It really depends. First of all, what type of money do you have? There are some excellent companies that can connect you to the right people for market resear

It really depends. First of all, what type of money do you have? There are some excellent companies that can connect you to the right people for market research discussions. Secondly, you should NOT walk in expecting to speak to the manager. As you stated, you already have connections in the industry, ask them to connect you to other restaurant owners. Another solution, depending on the type of questions you would like to ask, would be to pose as a student and get an informational interview that way. Alternatively, you can call them and tell them you are thinking of entering this industry with an idea you have but don't know how the industry functions/etc. and see if they are willing to open up and educate you. You can find restaurant owners and bar owners on Twitter/LinkedIn as well if location is irrelevant to you. Try to get a variety of types of restaurants to get a better understanding of the different conditions at play that affect decision-making. Will see if I can come up with any other ideas or leads.