Owning a restaurant sure is a matter of pride. It’s unlike any other business. Most food lovers worth their salt (and spice), at some point, have dreamed of having their own place. It stems out of the sheer love of food and the idea of turning that love into something that would make you gratification and money (yes, in that order) in return. However, that dream doesn’t last long when they realize the nuances of the business and of the industry. One then understands that it isn’t only about deciding what goes on the menu or overseeing the kitchen or even cooking themselves. If you love food and that’s the crux of why you want to open a restaurant, you need a wake-up call before it’s too late. It is of course important to be passionate about what you want to do, but at the end of the day, it still is a business. If you don’t want to or can’t deal with the business side of things, you either have to learn to do it or just let the idea go.

In this post, we’ll share (or bust) a few myths that are associated with opening a restaurant. It isn’t to discourage anyone from attempting but more of a dose of reality. Certain frills need to be trimmed before you enter the business of restaurants.

You love cooking so you’re going to do what you love!

Not really. If you love cooking, opening a restaurant is not necessarily the goal. Having unbridled love for food and cooking is a great start to get into the industry. But that’s only the tip of the ice berg. There’s a whole lot more to do before you actually get down to opening a restaurant. And if you’re going to be the chef, you’d rather start small. You read all about it in our post about opening a restaurant on a small budget. Alternately, you could start business from home. There are plenty of online portals that help home chefs cook and sell their food commercially. Home bakery is another option. What you do here is, build your brand and test the waters. If it works and your food’s a hit, think about a full blown restaurant or a cafe eventually.

You’re going to be a hotshot restaurateur!

Maybe, maybe not. It has been a fantastic few years for restaurateurs. No longer are they just the owners and working behind the scenes; nowadays, a successful restaurant owner is recognized and talked about too. Take, for example, Zorawal Kalra or Manu Chandra. There are other star chefs like Kunal Kapur and Ritu Dalmia. So many young chefs and business people look up to them. It’s great to do so. But to think that you’re going to open a restaurant and be instantly validated and recognized is another thing. Becoming a star or famous shouldn’t be your goal, becoming a good restaurateur should be. Everything will fall into place once you do your job right and well. Work towards winning customers’ loyalty than personal recognition. All the restaurateurs mentioned earlier have gone through a journey and continue to do so. No one saw instant fame. But that shouldn’t stop you from dreaming and turning your dream to reality.

You’re finally going to make lots of money!

No. Just, no. In fact, for at least 3 to 5 years you’re going to go the other way and lose money. From repaying bank loans and investors to maintaining the restaurant, you’re going to need a lot of money. Pretty much every penny you make in the first few years is spent on the business. The first few years you’re nurturing it and getting it to stand on its own. These are the years you are your best and most passionate. But it is also a time when you would want to give up because you realize it’s not a piece of cake, so to speak. The ones who stuck it out are the successful restaurateurs you see today. You can ask any restaurant owner about making money and they’ll tell you to forget about money for the first few years if you want to own a restaurant. It’s all about working hard and building the restaurant before you see any real money.