Harpreet Singh Marwah had always dreamt of running a restaurant brand. His father had a small food shop which he wanted to expand and this dream was taken forward by Marwah, and with sheer passion and a lot of hard work, he came up with what today is called Bobby Punjabi Rasoi. The earlier days of handling the restaurant were very tough as everything was done manually. ‘Everyday after the restaurant closing, I used to stay back for hours to calculate and review the bills. Bobby Punjabi is not just a brand for us, rather it is our happy place, and it took a lot of hard work and undying dedication to bring it to the position it today stands at,’ says Harpreet.
In Conversation With Harpreet Singh Of Bobby Punjabi Rasoi
In an exclusive conversation with The Restaurant Times, Harpreet Singh of Bobby Punjabi talks all about how he expanded his brand and the journey so far.
Deciding The Name Of A Restaurant
According to Marwah, the name of a restaurant is the first step to marketing. The restaurant name has the power to increase and enlarge a business while driving customer traffic. When the right name is picked, it strengthens every part of the brand. So it is essential to choose a proper name for the restaurant, which will accurately describe the food, service, and atmosphere, and also that sets the brand apart from the competition.
‘Bobby Punjabi Rasoi is a family venture, and it is not just a restaurant brand for us. It is like our baby and we have worked relentlessly for its growth since its inception.
Bobby is my nickname, and my aim was to create a direct association with my customers.
Importance Of Location
According to Marwah, the real location is always the food itself. If the food is good, people will any day come back to dine-in. But in areas where the competition is high, location becomes extremely important. Before deciding on a restaurant location, one must always consider the other businesses that already exist in the area and if they are blooming or just coping. A lot of competition is not a bad thing since it means that the market is healthy and can support many restaurants.
‘Accessibility is the key factor to focus on while deciding on an ideal location for a restaurant brand. Stand outside the building that you are considering using for your restaurant. Assess vehicle traffic flow and compare it with other locations that you are considering. If it is a high-traffic area, know that these are usually good spots for restaurants’, says Marwah.
Healthy Food In The Menu
People have indeed become very health conscious, and today in India about 60% of the people eat outside, so it is the responsibility of restaurant owners to satisfy them in this aspect. According to Marwah, the first step to ensuring healthy food is maintaining the quality of the raw materials. More than adding new healthy items in the menu, healthy food is more about the proper hygienic preparation process.
Even if a healthy item is served but not prepared in a healthy way the nutritious portion will automatically get lost. Being transparent about the items used in preparing the dishes is essential. It keeps the chefs and the restaurateurs honest about what is being used in their dishes, which can lead to higher customer loyalty and create competition amongst local eateries. A lack of information and transparency in restaurants can create distrust or confusion amongst customers, which could keep them from returning to your restaurant in the future.
Use Of Technology
Marwah strongly believes in the role of technology for streamlining operations. Earlier, when he was not using a restaurant management software at his restaurant, the process of reviewing the bills and all the calculations associated with it took a lot of time as it was all done manually.
Marwah switched to complete restaurant automation through Posist and has been using it to optimize the billing operations, increase brand engagement, and reduce food costs.
Posist has been the real reason for our growth and expansion as it has helped me increase my customer reach. Posist has made the food delivery process extremely easy as it helps to keep our customers updated about their order status through SMS and also allows them to track their order real-time. The Posist Support is always available whenever there is any query or doubt.
Concluding his thoughts Marwah talks about his plans that Bobby Punjabi Rasoi soon will be seen as a franchise. ‘Currently, we have four outlets of Bobby Punjabi Rasoi, but now we are planning to expand this and we will soon have five more outlets in the next year. We are also planning to run a canteen for different bank employees in Delhi.’ says Marwah.
