How a weird "twist" on a bowl of cereal turned into a great business idea...

[Dien Rice]

Hi Lawrence!

Thanks for your post...

Originally Posted by Lawrence

Since I've owned and operated two restaurants "way back when", I think I'll marry a woman instead of a restaurant busininess, since that's what you do when you go into the restaurant business.

I agree with what you said here (from what I know)! I know someone who runs a computer business. In an earlier time, he and his wife ran a Malaysian restaurant. He told me once that running a restaurant is something you do for the love of it - because you're not going to make much money!

Also, opening a restaurant must be one of the most competitive businesses there is...

Will "The Cereal Bowl" last? I don't know. I noticed they're trying to franchise the concept... (You can see their web site here - http://www.thecerealbowl.com .)

Some "theme" restaurants do last the distance. There's a restaurant chain here in Australia called "The Pancake Parlour". I think they probably originally got the idea from IHOP ("International House of Pancakes"). However, comparing menus from IHOP http://www.ihop.com/food.html and the Pancake Parlour http://www.pancakeparlour.com/Menu/menu.html , the Pancake Parlour menu seems much more "pancake heavy"!

I just ate at one of their restaurants a couple weeks ago - and it was delicious! I think every single dish comes with pancakes. I've even had scotch fillet steak there - served on top of a pancake! (It was great - I'd go back for more!)

Well, there's one exception I think to this rule - the salads! They're not served on pancakes... thank goodness! (Can you imagine a salad served on a wet, soggy pancake? I wonder if they tried it then changed their mind? )

Anyway, that's one "unusual" restaurant idea I would have thought was "crazy" if I didn't see the big success it is for myself!

My goal was to show that "unusual" businesses can and do exist... Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't (like with all businesses). But they certainly are fun to read about!

Cheers,

Dien