One thing all restaurant operators need to know is what can be done during the slow business times and how it directly relates to the success during busy times. Here are 10 things you can do to improve your restaurant for $100 dollars or less.

1. Start with the front door.
The first impression analogy is true. Make a trip to Home Depot, Lowe’s or whatever hardware store you have close and pick up a $25 gallon of rust proof or exterior paint and spruce up your entrance.

2. How about those welcome mats?
You might need to sit down with your linen supplier; can you customize your mats to include your logo? A splash of color? The price will vary on your linen contact – but that first impression is worth a small investment.

3. How about some planters?
A potted plant in a contemporary metal planter is between $20-$30 dollars. In addition, some green will lighten the spirits of your patrons.

4. Replace the handle on the bathroom toilet.
That little sign that says, “please lift handle” or “hold handle down at least 10 seconds” has to go. You can pick up a new handle and guts from the hardware store for less than $20. Having your bathroom clean and in working order gives your guests confidence in the cleanliness of your entire establishment, not to mention the savings on your water bill.

5. Make a green move.
Spend $100 on energy efficient light bulbs. This one will pay you back as months go by, and you can tell your customers you are embracing the Green Movement.

6. How about the items on the tables?
Are they clean? Does the vessel holding your condiments need to be replaced? For $3-$4 a table you can buy new baskets or buckets. New vases, new candle holders, salt and pepper shakers and numerous other trinkets are inexpensive and refresh your tabletops.

7. Update your menu, take -out menus , and special event brochures.
Office Depot offers paper specials and copies have never been cheaper. Spend some time with the calculator and make sure your prices are correct and then spend $50 to have a copy editor read the menu so that they can identify grammar and spelling errors before you print.

8. Get those carpets cleaned!
A professional cleaning service will rid your carpet of the dull haze covering your floors.

9. If your customers can see the waiter/waitress station, it has to look professional.
Pick up some matching storage containers and make sure they are labeled and your staff is trained on the organization system. If your customer can see clean and  organized in the front of the house, they believe the back is clean and organized.

10. Take one hour and go online.
Make sure your business is part of the free Google Local Business Center, listed on yellowpages.com, Yahoo, and Bing. When you search, is your business name found? Are your phone number, address, and hours of operation correct? Make FREE work for you. Embrace technology and use it to market your business.

(Source: Kentucky Restaurant Association)

Business savvy restaurant operators seeking ways to minimize operational costs and improve customer experience may need to look no further than their dish rooms. While perhaps not top-of-mind for most people, the dish room is one place where small steps taken day-in and day-out can pay big dividends over time.

Simply put, the dish room is a numbers business. On average:

• Every three people your restaurant serves creates one rack of dishes
• 50 cents per run, per rack is considered optimal efficient for most dishwashers
• Nearly half of restaurants are not running at optimal efficiency. In fact, many are running per rack rates of 70 cents or even a dollar. In short, they’re bleeding money in the dish room!

Apply those numbers to your establishment. If you serve an average of 150 people per day, you’re likely washing at least 50 racks per day. Over a month’s time the difference between 50 cent racks vs. one dollar racks is $750 out of your bottom line. Over a year the difference is several thousand.

Operators looking to bridge that efficiency (and monetary) gap can take a number of simple steps.

#1 Replace Racks
Are the racks worn? Pegs missing? Being racked properly? If your equipment is worn and you’re only getting 9 plates on the rack instead of 20 – the ramifications are obvious. Also, make certain employees are racking glass in a glass rack and dishes in a dish rack. This prevents breakage and reduces the number of cycles required. With racks costing as little as $20 to replace, it is easy to see how quickly the cost of replacing broken or worn racks can be recouped.

#2 Have Dishwasher Inspected
It’s wise to have your dishwasher looked at monthly by your chemical supplier to ensure it’s operating at peak efficiency. Are the temperatures right? Are the jets at right angle? Have they worn? Are you getting 20 lbs. of flow pressure during the rinse? Sometimes the jets can wear in as little as six months, increasing utility costs.

#3 Replace Curtains, Arms, and Jets
When times are tight, restaurateurs often try to hold out as long as possible to replace items. The dish room is one place where this strategy can be penny wise and pound foolish. Worn curtains let heat escape which can increase energy costs, worn jets also can allow too much water through. It costs 3 cents per gallon to heat and run water through the cycle – so wasted waster adds up to wasted money.

#4 Presoak Silverware
It is important to properly pre-soak silverware from a cost, as well as sanitation, perspective. Take the full 15 to 30 minutes required to presoak silverware. If this is done, then silverware can be run through wash cycle twice, rather then three or four times – which can be a real savings.

#5 Check Final Rinse Flow Pressure
Final rinse pressure and optimum range is 20 to 25 pounds per square inch optimum. Most machines have a gauge you can use to check yourself. Too little pressure and you get a poor rinse. Too much pressure and water usage goes up and the jets spray everywhere.

These simple steps could help your restaurant save thousands each year on utility and even labor costs- allowing your staff to spend less money in the dish room.

Not every business can afford to have dedicated staff or hire a firm to handle all the marketing duties restaurants need to be doing on a consistent basis. Too often in the industry, the owner-operator is wearing multiple hats from greeter, chef, accountant to marketer. Here’s a list of resources that are easy on the bank account and can be used to help you market and grow your business:

Facebook
Boasting over 500 million accounts, you can’t afford to not pay attention to this behemoth daily destination of your customers. Can be connected to Twitter and LinkedIn easily. www.facebook.com

Twitter
Real time conversations and information in 140 characters or less. Think conversations about your industry, interest and your menu items. www.twitter.com

LinkedIn
Widely used for business and professionals to network and keep in contact. Integrates well with Facebook and Twitter feed. www.linkedin.com

FohBoh
Front of the house, back of the house. Where the industry meets, networks and information is shared. They also offer an array of services dedicated to helping your business (at a cost). www.fohboh.com

Yelp
Directory site where you can post basic information. Allows users to review and comment about your establishment. You can respond to reviews, tread lightly though. www.yelp.com

City Search
Another directory site much like Yelp but not as centered around user reviews as Yelp. www.citysearch.com

Fishbowl
Endorsed by the National Restaurant Association, tech platform provides email newsletter and add-ons such as customer retention programs. Designed for the restaurant industry. www.fishbowl.com

Constant Contact
Popular basic email newsletter service with ability to see end user data like open rates. www.constantcontact.com

Mail Chimp
Very similar to Constant Contact but with more control over look and feel. www.mailchimp.com