statement of purpose restaurant business plan

What Is a Statement of Purpose for a Restaurant?

• Small Business
• Business Planning & Strategy
• Business Plans
• ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Pinterest" aria-label="Share on Pinterest">
• ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Reddit" aria-label="Share on Reddit">
• ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Flipboard" aria-label="Share on Flipboard">

How to Begin a Business's Closing Statement

What is a marketing statement, what is a concept description in terms of a restaurant business.

• Home Bakery Business Plan Example
• How to Write a Value Statement for a Nonprofit

When starting a restaurant, as is the case with any business, you must have a business plan in order to secure financing and summarize your business vision, viability and operations. An important part of creating these plans is working out a statement of purpose. Without a good statement of purpose, those who read your plan might question why you are opening your restaurant at all.

A statement of purpose for a restaurant is a statement included in a restaurant business plan or proposal. It defines the objectives you have for your restaurant, how you will use your business plan once your business is operational, and answers questions about funding. Everything in your restaurant plan should support your statement of purpose. Similarly, the statement of purpose supports the overall mission statement. For instance, if your mission statement says you want to provide healthy food for people on the go, your statement of purpose will expand on how this will be executed.

Non-Loan Statements

If you are not asking for financing, the statement in your business plan should provide basic information about the feasibility and operations of the restaurant. These types of statements clarify the aim and functionality of the restaurant. For example, if you want to open a seafood restaurant, you can point out that being located directly on the harbor is ideal. The statement typically provides a brief description of the restaurant, including the number of seats and the ideal restaurant size for a specific target population. You may also describe the intended menu, ownership structure and music. These statements usually indicate that the plan that follows will be used for your specific restaurant.

Financial Statements

Some business plans focus more on detailing the financial aspects of the business, which is sometimes necessary if you want to apply for a loan or other funding. In these instances, as described by Peter Rainsford and David H. Bangs, authors of "The Restaurant Planning Guide," restaurant statements answer questions such as who is requesting the funds; how the business is structured; how much money you need and how the funds will benefit the restaurant; why the loan makes sense; and how you will repay the loan.

Technical Details

Because everything in your business plan should support your restaurant statement, place it early in the business plan. Ideally, it should go after the after the mission statement and prior to the table of contents. In some business plans, the statement of purpose is included with the introduction or the description of the business, but this can make the statement less clear to the reader. Keep the plan to half a page if you can, but take the space you need to describe your intent and needs accurately.

• "The Restaurant Planning Guide"; Peter Rainsford and David H. Bangs; 1996
• Referenceforbusiness.com; Restaurant Business Plan; 2011
• Restaurantowner.com; From the "Executive Summary" of Blue Fish Grill Business Plan; 2011

Wanda Thibodeaux is a freelance writer and editor based in Eagan, Minn. She has been published in both print and Web publications and has written on everything from fly fishing to parenting. She currently works through her business website, Takingdictation.com, which functions globally and welcomes new clients.

Related Articles

How to make a restaurant concept statement, how to raise money for a bar restaurant business, how to conclude a business plan, gross profit margins for upscale restaurants, what does "abridged" mean on a business plan, statements of purpose for businesses, how to own & manage a fast food restaurant, how to simply write a business plan for a loan, why is an effective business plan introduction important, most popular.

• 1 How to Make a Restaurant Concept Statement
• 2 How to Raise Money for a Bar Restaurant Business
• 3 How to Conclude a Business Plan
• 4 Gross Profit Margins for Upscale Restaurants

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

When starting a business—no matter what type of business that may be—a business plan is essential to map out your intentions and direction. That’s the same for a restaurant business plan, which will help you figure out where you fit in the landscape, how you’re going to differ from other establishments around you, how you’ll market your business, and even what you’re going to serve. A business plan for your restaurant can also help you later if you choose to apply for a business loan .

While opening a restaurant isn’t as risky as you’ve likely heard, you still want to ensure that you’re putting thought and research into your business venture to set it up for success. And that’s where a restaurant business plan comes in.

We’ll go through how to create a business plan for a restaurant and a few reasons why it’s so important. After you review the categories and the restaurant business plan examples, you can use the categories to make a restaurant business plan template and start your journey.

Why you shouldn’t skip a restaurant business plan

First-time restaurateurs and industry veterans alike all need to create a business plan when opening a new restaurant . That’s because, even if you deeply understand your business and its nuances (say, seasonal menu planning or how to order correct quantities), a restaurant is more than its operations. There’s marketing, financing, the competitive landscape, and more—and each of these things is unique to each door you open.

That’s why it’s so crucial to understand how to create a business plan for a restaurant. All of these things and more will be addressed in the document—which should run about 20 or 30 pages—so you’ll not only have a go-to-market strategy, but you’ll also likely figure out some things about your business that you haven’t even thought of yet.

Additionally, if you’re planning to apply for business funding down the line, some loans—including the highly desirable SBA loan —actually require you to submit your business plan to gain approval. In other words: Don’t skip this step!

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

How to write a restaurant business plan: Step by step

There’s no absolute format for a restaurant business plan that you can’t stray from—some of these sections might be more important than others, for example, or you might find that there’s a logical order that makes more sense than the one in the restaurant business plan example below. However, this business plan outline will serve as a good foundation, and you can use it as a restaurant business plan template for when you write your own.

Executive summary

Your executive summary is one to two pages that kick off your business plan and explain your vision. Even though this might seem like an introduction that no one will read, that isn’t the case. In fact, some investors only ask for the executive summary. So, you’ll want to spend a lot of time perfecting it.

Your restaurant business plan executive summary should include information on:

Mission statement: Your goals and objectives

General company information: Include your founding date, team roles (i.e. executive chef, sous chefs, sommeliers), and locations

Category and offerings: What category your restaurant fits into, what you’re planning to serve (i.e. farm-to-table or Korean), and why

Context for success: Any past success you’ve had, or any current financial data that’ll support that you are on the path to success

Financial requests: If you’re searching for investment or financing, include your plans and goals here and any financing you’ve raised or borrowed thus far

Future plans: Your vision for where you’re going in the next year, three years, and five years

When you’re done with your executive summary, you should feel like you’ve provided a bird’s eye view of your entire business plan. In fact, even though this section is first, you will likely write it last so you can take the highlights from each of the subsequent sections.

And once you’re done, read it on its own: Does it give a comprehensive, high-level overview of your restaurant, its current state, and your vision for the future? Remember, this may be the only part of your business plan potential investors or partners will read, so it should be able to stand on its own and be interesting enough to make them want to read the rest of your plan.

Company overview

This is where you’ll dive into the specifics of your company, detailing the kind of restaurant you’re looking to create, who’s helping you do it, and how you’re prepared to accomplish it.

Your restaurant business plan company overview should include:

Purpose: The type of restaurant you’re opening (fine dining, fast-casual, pop-up, etc.), type of food you’re serving, goals you have, and the niche you hope to fill in the market

Area: Information on the area in which you’re opening

Customers: Whom you’re hoping to target, their demographic information

Legal structure: Your business entity (i.e. LLC, LLP, etc.) and how many owners you have

Similar to your executive summary, you won’t be going into major detail here as the sections below will get into the nitty-gritty. You’ll want to look at this as an extended tear sheet that gives someone a good grip on your restaurant or concept, where it fits into the market, and why you’re starting it.

Team and management

Barely anything is as important for a restaurant as the team that runs it. You’ll want to create a section dedicated to the members of your staff—even the ones that aren’t yet hired. This will provide a sense of who is taking care of what, and how you need to structure and build out the team to get your restaurant operating at full steam.

Your restaurant business plan team and management section should have:

Management overview: Who is running the restaurant, what their experience and qualifications are, and what duties they’ll be responsible for

Staff: Other employees you’ve brought on and their bios, as well as other spots you anticipate needing to hire for

Ownership percentage: Which individuals own what percentage of the restaurant, or if you are an employee-owned establishment

Be sure to update this section with more information as your business changes and you continue to share this business plan—especially because who is on your team will change both your business and the way people look at it.

Sample menu

You’ll also want to include a sample menu in your restaurant business plan so readers have a sense of what they can expect from your operations, as well as what your diners can expect from you when they sit down. This will also force you to consider exactly what you want to serve your diners and how your menu will stand out from similar restaurants in the area. Although a sample menu is in some ways self-explanatory, consider the following:

Service : If your brunch is as important as your dinner, provide both menus; you also might want to consider including both a-la-carte and prix fixe menus if you plan to offer them.

Beverage/wine service: If you’ll have an emphasis on specialty beverages or wine, a separate drinks list could be important.

Seasonality: If you’re a highly seasonal restaurant, you might want to consider providing menus for multiple seasons to demonstrate how your dishes (and subsequent purchasing) will change.

Market analysis

This is where you’ll begin to dive deeper. Although you’ve likely mentioned your market and the whitespace you hope to address, the market analysis section will enable you to prove your hypotheses.

Your restaurant business plan market analysis should include:

Industry information: Include a description of the restaurant industry, its size, growth trends, and other trends regarding things such as tastes, trends, demographics, structures, etc.

Target market: Zoom in on the area and neighborhood in which you’re opening your restaurant as well as the type of cuisine you’re serving.

Target market characteristics: Describe your customers and their needs, how/if their needs are currently being served, other important pieces about your specific location and customers.

Target market size and growth: Include a data-driven section on the size of your market, trends in its growth, how your target market fits into the industry as a whole, projected growth of your market, etc.

Market share potential: Share how much potential there is in the market, how much your presence will change the market, and how much your specific restaurant or restaurant locations can own of the open market; also touch on any barriers to growth or entry you might see.

Market pricing: Explain how you’ll be pricing your menu and where you’ll fall relative to your competitors or other restaurants in the market.

Competitive research: Include research on your closest competitors, how they are both succeeding and failing, how customers view them, etc.

If this section seems like it might be long, it should—it’s going to outline one of the most important parts of your strategy, and should feel comprehensive. Lack of demand is the number one reason why new businesses fail, so the goal of this section should be to prove that there is demand for your restaurant and show how you’ll capitalize on it.

Additionally, if market research isn’t your forte, don’t be shy to reach out to market research experts to help you compile the data, or at least read deeply on how to conduct effective research.

Marketing and sales

Your marketing and sales section should feel like a logical extension of your market analysis section, since all of the decisions you’ll make in this section should follow the data of the prior section.

The marketing and sales sections of your restaurant business plan should include:

Positioning: How you’ll describe your restaurant to potential customers, the brand identity and visuals you’ll use to do it, and how you’ll stand out in the market based on the brand you’re building

Promotion: The tools, tactics, and platforms you’ll use to market your business

Sales: How you’ll convert on certain items, and who/how you will facilitate any additional revenue streams (i.e. catering)

It’s likely that you’ll only have concepts for some of these elements, especially if you’re not yet open. Still, get to paper all of the ideas you have, and you can (and should) always update them later as your restaurant business becomes more fully formed.

Business operations

The business operations section should get to the heart of how you plan to run your business. It will highlight both internal factors as well as external forces that will dictate how you run the ship.

The business operations section should include:

Management team: Your management structure and hierarchy, and who is responsible for what

Hours: Your hours and days of operation

Location: What’s special about your location that will get people through the door

Relationships: Any advantageous relationships you have with fellow restaurateurs, places for sourcing and buying, business organizations, or consultants on your team

Add here anything you think could be helpful for illustrating how you’re going to do business and what will affect it.

Here, you’ll detail the current state of your business finances and project where you hope to be in a year, three years, and five years. You’ll want to detail what you’ve spent, what you will spend, where you’ll get the money, costs you might incur, and returns you’ll hope to see—including when you can expect to break even and turn a profit.

Financial statements: If you’ve been in business for any amount of time, include existing financial statements (i.e. profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow, etc.)

Budget: Your current budget or a general startup budget

Projections: Include revenue, cash flow, projected profit and loss, and other costs

Debt: Include liabilities if the business has any outstanding debt or loans

Funding request: If you’re requesting a loan or an investment, lay out how much capital you’re looking for, your company’s valuation (if applicable), and the purpose of the funding

Above all, as you’re putting your financials together, be realistic—even conservative. You want to give any potential investors a realistic picture of your business.

Feel like there are other important components but they don't quite fit in any of the other categories (or make them run too long)? That’s what the restaurant business plan appendix section is for. And although in, say, a book, an appendix can feel like an afterthought, don’t ignore it—this is another opportunity for you to include crucial information that can give anyone reading your plan some context. You may include additional data, graphs, marketing collateral (like logo mockups), and more.

Start Your Dream Business

The bottom line

Whether you’re writing a restaurant business plan for investors, lenders, or simply for yourself and your team, the most important thing to do is make sure your document is comprehensive. A good business plan for a restaurant will take time—and maybe a little sweat—to complete fully and correctly.

One other crucial thing to remember: a business plan is not a document set in stone. You should often look to it to make sure you’re keeping your vision and mission on track, but you should also feel prepared to update its components as you learn more about your business and individual restaurant.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

On a similar note...

Eat App for

How it works.

How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan in 2024 (Step by Step Guide with Templates)

A comprehensive restaurant business plan is a framework that guides you to plan and forecast every element of restaurant management and operations.

