Restaurant and More: Step-By-Step Startup Guide: Entrepreneur's official guide describes the ins and outs of starting and running a successful restaurant, pizzeria, coffeehouse, deli, bakery or catering service. Packed with tips on how to keep your restaurant growing and healthy, the book answers most commonly asked questions and covers the essential business basics.

 

The Menu Maker: Having trouble creating that memorable menu for your restaurant? This site specializes in spicing up menus to increase your profits, complement your eatery and reinforce your desired image. It also offers tips for menu presentation and helps determine your menu needs.

 

National Restaurant Association (NRA): Founded in 1919, the NRA is the leading business association for the restaurant industry. Its site offers access to an information service and library, various publications and industry research. It also provides networking opportunities and training, and emphasizes the ways in which local restaurants can contribute to their communities.

 

National Restaurant Association (NRA) Educational Foundation: This nonprofit organization is dedicated to fulfilling the NRA's educational mission. The site offers classes for professionals and listings of U.S. Food Safety Regulatory System laws and training requirements. Where available, county and municipal requirements are also listed.

 

PlanMagic Restaurant: This comprehensive package is geared toward startup restaurants. It focuses on methods for writing a successful business plan, and helps you figure out specific financial calculations to beef up your proposal.

 

Restaurant Associations (by State): Find out state-specific information regarding the restaurant and food-service industry.

 

Restaurant Business Plan from Bplans.com: This site is a collection of resources and tools for starting a restaurant, including a restaurant industry report, sample restaurant business plans and a link to a local Small Business Development Center finder.

 

Restaurantfunds: This website allows you to order a package called the Restaurant Success Kit, which includes a restaurant business plan creation tool, restaurant financials creation software, and a complete e-book and user's manual to help answer all your restaurant questions.

 

Restaurant Startup & Growth magazine: Here you'll find resources to help you get organized, increase sales, reduce theft, control costs, improve service, hire better employees, safeguard your cash and much more.

 

Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE): To get some practical, real-world advice, contact SCORE and ask to speak with small-business counselors who owned or managed a restaurant. Find offices or counselors in your area by visiting the website.

 

Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF): The WFF is dedicated to providing women in the food-service industry with the resources to succeed. It offers leadership development programs, market research, and a regional partnership program for networking. The site also provides answers to FAQs, advice and a community of peers.