Post #578619 by Swanky on Thu, Mar 3, 2011 7:00 AM

When I was working on my own plan, I sat down with the head of Ruby Tuesday. One of 3 who started that chain. The point that is important is this. A good restaurant with a bar has a lot to consider. There is a certain percentage of tops that will order a cocktail and a percentage that will order off the cocktail menu. That's for Ruby Tuesday, TGIFriday's, etc.

You change the theme to Mexican, and you see that percentage instantly go up due to Margarita sales plus import beers. Your margin goes up instantly with that theme. All the food costs and other factors are still there. All the people steeling from you when ever possible, etc. Servers out sick, toilets overflowing at 1AM, etc.

Then you make it a Tiki theme and you put the drinkmenu in their hands first and they see flaming volcano bowls and smoking brews and such, and they have to order off that menu. Your percentage goes way up. Your magin gets even better. If those drinks are actually good, yes, very good margin.

HOWEVER! Are people going to come back? I go to my favorite restaurant 2 times a week easy. I travel to other faves monthly. (Across town) So, you CANNOT get all wacky with the food! Forget the theme food and make damned sure you have a good mix with a great burger and chicken and whatever is going to keep people eating there regularly.

If you go for a bar only. If that is even legal in your city, you have a tougher road. You gotta be "hip". You aslo have to be ready for people to walk in and say "I love the tacky tiki!" Yeah. Stings. Whatever.

My plan? Find a restaurant doing well and sub-lease their bar area and give it a make-over and take over it. Let them handle all the big head-aches and just turn their bar into a huge money maker. Keep it on a sort of hobby level. Bar manager...