Greek Diners and Greeks! (New York, York: restaurant, shops, estimates)

[jcoltrane]

I know the question is about Asians and/or Triads, but the story is the same, replace Diners for fruit stands, dry cleanerw, and the like. Interesting nonetheless.

Estimates are that there are well over 1,000 coffee shops and diners operated by Greek immigrants in the New York metropolitan area alone, and countless others up and down the East Coast. On average they gross about $500,000 a year, say consultants in the field, although highly successful ones can gross significantly more.

Greek Diners, Where Anything Is Possible - New York Times

I grew up in a big, extended Greek "family" and I can distinctly recall the day I realized that some of my friends had parents who went into offices every day. I'd seen it on TV of course -- but didn't really know anyone whose parents did that!

These immigrants usually came to America with nothing -- nothing except an address of a relative or a friend of a relative who owned a diner or a pizza place where they could get a job as a dishwasher. After a few years of doing that, they would open their own diner or pizza place and achieve their American dream.

This American entrepreneurial dream, of course, cuts across many ethnic groups and is the lifeblood of our country. These are the "job creators." My close friend, Bernardine Wu, is Chinese (1st generation American) and she started the business I currently work for, FitForCommerce, an ecommerce consultancy. She tells me that many of her Chinese relatives and friends also own their own businesses.

Cynthia Kounaris: Greeks, Diners And American Entrepreneurs

The Kaffenion Connection - How the Greek Diner Evolved - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/16/ny...Rdinersnj.html

[jcoltrane]

Interesting video:

They came to work

Breakfast Lunch Dinner (The Greek Diner Story) - YouTube

[Kefir King]

All Greek restateurs are Mafisosi....their workers are all illegal immigrants.
"Soup or salad sir?"

[nightcrawler]

I am Greek and my father does not own a diner.


but I wish he did..................

[LOLjustLOL]

Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger, Coke no Pepsi...

[NJ Brazen_3133]

What does greek diners have to do with triads?

[jcoltrane]

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

What does greek diners have to do with triads?

The post is an outgrowth of this thread:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-y...ll-triads.html

I neglected to edit out the first lines.

[bigjake54]

Originally Posted by LOLjustLOL

Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger, No Coke, Pepsi...

John & Jim Belushis are Albanian. Their father did own a restaurant, though!