So, a very small restaurant.
Much like the little kiosks selling coffee and sandwiches. Yes, I suppose they could get by without that expensive microwave.
But, I'd hate to see all of the regulation of the food industry go away in order to pave the way for extra small operations. I've seen and experienced first hand what happens when there is no effective regulation of food.
That small restaurant is what we used to call "a starter restaurant". In reference to "starter homes". Not many people will be familiar with that term anymore, because it hasn't been used in about 30 years. Why? Because those little shops are dying out, because the profit margin on them is low, but the operating and start up costs are very high.
But I agree. Look, I'm not an anarchist. Hell, I'm not even a conservative. I believe in regulating the market, because it's my belief that money makes us all serial killers. I believe that, baring negative side affects, there are a GREAT many men and women who would do absolutely horrible things...KNOWINGLY...because it's better for their bottom line. Even WITH regulations, laws, rules, etc, people STILL choose to do the wrong thing, STILL choose to break the law, because, short term, it's better for their bottom line.
The company I work for is an example of this. They are violating the law every day they open their doors for business. They have classified their mid managers are executive exempt employers, illegally, in order to avoid paying them any overtime or other compensation for hours worked past 45 per week. Many mid managers are nothing more than day laborers who don't get paid for the entire day. They hire them on for 35K a year, which is the minimum you can pay someone and classify them as an executive, a pay set in the 19 freaking 60s, and hasn't changed, and them have them do grunt work for 10-12 hours per day, 5 days a week.
And then, once a group of those managers have had enough, they sue. BJ's has been getting hit by a class action every 2 years, for the last 10 years, now, give or take. First it was their overnight managers, who are now hourly. Then it was their meat managers, who are now mostly hourly, depending on state. Then it was their Loss Prevention managers, and thelast one I was aware of were their HR managers.
When you HUMAN RESOURCES managers are suing you and winning, you're probably doing something wrong. Just a thought. But BJ's hasn't, and won't, move on the other positions. The bakery managers (HARD day laborers), Customer Service managers, Replinishment managers, merchandise managers, membership aquisition and retention (marm) managers. They are all still salary, and will remain so until someone sues, brings it to light, and they are legally FORCED to....OBEY THE LAW.
I'll wager this same basic principle is alive and well, and active, all over the US. Because it's cheaper to settle a class action than it is to pay your help for the amount of time they work for you.
So yea, I am very much NOT anti regulation. I simply don't like blanket regs, blind folly, and lobbyism more eager to increase profits for a few at the expense of the many.