This includes anything from your restaurant's menu design, location, financials, employee training, and a lot more.

Crafting a solid business plan is important, as it helps:

• Transform your restaurant ideas into reality.
• Boosts entrepreneurial success by 16% (Harvard Business Study) .
• Equips you to navigate challenges before they arise.
• Attracts potential investors.

“You have to show any potential investor that you have an actual plan, you know what you’re talking about, it looks professional, and you’re not just screwing around.” - Charles Bililies, owner of Souvla

Planning is key to restaurant success. Without a plan, you're more likely to join the 26% of restaurants that fail within a year.

Create a business plan to set yourself up for success.

Here's how to get started. 

A step-by-step guide to writing a restaurant business plan

Embarking on a restaurant venture is an exciting prospect filled with endless possibilities.

However, the key to transforming your culinary dreams into reality lies in the foundation of a well-crafted restaurant business plan.

This guide will walk you through creating a winning restaurant business plan , from defining your niche to seeking expert advice.

So, are you ready to cook up some success?  Let's get started. 

Essential components of a restaurant business plan

A well-structured restaurant business plan typically consists of the following key components:

• Executive Summary

Company Description

• Market Analysis
• Restaurant Design
• Market Overview
• External help
• Financial Analysis

Delving into each section

Now, let's take a closer look at each section of your restaurant business plan and explore the key elements to consider:

1. Executive summary

A restaurant business plan should always begin with an executive summary. Why?

• 80% of venture capitalists say they read the executive summary first.
• 62% of investors say they would not continue reading a business plan if the executive summary did not capture their interest.
• A strong executive summary can increase the likelihood of securing funding by up to 40%.

An executive summary not only acts as the introduction to your restaurant business plan samples but also as a summary of the entire idea.

The main aim of an executive summary is to draw the reader (oftentimes an investor) into the rest of your business plan.

The executive summary also helps you envision the identity of your restaurant which essentially shapes the customer experience and sets you apart from competitors.

To establish a distinct identity, you need to focus on c ommon elements of an executive summary, including:

• A mission statement  
• Proposed concept development
• Cuisine selection
• The overall execution
• The potential costs
• Expected return on investments (ROI)

Let's take a more in-depth look at the concept development, cuisine selection, and mission statement.

Further reading

• How to write a restaurant executive summary

Concept Development

Selecting the type of restaurant, service style, and atmosphere is the first step towards creating a unique dining experience. Whether you envision a sample menu for a:

• cozy, intimate bistro
• bustling quick-service deli
• fast-casual restaurant
• fine dining establishment

Your concept should reflect your passion and expertise in the industry.

With a broad range of options, it’s critical to scrutinize your target market and pinpoint the most suitable choice considering their preferences and your capabilities.

When planning your restaurant design, keep in mind that it should effectively complement your chosen theme and cuisine.

Additionally, consider the potential for patio seating and the involvement of your management team in making these critical decisions.

A well-thought-out concept will not only set the stage for an unforgettable dining experience but also pique the interest of potential investors.

Cuisine Selection

The cuisine you select for your restaurant can significantly influence its success.

Choosing the appropriate cuisine is vital for distinguishing your establishment from competitors and attracting your target market.

To make an informed decision, consider factors such as:

• Market demand
• Expertise and passion
• Ingredient availability
• Competition
• Profitability
• Cultural fit
• Seasonality

Dietary restrictions and trends

In the highly competitive restaurant industry, keeping track of current and emerging cuisine trends can be a significant advantage.

From regional delicacies to innovative fusion dishes, understanding what’s popular and in demand can help you tailor your offerings to the desires of your target audience.

By thoroughly analyzing the market and adapting to evolving tastes, your restaurant can remain relevant and successful in the long run.

Crafting a mission statement

A well-constructed mission statement communicates the purpose, values, and goals of your restaurant to potential investors and customers alike.

A mission statement serves as a guiding light for decision-makers and employees, fueling their efforts to achieve your restaurant’s objectives.

To create an impactful mission statement, consider the following steps:

• Identify the purpose of the restaurant.
• Contemplate the brand’s image.
• Account for the target audience.
• Incorporate company values.
• Ensure brevity and comprehensiveness.

Related content:  How to Write a Restaurant Mission Statement  

Remember, your mission statement should not only differentiate your restaurant from competitors but also resonate with your target market.

By articulating your restaurant’s unique values and vision, you’ll create a strong foundation upon which to build a thriving and successful business.

2. Company description

This is the part of the restaurant business plan where you fully introduce the company.

Start this section with the name of the restaurant you are opening along with the location, contacts, and other relevant information. 

Also, include the owner’s details and a brief overview or description of their experience.

The second part of the company description should highlight the legal standing of the restaurant and outline the restaurant’s short and long-term goals.

Provide a brief market study showing that you understand the trends in the regional food industry and why the most independent restaurant investors will succeed in this market.

Here's an example of the page layout:  

Restaurant Name: [Restaurant Name]

Location: [Restaurant Address]

Contact: [Restaurant Phone Number] | [Restaurant Email Address]

Owner: [Owner Name]

Experience: [Owner Name] has over [Number] years of experience in the restaurant industry. They have worked in various roles, including [List of Roles]. They are passionate about food and creating a memorable dining experience for their guests.

Legal Standing: [Restaurant Name] is a [Type of Legal Entity] registered in [State/Province].

Short-term Goals:

• Generate [Amount] in revenue within the first year of operation.
• Achieve a [Percentage] customer satisfaction rating within the first six months of operation.

Long-term Goals:

• Expand to a second location within five years.
• Become a recognized leader in the regional food industry.

Market Study:

The regional food industry is experiencing a number of trends, including:

• An increasing demand for fresh,  local ingredients.
• A growing interest in ethnic cuisine.
• A preference for casual dining experiences.

3. Market analysis

The market analysis portion of the restaurant business plan is typically divided into three parts.

3.1 Industry analysis

What is your target market? What demographics will your restaurant cater to?

This section aims to explain your target market to investors and why you believe guests will choose your restaurant over others.

Comprehending your target market is key to customizing your restaurant offerings to their preferences and needs.

By diving into demographics, preferences, dining habits, and trends, you can fine-tune your concept and marketing strategy to reach and appeal to your target audience effectively.

An example of analyzing your target market

  Comprehending your target market is key to customizing your restaurant offerings to their preferences and needs.

Demographics and preferences

Identifying your primary target market involves considering factors such as:

For example, a neighborhood with a high concentration of families might prefer a family-friendly restaurant with a diverse menu catering to various age groups and dietary preferences.

Conversely, a trendy urban area with a predominantly young and affluent population may gravitate towards upscale dining experiences and innovative cuisine.

Cultural and ethnic backgrounds also have a significant impact on restaurant preferences, with people from different backgrounds having distinctive tastes and customs that influence their dining choices.

By thoroughly understanding the demographics and preferences of your target market, you’ll be better equipped to create a restaurant concept that resonates with them and ultimately drives success.

Dining habits and trends

As the restaurant industry continues to evolve, staying informed about dining habits and trends is crucial for adapting your offerings and attracting customers.

For example, the rise of online ordering and delivery services has significantly influenced dining habits, with many consumers seeking the convenience of having their meals delivered to their doorstep.

Health trends have also had an impact on dining habits, with an increasing number of individuals seeking healthier options when dining out.

By staying abreast of current habits and trends, you can anticipate the needs and desires of your target market and tailor your restaurant’s offerings accordingly.

This forward-thinking approach will not only help you stay competitive but also foster long-term success in the ever-changing restaurant landscape.

• How to find your restaurant's target market

3.2 Competition analysis

It's easy to assume that everyone will visit your new restaurant first, so it is important to research your competition to make this a reality.

What restaurants have already established a customer base in the area?

Take note of everything from their prices, hours, and service style to menu design to the restaurant interior.

Then explain to your investors how your restaurant will be different.

3.3 Marketing analysis

Your investors are going to want to know how you plan to market your restaurant. How will your marketing campaigns differ from what is already being done by others in the restaurant industry?

How do you plan on securing your target market? What kind of offers will you provide your guests? Make sure to list everything.

The most important element to launching a successful restaurant is the menu . Without it, your restaurant has nothing to serve.

At this point, you probably don’t have a final version, but for a restaurant business plan, you should at least try to have a mock-up.

Add your logo to the mock-up and choose a design that you can see yourself actually using. If you are having trouble coming up with a menu design or don’t want to pay a designer, there are plenty of resources online to help.

The key element of your sample menu though should be pricing. Your prices should reflect the cost analysis you’ve done for investors. This will give them a better understanding of your restaurant’s target price point. You'll quickly see how important menu engineering can be, even early on.

5. Employees

The company description section of the restaurant business plan briefly introduces the owners of the restaurant with some information about each. This section should fully flesh out the restaurant's business plan and management team.

The investors don’t expect you to have your entire team selected at this point, but you should at least have a couple of people on board. Use the talent you have chosen thus far to highlight the combined work experience everyone is bringing to the table.

6. Restaurant design

The design portion of your restaurant business plan is where you can really show off your thoughts and ideas to the investors. If you don’t have professional mock-ups of your restaurant rendered, that’s fine.

Instead, put together a mood board to get your vision across. Find pictures of a similar aesthetic to what you are looking for in your restaurant.

The restaurant design extends beyond aesthetics alone and should include everything from restaurant software to kitchen equipment. 

7. Location

The location you settle on for your restaurant should be well aligned with your target market (making it easier to cater to your ideal customer) and with your business plans.

At this stage in the process, its not uncommon to not have a specific location in mind - but you should at the very least have a few options to narrow down.

Tip: When you approach your investors about potential locations, make sure to include as much information as possible about each venue and why it would be ideal for your brand. Go into as much detail as possible - including everything from square footage to the demographics of the area.

Example for choosing an ideal location

Choosing the ideal location for your restaurant is a pivotal decision that can greatly influence your success. 

To make the best choice, consider factors such as foot traffic, accessibility, and neighborhood demographics.

By carefully evaluating these factors, you’ll be better equipped to maximize visibility and attract your target market.

Foot traffic and accessibility

Foot traffic and accessibility are essential factors in selecting a location that will attract customers and ensure convenience.

A high-traffic area with ample parking and public transportation options can greatly increase the likelihood of drawing in potential customers.

Additionally, making your restaurant accessible to individuals with disabilities can further broaden your customer base and promote inclusivity.

It’s also important to consider the competition in the area and assess whether your restaurant can stand out among existing establishments.

By choosing a location with strong foot traffic and accessibility, you’ll be well on your way to creating a thriving restaurant that appeals to your target market.

Neighborhood demographics

Analyzing neighborhood demographics can help you determine if your restaurant’s concept and cuisine will appeal to the local population.

Factors such as income levels, family structures, and cultural diversity can all influence dining preferences and habits.

By understanding the unique characteristics of the neighborhood, you can tailor your offerings and marketing efforts to resonate with the local community.

Conducting a market analysis can be a valuable step in this process.

To gather demographic data for a particular neighborhood, you can utilize resources such as the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and reference maps.

Armed with this information, you can make informed decisions about your restaurant’s concept, menu, and pricing, ensuring that your establishment is well-positioned for success within the community.

Conducting market research will further strengthen your understanding of the local demographic.

8. Market overview

The market overview section is heavily related to the market research and analysis portion of the restaurant business plan. In this section, go into detail about both the micro and macro conditions in the area you want to set up your restaurant.

Discuss the current economic conditions that could make opening a restaurant difficult, and how you aim to counteract that. Mention all the other restaurants that could prove to be competition and what your strategy is to set yourself apart.

9. Marketing

With restaurants opening left and ride nowadays, investors are going to want to know how you will get word of your restaurant to the world.

The next marketing strategy and publicity section should go into detail on how you plan to market your restaurant before and after opening. As well as any plans you may have to bring a PR company on board to help spread the word.

Read more: How to write a restaurant marketing plan from scratch

10. External help

To make your restaurant a reality, you are going to need a lot of help. List any external companies or software you plan on hiring to get your restaurant up and running.

This includes everything from accountants and designers to suppliers that help your restaurant perform better, like POS systems and restaurant reservation systems .

Explain to your other potential investors about the importance of each and what they will be doing for your restaurant.

11. Financial analysis

The most important part of your restaurant business plan is the financial section . We would recommend hiring professional help for this given its importance.

Hiring a trained accountant will not only help you get your own financial projections and estimates in order but also give you a realistic insight into owning a restaurant.

You should have some information prepared to make this step easier for the accountant.

He/she will want to know how many seats your restaurant has, what the check average per table will be, and how many guests you plan on seating per day.

In addition to this, doing rough food cost calculations for various menu items can help estimate your profit margin per dish. This can be achieved easily with a free food cost calculator. 

• Important restaurant metrics to track

A well-crafted restaurant business plan serves as a roadmap to success, guiding every aspect of the venture from menu design to employee training.

By carefully considering each component of the plan, aspiring restaurateurs can increase their chances of securing funding, attracting customers, and achieving their long-term goals.

Remember, a restaurant business plan is not just a document to satisfy investors; it is a living tool that should be revisited and updated regularly as the business grows and evolves.

