Introduction
Launching a restaurant or café is a mix of art, operations, and finance. These are the 10 most common mistakes that cause the most damage—with Dego’s practical solutions alongside each.
1) Insufficient Market Research & Wrong Location
Mistake: Emotional decision-making based on “liking the space.”
Solution: Study foot traffic, neighborhood income, competitors, local food basket, parking/pedestrian access. Test MVP sales near the target location before leasing.
2) Overcrowded & Unengineered Menu
Mistake: Selling everything, long prep times, ingredient waste.
Solution: Menu Engineering (Stars/Dogs/Puzzles/Workhorses), ingredient crossover, standardized cooking/portion sizes, blind taste testing.
3) Unrealistic Financial Model & Ignoring Hidden Costs
Mistake: Overlooking depreciation, waste, excess staff, taxes, and platform commissions.
Solution: Monthly P&L, optimistic/neutral/pessimistic scenarios, break-even analysis, 6-month cash flow budget.
4) Wrong Equipment Purchases
Mistake: Buying machines misaligned with the menu.
Solution: Equipment list based on recipes, peak-time capacity, repairability/spare parts, power/gas/exhaust compatibility.
5) Lack of Standardized Recipes & Processes
Mistake: Dependence on a “good chef,” inconsistent quality.
Solution: Weighted recipe cards, internal training videos, station timers, shift-based quality control.
6) Hiring Without Training & SOPs
Mistake: Rushed recruitment without service culture or standards.
Solution: Shift SOPs, guest conversation scripts, opening/closing checklists, error reporting system.
7) Pricing Without Costing
Mistake: “Market-based” or competitor-only pricing.
Solution: Recipe costing, dynamic pricing multipliers, monitoring food cost %, profitable bundles.
8) Neglecting Branding & Identity
Mistake: Starting with a logo and stopping there; no integrated experience.
Solution: Brand strategy, visual/verbal identity, brand-driven menu, packaging, and aligned ambiance.
9) Launch Without a Marketing Plan
Mistake: A “silent” opening.
Solution: Launch Playbook: teaser campaigns, invite-only pre-launch, influencer collaborations, opening-day offers, local PR coverage.
10) Ignoring Feedback & Data
Mistake: Emotional decisions, ignoring reviews and KPIs.
Solution: Weekly dashboard tracking SoS, Google/social ratings, wait times, AOV, RPR, menu heatmaps.
Quick Startup Checklist (Printable)
- Business plan & 3-scenario P&L
- Data-driven location selection
- Menu engineering & recipe costing
- Equipment list based on recipes
- Operational SOPs & team training
- Brand strategy & launch kit
- 90-day marketing calendar + pixels
- Weekly KPI dashboard
How Dego Helps?
From market research to brand identity, from recipe costing to launch playbook, and from content calendar to KPI dashboard—Dego provides a unified team for the full journey of setting up and growing your food business.
