During the empty-dining-room days of the pandemic, many owners of successful multi-unit restaurant companies got in the habit of dealing only with the new things directly in front of them. Those who fall into that trap now, though, are missing out on the fundamentals that make a restaurant business excel. I recently pointed out that training falls … Continued
Many of my clients operate more than one brand. These operators of multi-unit, multi-concept organizations have challenges that never even show up on the radar for single-concept operators. Still, few yearn for a simpler life. That’s just how the personalities of these owners work. These multi-concept companies evolve with a high level of creativity and … Continued
Car dealers don’t have cars to sell; we’re waiting until October for the furniture and equipment we ordered back in April. And your trainers can’t find time to train. Welcome to 2021. Training and education are one of the many unanticipated down-line issues associated with the current labor shortage. It’s making it a lot harder … Continued
What did you do over the summer to take time away from your business and enjoy your success? Do you want to be able to do more of that? If so, how can you set up your company in a way to let you do that? Those three simple questions may not be on your … Continued
Any conscious operator who wants to ace the everyday test of business knows the answers to these two questions: What about your competitors makes you admire them – and makes you work harder to improve? What makes your own business stand out from your competitive set? Most owners of successful independent restaurant companies will tell … Continued
My clients in Louisiana have a before-and-after story that’s part of their constant inner dialogue: “before Hurricane Katrina (or Rita or Ike) and after it.” But never before has there been such a nationwide, clear-cut break/delineation/before-and-after line in our industry. Now we have “before the lockdowns and after the lockdowns” – before COVID-19 and after/learning … Continued
When Winston Churchill advocated the formation of the United Nations and the alliance between himself, Stalin, and Roosevelt, he coined “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” A year ago I told you the other side of the restaurant crisis portion of the pandemic would be a huge opportunity for restaurateurs who prepared. … Continued
Your vaccinated guests feel safe, and your unvaccinated guests feel bulletproof. Sales remain strong, and top operators prepare for that to continue, as well as for an uptick in to-go, delivery, and curbside. I sat in one of my clients’ restaurants the other day, looking at the beautiful partitions between the booths with their tastefully … Continued
In my Restaurant Owners Success Club last week, we spoke about how, last year, retention simply meant, “I hope I don’t lose my business.” This year it means keeping employees. One of my clients told me, “Being an owner of an independent restaurant company looks like riding a see-saw.” One month you feel down on … Continued
At Texas Restaurant Association Marketplace this weekend – on Sunday, July 11, I will present a rapid-fire brainstorming education session: “I’m Still Standing. The Pandemic Kicked My Restaurant’s Ass.” I will be on the show floor’s Big Bend Ideas Stage at 10:30 AM on Sunday, July 11, with a great group who are coming together to share … Continued