By staying committed to the plan and adapting it as needed, restaurateurs can ensure that their culinary dreams have a solid foundation for success.

Share this article!

Saif Alnasur used to work in his family restaurant, but now he is a food influencer and writes about the restaurant industry for Eat App.

How to Calculate Food Cost in:...

Whether you're putting together a menu for your...

The A to Z Guide to:...

86 that dish? Camper? Kill it? In the weeds?

OpenTable vs. Resy::...

When it comes to choosing an online restaurant...

Join restaurants in 70+ countries using Eat App

Empowering restaurants, one table at a time Discover seamless dining with Eat App

• Reservation system
• Table management
• CRM and guest profiles
• Reports & trends
• Integrations
• Privacy policy
• Terms of service
• The 16 Best Reservation Systems
• Guide to Restaurant Marketing
• Guide to Customer Service
• Guide to Making a Restaurant Website
• All articles

"> "> Compare us

• Seven Rooms
• Compare All

© Eat App. All rights reserved.

Restaurant Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Restaurant Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your restaurant business plan.

We have helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs and business owners with how to write a restaurant business plan to help them start or grow their restaurants.

Below is a restaurant business plan template to help you create each section of your business plan.

Restaurant Business Plan Example

Executive summary, business overview.

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is a new restaurant and steakhouse located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The menu of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will include bistro-type dishes that are authentically created and crafted by acclaimed Chef Peter Logan. It will be located in the trendy part of town, known as the Plaza District. The restaurant will be surrounded by classy art galleries, live theater, high-end restaurants and bars, and expensive shopping.

Owned by emerging restaurant operators Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette, Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse’s mission is to become Oklahoma City’s best, new restaurant for patrons to celebrate their next big event, have a nice date night, or gather with friends or family for a fun evening while dining over finely crafted entrees, desserts, and cocktails.

Products Served

The following are the menu items to be offered by Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse:

• Soups & Salads
• Gourmet sides
• Wine, Beer & Spirits

Customer Focus

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will target adult men and women between the ages of 21 – 65 with disposable income in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Within this demographic are millennials, young professionals, newlyweds, young families, more established families, and retirees. Because of the pricing structure of the menu, the patrons will likely be upper middle class to the wealthy population of Oklahoma City.

Management Team

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is owned and operated by fellow Oklahoma City natives and culinary enthusiasts, Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette. Both come with a unique skill set and complement each other perfectly. They formerly worked together at another OKC fine dining establishment and made a great team for serving guests delectable food and wine while ensuring the highest level of customer service.

Chef Peter will manage the kitchen operations of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse, while Anastasia will oversee front of the house operations, maintain and ensure customer service, and manage all reservations.

Financial Highlights

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is seeking $300,000 in debt financing to open its start-up restaurant. The funding will be dedicated for the build-out and design of the restaurant, kitchen, bar and lounge, as well as cooking supplies and equipment, working capital, three months worth of payroll expenses and opening inventory. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Restaurant Build-Out and Design – $100,000
• Kitchen supplies and equipment – $100,000
• Opening inventory – $25,000
• Working capital (to include 3 months of overhead expenses) – $25,000
• Marketing (advertising agency) – $25,000
• Accounting firm (3 months worth and establishment/permitting of business) – $25,000

Company Overview

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is a new restaurant and steakhouse located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will serve a wide variety of dishes and beverages and will cater to the upper middle class to wealthier population of Oklahoma City. The menu of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will include bistro-type dishes that are authentically created and crafted by acclaimed Chef Peter Logan. It will be located in the trendy part of town, known as the Plaza District. The Plaza District is one of Oklahoma’s trendy neighborhoods and is considered the “it” area for newlyweds, millennials, professionals, and young singles. The restaurant will be surrounded by classy art galleries, live theater, high-end restaurants and bars, and expensive shopping.

Owned by emerging restaurant operators Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette, the restaurant’s mission statement is to become the best new steak restaurant in OKC. The following are the types of menu items Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will serve- shareables, steaks, soups, gourmet sides and salads.

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse History

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is owned by two Oklahoma City natives, Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette. They have both worked around the country in fine dining establishments and have a combined twenty years in the restaurant industry. Upon working alongside each other at another fine dining establishment in Oklahoma City, the two of them became good friends and decided to venture into owning their own restaurant.

Chef Peter is the kitchen guru and critically acclaimed chef, while Anastasia manages the front of the house and is a certified Sommelier. Together, with both of their expertise and knowledge, Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is destined to become Oklahoma City’s next big restaurant.

Industry Analysis

The Restaurant industry is expected to grow to over $220 billion in the next five years.

Consumer spending is projected to grow. The Consumer Confidence Index, a leading indicator of spending patterns, is expected to also grow strongly, which will boost restaurant industry growth over the next five years. The growth in consumer confidence also suggests that more consumers may opt to segment their disposable income to eating outside the home.

Additionally, an increase in the number of households earning more than $100,000 annually further contributes to the industry growth, supporting industry operators that offer more niche, higher-end products.  This group is expected to continue to grow in size over the next five years.

The urban population represents a large market for the industry. Specifically, time-strapped individuals living in urban areas will likely frequent industry establishments to save time on cooking. The urban population is expected to increase, representing a potential opportunity for the industry.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market, customer segmentation.

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will primarily target the following customer profile:

• Upper middle class to wealthier population
• Millennials
• Young professionals
• Households with an average income of at least $75k
• Foodies and culture enthusiasts

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will be competing with other restaurants in Oklahoma City. A profile of each competitor is below. The Press Located in the trendy area known as the Plaza District, The Press has reimagined our favorite foods of the surrounding regions through the lens of home.

The menu consists of appetizers, soups, burgers and sandwiches, bowls, main dishes, sides, desserts, and a large selection of alcoholic beverages. The Press serves craft beer, domestic beer, wine spritzers, house cocktails, wine, and mimosas. They also offer brunch. The menu of The Press is affordable with the most expensive dish being $16. The wine menu is also not pretentious as the wine is sold either by the glass or bottle, with the most expensive bottle being $52 for the Gruet Sparkling Brut Rose. Oak & Ore Oak & Ore is a craft beer and restaurant in OKC’s Plaza District. They have a 36-tap beer selection and offer vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free dining options. Oak & Ore offers a rotating, 36-tap selection of their favorite brews from Oklahoma and around the world. Each beer is thoughtfully paired with a craft beer-inspired dining experience.

The food menu of Oak & Ore offers starters, salads, wings, fried chicken, sandwiches, tacos, banh mi, and sides. They also have a selection of kids dishes so the whole family can enjoy comfort food while sampling one of their delectable beers.

The Mule OKC The Mule is a casual, hip restaurant offering a large beer and cocktail menu plus sandwiches and more. Located in the constantly growing and buzzing hub that is the Plaza District, The Mule takes the timeless favorite and contorts it into a whole menu of wild offerings.

There is also a fantastic assortment of soups offered and The Mule shakes up a seasonal list of cocktails designed by their bar staff. During the winter months, patrons can stave off the cold with their versions of hot toddies and buttered rum. For the beer drinkers, they always have a reliable line-up of fresh cold brews on draft, as well as a wide selection of can.

Competitive Advantage

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse offers several advantages over its competition. Those advantages are:

• Gourmet dishes elegantly prepared to the finest standard.
• Selection of steaks sourced from local Oklahoma farms.
• An exclusive and unique wine menu that includes a wine selection of all price points.
• Highly sought after location: Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will be located in the trendy and attractive neighborhood known as The Plaza District.
• Trendy, welcoming, and energetic ambiance that will be perfect for a night out or a celebration.

Marketing Plan

Promotions strategy.

The marketing strategy for Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is as follows: Location Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse’s location is a promotions strategy in itself. The Plaza District is a destination spot for locals, tourists, and anyone looking for the trendiest food fare in Oklahoma City. The Plaza District is home to OKC’s most popular bars and restaurants, art galleries, theaters, and boutique shopping. The millennials, young professionals, and foodies will frequent Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse for the location itself.

Social Media Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will use social media to cater to the millennials and Oklahoma City residents. Chef Peter and Anastasia plan to hire an advertising agency to take professional photographs of the menu items and location to create appealing posts to reach a greater audience. The posts will include pictures of the menu items, as well as upcoming featured options. SEO Website Marketing Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse plans to invest funds into maintaining a strong SEO presence on search engines like Google and Bing. When a person types in “local fine dining restaurant” or “Oklahoma City restaurant”, Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will appear in the top three choices. The website will include the full menu, location, hours, and lots of pictures of the food, drinks, and steaks. Third Party Delivery Sites Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will maintain a presence on sites like GrubHub, Uber Eats, Doordash, and Postmates so that people looking for local food to be delivered will see Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse listed near the top.

Operations Plan

Operation functions:.

The company will hire the following:

• 4 sous chefs
• 2 bartenders
• 2 hostesses
• The company will hire an advertising agency and an accounting firm

Milestones:

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse aims to open in the next 6 months. The following are the milestones needed in order to obtain this goal.

7/1/202X – Execute lease for prime location in the Plaza District.

7/2/202X – Begin construction of restaurant build-out.

7/10/202X – Finalize menu.

7/17/202X – Hire advertising company to begin developing marketing efforts.

8/15/202X – Start of marketing campaign

8/22/202X – Final walk-thru of completed restaurant build-out.

8/25/202X – Hire team of sous chefs, servers, and bussers.

9/1/202X – Decoration and set up of restaurant.

9/15/202X – Grand Opening of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will be owned and operated by Chef Peter Logan and Anastasia Gillette. Each will have a 50% ownership stake in the restaurant.

Chef Peter Logan, Co-Owner

Chef Peter Logan is an Oklahoma City native and has been in the restaurant industry for over ten years. He was trained in a prestigious Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Academy in San Francisco and has worked in some of the nation’s most prestigious fine dining restaurants. His tenure has took him from the west coast to the east coast, and now he’s back doing what he loves in his hometown of Oklahoma City.

Chef Peter will manage the kitchen operations of Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse. He will train and oversee the sous chefs, manage inventory, place food inventory orders, deal with the local food vendors, and ensure the highest customer satisfaction with the food.

Anastasia Gillette, Co-Owner

Anastasia Gillette was born and raised in Oklahoma City and has garnered over ten years in the restaurant industry as well. While in college, Anastasia worked as a hostess at one of the area’s most prestigious restaurant establishments. While there, she was eventually promoted to Front of the House Manager where she oversaw the hostesses, servers, bussers, bartenders, and reservations. Her passion always led to the beverage portion of the restaurant so she obtained her Sommelier certificate in 2019. With her wine education, Anastasia is able to cultivate an interesting and elegant wine selection for the restaurant.

Anastasia will oversee front of the house operations, maintain and ensure customer service, and manage all reservations. She will also be in charge of the bar and wine ordering, training of front of the house staff, and will manage the restaurant’s social media accounts once they are set up.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse will come from the food and drink menu items being offered daily.

The cost drivers will be the ingredients and products needed to make the menu items as well as the cooking materials. A significant cost driver is the fine dining equipment, serving dishes, and beer and wine glasses. Other cost drivers will be the overhead expenses of payroll for the employees, accounting firm, and cost of the advertising agency.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Bluehorn Restaurant & Steakhouse is seeking $300,000 in debt financing to open its start-up restaurant. The breakout of the funding is below:

Financial Projections

Income Statement

  Balance Sheet

  Cash Flow Statement

Restaurant Business Plan FAQs

What is a restaurant business plan.

A restaurant business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your restaurant business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your restaurant business plan using our Restaurant Business Plan Template here .

What Are the Main Types of Restaurants?

There are many types of restaurant businesses. Restaurants can range in type from fast food, fast casual, moderate casual, fine dining, and bar and restaurant types. Restaurants also come in a variety of different ethnic or themed categories, such as Mexican restaurants, Asian restaurants, American, etc.  Some restaurants also go mobile and have food trucks.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Restaurant Business Plan?

Restaurant businesses are most likely to receive funding from banks. Typically you will find a local bank and present your business plan to them. Another option for a restaurant business is to obtain a small business loan. SBA loans are a popular option as they offer longer loan terms with lower interest rates.

What are the Steps To Start a Restaurant Business?

1. Develop A Restaurant Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed restaurant business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your restaurant business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your restaurant business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Restaurant Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your restaurant business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your restaurant business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Restaurant Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your restaurant business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your restaurant business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful restaurant business:

• How to Start a Restaurant Business

Where Can I Get a Restaurant Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free restaurant business plan template PDF here . This is a sample restaurant business plan template you can use in PDF format.

4 Steps To Write A Successful Restaurant Business Plan [+ Free Template]

You can take a road trip without a map, but you might not end up where you’d hoped.

In the same way, you don’t start a business playing it by ear as you go along. The restaurant industry, in particular, needs a good business plan. Unpredictable events, labor markets, and consumer preferences will shipwreck any restaurant that hasn’t taken the time to understand their own market.

Consider how much has changed since the pandemic started. 86% of restaurants are reporting lower profits than before the pandemic. 89% of full-service restaurants are struggling to find employees. 25% more people turned to food delivery in 2020 than in previous years. Running a restaurant has always been a challenge, more so than ever before. 

