Opening a New Restaurant: It's All About Location, Location, Location

Whenever I hear about a new restaurant opening up in my neighborhood, my first thought is not What's the menu going to be like? Instead, I anaylze the new restaurant's location. Is in town? Is there adequate parking? Will they get a lot of foot traffic? Is in a spot that ten other restaurants already failed? I do this because I owned two restaurants - one with an excellent location and one with a not-so-stellar location. And from that (sometimes painful) experience, I am a firm believer that location is key to a new restaurant's success. Don't get me wrong- you also need excellent food and customer service too.   Read more about the importance of a choosing a restaurant location.