This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Michael Greene, 53, third-generation owner and operator of the 70-year-old Matthews Cafeteria in Tucker, Georgia. It has been edited for length and clarity.
My family has run Matthews Cafeteria for three generations. A fourth would be rare and special, but I don’t expect it.
I have four kids, ages 12, 10, 8, and 4. They’re all boys, and people often assume that at least one of them will take over one day, but I’m not going to push them into this business if they don’t want it.
I was one of four, and my parents didn’t pressure my siblings or me to run the family business. They gave us the chance to be anything we wanted. So when I think about my sons, I want them to have that same freedom.
I don’t expect they’ll want this type of work. I was the only one in my generation who wanted anything to do with the business, and it’s a tough job. It’s also extremely rewarding.
I didn’t enjoy the cafeteria when I was growing up
At age 12, my parents required me to start working in the cafeteria during the summer. I started out washing dishes. I only spent about three hours a day at the job, but it felt like 12.
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Meanwhile, my friends, who didn’t have jobs, were at the pool. So, the cafeteria was by no means my favorite place to be as a kid because it felt like I was missing out.
That said, I plan for each of my sons to work the same job I did as a kid. My eldest will start this summer.
I don’t expect him to like it, but it’s important to see what his Dad does, to see where the money comes from, and what it takes to make a dollar.
I eventually found my way back to the family business
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I can’t remember exactly when I decided to go into the family business. Looking back, I think it was my destiny to end up here because cooking is my passion.
As a kid, I would watch chefs like Nathalie Dupree and Julia Childs on TV and try to recreate what they made. When I went to college, I majored in communications, but never found it rewarding.
Nothing else turned me on the way cooking did. Cooking was my only passion back then, and I’m lucky to say it still is today. Sometimes, when you have to make a living out of what you love, it takes the fun out of it. I’m grateful that the bottom line hasn’t spoiled my joy.
I run the production side of things at Matthews, watching the food transform from raw products into what you see on your plate. That’ll never get old.
The work is harder than it looks, though. You’re on your feet all day — lifting, moving, cooking, solving problems. It’s not a desk job.
Up until recently, I was here at 5 a.m. to open and stayed until about 3:30 in the afternoon. Now we open at 6 a.m., and I don’t work quite as much as I used to because life is busy with four kids. I also have an incredible staff who, along with my wife, are really what keep this place running smoothly.
During COVID, my wife took on the business side — handling payroll, taxes, catering, everything — after our managers quit.
So, we really don’t get to turn off ever — there’s always something that needs to be done. That’s why I don’t take it lightly when people assume my kids will step into this business.
This business has given me a good life
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If one of my boys wants to do this and has a passion for it, then I’ll support that. But I don’t want them to have it as a crutch. Instead, I want them to study hard, get an education, and forge their own path.
This business has given me a good life. It’s supported my family and about 30 employees. It’s where I met my wife. We got engaged at the same table where I first laid eyes on her. It means a lot to me now in a way it didn’t when I was younger.
If one or more of my kids choose the same path, it will be because they want it — the same way I did.
