Blog

Welcome to the Surrender News/Blog.  Get the latest news, trends, tips and information to help you succeed and thrive in the workplace. For older blogs click the Archives or a Category.

  • How Top Operators Follow Through to Increase Results
    Some people turn out to be better at starting projects than finishing them. I see it all the time both as a student of personality types and advisor of restaurant companies. Initiatives begin and then get sidetracked when another shiny object – or simply the siren song of day-to-day restaurant operations – sucks the attention … Continued
  • How to Clarify the Best Way Forward for Your Restaurants
    Turns out that guiding a restaurant company today is different and more complicated than at any time I can remember. Today, simply following industry-wide practices won’t move a company to the next level; instead, your approach is connected to the level of success you currently create.   Last year I wrote to you about the three categories … Continued
  • The Key to Fantastic Growth?  Knowing What You Don’t Know
    Success and growth makes a first-time multi-unit owner seem like a first timer forever – even after decades of operations. This happens when the owner spends their life building a company and has no ownership experience with other brands or organizations to fall back on. I collaborate with many extremely admired companies. These are businesses with sales … Continued
  • How to Actually Increase Guest Count and Lead the Industry
    Everybody in the restaurant business wants to master the art of increasing guest count. Here’s how to do it. In today’s market, the difference between a flatlined guest count and a guest count (as well as revenue and profit) that’s significantly higher is the domino effect of a ton of little pieces. With guests more … Continued
  • Six Beautiful Improvements Can Happen When You Take a Break
    It’s Spring Break time in Texas now. I trust you have great vacation plans! If you’ve already left, congratulations! Enjoy a wonderful week off, and I’m glad you’re taking good care of yourself. But if you don’t have plans, I would like to know why. Unless you have a fantastically good reason for working, like … Continued
  • Remembering Ed Murph, America’s Only Cafetuer
    Ed Murph, of Norma’s Café fame, led an exemplary life. One of those “you’ll never forget him” people, Ed always had an incredible funny, and memorable story to tell.  My friend and client passed away on February 23. I miss him already.   Ed Murph’s Career Story You may know Ed Murph for his success in our … Continued
  • Why Avoiding Risk Isn’t Actually a Great Strategy
    So, you’ve been riding the wave of today’s challenging market – and you feel pride that yours isn’t one of the restaurants near you that has recently succumbed to tragedy. Your sales have continued to increase one or two percent a year – a little less than your menu price increases. So you experience stability, … Continued
  • Increase Guest Count Now by Doing These Five Things
    Believe it or not in this flat market, some operators are still enjoying 6-8% comp sales. How? By figuring out how to increase guest count. You can do the same if you’re hyper-committed to doing whatever it takes to get more people to swing the door (or open their app) and have great experiences with your … Continued
  • How To Wake Up Your Brand and Increase Guest Count
    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
  • The Best Ways Restaurants Activate and Retain Excellent Management
    I can’t make it through a single day without someone talking to me about how much they need to hire or develop more talented managers.  On many days it’s multiple someones. One nice part of our business right now that can help? Clarity. We know what people want in order to stick around and work … Continued
  • Why You Miss the Biggest Hidden Opportunities in Your Restaurants
    “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
  • Only 3 Worthwhile Places to Look When Developing a Healthy Restaurant Business
    Do your guests smile, feel happy, enjoy their meals, and tell their friends about that? Do your financial statements appear predictable and healthy – making you proud? Does your culture deeply permeate your restaurants every unit, every shift, every table, every time? Do your people demonstrably improve – doing things today that they couldn’t do … Continued