American billionaire and PayPal founder Peter Thiel once famously described restaurants as the worst businesses to invest in, citing cutthroat competition, slow growth, and low wages as key reasons. According to Thiel, these factors make the restaurant industry an unattractive investment. However, for one Indian immigrant in the United States, opening a restaurant proved to be a life-changing decision, turning him into a millionaire.
The story of this Gujarati immigrant was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by a user named Sunil, who detailed the journey of his friend who moved to the United States, opened a Gujarati restaurant, and now enjoys a comfortable life. Sunil, reflecting on his own academic achievements, humorously compared himself—an engineer with a master’s degree and a penchant for listening to podcasts—to his friend who had only studied up to the 10th grade but had managed to achieve remarkable entrepreneurial success.
Advantage of being a Gujarati:
Met a Patel friend who runs a restaurant in New Jersey.
He was in his late 40s and 10th pass. I am engineer with masters degree who listens to podcasts. 😂
I told him that Peter Thiel said that worst business one can do is open a restaurant.…
— Sunil (@sunilavaria) August 18, 2024
Sunil recounted a conversation with his friend, during which he mentioned Peter Thiel’s view on the restaurant business. His friend, however, was unfamiliar with Thiel and remained unfazed by the billionaire’s negative assessment. Instead, he explained how opening a restaurant was, for him, a surefire way to become a millionaire.
The Gujarati entrepreneur revealed that his restaurant’s success hinges on his loyal customer base, consisting of at least 50 families who regularly dine at his establishment. Contrary to Thiel’s assertion that restaurant customers are unpredictable, he explained that minor mistakes, such as serving food low on salt, do not deter his customers. They simply request adjustments and continue to patronize his restaurant.
Location, the restaurant owner emphasized, plays a crucial role in the success of his business. His restaurant is strategically located on the route to the Swaminarayan Temple in Robinsville, New Jersey—a popular destination for Gujaratis from New York and Pennsylvania. Tourists often stop at his restaurant for a meal, with each bus bringing in 50 to 75 customers.
The restaurant owner’s daily routine is straightforward: he wakes up each morning to prepare traditional Gujarati dishes such as dal, chawal, roti, sabzi, and dhokla. Over a decade, this simple formula has transformed him into a millionaire. Sunil concluded his post by highlighting that his friend’s success was not built on formal education or business theories, but rather on common sense, intuition, and the willingness to take calculated risks.
Sunil’s story has resonated with many on social media, garnering over 300,000 views on X. The post has sparked discussions about the value of education versus practical experience. One user, Ram Joshi, commented, “Most educated people are trapped in analysis paralysis—waiting for the perfect start. If we can just focus on the basics and continue working towards it, success will follow.”
Another user shared a similar experience, describing how a friend, after losing his job as a software developer, went on to build successful businesses such as small stores and public laundromats, ultimately earning more than he did in his previous job.
