Good Idea or Bad Idea?

Question

A Chinese fast food place went outta business and I was thinking of doing Italian fast food (chinese style) Serving Italian food in Pints and Quarts and having combination specials.Good idea or bad?

BigChris51 · Answer

A Chinese fast food place went outta business and I was thinking of doing Italian fast food (chinese style) Serving Italian food in Pints and Quarts and having combination specials.Good idea or bad?

canovsp · Answer

Sounds like a good idea, I&#x27;m Italian, but I always hear how restaurants are one of the riskiest investments you can make.

BigChris51 · Answer

yes canovsp I agree. The kitchen is 100% in-tact. Basically only taking over lease $1800/month. Total startup investment is less than 15k I was thinking it was worth the risk, not having to build out a kitchen and all. Thank you

Candy-Man77 · Answer

Love that concept Chris ~ I&#39;m an old Italian &amp; would eat there quite a bit.

tjohnsont · Answer

I like the idea.  Big risk but big reward if it pays off.  I would sign a one year lease with an option.

Dsn150 · Answer

I know nothing about running a restaurant-
But from the customer standpoint it would definitely have appeal-
If it's possible to offer delivery as well I think it would work-
Really depends on your area and what competition is already established I suppose...

lbcake · Answer

Take a look at Calvary Cemetery.  You know how large it is? - that is what it is like for restaurant start ups. I&#x27;m a partner in one.

Dsn150 · Answer

If you&#39;re in a bigger area and could provide delivery to hotels that don&#39;t serve food I see that as a huge opportunity- as I sit in a hotel trying to decide where to go eat and not really wanting to go out right now

BigChris51 · Answer

Wow! I am very pleased with the positive results here.

Yes it would be strictly take and fast delivery just like your corner Chinese take out.

Pasta would be pre cooked where all it would need is a good 2-3 mins of a boil and its ready to go. different sauces on hand ready to go.

Very Nice. Thanks guys!

Randisist · Answer

First... Have you watched Kitchen Nightmares... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_Nightmares

Love the show...

Every episode is available at https://www.free-tv-video-online.me/internet/kitchen_nightmares/ - 86 Episodes currently. If you have never used www.free-tv-online.me I can give you a couple of tips I learned the hard way.

Be ready to bleed money for 6 months. No profit.

I get a kick out of how Gordon keeps going over and over two main concepts. Simple menu... For me a huge menu screams frozen and microwave. One restauranteur actually had a 7 page (front and back) menu of main courses...

Two, make the menu items people like. Nothing wrong with meatballs and spaghetti. On one episode of Kitchen Nightmares Gordon was at a home cooking style restaurant. Gordon wanted meatloaf on the menu. Tho old women who owned the failing restaurant refused because people could get meatloaf at home. Stupidity at it's finest. Gordon put meatloaf on the menu. It was a money maker and very popular.

If you do the restaurant... Good Luck

You are braver than I...

lbcake · Answer

I don&#x27;t think he caught my drift. The restaurateur graveyard is amongst the largest known to man.Be wise.

TheGoldenGoose · Answer

I&#x27;m hungry.

Randisist · Answer

Spaghetti and meat sauce for supper here... Did not know what I would fix until now... Goose what is on the menu for supper? I might forgo my cooking if you are having something decent...

TheGoldenGoose · Answer

The cupboard is barren...  Have not been to market yet this week.Flipping a coin for delivery, Pizza or Chinese (Local guys, no corporate fukks).

Randisist · Answer

OK... That&#x27;s cool... Did not want to go out tonight anyway...I would do the Pizza thingy, if you got a local that is up to par...

BigChris51 · Answer

[Quote: Originally Posted by Randisist]  Spaghetti and meat sauce for supper here... Did not know what I would fix until now...Glad I could help with the decision

TheGoldenGoose · Answer

Chris:  Rand makes a good point.  Be sure to use quality ingredients.  If your new delivery place gets a bad reputation it&#x27;s impossible to climb out of that hole.