New restaurant owners, especially, should have a restaurant business plan in place before they get started today, not just to secure financing, but to help them steer a clear path as they grow.

Without a business plan, you’ll never know when you reach milestones. You won’t know who to market to, and how. You won’t understand the competition. You won’t capitalize on local opportunities. 

Writing a restaurant business plan doesn’t need to be overly complicated. It starts with a few key steps to gather the information that you’ll plug into a final report.

#1: Know your restaurant

You might have a great idea of a restaurant, but do you actually know your own idea well enough to describe it?

What will your restaurant look like? What will your menu be? What’s the ambiance and brand you’re going for? What kind of customer experience do you want? What restaurant scheduling software will you use with your employees? What point of sale system will you use? What kind of kitchen equipment will you need? What will your customer service policies be? Who are your suppliers?

In order to understand and describe your company, you have to be ready with detailed answers as well as understand the overall concept. Can you answer any question from an investor, but also give an elevator speech about your restaurant? 

You should be familiar enough that you could succinctly describe your restaurant to investors if needed, paring it down to the name, a phrase that sums it up while setting it apart from the competition, and/or its location. That description should feed interest that instigates more detailed questions.

#2: Know your ideal employee

The people you hire will be the face of the restaurant. All the branding in the world won’t matter if your employees don’t sync with the target market you’re trying to reach.

Who you hire is part of how your restaurant is understood by your customer base.

What kind of experience should your team have? What kind of training and knowledge will they need to reflect your brand? What kind of hours? Shifts? What will the management structure be? 

If you can define the structure of your team, what skills you want members of your team to have, and the culture you want to cultivate in your restaurant, you’ll know better who to hire and how to train.

Who you hire can change the customer experience, and that is everything.

#3: Analyze your market

Your restaurant won’t exist in a vacuum, but if you don’t analyze your market, you’re behaving as if it does.

Your target market is the kind of customer you’ll attract. Your menu, your location, your ambiance, your marketing, your price point—all of this is about who is attracted to your restaurant. If you know your customers, you’ll know how to keep reaching them through all of these things. You should be able to describe the behavior and demographics of your target market.

It’s more than just knowing who your target market is, but also your place in the market. That means including your competition and the impact it could have on your restaurant, as well as local economic trends.

It also means understanding the optimal location for your restaurant.

Different locations, even in the same city, don’t have the same infrastructure, public transportation, parking, client draw, or nearby events. Those all have an effect on your restaurant. Even if you don’t know your exact location, you should know a general area that you can provide analysis on.

Is your menu unique? Do your prices reflect local standards? Is someone else already doing what you’re trying to do? What sets you apart from other restaurants with the same target market?

#4: Gather professional financial analysis

Your restaurant business plan benefits you, but it’s also how you attract investors and financing. They are going to be concerned about the numbers.

Hire a professional accountant. Work with small business organizations who have experience helping new businesses get started in your area. You’ll find that in order to get detailed financial analysis, you’ll be forced to find answers you may have neglected to get in other areas.

How many customers will your restaurant hold? What would the average meal cost? What will be on your menu and what will the food and supply costs be to support that? What about rent, professional cleaning services, taxes, and so on? What other professional costs will you incur (e.g. attorneys, contractors, etc.)?

Look for someone experienced in building a business plan to help you get the numbers, ideally providing you with first year projections, cash flow estimates, a profit and loss statement, and what it will take for you to break even each month. 

Assemble your restaurant business plan

At this point, you’re ready to assemble the final plan.

For presentation, your plan should be sandwiched in your brand. Literally. 

The cover should use your logo and brand colors. The overall design of your business plan should fit the look and feel of your restaurant, being both professional and thoughtful. Your potential investors are “experiencing” your restaurant first, through your business plan.

From there, using what you’ve gathered, you’ll write an executive summary. 

It’s a kind of overview that functions like the description on a book jacket, presenting a problem that exists and how your restaurant is the solution. It’s meant to draw in the reader or, in your case, investors. It’ll include your mission statement, and a summary of your restaurant’s concept as well as the projected financial costs and ROI.

Once you’ve summarized your restaurant, you’ll follow a pattern of brief overviews that lead to more details.

• Executive Summary
• Restaurant Description

Market Analysis

Financial Plan

To make this easier to put into place, we’ve created a template for you to use. The above steps have helped you gather all the info you need to plug into the template. Now it’s time to put it all together.

Free restaurant business plan template

Executive Summary:

• Define the problem your restaurant is solving. Example: Minneapolis consumers love ethnic food, and there are many options, but six months of cold makes it easier to stay home. 
• Offer the solution, emphasizing how it’s unique. Example: Built on the idea that eating out should be as easy as eating in, we’ve built subscription delivery into our business, as well as providing a physical location that has an enclosed walkway from the parking garage.
• Provide market analysis. Include details about how your menu, portion sizes, and overall experience clicks with your target market. You may include broad financial summaries. 
• Contrast the competition. Acknowledge the competition, but show how your restaurant will stand out.

The Restaurant:

• Describe the experience of your restaurant.
• Define the vision and statement of purpose.
• Give an overview of the menu. If you don’t have a detailed section later, you may want more detail here.
• Provide information on things like catering or events your restaurant will engage in.
• Describe an ideal customer experience.
• Describe your ideal staff.
• Describe your restaurant operation, including inventory controls, hours of operation, management principles, software, training programs, and so on. Your investor will see whether you’ve carefully thought of everything in this section.
• In detail, describe your target market. Include demographics, and list the habits and preferences your target market has. These should mesh with what your restaurant has to offer.
• Provide information on location and competition, and how this affects your restaurant.
• Outline your marketing strategy and branding.
• Define revenue requirements.
• Provide a summary of financial highlights that gives an overview of several years of operation. This is followed by a detailed estimate of revenue and a potential balance sheet based on those revenues. You will also want to include an estimated income statement and a cash flow statement. 

Work through your restaurant plans enough that you are confident in your idea. Have people ask you questions about it so you thoroughly vet your own ideas and adjust as needed. And then, begin working with professionals who have experience in pulling together financial and market analysis, using every available resource and small business organization in your area.

A great restaurant business plan isn’t just for others. It gives you the confidence to take the leap towards owning your own business.

Like What You See?

Join over 140,000 other people and get valuable business tips delivered right to your inbox.

Something Went Wrong

We had some issues creating your account. Please check your info and try again.

7 Tips for Helping Employees That Are Burnt Out

Are Your Labor Costs Out of Control?

Fair Workweek: What You Need to Know

Applicant Tracking System (ATS): Everything You Need to Know

37 Employee Appreciation Ideas Your Staff Will Love

How to Write Up an Employee in 8 Easy Steps

• Things to Do
• Travel & Explore
• Investigations
• Marketplace
• Advertise with Us

What Is a Statement of Purpose for a Restaurant?

Evaluating the potential success of your restaurant idea starts with development of a business plan. Once you finish writing the plan, you’re ready to write a statement of purpose that summarizes your restaurant concept. If you want to share your idea for a new restaurant with suppliers, chefs or wait staff, rather than giving them a copy of the entire business plan, hand them a copy of your statement of purpose so they get the short version of the big picture.

What’s Included

The statement of purpose provides a brief description of your restaurant idea, starting with explaining the type of cuisine offered as well as any special dishes that make the restaurant stand out from competitors. The statement also mentions how many people the establishment seats and the atmosphere of the establishment, such as formal, casual, intimate or family-oriented. Include a brief statement about the marketing research and target market evaluation you’ve conducted to show you believe potential customers will pay for this type of food and atmosphere.

Placement and Length

Insert your statement of purpose at the very beginning of your business plan where it tidily sums up your conclusions about operating the restaurant. Write it after you finish your financial analysis, especially if you need an infusion of cash to open your doors. As for length, Peter Rainsford, author of the "Restaurant Planning Guide," recommends keeping the statement to half a page maximum. But if you have additional, valuable information to include, don’t be afraid to make it longer.

If you need financing for your restaurant, describe the loan amount you need and explain who will provide the money, whether it's a bank, outside investors or partners willing to get into the restaurant business. Explain how you plan to use the funds, such as for operating expenses and paying your chef and wait staff for 12 months, or remodeling the kitchen and dining areas to create the atmosphere you want. To explain why a financier should give you the loan amount, include a brief breakdown of sales projections for the first year. Break these projections down by weekly or monthly figures so financiers see the potential of your venue. Finally, briefly describe how you plan to pay back the loan in the statement of purpose.

Operations Manual

Some business plans serve as a guide to day-to-day operation and management of the establishment, providing information on how to get -- and keep -- customers coming through the door to enjoy the food. If you’re not seeking financing, use the statement of purpose to explain how the plan will be used by management to keep the business on track with the goals you provide within the plan, such as selling so many dollars worth of food at each meal or becoming the premier restaurant in your area.

• Restaurant Planning Guide; Peter Rainsford
• RestaurantOwner.com: Download, Sample Restaurant Business Plans
• Linn-Benton Community College: Restaurant Business Plan

Nancy Wagner is a marketing strategist and speaker who started writing in 1998. She writes business plans for startups and established companies and teaches marketing and promotional tactics at local workshops. Wagner's business and marketing articles have appeared in "Home Business Journal," "Nation’s Business," "Emerging Business" and "The Mortgage Press," among others. She holds a B.S. from Eastern Illinois University.

Image Credit

Burke/Triolo Productions/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

Sling is now Sling by Toast! Learn more

More Features

• Restaurants
• Get Started

How To Write Your Ideal Restaurant Mission Statement + 15 Inspiring Examples

• Business Growth & Management , Templates & Guides

Whether you run a one-person food cart, a small eatery with fewer than five employees, or a large dining establishment with 50 or more team members, you need a restaurant mission statement.

In this article, the management experts at Sling  describe four easy steps to help you write the perfect restaurant mission statement for your business. As a bonus, we also include 15 inspiring examples to spark your creativity.

Mission Statement Vs. Vision Statement

Before we discuss how to write a mission statement, it’s essential that you understand how the mission statement differs from the vision  statement.

Here are the formal definitions:

Vision Statement:  A declaration of an organization’s objectives  intended to guide internal decision-making.

Mission Statement:  A short statement of what the company does for its customers, its employees, and its owners.

A mission statement and a vision statement are closely related. So much so that many managers  confuse the two. It helps to think in terms of who, what, why, and where .

The vision statement is the where  of your business — where you want the company to be and where you want your customers, your community, and your world to be as a result of your product or service.

The mission statement, then, is the who, what, and  why  of your business. Think of the mission statement as a roadmap or action plan to making the vision statement a reality.

If you’re still having a hard time distinguishing between the two, here’s an example of each from the same company to clarify the issue:

Microsoft’s vision statement (at its founding):  A computer on every desk and in every home.

Microsoft’s mission statement:  To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

How To Write A Restaurant Mission Statement

1) Define Your Purpose

The first step toward writing your restaurant mission statement is to define your purpose.

That purpose, then, tells both your customers  and your employees  what to expect when they interact with your business.

For example, here is Taco Bell’s mission statement:

We take pride in making the best Mexican-style fast food, providing fast, friendly, & accurate service. We are the employer of choice offering team members opportunities for growth, advancement, & rewarding careers in a fun, safe working environment.

The first part is aimed specifically at the customer. It describes what the Taco Bell experience should look and feel like for those on the customer side of the counter.

The second part is aimed specifically at the employees. It describes what the Taco Bell experience should look and feel like for those on the employee side of the counter.

2) Use Clear Language And Be Specific

Every industry has its own jargon . Your restaurant is no different.

It’s critical, though, that you keep that jargon out of your mission statement. Instead, use clear language that everyone can understand. Additionally, it’s essential to use specific language in your mission statement and shy away from confusing generalities.

So instead of writing something like, “We deliver business efficiencies using optimized software solutions,” be clear and specific and write, “We design custom software to improve efficiency  in your business.”

3) Incorporate An Inspirational Element

Your restaurant mission statement should be directly tied to your purpose and should be both plausible and attainable. But you can add even more power to your mission statement by incorporating an inspirational element into the mix.

For example, you might link your locally sourced, zero-waste restaurant fare with fundamental values like improving the environment and saving the planet.

When you include this type of message in your mission statement, your business quickly becomes an inspiration to both your customers and your employees.

4) Be As Concise As Possible With Your Restaurant Mission Statement

Length is not the defining factor of a mission statement. In fact, some of the best mission statements are five words or less.

Chipotle’s mission statement, for example, is, “Food with integrity.” This captures the company’s commitment to sourcing, cooking, and serving quality food in a phrase that is catchy and easy to remember.

15 Restaurant Mission Statement Examples

Smithsonian

The increase and diffusion of knowledge.

Wounded Warrior Project

To honor and empower wounded warriors.

To inspire and empower people affected by cancer.

Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire, and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.

American Express

We work hard every day to make American Express the world’s most respected service brand.

Public Broadcasting System (PBS)

To create content that educates, informs, and inspires.

American Diabetes Association

To prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

To give customers the most compelling shopping experience possible.

San Diego Zoo

A conservation, education, and recreation organization dedicated to the reproduction, protection, and exhibition of animals, plants, and their habitats.

