Once you decide that it’s time to build your own sushi restaurant, there are a few steps that you need to follow so that you are successful with opening and remaining a safe establishment for your diners and employees. Some of these steps will take into consideration things you may not have thought about before you took on the idea of building a restaurant. Others may even shed some new light on these steps and enhance the important of them to building the restaurant and getting it ready to open. Before you can start cooking though, these steps must be considered.
Get Business Insurance
Some things are critical to being able to build your own sushi restaurant, and they don’t have anything to do with the products you are serving your customers. Getting into the business industry, it is vital first to make sure that you secure an affordable insurance plan that covers the insurance requirements you should carry and also those that your particular business may need.
The required business insurance that you need is worker’s compensation insurance. This is required in any business that has more than one employee. With this policy, if your employee gets hurt while working, they can get assistance to cover the medical expenses they develop. Sometimes, they can even get a weekly stipend if they must be out due to the damages they sustained. In return, they can’t sue your business, and you can remain operational without worrying.
If your sushi restaurant is planning to have delivery drivers and vehicles owned by the restaurant for employees to drive, then you are required to carry commercial auto insurance on these vehicles. This policy is full coverage and offers complete protection for the employee in the event of an accident, even if they’re the responsible party for the damage.
Many different business insurance options are recommended. Regarding a sushi restaurant, you should consider adding a few to your policy for ultimate protection. Liability is the first one and probably the most important. You can be sued if your business is attacked in court because of employee actions or allergic reactions to guests. With liability insurance, you can use this money to pay out the expenses your restaurant becomes responsible for and avoid utilizing your assets.
Another great option is cyber liability, which protects your business if customer data is breached and stolen. Because you want to utilize technology and various payment methods, you must protect the data you collect from your clients when you build your sushi restaurant. If data is stolen and proven to have happened at your restaurant, your sushi restaurant can be sued, but you will be covered financially with cyber liability insurance. Without this policy, you will be forced to pay for damages out of your pocket as the owner of business assets.
If your sushi restaurant is threatened with damage from a flood, fire, theft, or other natural causes, you can utilize a property and business interruption portion of your policy to cover these damages. Not only will your business need repairs, but you will need funds to cover expenses and payroll until you can build your sushi restaurant back to the way it was before the incident.
File Your Business License
One of the most important steps to ensure you don’t miss is filing your business license when you build your own sushi restaurant. Certain licenses may need to be maintained at the state and local levels, so your best course of action is to hire attorneys knowledgeable in restaurants and take the necessary legal steps. When you secure legal action for your sushi restaurant, you are subject to starting out the right way for your business.
Keep in mind that once you file for your business license, you may not necessarily be awarded the license as it has to be approved. You may want to contact your city government if you are in the city limits or county government to see what that process looks like and how long you can wait for your business license. This is also why it’s one of the first steps when looking to build your own sushi restaurant. In some areas, this could take much more time than you anticipated to process.
Invest In Delivery Vehicles
With the new demand in delivery, it is best practice to make room for delivery vehicles so that you can reach your full market potential. Many customers are looking to have products delivered, and you do not need large or many delivery vehicles. It is a good idea to have at least two, and if your budget allows, a third one in case an emergency order needs to go out while your other drivers are working on current deliveries.
If you decide to move forward with delivery vehicles for your sushi restaurant, the best form of marketing is fleet car detailing. You can take your vehicles to a local vehicle wrapper in your area and have them do a custom vehicle wrapping job with your logo and contact information. This lets everyone on the road and in the different areas know you have this service, learn the locations where you are willing to deliver and improve your overall business. Once customers get used to your brand, you will see the demand in your orders increase.
It is a good idea, though, to ensure that your employees understand that they represent your business when driving the fleet vehicles. If they drive wreckless, onlookers will notify you through reviews and direct contact with the restaurant. This type of marketing and service must reflect positively on your business. Vehicle wrapping is usually located with business that perform car audio specialists, which is another great service to have for your delivery vehicles. These specialists can have your vehicle connected with the best technology to navigate and communicate with customers during a delivery.
