I’ve worked in the restaurant business for several years now and while it’s not my main source of income anymore, everything about this industry sucks. The majority of restaurant owners are NOT wealthy. Not even close. The amount of expenses that go into the business + paying the staff is enough to make most restaurants run on a deficit. This is why a handful of restaurants shut down within 5 years. Beyond that, a lot of kitchens are pretty toxic and it’s a reactionary chain that gets passed down from owner -> supervisor -> cooks -> wait staff -> dishwasher / delivery boy. On top of that, some customers are really rude. They’ll pay you $15 for a meal and either start cussing or threatening to leave a bad review if they’re not satisfied with the wait or taste. Really? You’re going to behave irate over $15? Ridiculous. This also isn’t a career where you can make more money with time unless you land a prestigious chef gig. A lot of guys who’ve worked several years in this industry are still making minimum wage.
Cooking is fun as a hobby but it sucks as a business. The work isn’t bad but the environment is toxic. Be nice to restaurant staff because behind the scenes, they put up with a lot of stress from management and customers.