There is something about the idea of owning a restaurant that enchants many prospective entrepreneurs. Most of us have emotional connections to great restaurants we have visited in the past, so the idea of being able to create the perfect dining experience for other people sounds ideal. We imagine that we’d spend our days engaging in our love of food, making diners feel comfortable, and helping to create the perfect ambiance in our establishment. A dream come true for a high-achieving Mom who has put her dreams on the backburner and is now ready to give herself permission to soar.

While all of the above is wonderful, owning a restaurant is one of the toughest business ideas to bring to fruition. The restaurant industry is always changing and evolving; it requires constant vigilance to trends to be able to keep pace. Then there is the constant threat to independently-owned restaurants from big, multinational chains. There’s no doubt about it: entering into the restaurant business is not for the faint-hearted.

So the two emotions collide; the understandable desire to own a restaurant, and the simple fact that owning a restaurant is an incredibly challenging business venture. Essentially, it’s a battle of head versus heart— and your heart can win in the end; however, there are a few things you need to be aware of first.

Running a restaurant is more difficult than you may think

Many people believe that life as a restaurant owner is easy. They are wrong. By the very nature of their operations, businesses require staff, which can make it appear that the owner doesn’t have much to do. After all, if you’ve recruited servers and chefs, fitted them nicely in uniforms and scrubs, and briefed them on your expectations of how your establishment should be run, what else is there to do? Surely your staff can handle most things, right?

This vision is far from reality. Restaurant ownership is incredibly hard work; it’s tough, grueling, and consuming. While your restaurant is getting established, you will likely have to be a member of staff, be it in a food preparation or service role. While you may eventually reach a point where your restaurant doesn’t require your hands-on touch, in the early days, it’s going to be extremely challenging work, and you will be in the midst of it all.

Retaining Staff Is A Full-Time Job

If you were to walk into a room of 100 people and ask how many of them have worked in a restaurant, it’s more likely that at least half the room would raise their hands. Restaurant work is one of the most common jobs in the country, and a huge number of people will have worked in a restaurant setting.

In some ways, this is a good thing: hiring staff will be relatively simple. The downside is that restaurant work, be it cooking or serving, is often seen as something people do while they build their actual career. Restaurant work is the work of students, job-hunting actors, and people who are between jobs— rarely is it an actual career choice.

As an owner, this means that you will likely find yourself stuck in a perpetual recruitment cycle, which can be extremely trying on your patience. You will likely need to think of staff retention strategies to try and prevent this but, even then, it’s important to know that staff turnover will likely be very high. This distraction can be disruptive to your plans for the business, so it’s essential that you’re willing to be flexible when needed.

Early success is possible, but it might not last

When a restaurant first opens, it’s new, exciting, and engaging. Many restaurants open with great fanfare, and eager patrons may have to wait months for a reservation. This early success is typical of hot, new restaurants, and it’s something you need to be very cautious about.

The reason for this is simple: early success doesn’t mean that your restaurant is viable. It just says that your restaurant is new. When the novelty wears off, the press coverage dies down, and patrons have other new establishments to try, the hard work really begins. If you’re going to open a restaurant, you have to be realistic, expect the initial boom, and then have solid strategic plans to continue your momentum.

However, it is worth mentioning that continuing the momentum is possible. There are plenty of strategies you can try; changing your menu, special offers for returning customers, or even dabbling in niche markets such as offering gluten-free food. The important thing is that you are ready and prepared with these strategies, rather than hoping that the initial buzz lasts forever.

Your love of food may wane

Many people want to open a restaurant because they love food. They love experimenting with recipes, creating new dishes, and creating exciting and unique combinations. As a restaurant owner, it will be your job — along with your head chef — to complete all of these exciting tasks, but will they still be exciting when they become work?

Many business owners discover that when they go into business doing something they love, they suddenly find themselves falling out of love. Your love of food may wane because it’s no longer a personal passion; however, now it’s something that your livelihood depends upon.

To minimize the possibility of this happening, it’s vital that your passion for your restaurant extends beyond the food. You have to want to provide an unforgettable dining experience, to care about the intricacies of restaurant design, and to become a part of the community— don’t just rely on your love of food to be enough to sustain your interest in this business venture.

If you have your heart set on restaurant ownership, allow the above information to be eye-openers, but not hardcore reasons you shouldn’t own a restaurant. You have to be aware of the realities of running a restaurant, but there’s no reason you can’t be one of the statistical outliers that makes it work. If you’re dedicated, passionate, and determined to reach your goals, then you have everything you need to get started and to become a successful business owner. Good luck!

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