TYPES OF RESTAURANT CONCEPTS

POP-UP RESTAURANT

     Pop-up restaurants are temporary restaurants hosted in various/unusual spaces or odd locations, such as existing restaurants, bars, abandoned arcades, bowling alleys, theatres, or even private houses; chef's homes. The space where a functional restaurant is set up that will disappear after a few days or months.

Pop-up restaurants are not a new phenomenon; they have been popular in the UK since the 2000s.

Pros

• Ability to test a new restaurant concept or menu, as well as evaluate current skills and techniques, before investing further
• Lower startup costs, including less overhead and labor
• Opportunity for culinary creativity
• Extra marketing power and built-in audience if “popping up” at an already existing  venue
• Option to test different pricing methods, such as flat ticket prices or *prix fixe menus for rare dining experiences
• Flexibility in location and ability to move from city to city with similar concepts or menus

     *Prix fixe: A limited amount of space for storage and cooking; the menu allows guest to charge a set amount per person

Cons

• Must be willing to operate with limited resources or equipment and/or in unfamiliar territory
• Challenging food and labor costs to control, and can be difficult to turn a profit despite potentially higher check averages
• May be difficult to create repeat customers if only opening occasional pop-ups
• Heavy reliance on public relations, community building, social media and marketing

FAST FOOD

    Fast food is a type of restaurant in which customers have a quick meal. This consists mainly of burgers, hot dogs, steaks, French fries, fried onion, pizzas, sandwiches and the massive use of different sauces like mustard, mayonnaise and ketchup.

Fast food is typically characterized by a relatively modest cost and the wide distribution of outlets. The clientele features mainly the younger age groups, but also an increasing proportion of adults for reasons related to working rhythms.

Fast food is often considered synonymous of unhealthy food for the poor quality and variety of ingredients and for the abundance of fried, fatty, salty and sugary items.

Pros

• Convenient Food served is within reach. A few walk from your home or office. They are everywhere and available anytime of the day.

• Offer on the go Meals People prefer foods eaten while doing their stuffs, like while working, driving or watching movie.

• Very Accessible Can find them everywhere, in the city, and even in the provinces has fast food restaurants; so everybody can have the chance to enjoy these foods.

• Offer Comfort food Fast food menu items satisfy our cravings and palates with no struggle in preparation, cooking and serving.

• Budget-friendly Cheaper to buy food because most fast food chains offer different meals that would fit within your budget.

Cons

• Fast Food chains serve twice the recommended serving for an individual. They serve more than the required quantity for one person usually they are good for sharing. 

• Fast Food menu items are high in Fat

• Fast Food menu items contain food additives and preservatives

• Fast Food menu items are high in Sugar

• Fast Food menu items are high in Sodium

SANDWICH BAR

   A sandwich bar is an informal restaurant which mainly serves sandwiches, toasts, and drinks.

Some of them also offer other types of food such as salads and meat. Great examples of sandwich bars are Subway and Arby’s.

Usually, they are busy during working days for workers who look for a light meal at a convenient price. Sandwich bars are widespread in Italy where they are called “Panineria” or “Paninoteca."

Pros

• Low cost overhead, and very profitable 

• Quick, on-the-go food 

• Inexpensive to the consumer

• Multiple assembly options for custom requests

Cons

• No unique industry-leading ingredients that sets you apart

• People are going for low-carb options and ditching the bread

RESTAURANT BUFFET

   These characterize a breakfast, launch or dinner where guests serve themselves from various types of food displayed on counters or tables.

The buffet is offered in various places, especially in restaurants hotels. It typically features a menu according to the formula of “all you can eat” at a pre-fixed price.

In a buffet you’ll find both hot dishes and cold ones. Usually it requires the use of cutlery, but there is also the possibility of a “buffet finger” (finger food) where you can consume food one by one with your hands.

Pros

• Less labour, space and tableware required

• Profitable as many served in shorter span of time

• Variety of foods and cuisines featured

• Scope for imaginative visual presentation of food & venue based on theme, live stations

Cons

• Wastage, both in plates and in chaffing dishes increasing food cost

• Temperature and appearance of food difficult to maintain in the buffet line

• Service is not very personalised

• Not appropriate style for formal occasions

SELF-SERVICE RESTAURANT

   These are informal places where customers serve themselves. The owners of these restaurants aim at quickness rather than quality, having customers in a hurry as their target.

Self-service restaurants are almost everywhere: supermarkets, shopping centers, hotels, close to offices and schools, and so on.

Pros

• Kiosks can increase sales - unlike human employees – never forget to up-sell. When presented with a range of optional extras, many customers will choose to buy more than they would have otherwise.

• Make customers more comfortable - Self-service eliminates the need to pronounce a name, and consumers ‘may become more comfortable pursuing an otherwise mildly embarrassing or frustrating transaction’.

• Reduce queues - Fast food is supposed to be just that – fast. Long queues can be a big turn-off for customers. Self-service kiosks in restaurants can significantly cut down queues, making the ordering process much more satisfying for customers.

FOOD TRUCK

   The food truck is a vehicle equipped with cooking appliances that offers food of any kind from ice-creams to hamburgers and pizzas.

They are particularly popular in the US, while in Europe they are starting to spread.

Pros

• Does not required a seperate vehicle for transportation

• More professional appeal to customers

Cons

• Repairs/maintenance can be costly

• Less storage space on interior of food truck

• Limited size options

• Very high serving windows