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re: Friend of mine wants to open a BBQ restaurant
Posted on 1/9/25 at 2:50 pm to FLTech
Posted on 1/9/25 at 2:50 pm to FLTech
What general area?
As someone who does business acquisitions, lives here, and likes BBQ...
- I think most good areas of Atlanta can sustain more good BBQ places
- Differentiators are probably going to be more about experience and convenience than small differences in quality
- Community-centric models do well. Pair that with good catering and it will probably work. I don't know the margins for BBQ and obviously any restaurant is dependent on being able to hire and retain good staff.
A smaller scale DAS concept (Grant Park) would likely fare well in any well-to-do high traffic suburban area.
As someone who does business acquisitions, lives here, and likes BBQ...
- I think most good areas of Atlanta can sustain more good BBQ places
- Differentiators are probably going to be more about experience and convenience than small differences in quality
- Community-centric models do well. Pair that with good catering and it will probably work. I don't know the margins for BBQ and obviously any restaurant is dependent on being able to hire and retain good staff.
A smaller scale DAS concept (Grant Park) would likely fare well in any well-to-do high traffic suburban area.
1
Posted on 1/9/25 at 2:56 pm to FLTech
quote:
His BBQ is actually very very good
Most people's BBQ is very very good. Thousands of skilled home pitmasters have opened BBQ restaurants have failed however. Anyone can do good brisket and ribs at their house - the problems come when you have to commercialize the process and put out mass quantities while being consistent and not cutting corners. It's incredibly hard. That's why places like Gonzo's do the preorder deal and only open a few days a week
Posted on 1/9/25 at 3:05 pm to BlackCoffeeKid
it better be quality or it won't last
bbq is a time consuming operation as well
bbq is a time consuming operation as well
Posted on 1/9/25 at 3:13 pm to Pettifogger
quote:
smaller scale DAS concept
I can see that working. Moonie's in Flowery Branch is a good example of that.
Posted on 1/9/25 at 3:15 pm to FLTech
quote:Don't, unless he has 3 years worth of working capital to throw away.
what would you tell him?
60% of restaurants fail within the first three years of operation & 80% fail within five years after opening.
He needs to find his niche as someone pointed out earlier.
Currently, rents, supply costs, and labor are very high, making it harder for restaurants to turn a profit.
Posted on 1/9/25 at 3:19 pm to FLTech
Tell him to move to Baton Rouge and open one here. We have 1 good one and a couple decent to mediocre.
Posted on 1/9/25 at 5:04 pm to ThuperThumpin
quote:
We have 1 good one and a couple decent to mediocre.
I think podnuhs closed down but Sonny’s is good. The rest suck
Posted on 1/9/25 at 5:30 pm to FLTech
quote:
I should have mentioned that he has been in the restaurant business for 30 years so it’s not some kid who thinks he cooks good and wants to open a restaurant- he’s got great experience and his BBQ is excellent
Is his experience in a BBQ restaurant. If not, then it’s very hard to scale because it’s completely different than a cook to order restaurants. If he can’t scale correctly he is going to run out items or he will or have a bunch of waste.
Running out is fine for established places where people wait in line and know the BBQ is top notch. A new place starting out doesn’t have that luxury. New restaurants running out may get people to come a second time, but if you are out again you likely have lost a customer - especially with 5 other places near by.
On the other hand if he cooks too much he’s going to have waste that is going to quickly eat into his profits.
The other part is this:
quote:if he has been it the restaurant business that long, then he should know by now not go open a restaurant. Starting a new restaurant at 47 or 48 isn’t very smart.
has been in the restaurant business for 30 years
This post was edited on 1/9/25 at 5:32 pm
Posted on 1/9/25 at 6:14 pm to FLTech
I wouldn't recommend it unless he wants to start disliking something he currently enjoys.
Posted on 1/9/25 at 6:39 pm to calcotron
I showed him this thread.. by the way he is now a new fan of TD lol he was like why haven’t you told me about this website before? Lol
Thanks for all of the suggestions! I’ll let you know what he decides to do!
Thanks for all of the suggestions! I’ll let you know what he decides to do!
Posted on 1/9/25 at 7:39 pm to FLTech
quote:
I should have mentioned that he has been in the restaurant business for 30 years
Does he have experience maintaining secure inventory?
A buddy of mine with a lot of experience tried opening a BBQ restaurant in an “underserved community”. His workers found a way to serve themselves and their families in a way that helped preserve the status as an “underserved community”. So good luck with Atlanta.
Posted on 1/9/25 at 7:47 pm to FLTech
I feel like good BBQ places just don’t “start”. They build organically after years of competition or through a pop up of some sort.
Posted on 1/9/25 at 8:14 pm to Lester Earl
quote:
I feel like good BBQ places just don’t “start”. They build organically after years of competition or through a pop up of some sort.
Bingo
Posted on 1/9/25 at 8:38 pm to Lester Earl
quote:Yep. I remember going to Grits just to get some Blue Oak wings.
I feel like good BBQ places just don’t “start”. They build organically after years of competition or through a pop up of some sort.
Posted on 1/10/25 at 12:11 am to el Gaucho
quote:
I think podnuhs closed down but Sonny’s is good. The rest suck
Just the Sherwood location closed. The one on Fl blvd is still open.
Posted on 1/10/25 at 5:00 am to FLTech
Tell him to buy a lot of mirrors.
Posted on 1/10/25 at 6:38 am to tigersownall
All successful people have to take a first step at some point in time.
I say go for it.
I say go for it.
Posted on 1/10/25 at 9:19 am to ThuperThumpin
quote:
Hannah Q
Sounds woke to me
Posted on 1/10/25 at 9:53 am to FLTech
quote:
I should have mentioned that he has been in the restaurant business for 30 years so it’s not some kid who thinks he cooks good and wants to open a restaurant- he’s got great experience and his BBQ is excellent
Haven’t read all through to see if someone asked, but what kind of ACTUAL restaurant experience does he have in 30 years?
Chef? Passive/Active owner? GM position with a franchise?
This post was edited on 1/10/25 at 3:56 pm
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