Pop-up restaurants - a new twist

[PoppySeedBagel]

I am a tax consultant and am part of a forum that asks opinions of other tax professionals. One recent post caught my eye:

My client has set up a one-off high-class Pop-up restaurant in an old shop. It will operate for a month. He is expecting to make a fortune, as he does not have to comply with health and safety rules nor with employment law, and business rates are not payable...[tax question]

Forget the tax aspects - the hygiene issues are rather worrying, no?

[Harters]

I see this as no different to any other business operating "in the shadows". There is a legal obligation for the business to comply with statutory provisions about health & safety and employment. However, the nature of the beast is that it is likely to have set up, operated and be long gone before it came on the radar of any enforcement authority.

I despise the owners of clothing sweatshops which operate in my part of the world for the way in which they exploit their employees and it looks like I'm going to have add the operators of pop-up restaurants to my hate list now.

[sunbeam]

I'm not so concerned about the H&S aspect. I've never got food poisoning from friends or inflicted it on others. I assume any pop up person will have enough sense to wash his hands etc and not rub cooked meat with raw chicken. I've only ever got food poisoning in restaurants.

I do think the tax thing is relevant. Most of these pop ups are done by middle class people with day jobs. Pocketing a load of tax free cash is just greedy.

[Doodad]

Please enlighten us Yanks on what you mean by pop up restaurant.

[adey73]

Why does the owner not think he'll have to comply with the rules; as he'll be only be operating for a short time and will operate BYO booze policy?

[Lisa Shock]

I am a tax consultant and am part of a forum that asks opinions of other tax professionals. One recent post caught my eye:

My client has set up a one-off high-class Pop-up restaurant in an old shop. It will operate for a month. He is expecting to make a fortune, as he does not have to comply with health and safety rules nor with employment law, and business rates are not payable...[tax question]

Forget the tax aspects - the hygiene issues are rather worrying, no?

I don't see how ignoring sanitation guidelines will save money, barring maybe a few dollars on side towels and bleach, sani buckets, thermometers and mops -maybe saving a whopping hundred bucks total? Is there refrigeration? You can get used fridges and freezers pretty cheaply. Other than that, I can't think of much that would cost a lot.

Also, people, please don't give up on all pop-up restaurants! I'm running one sporadically in a cafe during their off hours. The place has consistent gold stars from the health department, and employees are paid through their payroll as part of the 'rent' deal I have with the owner. (Next event is Brunch, December 25, in North Phoenix. See my sig for details.) I am ServSafe certified, have a manager-level food handler card, and, more importantly, I follow current sanitation procedures.

[Harters]

Lisa - good to hear you're running a reputable business there.

The issue here is that the OP indicates that the operator of this particular pop-up intends to deliberately flout the usual health regulations and employment legislation that applies to the industry. And s/he fully expects to get away with it as, with only being in business for a month, will be long gone before the agencies have a chance of catching up with her/him. Let us hope that no employee suffers injury because of this criminal activity.

[Lisa Shock]

If anyone he serves becomes ill, he could be in for some serious repercussions...

[ermintrude]

"Please enlighten us Yanks on what you mean by pop up restaurant. "

It's a restaurant that just pops up, stays around for anything from a day to a few month then is gone. This ranges from an individual or group of amaturs doing it to famous chefs "Pierre Koffman" had one on the roof of selfridges several years ago, before he opened "Koffmans". They can be in someones home, an empty building a tent etc. Some are well publicised (generally fully legal) others are word of mouth only. They are an interesting addition.