Anyone dream of running a restaurant?

[oldbay]

Or actually run a restaurant? If so, how much work is it? I hear from people I know that it's a 16 hour day. I have some ideas for running a home cooked food place, but 16 hour days scare me from further action.

[Mama Mangia]

Old Bay - been there - done that! And believe me - 16 hours is the least you work in a day! Many think that all you have to do is cook - there is much more to it than that.

Do I miss it?? Sure - I have a following and I still have ex-customers that hound me for things. And catering is more pressure. Although I am not running a restaurant right now - I am thinking of phasing into another phase of the restaurant business - because I love cooking; even all the prep and the cleaning and dishes. I even did the profit margins and all the books and the taxes - kept me busy 7 days a week. Maybe that is why I can function on 2 to 3 hours of sleep a night.

[loubear]

My husband is always saying, "When we open our restaurant this is going to be the dish that makes us rich," I do remind him though that people in the restaurant business dont have much family time and he would really miss our little girl if we did that.

[oldbay]

There's a "retired couple" at the beach that run a barbecue pork business. It all started with the husband buying a commercial style rib smoker, then a small trailer, and now they have a homestyle barbecue double wide with seating. The food is amazing, and is all made with homemade recipes. I do think they work long days as I've had breakfast there at 6:30am, and dinner at 10:30pm and have seen them. Everyone raves over the food they make.

I dream of living at the sea shore, and think about what I could do to live there and make a decent living, and everyone likes to eat. But there must be a lot of competition, and that keeps the prices down, so it makes one work more. I kind of think about being the Bill Gates of food. Coming up with the recipes, and meals, and then having others make it. Isn't that possible in the restaurant business, or are the owners always hands on?

[mtmomj]

I worked *for* a restaurant before. I waitressed and did other little odd jobs for them. Let me tell you, although it would be nice - I couldn't handle it. It is an incredible amount of work. My boss was basically one of everything on a daily basis. He helped everywhere. It seemed like he never had a day off.

[Paprika]

I dont think I could own a restaurant. My fiance and I are buying a cafe though either next year or the year after though which will be great! I only want a small one with 2-3 workers.

[lcsamano]

Not so much of a resturant but my husband would like to open a catering business. He is a really good cook and I think he would do weel as long as he got a good clientle base.

[Mama Mangia]

Old Bay - here is a true story!

Friend of mine opens a pizzeria as an investment in his "retirement" years. Nice building, all new equipment and worked hard at training his staff. Wonderful business! The envy of many. Everything is going well - steps back and visits occasionally - what a nice retirement.

Until most trusted employee decides to add this and do that and opens directly across the street! Cheaper prices - great quality and eager to expand the menu with other goodies.

Now guess who is making the business?

Friend was devastated! Could not believe that anyone would do that to him. He always treated that person with the most respect and paid that person very well. Well enough for them to branch out on their own and being far from retirement age - this new business owner is a real go-getter. Even won awards for some of their menu items. This caused my friend to have a heart attack and he is now resting by pushing up daisies.

Now do you really want to let others take over enough of your business? Would you really want to trust someone with the quality of your food? Would you really want to trust someone else with your money/books/banking? Would your really want to trust someone with your recipes?

It's bad enough that there is enough "sweethearting" out there and 5-finger discounts caused by employees. Not to mention "waste" - and those 3 factors alone can knock you out of business.

sweethearting - giving free meals to friends and family
5-finger discounts - employee theft
waste - not caring how foods are handled or prepared

I love cooking and baking and I will be back in business - but I would rather do it myself and have the usual headaches that come with the business. I never had to worry about the Health Department - they loved me! I never have to worry about the quality of food or the proper prep, etc. I have seen too many pull too much and I do not want to deal with any of it.

[lcsamano]

That is very sad. Wasn't there anything legally that your friend could have done. Sometimes dreams are hard to fufill. Running a business is a great idea but like you stated Mama about the 3 thinks that can knock you right out of business.

[Mama Mangia]

The unfortunate thing is - all the thief needed to do was made a few minor changes to recipes and pizza sizes - and not a thing could be done!