I have a friend getting into the food business. What's your best advice?
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My advice is don't go into the food business. I think there is literally more competition in food than in any other industry. In my city of 200,000 the health department adds 300 new licenses a year (that's new, not including "re-open under new management"). I've seen restaurants open for Thanksgiving and go out of business by Christmas. I shop for restaurant equipment at a warehouse that is 80,000 square feet of people's shattered dreams--every one of them thought they had it figured out, and they were all dead wrong. If you have a passion for the food, maybe you have a chance. But if it's about the business, I'd say keep looking. But if you do it, please do it well, especially if you go the food truck route. This world does not need more mediocre street food--blah food that generates a ton of garbage is a drag.
We have a saying in our family. You don't own the restaurant--the restaurant owns you. Beware.