Why Restaurants Are So Fucked • Hacker News Board

Re: Why Restaurants Are So Fucked

#341

Post by dmurray » Sat, May 02, 2020, 9:41 AM UTC

remarkEon wrote: post #321

willvarfar wrote: post #312

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Re point 1, there has been a major change in pubs in the U.K. All are trying to migrate into dining, as the margins on alcohol have fallen. Those that didn’t become restaurants have basically gone bust. There are no longer any normal classic pubs in England! I know a couple that tried to rejuvenate a failing “free house” in a tourist hotspot and failed. Passing the spot recently I saw it is now a pub restaurant like…

That's fascinating, because I've seen almost the exact opposite where I am (west coast USA). A lot of places where I am have transformed into take-out only or take-out + on-demand booze. Or even just take-out booze, with cocktail kits. The places that were mainly food (my favorite brunch place that I'd take everyone to who visits went belly up in early April) have all either closed down or tried to innovate to sell t…

He meant the trend over the last 5-10 years has been for pubs to become restaurants, not over the last month or two.

Re: Why Restaurants Are So Fucked

#342

Post by hnick » Sat, May 02, 2020, 9:42 AM UTC

apta wrote: post #335

hnick wrote: post #278

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Now that just makes me wonder how the economics pans out in an Islamic country.

There's always a way to make healthy profits without dealing in immoral and despicable practices.

I wouldn't say always - it becomes a lot harder if your competitors are willing to stoop and you don't have enough customers who care!

Re: Why Restaurants Are So Fucked

#343

Post by DaveSapien » Sat, May 02, 2020, 9:43 AM UTC

willvarfar wrote: post #312

simonebrunozzi wrote: post #215

I really dislike the way in which this article has been written - it reads as the typical piece from the "bro culture" that massively ignores the rest of the world. Besides this, which is not the point... 1) most restaurants in US and high-end Europe that survive and thrive do so by having big margins on alcohol. Their margins are not single-digits. (edit: just saw other comments mentioning this). 2) Many restaurateu…

Re point 1, there has been a major change in pubs in the U.K. All are trying to migrate into dining, as the margins on alcohol have fallen. Those that didn’t become restaurants have basically gone bust. There are no longer any normal classic pubs in England! I know a couple that tried to rejuvenate a failing “free house” in a tourist hotspot and failed. Passing the spot recently I saw it is now a pub restaurant like…

Just to chime in here on point on there being no normal classic pubs. It is the case many pubs have become family friendly, but only where families are going. Places where families dont go, the old man pubs still exist in great numbers. The classic no windows 'bunker' as it where.

Its easy to see the extinction of the classic pub, but in more poverty stricken areas in the UK the bunker is still prevalent.

Re: Why Restaurants Are So Fucked

#344

Post by kenneth » Sat, May 02, 2020, 9:44 AM UTC

sleavey wrote: post #197

Something's up. In Germany in a normal city I can get a döner the same size as the one in the photo for €3 ($3.50?). It's not sourdough nor high quality protein but that can't explain the $7.50 difference. Edit: as the commenter below reminded me, it's actually more like €4-5 but my point stands.

A good Döner in Berlin runs about €5, this restaurant is in Canada where CA$11 = €7.

It's slightly more expensive than dirt-cheap Berlin, but it's hard to compete with dirt-cheap Berlin. Berlin is wonderfully cheap in every aspect. Most of the western world can't compete with that.

Try having a similar Döner in Zürich and you'll be wishing for that $11.

Re: Why Restaurants Are So Fucked

#345

Post by virgilp » Sat, May 02, 2020, 9:46 AM UTC

kenneth wrote: post #332

simonebrunozzi wrote: post #215

I really dislike the way in which this article has been written - it reads as the typical piece from the "bro culture" that massively ignores the rest of the world. Besides this, which is not the point... 1) most restaurants in US and high-end Europe that survive and thrive do so by having big margins on alcohol. Their margins are not single-digits. (edit: just saw other comments mentioning this). 2) Many restaurateu…

A "bro culture" article written by a female entrepreneur who isn't from Silicon Valley… right. I think you need to check your prejudices. 1) plenty of restaurants don't sell alcohol, including it seems this one. she also had a point about how drinks aren't a great revenue generator given the price you can expect to charge in a fast-casual setting vs. the costs (higher than grocery stores) 2) how is the restauranteur'…

Ref 3:

1. Prices in USD

2. Quotes Philly Mag. (Philladelphia?)

3. Mentions how generous tipping is required to help servers survive

Yeah, of course one would assume it’s about US. I’m honestly very surprised if it isn’t.

