“You’re Getting Scammed!” Joshua Weissman Reveals How Restaurants REALLY Make Money
Summary
Joshua Weisman discusses his journey from restaurant worker to successful YouTuber and the launch of his new fried chicken sandwich spot, Ben & Lin’s. He shares a memorable story about accidentally setting a pot on fire and offers insights into why restaurants fail, noting that location and food quality are both critical. Weisman also breaks down the economics of high-volume, low-ticket businesses like steakhouses and sushi spots, explaining how perceived value drives profitability.
Topics discussed
From overweight teen to chef: learning through repetition
How long it takes to become a decent home chef
Story: Forgetting a pot on the stove in a professional kitchen
Habit of microwaving food and eating while watching videos
Why so many restaurants fail: thin margins and high costs
Steakhouse economics: high ticket items and profit margins
Sushi and all-you-can-eat fish: quality and volume strategies
Opening a restaurant: the performance aspect and decision process
Personal financing for the new restaurant venture
Sponsor segment: iPhone case with kickstand and magnets
Drive-thru logistics and minimum wage impact on pricing
The importance of keeping chicken sandwiches crispy
Reinvesting profits to open more locations instead of taking cash
Restaurant ventilation rules and air scrubbers
Insurance risks and physical location hazards
Why restaurants fail: noise, consistency, and market saturation
Longevity of single-location vs. chain restaurants
Using celebrity status to get restaurant reservations
Experience at a 50-course, 7.5-hour dining event
Food waste tracking and management in restaurants
Health inspections: sanitation buckets and demarcations
Cost of a large omakase dinner for a group
Sponsor segment: Faire wholesale marketplace
Estimating the total cost of a wedding reception
Tipping culture: smog tests and mandatory tips
Mandatory tipping buttons and the confusion of service fees
Tipping YouTubers: a hypothetical graphic idea
Coffee shop tipping: high-value orders vs. service
Chipotle scoops: the feedback loop of tipping and portion size
Chipotle meat portion sizes: 4 ounces vs. 3 ounces
MSG: health correlations and scientific consensus
Wagyu beef: PR campaign, fat content, and special occasions
Free range vs. cage free: understanding chicken labels
Buying ingredients directly from the source
Restaurant hiring: open doors and maladaptive coping mechanisms
Kitchen accident: accidental knife injury during service
Difficult customer experiences: dietary restrictions and requests
Fact-checking customer claims about menu items
Inconsistency in iced latte preparation across shops
Why people have favorite restaurants and coffee shops
Best meal to impress a first date
Kitchen knives: quality vs. price and the need for one good knife
Publishing books: traditional publisher vs. self-publishing
The challenge of shooting 100+ recipes for a cookbook
The importance of testing recipes before publishing
YouTube evolution: from OG style to hyper-optimization
The pendulum swing in YouTube thumbnail styles
Long-term goals: financial freedom and creative control
Brand deals: negotiating long-form video sponsorships
Production costs: spending hundreds of thousands monthly
Investing in assets vs. spending on lifestyle
Selling Bitcoin: cost basis and tax implications
Tax strategies: offsetting gains with capital losses
Reinvesting real estate proceeds into tax-free muni bonds
529 plans and other financial services for families
Watch collection: the Rolex Milgauss as a first piece
Selling options to buy a watch: a bet against Graham
Sentimental value of a watch and future Rolex releases
Misconceptions about getting in shape and losing weight
Challenges of maintaining fitness while traveling and shooting
Rapid fire: shaving head and eyebrow jokes
Rapid fire: most overrated food and best country cuisine
Rapid fire: cooking tools and stainless steel pans
Rapid fire: sweetbreads, bubble gum, and foie gras
Outro and channel membership promotion
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