Once Bitten Twice Shy

[illdecide]

Folks this a serious question and there will be some benefit for me with the serious replies...


If you have had a cafe/restaurant in your vicinity for years and it was very good but over the last 4-5 years their standards slipped and got worse every year till a point where you wouldn't go back to it. Now if that establishment was taken over by another family member and focused on nothing but the quality of the food to boost it back up to what it was before would you go back to it or is it a case of too many bad experiences so I'll never be back.

And would anyone be sane trying to take on a small business during these tough times when people simply do not have the cash to splash around on treats such as eating out...

[Puckoon]

It's hardly going to kill you to try it again. Of course I'd try it. New ownership can help things. Honesty with the previous owners about their declining standards might have helped too.

[AZOffaly]

Folks this a serious question and there will be some benefit for me with the serious replies...


If you have had a cafe/restaurant in your vicinity for years and it was very good but over the last 4-5 years their standards slipped and got worse every year till a point where you wouldn't go back to it. Now if that establishment was taken over by another family member and focused on nothing but the quality of the food to boost it back up to what it was before would you go back to it or is it a case of too many bad experiences so I'll never be back.

And would anyone be sane trying to take on a small business during these tough times when people simply do not have the cash to splash around on treats such as eating out...

There are people who say a recession is the best time to start a small business as your costs should be low as well. If you don't go for the killing up front, and keep it reasonable to build your customer base, you can make a decent business that way too. People like to eat out, and if they feel they are not being ripped off, you would still have a chance of good footfall.

As to your initial question, if it was under new management, and it was done up a bit to make it look 'different', then I'd guess people would go back to give it a chance. I would.

[whitegoodman]

Good food will always get people coming back.

Problem would be peoples perception, same old same old or fresh start.  If it is renamed or rebranded through local advertising, once you get people coming, if the food is good, people will keep coming no matter about any possible recession.

[tyrone girl]

Id certainly give it a chance. New owners, clean up of the place in general etc would grab my interest enough to want to try it again.

[Hashtag]

What would Jesus do?

[muppet]

What would Jesus do?

He'd bring in Gordon Ramsey.

[Denn Forever]

You know what it was like before so you need to go back to see if it has changed. 

Don't be afraid to tell them if you have constuctive criticism e.g. if it was not as good as before, what has changed.

[mannix]

Cook at home and save the money for drinking.

[lynchbhoy]

Folks this a serious question and there will be some benefit for me with the serious replies...


If you have had a cafe/restaurant in your vicinity for years and it was very good but over the last 4-5 years their standards slipped and got worse every year till a point where you wouldn't go back to it. Now if that establishment was taken over by another family member and focused on nothing but the quality of the food to boost it back up to what it was before would you go back to it or is it a case of too many bad experiences so I'll never be back.

And would anyone be sane trying to take on a small business during these tough times when people simply do not have the cash to splash around on treats such as eating out...

There are people who say a recession is the best time to start a small business as your costs should be low as well. If you don't go for the killing up front, and keep it reasonable to build your customer base, you can make a decent business that way too. People like to eat out, and if they feel they are not being ripped off, you would still have a chance of good footfall.

As to your initial question, if it was under new management, and it was done up a bit to make it look 'different', then I'd guess people would go back to give it a chance. I would.

+1

[illdecide]

This scenario is someone close to me and i believe myself that if the quality was improved and the word got out that someone new had taken over and things would be different then the people would come back. However, it's in a town that is on the decline for shoppers and that is the biggest worry. If someone new came in they'd obviously have to invest some money to do the place up a bit and they're worried if they pump £30-£50k into it and it's still not busy then u'd be fecked...

[sans pessimism]

A new brush........

[stew]

I have done this once in Ireland and once in the states, the mistake I made in Ireland was not having enough capital to get me through the first year of being open and building up the business, I ended up mortgaging the house to the hilt and spent a fortune on advertising and that was enough to get the job done, it was successful in the end but I never worked harder in my life.

The second time was easier, I opened an Irish bar in Green Bay, got it going and sold it 18 months later, made out like a bandit because I learned from the mistakes of the past.

I will say this, in this economy it is very hard to get financial backing from banks and 90% of new eateries fail in the first two years over here, the food better be good and the location excellent.

One last thing, just working on the food is not enough, you have to build awareness that there has been a change in the community, be that by advertising initially and then by word of mouth that needs to happen as well. I wish you well.

[Canalman]

Illdecide, definitely a runner if and I repeat if the new owner puts the hours in himself/herself to do the food and get to know the customers.............also cuts down on wage bill.
Wasting your time imo in getting staff in to "run" it as it will inevitably fail.

[MR99]

Very important that it is closed for a few weeks, re-decorated and opened under a new name, this is the quickest way to let all know that changes are being made and you will get an initial rush with the re-opening