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Are you making the argument that "people who think it's a good idea to start restaurants" are representative of "grown-ups?" I think you're right insofar as yo

Are you making the argument that "people who think it's a good idea to start restaurants" are representative of "grown-ups?" I think you're right insofar as you point out that opening a restaurant is a fraught enterprise, but I don't really think that refutes the comment you're responding to - the overwhelming majority of adults don't open restaurants, even though there are always plenty of dreamers who think it's a good idea.

mdip 6y ago
> "people who think it's a good idea to start restaurants" are representative of "grown-ups?" I laughed at this one, but there's a lot to that statement. My theory on why restaurants fail at such a disproportionate amount compared to other, similar, businesses is that the average American, observing a restaurant hundreds of times in their life, feels they have a pretty good idea of what it takes to make one work. Looking at the difference between what the consumer pays for food versus what they pay for it at a restaurant gives the impression that there's a large margin, as well. Everyone, in one way or another, knows how to cook but few know how to cook well, at scale. All that to say, for some people, it probably is a really good idea to open a restaurant. There are examples of extremely successful restaurants all over the country and restaurateurs who are capable of taking a pile of cash, picking a location/staff and turning the pile into profits. It's easy to under-estimate the skills required to do this when a quick walk/drive leads you to a row of successful (struggling) restaurants, all packed to the gills[0] charging 10 times grocery prices for food/liquor and think "I can do that". And I'd agree with you -- that's not really representative of a "grown-up"[1] [0] Because you showed up there on Saturday just like everyone else. [1] I used that term over "adult" as it implies emotional maturity but wasn't sure it'd be clear. :)
Judgmentality 6y ago
My point was many adults do have unrealistic expectations of success. Sure, most people don't start restaurants, but an irrational amount of people do it thinking they'll make it. This is hardly unique to restaurants, this was just an obvious counterexample to poke holes in his argument. I live in San Francisco and see people start companies for the stupidest fucking shit all the time, convinced of their assured success because of their Ivy league degrees. I also watch as almost all of them fail (some just haven't had enough time to fail yet, but obviously one might surprise me some day). Questioning his assumptions is not meant to refute his argument, only to question it.

mdip 6y ago

> "people who think it's a good idea to start restaurants" are representative of "grown-ups?" I laughed at this one, but there's a lot to that statement. My theory on why restaurants fail at such a disproportionate amount compared to other, similar, businesses is that the average American, observing a restaurant hundreds of times in their life, feels they have a pretty good idea of what it takes to make one work. Looking at the difference between what the consumer pays for food versus what they pay for it at a restaurant gives the impression that there's a large margin, as well. Everyone, in one way or another, knows how to cook but few know how to cook well, at scale. All that to say, for some people, it probably is a really good idea to open a restaurant. There are examples of extremely successful restaurants all over the country and restaurateurs who are capable of taking a pile of cash, picking a location/staff and turning the pile into profits. It's easy to under-estimate the skills required to do this when a quick walk/drive leads you to a row of successful (struggling) restaurants, all packed to the gills[0] charging 10 times grocery prices for food/liquor and think "I can do that". And I'd agree with you -- that's not really representative of a "grown-up"[1] [0] Because you showed up there on Saturday just like everyone else. [1] I used that term over "adult" as it implies emotional maturity but wasn't sure it'd be clear. :)

Judgmentality 6y ago

My point was many adults do have unrealistic expectations of success. Sure, most people don't start restaurants, but an irrational amount of people do it thinking they'll make it. This is hardly unique to restaurants, this was just an obvious counterexample to poke holes in his argument. I live in San Francisco and see people start companies for the stupidest fucking shit all the time, convinced of their assured success because of their Ivy league degrees. I also watch as almost all of them fail (some just haven't had enough time to fail yet, but obviously one might surprise me some day). Questioning his assumptions is not meant to refute his argument, only to question it.