One of the biggest problems we find when we’re trying to help struggling restaurants is that they can’t really “see” their business. Their managers work hard, often 70 to 80 hours per week. They enact policies to cut staff when its slow or they endlessly pursue cheaper ingredients and/or portion control, but efficiency often proves …
Every day, local and national news agencies report on the state of the labor market. Governments anchor their discussion on unemployment rate, citing moving average trends or comparing today to a year ago. Business owners lament generational work ethic variances. Progressives blame a lack of career advancement opportunities while Conservatives blame liberal child rearing strategies …
Restaurant Gig Labor – A Solution to the Great Resignation Read More »
If you own a restaurant, now is not the time to “just survive” and hope things get better. Rising costs of ingredients, product shortages, added transportation charges, smaller labor pools, less qualified candidates, and higher wages are all working against you. Holding out for things to course correct on their own may be a long …
There are a lot of restaurant consulting companies out there and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some are good, some are not so good. Some solve your problems; some leave you with more problems. In the search for the consulting company that is right for you, look first at the company culture to …
It’s Our Company Culture That Makes Us the Right Choice Read More »
“The restaurant kept running out of food.” “The manager gave us free mimosas for seating us 45 minutes after our reservation, but they never made it to our table.” “It took 25 minutes for a server to greet our table.” “Apparently water and iced tea refills are forbidden on Mother’s Day.” These are all lines …
Mother’s Day: The One Day Restaurateurs Cannot Afford to Mess Up Read More »
So far, 2022 feels like quicksand. Stocks are frowning, my crypto wallets are shrinking into a pile of worthless electronic blips, mask mandates are back, restaurants are asking for government assistance, and Russia seems poised to invade Ukraine. Last year at this time we felt like we were blasting out of the Death Star after …
Ray Camillo – Founder & CEO, Blue Orbit Restaurant Consulting The two sides of our consulting business: launching new concepts and fixing/improving existing concepts. These have given us a unique perspective on what makes restaurants successful …or not. It’s widely known, or at least surmised, that the restaurant business is risky…too risky for most. What …
Ray Camillo – Founder & CEO, Blue Orbit Restaurant Consulting So, you think you want to quit your job and open a restaurant…or become a rock star. Those are pretty natural instincts when you’re trying to figure out where your life is going if you’ve made a wrong turn. Possibilities for becoming a rock star …
Opening a Restaurant – How Much Should You Pay for Your Rock-n-Roll Lifestyle? Read More »
Ray Camillo – Founder & CEO, Blue Orbit Restaurant Consulting I was dining at a popular Italian restaurant in a popular outdoor lifestyle shopping plaza at a popular time – Saturday night, 7:30pm. We had a reservation, but expectations for being seated on time were low because of COVID. Generally, everyone gets a hall pass …
5 Recommendations for Restaurant Music Management Read More »
Ray Camillo – Founder & CEO, Blue Orbit Restaurant Consulting M&A activity in large public chain concepts is well documented and thriving. In fact, Atlanta-based Roark Capital / Inspire Brands acquired their way to the 2nd largest restaurant company in the US. Indeed, M&A activity has grown at a 9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) …
Mergers and Acquisitions are for Independent Restaurants Too Read More »