So you’ve thought up a catchy name, decided what to serve and secured a location. Opening day for your restaurant is right around the corner. Before you open the doors and serve the first customer, make sure that you have budgeted well for your new restaurant. By following a few easy budget tips, you can ensure that your new restaurant will be the talk of the town.

Overestimate Your Costs

Always budget more than you think you will need for your restaurant’s smooth operation. You may run into additional fees for licenses and permits, extra costs for food and additional labor costs. Always have six to nine months of working capital available to ensure that you will get through any lean times in the beginning. There may be a rush of customers in the beginning, but that traffic may quickly die down. You will need the reserves to get through this period.

Find Ways to Keep Costs Low

Whether it’s spending less on uniform shirts by buying them wholesale or getting a discount on utensils, there are ways to spend less on your expenses so that you can enjoy higher profits. Find ways to keep costs down by planning ahead for each of your purchases and maximizing your budget.

When it comes to opening a restaurant, budgeting is key.Many restauranteurs are surprised at how quickly startup costs can add up. Keep costs low and make sure that you have enough funds to keep your diners coming back again and again.