At the end of last year, I was talking with two restaurateurs who had experienced the pleaasure of IRS audits. These folks are very sharp operators with highly organized companies. They exemplify the kind of success derived from refined numbers that are drilled down into improved operations. The audit results were shocking. Though they thought … Continued
This e-newsletter tends to go to successful people: people who remember what it was like to be a manager for the first time. There is a good chance that you were never more focused on management practices and making a difference than you were the first time you were given responsibility. When people begin their … Continued
The keys to building revenue in every business are understanding the lifetime value of a customer and learning how to turn occasional users into habitual ones. So I was glad to contribute to a discussion of that kind of success for the cover story in the current issue of Restaurantville Monthly, Eat/Pay/Love – Creating Customer … Continued
Last week, I had the opportunity to dine at Café Des Artistes in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the flagship of Chef Thierry Blouet’s empire. I didn’t realize it would also be an opportunity to witness exemplary teamwork. Chef Blouet’s award-winning restaurant offers a spirited competition for high standards between food and atmosphere, with service not far … Continued
Recently, I talked with the Dallas Business Journal‘s staff writer Steven R. Thompson for his article “Small Lucia eatery finds a big following.” Lucia has some of the hardest tables to get in Dallas and he wanted to know more about that phenomenon. In the article, Jennifer Uygur, who co-owns the restaurant with her husband, … Continued
How to Keep Marginal Employees From Going Bad – View Source Article (PDF Format) Restaurant Startup & Growth – November 2010 by Matthew Mabel The true test of a great manager is the number of employees they have turned around, not the terminations. You can fire all the people you want, but you are not … Continued
On my way to meet a new client and tour their operation, I have landed at more than one tiny airport where the terrain resembled a third-world country. My first thought is usually, “What have I gotten myself into now?” Secondary and tertiary markets offer an opportunity to let a brand shine without massive competitive … Continued
The idea of building a business through great customer service is not selective. It does not discriminate, devalue customers’ opinion or take away their options. The dining survey and commentary organization, Zagat, now owned by your friends at Google, recently published “The 10 Most Controversial Restaurant Policies.” “No substitutions” was one of them. Split charges … Continued
I recently read a great article in The New Yorker about declinism, the idea that things are getting worse and are about to get even more so and we are all going down the drain. It pointed out that the ability for this pattern of thinking to continue is completely dependent on the last person … Continued
You may have seen Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop in Vegas. Now, it’s coming to North Texas. The Dallas Business Journal recently wrote about their entry into the market. Staff Writer Steven Thompson asked me about its prospects. The sandwich restaurant segment is becoming focused on menu development, which gives a quality sandwich provider a good shot … Continued