17.02.2026
Things get hectic just before noon. Everyone is flooding out of their offices at the same time, the kitchen is running at full steam and mistakes must not happen. Julien Delatour, founder of the Delafood takeaway restaurant, tells us about the day-to-day restaurant business under constant pressure and why simple processes in the background are crucial to ensure that nothing goes wrong in operations.
One thing is more important than anything else in day-to-day operations: being prepared. For Julien, these phases are the real test in his everyday work. It’s all about thinking ahead while remaining calm, even when lots of things are happening at once.
In the restaurant business, you need to be constantly anticipating and always thinking one step ahead – just like in chess. As soon as you sit back and relax, you get steamrollered by everyday business.
This includes unforeseen events – from delivery delays to technical defects. That is when it becomes clear just how stable a company really is. Every additional hiccup costs time and energy, which are scarce in everyday working life.
It’s precisely because so much happens at the same time in day-to-day business that Julien knows that not everything can be equally complex. While it’s loud and fast out front, everything must run smoothly and reliably in the background. Multitasking is part of his job. Cooking, serving, organizing and being an entrepreneur on the side. What he finds difficult is administration. Not because of a lack of interest, but because it takes time and quickly becomes confusing when too many systems are running in parallel. After taking over the family restaurant, Julien therefore made a conscious decision to simplify things wherever possible: fewer interfaces, fewer invoices, better overview. Not in order to optimize everything, but to keep a clear head – for the kitchen, the team and the guests.
Today, all card payments are centralized in Julien’s business. Whether it’s a PostFinance Card, debit or credit card, or TWINT – everything runs via a single system and ends up bundled in the business account.
We used to have several accounts. Now, everything is centralized. An overview, clear figures – that makes my everyday work a lot easier.
All I need to do is take a look at the PostFinance App to see how the day went. This generates calm and saves time, especially during or after stressful peak periods.
In the catering sector, revenue is often determined in seconds. When the shop is full, guests expect to be able to pay quickly and with their preferred payment method. Combo payment methods from PostFinance combine acceptance of all common payment methods in a single contract. For Julien, this means having a reliable background process without the need to worry about which cards work.
Julien has gone through the process and knows where the pitfalls lie. His advice to those in the starting blocks is pragmatic:
It’s worth taking a close look, especially before taking over or opening a business. Julien has experienced how quickly you can take on problems that are not apparent at first glance. His advice: inform yourself thoroughly, ask critical questions and don’t rely on assumptions or verbal commitments. If you get a clear picture early on, you save a lot of energy later.
In day-to-day work in the catering business, it is not enough to react to situations. Peak times, delivery delays or technical outages cannot be avoided – but you can be prepared for them. Julien compares his everyday work to chess: you always have to think one step ahead. If you anticipate, you remain able to operate, even when things get hectic.
For Julien, success does not mean rapid growth or expansion. Success means being able to make a living from his own business – stable, protected and with perspective. Healthy structures in the background help to relieve the pressure on day-to-day business and to keep at it in the long term. After all, if you are constantly working at your limits, you cannot manage your business sustainably.
Julien’s story shows that stability is what matters most in the day-to-day business of running a restaurant. Simple, reliable structures in the background are crucial – both financially and organizationally. If you start a business, you don’t have to do everything by yourself. Reliable partners and clear solutions allow you to focus on what matters most: good food, a strong team and satisfied guests.
Discover solutions and services from PostFinance to help you embark on your journey to self-employment.
