Are you getting ready to write a business plan for your restaurant? Whether you are writing a plan for a start-up venture or if it's time for you to create an updated plan for an existing restaurant, using a software program designed specifically for your industry can be very beneficial. You can choose an application that includes research compiled by industry experts or a fill-in template that provides a framework for you to enter your own research and ideas.
QuickPlan Restaurant
If you are looking for a comprehensive business plan program that minimizes the amount of research and work that you have to do yourself, consider choosing the QuickPlan software package that most closely matches the type of establishment that you own or are thinking about opening.
Rather than being just a fill-in template, QuickPlan offers a number of industry-specific pre-researched restaurant business plan packages, including one called QuickPlan Restaurant. The QuickPlan Restaurant package is designed for medium-size, single-location full service restaurant and bar enterprise, but options are available for other types of establishments.
QuickPlan actually has several niche-specific plan software options within the food service industry, including versions specific to Mexican restaurants, chicken wing establishments, delicatessens, multi-unit operations and many others. Visit RestaurantBusinessPlan.com to see all of the niche plans that are available from this company.
The QuickPlan product is different from other options on the market, because when you purchase the program you receive a fully-written business plan that was researched and written by experts in the niche you select. You can, of course, add in information specific to your particular business, but the industry-research has already been conducted and filled in for you. This makes it very easy for you to make informed predictions based on your business model rather than if you start from a blank slate, as is the case with true fill-in templates.
New QuickPlan packages are released each year, so be sure to verify exactly what is available when you are ready to start working on your plan. The cost for the complete 2012 version QuickPlan Restaurant package is $195; the cost of a download only version is $50 lower. Follow the instructions on the website to request a free demo before making a decision to purchase.
Restaurant Success Kit
If you aren't looking for a largely pre-researched and pre-written plan, you may want to consider the Restaurant Success Kit package that is available from RestaurantOwner.com. This package includes an easy-to-use fill-in template that is designed to help restaurant entrepreneurs create effective business plans, as well as a number of other resources designed to be helpful to restaurant owners with various aspects of operations.
The business plan portion of the kit includes several template plan versions, including options that are appropriate if you are creating a plan document to submit to banks or investors for funding consideration. The kit also includes market and demographic research sources and an ebook that can help you more fully understand the process of creating a plan for your restaurant business.
Beyond the planning portion, the kit includes a comprehensive financial software package designed especially for restaurants. Additional kit features include a guide for effective marketing, restaurant operations resources, loss prevention strategies, information about franchising versus opening your own restaurant concept and more.
The Restaurant Success Kit costs $97 and comes with a one year money-back guarantee.
Start Preparing Your Business Plan
Whether you choose one of these packages, or if you opt for a general business plan software application like BusinessPlan Pro that you can customize for a restaurant - or any other type of business - it's time to get started putting your document together. Once you have created a plan, it's up to you to implement it, monitor it, and make any changes necessary as you move forward as a restaurant entrepreneur.
