Roman Rozhnikovskomu owned restaurants such as the “tent”, “Nostalgia” and the network facility “Rake.” Roman is a veteran of the market, his first restaurant he opened in 1988 under the title “Come, try it.” In an interview, he shares a payback of one of his current projects, why in our restaurants so many waiters and how to become an eminent restaurateur.

– Is there a difference between the current time and when you started?

Today, there are slightly more problems that will face the novice restaurateur, also affects competition. But today, many professionals who can help, and more potential customers. So, basically, the same conditions. In fact, every person who now planned to open a cafe, will think the same categories that once I thought: I want to do is have a feeling that this is what people need, and you are sure that you make out how it works. As for me, then and now for any beginner, there will be many revelations.

– For example?

– For example, to build a restaurant, you need not just a plan. Needed project. There are talented people who can plan your own restaurant, come up with design, etc. But still have to incur costs to prepare documents to obtain permits. Do the right thing, then do more. But I am sure that the work will be easier if everything correctly counted: the electrician, and pozharka and technological part. You can choose a different path – to give a bribe to shut their eyes, and then continue indefinitely to pay bribes in order to continue to turn a blind eye. But we are wrong to think that firefighters and doctors to us just stick – and you can really burn, and poison.

– How we should start?

– In answer to the question “why do it.” Decide what kind of restaurant, for whom the restaurant, what prices, what dishes, what service, etc. If some answers, but there is only a desire to start stupid. Many people think “build a restaurant for himself and friends, we’re so much time and money spent in other restaurants.” And friends for some reason do not go to this restaurant. Absolutely everyone who opens a restaurant with the slogan “Not for income”, quickly begin to suffer losses and change their point of view.

– How to open a restaurant?

– Every time I’m going to open a restaurant, I make an estimate, which then try to fit. The first step is to put a sheet of paper on which to present all the expenses which they can be. Construction depending on the project may be equally or more challenging. We tend to do everything from scratch and building – one of the most expensive parts. Next – the specific restaurant business related to inventory, menu, form, fund, hangers, toilet. Immediately we must think of the staff. That’s right, when the chef takes part in the design of the place where it will work.

The most tragic in our case, when the restaurant is built, it’s time to open, but the money ran out. If you spend like $ 100,000 for equipment, then must spend another $ 100 000 for ventilation and air conditioning.

It is important to understand that the restaurant some time to work at a loss, so we need to lay the optimistic and pessimistic variant of expenditure. Advertising, for example, in any case, it is worth the money and spending it, too, should be planned, otherwise they will be withdrawn from circulation. It seems elementary, but there are hundreds of examples of simple, apparently, things are a revelation. A big plus for the novice restaurateur – experience in the business: well when there is an understanding of the structure of business processes, how to manage personnel, etc. Otherwise, I think, generally do not start.

– Where do you get staff?

– Where it all. Now on the market of trained personnel more than it was in 2008, because the crisis is relieved of many of their posts.

– And why in our restaurants, compared with European ones, so many waiters and managers?

– We have low productivity. Historically, we have never lived poorly. Abroad, people lived badly, difficult, and therefore there is a work of ten men. And the fear of losing work. And we have all the experience provokes low productivity. And the crisis has not changed the situation. Workers have no fear of losing their jobs, they can be little motivation. Therefore, instead of one has five. And not the fact that if one pay as five, it will be five times more efficient – so the structure of our people.

– How do you select contractors?

– There are people who can withstand the test of time. From the architects I have been working 10 years as a supplier, a company specializing in pozharke, at a construction site, an electrician. But do not forget about the development of technology. For example, the colored avenue we do not have windows, and the task was to make a lot of light, do not splurge on electricity. Therefore, we have found new partners that have made us a project with LEDs. But the main thing for me – reliability. The belief that just brought, just do not let you down, will enter the position and wait with the payment.

– How much do “rake”, and how quickly they pay off?

– Approximately $ 2 million for the facility. “Rake” to “Alexis”, which we have built a half years, and where he was a cardinal and major maintenance, cost $ 3 million a fresh “rake” on the colored, we have built over 4 months old. The payback period of 2-3 years, the crisis was 4.

– Why so much to spend, you can also open a restaurant much cheaper?

– Not to lose the appeal. There are many networking projects, which were effective, but now so obsolete that they lose their appeal.

– How much do you spend on advertising?

– The idea is that advertising should spend 3-5% of annual turnover. But since you can take your potential turnover and make an impact on discovery. For example, historically, one-time advertising with us is $ 100 000-200 000, or 5-10% of the initial investment. I believe that advertising – part of the cost, so we always lay in the budget those numbers.

– What should be the rent?

– We consider ourselves to an adequate rent to $ 1,000 per square meter. We have more space, which we took in the hope of growth, now it has an impact on business performance.

– Which format is relevant today?

– Actually everything professionally. And then, how to evaluate the outcome? Can be in terms of capitalization, it is possible in terms of profitability. There are examples where no special attachment originally was not, and has been successfully operating a restaurant. And there it is, like, a successful restaurant, but they did not earn, all while serving their investments in discovery. All have examples. You would think that there are some bad and tasteless, and generally a nightmare, and people like it. When people fall in love, they do not weigh in the balance one another, they are simply drawn to one another. On the same restaurants. There is no objective criterion for all that is good. I know people who go to “rake” for the atmosphere, but I know and those for whom the interior does not mean anything, most importantly, that the price is right and the road.

– What should I do to become an eminent restaurateur today?

– Come up with something which is not, and do it right.

– Well, let’s say I have $ 100 000 …

– Very few have $ 200 000!