Opening your own restaurant sounds like a dream—good food, happy customers, your name on the board. But behind the excitement often hides a brutal truth: running a food business is one of the toughest things you can do. A 22-year-old recently shared his story on Reddit about how his dream restaurant, which took months of planning and savings, came crashing down within just one month of opening.
The young man had always wanted to start a restaurant or café. For six months, he tirelessly searched for the perfect spot and finally found one in a busy student neighborhood surrounded by colleges and hostels. The location promised massive footfall, though the rent was steep at Rs 30,000 per month for a small space. He figured the student crowd would make up for it and took the plunge.
Next came two months of preparation—buying utensils, setting up the kitchen, printing hoardings, and getting everything ready. His house was 15 km away, so he and his brother even rented a small place nearby to reduce the exhausting daily travel. Finally, in May 2025, the restaurant opened its doors.
The first few days brought a flicker of hope. Sales hovered around Rs 2,000–Rs 2,500 a day. But reality hit soon. Across the street stood a legendary local joint pulling crowds all day and raking in Rs 40,000–Rs 45,000 daily. The Redditor had assumed that the overflowing crowd would spill over into his shop—but that didn’t happen. Students preferred cheaper, quick meals rather than the slightly better-quality food he offered.
HIs daily struggle
Within a couple of weeks, stress took over. The sales couldn’t even cover rent, let alone raw materials and staff salaries. He had hired two cooks and rented a house for them as well. Every morning started at 4 a.m., with prep beginning at 5 and the shop staying open till 9 p.m. After closing, he’d cook dinner, sleep barely five hours, and repeat the grind. In just 20 days, he lost 4 kilos and a lot of peace of mind.
By early June, the situation became unbearable. The shop’s monthly losses kept piling up, so the brothers decided to shut it down—barely a month after opening. But the troubles didn’t stop there. They were left with inventory—gas cylinders, stoves, counters, and more—that had to be resold at half the price. To store it all, they rented another small shop 15 km away for Rs 6,000 a month, adding yet another expense.
His learnings
Reflecting on the experience, he said the biggest mistake was focusing on where the crowd was instead of what kind of crowd it was. The students in that area weren’t looking for taste or ambience—they just wanted cheap food that filled them up. His restaurant’s offerings didn’t match their expectations. Looking back, he admits that maybe he closed too soon—no business becomes profitable in a month—but the mental and physical strain had reached its limit. “If you ever feel like burning money, just open a restaurant,” he quoted wryly, adding, “The easiest way to lose money is either gambling or running a restaurant.”
Internet reacts
Many resonated with his story online. One restaurant owner shared how he’s been running his place for nine years but has “no life,” working from early morning till late night without breaks. Another pointed out that his father invested around ₹25 lakh in a restaurant that’s doing decently well and advised having at least two years of savings to survive with zero profit. Others praised the young founder’s honesty, saying most people only talk about success, not burnout or failed market assumptions. Several noted that his biggest learning — chasing crowds instead of the right customers — is a hard but valuable lesson every entrepreneur faces early on.
The young man had always wanted to start a restaurant or café. For six months, he tirelessly searched for the perfect spot and finally found one in a busy student neighborhood surrounded by colleges and hostels. The location promised massive footfall, though the rent was steep at Rs 30,000 per month for a small space. He figured the student crowd would make up for it and took the plunge.
Next came two months of preparation—buying utensils, setting up the kitchen, printing hoardings, and getting everything ready. His house was 15 km away, so he and his brother even rented a small place nearby to reduce the exhausting daily travel. Finally, in May 2025, the restaurant opened its doors.
The first few days brought a flicker of hope. Sales hovered around Rs 2,000–Rs 2,500 a day. But reality hit soon. Across the street stood a legendary local joint pulling crowds all day and raking in Rs 40,000–Rs 45,000 daily. The Redditor had assumed that the overflowing crowd would spill over into his shop—but that didn’t happen. Students preferred cheaper, quick meals rather than the slightly better-quality food he offered.
HIs daily struggle
Within a couple of weeks, stress took over. The sales couldn’t even cover rent, let alone raw materials and staff salaries. He had hired two cooks and rented a house for them as well. Every morning started at 4 a.m., with prep beginning at 5 and the shop staying open till 9 p.m. After closing, he’d cook dinner, sleep barely five hours, and repeat the grind. In just 20 days, he lost 4 kilos and a lot of peace of mind.
By early June, the situation became unbearable. The shop’s monthly losses kept piling up, so the brothers decided to shut it down—barely a month after opening. But the troubles didn’t stop there. They were left with inventory—gas cylinders, stoves, counters, and more—that had to be resold at half the price. To store it all, they rented another small shop 15 km away for Rs 6,000 a month, adding yet another expense.
His learnings
Reflecting on the experience, he said the biggest mistake was focusing on where the crowd was instead of what kind of crowd it was. The students in that area weren’t looking for taste or ambience—they just wanted cheap food that filled them up. His restaurant’s offerings didn’t match their expectations. Looking back, he admits that maybe he closed too soon—no business becomes profitable in a month—but the mental and physical strain had reached its limit. “If you ever feel like burning money, just open a restaurant,” he quoted wryly, adding, “The easiest way to lose money is either gambling or running a restaurant.”
Internet reacts
Many resonated with his story online. One restaurant owner shared how he’s been running his place for nine years but has “no life,” working from early morning till late night without breaks. Another pointed out that his father invested around ₹25 lakh in a restaurant that’s doing decently well and advised having at least two years of savings to survive with zero profit. Others praised the young founder’s honesty, saying most people only talk about success, not burnout or failed market assumptions. Several noted that his biggest learning — chasing crowds instead of the right customers — is a hard but valuable lesson every entrepreneur faces early on.
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