Located all over the country, cafeteria and buffet style restaurant chains offer a change from the typical fast-food restaurant. Oftentimes reminding patrons of how Mom used to cook food, it's an ever-evolving industry, changing as often as the seasons.

Once you've made the decision to enter the world of buffet chains, it's just as important to stay up-to-date on any changes in the industry as it is to have the materials on hand. Consider the following when locating information regarding cafeteria and buffet chains news and trends:

1. Join organizations or associations for those catering to buffet style dining.

2. Subscribe to publications geared toward the buffet restaurant chain business.

3. Learn about trends from reputable online cafeteria franchise sites.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Become a member of associations for buffet style restaurant chains

Some of the best sources for news and information about franchise restaurants and food chains are industry associations. These associations offer insight into a variety of factors in buying and choosing the best national buffet chains. Networking within these organizations is a vital tool, as you can find news, resources or even conferences not available to those outside the association.

I recommend: Join the National Restaurant Association where you can have access to all its press releases as well as sign up for its daily e-mail newsletter. The National Council of Chain Restaurants provides recent press releases to view on its website.

Subscribe to periodicals meant for cafeteria franchises

The restaurant business can change on a daily basis, and in order to keep up with the industry, read industry magazines that offer the latest in buffet chain restaurants news and trends. Certain sites offer news about specific chain restaurants, as well.

I recommend: Restaurants & Institutions, from Reed Business Information, provides a hard-copy publication you can purchase. Don't forget to check out its e-newsletters as well as blogs for other late-breaking news. QSR Magazine, from Journalistic, offers news and trends for national and regional buffet chain restaurants.

Receive frequent e-mail updates regarding news about cafeteria chains

Sometimes the best information comes straight from a cafeteria or buffet chain restaurant, especially if it wants to let others know about exciting new changes. Also check out food service leaders, as they can focus on the overall industry, but they can provide links to the business itself.

I recommend: Nation's Restaurant News is one of the leaders in the food service industry. You can click on any of the recent e-newsletters or subscribe to receive the news updates directly in your e-mail box. Foodservice Equipment and Supplies provides e-newsletters about anything service-related to your buffet or cafeteria chain.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Blogs are another great way to stay on top of anything related to buffet chain restaurants. Information spreads quickly on the Internet, and these blogs can provide feedback from other readers. Feel free to jump in and post on these blogs as well.

Cafeteria and buffet chains are located in cities all over the country. Their menus offer a variety of home-type cooked meals including steaks, chops and hamburgers. People like them because they can get a home cooked meal for a reasonable price without having to cook it themselves.

Cash in on national buffet chains by opening your own in your city. Large conglomerates own these chains and franchise them out, so get the scoop on start up costs and other regulations. Decide if you will run it yourself or hire a management team. Look for the following when deciding on franchise terms for cafeteria and buffet chains:

1. Pick cafeteria chains that have franchises available in your area.

2. Decide how much you want to spend on buffet chains.

3. Choose cafeteria franchises based on name recognition.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Check availability and pricing for a local buffet restaurant chain

Not every franchise has openings in your area. Once you have decided on a chain, contact them to find out if you can open a store in your area. If they have no need in your local area, they will send you a list of close areas that need a local restaurant. You can also decide on a restaurant chain based on total price or down payment needed. You can check your state to see which restaurant chains have openings.

I recommend: Hometown Buffet offers franchise opportunities across the country. Fill out their request for consideration form to get started in the application process. Golden Corral provides a qualification list for your review. If you meet those qualifications, fill out their form to take the next step in the application process.

Ask the cafeteria franchise chains about initial investment

Initial investments for restaurant chains is usually high however, some cost less than others cost. Before you decide, find out exactly what monetary commitments you will need to make upfront. Remember also, that the initial investment for the franchise fee only covers the franchise itself and you will still need working capital for such expenses as electricity, phone and payroll.

I recommend: Cici's Pizza offers pizza buffet restaurant chain franchises. The fee is $30,000 with a four percent royalty fee. Net worth needs to range from $81,760 to $130,640. Stockade Companies offers steak buffet franchises. The franchise fee is $15,000 with a three percent royalty fee. Required capital is $250,000 to $350,000.

Open buffet style restaurant chains for immediate business

When you open a chain store, you are cashing in on the name of the franchise. People know that whether your store is in Maine or California, they will get the same menu and service and they stop at a familiar place. This is why you buy a franchise but the down side is there are tight regulations on franchises. You will get your operating schedule, menu and décor from the company. If you fail to meet your obligations, which usually include buying all of your supplies from them, you will lose your franchise.

I recommend: Franchise Works provides a list of restaurant chains with franchise opportunities. Check the requirements list before you invest in your chosen business. Food Franchise provides franchises available in every state. You can also check franchise availability based on total price. Check out other requirements such as how much training you need and the hours of operation you must keep before you buy your franchise.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Obtaining financing to start your buffet chain restaurants can be a difficult process since many financial institutions consider restaurant franchises high risk. Improve your loan chances by putting down as much upfront cash as possible. When the bank sees you taking part of the risk, they will give your loan application closer scrutiny.

Because you are working with food, buffet style restaurant chains or any cafeteria setting has hygiene issues that most other businesses don't have to deal with. Along with those hygiene issues come a whole other host of regulations that have to be enforced in order for you not only to stay in business, but for you to keep your credibility as a quality, sanitary place to eat and congregate.

Buffet chain restaurants and cafeterias also have the added factor of customer exposure to client food, so utmost care must be taken ensure the safety of all clientele. Care must not only go into the preparation of buffet style dining, but it must also go into the maintenance of the food once it has gone onto the line.

To make the most of cafeteria and buffet chains education and training:

1. Look at career overviews in the cafeteria and buffet chains fields.

2. Check out cafeteria style dining chain degree programs and compliance updates.

3. Purchase cafeteria and buffet chains education and training to share with your staff or to supplement your training.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Review career overviews in the cafeteria and buffet chains fields

Look at the education, training, qualifications and other factors that influence career moves into the cafeteria and buffet chains fields.

I recommend: College Toolkit takes an in depth look at the education and training required for cafeteria and buffet chains careers. Find out about the required education and training, the other qualifications and the certifications and advancement available. EarnMyDegree.com gives a career overview, a personality profile, common work tasks, work activities as well as tools and technology used on the job.

Look at degree programs for those interested in cafeteria and buffet Chains

Find out about degree programs for those interested in cafeteria and buffet chains. Also keep up with continuing education information.

I recommend: Education-Portal.com offers information about cafeteria worker training and degree programs in the culinary arts and culinary services. Sign up for TrainingTime, an e-alert package that keeps you up-to-date on the most current compliance and regulatory changes in the industry.

Think about purchasing cafeteria and buffet chains education and training supplemental materials

Invest in training materials that will take you or your staff to the next level of service.

I recommend: Consider purchasing the Cafeteria Plan Training & Certification Program from HRTrainingCenter.com. Check out the kitchen safety training materials available from Business & Legal Reports (BLR). They offer a number of training videos in Spanish and English to help train your cafeteria chains kitchen staff.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Determine if your employees will do better with their cafeteria and buffet chains on a one-on-one training session, or he or she will excel better in a group cafeteria franchises training surrounding. Different learning styles should help determine what teaching method will be best to use for greater knowledge absorption and compliance.