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The opening day of a new restaurant is full of excitement and possibility as the restaurateur finally gets to present his vision to the world. However, ensuring the success of this grand opening requires months or even years of work, planning and preparation.

A successful opening takes more than serving customers a great meal, experts say. It takes time to properly train staff, a soft launch, lots of research and making sure customers actually come through the doors on day one and return in the days and weeks afterward.

“Great signage, media presence, influencer buzz, social media marketing and digital ads can go a long way in increasing sales in the first few days or weeks of a new restaurant,” Ryan Goff, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at restaurant management agency MGH, said in an email.

The same applies to ensuring adequate staffing and preparation.

“Inadequate preparation can ruin a grand opening,” Goff said. “It’s always better to have too much staff and preparation and, in the best case scenario, be prepared for lines out the door.”

This hard work before the grand opening is crucial because once a restaurant is up and running, there are no second chances, Rick Camac, executive director of industry relations at the Institute of Culinary Education, said in an email.

“It’s like a Broadway play. There are no bad days,” he said. “Quality and consistency day after day.”

Know who your customers are

Restaurants should take the time to research their desired audience so they can create a menu tailored to them, Camac says.

Such a study would involve tracking customers’ routes to the restaurant and finding out where they work, where they eat and what they do, Goff says.

“Find out who they are influenced by,” Goff said. “And really try to put yourself in their shoes so you know how best to reach and influence them.”

Restaurants should be prepared to collect hard data that would allow them to improve their operations once they open, says Katherine Pendrill, senior manager of content marketing at POS system software company TouchBistro.

Such data can come from a POS system that tracks sales and average spending to predict future sales, make operations more efficient, reduce food waste and find ways to improve the bottom line, Pendrill said. She said operators can use reservation systems to send customers post-meal surveys to learn how they can improve.

It’s especially important for fine dining restaurants to pay close attention to the guest experience, from how loud the music is to how the staff greets guests when they arrive, Pendrill says.

Quick-service restaurants need to pay special attention to the speed of service by optimizing pickup processes or introducing self-service technologies such as kiosks where appropriate, she added.

Train your employees

Restaurants can prepare newly trained employees through “practice, practice, practice,” Camac said.

Owners need to hire experienced managers who are patient coaches and give their employees all the tools they need to do their jobs, Camac said. He said that means laying out the steps of service, providing menu descriptions and allergy information, dressing appropriately and explaining how to carry trays or properly serve guests.

Pendrill said training staff on how to use the POS system and how to troubleshoot it was also “essential for a smooth service on opening day.”

Employee handbooks and training materials can be helpful for restaurants of any size, giving employees a reference point for the establishment’s values, policies, responsibilities, restaurant technology and more, Pendrill says.

The most important thing, Goff said, is that restaurants need to give their newly trained employees time. That means taking a “soft and slow” approach to the introduction and being with them from the beginning.

Give employees plenty of time to learn the product and be there every step of the way to show leadership and lead by example, Goff said.

It’s hard to find the right talent, and it’s just as hard to fully train them quickly, Goff said. But “jumping ahead and opening before they’re ready can seal a restaurant’s fate before it even gets a chance.”

Hold a soft launch

Soft openings and pre-opening events can help build anticipation for the eventual grand opening and spread word of mouth about the restaurant’s existence, Goff says.

They could also allow restaurants to test their menu and train their service staff in-house at least a month before opening, Camac added. That means organizing events for a few friends and family and possibly an industry night where owners can get friendly feedback.

A soft opening serves as a trial run for a new eatery and gives them a chance to work out some of the kinks before the grand opening, Pendrill said. And since it’s usually by invitation only, restaurants can bring along friends, family and other operators who can offer their advice and perspectives on what needs to be improved before the grand opening.

Spread the word

According to TouchBistro’s 2024 Diner Trends Report, only 38% of over 1,500 U.S. diners surveyed said they try a new restaurant every few months, and another 34% said they rarely try a new restaurant.

That means it’s important for restaurants to advertise their opening through multiple channels: They need to have a professional, mobile-optimized website; a completed Google Business profile; and social media profiles on all relevant channels, Pendrill said. The restaurant should show up when consumers search for new restaurants in their area, she said.

“Because guests are so loyal to their familiar restaurants, it is extremely important to get the word out before a grand opening,” said Pendrill.

Camac recommends that restaurants hire a good PR agency a month before opening and launch a social media and press release campaign a few weeks beforehand.

Restaurants can also build excitement and hype in advance by using valuable space at the front of the building. For example, they can hang “Coming Soon” signs or place ads for social media logins or text updates so that “customers can’t wait for your doors to open,” Goff says.

Generate enthusiasm and follow-up orders

Restaurants also need to go the extra mile to make people aware of their opening, says Pendrill. According to the Diner Trends Report, 52% of Gen Z diners decided to try a new restaurant based on positive feedback on social media.

Restaurants should send invitations to local influencers to attend the grand opening, Pendrill said. If they pay those influencers, operators should give them clear instructions on what kind of content they want to receive, she said. If they don’t pay the influencers, they should offer them free samples or other incentives that make attending the grand opening worthwhile for them, she added.

Owners should try to build those relationships with the media and influencers during the planning phase by sending press releases and direct messages and letting people know who they are, what their story is and what they’re up to, Goff says.

And when the doors finally open, Pendrill says restaurants can encourage repeat visits by implementing loyalty programs.

According to the Diner Trends Report, repeat diners are members of loyalty programs: 47% of loyalty program members dine out weekly and 49% order takeout or delivery with the same frequency.

These repeat customers can generate reliable revenue that enables new restaurants to grow, Pendrill says.

Finally, it never hurts restaurants to ask their regular customers for support, Goff says. “Ask your first customers to post about you, write reviews and tell their friends,” he says.

And during the grand opening, focus on building personal relationships. “Tell your story, get to know them, thank them for their business and tell them how much you look forward to seeing them again,” Goff said. “This personal touch will make customers feel loyal to you and part of your success.”