Welcome to the Surrender News/Blog.  Get the latest news, trends, tips and information to help you succeed and thrive in the workplace.

How To Cope And Succeed In This Wild Restaurant Real Estate Market

Everything starts with real estate – and I have never seen a restaurant real estate market like this: The days of landlords chasing you down to do deals are a distant memory, like telephoned restaurant reservations and hard-wired internet. Among my clients, the more established brands are finding it easier to attract landlord interest, leaving the less … Continued

10 Impactful Areas Restaurateurs Need to Focus on Now

Wow! It’s already that time of year again: with your kids either excited for or dreading going back to school. While kids and teachers face the results of their “summer brain drain,” now’s a good time to remember that learning happens outside of school, too. For restaurateurs, that means it’s time to pay attention to … Continued

What I Said at The Texas Restaurant Show About Retiring in Place

I am just back from another great Texas Restaurant Show where I spoke Saturday at the TRA/Morgan Stanley pre show Investment Boot Camp about 5 ways to finance restaurant company growth and on Sunday on the show floor Innovation Stage about the Silver Tsunami, unlocking opportunities with restaurant owners who want to sell or step back.  A lot … Continued

Meet Me This Weekend at the Texas Restaurant Show!

At the Texas Restaurant Show this weekend at the Henry B. Gonzalez convention center in San Antonio – on Sunday, July 14, I will be part of an all-star team talking about “Silver Tsunami: Unlocking Opportunities With Restaurant Owners Who Want to Sell of Step Back”. It takes place on the show floor’s Innovation Stage at 12:30 … Continued

How to Steal Valuable Lessons From That $6 Salad Place

I admit it: I’m fascinated by Salad and Go’s business. It’s a QSR with no dining rooms, a footprint as small as 750 square feet, core menu items in the $6-$7 range, and an AUV north of $1MM. In all, they’re about as different as possible from the restaurants I work with. Their idea of offering people … Continued

Ten Places To Look Now on the Road to 20% Profit

Every restaurateur I know wants to either make 20% profit at the unit level or, if they don’t, they want to know why their restaurants don’t make profit at that level. They have heard the overworked saying that restaurants operate on “razor-thin margins.” Of course, that saying refers to the industry as a whole, so … Continued

Is the Silver Tsunami the Exciting Time for Your Next Phase in Life?

What’s your plan as the “Silver Tsunami” hits? We can figure that out together when I speak at the Texas Restaurant Show on Sunday, July 14. What’s the “Silver Tsunami”? It’s the mass sell-off (or reimagining) of great companies that were started by baby boomers in the 70s, 80s, 90s and even the beginning of this century. These owners … Continued

Improve Your Restaurants and Your Life On Summer Vacation 2024

I have never heard any of my clients (or anyone I know) say, “I took too many vacations this year and my business really suffered.” What I have heard:  Your Summer Vacation Season 2024 This week marks the kickoff for summer vacation season, and, if my own block is an indicator, a lot of people … Continued