---
title: "Nick Powills: Why You Should Not Own a Restaurant"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/0c0dba8c-e992-4067-82db-583b51c69e88
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/nick-powills-why-you-should-not-own-a-restaurant-2708781
category: "Restaurants"
industry: "Restaurants"
published: 2019-01-03T21:16:01.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:33:16.808Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/ece10ff0c6e0b005b7f797a37dba1ad2378.jpg
---

# Nick Powills: Why You Should Not Own a Restaurant

**TL;DR:** Nick Powills shares his thoughts on why owning a restaurant may not be the best idea, citing the challenges and complexities of the industry. He recounts a personal experience of burning his foot while cooking, highlighting the importance of having restaurant experience.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2019-01-03. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/nick-powills-why-you-should-not-own-a-restaurant-2708781).*

## Story

I think I may know why.

For years, my fascination with restaurant operations has been, well, deeply interested. When visiting a client, I have requested restaurant brands to show me the back of their houses (for which my team has made fun of me). I have been super fascinated by the operations of a kitchen – every part of it. From the order to the ordering system to the cooking process to the refrigeration. Part of my curiosity stems from the fact that I have never worked at a restaurant.

I want to learn. I want to know. But for me, learning and knowing are definitely not considered “having restaurant experience.”

I have never professionally made a pizza, and frankly, the pizzas I make on my own are not restaurant quality.

I have never professionally scooped ice cream into a cone, and frankly, the cones I have made never look like the pictures.

I have never professionally grilled a burger, and frankly, no matter how many hours I put into grilling, I seem to never have the ability to make the perfect burger (although I am getting closer).

There is this saying that it will take you 10,000 hours to be successful at anything. While I am confident that I have spent that much time trying to learn on my own, I don’t have that coveted restaurant experience our brands desire in an owner.

And I understand why.

On a cold December night, I played restaurant operator in my kitchen. Focused on creating an awesome veggie-only pasta dish for my wife and I and a true pasta dish for my children, I went to work. Chopping, sautéing, seasoning – I was on fire (literally).

In the final stretch of the kids’ pasta bake – I recognized it was time to pull the boiling pot of pasta off of the stove to put in the strainer in the sink. Trying to multi-task the two dishes, unfocused, I moved the boiling water across the small opening between the stove and the sink – and swooshed (or swished, tomato/tomato) about a cup of water out of the pot, into the air, and directly onto my foot.

Lesson one, only multi-task in the kitchen if you have restaurant experience.

Lesson two, wear shoes.

The water fell directly on my foot. About three seconds later, tremendous pain hit as I lifted my leg into the sink under cold water.

Staying committed to the gig, I didn’t scream or inform my family of my injury. Instead, I fought through the completion of the cooking process for 10 more minutes. Then I yelped (I’d have a bad Yelp! review if I were a restaurant). Then I went to the hospital. Then I was told I had second-degree burns on my foot.

I think I now understand the importance of having restaurant experience. Now, I’m back to studying the back of the house, and I’ll forever wear shoes when cooking. And I think Grubhub will be a better use of my skills than the back of a house.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- Nick Powills (person)
- restaurant operations (topic)
- Grubhub (company)
- industry challenges (topic)
- personal experience (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/nick-powills-why-you-should-not-own-a-restaurant-2708781). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/0c0dba8c-e992-4067-82db-583b51c69e88).