A big idea. A clear next step.

You don’t have to figure it all out at once. Work through the decisions, keep the evidence and build a plan you can act on.
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YOUR NEXT DECISION
Who will actually eat here?

A clear customer, a small costed menu and a realistic service model.
The path to opening

Five stages, at your pace
RESTAURANT OPENING PLAN
Untitled project
Location not entered
Currency: USD (no currency conversion)
Seat target: Not set; listed furniture seating places: 0 (not approved capacity)

Entered opening costs: $0.00
Received-quote lines (self-reported): $0.00
Estimated lines: $0.00
Furniture included above: $0.00
Cash reserve: Not decided
Contingency: Not decided
Entered funding need: $0.00 — incomplete if costs are missing
Available funding entered: Not entered

UNRESOLVED COSTS
Indoor dining chairs: quantity not decided
Indoor bar stools: quantity not decided
Booth units: quantity not decided
Indoor tables (complete): quantity not decided
Outdoor chairs: quantity not decided
Outdoor tables (complete): quantity not decided
Host stand / other furniture: quantity not decided
Lease deposit and pre-opening rent: price needed
Design and professional fees: price needed
Contractor / buildout scope: price needed
Utilities and service setup: price needed
Cooking and ventilation equipment: price needed
Refrigeration and warewashing: price needed
Smallwares and storage: price needed
Equipment delivery and installation: price needed
Permits, review and inspections: price needed
Insurance and professional services: price needed
POS, internet and software setup: price needed
Recruitment, training and pre-opening payroll: price needed
Opening food and beverage inventory: price needed
Signage, menus and launch marketing: price needed
Freight, assembly and installation not included elsewhere: price needed
Taxes not included in quoted prices: price needed
Cash reserve: not decided
Contingency: not decided

BUDGET & FURNITURE
Furniture | Indoor dining chairs | quantity: Not decided | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 1
  
Furniture | Indoor bar stools | quantity: Not decided | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 1
  
Furniture | Booth units | quantity: Not decided | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 2
  
Furniture | Indoor tables (complete) | quantity: Not decided | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Furniture | Outdoor chairs | quantity: Not decided | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 1
  
Furniture | Outdoor tables (complete) | quantity: Not decided | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Furniture | Host stand / other furniture | quantity: Not decided | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Space & buildout | Lease deposit and pre-opening rent | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Space & buildout | Design and professional fees | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Space & buildout | Contractor / buildout scope | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Space & buildout | Utilities and service setup | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Kitchen & equipment | Cooking and ventilation equipment | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Kitchen & equipment | Refrigeration and warewashing | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Kitchen & equipment | Smallwares and storage | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Kitchen & equipment | Equipment delivery and installation | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Opening costs | Permits, review and inspections | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Opening costs | Insurance and professional services | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Opening costs | POS, internet and software setup | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Opening costs | Recruitment, training and pre-opening payroll | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Opening costs | Opening food and beverage inventory | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Opening costs | Signage, menus and launch marketing | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Opening costs | Freight, assembly and installation not included elsewhere | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  
Opening costs | Taxes not included in quoted prices | quantity: 1 | unit price: Unpriced | estimate | seating places per unit: 0
  

VALIDATE THE IDEA
Before spending on a location
Who will actually eat here? — todo
Action: Describe your customer, occasion, price point and service style. Interview potential customers outside your friends and family; record what they buy now and what would make them switch.
Record: Customer notes, proposed menu and price points
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Check demand on the actual street — todo
Action: Visit competing restaurants at your proposed opening hours on different days. Record prices, traffic, queues, access, parking and nearby demand generators. Empty tables alone do not prove a gap in the market.
Record: Competitor names, observation dates and what you learned
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Test a small, costed menu — todo
Action: Choose a manageable opening menu. Record portions, ingredient quantities, prep time, waste and expected selling prices. Use supplier prices rather than a generic food-cost assumption.
Record: Recipe costs, test feedback and items to simplify
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Match the menu to local availability — todo
Action: Map core, seasonal and special dishes against actual supplier availability and volume. Confirm which local ingredients can be obtained year-round and which need a tested alternative. Recheck yield, price and allergen information when substituting.
Record: Dish → ingredient → months available → supplier → tested alternative
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Test the menu under service conditions — todo
Action: Run several orders together. Record equipment, storage, preparation, holding and staffing needs; identify bottlenecks and simplify where necessary. Confirm food-safety procedures with the appropriate local authority or qualified adviser.
Record: Equipment and station map, timed trial, allergen/specification references and changes
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Set your stop-or-change conditions — todo
Action: Write down your available time, skills and maximum personal exposure. Identify what would make you reduce the scope, delay or walk away. Review your assumptions with a local business adviser.
Record: Decision limits, adviser contact and unresolved assumptions
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set

CHECK SUPPLIERS & STAFFING
Before promising a menu or opening date
Map every essential food source — todo
Action: List produce, protein, dry goods, beverages and specialty ingredients. Identify wholesalers, food hubs or producers serving your exact address. Ask about product availability, seasonal changes, traceability and any documentation your local regulator requires.
Record: Category → supplier → contact → items → availability
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Get comparable supplier quotes — todo
Action: Send the same ingredient basket, grades, pack sizes and expected weekly quantities to multiple suppliers. Compare delivered cost, usable yield, minimum orders, delivery days, surcharges, payment terms, substitutions and quote expiry—not just the headline price.
Record: At least two comparable quotes where available; explain any single-source dependency
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Test your backup supply plan — todo
Action: Contact an alternative for every menu-critical ingredient. Confirm they can serve your address and what account setup or lead time is needed. Decide what you will substitute or remove from the menu if the primary supplier disappears.
Record: Primary failure → backup contact → activation time → menu fallback
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Check the local hiring market — todo
Action: List roles and shifts. Compare current local job listings and wage data for cooks, dishwashers, servers and managers. Call the local workforce office and culinary programs. Ask about candidate availability, recruiting lead times and training options; posted wages do not prove candidates are available.
Record: Roles, observed pay ranges, dates, recruiting contacts and lead times
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Build a workable staffing fallback — todo
Action: Draft a weekly schedule with prep, service, cleaning, breaks and supervision. Identify who covers absence or a key departure. Price training and pre-opening payroll. If hiring is slow, decide which hours or menu items you can reduce.
Record: Shift coverage, recruitment channels and reduced-service plan
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set