American Red Cross

Working to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.

To inspire humanity — both in the air and on the ground.

To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.

Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED)

Spread ideas.

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)

To enhance quality of life for all as we age.

Warby Parker

To offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price, while leading the way for socially conscious businesses.

Schedule Your Team To Make Your Restaurant Mission Statement A Reality

Once you’ve created the best restaurant mission statement possible, it’s time to get to work making it a reality. For that, you need to organize and schedule  your team for maximum efficiency. The Sling  app can help.

Sling not only includes powerful and intuitive artificial-intelligence-based scheduling tools but also many other features to help make your job easier, including:

• Time and attendance tracking
• Built-in time clock
• Labor cost  optimization
• Data analysis and reporting
• Messaging and communication
• And much more…

With Sling, you can schedule faster, communicate better, and organize and manage all your work from a single, integrated platform. And when you use Sling for all your scheduling  needs, you’ll have more time to focus on growing your business and bringing your mission statement to life.

For more free resources to help you manage your business better, organize and schedule your team, and track and calculate labor costs, visit GetSling.com  today.

See Here For Last Updated Dates: Link

Find the article useful? Share with others:

Related articles

15 Tips for Building a Stronger Restaurant Culture

Want to improve what your team members do, what they say, how they behave, and h...

Restaurant Business Plan: What To Include, Plus 8 Examples

Do you want to ensure the success of your new foodservice endeavor? Write a rest...

12 Examples of Small Business Goals, Plus How to Achieve Your Own

Want to improve the way your business operates? Learn some of the more common bu...

Get started today

Schedule faster, communicate better, get things done.

17 Truly Inspiring Restaurant Mission Statement Examples

In this article, we’ll see how you can write your restaurant’s mission statement, and you’ll learn from other restaurants with examples of their mission statements.

Here are some essential points to keep in mind as we go through this article:

• How did you decide to start your restaurant business?
• What was your vision of success?
• How did you know that you were ready for the challenges of the restaurant industry?
• What kept you going through lack of growth and challenging times?
• What are your long-term goals?

All successful restaurant owners have a shared vision and mission: They know what they want, understand that they need to work hard for it, and learn how to achieve their goals.

Now, let’s get into it.

What Is a Restaurant Mission Statement?

A mission statement is a statement of purpose that explains why a restaurant exists and what it hopes to accomplish. Restaurant mission statements are usually paired with company values, vision, and goals. Together, they serve as a guidepost for the restaurant’s purpose of being and how it hopes to accomplish this mission.

These values are what inspire customers to visit your restaurant and employees to work hard for it. Crafting a mission or vision statement is an essential tool for brands to use when strategically planning their business.

A great mission statement states all of the essential characteristics, core values or features that stand out in your restaurant.

Why Your Restaurant Needs a Mission Statement

When you’re a restaurant owner of a busy establishment, it can be easy to let other tasks get in the way of your mission statement.

But taking the time to develop a mission statement that describes how you want to run your business can save time in your daily tasks and guide business decisions.

A mission statement is a critical part of creating an effective business.

1. When your restaurant has a clear mission, every decision you make should support your more significant purpose.

When faced with a business challenge, it’s essential to know how and why you’re making decisions. A mission statement helps everyone at your restaurant – staff, management, and guests alike – understand your business’s fundamental values and objectives.

2. A mission statement is a crucial component of restaurant marketing.

It tells customers why they should choose your restaurant over any other in the area. Your mission statement gives customers something to stand behind and makes them want to come back.

3. A restaurant’s mission statement sends an essential message to the employees that work there.

It’s a public statement of what your restaurant stands for and what it hopes to be in the future. A restaurant’s mission statement is more than just a few words strung together. It’s a way to articulate what the employee is supposed to do and how they should treat their customers. Having a clear mission statement will help your employees work together to achieve their goals and fulfill your restaurant’s mission.

4. Public mission statements help brands attract the best employees.

A restaurant mission statement is an excellent place to start when hiring employees. When your mission statement is public, you can attract the type of people who will thrive at a unique and special home like your restaurant. However, having an internal strong mission statement can help you hire employees that share your business philosophy. Your mission statement can help you hire employees that are already committed to your mission.

How to write a powerful restaurant mission statement

On your mission statement, you want to make sure that customers can easily understand what you want to achieve in a sentence or a couple of paragraphs.

Let us explain how you can do that.

1. What kind of restaurant are we? Please keep it simple in this section and avoid business cliches and the temptation to embellish with too many words.

2. What are our goals? Some examples:

• We want to work with the most outstanding chefs to provide the best food.
• We want to be the most customer-service-oriented restaurant possible.
• We want to be the most environmentally friendly restaurant.
• We want to give a healthy, affordable meal and promote healthier communities.

Now freely brainstorm your own goals; you can always edit them down later.

3. What are our values? Every restaurant has its collection of values that help to differentiate it from competitors and a mission statement that represents a common purpose for everyone who works there. Some restaurants live by the mantra that good food, good service, and good value are enough to keep customers returning. Still, lately, there’s been a trend towards restaurants sharing their passion and delivering an experience that goes beyond just quality food.

4. Who are our customers? Your target audience should be clear to you. After all, you’re in the business of serving your customers. What kind of person do you want to attract? Who do you like to welcome into your restaurant? The answer will help you define your restaurant’s brand.

5. How do we serve them? Good restaurants go way beyond the simple process of taking an order and delivering it. They know that people don’t eat only with their stomachs. The more senses you can engage – whether it’s through visually appealing dishes, scents, sounds, or even textures – the more involved your customers.

Now let’s get into some restaurant mission examples that you can get inspired by and perhaps combine with your ideas.

17 Examples of Restaurant Mission & Vision Statements

This next section includes real examples of restaurant mission statements as well as value and vision statements. Most of these are found in the About Us pages which have become increasingly popular as a way to detail the history and value of a business.

If you click the name of each restaurant, you’ll find more information about each one.

Ristorante Il Buco

The ingredients are ready on the counter, waiting for expert hands to shape them. It is not just a matter of raw materials, timing and ability. The real marvel is instilling one’s soul, to give character. Including the guests in the creative process which is an art form, like the colours of a palette, the plasticity of a sculpture, the harmony of a song, and the taste of passion. And so begins the journey to the discovery of flavours that convey the knowledge of a precious culture and population.

Restaurant Jordnaer

A former gang enforcer found the right path in life through unconditional love toward his wife and gastronomy and created a two Michelin-starred restaurant within 2 1/2 years. This at a humble 3-starred hotel with 6 kids to look after. It’s pure talent and dedication. It’s a drama and a fairytale. It’s a love story.

The young avant-gardes at KOKS use Faroese produce, both coarse and fine, ancient and modern, always keeping an eye on sustainability, leaving the hills that bring forth the good fruit to flourish. Rather than chasing the novel for its own sake, every effort is put into exploring the ancient practices – drying, fermenting, salting and smoking. KOKS follows the seasons and what they bring forth, transforming ancient culinary tradition into modern delicacies.

The Lasai Restaurant

Lasai, the cosmopolitan restaurant of chef Rafa Costa e Silva and his wife Malena Cardiel, has a footprint: its gastronomy is at the same time unprecedented, vibrant, light, mature and sensual. Using modern techniques and Brazilian inputs grown in his own gardens and that of small farmers in Rio de Janeiro, Rafa creates dishes with an emphasis on vegetables without sacrificing the use of the freshest products from the sea and the best meats.

Meet the Greek

The Greeks have mastered the art of enjoying life, better perhaps than any other people on earth… even at their own demise. To be Greek is to love and understand song and dance – and food and drink. Greece has given the world many great things: the Olympic Games, democracy, timeless myths and legends, fabulous food and wine, a sense of humour and, of course, this wonderful restaurant. Wherever you are in the world, you will… Meet The Greek.

Flippin’ Burgers

At Flippin’ we like simple burgers made from scratch without fuss. For real. That’s why we only work with small meat producers who care about animal husbandry and farm animals that are kept outdoors in summer and graze, since this is simply what’s good for them. This makes the meat nice and tasty. We of course only use fresh, dry aged meat.

Mellow Mushroom

Mellow is a State of mind, a culture, a way of being. Our mission is to provide delicious food in a fun and creative environment. We are the originators of hand tossed, stone baked classic southern pizza. Our spring water crust is unique and flavorful, and all our pies are made with high quality, fresh ingredients. Our philosophy is to elevate the dining experience with a higher order of pizza. Mellow out.

From the outside, Diner might have been mistaken a modest endeavor. But Diner, open summer, spring, or snowstorm, has become, with the help of the all the people, staff as well as guests, who continue to return to it, a room that glows from within. Twenty years later Diner has carried on the traditions of its early days. A place of occasion. A touchstone for a neighborhood.

Through a longstanding commitment to sustainability, Roman’s has forged lasting partnerships with local farmers. We strive to serve reverent Italian-influenced food highlighting these connections and ingredients. Above all, we are committed to making our industry a more equitable and sustainable home for all who work in it.

At Credo you will experience food cooked from the raw goods grown in the Trøndelag region, fished from the waters surrounding it, and dairy and local speciality products cultivated with a focus on flavors and sustainability. Credo’s great wish is to take you through a multi-faceted experience of tastes, textures and experiences when you dine with us. We want to show you our gardens, our animals and all that we get from land and sea. We dedicate our time to finding raw ingredients that exemplify the best qualities of the time and place we are in.

Restaurant Domestic

We have a deep love for nature, hence we let the seasons direct our choice of produce. In other words it’s the changing cycle of the seasons that dictates our menu. In our kitchen we use 100 % locally sourced produce from small suppliers working and cultivating the land of our region. This gives us the freshest and most seasonal produce – which in turn creates the best ‘farm to table’ experience as possible.

Restaurant Rest

In Norwegian, “Rest.” is not only an abbreviation for Restaurant or referring to a nice break. “Rest.”means what is left. Food waste is recognized as a major challenge in western food industry and consumerism. It raises grave moral and environmental issues. It insults common sense. And it robbes us of potentially brilliant tastes and experiences. Our ambition is to bring such experiences to you in our restaurant.

The Neolokal team aims to serve its guests genuine food that is inspired by mother earth and modelled and designed from traditions. and while doing so, they are examining traditional recipes to the finest details, blending in endangered heritage foods. chef maksut aşkar, who is heading the young and curious team says “if we do not protect our food, next generations to come will not have anything left in their hands”. by combining modern techniques and innovative perspective with local cuisine they are presenting a new and refined perception.

JL Studio is a platform curated by Singaporean Chef Jimmy Lim Tyan Yaw, with a deep desire and mission to elevate, innovate and share the culture, traditions, flavors and cuisine of Singapore to the world.

Agrikultur is a place that reaches beyond the boundaries of culinary tradition, while honoring food, flavour, sustainability and community. We welcome our guests to enjoy the seasonal swedish produce in a warm, social, open-kitchen atmosphere.

Our philosophy at LYST is about local raw materials, the ever changing nature and the overall artwork of Fjordenhus, and aims to create one magical, inclusive and sustainable dining experience. To achieve this we strive to source everything we serve from within a 100 mile radius and utilise everything to the fullest. Without being dogmatic, this is one of our efforts to create a more sustainable restaurant.

In collaboration with Snøhetta and several experienced local partners, we have developed a restaurant with an equal focus on marine research, architecture, and gastronomy. By focusing on the coexistence of life on land and in the sea, Under proposes a new way of understanding our relationship to our surroundings – above the surface, under the water, and alongside the life of the sea. With this as a backdrop, you will gain a better understanding of the food you eat.

Your restaurant’s mission statement is your guiding star.

It’s the reason you work so hard for a living, why you’re opening one of the most unique restaurants in the country, and why you’re proud to call yourself a restaurateur.

Your mission statement sets a defining course for your business, so make sure it’s something that inspires everyone on your team to roll up their sleeves and get to work every day.

For more information about restaurant slogans and the difference between a mission statement and a slogan check out this post: 250+ Catchy Restaurant Slogans & Taglines (2021)

Finally, if you liked this article you might also be interested in the following:

• 5 Best Restaurant POS Systems
• How to Find Restaurant Staff During the Worker Shortage and Beyond

Related Posts:

• How to Open a Coffee Shop: The Complete Guide
• How to Open a Pizza Shop: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Types of Restaurants: 21 Popular Concepts You Can Start

We Help Restaurants Build A Thriving Business .  Our free online education guides restaurants through practical technology upgrades, marketing strategies, and business operations fine-tuned for 2024 and beyond.

Content Brand AB Norrbackagatan 14. SE-11341 Stockholm

About Us Review Guidelines

POS Reviews POS News Marketing Guides Sitemap

How to write a comprehensive restaurant business plan

Sign up for restaurant insights.

Are you considering opening a new restaurant , adding a virtual restaurant , or pivoting your restaurant’s business strategy to adapt to the shifting restaurant industry? Make sure you take the time to build a restaurant business plan. Why?

