The Truth About Starting A Restaurant - that no one on Tik Tok Tells you!
So many first-time founders get hooked by the idea of starting a restaurant after watching a few trending TikToks.
The dreamy fit-out. The aesthetic cocktails. The “sold out” soft launch. It looks fun. It looks cool. And sure, sometimes it is.
But the reality? The reality is a little grittier. And unless someone gives it to you straight, you could be thousands of pounds deep into a lease with no actual foundation beneath your concept.
We ran a restaurant brand for 8.5 years. We launched a CPG line from scratch and scaled to 5 operational sites. We’ve been through it. And if you’re thinking about starting your own thing? You deserve more than advice given by someone who’s never actually opened anything themselves.
So here’s the truth you won’t get on social media…..
1. Your Business Model Matters More Than Your Menu
We’ve seen founders agonise over pasta shapes and garnish tweaks, but never once model their margins or think through order volumes. A restaurant is a business first. If your pricing, packaging, and product mix don’t make financial sense, it doesn’t matter how delicious your concept is.
Build the spreadsheet before you build the brand.
2. Being Fully Booked Doesn’t Mean You’re Profitable
It feels amazing to see a packed dining room. But volume hides a lot of leaks.
High staff turnover? Supplier costs creeping up? Delivery platform fees eating into revenue? If your operations aren’t watertight, you’ll end up working harder just to stay stuck in place.
Profit doesn’t come from vibes. It comes from systems.
3. The “Perfect” Location Might Be a Trap
So many founders overspend on fit-outs or lock into leases they can’t afford. They fall in love with the dream and ignore the details footfall quality, power load, extractors, licensing quirks.
The truth? A location is only perfect if it works on paper and in practice.
4. Your Personal Brand Is Not a Vanity Metric
Founders get told to stay humble. To let the product speak for itself. But in reality, you are the story. Your credibility, your voice, your visibility these are the assets that make investors listen and communities care.
You don’t need to go viral. You need to be clear.
5. You Don’t Need to Know Everything But You Do Need to Know What Matters
It’s not about mastering every skill. It’s about knowing where your time has the most impact.
The best founders we’ve worked with didn’t try to do it all. They stayed close to the numbers. They hired for their gaps. They made smart and quick decisions.
This Is Why We Built the Growth Hub
We saw too many talented founders get lost in a sea of bad advice. We wanted to give first-time hospitality founders a place to get real, grounded, practical tools- the kind that come from experience.
The Growth Hub is not shiny or salesy. It’s not about “hacks.” It’s about what actually works.
If you’re building your first concept and want support from people who’ve walked the path we built this for you.
We’ve got your back.
Join the Growth Hub community or follow us on Instagram @silverwoodrose for founder insight that doesn’t sugarcoat the process.