How to manage a FAST food business

​The only simple thing about a fast food restaurant is ordering food. Although they are seen as low‑budget and low-quality restaurants, they can be very challenging to manage successfully. The main quality of a fast food restaurant is to produce high quantity food quickly. Hence, training your staff and keeping their morale up are incredibly important. But what factors should you be aware of when you think about buying (or already owning) a fast food restaurant?

Staff

Happy employees produce better work. Ensure that your employees are kept motivated. When hiring employees make sure that they are there to work and that they will take their job seriously. You don’t want to employ someone who will bring the whole team’s morale down. Encourage your staff and develop an incentive system that rewards them for working hard.

You also need to ensure that your staff is trained well and that they understand the systems and the quality of service you want to deliver well.

Products

You don’t always have a say in all the procurement options when you buy into a franchise, but where you can look for the best quality at the best prices. The final product you deliver should be affordable, simple and meet customer expectations. When you advertise a burger with lettuce, tomatoes and two pieces of cheese but only serve a bun, patty and tomato sauce, you will lose customers! Be sure that the portion size and price reflect each other and that you deliver a consistent level of quality.

You can also cut costs by using the same product in several different menu items. This will allow you to make bulk purchases. Keep an eye on your storeroom so you know exactly what you have and where your stock is going. Also, rotate stock often so that you only serve fresh produce.

Systems

Look for ways in which you can get food out to the customer quicker without compromising service or quality. The quicker you can complete a transaction, the quicker you can start a new one. More transactions lead to bigger profits. Develop a smooth running production line suited to your business, shop layout and staff employed.

Prep! This is key to fast service. The better your teams prep during down times, the quicker they’ll be able to produce food during rush periods.

Profit

Keep track of everything you spend, inventory, and all the sales you make. Search for possible ways in which to minimise waste and maximise revenue, offsetting low-profit margins with high sales. The better you run your storeroom and fridge, the produce less you’ll lose. Investigate your staff schedules and plan appropriately for busy times as well as quite times.

We have a specialised team to assist you when you are thinking about acquiring a fast food restaurant. These type of establishments can be a great investment as, depending on how they are run, they can lead to great profits. Look to the Aldes Food team for guidance whether you want to make a retirement investment, start your own business, expand your enterprise, or even sell your business – we’ll take care of the entire process. Go to www.aldes.co.za for more information.