The Restaurant Business

[ak]

What is one's thoughts on getting into this business ? The family already owns one successful family owned restaurant in town thinking about starting one myself with experience cooks, waitresses, etc.. Does anyone here have any experience in this field and if so do you recommend such risk in the economy the country is currently facing ?

[jdwanchalk]

Read this today...

News Headlines

[jdwanchalk]

My question has always been, where do non-chain restaurants get their supplies/food etc?

Wouldn't it fuck everything up if they had to switch suppliers and the meat or something was different?

Where do you find such suppliers? This is what I have never understood, though I have never looked into it either.

[ak]

From my experience speaking to mom and pops the meat products are ordered at a local small town grocery store with a large discount. (they can eat free when they choose to although they always pay anyhow) Locally there is a mid size country town population around 15000 who need a nice family diner. I'm sure everyone from time to time has said, "man if this town had a apple bees etc they would make a killing" This is the current situation here but just with any diner. This is a large factory town so yes a majority can afford to pay for a decent meal.

Thanks for the article that is sorta what I figured.

[Catfish]

What is one's thoughts on getting into this business ? The family already owns one successful family owned restaurant in town thinking about starting one myself with experience cooks, waitresses, etc.. Does anyone here have any experience in this field and if so do you recommend such risk in the economy the country is currently facing ?

I've been in this industry for about 20 years (in Germany though). My advice: if you are not able to do every single job of the ones listed above by yourself (including, and especially, the cooking), do not even try it. I am not saying you have to actually do all those jobs, but if you depend on the competence and reliability of your staff, you will fail.

Also, be prepared to be working LONG hours and working real hard, put up with any customer, not just the nice ones. AND you need your whole family to stand behind you 110% on this, because you can be 100% sure that your family life will suffer.

[CK]

What Catfish said is so true. I have never owned one, but this is basically my viewpoint as someone who grew up in restaurants.


My dad was a chef for a resort - absolutely brilliant but a complete ass at times (he was as vocal as Gordon Ramsey). He also did functions on the side and as kids we were in the kitchen helping by 12 and working (actually getting paid) by 13 . I love the rest biz...I love every aspect of it, but it's extremely difficult to make a go of it. I don't remember my dad being home for most of my childhood because he had to put so many hours in, which only got worse when they finally made the jump and opened their own. (Just something to think about if you have kids)

Do be careful running a family biz with the fam. It takes a special kind of person to be able to work with their spouse or family in general. My parents couldn't do it and the "lets run a family restaurant" lead to a bitter divorce.

That said, if I could, would I own one? In a heart beat although I would rather buy something established with a good history and customers (but that would require a boat load of money). And I would never hire family.

Out of all the jobs I have worked, the kitchen was always the most enjoyable. Was just a fun atmosphere if you have the right mix of people.


*I would never own a franchise - they will rape you*

[Laurence]

I would keep it to mastering the craft of making high end dishes at home, restaurant business is the last business I'd like to be in because of the stress level and hard to generate a steady customer base. It's a far cry from that beach in the Caribbean you should be aiming for instead.

[Prenut]

My question has always been, where do non-chain restaurants get their supplies/food etc?

Wouldn't it fuck everything up if they had to switch suppliers and the meat or something was different?

Where do you find such suppliers? This is what I have never understood, though I have never looked into it either.

Sysco, US Foods, or a similar food service business.

[jdwanchalk]

Sysco, US Foods, or a similar food service business.

That's the answer I was looking for. Now if someone can tell me how machine shops or excavators or shit like that find clients when they start up I would have a few of my greatest mysteries solved. Never understand how these places can like just start doing metal finishing or something and instantly have enough clients to operate. It's not like they're a retail store. Just like these ambiguous services that I don't understand how they get started.

[parttimepoker]

They probably start working for an established company and build a client list / reputation that way. Many probably go far into debt their first few years as they struggle to build a sufficient base.