A Burger Restaurant

A burger business might sound old school, but new hamburger restaurants are serving up patties with a twist .

Ivan Brown, is a brand manager of ground beef at Cargill Meat Solutions.

According to Brown, 8.5 billion burgers were served in commercial restaurants during the 12 months ending March 2006. Entrepreneurs can beef things up with upgrades, customization and flavor. Give consumers high-end toppings, the freedom to create, and ethnic and untraditional flavor options, and this is one item certain to keep the grill red-hot. For those interested in franchising, check out this month's "What's New" column on page 126 for information about gourmet burger chain The Counter.

How can you cook up your burger restaurant?

1. Immersing yourself in the industry. Opening a hamburger restaurant may sound simple, but get some sound experience at a restaurant before jumping in headfirst. "I would advise that you have previous restaurant experience," says Tim Goodell, 39-year-old founder with wife Liza Goodell,a Hollywood, California, burger and wine bar.


2. Setting yourself up for success. The restaurant industry is a competitive marketplace, says Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research at the National Restaurant Association in Washington, DC."Anyone considering launching a new restaurant concept has to be extremely diligent in doing a pretty rigorous business plan and identifying not only the market area, but the demographics within that market area and making sure that they are aligned with the product offerings."


3. Knowing who you"re serving. Study your target market and take the time to get to know what they want and expect. According to Ivan Brown, brand manager of ground beef at Cargill Meat Solutions, a producer of ground beef based in Wichita, Kansas, customers today are willing to show you the money as long as they get options, flavor and quality in their burgers.


4. Letting your imagination run wild. Differentiate yourself from the competition by using your creative thinking. Says Riehle, "[Hamburgers] will always remain an American favorite, but there are a lot of enhancements and tweaking of the basic menu item that can and are being done."


5. Keeping an eye on the economy. Overall, the restaurant industry is exploding. In fact, according to Riehle, 47.5 percent of all food spending is allocated to the restaurant industry, and that percentage is expected to surpass 50 percent in the next decade. However, as fast as the industry is speeding forward, be aware of factors that might affect different segments of the industry.
   
   

Good Luck!

~entrepreneur resources