The Bear Shines Light On The Harsh Realities Of Opening A Restaurant
NEWS
By ANN MEYER
FX's original hit series “The Bear” doesn't shy away from depicting the stresses of the restaurant industry, especially the looming threat of closure for new restaurants in the real world.
In Season 3, Episode 5, protagonist Carmy Berzatto faces the reality that his restaurant is losing money and the Michelin-starred restaurant where he first trained is closing.
The looming threat of closure is all too familiar for new restaurants in the real world and about 60% of restaurants fail in their first year, while 80% fail within the first five.
Between slim profit margins and issues with inventory, the odds are stacked against new eateries — even if they're popular.
In Season 3, Episode 3, Carmy's sister, Natalie, worries that even if the restaurant fills 60 seats a night, five nights a week, 52 weeks a year, they still won't get by.
As “The Bear” shows, everything's a balancing act when money's involved, and managing a new restaurant often requires reining in creativity and compromising on microgreens.