Concept Development
Positioning, guest definition, service model, price architecture and a financial model that tests whether the idea survives contact with rent and labor.
Apopka, Florida
Restaurant Concepts InternationalWe build restaurants that work
Concept development, brand identity, menu engineering, operating systems and franchise support. We take restaurants from an idea on a napkin to a business that runs without you standing in it.
What clients come to us for
- A concept validated before the lease is signed
- Menus engineered for margin, not just for taste
- Operating systems a new manager can actually follow
- Openings run to a plan instead of to a panic
- Honest answers, including when the answer is no
360Concept to opening
6Days a week
FreeFirst consultation
NDASigned before we talk
Who We Are
Most restaurants do not fail on the food
They fail on the numbers behind the food. A menu priced by feel rather than by cost. A concept that never had a clearly defined guest. Labor models built for a room half this size. Systems that live entirely in the owner's head, which works beautifully until the owner needs a week off.
Restaurant Concepts International, Inc. works from 128 S Highland Ave in Apopka with operators across the United States and internationally. We develop concepts, build brands, engineer menus, design operating systems, run openings and prepare businesses for franchising and expansion.
We are not a marketing agency that also talks about restaurants, and we are not a chef consultancy that avoids spreadsheets. The work is commercial from the first meeting: what does this concept sell, to whom, at what margin, in what space, and what has to be true for it to work.
- Concept validation before you commit to a lease
- Menu engineering with real food and labor cost modeling
- Operating manuals, recipes and training systems
- Opening plans built backward from your target date
At A Glance
- Based in: Apopka, FL 32703
- We serve: United States and international
- Focus: Concept, brand, menu, operations
- Also: Openings, franchise and expansion
- Hours: Mon to Sat, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Consultation: Free, under NDA
- Phone: 706-798-4398
What We Do
Six disciplines, one business case
Engage one or all of them. Everything we produce is built to be handed to a team and executed without us in the room.
Brand & Identity
Name, story, visual identity, menu design, signage, uniforms and the brand standards that keep it consistent across every location.
Menu Engineering
Recipe costing, plate cost analysis, pricing strategy, menu psychology and layout, built around the margin each dish actually contributes.
Operations & Systems
Operating manuals, station guides, prep systems, labor models, inventory controls and the training that makes them stick.
Openings & Launch
Critical path planning, vendor selection, hiring and training, menu rollout, soft opening and the first ninety days after the doors open.
Franchise & Expansion
Unit economics, replication playbooks, site criteria, territory planning and the documentation partners and lenders expect to see.
Concept Types
Formats we develop
Different formats fail for different reasons. These are the ones we work in most often.
Casual & Upscale Dining
Table service concepts where labor model and menu mix decide whether the margin survives.
Fast Casual & QSR
Throughput driven formats built on speed, simplicity and repeatable execution.
Cafes, Bars & Taprooms
High margin beverage programs with the food offering sized to support them.
Pricing
What consulting costs
Scope drives price, so every engagement is quoted after we understand what you are actually trying to do. These are the ranges our clients land in, and exactly how we structure the work.
Advisory
Operators who need answers, not a team
$285 / hour
- Hourly strategic consulting
- Concept and menu review
- P and L and cost analysis
- Lease and site opinion
- Written summary after each session
- No minimum retainer
Most Requested
Concept Package
A concept built and documented
$18,500 starting
- Full concept development and positioning
- Financial model and unit economics
- Brand identity and menu design
- Engineered menu with costed recipes
- Core operating systems
- Equipment and layout guidance
- Presentation ready investor materials
Launch & Beyond
Concept through opening and scale
$48,000 starting
- Everything in the Concept Package
- Full opening management
- Hiring and training programs
- Vendor selection and negotiation
- Soft opening and first 90 days
- Franchise readiness documentation
- Ongoing advisory retainer available
| Engagement | Typical Range | Timeline | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concept feasibility study | $4,500 to $9,500 | 3 to 5 weeks | Market, competition, financial model |
| Menu engineering project | $5,800 to $14,000 | 4 to 8 weeks | Costing, pricing, design, rollout |
| Brand identity package | $7,500 to $24,000 | 6 to 12 weeks | Name, identity, standards, collateral |
| Operations manual build | $9,500 to $28,000 | 8 to 16 weeks | SOPs, recipes, training, checklists |
| Opening management | $22,000 to $65,000 | 3 to 6 months | Critical path through first 90 days |
Ranges reflect completed engagements and are for planning only. Travel and third party costs are billed separately. See the full pricing page.
How It Works
Four phases
Discovery
We sign an NDA, then dig into your idea, your site, your numbers and your competition before offering a single opinion.
Strategy
Positioning, financial model and a written recommendation, including an honest view of what will not work as planned.
Build
Brand, menu, systems and manuals produced as documents your team can actually use without us present.
Launch & Support
Opening execution, training, soft opening and the first ninety days, then advisory support as the business finds its rhythm.
Who We Work With
Clients at every stage
First Time Owners
People with capital, a site and a dream who need the commercial reality mapped before they sign anything.
Existing Operators
Restaurants that are busy but not profitable, usually a menu mix and labor model problem rather than a sales problem.
Groups Expanding
Two or three unit operators who need systems and documentation before location four exposes the gaps.
Investors & Landlords
Capital partners needing an independent read on a concept, an operator or a lease before committing.
Questions
What clients ask first
Will you tell me if my idea is bad?
Yes, and we would rather do it in week two than after you have signed a ten year lease. Declining to take a project, or recommending a different format for the same site, is part of the value. Anyone who agrees with every idea you bring them is selling hours rather than judgment.
Do you sign an NDA?
Always, before the first substantive conversation. Your concept, recipes, financials and plans are confidential. See our confidentiality and IP page for how we handle it.
Who owns the work?
You do. On full payment, the concept documents, brand assets, recipes, manuals and financial models we create for you transfer to you. We keep our own methodologies and templates, not your concept.
Do you run the restaurant for us?
No. We build the concept, systems and training, and we are on site through opening and the first ninety days. Day to day operation stays with your team, which is exactly where it should be.
Can you guarantee the restaurant succeeds?
No, and nobody honest can. Restaurants depend on execution, location, market conditions and the operator far more than on any consultant. What we can do is make sure the plan is sound, the numbers are real and the systems exist.
Do you work outside Florida?
Yes. We are based in Apopka and work with operators nationally and internationally. Much is handled remotely, with travel scheduled around key phases and billed separately.
Have a concept, a site or a problem?
Book a consultation and we will tell you honestly what we think, what it would take and whether we are the right firm for it.