Has anyone here ever opened a restaurant?

[Seahawks Fan]

About a year ago me and a friend were making serious plans to open a restaurant downtown. I was receiving a nice sum of money from a settlement payment and he had a good chunk of cash saved up himself. We were gonna combine resources and get this thing going, but as we made our way to really get things going his wife talked him out of it.

Honestly I still have this drive in me to do it but I'm also aware how tough and competitive the restaurant business is in basically every corner of the country. So I wanna hear from any of you who have been in the restaurant business and what you think is necessary for success?

 

[Official]

Your mom opened a restaurant

 

[plataoplombo]

So, to open one can be really easy. When I did mine, I found a spot in a mall that already had everything. All I had to do was clean up and pass inspection, assuming you have all of your paperwork complete.

There's a lot to it but location and an honest assessment of how good your food is to start. Also, the type of food you're selling and the type of customers.

The biggest fear was that nobody was going to come. People will always come as long as your food is good. Where I went wrong was the location wasn't that good. The mall didn't have a lot of foot traffic so during the week it was dead. Weekends were good though. I didn't have a lot of money and spot had everything I needed. In the end we closed cause the money wasn't worth the hours we were putting in and the wife had a miscarriage.

I will say this. The experience was worth its weight in gold. The confidence you gain and the ability to guage how much traffic you'll get on a daily basis will help any future endeavor.

Be smart with your money.

 

[kahiljabroni]

I haven't but it sounds brutal. There's always a new, hot, trendy place that'll come along and steal your clientele.

 

[Berserker13]

The odds are not in your favor

 

[pinger]

Do one or two things only and do them well.

Small menu.

Sweat equity.

Use social media

Good luck

 

[StonedLemur]

I've been roasting you since day one, might as well charge you for my services at this point.

 

[RoastBeast]

I've opened the front door to a restaurant, if that helps.

 

[StonedLemur]

I've opened the front door to a restaurant, if that helps.

With the left or right hand sir? Lol

 

[Chest Rockwell]

The biggest obstacle in most areas is getting the permits and approval for a kitchen build out. Taking over an existing, failed restaurant that already has the kitchen is what most people do that cannot afford a corporate style investment and build.

 

[RoastBeast]

With the left or right hand sir? Lol

Neither

 

[StonedLemur]

Neither

Oh shit, watch out...got a big dick in the house lol.

 

[lsa]

ask @Slobodan
his family run a small pizzeria down town.
Slobodan has been working the dough since he was a child.

But dont look in the basement. I am told weird stuff is going on down there, it even made the internet.

 

[Dogshare]

I would try to open something that isn't already there at every corner.

 

[Prefect]

Don't. The whole restaurant industry is a rat race with very little return. You would be better just investing your money in some stocks that give you 4% dividends than opening a restaurant and sweating you ass off to ern 4%, if you are lucky.

If you are a good cook, that is only like 10% of the battle. My in-law is one of the best cooks that I know and he got shredded when the economy went south in the 80s.

 

[RichardPriors]

Apply for a job at McDonalds. You get a steady income, carry none of the risk and still get to be a part of the business you love. A man can make a good life for himself that way.

Unless you got your settlement money from suing Mickey D's over the temperature of their tomato slice. You're not getting in that club then.

 

[moreorless87]

So, to open one can be really easy. When I did mine, I found a spot in a mall that already had everything. All I had to do was clean up and pass inspection, assuming you have all of your paperwork complete.

There's a lot to it but location and an honest assessment of how good your food is to start. Also, the type of food you're selling and the type of customers.

The biggest fear was that nobody was going to come. People will always come as long as your food is good. Where I went wrong was the location wasn't that good. The mall didn't have a lot of foot traffic so during the week it was dead. Weekends were good though. I didn't have a lot of money and spot had everything I needed. In the end we closed cause the money wasn't worth the hours we were putting in and the wife had a miscarriage.

I will say this. The experience was worth its weight in gold. The confidence you gain and the ability to guage how much traffic you'll get on a daily basis will help any future endeavor.

Be smart with your money.

The problem I guess is that locations with potential good restaurant traffic generally know it and charge a significant premium in rent.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

I would suggest buying into a successful franchise like Hooters or Twin Peaks

 

[Belaya Smert]

Your friend hates money….in Joe Biden’s America

 

[Slobodan]

ask @Slobodan
his family run a small pizzeria down town.
Slobodan has been working the dough since he was a child.

But dont look in the basement. I am told weird stuff is going on down there, it even made the internet.

You were served pizza with 2 week old ingredients and you asked for more.