Business Idea-Want your overall feelings about it!

[PhiSigPhi]

So I have an unnatural love for food and I've always wanted to work for myself, therefore I've thought about opening a restaraunt; however, it's going to be bigger than a mom and pops place (which I love).

I basically want to fill a niche for great, healthy food, served fast. And I'm not talking "Subway" healthy or "Panera Bread" heatly. I'm talking whole food meals served in a comfortable setting kind of like Panera Bread. You order the food and pick it up (keep costs down and food comes out faster). The menu would be divided into calorie categories (so maybe weight loss meals, normal meals, and weight gaining meals or maybe those will be the "size" you can order the meal in. Something like that). The restaraunt will always be full of healthy ways to live your life and little facts/figures etc to help educate those who decide to pursue a healthier lifestyle.

All nutrition facts will be VERY apparent and even the total calories/macronutrients you consumed will be printed on your receipt. My idea would be to open a few in the midwest region to start and start opening them around the country/franchising them out.

I don't know. I'm just kind of throwing things out there but what do you all think?

[TheHorseman]

First off, as a business owner, do what you love.

With that said - the restaurant is a cut-throat business. Overhead is a pain, employment issues suck, and running a kitchen isn't easy. If you can just sell your idea, then you'll be good, but most people don't know the trouble of the food industry. My mother, who is an amazing cook, owned an amazing restaurant, but it honestly just took the life out of her.

Good luck though - find a way to make it happen.

[PhiSigPhi]

Yeah I agree. I've worked in the restaraunt world from 16-24. As much as I love food and making people happy, everything you mentioned wants to keep me away. But the idea would be that I wouldn't have to run the individual restaraunt, especially if I can franchise it out.

[jennyd]

Franchise it out to NY...it sounds like my kind of place.

[Renegade68]

They have something like that already - I think its called EVO or something like that. All organic burgers, chicken, air baked fries, etc., etc. Lots of wraps and stuff. I think they are a franchise too....

But - that said - as mentioned, if it is your passion - go for it. There is certainly a niche for it, as many people simply can't force themselves to eat at BK, etc., and are sick of subway being one of the only 1/2way healthy options out there. Best of luck.

[PhiSigPhi]

Yeah I can't find much on it except one opened in Mass. in January. I'm not neccesarily going for Oranic healthy per se, but like just good food and the idea that you know exactly what you are putting into your body.

And yeah I am sick of Subway myself. I even convince myself sometimes that 1/4way healthy options are good for me lol.

[Joementum]

There's no reason it won't work if you know what you're doing & you market it properly.

That being said, produce would be expensive & that would have to be passed on to the customer. Unfortunately, although everyone wants a 6 pack, only a minority are prepared to pay & work for one.
As Boyd mentions, overheads can be crippling. Unless you are prepared to run the kitchen, you better get a top notch head chef.

If you could find premises close to a large gym it would be a benefit - there would be a steady stream of your target market walking past your doors constantly.

Good luck with whatever your decision.

[PhiSigPhi]

Yeah my target market to begin with would be young, professionals. There's a perfect place near where I live loaded with peepz. It would definitely start out in the wealthier areas and move out from there.

But most importantly, would a place to eat like this be a place you'd want to eat, assuming the food is good lol

[Joementum]

As long as the waitresses were hot.

[kcameron13]

You get one going around Royal Oak area ill be there every day. Im not to far from you, Livonia/Northville area, and other than sushi, subway, and a couple sandwich shops theres nothing healthy around here and im always on the run. It sounds like a great idea, and locally there would be a good market for it. Theres a lot of health concious people in this area.

[PhiSigPhi]

Yeah, that was exactly my thought. Well if I passed my CPA exam (I'll find out in September) I'll start banging out a business plan. Maybe you can see it open next year? haha.

I need to come up with some amazing receipes!

[GangUnit]

if you're passionate about your idea and you know you'll be doing what you love: go for it and disregard any negativity. the greatest people in the world didn't achieve greatness by listening to criticism. no matter what you do, you're always going to get criticism. there's always someone there who's just not going to have something positive to say b/c people are frustrated and insecure. do you and go with what you feel is right and don't stop until you're all out of options and rock bottom. it's a highly respectable trait to be persistent in fighting for what you believe in.

[Anticor]

Having grown up in a resturant family I will tell you that personal time will be over. You will live and breath your business or it will fail. It can be rewarding but it can also be brutal. I remember washing dishes at 7yrs old as my first paying job. In high school I couldn't understand why my folks never took vacations. Now I get it, they couldn't. Small business owners work harder than most people I've run across and the successful ones are truely awe inspiring.