• Business plans are like professional road maps — they literally lead the way to success
• They’re critical if you’re looking for investors and need to outline your restaurant’s current wins and future revenue potential
• They help you foresee challenges before they arise, so you can sidestep some catastrophes and be better prepared for the others

Some 26% of restaurants fail within a year of opening, and failure to plan is one of the primary reasons those restaurants close. Create a business plan, and you’re setting yourself up to be on the right side of that statistic.

Here’s how to do it.

What is a restaurant business plan?

Before you learn how to write a business plan , it’s crucial to understand what a business plan is — and what it isn’t.

The goal of a business plan is to create a guide that helps you navigate each stage of launching and running your business. That plan should also be comprehensive and articulate enough that a total stranger, for instance an investor, could read through it and easily understand your vision, your goals, and how you intend to turn your restaurant dream into a reality.

Business plans come in a variety of structures and they can be as short as a single page or long enough to bind into a booklet. You may want to start with a lean startup plan that focuses on a high-level take on your strategy, then follow up with a more detailed plan that elaborates on key points and offers investors more information.

In short, your business plan should communicate everything you have and plan to put into your restaurant to ensure ongoing success.

11 elements every restaurant business plan should include

Your restaurant and mission statement should be unique to your business and your vision, but that doesn’t mean you have to start completely from scratch. Crafted by industry experts and packed with insider knowledge, the Grubhub Restaurant Business Plan template is your step-by-step guide to whipping up a winning business strategy. Take a look at our editable business plan template to start planning your restaurant. However you write it, your finalized business plan should include seven key sections.

1. Executive summary

This is a brief summary of your company, why it’s something the community wants or needs, and why it will be successful. Many different types of restaurants speak to various demographics, and it’s important to know  what kind of restaurant you want to run . Are you opening a quick-service deli focused on takeout sandwiches and ready-to-eat salads? Or are you going to be the first tapas restaurant in a city eager for more variety?

If you’re using your business plan to ask for financing, the SBA recommends including financial information and high-level growth plans in your executive summary, too. Your executive summary should include:

• Mission statement: A concise description of your restaurant’s purpose
• Proposed concept: The summary or outline of the restaurant idea
• Execution: How you plan to make this proposed concept work
• Potential costs: A brief overview of expected exprenses
• Anticipated ROI: How much the restaurant is expected to make

Think of your summary as your opportunity to capture your reader’s attention. Many investors will make a split-second decision based on the executive summary alone — if this section is all they’re going to read, make every word count.

2. Company description

Now it’s time to launch into a more detailed description of the company, including its  vital differentiator(s) , target audience, and any other factors that could sway investors like experts you’ve brought on board as advisors or a location you’ve already scouted or secured.

You’ll want to include the legal structure of the business, explaining whether you’re a sole proprietorship, LLC, etc., and list out existing management and their roles (including your own).

Now comes the fun part: Writing out a description of your concept. This is where you can let your creative side come out, showcasing your passion for what you hope to create and using plenty of adjectives to engage your readers and give your concept life. You’ve already decided what  type of restaurant  you’re opening, now flesh out all the other details:

• Service style (counter vs. sit-down, casual vs. fine dining, etc.)
• Restaurant size and seating capacity
• General ambiance, including décor and music
• Options for styles of seating, lighting, and other fixtures
• Operating hours
• Style of cuisine
• Peripheral service offerings such as retail products, delivery/takeout, and catering
• Unique selling points such as using produce grown on an adjacent farm or a 30-minute lunch guarantee to serve the area’s office workers better

3. Target market analysis

Detail your target market, using buyer personas to indicate who you see being your primary customer and what their dining habits might look like. These personas should include information on where target customers live, their income levels, their pain points (do they hate long waits or want restaurants that are open later?), and how often they dine out or order in.

The more specific you are during this step of the process, the easier it will be to create marketing to reach them.

4. Sample menu

If you’re a new restaurant, including a sample menu is the only way investors will know what you plan on serving. It’s not enough to say you’re going for “rustic Italian,” as that could mean different things to different people. Chances are your menu is your key differentiator, or at least part of it — otherwise, why will customers choose you over tried-and-true competitors already offering similar dishes?

Collaborate with your chef and keep the core tenets of  great menu design  in mind:

• Know your audience and tailor your design and descriptions to your target customer base — a college crowd eager for drink deals and shareable eats will be more interested in pictures and flashy pricing than diners looking for a white tablecloth experience
• Menu descriptions should be short but evocative — choose words that help customers understand exactly what they’ll be eating and get them excited about trying it (for example, say “succulent tea-smoked duck with anise-scented plum sauce” rather than “duck with plum sauce”)
• Refer to menu psychology when determining and placing pricing, sticking to simple numerals (no dollar signs) placed to the right of the menu item with no dots or dashes in between
• Use that same psychology to guide customers through your offerings, using call-out boxes and bold text to highlight more profitable items
• View your menu as an extension of your restaurant branding , using the same colors, design elements, and fonts

5. Organizational management

While you’ve touched on your organizational structure and management earlier on in your business plan, now you’ll explain  your business structure  and share a more comprehensive look at your team. An organizational chart can be helpful, as is a summary of your collective experience. Some people include a bullet list of the team’s top achievements that’s easy to scan and digest. This section should include any employe positions you will need to fill and a plan for how you will train these employees .

In addition to listing out co-founders, managers, servers, etc., you can attach resumes from your executive team or critical players like a well-known mixologist that’s helping you develop your cocktail program.

6. Restaurant design

Restaurant interior design is crucial for your customer’s experience. The ambiance and floor plan impact how they perceive your business and whether it’s a good enough place to eat at. In fact, even the color of the walls and types of flooring can impact people’s moods and how they feel while in your restaurant.

Come up with a restaurant design that matches your theme and cuisine. This is also the time to plan out any patio seating , and decide on how many tables can you can serve.

7. Location

You may already have a specific location picked out or even have a building purchased. If so, this section is less of a concern for you. It’s important to ensure that your location is going to benefit you rather than hurt your business. If you still need to find the right space to host your business, the location you end up choosing should be in line with your target market and be an easily accessible place for them to eat.

Before you sign a lease, it’s a good idea to check out the other competition in your area. If you found the perfect building for your pizzeria but it’s next to another popular pizza shop, it may be hard to convert customers to your cheesy creations. You want to enter a market where you can grab diner’s attention with new offerings rather than rival existing ones.

8. Marketing plan

With so many restaurants vying for customers’ attention, marketing is extremely important for getting diners through the door (or onto your website). Crafting a marketing plan for your restaurant gives you a blueprint for all potential advertising and outreach. Promotional events, social media, and paid ads are just some ways you can help get your restaurant off the ground, and investors will be very interested to hear what you have planned.

9. Takeout and delivery

Having reliable delivery and takeout services is pretty important for most target audiences. In fact, 51% of consumers said if they cannot order delivery or takeout from a restaurant, they probably won’t visit them for dine-in as often. Offering off-premise dining options will increase your order volume and customer base.

If you’re hoping to have takeout and delivery capabilities at your restaurant, Grubhub makes it easy . Whether you want to use your own drivers or our professional fleet, we offer :

• Grubhub Delivery: Our fleet of Grubhub Drivers pick up and deliver orders to your customers’ doors. We coordinate and pay the delivery drivers — all you have to do is provide the food.
• Supplemental Delivery: Utilize our delivery fleet of 300,000 drivers to widen your customer base.
• Self Delivery: Use your own drivers to deliver Grubhub orders to diners. You have full control over delivery and fees, but benefit from Grubhub online ordering.
• Pickup: Set up a Grubhub account to accept pickup and deliver orders from your customers, letting you reach new customers and increase sales.

10. External providers

To make your restaurant a reality, you’ll likely need a bit of help. Make a list of any external companies or software you plan to use or hire to get your restaurant up off the ground. This could be accountants who you wish to balance your books or designers who can help make your design dreams a reality. This list may also include outside suppliers for your food and beverages. Who is it that you want to partner with when it comes to receiving your raw ingredients and materials? Do you want to source locally or use a distant distributor? Whoever it is that you want to potentially work with, write them down!

Luckily, when you join Grubhub you not only do have your food delivery and pickup service partner chosen, you can also simplify your order and menu management using Grubhub for Restaurants’ easy technology integration . Our tech integrations allow orders to come from the Grubhub app or Grubhub.com directly to your kitchen. Plus, you can create a customized online ordering site with Direct . Encourage customers to place a commission-free order right from your restaurant’s website.

11. Customer service policies and procedures

As a business owner, you want to give your customers a five-star experience at your restaurant. Creating customer service policies and procedures will help ensure that your staff create a great dining experience for your customers. Have a blueprint for how certain situations will be handled and what you’ll do if problems arise. For example, if a customer has an issue with the food, your entire staff should know how to handle the circumstance and what to say to the diner. Then, ensure that your staff is all on the same page about your expectations for them and consistently utilize the same guidelines and approach.

12. Financial projections

Finally, it’s time to address the financial side of your business, especially if you’re using your business plan to acquire startup funds or additional capital after you’re already operational.

If you’re pre-launch, your projections are just that: guesses. But these guesses should be based on market research, actual expenses, and projected income, culminating in a five-year look at everything from estimated revenue to capital expenditure budgets.

If your business is up and running, you’ll include actual financial records such as cash flow statements and your P&Ls, ideally for the last five years. Use colorful charts and graphs to highlight financial wins and make it easier for investors to gauge your company’s financial health quickly.

If you’re asking for funding, specify how those funds will be used and whether you have collateral you’re able to put up to secure a loan.

Start writing your own restaurant business plan

Now that you understand the various steps for creating a strategic restaurant business plan , it’s time for you to create your own. Download our Restaurant Business Plan template to draft your restaurants’ operational foundation. Use this as a playbook for you to refer back to whenever you make business decisions.

Once you get your business plan off the ground, consider partnering with Grubhub. Platforms like Marketplace can make it easier than ever to capture the attention of new customers and reinvigorate relationships with existing customers by offering quick-click access to ordering and stress-free pickup or delivery.

Ready to reach millions of hungry customers? Sign up for  Grubhub for Restaurants  today!

Trending articles

• Understanding server minimum wage at your restaurant
• How to run Slam Dunk Deals on Grubhub
• Grubhub’s 2023 Community Impact Report
• How to enter Grubhub’s Slam Dunk Social Media Challenge
• What you need to know about third-party delivery services

More articles like this

How to open a pop up restaurant

Take a leap into the pop up kitchen space with Grubhub’s how-to guide for restaurants.

5 tips for successful restaurant reopening in 2021

Learn five important steps you can take to ensure your restaurant reopening strategy is safe, successful, and sustainable.

3 Tips for Effectively Managing Employee Scheduling

Employee scheduling is an important part of restaurant operations. Here are some scheduling tips to help cut down...

How to prepare for a restaurant health inspection

Don’t worry about your next restaurant health inspection with tips and tricks from Grubhub.

Don't leave money on the table

The faster you partner with grubhub, the faster your business can grow..

Join Grubhub Marketplace and get access to all the benefits that go with it. All fields required

Already have an account? Sign in

Don't miss out - drive higher ROI for your Restaurant!

Nearly 9 out of 10 restaurant owners surveyed agree that Grubhub delivers a high ROI to their business - higher than the competition average*

Thrive on your own terms with flexible pricing and marketing rates as low as 5%.

*Grubhub Restaurant Intelligence Technomic Report 2022

• How to Craft an Effective Restaurant Mission Statement: A Step-by-Step Guide

Your restaurant's mission statement outlines your values for internal and external customers (workers, stakeholders, and diners). It is an important component of your brand identity and will have a direct and significant impact on how you implement it in management. 

Most restaurant mission statements are basic and effective, but few are spectacular. Knowing why and how to construct an amazing mission statement is useful whether starting a new restaurant or updating an existing one. 

Discover why restaurants should have a mission statement, what makes it good, and when and how to write a mission statement for a restaurant in this blog post. 

Table of Contents

What is a Restaurant's Mission Statement?

A restaurant's mission statement is a brief summary of the company's purpose and goal. Restaurant managers usually develop mission statements for their businesses to promote the brand's image and provide the public with an understanding of its values. Mission statements can also help describe how a business differs from its competitors. They can be displayed on restaurants' premises or used in advertisements, advertisements, and promotional materials. 

Why Should You Have a Mission Statement?

Determining your restaurant's mission statement is important for a variety of reasons. If someone asks you about your restaurant's primary focus and business goals, a mission statement is an excellent approach to explain what you're about.  

Here are a few reasons why it's important to develop a strong mission statement for your restaurant.  

To clearly describe your restaurant's purpose for customers and stakeholders.  

Your customers should be aware of what to expect. Will they find homemade comfort food in your restaurant? Or will they get a true cultural experience?  

You should describe what you do at a very high level. Even if your menu or operations change, your goal statement should not change. 

To focus your attention when working on your business plan.  

Your mission statement serves as the foundation for all the activities outlined in your business plan. When choosing menu items , establishing customer service standards, and developing your marketing plan , keep your goal statement in mind. 

Tell customers and stakeholders how you're different.  

There may be ten burger joints in your neighborhood, but there is something that distinguishes you from the crowd. That something should be clearly stated in your mission statement.  

To help customers remember you.  