Re: Why Restaurants Are So Fucked

#346

Post by saati » Sat, May 02, 2020, 9:48 AM UTC

GeoAtreides wrote: post #193

alexashka wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I want small restaurants as much as I want shoe makers instead of automated Nike factories. The way forward is not by enabling people who can serve 500 people/day to exist when we can have a robot serving 5,000. We want automation, we want people doing what they choose to do because we've automated away things they had to do, such as work for a living. The way to get there is more automation. Restaurant cooks/servers…

Even in The Culture there were restaurants, some people just like making and serving food

Even cpt. Sisko's dad ran a restaurant on a world where anyone can walk up to the nearest wall and ask for the very best of any food.

Re: Why Restaurants Are So Fucked

#347

Post by Angostura » Sat, May 02, 2020, 9:55 AM UTC

DaveSapien wrote: post #343

willvarfar wrote: post #312

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Re point 1, there has been a major change in pubs in the U.K. All are trying to migrate into dining, as the margins on alcohol have fallen. Those that didn’t become restaurants have basically gone bust. There are no longer any normal classic pubs in England! I know a couple that tried to rejuvenate a failing “free house” in a tourist hotspot and failed. Passing the spot recently I saw it is now a pub restaurant like…

Just to chime in here on point on there being no normal classic pubs. It is the case many pubs have become family friendly, but only where families are going. Places where families dont go, the old man pubs still exist in great numbers. The classic no windows 'bunker' as it where. Its easy to see the extinction of the classic pub, but in more poverty stricken areas in the UK the bunker is still prevalent.

Yup - plenty of flat-roofed pubs still out there.

Re: Why Restaurants Are So Fucked

#348

Post by darren_ » Sat, May 02, 2020, 9:58 AM UTC

renewiltord wrote: post #331

darren_ wrote: post #317

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When their title is "Why Restaurants Are So Fucked" instead of "Why Restaurants In America Are So Fucked" is why.

I think one is expected to understand the context oneself or else the first time one's spouse says "There aren't any eggs" one may receive a terrific fright at the thought of the impending doom of all sexual reproduction on the planet.

the 'context onself' is americans talking about america. got it.

Re: Why Restaurants Are So Fucked

#349

Post by imrelaxed » Sat, May 02, 2020, 9:58 AM UTC

distances wrote: post #289

freeone3000 wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cash-only means no card reader rental, which saves a couple hundred per month and at least 5% of every transaction, and possibly no internet bill, either... But you can't go cash-only because so few people carry cash, that our would drive out your sales.

> at least 5% of every transaction In EU 0.3% or 0.2% depending on card type: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-payments-cards-idUSKBN...

You can easily get sub 2% in the US if you shop around and have ok volume. Just as much exaggeration in this thread as in the article.

Re: Why Restaurants Are So Fucked

#350

Post by GlennS » Sat, May 02, 2020, 9:59 AM UTC

kinkrtyavimoodh wrote: post #216

supernova87a wrote: post #123

Unless you're a really special restaurant with significant differentiation capabilities and people come to eat at your place irrationally, here's a tip: Restaurants are never the ones making the money. They enable others to make money. Usually, landlords. And generally, be cautious about going into a business where people want to do it because it's their passion. It means you're going to competing with people who are…

I don't think the passion argument is that valuable. For a LOT of people programming is their passion. Yet they command some of the highest salaries. The labor market doesn't care about passion. It will settle where it needs to based on demand and supply.

It boils down to supply and demand, though, right?

I think the large number of people who love programming makes getting an "elite" programming job difficult.

But, I think the vast majority of people think they'd hate or couldn't do programming, and so never consider it as a job despite how much demand there is for it. And that keeps our entry level wages safe.