Today, we’ve had a hustle and bustle around the office that we haven’t had in about a month. Today is ServeSafe day with Chef Jeff Rotz! And man, we had a pretty decent turn out. Lots of businesses are getting on their way, and that’s something we love to see! I had the opportunity to… Read More
Find the Perfect Location
I had to drive about 75 miles out of my way this morning, before coming to work (I average about 600 a week, so this isn’t a big deal to me). And let me tell you, I noticed something peculiar. I couldn’t help notice how many oddly placed restaurants/bars there were! I was driving through… Read More
Restaurant Start Up Guide Anthology
One Fat Frog Restaurant Equipment has been dropping the restaurant and food truck start up knowledge on this blog for almost a year now, so we figured it’s about time we collected it all in one convenient post. Several times a week we’re helping various start up restaurants and food trucks get off the ground.… Read More
Food Truck Start Up Considerations
One Fat Frog is here to help with all your used food service equipment needs, from a major commercial kitchen to the smallest food truck. With the expansion of food truck services in the area, however, we thought we’d take some time to look at considerations that any aspiring start-up food truck operator should look… Read More
Franchising Opportunity
The Brick House Tavern and Tap – which currently has 16 locations, including one in Orlando and one in Tampa – is looking to expand into franchising in the near future. It has recently been acquired by the Ignite Restaurant Group, which owns such brands as Romano’s Macaroni Grill and Joe’s Crab Shack, among others.… Read More
Start Up: New Hire Orientation
You’ve hired another employee, congratulations. You must be doing pretty well. After you’ve had the new hire fill out all of the necessary paperwork such as the W-4, it’s time to introduce them to the ins and outs of your restaurant. Employee turnover at restaurants is high in the first two weeks of new hired,… Read More
Start Up: Properly Keeping Records
Record-keeping is an essential and sometimes tedious aspect of restaurant ownership. Any business, in fact, needs to keep records in an orderly fashion. The feds require most businesses to hang on to certain documents for a specific amount of time. If you’re sweating what to keep and how long to keep it, allow One Fat… Read More
Start Up: Doing the Payroll
Once you’ve got your employees hired and their I-9 and W-4 forms are filled out, it’s time to make an important decision…do you do the payroll duties yourself or outsource through a payroll company? One Fat Frog Restaurant Equipment is here to help you make that critical decision. It really depends on the size of… Read More
Start Up: Creating a Restaurant Cleaning Schedule
Maintaining a strict cleaning schedule is essential at any restaurant. Letting your employees slide on cleaning detail leads to a filthy restaurant that gets more difficult to clean as time goes by. This is especially true where uncovered food is concerned. Food left out is the first step to contamination, infestation, and heaps of lawsuits.… Read More
Start Up: Moving Into an Existing Kitchen
On behalf of One Fat Frog Restaurant Equipment, I’d like to congratulate you. You’ve finally found a suitable location for your restaurant. Not only that, but you’ve found one with an existing kitchen. That outta make things easier for you! Maybe. More often than not startups that move into an existing brick and mortar location… Read More
Start Up: Staffing the Kitchen Crew
Yesterday we looked into the complexities of staffing the front of house crew. Today we’re holding a magnifying glass up to the back of house (BOH) – specifically the kitchen. The kitchen is filled with several essential positions, including some unsung heroes that are critical to the restaurant running smoothly. Here’s a look at the… Read More
Start Up: Getting Your Restaurant Plan Approved in Florida
Starting up your own restaurant means heaps of paperwork, licenses, and reviews. One Fat Frog Restaurant Equipment can help you with the equipment-side of things, sure, but when it comes to zoning, health, and safety, that’s all in the hands of the state. Here in Florida, before any construction or remodeling can begin, the Florida… Read More
Start Up: Staffing the Front of House
When it comes to staffing your front of house (FOH), it’s essential to choosing employees who are personable. The FOH folks are the ones who will be in frequent contact with your patrons. There are several positions in the FOH, and One Fat Frog Restaurant Equipment is here to help you ensure you’ve got a… Read More
Starting a Restaurant: Getting The Cash
Let’s face facts: starting a restaurant is not cheap. It’s rewarding, and can eventually be financially as well, but you do need the capital to start it off right. There are several ways that one can get the cash they need to start a restaurant, and it’s important to know that some are better than… Read More
Start Up: New Hire Forms
Once you’ve hired your staff, there’s a myriad of paperwork, government forms, files, etc. that need to be filled out, copied, and filed. Don’t worry about drowning in these forms though, One Fat Frog Restaurant Equipment is here to help you through the maze. • EMPLOYEE MANUAL: If you have an employee manual (and you… Read More
Start Up: Developing a Bar Cleaning Strategy
Patrons commonly don’t get to see your location’s kitchen. That’s kept behind closed doors, so if there’s a mess or it isn’t being cleaned regularly, they’ll never know. One place you can’t hide you dirty laundry is behind the bar. At the bar, your patrons are right up front, getting intimate with your sinks, counters,… Read More
Start Up: Insurance Checklist
Under law, your restaurant is required to obtain specific types of insurance, while others are optional. The degree of insurance you have and the deductible (what comes out of your pocket before the insurance kicks in) you choose affects your premiums. The premium refers to the amount you pay for insurance. Converse with your insurance… Read More
Start Up: Reducing the Waste in Your Restaurant
One expense at your restaurant that can sneak up on ya is waste. I’m not just talking about the trash brought out to the dumpster everyday. Waste also refers to labor, perishable items, utilities, and a myriad of other things that can add up quick. It’s worth the time to analyze and identify your location’s… Read More
Start Up: HACCP Plans
One Fat Frog Restaurant Equipment has looked at restaurant cleaning and safety measures several times on the blog before, but never specifically from a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) perspective. HAACP was developed for use by NASA to ensure astronauts’ food was safe. It’s a proactive and scientific approach to looking for potential… Read More
Start Up: Taking Over
We have the great pleasure here at One Fat Frog Restaurant Equipment of working with restaurateurs of all sorts of stature, but none gives a thrill like working with a start-up. They have a dream and we can help make it real. But it’s important to remember that the restaurant business, while potentially lucrative and… Read More
