Here in Texas, a lot of people ask me why Café Express – which you can argue invented fast casual in 1984 – only operates four units when it used to be 15 or more and had aspirations of 100. It’s simple: They didn’t keep up, either on culinary, branding, atmosphere, or service. On the … Continued
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