Starting a Restaurant in Maryland Equipment, Licensing and Certifications.
If you are starting a Restaurant business in Maryland I think you are a pretty savvy person so I will keep the obvious steps short and try to expand on the lesser understood steps as much as possible.
Concept: Imagine the look, feel and food of your business.
Call your local Health Department for procedures regarding restaurant design, safety equipment, opening inspection, etc. Do not skip this step because what you learn from the health department can alter every other step in the process. This will usually start with an application similar to this one.
Funding: Get it. The most common failure point for businesses is running out of money before opening.
Find a location: Your location will need a hood vent to cook food. So make sure there is one or one can be put in. The same goes for grease traps. These can be a major expense in the wrong facility.
Equipment: You can rent it, buy it or have existing equipment serviced. One thing commonly ignored in kitchen design is workflow. The speed of service can often make the difference between success and failure. Make sure your kitchen staff aren’t falling all over each other. A good consultant for this kitchen flow is Rick Kirk at RJH.
Structural Plan: You will likely work with the health department on a structural checklist like the one for Anne Arundel County. You should already be aware of all of these conditions from #2.
Opening inspection: The health department requires a chance to inspect your restaurant before the grand opening.
Setup your “Google My Business” and “Yelp” at a minimum. These two services represent the majority of the business you will acquire organically.
Call RJH for your free maintenance contract proposal to have a plan for performing the necessary equipment maintenance for your refrigeration, cooking & HVAC equipment.
After a year, renew your Permanent Food Service Facility License Application. These applications are county dependent. The above link is for Anne Arundel County.