by Roger Fields
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Product Description
Ninety percent of restaurants fail, and those that succeed stumbled on the X factor, right? Wrong! Accountant-turned-restaurateur Roger Fields shows how a restaurant can survive its first year--based on far more than luck--and produce good profit for many to come. Sprinkled with restaurant start-up stories from all over the country, this how-to includes lessons on location research, pricing, hiring, and more. Opening a restaurant isn't easy, but this realistic dreamer's guide helps ensure success at the finish line.
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Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 Best restaurant book I've seen, 2008-09-25
Roger Fields knows his stuff, and he presents it in a smart, readable way. I've looked at many books on starting a restaurant and this is the best I've read. I'm a business guy, so I appreciated the details on estimating income and expenses, and forecasting break-even. The book also has lots of great information on developing a concept, getting financing, building out your space, developing the menu, and marketing to customers. I do wish there was more info on how to properly staff -- how to manage shifts, account for no-shows, etc.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
 Great info for those thinking about opening an eatery or simply want to know more about the restaurant biz, 2007-09-10
Restaurateurs depend on the fact that we all have to eat, and we choose the restaurants that provide us what we want at prices we find attractive. Simple, huh? Far from it. This handy book provides the technical and financial materials that you will need if you are actively planning, dreaming about, or wondered about opening an eatery. I urge you to read this book before you commit yourself or your money to anything specific.
Roger Fields is a CPA who has also opened successful restaurants, sold them, and closed a couple that didn't live up to expectations. His being a numbers guy is very helpful, because most restaurant people come at it from the food and aesthetic side of things. However, this is much more than a numbers book. I don't want to scare you off. The point is, you do need to think about the numbers because the better you get at them, the easier it will be to understand what you need to tweak and measure to give your major investment the best opportunity for success.
The book's 15 chapters are divided into three parts. The first part is "Dreaming for Success" and gives you the basics on evaluating your idea for the restaurant and how to see if you dream has a chance in the real world before you fork over your life's savings. The second part takes up 6 chapters and about half of the book. It is on "Developing the Details" and takes you through the down to earth factors such as menu construction, the practical side of ambiance, what you are going to provide on the table, the bar, and staffing.
The third part is "Down to Business" and provides four chapters on getting the money to open your eatery (from scratch, buying a closed operation, or buying one that is already working), what you need to understand about getting the business open, how to let people know about it in a way that they want to check you out, and what you need to know about opening day and the months and years afterwards.
This book is also interesting for folks like me who never plan on opening a restaurant but want to know what really goes on in those places we enjoy eating at and what it takes to make them work. The book is very practically written with clear language and almost no numbers. However, it is about business and if you are going to be in business, this is material you really have to know. This is a great handbook for you and will help you support your dreams and ambitions with a practical structure.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
THIS IS A GREAT BOOK!, 2007-08-16
This book is a comprehensive manual for starting and operating your own restaurant, all the while being succesful. Having been in the restaurant business for about 11 years now, I have never found such a complete resource. Fields points to many key factors that are necessary to consider at every step of the process. The read is very easy and entertaining. It is accesible to the business-novice and anyone who might be curious as to what it takes to start your own succesful establishment!! Five Stars!
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