The market and the economy will not do your work for you this year. So you’ll just have to do it yourself. While guests are continuing to dine out less often, there’s good news to be found in the demographics most of my clients serve: When people go to restaurants, they want what they want. … Continued
Culture dictates behavior, but it also allows what I call “codifying ownership.” This means that, even in your absence, your restaurants feel like you want them to feel – so you’re able to open more units without killing what made the first ones special. Plus, you get a ton of personal freedom and flexibility. Learning … Continued
Last week I wrote to you about plans. This week let’s talk about changing them. When your nav system offers a better route, take it. You ought to be putting the most emphasis where you will yield the greatest return. Doing that means you may have to shift course when new priorities emerge, which can be hard for those … Continued
Maybe you already have multiple units and you’re embarking into multi-city. Or maybe, in addition to multi-city, you’re adding a second concept. Either way, if you want to sleep better, plan and organize and import knowledge from the best restaurant companies in America – and do that work in advance, not after you open all those restaurants. … Continued
So we’re at the end of Q1. Now what? 2024 didn’t start off with a bang; it started off with freakishly cold weather, kids missing days of school, and utility bills that made 2022’s inflation look tame. Unfortunately, restaurateurs are still talking about that. Relegate that to the past where it belongs. By now you … Continued
The oldest Gen Z diners are celebrating their 27th birthdays this year. If you haven’t started to understand their behavior or adapt to their dining needs, you’d better start now. Generation Z, our first generation of digital natives, will be going through high schools only a few more years before Generation Alpha arrives. This weekend, … Continued
Wow! Next week’s calendar says, “Texas Spring Break” already. That means the time for owners of successful independent restaurant companies to get out and enjoy the success they have earned is NOW – not when they retire or sell (if they ever do). Last month, I met a restaurateur who has five units and had … Continued
When guests think about your restaurants, do they end up feeling sleepy because your brand looks tired? Independent restaurant groups that lack the focus or wherewithal to update brands fall behind their competition. One of my clients told me, “Things changed so much in the last few years, we have simply not kept up.” It’s the … Continued
“Don’t bother to look over there; that’s all fine!” I’ve heard that from many clients who had brought me in to address specific issues. When I start roaming and nosing around their restaurants to find other opportunities to address, they try to shut me down – feeling I am wasting time and effort. That is, … Continued
The relationship between the first in command and the second in command is the most important relationship in your company. Leadership gives birth to breakthroughs. When I’ve worked with clients where that relationship was in shambles, guess what we did first? We corrected it; if we hadn’t, there would have been no path to success. … Continued