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Opening a restaurant

Everything before day one: the plan, the licences, the equipment and the first weeks of trading.

13 articles

Restaurant Equipment List by Station

A practical restaurant equipment list by station, with advice on what to buy new, buy used, lease or skip, so you do not pay for kit you will not use.

DineHarbor teamOct 4, 20266 min read

Opening a restaurant

How to Start a Food Truck

Start a food truck with a plan: choose the vehicle, register the business, find legal pitches, handle gas and power safely and take payments.

DineHarbor teamSep 6, 20266 min read

Opening a restaurant

How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan

Write a restaurant business plan that a bank, partner or landlord will read, with the nine sections, a worked break even example and the numbers they ask for.

DineHarbor teamAug 11, 20267 min read

Opening a restaurant

How to Choose a Restaurant Concept and Location

Choose a restaurant concept and site with evidence: test the demand, count real footfall, read the lease and check delivery reach before you sign anything.

DineHarbor teamJul 24, 20268 min read

Opening a restaurant

Restaurant Start Up Costs and How to Budget

What it costs to open a restaurant, in the buckets that matter: lease, fit out, equipment, technology, licences, opening stock, staff and a cash reserve.

DineHarbor teamJul 15, 20267 min read

Opening a restaurant

Restaurant Licences and Permits Explained

The licences, registrations and inspections a restaurant usually needs, with UK examples, notes for the US and the Gulf, and how to find your own list.

DineHarbor teamJun 26, 20267 min read

Opening a restaurant

How to Start a Bakery: Plan and Rules

Plan a bakery that pays: production schedules, costing bread and pastries, waste at close, early shifts, allergen labels and what to register first.

DineHarbor teamJun 7, 20265 min read

Opening a restaurant

Restaurant Kitchen Layout That Works

Design a restaurant kitchen around the flow of food, from delivery to the pass, with zones, spacing, hygiene points and where printers or screens belong.

DineHarbor teamMay 8, 20267 min read

Opening a restaurant

How to Open a Pizzeria: Menu, Ovens and Margins

Plan a pizzeria: choose a style, pick an oven, cost your dough and toppings, design for delivery and check the rules for ovens and extraction.

DineHarbor teamApr 24, 20265 min read

Opening a restaurant

Restaurant Insurance Types Explained

Understand the main kinds of restaurant insurance, which are legal duties and which are choices, and how to compare quotes without paying for the wrong cover.

DineHarbor teamMar 8, 20267 min read

Opening a restaurant

Restaurant Technology Checklist for Opening Day

Plan the till, kitchen, printers, card reader, menu, ordering, delivery and reports your new restaurant needs, with important UK setup duties kept in view.

DineHarbor teamFeb 18, 20266 min read

Opening a restaurant

How to Start a Cafe: Plan, Menu and Numbers

A practical guide to starting a cafe: pick your niche, build a short menu, work out coffee and food margins, plan the hours and check the rules before you open.

DineHarbor teamDec 28, 20255 min read