Location is the Heart of a Successful Restaurant

A restaurant can have the most beautiful lounge, the most ambient dining room, the freshest and most delectable menu items and the highest standard of customer service, yet still fail. If customers cannot easily reach your restaurant's location (or find it) then all your efforts will be for naught. The most successful restaurants and eateries are those that have succeeded in their site selection process. Knowing what to look for in terms of location can help you pave the way toward a successful restaurant and avoid some common pitfalls.

Visibility and Accessibility (Foot Traffic)

In order to go eat at a restaurant, people have to know the restaurant is there. Your marketing efforts will work toward this end, but location visibility is also crucial. This is why property prices in downtown districts and developed strips are higher than other areas. They offer a level of visibility that can bring in a great deal of walk-in business, also commonly referred to as "foot traffic."

Accessibility is also very important. The reason major restaurant chains are often located near highways and freeway exits is that such locations allow for greater accessibility for customers. Motorists can get to the restaurant without fighting traffic or driving out of their way. Most successful restaurant locations (but not all) are easy to find and reach.

Another important accessibility factor is parking. In order for your restaurant location to be truly accessible, it must have adequate parking. If a location you are considering does not have its own parking lot, it must be near public parking.

Detailed Local Knowledge

Local knowledge is very important in identifying appropriate potential restaurant locations within your chosen trade area. At a minimum, the area must have a significant and financially viable residential base, include a daytime population source, such as a considerable office concentration, and also traffic generators such as a retail shopping centers, tourist attractions or entertainment venues such as multiplex movie theaters.

Detailed local knowledge of the surrounding area includes factors such as demographics, population density, and income. Daytime population numbers will indicate if an area can support lunch activity; likewise, nighttime population will support dinner activity. For these reasons it is important to include the type of retail and offices located near the site and the area's overall employment figures.

Urban Trends

The faces of cities and towns as we know them are changing, offering new and useful information for restaurateurs looking for a new restaurant location. Downtown areas of second-tier cities such as Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Detroit and San Diego are shifting toward the big-city 24-hour model set by cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, Toronto, and restaurants Quebec. The good news is that as business and residential populations head back downtown from the suburbs, office and other workers populate these once-barren central business districts during the day. Likewise, in the evening, residents and tourists descend, attracted by retail entertainment venues. Of course, everyone needs a good place to eat, helping you as you choose the best location for your restaurant.