Last year, 55,659 business licenses were issued nationwide for new restaurants.

For thousands of Americans, these business licenses represent the first step to make the dream of their own restaurant a reality. New restaurants are the lifeblood of the restaurant industry, as well as the lifeblood of "Restaurant Startup & Growth," the magazine written specifically for these entrepreneurs.

"Next time you're out with friends, ask if anyone has thought of opening a restaurant, and chances are the answer is yes," says Restaurant Startup & Growth Co-Publisher Gary Worden, a successful restaurateur himself. "And if you own one restaurant, you want two," he adds.

And Worden should know: Last year, he applied for a business license for his second restaurant.

Worden estimates that of the restaurants that opened last year, nearly three-fourths were independent units, not chain restaurants. And, according to research, 58 percent of restaurant dollars spent go to independents and small chains.

California leads the country in the number of business licenses granted for new restaurants for 2005, followed by Texas, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania. Other states in the top 10 are Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, and Michigan.

Poor management and lack of expertise account for more than half of new restaurant failures so Restaurant Startup & Growth tries to fill the knowledge gap with real-life advice and expertise.

For example, the current issue has features on making your profit-and-loss statement an important management tool, how to handle unruly kids, how to set up a soft drink service, as well as a primer on video ordering systems.

Basic information on marketing techniques, legal issues, and personnel management are also included.

New restaurateurs are such an attractive group for advertisers because they spend money in disproportionate amounts to established restaurants, according to Worden who, along with restaurant consultants, estimates restaurant startup costs to range from $250,000 to $500,000.

"That's more than $13 billion of new money coming into this dynamic industry, and we want to make sure our readers spend that money wisely," he says.

Source: Restaurant Startup & Growth
PARKVILLE, Mo., March 3, 2006 /PRNewswire/