Running a Restaurant for Dummies

When my wife and I decided three months ago to open our own restaurant, this book was our very first purchase. If you're thinking of opening one, it should be yours, too. "Running A Restaurant For Dummies" is packed with useful tips on starting and running a restaurant: things like choosing your "concept", creating a menu, selecting the right staff and building a loyal clientelle. It's an easy read, with everything broken down into easily digested chunks and plenty of funny anecdotes along the way. The authors do a good job of getting across the glamour and the drudgery of the restaurant business, and most important, they get across the message that the restaurant business is just that, a business. Cashflow, inventory, marketing, hiring and firing -- take it from me, you'll spend at least as much time worrying about this stuff as you will about the food. I must have bought a dozen books on the restaurant business before we opened. This was the only one I read cover to cover. Five weeks after opening, we're doing great business and getting great reviews. We regularly have to turn people away on Friday and Saturday nights. At least part of that success we owe to this book. Thinking of starting a restaurant? Buy this book. It's the best fifteen bucks you'll ever invest.

It looks like it would really be fun to own a restaurant. You get to meet a lot of interesting people, the work can't be that hard, it looks pretty profitable. Then I got this book. Reading the For Dummies Cheat Sheet at the beginning I see a few points required for the successful restaurateur: Ability to hold (or hold off) liquor - Yup! One of my favorite restaurants was owned by a fellow that spent his time on the wrong side of the bar with a never empty drink in front of him. The restaurant failed. Presence - Yup! Most of the restaurants I go to have the owner there whenever I come by (or else he's running an errand and will be right back); and this is in the morning or late at night. Then there's location, competition, employees, taxes, health, fire and gosh knows what other inspections. I read the book. Honestly, I read the whole thing. I made a clear decision, I'm NOT opening a restaurant. The real deciding factor was the last chapter - 'Ten (Or So) True Restaurante Stories That You Just Couldn't Make Up.' I'm going to stay on the customer side of the bar and just watch the antics of the owner.

I have over 28 years in the restaurant business and I am finally preparing to open my own restaurant and this book has become my personal bible. The authors really know what they are talking about and they give you all the tools to help you open a successful business. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

My Mom ordered this book for me, as I was thinking of owning my own place. I have been in the restaurant business for several years, as a worker, and as a cook, and as a store manager. I thought I knew pretty much all I needed to know, but after reading this book, I am amazed at just how much MORE I needed to learn! This book has given me much more insight to more ways of obtainning the funds for starting out, and all the differrent things needed to know for employee hiring, inventory, money managment, and even how to find the best location! The book is also very true and realistic as to the difficulties occurred along the way to owning, and running a sucessful business. Thanks a lot "Books for Dummies" people for getting this book on the market. I know it will help a lot of folks who are thinking about opening their own restaurant. I am ready and anxious to get going on the road to owning my own pizza restaurant! Look for my place, SOON! L. Vanderhoek & Eric Vanderhoek