Starting a Small Restaurant, Revised Edition (Non) [Paperback]

Daniel Miller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2006 | Series: Non

More than 100 new restaurants open *every day* and the truth is, most of them don't make it. This is a fully-updated edition of the classic guide to opening a small restaurant successfully, be it a bistro, diner, inn, cafe, or something fancier. Expert Daniel Miller offers a wealth of information to help would-be restaurateurs decide if the life of a small-business owner is right for them, and if so, how to proceed to get a restaurant up and running. From finding the location to creating a business and finance plan, to hiring and training staff, purchasing equipment, setting up computer programs, developing a menu, and a whole lot more, this is everything you need to know. If you are a burgeoning entrepreneur, or even if you just want to "dream the dream", this practical and engaging book will lead you on your way.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A splendid book--cautious, thorough, and gilded with flashes of lively good humor. -- The Washington Post

Entertaining to read and . . . invaluable to the budding restaurateur. -- Library Journal

The best how-to manual available to aspiring restaurateurs . . . sets the standard against which "how-to" self-help books must be judged. -- Midwest Book Review --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Daniel Miller is a former small restaurant owner, whose varied career has spanned the industries of cutlery sales, beer brewing, newspaper advertising, and computer systems analysis.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Harvard Common Press; Revised Edition edition (January 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558322876
• ISBN-13: 978-1558322875
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,428 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #22 in Books > Business & Investing > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Hospitality Businesses
  • #97 in Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Hospitality, Travel & Tourism

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not great, August 30, 2006

By 

Vince J. Filippelli (NY, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Starting a Small Restaurant, Revised Edition (Non) (Paperback)

"Starting a Small Restaurant" gives any novice a good starting point for considerations in this fast-paced world. The Author, Daniel Miller, has had mixed career employment, not all of which are in the food service industry. Danial co-founded the Grey Fox Inn, a large undertaking. I gave the book 2 stars because on some subjects Miller is simply vague or incorrect in my experience. For instance, Miller states that "People steal food from restaurants." Not necessarily true, but only gives solutions of locking storage areas (ludicrous), or deal honestly with employees, whatever that means. Another subject I found unenlightening was the equipment discussion on a deep fat fryer. Dirty and dangerous was about as far as the text went.

It is a good book, just keep in mind that there are other solutions than the ones Miller advises.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, but the marketing advice is a little off, June 20, 2009

By 

Tax Accountant "Tax Accountant" (Nevada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Starting a Small Restaurant, Revised Edition (Non) (Paperback)

Overall, this is a good book for someone who wants to open up a small restaurant. There are a lot of good tips in the book, but the author does a poor job of going over the financial difficulties that most new owners face. The menu design tips are also poor--the author recommends that a menu list item prices from cheapest to most expensive--which goes against industry advice--this just makes it easier for a customer to find the cheapest thing on your menu. But the nuts and bolts are there. If you're a small time operator and you want a good overview on how to open up your own restaurant, this is a concise read.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great help to organize your thoughts, January 2, 2011

By 

Jack W. Glaser (avon park, fl, US) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Starting a Small Restaurant, Revised Edition (Non) (Paperback)

After many years working in and running other peoples restaurants, I had the knowledge of what was needed but this book helped me to put it all in a clear consise order. I would have been all over the place but by following the advice and making a checklist of the info in this book I was able to have a smooth easy opening to my own place.
After 5 years I still keep it handy and refer to it all the time.