The right recipe for a profitable speciality restaurant

From the Mint article

The choice of cuisine is equally critical. The cuisine hierarchy goes something like this—Indian, followed by Chinese and Italian. “Italian has broadened to include European and Chinese has grown to pan-Asian but the basic hierarchy remains the same,” says Raman Macker, whose company Dish Hospitality owns chains such as Tasty Tangles and Sancho’s, besides Aurus, in Mumbai.

...For those looking for a high number of walk-ins, malls are a good option...A.D. Singh, who opened his Japanese restaurant Ai at Metropolitan mall in New Delhi, concedes, however, that malls can be a tricky option since the crowd that comes there has to be aligned with the kind of restaurant you want to open.

...While at most spaces the staff will summon the manager for every issue, at Indigo they are allowed to take any decision related to enhancing the dining experience of the guests—they can even decide not to charge for a dish that diners may seem unhappy with, even if they have not complained. This empowerment brings in that critical personal touch that differentiates service from hospitality. But retaining the staff is a challenge at every level.

...The mood you cater to will dictate your ambience, menu and pricing. Be clear on what you want to deliver and deliver what you promise: “If people suddenly see a band playing at Aurus on Monday night, diners will just be confused,” says Macker.

Arun Natarajan is the Founder & CEO of Venture Intelligence, the leading provider of data and analysis on private equity, venture capital and M&A deals in India. View free samples of Venture Intelligence newsletters and reports. Email the author at arun@ventureintelligence.in