looking for resources/knowledgebase for starting food services business.
 

anybody know any good resources for starting a rest.

i was initially thinking about going for a franchise, as most of the work is done for you and training is provided. but im thinking of going to something more independant. therefore looking for resources geard towards "starting food services business"

any course /etc/

thanks in advance.

Don't open any restaurant business without having first hand knowledge of the questions you are asking.

Not trying to be an ass, but if you are venturing on this with limited experience, you might not know what you are getting yourself into. Maybe a franchise might be a better approach since the training is provided.
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food safe certificate would be #1

best - go find yourself a partner who has food experience or go work in a restaurant for 6-8months.

if you're not a cook/chef

dont venture into it... if you want franchise is the best way

franchise is money, automatic recognition and thus automatic client base, definitely the way to start out

why do you want to own a restaurant?

besides subway and maybe tim hortons, food franchises are hard to qualify for. Pizza franchises have the highest risk of bankruptcy. All the good locations for a fast-food franchise are already taken in the lower mainland.

mcdonalds require that you need at least $500,000 in unencumbered cash. After a thorough interview and 2 month training, including 2 weeks at the hamburger university lol, you get an opportunity to buy an existing mcdonalds or construct a new one. The prices range from 1.6-6M. However, if you get a mcdonalds in a good location, you pretty much bought a license to print money and guaranteed to be rich.

My parents were interested but the franchise agreement also states that you must have no other responsibilities (another business, job etc)

i don't think tim hortons is at all easy to get, from what i hear any new ones get offered first to current franchisees - and that franchise really is a license to print money here.

i'd look at buying an already in existance subway or other quality franchise in a good location.

i've looked into myself, and am EXTREMELY interested in buying franchises in teh states (definitely not locally), but have other ventures going on first

With the latest craze going on, I'm almost tempted to open up a food truck.

Overhead shouldn't be much. But one thing you want to keep in mind if not opening a franchise, is food orders. People who aren't experienced might waste a lot of money on having too much food on hand at one time. Unlike clothes for examples, food spoils. Meaning your money spoils.
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There is some horror stories regarding Tim Hortons franchise lol
-high royalty/ad fee
-can't own the building/land
-giving you failing locations and wait for you to go under so they can sell to another franchisee
-good locations always given to existing franchisee first

Recent US franchises in the lower mainland all suck, fatburger, krispy kreme, however 5 guys is doing okay and i'll be interested in a chipotle.

Remember that to invest in the United States as a "Foreign Alien" you need to invest at least $1mil and employ 10 Americans for them to give you an EB-5 Visa.

^ I can partly see the reason for a million dollar investment but 10 full-time position? With the passage of Obamacare that is going to be so expensive operating a business there.

well, i dont have any food exp (of course) but since i have been thinking about a business to operate (over a few years) we/family discussion ends up with a owning a food business.
we did apply over couple years ago for tims, but were turned down as my family was in ont, and i was here in bc. They ask for atleast 2 ppl full time.

we did the math and have up2 a mil to invest (liquid cash)/

as for as a business in states, i have a close friend who owns gas station(s) in the US, neither did they buy the first gas station for around a mil nor r they employing 10ppl.(maybe they bought before the million dollar investment was put in place).



ill get details from her when i see her next.

oh god if you could get a chipotle, you'd be in a huge war with me to get it! that is the king of all franchises right now - amazing product, amazing growth story, i <3 CMG

I found out there is a shameless canadian copy of it called "Mucho Burrito"
The location on davie & burrard doesn't do well for some reason, compared to the 15min wait I experienced in Las Vegas, Seattle, LA

I'd assume that your friend is on a E-2 visa, which has strict restrictions (you cant become a US citizen, Once you sell your business you must leave the United States). Either that or your friend invested in an area designated by the US government as an area with high unemployment. Then the requirements are much easier.

EB-5 gives you the opportunity to become a citizen, that's why to qualify it is hard. 10 FT employees is much easier to achieve if you buy a hotel/motel though

You need to have proven management/food experience to be considered for an Mcdonalds Franchise and if you are truly determined to own a food franchise, work at one @ $9.50/HR to learn the ropes