Good Idea or Bad Idea?

I would suggest a trial run of your product. You can do this with minimal costs in a variety of ways.

1. You can essentially rent a food truck and hit the streets with guerilla tactics. We have commissary's here that will rent you everything you need and include licenses. For example, hot dog carts and/or food trucks are readily available and you have access to a kitchen. Now of course the terms are likely to be terrible but this will allow you to test run your concept and cuisine.

2. You rent a booth as a vendor at some sort of attraction where you will be exposed to the masses. Like a concert, festival, or fair of some sort. Again, there are places that will rent you the equipment.

In these two scenarios, you will introduce your cuisine to people. From there you should be able to gather intel whether your food is good or not. That, along with much of what wallstreetcappers said will determine your success or failure.

Sbarro was not similar.  They were in malls and didn't do takeout or delivery.

Bizkilla's idea is good.  YOU may think you can cook and YOUR friends may say you can, but you need the opinions of strangers--your target customers.

Good Luck brotha.

I like the fresh hand cut pasta over the typical dry stuff you find at the chains. It is also trendy to have "artisanal" things, so it only adds to the overall uniqueness of your concept. Just mind you that making all that pasta, gnocchi, bread, grissini, etc., is very very labor intensive.

If you ever go through with it, I hope you keep us all posted. This has been one of the best threads with intelligent discussion.

I like the concept Chris. I would love to get Italian food as easy as it is stopping in a Chinese place.

Maybe Mafioso would offer some thoughts as a rest owner himself.

That 1800 a month rent sounds good but who replaces the $2000 small garbage disposal under the industrial size sink when that goes out? The expenses in garbage bags and cleaning supplies etc.etc etc is crazy...

Who cleans the hoods there? Who keeps the fire protection ansel system up to date for inspections..Who is gonna be certified to be handling food for the Health Dept NJ rules?

It's the odds and ends that may have caught up with the previous owners but best wishes for you..Man if a simple throw in like your garlic bread was outrageously friggin good,that little niche could overcome a lot. Look at the freaking Cronut garbage in NYC.Instant fame...You prob won't duplicate that story,but something about the place has to make for repeating customers..

Don't know the city of Linden that much being from the Shore but do Italians still do Sunday family dinner? Maybe just the pre-cooked pasta and quarts of gravy to go would work in these times ,where grandma has half the stuff ready to go?

Deli-case with some cheeses and meats and a slicer if there is room? You must also be planning on some salads also so that is a time sensitive issue you uncle knows about..

Just throwing some things out there to you..But good luck whatever..

The container its in is crucially important here. Can't go cheap in this regard. 

Italian food is generally cheap and therefore an easy at home meal people will make in my opinion.  People think pizza in the Italian domain for take out in my opinion.

I think it will fail personally, regardless of area, but I truly wish you prove me wrong and make a fortune. Good luck in whatever you do.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/fazolis-chino-hills

Obviously this isnt in your area, but I thought you might like to read the reviews and see what causes people to leave a bad review.