Donald Burns delivers a blunt, practical message to restaurant owners about survival in a volatile market: many restaurants will close and owners must accept that risk. He outlines three required behaviors for a restaurant to survive—listen, take action, and be patient—and sets an expectation that he will support clients but not outwork them.
Let's be honest. A lot of restaurants are going to close this year, and that is a fact of the economy. And don't say it can't happen to you. You're a business like any other, and all businesses are at risk of going out of business. Markets change rapidly. And if you're in denial that it won't happen to you, it's a pretty good bet that it will happen to you. I'm sure that the dozen or so restaurants that closed last month never thought it would happen to them, too. And I can't help a restaurant unless they're willing to do three things. One, they must listen. Number two, you must take action. And number three, I tell my clients, you must be patient. I will work as hard as you do for your brand, but I won't work harder than you for your brand.
If your restaurant only works because you work 80 hours a week, it doesn't work.
