The Biggest Business Risks Your Restaurant Carries and Their Remedies

Opening up a small business is a financial gamble; there’s a fifty-fifty chance that the business will profit or close down.

No one starts a business just to watch it fail six months later. Before you open your new restaurant, you’ll need to know the risks involved; you’ll also need restaurant business insurance to protect your eatery should a risk become the reality.

Here are a few big risks that come with owning and running a restaurant and what you can do to be ready for them.

Food Safety Prep

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 48 million Americans get food poisoning every year. Symptoms include:

-Nausea

-Upset Stomach

-Vomiting

-Abdominal Cramps

-Diarrhea

-Fever

The Mayo Clinic reports that food poisoning symptoms can start within hours of ingesting unclean food, symptoms can even occur a few weeks later. This time lapse can make it hard for people to trace which meal may be the culprit behind their overnight stay in the bathroom. Generally, food poisoning hits hours after the meal has been consumed. This means if the last meal someone consumed was in your restaurant, they’ll blame you for their food poisoning.

To keep from accidentally poisoning your patrons, make sure all food stuffs are refrigerated at a safe temperature and cooked properly. Make sure the kitchen staff’s food handling does not allow for cross contamination and have everyone wash their hands before touching a new food.

Kitchen Cleanliness

To maintain good food safety, you’ll need to make sure your kitchen is spotless. CenturyProducts writes that thoroughly sanitizing kitchen surfaces like countertops, table tops and chairs will help eliminate the risk of food cross-contamination. To keep germs and viruses from spreading, wipe down furniture, condiment bottles and salt and pepper shakers that are used in the common area. Wash all linens at the close of the restaurant every night, this includes table liners, napkins and washcloths.

Here’s another area you shouldn’t ignore: the floors! Vacuum and mop the restaurant’s dining room and kitchen floors every day. If it’s done during open hours, make sure signage is placed in highly visual areas to let diners know to watch their steps.

Fire Hazards

You feel the heat of the kitchen every day. It’s only a matter of time before all of the cooking and baking at high temperatures for hours on end using flammable materials (such as oil) erupts in a grease fire. When this happens, you’ll want your kitchen staff to be prepared. To make sure your staff knows how to react in such a situation, provide a mandatory fire safety kitchen training course, have fire extinguishers accessible around the kitchen and make sure flammable cooking ingredients are kept clear away of open flames.

It’s estimated that 60 percent of new restaurants fail their first year in business. Don’t let this happen to you. Know the risks that come with running a restaurant and prepare for them. Make sure to protect your restaurant, staff and customers with restaurant business insurance from CoverHound.