VERIFY THE PREMISES
Before committing to a lease or buildout
Ask the local authorities first — todo
Action: Contact the planning/zoning, building, fire and food-service authorities for the specific address and proposed use. Ask about approval sequence, plan review, inspections, occupancy, accessibility and any alcohol or patio approvals. Record the official response; this checklist is not permission to operate.
Record: Authority, named contact, date, written response, fees and lead times
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Inspect what the space can support — todo
Action: Have qualified local professionals assess ventilation, grease management, power, gas, plumbing, refrigeration, restrooms and accessibility. Confirm delivery access and waste storage. A former restaurant is not proof that your proposed operation is approved.
Record: Survey findings, scope gaps and priced professional assessments
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Check the full commitment — todo
Action: Have an appropriate local adviser review lease obligations, permitted use, deposits, escalation, repairs and fit-out responsibilities. Get competing contractor scopes with exclusions and schedules before relying on a buildout figure.
Record: Reviewed terms, comparable scopes and unresolved conditions
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
List every occupancy payment and date — todo
Action: Request the base rent, additional charges, deposits, escalation and available supporting statements. Record possession, rent commencement, landlord-work timing and what happens if approvals or utility connections are delayed. Confirm the written terms with your lawyer.
Record: All-in occupancy schedule, payment dates and unresolved lease questions
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Document the site decision — todo
Action: Reconcile the proposed menu and layout with professional assessments, approval requirements and priced works. Record responsibilities for repairs, installation and reinstatement. Name every unresolved condition and who must answer it before commitment.
Record: Proceed / revise / stop decision, supporting evidence, conditions and owners
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Arrange the less obvious services — todo
Action: Research waste and grease collection, pest control, linen, cleaning, equipment maintenance, internet, utilities, insurance and payment processing. Record setup charges, ongoing charges, cancellation terms and emergency contacts.
Record: Provider shortlist, written terms and backup or emergency response
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set

BUILD THE BUDGET & FURNITURE LIST
Before placing orders
Price the complete opening scope — todo
Action: Open the budget and furniture worksheet. Separate estimates from received quotes. Include freight, installation, tax, deposits, professional fees, training, opening stock and a cash reserve. A blank price is unknown, not free.
Record: Priced worksheet, quote references and remaining unknowns
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Confirm furniture before ordering — todo
Action: Open the furniture category in the budget worksheet. Check dimensions, commercial suitability, cleanability, materials, colors, lead times, warranty, delivery access and assembly. Confirm whether tables include tops and bases. Have the layout and permitted capacity reviewed locally.
Record: Furniture schedule, samples/specifications and approved layout reference
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Stress-test a slower opening — todo
Action: Work through delayed opening, lower sales and higher costs with your adviser. Record how bills will be paid and what triggers a smaller launch. The reserve entered here is your assumption, not a forecast or a recommendation.
Record: Downside scenario, funding evidence and spending limits
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set

PREPARE TO OPEN
Before announcing that you are ready
Confirm business and operating setup — todo
Action: Review entity/ownership arrangements, registrations, banking, bookkeeping, payroll and insurance with the appropriate advisers. Confirm which licenses and approvals apply to this operator, address and activity; do not assume a previous operator’s approvals transfer.
Record: Account and application checklist, adviser confirmation, renewals and owners
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Confirm dates and dependencies — todo
Action: Reconfirm supplier accounts, deliveries, contractor completion, equipment commissioning and furniture arrival. Assign an owner and due date to every unresolved item. Keep alternatives for anything on the critical path.
Record: Confirmed dates, responsible people and contingency actions
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Rehearse service with your team — todo
Action: Test receiving, storage, prep, ordering, payment, cleaning and incident procedures. Train the team, check equipment and run a limited rehearsal. Record what failed and retest fixes.
Record: Training records, rehearsal findings and outstanding fixes
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Validate the interruption plan — todo
Action: Walk through supplier failure, staff absence, refrigeration failure, power or water interruption and payment-system outage. Have safety-critical responses and stop-service conditions validated by appropriate authorities or qualified professionals.
Record: Scenario → contact → safe response → stop/reduce-service condition → retest
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set
Make a documented opening decision — todo
Action: Confirm required approvals with the relevant authorities, essential staffing, supply availability, insurance and cash readiness. Review every blocker with the appropriate adviser. Completing this planner does not certify legal, financial or operational readiness.
Record: Approvals, final checks, decision owner and outstanding risks
Evidence: Not recorded
Owner: Unassigned | Due: Not set

DETAILED GUIDANCE & SOURCES
https://restaurantopeningguide.com/restaurant-opening-playbook/
Local business advice: https://www.sba.gov/counseling/local-assistance/
Food sourcing: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/local-regional/food-directories-listings
Hiring research: https://www.careeronestop.org/BusinessCenter/default.aspx

Planning worksheet only. Not a supplier quote, financing advice, legal approval, layout or opening certification. Confirm local requirements with the relevant authorities and qualified advisers. No inquiry has been sent.