Like it was mentioned above, it's cut throat but if you've got what it takes and can truely take on the business is business mind set it's doable.

[jennyd]

I just want some good, healthy food...damnit.

[PhiSigPhi]

Originally Posted by Anticor

Having grown up in a resturant family I will tell you that personal time will be over. You will live and breath your business or it will fail. It can be rewarding but it can also be brutal. I remember washing dishes at 7yrs old as my first paying job. In high school I couldn't understand why my folks never took vacations. Now I get it, they couldn't. Small business owners work harder than most people I've run across and the successful ones are truely awe inspiring.

Like it was mentioned above, it's cut throat but if you've got what it takes and can truely take on the business is business mind set it's doable.

Yeah I know that. But the idea is I wouldn't just own the one. Eventually there will be many and I will just manage them...not run them. Eventually, it'd be a corporation with many and I wouldn't even have my hand in the restaraunt at all. I'd worry about other, more high level things.


And Jenny, that's exactly why I like this idea. There is really no healthy food out there. I shook my head the other day when I walked into a Panera Bread and there was a sticker on the door saying "Award XXX award for Healthiest Restaraunt." I just shook my head.

[mitchcumstein]

Originally Posted by PhiSigPhi

Yeah I know that. But the idea is I wouldn't just own the one. Eventually there will be many and I will just manage them...not run them. Eventually, it'd be a corporation with many and I wouldn't even have my hand in the restaraunt at all. I'd worry about other, more high level things.


And Jenny, that's exactly why I like this idea. There is really no healthy food out there. I shook my head the other day when I walked into a Panera Bread and there was a sticker on the door saying "Award XXX award for Healthiest Restaraunt." I just shook my head.

You will have to start somewhere though. There will be years of sacrifice before you ever get to that point assuming your idea even takes off. Its a good idea that you have and not trying to discourage you, just giving a dose of reality like everyone else is giving you. Like Boyd said, find a way to make it happen and go for it if youre truly up for the challenge.

[PhiSigPhi]

Originally Posted by mitchcumstein

You will have to start somewhere though. There will be years of sacrifice before you ever get to that point assuming your idea even takes off. Its a good idea that you have and not trying to discourage you, just giving a dose of reality like everyone else is giving you. Like Boyd said, find a way to make it happen and go for it if youre truly up for the challenge.

I live in reality every day Yeah I will be motivated to do it. Just a few stepping stones I have to take care of.

[Anticor]

Originally Posted by PhiSigPhi

I live in reality every day Yeah I will be motivated to do it. Just a few stepping stones I have to take care of.

I say go for it. If you're in a position where you can make it happen and realize a dream by all means do it. I just know my folks ended up selling out after about 12 resturants. It just lost the spark I guess.

[PhiSigPhi]

Originally Posted by Anticor

I say go for it. If you're in a position where you can make it happen and realize a dream by all means do it. I just know my folks ended up selling out after about 12 resturants. It just lost the spark I guess.

I hear ya man. Small business world is rough. But to be honest, I'm a CPA in a Big 4 accounting firm and I work my ass off auditing so I don't see that much difference for me time wise.

[Meta]

I came up with a similar idea in a small group assigment in a marketing class I took my first quarter at my university... basically just like a fast food place with a drive thru and everything, but it was all healthy food

I would love for a place like this to open, so if you do it make sure you get somethin out here in cali!

but the restaurant business is tough to crack into... small "mom and pop" restaurants seem to fail a lot... it seems to me the only ones who are successful are the ones which have been around for a while, which means you would probably have some tough times before you're business is real successful.

my uncle opened his own restaurant years back and had to close down within 6 months because he was losing so much money.

I think a huge key factor is your location and the type of people in the area. for example, my uncle's restaurant was more high end, fine dining. it was all organic food, everything prepared fresh daily...but because of high costs he had high menu prices, and people in the area weren't trying to pay that much.

of course the food and service must be good... but also the way you market your business is another big thing... make sure you're using techniques that get the attention of your target customers... be creative with everything. ie. name, color scheme, logo, advertising... and be aware that quality food may be more expensive... so costs could be higher than your average fast food place

but overall I think it's a great idea... and if you do it right and work hard you could be successful for sure

anyways.. damn I wrote a lot... obviously I'm a business major