People think about opening a restaurant all the time. For some it’s a cherished dream that they wish to fulfill after their retirement. For others it’s an impulse of the heart after having a really bad day at work. Whatever the reason may be, opening a restaurant is not easy. It takes a lot of hard work and determination. There are a lot of things to be done before the restaurateur can cruise the tables and greet his guests. If you’re giving some serious thought to opening a restaurant, then here are a few things you should keep in mind.

The Chef

If you don’t know how to cook, then you’ll need to find someone who can. And that someone needs to be a culinary artist. The entire restaurant rests upon the shoulders of one man. That man is the executive chef. If you hire the right man for the job, then you have a glimmer of hope. If you don’t, then you can watch your dream simmer on a low heat. The chef plays the role of a general who leads your army into battle. If you want your army to be victorious, your general needs to be determined, resourceful and loyal.

Location plays a vital role in the success of any restaurant. As the new game in town your restaurant should be easily accessible to people. Your location will also have an effect on your menu and price, so choose carefully. You should scope out the competition before setting up tent in their neighborhood. If you can’t fight the good fight against your adversaries, then you should look for a place elsewhere. You can’t hope to attract guests by opening a fine dining restaurant in a middle class neighborhood either. Location is the key, so give it ample of thought.

The Menu

You may be successful in attracting a few guests, but what are you going to feed them? If your menu doesn’t shine on the opening night, and other nights to come, you’ll have to close shop. Trust your chef’s judgment and give him ample of freedom to display his craft. After all he’s the professional, he knows what’s best. There’s no point in buying the best restaurant equipment money can buy, if your chef doesn’t have the freedom to cook what he wants. Adding your favorite dishes to the menu will only result in your downfall.

The Price

The price needs to be just right when it comes to food. Even wealthy people don’t like paying a fortune for small portions of food. A fine dining experience isn’t a license to rob your guests. Try to make your dishes as affordable as you can. The restaurant business is a business of repeating customers. The more frequent your guests are the better. And that’ll only be possible if they can afford the food.

Opening a restaurant is a tough cookie to crack. Out of the 10 people who try 8 fail, and the remaining 2 spend their lives competing with each other.

Neil Harris, the author of this article, is an employee at Abreq, leading providers of restaurant equipment. Neil loves bird-watching and visits various national parks on weekends.