Maintain Your Roof
When you build your own sushi restaurant, you may not be thinking directly about the roof right away, but this is a core thing to check on and make sure it is designed properly for your restaurant. Before you move forward, you need to have commercial roofers inspect the roof’s vents, hoods, and other outlets to ensure you maintain a safe practice inside your restaurant. You need to ensure that you can properly ventilate without losing any customers or pose risks to the community because the roof was misdesigned. A local roofer who specializes in commercial properties will be your best resource for this particular need.
It is important to note that restaurant kitchens have more requirements than others, and they are expected to meet the local standard requirements in place by code enforcement and DHEC to ensure a safe and sanity experience for everyone dining in the restaurant.
Install a New Door
When you begin to build your sushi restaurant, you will likely need to install a new door if you are using a pre-built building. Most of those doors will not have the right aesthetic for a sushi restaurant. Also, clear glass doors are inviting and can showcase the cleanliness of your restaurant. Make sure that you choose a door that is the right size for your business, as you will need to pursue a business glass door repair company when you are looking to have doors corrected or even purchased.
Upgrade Your Windows
Another thing to look for when you want to build your own sushi restaurant is to pursue your local commercial glass company and see about upgrading your windows. Commercial windows should be reinforced as a way to protect the business from damages outside, weather impacting the temperature and keeping unwanted debris out of the restaurant. Because sushi is such a delicate specialty that relies on quality temperatures and serving areas to enjoy, the dining space needs to be secured to protect the area.
If you are planning to build your own sushi restaurant building, you want to use the strongest and most upgraded windows in the restaurant. They will protect the business from unwanted theft and burglaries and protect the building from natural disasters and accidents that can cause significant damage. When you seek out the company that you want to work with, review their window replacement services and the warrant that they offer on their products. This could be essential into repairs and expenses that you put into your sushi restaurant later on.
Find Quality Flooring
The flooring that you install when you are looking to build your sushi restaurant is vital since you have esthetics, liability, and sanitation to consider. The first recommendation is to avoid carpets and rugs as much as possible. They can be held in debris and become unsanitized quickly.
In your kitchen area, the flooring should be tiled since it is the easiest to clean and keep sanitized and will last for decades without replacing it. Considering how much walking and work will be going on those floors, spills, water, and other products in the area, that is the best option for that part of the business.
In the dining area, vinyl flooring with ridges and grips are becoming popular, as they keep employees and customers from slipping when they walk through the area, avoiding unnecessary liability cases. They are also easy to clean, which makes them more desirable than some of the other options. They have a pretty standard longevity life, as they do not last as long as tile, but they are easy to replace and affordable. Because they come in a variety of colors, you can expect to change them up to match new designs and impact the overall theme of the restaurant.
Consider Furniture Options
Once you have decided on a theme, it is time to select the right furniture for your dining room. Depending on the layout of the building, you have options of booths, tables, and even a bar. If you have a bar that you need to furnish, make sure you choose sturdy chairs that are comfortable for all guests and will be sturdy as they climb in and out of them.
With tables, you can choose both high-top and low-top options. Some guests prefer higher seats, while others are more comfortable on a low-top table. In each section, it is a good idea to have at least one option, diversifying the tables so diners can have the best experience. Larger tables should be sturdy like bar stool chairs and have the same style chairs in these areas.
Low-top tables can be a different size, and you can diversify how many you want with four seats, six seats, and eight seats. Ensure you view the fire codes for your dining room, as some tables will not fit and you can always push time together for large parties. It is a good idea to have two of your largest tables spread out through the dining room, so that they are not in the same space, causing crowding in that area.
Booths are also important in a sushi restaurant. If you are looking to offer a private ambiance for your customers, consider booths that have high backs on them so that your customers have privacy. You should also choose the colored leather of your choice to upholster these booths so that they are easy to clean and remain durable for years to come.
It’s Time To Get Started
Once you have undergone these different steps to build your own sushi restaurant, you are ready to get the doors open. Sushi is a delicious and accessible way for diners all over the world to get a taste of Japan. Most of these are not related to food or the products that you will be serving, but they help you provide an atmosphere and location that is essential for having a sustainable sushi restaurant. These steps cover everything from legal matters to building codes and furniture that will have an overall impact on when you open, how you open, and if you stay open once you pass all the inspections.