Comment by briandear | Hacker News Reader

Comment by briandear | Hacker News Reader

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I see the results of these consultant-driven places everywhere and, everywhere it’s like they all used the same consultant in a dire bid for relevance. It’s poke-this, quinoa that, avocado toast with a side of “authentic” matcha.

The hell with it. Give me a “voice” — do something with your food. Don’t Kardashianize every damned item.

An example of someone I feel that is doing it right is a guy in Houston named Russell Ybarra. He just started his latest place called Burger Libre — and it wasn’t consultant driven, it was driven by his decades of success with his Gringo’s chain in Houston. The “consultants” are his friends and employees along with actually knowing how to make a restaurant succeed.

Tillman Fertitta is another guy who uses years of experience to create great chain experiences.

The restaurant business is filled with people that have more money than sense. It’s obviously about the food, but it’s about having something to say with the food and experience — and that voice rarely comes from consultants that travel to 20 restaurants in 2 days looking for insight.

The same could be said about startups. Want to make money? Don’t chase yoga pants. Yoga pants follow, they rarely lead. If you are duplicating what’s working with the yoga pants crowd, you are already 5 steps behind.

“Don’t skate to where the puck is, but where it’s going. — Wayne Gretzky” — Michael Scott.

>The restaurant business is filled with people that have more money than sense.

This. Speaking with my decade of experience within the Industry.

Seriously, forget about Menu placement, settings, services, etc... The first thing a restaurant should worry about is the quality AND consistency of their food.

Not saying others not important, but they are not "First". Location , services etc... these can only buy you time until you fix your "First"problem. Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares are not just reality shows, they are what is happening around the Real world, and not just in US.

I am also, baffled, by how little most restaurant owners knows about their food. Different type of Beef, poultry, different cuts, brand of French Fries, types, type of sources etc.

Edit: I should have written something in the Startup idea thread two days ago.

I’m sure those guys’ consulting firms will be delighted that you have been convinced of the ‘authenticity’, ‘independence’, and ‘personality’ that they carefully helped their clients craft based on their mood boards and focus groups :)

I don't know where it's like where you are, but around here, there's a dozen established eateries, and corners of strip malls that get new restaurants every 8 months or so. There's gotta be a solid profit in selling loans to people who have a dream of owning a restaurant (or bar, or eatery, or whatever), but haven't the faintest clue how to run the business.

The statistics thrown around are 75-80% of new restaurants won't last the first two years.[1]

That day want terribly surprise me, as I spent a sizeable portion of my career travelling around fixing restaurants.

Biggest issue I've seen is people creating a restaurant because they think it will be fun, or high profit margin. (Spoiler: it is neither).

(Source: chef for 18 years). [1] I don't have a source to back this up, it's just been repeated so many damn times. I think it would be closer to 60-70%

>think it will be fun, or high profit margin.

Quite possibly the complete opposite. Especially when today's asset / property prices are being pushed up to a ridiculous level by QE, rent eats into profits, And most restaurants owner I know has thin profits margin and lots of long hours working.

>The statistics thrown around are 75-80% of new restaurants won't last the first two years.

I guess it depends on location, but 50%+ of new restaurants changes hand within the first 3 years.

The standard costing for a restaurant meal is 25% food cost.

It approx breaks down as: .25 food cost .25 staff cost .25 rent and gas/elec etc .25 profit.

That's not real world though, that last .25 is going to be eaten into. I personally prefer to try and run at .21 - .22

It may seem like an awfully unbalanced profit margin, (in relation to me saying low profit margin), but you need to add in wastage on top of this, both due to staff error(eg keeping by too much stock on hand), unexpected quiet periods or even supplier sending lower quality produce. There's also the matter of variable prices for ingredients as well.

This is one of the biggest things I had to drill into clients, it's not just about making good food and slapping a fee on top, it's a strict regieme of training, control and excellent book keeping on top of a passion for food and a desire to make people happy.

As to your last paragraph, I believe that's covered by closing, I should have clarified on that point, my apologies

Interesting. When I first got into the industry, knowledge pass down to me as 30% Food Cost, 30% Staff, 30% Rent / Electrics, and 10% Profits. Again this differ from places, City and non City restaurants. And This is mostly in Asia, HK, Taiwan and China. ( Not Japan )

When I left the industry, Food Cost are now pushing down close to 20%. Staff Cost and Rent made up of nearly 70%. With Rental taken nearly 40%. Since Staff Cost, and Rent are mostly fix cost, the only way they could improve Revenue was to becomes fast food alike, i.e faster table turnover. ( A trend I really dislike )

>This is one of the biggest things I had to drill into clients, it's not just about making good food and slapping a fee on top, it's a strict regieme of training, control and excellent book keeping on top of a passion for food and a desire to make people happy.

This. So Much.

I still wanted to get back into Food and Hospitality business someday. I think Food is a topics that connects with everyone. And I still think there is lot of innovation and tech could help with the industry, it is rather unfortunate no one is taking a look into it.

Not loans. Things they pay with other people's money. Just need to make sure you get paid, and that's it.

Generally lenders prefer to lend to a business that will succeed.

You'd think that, but the percentage of failure I've personally witnessed tells me there's profit in the write-offs, too.

ETA: In the venture capitalist realm, I hear you fund 10 businesses with the hope that one of them strikes it rich.

VC is equity not debt, and very very few restaurants raise money via equity.

Often they'll take out large loans secured on both house and business, along with a chunk of their own (or investor/friends) money to get things started. The lenders get to stick nice chunky rates on the whole thing and generally have limited downside because collateral.

I don't mean to imply the banks are doing anything wrong, just that the business model is based on managed downside rather than "striking it rich"

Minor nitpick which I can't let go because it's been on my brain lately:

VC is not always equity, especially in the early stages of a company. Convertible notes are debt instruments (and SAFEs are warrants).

They convert to equity eventually, so you are of course correct in the long run (and why it's a nitpick).

But until that happens your investors are debt holders.

Correct, but I would say it's next to impossible to find a VC who treats a SAFE/Convertible Note as debt. Nobody wants it paid off, the VC will always choose to convert to equity because that is the VC's model.

It's a nitpick - but both valid and interesting (I've never worked in startups and did not know that VCs commonly bought convertible notes)

> it’s like they all used the same consultant in a dire bid for relevance.

I have a friend who works at a big management consulting firm and he told me that one of the partners built his practice/client base around optimizing menus for these big chain restaurants. It's apparently been very lucrative, so I think you're right that in many cases they are using the same consultant.

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