The last 14 days before opening your restaurant If you have two weeks left before opening your restaurant Don't treat them as a time for finishing touches and last-minute fixes These are the most important 14 days for preparing actual operations 14 days before opening: Approve the final menu Remove any item that is not yet ready Determine the weight and portion of each item Start turning everything from the chef's mind into written documents 13 days before opening: Conduct actual testing for all products Record the recipe and grams Record the preparation method and time Approve the final look of each product and photograph it 12 days before opening: Calculate the Food Cost for each item Calculate packaging costs and waste Calculate app commissions if any Review the selling price and profit margin 11 days before opening: Set raw material specifications Approve the main supplier Prepare a backup supplier for important raw materials Determine the minimum inventory level 10 days before opening: Turn on and test all equipment Don't just assume it's new or that it worked once Inventory missing small tools and utensils Resolve any maintenance or shortages before the last week 9 days before opening: Review staff numbers Ensure you've hired correctly Place each person in the right role Clearly distribute responsibilities Start practical training Review uniforms and sizes 8 days before opening: Determine your competitive advantage Why will customers come to you? Identify the products you will highlight Start making your marketing talk about this advantage 7 days before opening: Test packaging with the actual product Leave it for 20 or 30 minutes as if it were a delivery order Check temperature, humidity, leaks, and appearance Open the package afterward and see What the customer will actually receive, not just what you delivered 6 days before opening: Review the menu and print materials Check prices and names Test the QR Code Verify numbers and calculations Ensure the printing is finished or about to be delivered Review the final look of the uniforms 5 days before opening: Conduct a full trial run Enter the order from the cashier Have it go to the kitchen Be prepared Be packaged And be delivered Calculate order time Record every problem that arises and who is responsible for solving it 4 days before opening: Conduct a real stress test Enter 10 or 20 orders consecutively, depending on your project size See where the kitchen will stop Who will delay whom Will the quality remain consistent under pressure? Adjust team distribution if needed 3 days before opening: Step out of the owner's mindset and enter your restaurant with the customer's mindset Try ordering yourself Try paying Try receiving Review cleanliness, smell, appearance, and service Look for anything that might bother the customer before they discover it 2 days before opening: Conduct a limited Soft Opening Accept a manageable number of customers Listen to customer feedback Review delays, returns, and complaints Review waste After the run, sit down with the team Understand what happened and what needs to be fixed before opening 1 day before opening: Review inventory and preparations Don't over-prepare unnecessarily Test equipment one last time Test the cashier and payment methods Confirm staff attendance Assign responsibilities for opening day Conduct a final briefing for the team Opening Day: Don't start until you've tasted the core products Monitor the first orders yourself Observe service time Observe product quality Listen to the customer Record problems instead of just solving them and forgetting them After closing, meet with the team and review the entire day And throughout the 14 days: Intensify your marketing efforts day by day Photograph your actual products Inform people about your advantage Create a countdown to opening Continuously review suppliers and raw materials And every day: Test Measure Write Correct The last two weeks are not about making the restaurant look