According to the owner of my favorite restaurant, here's the deal he got from RN:
He needed loans to start up. Banks, friends, relatives provided most of what he needed, but not all.
RN fronted him money in several increments, totaling about $100,000.
He could either:
- give RN 100% of the money received from RN customers, less a calculated amount for tip and tax, until he'd paid 135% of the "loaned" amount, or
- give RN 25% of the total money received from RN customers, until he'd paid 200% of the "loaned" amount.

He chose the first option, and now that he's paid RN off, he's out of the program.
Did he think it was a bad deal? Hardly. He figured all the "loan" cost him was the wholesale price of the non-perishable items served. And he gained new customers. If he needs fast cash in the future, RN is the first place he'll go.

So no, I don't feel guilty at all.

Update: the restaurant described above is back in the program. It's a successful, high-end place. So the owner must find the RN program useful, or he would not have re-upped.