A bistro is a fancy-looking term to describe a small but classy restaurant. If your field of work is related to the foodservice industry and you’re planning to open up a bistro-like restaurant, one of the things you need to create is a business plan. A business plan is your map, your guide, and your checklist of all the things you need to do and to have in your bistro business. Without a business plan, all your plans are disorganized and sloppy resulting in flop operations and that’s one main thing you want to avoid from happening. Read the article to know how to make a bistro business plan.

3+ Bistro Business Plan Samples

1. Bistro Business Plan

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2. Bistro Coffee House Business Plan

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3. Sample Bistro Business Plan

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4. Bistro Business Plan Example

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What is a Bistro Restaurant?

A bistro restaurant is a Parisian-style small restaurant that serves affordable simple home-cooked meals such as casseroles, coffee, and alcohol in a modest setting. Bistros usually look like small cafes. Its quirky, quaint, homey, and intimate ambiance attracts people to hang out and dine.

The Importance of a Business Plan

A business plan is important for restaurants to have because it develops all your ideas for a restaurant into reality and it guides people to plan and forecast all elements of restaurant management and operations.

Details to Include in a Bistro Restaurant Business Plan

1. Introduction

This is where you’re going to introduce what you’re bistro is all about. The first page is your cover page. Attach the logo of your bistro, put the name of the establishment, and your name as the owner.

On another page, introduce your restaurant by putting the following information:

  • Your restaurant concept
  • The inspiration behind the concept
  • The food you’ll be serving
  • Overview of your service style
  • Your business structure
  • And other details that make you stand out from other bistros and restaurants

2. Sample Menu

Attach a complete and comprehensive list of your menu items. It should include the prices of each meal on the menu. Make sure your prices are based on your estimations on cost analysis and financial projections. If you’ll be presenting the business plan to your investors, attach a mock-up design of your menu that you’re planning to use in your bistro to let them know the concept and style of your menu.

3. Service and Design

Describe what service style your bistro has. Explain in great detail what your guests can expect from their experience with your bistro’s service. Explain how your bistro’s layout is designed to efficiently cater to your guests. Furthermore, describe the overall theme and design of your bistro. If you haven’t finalized the final look of your bistro, you can create a mood board with images to show the design and ambiance of your bistro. You can also use sample images of other restaurants that you’re inspired to base your bistro’s design. However, if you already have a finalized plan on what your bistro looks like, include its images instead.

4. Management and Staff

Include all the names of your staff working in your bistro along with their qualifications and work experience related to food industry service or any background related to their position. Don’t forget to also include your qualifications, training, and work experience related to business management and foodservice as well.

5. Location and Target Market

Knowing your target market is important because this is where you will base your marketing strategy. Know which type of people will want to eat in your bistro (know their age, what they do for a living, their average income, what area do they live in, etc.). Explain how your bistro concept appeals to these types of people.

Your target market and location must go hand in hand because wherever the location of your bistro, your guests are most likely coming from the area. Describe the neighborhood of the location, the square footage of your bistro, foot traffic in the area, parking details, and accessibility.

6. Marketing Plan

Make a detailed plan of how you’re going to market your bistro through advertising and promotion. Include all the strategies that you will do that will get the attention of the public, especially your target market, and how you can stay relevant that your bistro business can steadily establish your brand.

7. List of Contractors

To ensure the success of your bistro, you also have contractors from outside your business that could help provide the success of your restaurant. List the names of your suppliers, accountants, designers, architects, attorneys, etc. Explain the services they are responsible to do and your reasons why you chose these people.

8. Financial Plan

Your financial plan must have the following financial information such as your current capital requirement budget, profit, and loss statement for the first three to five years of operation, break-even analysis, projected cash flow, projected balance sheet, and business ratio.

FAQs

How much money does one need to open a small restaurant?

The average cost to start a restaurant is around $275,000 to $425,000.

How does one open a small restaurant?

If you want to open a restaurant, here is what you’re going to need to do:

  1. Choose a concept and brand for your restaurant
  2. Create your menu
  3. Write a business plan
  4. Get funding
  5. Choose a location for your restaurant
  6. Obtain permits and licenses
  7. Design the restaurant’s layout and space
  8. Get your equipment and obtain a supplier for your food
  9. Hire restaurant’s staff
  10. Advertise your Restaurant
  11. Host a soft opening

Writing a business plan isn’t a breezy task that can be done in just a day or two. Making a business plan can take up days, even weeks, to complete. You have to commit time to brainstorm, draft, and revise your business plan several times. However, take your time to create the plan so this will help you make your plan clear and concise. To help you get started on making a business plan for your bistro, download our free sample templates provided above!

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