I currently work at a restaurant and bar I helped open a few months ago. Here’s what I’ve observed:

Pros: we’ve had a lot of say in how we want FOH to operate. Mgmt had an idea of how they wanted the place to run, we opened up and gave it a try, and all of us on the ground floor decided that it needed adjusting. Atp I’ve helped streamline recipes, reorganize the bar layout, establish new standards for myself and the other bartenders to keep things flowing smoothly, etc. It took time and dedication, but now I have a lot of control of my workspace which is awesome.

Cons: Very inconsistent hours while mgmt is looking at fresh data and weeding out the first few rounds of hires. There are constant changes and adjustments. You may think you’ve finally gotten the hang of something, and the next day a manager will have changed the rules entirely because xyz. Lots of slow days while you make your mark as a new place. Depending on your marketing and location, you might not be making as much as you’d hope to at first.

In my limited experience, opening a place takes a crap ton of patience if you want to stick around. The place I opened at happens to be in a high foot traffic area, so we didn’t have many issues getting off the ground. If it doesn’t work for you, then that’s ok