New restaurants open all the time, though some of the folks here at Restaurant Supply have to admit that we’re fond of the ones which have shown more longevity. According to The Perry Group, around 70% of restaurants which make it past their first year close within the next five years. For a restaurant to stay in business for more than the blink of an eye, that’s impressive.
In fact, the oldest restaurant in America, as reported by Fox News, opened in 1673 (though it’s reported that it was around earlier than that). The White Horse Tavern in Newport, RI has been declared a national landmark.
The Fraunces Tavern in New York City has been open since 1762, serving patrons from all walks of life. They were the ones to host the congratulatory dinner for George Washington on his victory in New York.
Restaurants that stay in the business have been able to keep the menu at the top of their game, but they also have to keep the right restaurant equipment in the house. For instance, if their Berkel meat slicer is acting up, a restaurant owes their customers the honor of getting it fixed. The same thing goes for their True upright freezer.
Keep it up! When a restaurant thrives, the whole community thrives, as much of the year-round clientele is based on the locals who frequent it.
