Ninety percent of all restaurants fail, and those that succeed happened upon that mysterious X factor, right? Wrong! A man of many hats: money-guy, restaurant owner, and restaurant consultant-Roger Fields shows how a restaurant can survive its first year, based on far more than luck, and keep diners coming back for many years to come. Featuring real-life restaurant start-up stories (including some of the author's own), this comprehensive how-to walks readers through the logistics of opening a restaurant: creating the concept, choosing a location, designing the menu, establishing ambiance, hiring staff, and, most important, turning a profit. Opening a restaurant isn't easy, but this realistic dreamer's guide helps set the table for lasting success.