations could withstand a health dept. inspection

Personnel

Staff is stable and turnover manageable

Employees clearly understand performance standards and friendly customer service

Operational policy and procedures are clearly stated

Employee discounts or purchase program are clearly defined

Employees have an understanding or product knowledge, selling techniques, and use of downtime

Training is provided

Employees are properly groomed and attired

The compensation system incentivizes behavior

All behavior receives appropriate feedback, redirection, or reinforcement

You solicit and listen to employees' ideas and suggestions

You periodically drop-in on your day off to see if management is as good as it should be when you are not there

Customer Service

You can describe your customer in detail in two or three sentences

Merchandising policy, promotional, marketing, or replacement decisions are made from a customer service perspective

Your customers are greeted when they enter your shop

Your employees answer the phone in a prescribed manner

Customers are thanked when they spend money with you

You have sat or eaten at every table in your shop

You have had your restaurant "secret shopped"

You have a "complmentary drink or menu item" budget

You have identifed the most effective means of communicating with your customer

Marketing

You capture customer information for mailing or direct contact

You contact customers on a regular basis

You have a marketing plan and a budget

Competition

You patronize the competition

You are familiar with competitors' marketing, menus, pricing, and policy practices

You are beating the competition

You consider having "loss leaders" that are readily reorderable and might enhance customer loyalty

You understand where else a customer might spend the dollars that would be spent in your shop

Loss Prevention And Safety

Shop and register keys are in management's possession at all times

Customer entry chimes or bells work

Stockroom and office doors are closed and secure

Rear entrances are locked

You conduct regular inventory plus "spot check" inventory on costly goods

Emergency numbers are clearly posted in front and rear of shop

Fire extinguisher and first aid kit are in good order

Exits clear, exit signs and emergency lights are working

Bathrooms are monitored by staff

Technology

You employ a computerized Point of Sale system that provides effective data and control

It integrates to accounting and inventory systems

It provides information for adequate and timely reordering

It captures customer information

You have a website

You have done a Technology Assessment to determine appropriate technology applications and cost-benefit for your business

Restaurant Assessment