redrhodie, that's exactly why I'm trying to be pragmatic. I've heard all sorts of nightmare stories about the restaurant biz and I'm very concerned about what my options would be if I bought the place and it flopped. But, on the other hand, there are places that do become sucessful and established (albeit with a ton of blood, sweat & tears). So I'm taking as much time as I can to explore this before I make any commitment. There's also every chance that it'll end up sold before I make a decision, in which case I'll be sure to let the new owners know what my expectations are as a regular customer