So Long, and Thanks for all the Burgers

[Dinner]

If your father isn't going to realize big gains from selling his business then why not take the money and start up a new place? Instead of a fraqnchise create your own brand which is "fresh fast" instead of run of the mill fast food. That seems to be direction the industry is going any way so you'd be on the growth side of things and still using the experience you two have gained over the years.

[mrmitchell]

Instead of a fraqnchise create your own brand which is "fresh fast"

To be honest I'm sick of "fresh fast" and I will fight anyone to the end of the Earth if they try to make it more than a fad.

[asleepathewheel]

Theben-

Good luck finding a new job, never a fun task.

I'm sure I've been to your fathers restaurants here in Indy, one BK is right near me at 38th and 465 (West).

[Lancer]

I suggest you begin your work search in Manila...

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Lancer
I suggest you begin your work search in Manila...

Sure, he could buy his own monkey meat cart.

Well, get married and have his wife buy one.

ACK!

[:) Smiley]

Originally posted by mrmitchell

To be honest I'm sick of "fresh fast" and I will fight anyone to the end of the Earth if they try to make it more than a fad.

Yesterday: Berkeley
Today: California
Tomorrow: Teh world!

[Dis]

burger flipper

[Dinner]

If I was opening a fast food type restaurant (or "fresh fast" as they're calling the healthy yet still fast type restaurants) then I'd go for something like Rubio's which bills itself as "The home of the fish taco". It's different enough from the crappy Taco Bell or Taco Time type places as well as the traditional tacerias that you can effectively compete without going head to head even if you're just a small restaurant or chain. For a bit more gringo-ified food (which might sell better in the boring mid-west) take a look at Fins. Personally I find Fins' salsas to be bland and I don't like the heavy cream sauces they use but then again I tend to prefer the traditional hot baja style food.

If a beach themed restaurant isn't your cup of tea then you could go for the traditional taceria style restaurant but this will have less style and thus less marketing potential. If you're looking for something you might franchise out in the future (and that's where the money is) then you want a strong theme that will guide your marketing and help people remember your restaurant. In Chicago I doubt you'd have many direct competitors to this style so you could find yourself plowing virgin territory.

[Gatekeeper]

Best of luck, Theben. When one door closes, another opens. It's just a matter of finding the damn thing.

Gatekeeper

[Dinner]

Alternatively you could marry a Vietnamese lady and open up a Pho restaurant. I know that Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches have become my healthy fast food of choice.

[Dis]

yeah fish tacos and vietnamese food go over realy well in the midwest.

Not everyone is as enlightened as on the west coast.

[Dinner]

I'm trying to think of unexploited niches where they could plant a claim. If I can find a decent Thai restaurant in Fayetville, NC then I'm sure people in Illinios would be willing to try something new if it was properly presented and marketed. Or at least I hope.

[MrFun]

Anything's possible -- I'm in western Illinois and I have fallen in love with sushi a few years ago.

[Bosh]

Sushi
Japanese all you can eat sushi places
Korean style sushi, just raw fish none of taht annoying rice getting in the way and hot sauce mixed with wasabi to dip it in, and a ****-load of great side dishes, everything from snails to grilled eel

[Drake Tungsten]

Raw fish without rice isn't sushi. It's sashimi and widely available in Japan.