About this template
Restaurants open late more often than on time. The single biggest cause is permitting — health, fire, building, alcohol — all of which run in parallel and can each block the opening. This 6-month template assumes the lease is being negotiated when month 1 starts. Add 2 months to the front if location is not yet identified. Most experienced restaurateurs plan 9–12 months from lease signing.
How a 6-month restaurant opening breaks down
Concept and lease
Refine the concept — cuisine, service style, price point, target customer. Identify and negotiate the lease. Engage attorney for lease review. Engage architect or designer. Submit business license and EIN paperwork. Open business bank account.
- Refine concept
- Negotiate lease
- Attorney review
- Engage architect/designer
- Business license
- EIN and bank account
Design and permits
Architectural drawings. Submit for building permit, health department review, fire marshal review, and (if applicable) alcohol license. Each takes 4–12 weeks and runs in parallel. Order long-lead equipment — major kitchen equipment can be 8–14 weeks.
- Architectural drawings
- Submit building permit
- Health department review
- Fire marshal review
- Alcohol license application
- Order long-lead equipment
- Smallwares list
Build-out
Demolition (if needed). MEP rough-in (mechanical, electrical, plumbing). Hood and gas line install — restaurant-specific. Drywall, paint, floor. Front-of-house furniture and design. Kitchen equipment delivery and install. Final inspection.
- Demolition
- MEP rough-in
- Hood and gas line
- Drywall, paint, floor
- FOH furniture
- Kitchen equipment install
- Final inspection
Menu and recipes
Develop the menu in parallel with build-out. Source ingredients and confirm distributors. Cost every dish — aim for 28–32% food cost. Standardize recipes. Train head chef and sous chef on the full menu. Conduct tasting with key stakeholders.
- Develop menu
- Source ingredients and distributors
- Cost every dish (28–32%)
- Standardize recipes
- Stakeholder tasting
- Print menus
Hire and train
Hire FOH manager, head chef (already in concept), sous chef, line cooks, servers, bartenders, bussers. Onboard in 2 waves — kitchen staff 4 weeks before opening, FOH 2–3 weeks before. Training: menu, service standards, POS, opening and closing checklists. Do staff meals to practice menu execution.
- Hire FOH manager
- Hire kitchen staff
- Hire FOH staff
- POS setup and training
- Service training
- Menu training (kitchen)
- Staff meals (practice)
Marketing and soft launch
Website, Google Business Profile, Instagram. Local PR pitches. Friends-and-family soft launch — 2–4 nights to stress test before the public opens. Adjust based on what broke during soft launch. Grand opening.
- Website live
- Google Business Profile
- Instagram and social
- Local press outreach
- Soft launch (friends and family)
- Adjust based on soft launch
- Grand opening
Tips from restaurants that opened on schedule
- Submit all permits in parallel in month 2. Sequential permits double the timeline.
- Order long-lead kitchen equipment in month 2. Hood, walk-in cooler, and large pieces can be 8–14 weeks.
- Cost every dish before opening. Restaurants without food cost discipline lose money invisibly.
- Run a friends-and-family soft launch. 2–4 dinners catch every operational issue before the public sees them.
- Build a 20% contingency into the budget. Restaurants almost always cost more than projected.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to open a restaurant?
6–12 months from lease signing for most concepts. Fast casual: 4–8 months. Full-service: 8–12 months. Bar-driven concepts often longer due to alcohol licensing.
What is the most common reason restaurants open late?
Permits. Health, fire, building, and alcohol all have to align. Submit all four in month 2.
How much money do I need?
Highly concept and location dependent — $200K for a small fast-casual, $1M+ for a full-service in a major city. Plan for 6 months of operating capital after opening.