Opening a restaurant can be extremely exciting, but a large proportion of these types of businesses fail early on, so you need to make a lot of correct decisions when it comes to how to pick a restaurant business to open and the best place to open a restaurant.
You may not have realized how important the location of a restaurant is, but if you’re out of the way, and nobody knows about your business, you’re unlikely to build a customer base. Let’s dive into the methods of choosing your restaurant location analysis.

How to Find a Perfect Location for a Restaurant?

Whether you are looking for a restaurant space in Las Vegas or you are starting your business on the east coast of America, there are certain things to consider when it comes to choosing the best location for a restaurant.

Though there is no single best place to open a restaurant.

Most towns and cities have space for another, but if nobody can locate a restaurant or it is not in a built-up area then it is very unlikely that you’ll build something successful.

Restaurant Location Analysis

So how do you perform a restaurant location analysis? Below, we explore a lot of the data to take into consideration for your restaurant location strategy.

Demographic Data

The first consideration. Have you heard the saying “if you build it, they will come?” It’s definitely not true when it comes to the location of a restaurant. You need to make sure that the area is full of potential customers. If your target market is young people, for instance, are you building your restaurant in a location where young people live, work, and shop?

Safety and Crime Data

It’s always a good idea to see what the local crime data says about the location. Higher crime rates can suggest that not a lot of people are willing to visit this location of a restaurant, and also indicates that you may be more likely to experience problems with crime.

Size and Space Requirements

How much space do you need for your restaurant? If you want to build a huge steak house then building it in the center of a busy city might be prohibitive. You will want a lot of space, and this usually means more expense, especially closer to the center of a city or in a super busy location.
Of course, it is a good idea to work out space and size requirements you have for your restaurant before you settle on the best location to open a restaurant. This way, you can ignore any properties that don’t fit your requirements.

Proximity to Suppliers

We all need suppliers and other businesses that you might want to work with. Everything from where you get your fruit and vegetables to real estate asset management needs to be thought about. If you’re going to start a restaurant offering fresh fish, you better make sure you can source from somewhere near the coast.

Competition

A bit of healthy competition is always welcome, and it can be a really good way for you to drive your business growth. However, you don’t want to be competing with identical businesses, especially if they have a loyal customer base already. Consider whether or not there are similar restaurants nearby.

Zoning Regulations

Within busy downtown areas and other locations, you might find that there are zoning regulations. For instance, you might not be able to sell alcohol in a certain area, or you might have to get permission to open in this area. Contact the local town manager and ask about whether there are any regulations.

Visibility

Ask anyone “help me pick a restaurant” and they will probably tell you that you need to be visible. This means that as people are walking and driving past, they can spot your restaurant. This is how you will gain a lot of new customers, and though you can advertise in plenty of other ways, relying on local footfall might be the best.

Accessibility

How accessible is the building? Can disabled people easily access your restaurant? If you’re going to open a restaurant that has a lot of stairs, for instance, you might find that you instantly put a lot of older people off, and they won’t want to come and eat in your restaurant.

Labor Costs and the Minimum Wage

Your business is not likely to succeed if you don’t have a plan for how to staff it. Restaurants need chefs, waiters, and more staff to become a success, and if you start in an area where it costs a lot to staff your business then there is every chance that you’re going to be under more pressure to bring in the customers and make a lot of money quickly. This isn’t always doable.

Estimate Future Growth

For a lot of people, choosing the best location is all about choosing the place where your business can grow. It’s about spotting the potential in your restaurant location analysis. Is there room to grow in the future? Is this the sort of location where you can build your business to the level you want to reach? These are the sort of questions to ask when it comes to choosing a location for a restaurant.

Conclusion

Even if you start the best restaurant in town, it is virtually impossible to get the traction you need and grow to the point where your business is profitable if you’re not in a good location. People are unlikely to go out of their way to find your business. Alternatively, if you choose a good space, it can market itself. People walking past may be intrigued, and you can boost the chances of picking up more customers, better employees, and growing a better business in the process.
If you’re going to open a restaurant, spend plenty of time analyzing and working out the ideal spot to build your empire.