Seriously: Don't Open a Restaurant

Do you dream of opening your own restaurant one day? Well, Nina and Tim Zagat have some advice for you: "Don't do it!" And they should know, considering they co-founded and publish Zagat Restaurant Surveys. Opening a restaurant is about a lot more than just being "a great host or good cook," they write in the Wall Street Journal. "But it's hard to deter people," even though "there's a 60% probability that you will fail within three years or less."

In order to open a successful restaurant, you'll need "a knack for real estate;" "an eye for interior design;" leadership skills; people skills; a good memory; a welcoming demeanor; public relations, advertising, and social media know-how; technical, plumbing, and electrical talents; and the ability to work long days, every day—including holidays—and get by on little sleep. "Serving hundreds of people à la carte is totally different than cooking a meal for a few friends," the Zagats conclude. "That's why we try to dissuade our friends from opening their own restaurants. That's also why we admire successful restaurateurs so much." (More Nina Zagat stories.)