The last six weeks before a restaurant opens are when most of the damage gets done

Not because the fit-out falls behind (though it often does). Because the operational workstreams that should have started months earlier get compressed into a frantic sprint.

A proper restaurant pre-opening plan isn't a checklist you print off the internet. It's a structured programme that works backwards from opening day and assigns ownership to every deliverable. Menu finalisation, recipe costing and supplier onboarding need to be locked 8-10 weeks out. Staff recruitment should start 12 weeks before opening, with training beginning at least 4 weeks prior. Licensing submissions in Dubai can take 8-12 weeks.

The workstreams most operators underestimate:

Technology. POS configuration, delivery platform integration, reservation systems, kitchen display screens. These all need setup, testing and staff training. Leaving them to the final week guarantees problems on day one.

Dry runs. You need at least three full service simulations with real food before you open to paying guests. Not a soft launch with friends. A proper operational test where things go wrong and you learn from them.

Marketing. Your opening campaign should be ready to activate 3-4 weeks before launch, not thrown together the week you get your licence.

The restaurants that open smoothly are the ones where the pre-opening programme started before the fit-out was halfway done.

When did your pre-opening planning actually begin?