A well-written mission statement can influence a customer's experience before and after they visit your restaurant. Your goal is to ensure that their experience aligns with your mission.  

What Makes a Good Mission Statement?

You might be wondering, “What makes a good mission statement?" An effective mission statement describes: 

• What does your restaurant do?  
• How do you deliver your customer experience ?  
• Why did you open your restaurant ?  
• What Your Customer Can Expect
• The value you bring to consumers, employees, and stakeholders

When a mission statement is effective, it

• Uses concise language.
• Sets expectations.
• Addresses customer needs.
• Provides direction for your restaurant's activities
• Declares your competitive advantages.
• Describe your value in simple words.
• Drives all decisions.

When to Write a Restaurant Mission Statement?

If you are launching a new restaurant business, you should finish the mission statement draft following the SWOT analysis. The four areas – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats – can help you determine the purpose of your restaurant and what should be included in your mission statement. After you've established your mission statement, you can go on to your company plan.  

A SWOT analysis should be performed on any brand refresh, new location, or new processes in an existing restaurant. Always double-check your restaurant's mission statement after any changes to ensure it remains true to its goal.  

Create Your Restaurant Mission Statement

To get started, learn how other restaurants convey their goal and vision. Some restaurants have long stories, while others have short, simple lines. Create a goal statement that reflects you while being true to your identity.  

Strong value, vision, mission, and culture statements are critical for restaurants to maintain business integrity.   

Continue reading to find out how these four key claims differ.  

1. Value Statement  

Your values shape the decisions you make and the people you collaborate with. As a result, your value statement should be defined before moving to the next statement or idea.  

When starting off on your value statement, it may be helpful to highlight a couple of your competitive traits.  

Try not to discuss what your restaurant does or what you have planned in this statement, as this will be covered in your vision and goal. Instead, your value statement should be a concise, compelling explanation of your company's beliefs.  

2. Vision Statement  

After you've defined your value statement, you can go on to your vision statement. It is all about why your restaurant concept is important and how it can impact the community. 

One way to focus on your vision statement is to see it as the “what" component of your restaurant's objectives. What are your goals? How does this vision distinguish you from your competitors? It might assist in recalling your original reasons for launching the restaurant . Consider what you imagined for your concept and what it would represent to others.   

3. Mission Statement  

If your restaurant's vision statement is the how then its purpose is the what. Your mission outlines how you want to make your objectives and desires come true.   

Restaurant mission statements can be a few phrases long, but they are often brief and to the point. Some of the most well-known restaurant mission statements only contain a few words. The finest restaurant mission statements cater to the audience's desires while remaining honest about what the restaurant is striving to achieve.  

4. Cultural statement  

It can be difficult to tell the difference between a culture statement and a mission statement. Consider your mission statement to be an external force and your cultural statement to be an internal force. 

After all, your culture is entirely internal, and it governs how people engage with customers, what employees value, and what your workforce stands for. Having said that, your cultural statement should include all of the above.  

Now that you know what you're making, you must be inspired.   

How to Write a Restaurant Mission Statement

1. get inspired by competition.

When looking for good restaurant mission statements, look for companies with similar missions to yours.

Next, consider drawing inspiration from well-known restaurant goal statements. Because well-known restaurants are profitable, there may be something special hidden in their mission statement that sustains and propels the business ahead. Just make sure you're inspired by these statements rather than taking them!

2. Look at your idols

To find a successful example of a restaurant or bar's mission and vision statement, look to establishments you admire. These can be either local or global businesses, and it makes no difference what kind of drinks or food they serve.

The most important thing is to take note of what you value when looking at various restaurant and bar mission statement examples. Perhaps you enjoy the length, perhaps you want to replicate the language. Being specific in your research will allow you to build an inspired and focused mission.

3. Consider your customers

Another important aspect to keep in mind when creating your restaurant mission statement is the needs of your guests. What sub-populations live in your community? What other area establishments already serve the groups you're looking for, and where is there room for expansion? Consider what people value in their lives and in the businesses, they patronize, and consider how a mission statement can connect to those values to provoke an emotional response.   

Whether you're targeting military families, college students, or retired seniors, your restaurant's mission statement should represent their interests. 

4. Keep it fresh and unique

If you're tempted to steal a restaurant mission statement sample from the internet, try to resist. You don't want to convey the idea that your restaurant is just like everyone else when it first menus since if you do, customers will have no reason to visit.  

Furthermore, the top restaurant mission statements take a stand on something new and different. They encourage people to think beyond food and explore culture, ideas, and people. Instead of following in someone else's footsteps, craft your goal on what you're trying to accomplish and why customers should support it.  

You can also read our latest blog on branding your restaurant expert tips and tricks.   

Restaurant Mission Statement Examples to Help You Get Started

1) mcdonald's mission statement.

The McDonald's brand mission is to be our customers' favorite place and way to eat and drink. Our global operations are unified with a global strategy known as the Plan to Win, which focuses on providing a great customer experience through People, Products, Place, Price, and Promotion. We are dedicated to continuously improving our operations and our customer experience.  

2 ) Dunkin' Donuts' Mission Statement  

To be the premier provider of a diverse choice of delicious beverages and baked goods throughout the kingdom in a convenient, relaxing, and welcoming environment that ensures the highest level of product quality and value for money. We provide our guests with exceptional service and an amazing experience on every visit.  

3) Buffalo Wild Wings' Mission Statement  

Every day, we strive to impress others! We are guest-driven: Every day, we will WOW our visitors by providing the highest level of satisfaction with an unparalleled focus on friendly service, food, fun, and value.  

We are team-oriented: We will WOW our team members by treating them with the same respect, positive encouragement, and fair treatment that we want Team Members to share externally with every guest.  

We are community-connected: We will WOW the communities where we do business by demonstrating good citizenship and contributing to their improvement as places to live, work, and thrive. 

We are committed to excellence: we will wow our stakeholders with great, industry-leading financial and operational results.  

4) Panda Express's Mission Statement  

To provide great Asian dining experiences by creating an organization that inspires people to better themselves.  

5) Applebee's Mission Statement  

To contribute to the development, joy, and enrichment of all the lives we touch.  

6) Wendy’s Mission Statement  

To provide high-quality products and services to our customers and communities through leadership, innovation, and collaboration.  

7)  Cheesecake Factory's Mission Statement  

To create an environment where complete visitor happiness is our top goal. 

What Should You Do After You've Completed Your Restaurant Mission Statement?

Now that you've created a well-written restaurant mission statement, it's time to strategize how you'll achieve it. Create your vision statement, define your beliefs, and tie it all together in the business plan. Whether you're starting a new restaurant or revamping an old one, your business plan should constantly be updated to reflect your overall goal. 

You can also get your hands on the top things you should know about service charges vs. Tips. 

Recent Posts

• What Is Happy Hour? 10 Foolproof Ways to Make Your Happy Hour Successful
• What does a hostess do at a restaurant? Duties And Responsibilities
• 200 + Cafe Name Ideas That Will Make Your Business Stand Out
• How to Create Food Truck Business Plan? Complete Guide
• How to Choose the Right Restaurant Name (+ 190 Great Ideas & Examples)
• 15+ Different Types of Food Trucks to Know
• 14 Types of Chefs You Need to Know
• 9 Must-Know Tips for Launching a Successful Food Truck Business
• Top Things You Need to Know about Service Charges vs. Tips

Create your FREE restaurant website in 5 minutes!

Register for free live webinar.

Live Webinar On Tuesday Jun 6th, 3:00 PM ET

Mission, Vision, and Values of a Restaurant: How to Write Them?

How to write your restaurant's mission statement, vision, and values..

You don’t know how to write the mission and vision of a restaurant?

The mission and vision of a restaurant are crucial aspects of the identity of your business.

They will inform your employees, your customers, and the whole world of the goals that drive your restaurant, and how you plan to achieve them.

In this article, I'll talk to you about:

• The importance of a restaurant's mission and vision
• How to write the best
• About some examples of restaurant mission and vision
• And more considerations

It is vital that you define these aspects of your restaurant and distribute them in strategic places — social networks, web pages , in your restaurant, in your job offers, and more.

Let's get started!

Importance of a Restaurant’s Mission

The importance of a restaurant's mission is simple: it's about the goal you want to achieve with your restaurant.

A restaurant can have many objectives, however, the objectives mentioned in your restaurant's mission have another connotation.

These are your restaurant's goals in relation to your employees , your customers , the local community , and more.

A restaurant's mission is how you make your intentions known.

You can't just say that you've created a restaurant to make money for yourself and your family — that would be your downfall, even if it were true.

Some common objectives may be:

• Create a valuable restaurant in the local culinary scene
• Create a source of jobs for as many people as possible
• Help the growth of tourism in your locality

Another thing to consider is that the mission of your restaurant has to be genuine so that it can make a real impact on its readers.

With a good and authentic mission statement, your restaurant can attract investors, partners, customers with the same ideals, and much more.

That makes your business mission a method or tool to create connections with the people around your business.

Importance of the Vision of a Restaurant

The vision of a restaurant is the way in which you project the future change in the locality that surrounds your restaurant thanks to the fact that it exists and you have achieved all your objectives.

If your mission is, for example, to create a restaurant where all people can be together without any type of discrimination, then the vision is the way in which you project a profound change in society because you achieve that goal.

Not only your business goals can attract a following — a restaurant vision can do so just as well.

The correct vision will help your diners, customers, employees, and more to visualize the future and the impact that your restaurant will have on it, while keeping them motivated to support your business.

How to Write the Mission of a Restaurant?

Writing a restaurant mission is actually a bit difficult.

This is a piece of text that should contain less than 100 words and a max of three powerful lines.

The real problem arises when you realize that such a small text must answer several questions , it must be persuasive , memorable , and impactful .

Here are a couple of steps you can use to write your restaurant mission statement.

1. Create and Answer Questions

Your restaurant's mission must answer certain questions about your business. You should ask yourself:

• What type of restaurant do you have?
• Who is your target audience?
• What are their needs?
• How do you plan to help your target audience?
• How can your restaurant improve their situation?
• What is your locality like?
• How does your restaurant improve your locality?

You can try to answer as many questions as you want, but these will get you started.

It's a good idea to answer each question briefly.

2. Choose the Feeling You Want to Convey

The emotion conveyed by your mission is very important because it is what can empower the customer to support your restaurant.

You can choose any feeling you want, such as writing a text that denotes your hunger to innovate and change the world or create awareness of social problems with a feeling of obligation .

Keep in mind that this will be the sentiment that you will use to connect with your target audience, so studying it in depth in advance is a good idea.

3. Put Everything Together

In this third step, you simply write everything together in one text — it does not matter the total length at the beginning.

You must write:

• The answer to each question
• Write using the feeling you chose to convey
• And then rewrite it as if it were a short speech in front of your guests

After this, it will be almost ready.

4. Summarize

In the final step, you must summarize, cut, skip, and shorten the mission to three lines that add up to less than 100 words in total.

This is the hardest part, because unless you can summarize everything you have written in this many words — preferably less — you will have to think hard about what is the most important thing you have to say.

How to Write a Restaurant Vision?

The vision of a restaurant is a little easier to write. This is a text that describes a future in which you have fulfilled your restaurant's mission — so it is somewhat hypothetical.

Remember that this future must start from the mission of your restaurant, so you must first define a mission that is unique, realistic, achievable, and has a positive impact.

Then simply imagine a world where you have already achieved those goals, and think about how that hypothetical future is better for the community, for your guests, and more.

Restaurant Mission and Vision Examples

Now I will give you some restaurant mission and vision examples. They are all imaginary restaurants, so I will give you a brief explanation of the restaurant in question so that you understand the context better.

Example of a Restaurant’s Mission

The first example is the mission of the first healthy food restaurant located in a city in the interior of a country, far from the spotlight of the capital.

Our mission is to bring healthy food to the city, to offer affordable alternatives that improve people's quality of life, and at the same time, teach our guests the importance of good nutrition.

In this mission you will be able to find several objectives:

• The first is to bring healthy food to a place where the option did not exist.
• The second is that it is an accessible restaurant, with low prices for the general public.
• And the third is that the restaurant will serve to educate diners on nutrition in some way.

The second example is the mission of a fusion food restaurant located in a border city in Mexico, with the United States a few kilometers away.

We want to offer fusion food that denotes the cultural exchange between Mexico and our neighbors in the United States, to unite our people with good food — we will serve everyone equally!

This mission also provides information about the restaurant:

• First, it reinforces the fact that it is a fusion food restaurant.
• It is implied that it is a restaurant that is in favor of cultural exchange between these neighboring countries.
• Also, that you’ll find fusion food between American and Mexican gastronomy in it.
• It is a restaurant that seeks to unite two peoples with the good food resulting from the mix of its cuisines.
• And finally, it is a restaurant that will not have a preference among customers from both countries, since they will all be treated the same way.

The third example is the mission of an haute cuisine restaurant located in a very touristy area of Brazil.

We want to create a restaurant that introduces gourmet food to new generations, without the high prices, the pretentiousness, and the prejudices. Only good vibes!

This mission refers to the barriers of entry that some fine dining restaurants may have for young people.