Randisist · Answer

Good Thread...

bizkilla · Answer

I&#x27;ve both managed and invested in restaurants and you better be ready for a bloodbath. A few things to consider;Why did the previous business fail there? In that specific location? How much traffic can you expect to generate in that area?Assess the completion. Are there other local Italian eateries? What other concepts thrive and what concepts have failed that you know of?Generally speaking, Italian concepts usually have good margins with their low food costs. Staples like pizza and pasta have huge markup. But your concept seems different. The investment seems minimal and that&#x27;s a good thing, but realistically speaking, unless you have a product that is delicious and people flock you, you will likely join the majority of failed restaurants. A hood quality product and customer service are the most important ingredients.Par-cooked pasta with limited choice does not sound like a success. Sure I&#x27;d try it, a Chinese takeout style concept is intriguing but if you skimp on portion or quality ingredients it won&#x27;t be sustainable.Best of luck to you. I would surely try. I love Bolognese and tomato cream sauce.

TRAIN69 · Answer

You gotta make sure your pasta is better than people can make at home, which seems like a no brainer. Depends on your delivery radius, but noodles that get cold or soggy is gonna kill business. Also, you gotta have a killer sauce.....something people will tell other about.

Are you gonna have bread available? Wine? Meatballs?

bol

Skipbone · Answer

I don&#x27;t eat Italian out of plastic. Never would.

wallstreetcappers · Answer

Do you have deep pockets?

Are you able to not draw an income, let alone come out of pocket for a year or two if needed?

I personally would rather pay for an existing, profitable, functioning shop than start one from scratch using the bones of a dead former location.

Do you have experience working/running a place in the past? If not the odds of failure are very high here..like 95% chance you dont make it.

If you are really set on doing it then let me suggest you go SLOWLY..start slow and be conservative..build yourself slowly and hold onto the cash, expand very methodically and buy USED equipment whenever you can.

Another very very important piece of the puzzle, do you have a solid supplier who gives you the best price and selection? How many distributors have you interviewed? If you just run to Sysco and settle for whatever they tell you then it is possible you are losing valuable margin on food costs and this can be the difference between success and failure.

Know what your P&L must be for a break even, you need to fight to get to a break even while building sales..plan for how long you can survive out of pocket and what your marketing plan/objectives are.

Randisist · Answer

I am blown away... This forum has never been this united about anything like it is about this topic... It is Great to see...

BigChris51 · Answer

@Randisist &amp;  TheGoldenGoose Yes quality stuff, nothing frozen or microwaved. @bizkilla  Yes this was a Chinese take out that went belly up. I understand the risk of taking over a mess but I really like the concept. it&#x27;s different and everyone loves Italian. The neighborhood is middle class to upper lower. I think it would work if the cost is fair.  @TRAIN69  No wine. I was thinking Garlic Bread with ever order. meatballs of course, I&#x27;ve grown up in an Italian family and have never seen soggy pasta unless it was over cooked. I don&#x27;t think a carton or plastic dish will do it. I would test everything of course. Sauce I can cook. That isn&#x27;t a problem. I just hate eating out and eating crap. I find it so easy to cook a great sauce, from scratch or canned tomatoes. @wallstreetcappersMy pockets are not that deep. I have the front money and $1800 monthly rent isn&#x27;t crazy, imo  I could manage on little or nothing for a while. I do have other incomes IE Ebay, etc I can count on for help. It won&#x27;t get me ahead but won&#x27;t have me broke. I ran a cafe for 4 years about 8 years ago. Did the ordering, inventory, prepping, even deliveries or cooking when needed. I will say everywhere I&#x27;ve gone i&#x27;m like a little ramsey everywhere I go thinking how could this place be better. I just came up with the idea last week and ran it by some loved ones and friends. but I needed to ask covers cause I know I&#x27;d hear the truth. This is early stage and no i have no distributors currently. I&#x27;m in no rush. If the place that&#x27;s for rent gets taken so be it. there is always another spot, my main goal here was to see if the mass thought it was a good idea,

BigChris51 · Answer

@Randisist Thank you for such positiveness.

Good Idea or Bad Idea?

Hot Forum Topics