Get Ready for 2020- Restaurant End of Year Checklist

GAHFN
Dec 1, 2019
2 min read

The Georgia Hospitality & Foodservice Network (GAHFN) is a full-service, restaurant consulting firm comprised of a network of industry consultants, service providers and educators to help you succeed with hospitality visibility boost packages, restaurant consulting, education and connections.

Based in Georgia, our team helps local & national brands achieve bottom-line growth. GAHFN works with independent operators, franchise groups, mom & pops, concessionaires, multi-unit restaurant operators, hotels and chains.

Services:

· Restaurant Consulting

· Hospitality Visibility Packages

· Connections packages that include:

Connections Packages- Match operators with industry partners to solve day-to-day challenges

Operations focused education

Networking events

As a restaurant consultant I spend a lot of time with business owners looking ahead and planning how to implement improvements. So, with less than (1) month left in 2019, check out these year-end planning and positioning recommendations for 2020.

END OF YEAR CHECKLIST

Mock Health Inspection- get 1 done.

We have great food safety professional who can ensure you are ready. Discounted rate available for members.

Renew Business License

Clean Hood

Have Grease Trap- serviced or inspected

Deep Clean Restaurant

Get Fire Extinguishers serviced

Year-end taxes

Get with your CPA. Do not wait until January. You may need to pay some bills, make retirement contributions, etc. to record them for 2019. Some of these may not be available to you after January 1. Also, make sure you are in position to pay estimated taxes on 1/15/2020 if you will have a liability.

2. Make sure you are receiving all available tax credits for employees as well.

Year-end inventory

The key here is to have minimum inventory on 12/31/2019. You will probably pay property or ad valorem taxes on inventory value.

Restaurants obviously must keep buying food because it is perishable. I suggest you limit/curtail major purchasing/receiving between Thanksgiving and January 1. Only receive what you are confident you will sell before the holidays.

Holidays 2019

If you are selling food, and you are scrambling at this point for your holiday business, it’s really too late. You should have been planning for the holidays as early as summer. Look to 2020.

Start planning marketing strategies for next year

Have next year’s marketing plan (and financial budget) completed by Thanksgiving. If not, how do you know what you are going to be doing in January and February? Keep in mind these upcoming events:

College football playoffs

MLK

DaySuper Bowl

Valentine’s Day