--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's the common misconception that…" description: "\"There's the common misconception that restaurants make a lot of money. It's not true. If you look at maybe the top chef in the world, or at least monet..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7f/david-chang-8104_average_there-s-the-common-misconception-that-re_2405650.jpg" --- # There's the common misconception that restaurants make a… ![“There's the common misconception that restaurants make a lot of money. It's not true. If you look at maybe the top chef in the world, or at least monetarily, it's like Wolfgang Puck, but he makes as much money as an average crappy investment banker.” quote by David Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7f/david-chang-8104_average_there-s-the-common-misconception-that-re_2405650.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7f/david-chang-8104_average_there-s-the-common-misconception-that-re_2405650.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7f/david-chang-8104_average_there-s-the-common-misconception-that-re_2405650.jpg) > “There's the common misconception that restaurants make a lot of money. It's not true. If you look at maybe the top chef in the world, or at least monetarily, it's like Wolfgang Puck, but he makes as much money as an average crappy investment banker.” [David Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chang/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even top chefs earn modest incomes; the restaurant industry is financially precarious. **In simple terms:** Restaurants often don’t make as much money as people think. Key Takeaway Recognize the financial challenges of running a restaurant. Themes business finance hospitality industry Mood pragmatic realistic Type business financial When to use this quote - opening a restaurant - investing in culinary ventures - career planning - budgeting Key Concepts profit margins entrepreneurship Questions to Reflect On - What realistic financial goals should a chef set? - How can restaurateurs improve profitability? A Different Perspective High earnings are rare and depend on many factors beyond fame. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Banker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/banker/) [Chef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chef/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Investment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investment/) [Misconception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misconception/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [When I set up my first restaurant, I was so inspired by Wolfgang Puck, who is also based in L.A. and is now a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobu-matsuhisa/when-i-set-up-my-first-restaurant-i-was-so-inspired-by-wolfgang-puck/) [Nobu Matsuhisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobu-matsuhisa/) > [Good news, they found Nemo! The bad news is, they found him in one of Wolfgang Puck's puff pastries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/good-news-they-found-nemo-the-bad-news-is-they-found-him-in-one-of/) [Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/) > [The only thing I liked on HSN was Wolfgang Puck selling cookware. He was funny and engaging. He gave you recipes. Even if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-grossman/the-only-thing-i-liked-on-hsn-was-wolfgang-puck-selling-cookware-he/) [Mindy Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-grossman/) > [The margins for restaurants to make money are very, very narrow. It's a tough business, and to be a chef is a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-burrell/the-margins-for-restaurants-to-make-money-are-very-very-narrow-it-s-a/) [Anne Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-burrell/) > [So what on Earth there isn't to like about New York? I don't know. But what you do also have is a load of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/so-what-on-earth-there-isn-t-to-like-about-new-york-i-don-t-know-but/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [I know the community mostly for its art and culture... and of course its food, I eat at their restaurants." "They make you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erykah-badu/i-know-the-community-mostly-for-its-art-and-culture-and-of-course-its/) [Erykah Badu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erykah-badu/) > [I don't have the talent, the temperament, or the patience to be a great chef. I'd much rather order from someone who can really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-rosenthal/i-don-t-have-the-talent-the-temperament-or-the-patience-to-be-a-great/) [Philip Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-rosenthal/) > [I made 'Going Greek', which was a very sort of crappy fraternity comedy that I did back in 2000.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-zackham/i-made-going-greek-which-was-a-very-sort-of-crappy-fraternity-comedy/) [Justin Zackham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-zackham/) > [Both my parents are immigrants. I've seen different struggles they've had. There's a reason you don't see me using accents. I don't do impressions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hari-kondabolu/both-my-parents-are-immigrants-i-ve-seen-different-struggles-they-ve/) [Hari Kondabolu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hari-kondabolu/) > [I've read a lot of really great characters in some really crappy stories, where I said, like, 'Boy I could shine here, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/i-ve-read-a-lot-of-really-great-characters-in-some-really-crappy/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [I was 27, an unemployed actress living in a really crappy studio apartment. I had just moved to Los Angeles alone, away from my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-jaret-winokur/i-was-27-an-unemployed-actress-living-in-a-really-crappy-studio/) [Marissa Jaret Winokur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-jaret-winokur/) > [it´s just...today has really sucked, and when you´re around stuff doesn´t seem so crappy - Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-scott/it-s-just-today-has-really-sucked-and-when-you-re-around-stuff-doesn/) [Elizabeth Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-scott/) > [If I eat too righteously, I turn to crisps and crappy chocolate bars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccartney/if-i-eat-too-righteously-i-turn-to-crisps-and-crappy-chocolate-bars/) [Mary McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccartney/) > [You try to take the positives in every crappy scenario that comes up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sale/you-try-to-take-the-positives-in-every-crappy-scenario-that-comes-up/) [Chris Sale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sale/) > [“Of all the crap, crap, crappy nights I've ever had in the whole of my crap life. On a scale of one to 10,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/of-all-the-crap-crap-crappy-nights-i-ve-ever-had-in-the-whole-of-my/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) ## More by David Chang > [In New York, we're always confined with spaces. Our restaurants are difficult to navigate as cooks and to operate. We fight against the buildings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chang/in-new-york-we-re-always-confined-with-spaces-our-restaurants-are/) [David Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chang/) > [If you ask what people say what American cuisine is, they cannot really do it. I don't know what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chang/if-you-ask-what-people-say-what-american-cuisine-is-they-cannot/) [David Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chang/) > [When I was in Japan, everyone wanted to work for Pierre Gagnaire, and they wouldn't miss a beat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chang/when-i-was-in-japan-everyone-wanted-to-work-for-pierre-gagnaire-and/) [David Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chang/) > [Lifes too short to just breeze on by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chang/lifes-too-short-to-just-breeze-on-by/) [David Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chang/) > [My dad was in the restaurant business, but I didn't really think about following him. 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I think it's an absolutely fantastic movie, but I don't think it captures for me the meaning of food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chang/tampopo-s-amazing-i-think-it-s-an-absolutely-fantastic-movie-but-i/) [David Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chang/) > [If people think you are this amazing, own it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chang/if-people-think-you-are-this-amazing-own-it/) [David Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chang/) > [Any processed chicken from any place - I'll order it in a heartbeat. I'm very picky about my pork, though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chang/any-processed-chicken-from-any-place-i-ll-order-it-in-a-heartbeat-i-m/) [David Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chang/) > [New York gives us a wide colour palette to cook from. 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