Although the din of Auld Lang Syne has faded, we can still hear ZuZu saying, “Teacher says, every time a bell rings another restaurant closes” … something like that. As we have recently learned (and continue to see), pandemics are hell on restaurants. When a business sells a product that depends on social gathering through […]
So, You Think You Know How to Run a Restaurant? Read More »
By January 2020 the restaurant business was getting crowded and hyper-competitive. Since about 2009, on the heels of the worst recession in most people’s memory, restaurants around the country struggled and failed. Panera Bread, Chili’s, Cheesecake Factory, Seasons 52, and Red Lobster were suspiciously still standing while higher quality mom-n-pop concepts were crushed to dust by the downturn. The sub-prime mortgage business disgusted the public.
Can You Afford Consulting? Read More »
We’ve put together an all-American Memorial Day dinner for the whole family. Follow these directions and you’ll be surrounded by happy faces and full bellies!
Memorial Day Recipes Read More »
The holiday hubbub is settling down as Part-Time workers head back to school and holiday parties are in the rearview. Hopefully, your restaurant has fared well and all of your planning to deliver record-setting performance has paid off. But now what? Quarter 1 is notoriously abysmal and there is often a bit of a hangover
Restaurant Resolutions in 2020 Read More »
A few weeks ago, my wife and I ate San Francisco. A recurring line item on our checks was “EE Benefits Surcharge” or “SF Mandates” charge. My first reaction was, “hey… why do I have to pay for employee benefits…isn’t that the restaurant’s problem?” It got me thinking about the whole idea of cherry-picking line
Restaurant Surcharges – Health Insurance vs. Tips Read More »
A couple of decades ago, to open a healthy-option restaurant was suicide. Menus were often free of fat and full of lettuces, grains and juices. They came off as hippy food… Moosewood in Ithaca, NY or Greens and Knead Your Bread in San Francisco. Sugar and bread were still “ok” if not staples on those
Healthy Menus Are Here To Stay Read More »
There are two philosophies about growing a restaurant beyond the first unit: To create something special, get good at it, then try to do it again To create a model from the beginning that is built to grow Both have their merits and flaws. By creating something with love and that makes the owner happy,
How Successful Restaurants Can Grow to Multiple Locations Read More »
Operating a restaurant is not for the faint of heart. There are always 1000 things to do at the same time, and you can never take your eye off the ball. Still, there is hope! It can be a fun and very rewarding business to be in if you find the right tools and learn
5 Tools Everyone in the Restaurant Industry Should Be Using Read More »
First let’s face the facts. We all search the internet to check out the restaurant scene anytime we visit a new city, or we are looking for a place for a celebration or we just want to try something new. Put the question in your search engine and the first things that pop up are Yelp
How Yelp and Other Review Sites Can Make or Break Your Restaurant Business Read More »
Let me begin by saying that staffing for the holidays is a year-round process. Granting requested days off throughout the year and keeping your staff balanced between full and part time employees sets you up for a more flexible staff during the holidays. However, there are some additional things you can do to make sure
How to Properly Staff Your Restaurant for the Holidays Read More »
