Yes. While I haven't actually looked at financial statements for those businesses since they were way out of my budget, I'd get the occasional listing with numbers like that. Businesses like http://www.bizbuysell.com/Business-Opportunity/Sushi-Restaur... - nearly $700k in earnings in one year is not bad at all.

It's up for debate how much the owner actually makes and how much of the sales goes unreported to the BOE, IRS, etc., but it's within the realm of possibility.

Alternatively, absentee-own a franchise or series of stores for similar effect: http://www.bizbuysell.com/Business-Opportunity/4-Unit-Five-G...

> What makes your restaurant so succesful, isn't that industry plagued with 80% shutdown wiyhin 5 years?

I can believe the failure rate is that high for brand new restaurants, but that is why you buy already established businesses instead. I also don't think that number is too strange in the context of all brand new businesses. Think of how many startups fail. Imagine if there was a market for buying and selling "matured" startups - that's basically how small business sales work. (Hopefully) all the bad ones will have died out already, the ones the owners are trying to flip as fast as possible before they die are dead obvious, and you'll maybe be left over with a few sustainable businesses to choose from.

I think the only difference between running a restaurant and starting a startup is that there is no restaurant equivalent to winning the jackpot (read: selling your startup for mega bucks) and just keeping the business in the black is the norm (although, now that I think about it, I'm not sure how a lot of startups can even dream to accomplish that...).

As for what makes my restaurant successful? My takeover may have been this year, but it's sat at the same location for decades (older than I am, even) and we have big servings and tasty fries. :D