4 ms·

I eat out every meal in thailand, but I eat at small mom'n'pop shops, fresh cooked meals for $1 each. It would be nice if we moved away from the big restaurant

by fouc 7y ago

I eat out every meal in thailand, but I eat at small mom'n'pop shops, fresh cooked meals for $1 each. It would be nice if we moved away from the big restaurants and moved towards smaller shops that are more kitchen than restaurant. Restaurants should stop wasting money on signage, interior design, and fancy tables or dishes. Let's go back to simple, plain, and cheap.

542458 7y ago
A few things here: - In NA, if you’re “just a kitchen” you’re essentially fast food/takeaway - and putting myself directly into competition with McDonalds+etc doesn’t sound like an awesome proposition to me. (Obviously this will vary by culture and local competition) - Signage, fancy tables and dishes are way cheaper than you’d expect at commercial scales, especially once you amortize them over their estimated lifespans. And on the flip side, it allows you to charge significantly more for the fancier experience. - I don’t think the “simple and cheap” restaurant actually works that well economically. My litmus test here is when an area gets gentrified, often these hole-in-the-wall places are first to go. - Most restaurants are lifestyle businesses, so normal business logic breaks down a little. In many cases, the owners want the prestige of running a nice place.
- fouc 7y ago
  Yeah I'm really talking about a sole proprietorship/self-employed sort of restaurant. The owner is also the cook. (that level of scale) Would be nice if there were more smaller businesses. And less barriers to entry.
  - 2019-nCoV 7y ago
    The food truck would be the closest NA incarnation of that.
    - mtrower 7y ago
      They exist as described (family owned/operated restaurants; owner is the cook; relatively small building with small dining area). I personally know a family which owns/operates one in my hometown, and also know of a few here in Wisconsin's capital. They don't seem to be too hard to find if you look. It's probably location dependent, so I don't know about major urban centers like SFC. But it's definitely not fair to say that NA doesn't have these; there's a lot to NA outside of major urban centers.
icelancer 7y ago
Food stands and simple stuff like that are illegal in many cities or require burdensome permits/regulation.
kevindong 7y ago
Prices in developing countries are low because ingredients/labor/location is cheaper than in developed countries. The lack of frills (e.g. signage, interior design, tables, dishes, etc.) are not what make the prices low (relative to developed countries).

by fouc 7y ago

542458 7y ago

A few things here: - In NA, if you’re “just a kitchen” you’re essentially fast food/takeaway - and putting myself directly into competition with McDonalds+etc doesn’t sound like an awesome proposition to me. (Obviously this will vary by culture and local competition) - Signage, fancy tables and dishes are way cheaper than you’d expect at commercial scales, especially once you amortize them over their estimated lifespans. And on the flip side, it allows you to charge significantly more for the fancier experience. - I don’t think the “simple and cheap” restaurant actually works that well economically. My litmus test here is when an area gets gentrified, often these hole-in-the-wall places are first to go. - Most restaurants are lifestyle businesses, so normal business logic breaks down a little. In many cases, the owners want the prestige of running a nice place.

fouc 7y ago
Yeah I'm really talking about a sole proprietorship/self-employed sort of restaurant. The owner is also the cook. (that level of scale) Would be nice if there were more smaller businesses. And less barriers to entry.
- 2019-nCoV 7y ago
  The food truck would be the closest NA incarnation of that.
  - mtrower 7y ago
    They exist as described (family owned/operated restaurants; owner is the cook; relatively small building with small dining area). I personally know a family which owns/operates one in my hometown, and also know of a few here in Wisconsin's capital. They don't seem to be too hard to find if you look. It's probably location dependent, so I don't know about major urban centers like SFC. But it's definitely not fair to say that NA doesn't have these; there's a lot to NA outside of major urban centers.

icelancer 7y ago

Food stands and simple stuff like that are illegal in many cities or require burdensome permits/regulation.

kevindong 7y ago

Prices in developing countries are low because ingredients/labor/location is cheaper than in developed countries. The lack of frills (e.g. signage, interior design, tables, dishes, etc.) are not what make the prices low (relative to developed countries).