I think these sorts of Asian restraurants also make great use of available
labor and special relationships with their suppliers- and even their
landlords if they lease their space. The staff/owners also seem to
tolerate financial/material elements many other restaurants and businesses
would never accept. I suspect they represent a successful business model
that has a lot to offer.

Thank you for your input!

"Vox Humana" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Dee Randall" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Vox Humana" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> > "Jumping Jack Flash" > wrote in message
>> > . ..
>> >> >>I am involved in the start-up of a restaurant in the
> Dayton-Cininnati,
>> >> >>Ohio
>> >> >>area.
>> >> >
>> >> > If you are a professional associated with a start up....you must
>> >> > already know the answers to these questions.
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > If you don't.....get out of the restaurant business...right now!
> YOU
>> >> > are about to loose your shirt, pants and jock strap in one swoop!
>> >>
>> >> Bravo!!! Couldn't have said it better. I am in the Restaurant
>> >> Equipment
>> >> business, and I can spot a potential failure within 5 minutes of an
>> > initial
>> >> meeting. The common thread is that they don't know what they're
>> >> getting
>> >> into.
>> >
>> > Maybe you can explain something. I see lots of tiny Asian restaurants
>> > that
>> > pop-up here and there in my area. The people who work there seem to be
>> > new
>> > to this county based on their command of the language. Their
> restaurants
>> > seem to survive while others, even big chains, come and go. Are these
>> > people experience restaurant operators in their native land, and then
> move
>> > here with a complete set of skill and good capitalization? Is there
>> > something in the culture that makes them successful? What surprises me
>> > also
>> > is that I live in an area that is on the fringe of Appalachia, not an
> area
>> > that has a reputation for being curious or even accepting of other
>> > cultures.
>> > I'm a bit surprised that there is a demand for Asian food, yet there is
> an
>> > Asian buffet in every strip center.
>> >
>> I've observed what you are saying and have mused until I came up with
>> this
>> answer; however misguided it may be.
>> There two Asian restaurants that are in our area that have been in
> business
>> for at least 13 years that I've been here. Most of the people that eat
> there
>> are really hearty eaters; they pile on there plates all manner of fried
>> foods and will eat almost anything that is breaded and deep fried. These
>> two restaurants are near an exit and both are near huge parking areas for
>> big trucks. I've seen other travelers who are passing thru that seem to
>> know about these restaurants (from overhearing their conversations - one
>> cannot help but hear!). One restaurant has remained consistent in its
>> quality and we have gone a few times over the years; but the other seemed
> a
>> bit unclean, so we stopped going there. But one of the main reason to me
>> that they stay in businesss is that there are a lot of people who pass
> thru
>> the doors who want lots of calories. I note that not many have the
>> seaweed
>> strips (salad) or kimchee, but I get all the pink ginger slices I want
>> because no one else seems to take them.
>> Dee Dee
>
> I think that is true for the buffet format restaurants in general. We
> have
> three Asian buffets in our small suburban area which until recently was on
> the fringe of civilization. There are also two "steak" buffets, Ryan's
> and
> Golden Corral. The Appalachian Highway starts here and cuts across the
> least
> populated and poorest area of the state. I think that some of the patrons
> may be from the freeway but a lot of them are from the east, where there
> is
> little but feed mills and farm supply stores. All the buffets are always
> jammed, but the food is poor in my opinion and the cleanliness is
> marginal.
> I am generally put-off by buffets. One only has to sit back and observer
> for
> a while to see stomach-turning behavior. People cough into their hands
> and
> then pick up the serving utensils. Other graze from the buffet, licking
> their fingers and then plunging them into containers of food. And don't
> get
> me started about the kids! People let their kids go wild at these places.
> I have seen kids do unmentionable things and the parents seem oblivious.
> Considering that the food all comes from boxes and cans, I can get a
> better
> meal at home and don't have to worry about the possibility that some
> little
> darling licked the serving spoon and then put it back into the salad
> dressing.
>
>