Most your pro's/con's are minuscule to start-up.
cash - expenses are low for all start-ups except indy. Playing independent from the market isn't a good thing, especially when it's the start that tells you what techs will be worth teching later.
indy - early landgrabs? I only play 1a, and I assume everyone should be in a clan, so no one to grab this early.
food - i run out of food all the time at start-up. Doesn't bother me one bit. Although I do use farms for cash for military and building.

I'm only concerned with getting the land and CS, and then the cash to build with it.