Man Who Has Never Run a Restaurant Has Several Thoughts About the Restaurant Industry
Following a 45-minute wait for a table and a steak he found slightly underseasoned, local resident Paul Gertz feels he has a clear picture of what these places are doing wrong.
Paul Gertz has eaten at a lot of restaurants. He has waited for tables. He has flagged down servers. He once sent something back. And based on these experiences, he has developed what he describes as "a pretty good sense" of where the industry is going wrong.
"The problem is they don't respect the customer," said Gertz, who left a 14% tip. "You walk in, they make you wait, the prices are insane. I could do better."
When asked if he had any experience in restaurant operations, kitchen management, supply chain logistics, or food service labor markets, Gertz said he did not, but that "it's not rocket science."
Gertz's plan involves hiring "good people," charging "reasonable prices," and making sure the food comes out "how you ordered it." He estimates the business would be profitable "pretty quickly."
Several people Gertz has shared his plan with have described it as "interesting" and changed the subject.
Gertz remains confident. He recently left a three-star Yelp review in which he outlined his vision in the final paragraph, where he believes it will have the most impact.