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The Platevio blog
Plain, sourced guides to opening, running and costing a cafe, bar or restaurant — written for owners, not for software buyers.
All guides
10 guides
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Food cost percentage: how to price a dish, step by step
How to calculate food cost percentage and price a dish: the formula, yield-adjusted plate costing, US benchmarks, pricing methods and a full worked example.
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How to open a bar: costs, licenses and a timeline
How to open a bar in the US: choose a concept, budget for it, get the liquor license and permits, and follow a step-by-step timeline and opening checklist.
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How to open a coffee shop: costs, permits and a checklist
How to open a coffee shop in the US: pick a format, budget $80,000 to $300,000, get the permits, price each drink by cup cost and plan the opening months.
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How to open a restaurant: costs, permits and a checklist
How to open a restaurant in the US: the steps in order, what it costs, the licenses and permits you need, how to fund it, and a phased opening checklist.
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How to start a food truck: costs, permits and a checklist
How to start a food truck business in the US: truck vs trailer, sourced startup cost ranges, the permits cities require, locations and a launch checklist.
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Menu engineering: which dishes actually make you money
Menu engineering sorts every dish by popularity and contribution margin. The 70% rule, the weighted average, a worked example and what to do with each dish.
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Restaurant business plan: free template and worked example
A restaurant business plan template you can fill in now, with a worked 60-seat example: startup costs, sales forecast, break-even and SBA loan basics.
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Restaurant floor plan: layout, seating and code basics
How to plan a restaurant floor plan: the 60/40 split, square feet per seat, table spacing, ADA and exit rules, kitchen layouts and two sample layouts.
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What is a POS system? A plain guide for restaurants
A POS system is the software and devices a restaurant takes orders and settles bills on. How it works, its parts and types, what it costs, and how to choose.
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