"Gil Faver" <rowdy'sboss[at]xxyz.com> wrote in message
news:3G5nj.502514$kj1.164217[at]bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
- quote -

sorry, not really tax related. Based on the subject matter, I thought I was
in one of my food groups.

Doug, if you move this discussion elsewhere, please post so I can move along
with you and watch the discussion. thanks.

========================================= MODERATOR'S COMMENT:
Agree - this topic is closed

--
<< ------------------------------------------------------- > << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, > << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties > << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts > << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy > << are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. > << ------------------------------------------------------- >

"Doug" <PurplePenguin44[at]yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:8feb11c7-6c42-4f54-952b-72f4d72f6f70[at]1g2000hsl.googlegroups.com...
- quote -

1. If you want to delegate and hire a manager for the middle tasks, why do
you want to spend your time cleaning the bathroom? Delegate more of that
and spend that time on middle or upper tasks.

2. In my experience, leading by example doesn't work. I don't know why.
But people have always been happy for me to do their jobs as I lead by
example, and not learn from the example.

3. The new restaurant I recently worked at was a four star restaurant in an
affluent area, dynamite food, and is still struggling. As far as I can
tell:

The chef-owner has a lot of experience and ability with food,

He started the restaurant will little capital (I don't know how much, but
certainly not the way a few others have started recently. But, I do not
think those other restaurants will EVER recoup their investment. Not EVER).

He hired a manager with a lot of experience in the high end restaurant
business, in this area. But, perhaps he was past his prime. In any event,
at some point the manager was let go and the chef owner spent a lot of time
"learning" the middle management role, and getting things squared away.
They were a mess. Lesson: don't count on just being able to hire this set
of tasks away - be involved and know as much as the manager does. I always
felt that you should be able to step into anyone's shoes, so you will know
if they are doing their job, and will not be bamboozled by them.

He hired a bartender with a lot of experience. I don't know what his deal
was, but I have a feeling it was too lucrative (for the bartender), again
with the assumption that the chef owner could just let this happen and not
have to worry about the bar. That bartender is gone, and new ones in place,
who are experienced, but younger and most likely with a different deal.

He hired a sous chef who is not a sous chef. Maybe some day. But the sous
chef is sure impressed with himself. He knows little about portion control,
nothing about finance, and does not have a broad experience with food. He
does what he does well, but that is by rote. I am sure he costs the chef
owner less than a real sous chef would, but you get what you pay for.

I know nothing about restaurant finances, all I know is that I don't want to
own or run a restaurant. The biggest problems at this restaurant are:

1. not enough business. I don't know why.

2. not enough income, so lots of scrimping going on. Paychecks are late.
We have run out of garlic. We have run out of parchment. etc.

3. not enough business, so not enough cooking going on. As an underling, I
want to cook, not only prep. I don't mind prep, I got better at it, but
cooking ZERO percent of what I prepped is no way to keep me around. Ditto
for some others. I am sure turnover is to be expected, but it costs money.
(on the other hand, turnover of bad, lazy, or self-impressed employees is a
good thing . . .).

4. everyone has different ideas, and a different set of instructions. We
wasted a lot of expensive beef because our sous chef didn't understand meat.
The Chef owner was relying on this guy, so for six months there was terrible
waste.

I suggest you work more in restaurants, as you save up your money. Work in
more and more capacities, and make lots of notes, talk to lots of foodies
about all aspects of the business.

and, I like your idea of "spot checking". I call that "management by
walking around".

--
<< ------------------------------------------------------- > << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, > << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties > << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts > << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy > << are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. > << ------------------------------------------------------- >

A CPA in Vermont told me to make sure you have enough tables so that
you can really run the volume on Friday and Saturday nights. I like
that. In any business, be ready to run the volume, emotionally,
financially, that the fundamental idea is sound, that systems are in
place, with coaching and leading a team, etc, etc.

I have also heard that it takes about a year to build up enough of a
customer base to start making money. That I question. People are
curious about a new restaurant, so much so that you may want a soft
opening and then a publicized grand opening perhaps two weeks later.

I do agree that it might take longer than you think it does, and that
under-capitalization is one of the biggest reasons for small business
failure. And currently, I do not have enough money to open (or buy) a
restaurant, so it's something for perhaps down the road.

I have worked in different Italian restaurants as a delivery driver, a
cook, a waiter, but never as a manager. So, my idea is to delegate
and hire a manager for the middle tasks. I will work some shifts as
waiter, other shifts as cooks, both to stay connected and also to lead
by example. Heck, I'll even clean the restrooms once a week
(approximately my fair share), and that will really be leading by
example. At the same time, I'll do the ownership tasks of promoting
the business, scouting the competition, keeping up with industry
trends, the very important tasks that are often neglected because so
much time is eaten up by day-to-day management. And I'll spot check.
Yeah, you need systems in place to keep honest people honest, and to
make it difficult for dishonest people. But any static system can be
beaten. It helps to have a curious owner who's poking his nose here
and there.

Still, with all this, I understand it's an enormously difficult
venture to actually make a profit at. And I'm not sure I understand
why. It's a value-added business, price is always a consideration for
customers, but it's not the primary consideration in picking a
restaurant, so you do not find yourself directly competing with large
corporations. You do, but it's in areas where corporations behave
more awkwardly. You can almost compete advantageously. A corporation
is like a large lumbering animal whose joints don't quite work right,
and it occasionally falls over. I've seen some pretty poor management
in restaurants, so I'm thinking, of course I can do better. Now, I'll
probably make other mistakes. But as long as I start with enough
money, I can get past the mistakes. (The only fatal mistake is
running out of money.)

So, please talk to me. Tell me how to do it!

-Doug

--
<< ------------------------------------------------------- > << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, > << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties > << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts > << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy > << are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. > << ------------------------------------------------------- >