This mission is written directly for restaurant diners, who can perceive these barriers in fine dining restaurants that have been in the market for years and are frequented by older people who might, in turn, perceive younger people as unworthy of entering such restaurants.

Restaurant Vision Example

For these examples, I am going to use the same fictitious restaurants, in the same order.

The first example is:

Our vision for the future is to help create a healthier, more nutrition-conscious locality, and that our city has a reliable and low-cost option to eat well, without sacrificing the pleasure of eating.

The second example is:

We want to help eliminate the perceived differences between the cultures of our countries and create a more unified city, without prejudice or xenophobia. Let's share our humanity!

The third example is:

We dream of a world where haute cuisine is shared and accessible to all people, regardless of gender, gender identity, origin, age, social position, and privileges.

What all these examples share is that they create an image of hope for change, generally positive, and beneficial to society and their customers.

Other Considerations

Some companies also decide to add the values that drive their actions. This is rare, however, it has become increasingly important.

Why? Because today's companies seek to separate themselves from the lack of humanity and from being perceived as large corporations with a negative impact on society.

That's why talking about the values that drive your business can help you connect with your target audience more easily, while attracting people with similar values to be part of your team.

Another thing you should consider is that the mission, vision, or values are not only for the people who will visit your restaurant.

Instead, these ideas will help you build support, like-minded investors, high-quality employees, and more.

In addition, it is vital that everything you write is a real part of your business decisions — it cannot be just pretty words without actions that prove your position.

You can even dedicate your mission, vision, and values to actively help society, be it with actions in your restaurant, supporting social causes, important organizations, and even taking actions outside your restaurant.

This can also become donations to important causes or social works for the community that surrounds your restaurant.

What do you achieve with this? Differentiate your restaurant from a corporation that only seeks to make money! Even if it's what you want, it's not a good idea for this to be your only motivation — especially since the world is turning away from companies with selfish motives.

Make Your Mission, Vision, and Values Stand Out for Your Business

Your business’ mission, vision, and values can set your restaurant apart from the competition. Either because the motivations of your restaurant are in line with those of your guests, or because you support causes of social value .

These aspects of your business are not just another branding strategy, but they must be authentic, achievable, and visible through your actions.

Have you created your mission, vision, and values?

Join 40,000 restaurants using waiterio point of sale system

The online ordering has been the perfect tool, especially with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as customers choose to limit face to face interaction. We have grown food delivery by over 112% which is solely due to the use of the free online ordering website.

- Matthew Johnson (Owner of MrBreakFastJa , Jamaica)

Recent articles

Popular searches

• Online Bookings
• Table Management
• POS integration

25 Inspiring Restaurant Mission Statement Examples

Your restaurant's mission statement explains the values you have for both your internal and external customers (employees, stakeholders and diners). It is a crucial element of your brand identity and will have a direct and powerful impact on how you implement it into your management.

Most restaurant mission statements are basic and do the job, but not many are impressive. If you are starting a new restaurant or refreshing an existing business, knowing why and how to write an outstanding mission statement is beneficial.

In this article, we will cover:

What Is a Restaurant Mission Statement?

• When to Write Your Restaurant Mission Statement
• Why do you need a Mission Statement for your Restaurant?

What's the Difference Between Your Mission, Vision, and Values?

• How to Write a Restaurant Mission Statement
• Where to publish your Restaurant Mission Statement
• 25 Restaurant Mission Statement Examples to Inspire you
• What to do after you have completed your Restaurant Mission Statement

To put it simply, a restaurant mission statement is a short description that defines the reason your restaurant exists. It communicates, to both employees and customers, your whole purpose for being and it can identify why you are different from the competition.

Mission statements are paired with a restaurant value statement and/or vision statement. Combined, they promote your brand's identity and establishes how you will run your business to achieve them.

When to Write a Restaurant Mission Statement

If you are starting a new restaurant business then the mission statement draft should be completed after the SWOT analysis . The analysis of the 4 categories - strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, will inform the purpose you have for your restaurant and what will need to go in your mission statement. After your mission statement is written, you can complete your business plan.

With an existing restaurant, a SWOT analysis should be done for any brand refresh, new location or new processes. Always revisit your mission statement for your restaurant after any changes to ensure it is still aligned with your purpose.

Why Do You Need a Mission Statement for Your Restaurant?

Restaurant mission statements make you think of your business beyond just serving delicious food. Diners are looking for a full experience and employees like to get behind a business with a purpose. A mission statement shows the public you have ambition and your business exists for a reason.

Developing a mission statement early will set you up with a mindset that is intentional, motivational and determined. It will influence how you approach your business strategy and guide you in your management.

It is the core of your brand and will:

• Differentiate you from the high competition in the restaurant industry - Nearly every restaurant is delivering great food, but not everyone has a unique purpose. Customers are looking to get behind a goal and like to spend their money consciously.
• Hire excellent talent - Being specific about your mission, values and culture will attract candidates that align with you and will support your purpose beyond looking for "any" job.
• Align all departments and processes - Every element of your business will come back to one overarching goal. Writing a mission statement will make your business plan, decisions and motivating everyone simple and straightforward.

Mission, vision and values are often used interchangeably and sometimes combined but there are some key differences:

• A mission statement is about today. Your current reason for being and the impact you want to have.
• A vision statement is about the future. Your reason for existing going forward and the future you envision.
• Your values tie both the mission and vision statements together. How do you create your reason for being and achieve your future goals through your business decisions, behaviours and actions?

How to Write a Striking Restaurant Mission Statement

To write a strong mission statement, you will need to dig deep and find the reason why you exist, beyond just delicious food. A good mission statement should add value to both customers and employees, and be specific to your business.

On the other hand, a bad mission statement will describe objectives at a very basic level and can be rebranded for any business. For example:

"We want to provide the best service" and

"We want to be leaders in the restaurant industry"

Since these are the goals of just about any restaurant, they do little to identify any unique purpose or value the public can get behind.

Now that you are ready to write, there are some key elements you can focus on in order to give your restaurant the best mission and chance of success.

Key Elements of a Mission Statement

In order to write a successful mission statement, you should be able to answer the following 6 questions:

• Why do we exist? - What is the purpose of the restaurant today, in the here and now?
• What is our value? – What is the value of the restaurant to both customers and employees?
• How do we inspire? – Why should people want to work for the company?
• Can we achieve it? – Is it plausible? Make it sound reasonable.
• How is it specific to our business? – Make it unique to you.
• What will our legacy be? - Even though a mission statement is about the present, it should imply what you want to be remembered for.

Once you have your answers, it will be easier to summarise them into a succinct and powerful statement. Avoid jargon or specialist terms, if you are adding value to everyday people then ensure it is readable and relatable to them.

How Long Should a Mission Statement Be?

The majority of mission statements are between one and three sentences and never exceed 100 words. Some of the most inspirational and striking mission statements are a single sentence, so the more you can revise and polish your draft statement, the better it will be.

 "To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time." - Starbucks, Worldwide.

This is a great example of communicating a mission within one, simple sentence. It hints at the future society they want and their purpose, it communicates directly with the public and it ties back into their business of serving coffee. 

Should a Mission Statement Be in First or Third Person?

A lot of standard mission statements are written in the first person, using "We" and "our". However, a mission statement is not about you, it is about what you do for others. A powerful mission statement is written in the third person and speaks directly to your customers or employees.

"To purchase and serve responsibly sourced seafood without compromising the future of our oceans." - Le Bernardin, New York.

This statement, written in the third person, lets everyone know what they will do for the planet and gives customers and employees a mission to get behind. 

Where to Publish Your Restaurant Mission Statement

Some businesses may decide to keep their mission statement internal only. However, it can be an incredible marketing tool to attract the right talent for your restaurant and encourage diners to spend with you.

Consider keeping your Mission Statement in the following places:

1. Include Your Mission Statement in Your Business Plan

Your restaurant business plan is a roadmap of where you are going and how you will get there. A mission statement is your whole reason for being so should be an important part of your plan. It will inform you and your business partners of the vision you have, the values you want and how to achieve them.

2. Publish Your Statement on Your Restaurant Website

You should publish your mission statement on your restaurant website for visibility, marketing and brand awareness. The best page to place it would be either on the "About Us" section or as a sub-section under this page. You could combine your mission and vision under the same page to give visitors a full overview of what your restaurant is about.

3. Insert Your Mission Statement Into Staff Handbooks

Your mission statement is your restaurant's purpose and should empower your employees. Putting it in a staff handbook promotes a culture to think about the business as more than just serving good food, drinks and making money.

25 Restaurant Mission Statements to Inspire You

Casual restaurant mission statement examples.

• Riceboi Sunshine Coast, Australia. "Always fresh, always local, Rice Boi is your go-to Japanese Izakaya feel dive bar."
• Chipotle, Worldwide. "Real ingredients, real purpose, real flavor."
• Nando’s, Worldwide. "Our main aim is to simply create memorable experiences for everyone who has a bit (or a lot) of Nando’s in their life – our customers, communities, founders and suppliers."
• Honest Burger, London. "‘Honest’ stands for a way of doing things; no tricks, no frills, no hidden costs, just quality dry aged meat, homemade chips with every burger as standard, friendly service, and open kitchens. We aim to deliver on one promise, to do one thing, and do it well."
• Dishoom, London. "Be authentic, not clichéd, modern but connected to Indian roots, and honest but not wedded to the usual conventions."
• Hard Rock Cafe, Worldwide. "To spread the spirit of Rock 'n Roll by delivering an exceptional entertainment and dining experience."

Fine Dining Restaurant Mission Statement Examples

• Le Bernardin, New York. "To purchase and serve responsibly sourced seafood without compromising the future of our oceans."
• The Fat Duck, Berkshire. "The Fat Duck is a restaurant unlike any other, a place where food is not what it seems. We focus on providing a high quality gastronomical and multi sensory experience focused on innovation and consistency."
• Bennelong, Sydney Opera House. "Bennelong serves to celebrate the Sydney Opera House and its extraordinary architecture by offering a culturally significant and inspiring menu showcasing a most magnificent production of Australian food and wine."
• Saint Peter, Sydney. "Our mission is to showcase Australian sustainably sourced seafood, prepare it expertly and serve it simply."

Fast Food Restaurant Mission Statement Examples

• Pizza Hut, Worldwide. “We take pride in making a perfect pizza and providing courteous and helpful service on time all the time. Every customer says, “I’ll be back!”
• KFC, Worldwide. “To serve finger lickin’ good food to all our customers!”
• Five Guys, Worldwide. “Is to sell the best quality burgers possible. To sell the best burger possible, we focus on Quality, Service, and Cleanliness.”
• In-N-Out Burger, USA. “Providing the freshest, highest quality foods and services for a profit, and a spotless, sparkling environment whereby the customer is our most important asset.”
• Krispy Kreme, Worldwide. “To make the most awesome doughnuts on the planet every single day.”

Vegan Restaurant Mission Statement Examples

• Eden, Sydney. "At Eden Foods, we deliver a whole world of freshness—no matter who, or where you are."
• Daigo, Tokyo. "Nomura's mission is to pass Shojinryori Daigo on to the next generation, protecting the creation of his ancestors and seeing it through to one hundred years."
• Lotus Seed, Vancouver. "To be a catalyst for positive action by serving healthy meals . Offering high quality vegetarian food without compromising the taste & reasonable pricing is the perfect answer to our healthy & conscious customers."
• Smith & Daughters, Melbourne. "Smith and Daughters' mission is to never cater only to hardcore vegans but to give everyone the occasional meat circuit-breaker through clever sleights of hand."

Cafe Mission Statement Examples

• Starbucks, Worldwide. "To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time."
• Milligram, NSW . "To nurture body, mind and soul by retreating customers with freshly brewed organic coffee and organic meals."
• Blackstar Coffee Roasters, Brisbane. "Blackstar’s Vision is to stimulate the transition to sustainability. To caffeinate the movement towards a sustainable economy."

Pub Mission Statement Examples

• Stalwart Brewery, Sunshine Coast. " The Stalwart Brewing Company dream is to provide a consistent, high quality range of ales to the community using great tasting Sunshine Coast hinterland water, fresh grain, hops and yeast in every batch. No preservatives or additives. Just love and dedication in every hand crafted brew."
• The Half Moon, Herne Hill UK . "We take pride in offering some of the finest food in Herne Hill. Our superb dishes throughout the week are prepared using the finest seasonal ingredients, which we source locally wherever possible."
• The Fat Duck Gastropub, Te Anau NZ. "We strive to be Te Anau’s favourite restaurant by creating a workplace where our team is committed to providing the best guest experience in Southland. We believe everyday is an opportunity to improve and to give back."

What to Do After You Have Completed Your Restaurant Mission Statement?

Now you have crafted a well written mission statement, it is time to plan how you will achieve it. Formulate your vision statement, get clear on your values and bring it all together in your business plan . Whether you are starting a new restaurant or revamping your existing business, your business plan should always be updated to match your overarching purpose.

Related Insights

Preparing for the festive season: A step-by-step guide to success

Finding Hospitality Staff: Tips For Writing a Job Ad

It’s time to deck the halls: quick tips for a joyous Christmas in July