I worked a a cafe called Zesto's while I was in high school.
From the outside, it looked wonderful. Really inviting. Wood booths. Just inviting.
We served a lot of speciality coffees, and had a small menu. Moosewood recipe soups, burritos, lumpia's, etc.
It started off doing pretty good business. Then the dentist(who was the financial backer) decided to hang out, and micromanage. After all he was a Dr., and let us know.
Sales were going up, but ge wanted more profit.
His first mistake was to cut back on portions. I never told him, but burrito buyers don't like small burritos. Plus--the cost of rice, and beans don't cost much.
He literally irritated all the workers with his presence. He treated the better/honest employees like dirt. The ass kissers were robbing him blind, but he just thought they were great.
Within a year, workers were stealing, and giving away food.
I went down with the ship, and bought the espresso machine in the chapter 7, or 13 fire sale. I still have it.
I learned I would never open a resturant, nor coffee house.
I learned you never cut back on portions.
You don't piss off the help.
There's a lot you just shouldn't do in the resturant business.
Raising prices is fine, if you increase quality, and portions, especially if your demographics are young people.
I always thought if I was forced to go into the food business, it would be a pizza parlor near a college. Cost of ingredients for pizza is low. There's a reason Papa John is a billionarie.
I do regret not opening up a place where young people could dance, and drink. The amount of money people spend in their twenties drinking, looking for that special someone is staggering. If I had what I spent in my twenties on essentially looking for a mate; I could retire.