By now, we’ve all shared the February New York Times article “Restaurants to Customers: Don’t Call Us, We Won’t Call You.” It’s about a growing trend in restaurants – of communicating only by email or text, not phone. In the article, one restaurant owner complains that, to … Continued

What is one thing in your organization that, when improved, would be a breakthrough for your guests, employees, brand, and net worth? Look in the mirror – it’s you. Since you’re always quick to improve other things in your business, how long are you willing … Continued

I talk to so many restaurateurs who have a restaurant detail voice in their head and stress about how their managers handle many issues.  Instead of thinking about how to create and grow, they reside in someone else’s details. I remember an image, an old … Continued

The pandemic changed what people tolerate. Today, after all they’ve lived through; owners of successful independent multi-unit restaurant companies have less tolerance for organizational blind spots. They’re not content to just let initiatives be like conversations that go on year after year with no tangible … Continued

Non-cash adjustment moves the credit card processing cost away from your P&L and onto your guests’ credit or debit card – in small increments they do not mind.   Plastic-wielding guests will see this cost itemized on the guest check, or will see a reduced price … Continued

Last week, for the first time in two years, I went to a concert – me and 10,000 of my closest friends. Until the pandemic, that’s something I had been regularly doing my whole life.  At first, it felt otherworldly and weird.   And I … Continued

Sure, listen to your family and friends, employees, and co-owners – they love to speak up. Direct, honest communication and encouragement inspires all of us, especially when it comes from people who have nothing but our best interests truly at heart. But nothing equals advice … Continued

Recently I went to a KFC drive-through. If you know me well, before you fall out of your chair wondering why, know that I wanted to try their new plant-based product. I was curious about it since I’ve been watching that trend and had seen … Continued

Today, we have to live with a lot of odd pairings – such as guidelines we need to follow that might (at first) seem contradictory. An example? The need to be flexible and tolerant with our people (so they stick with us like lifelong fans … Continued

Last week I spoke to an Operations Director who had beefed up their management roster and had “one on the bench.” A heroic accomplishment in the current labor market! They also lamented that young managers too often have an attitude of, “I am doing you … Continued

Welcome to an inflationary time, where cash on hand not put to work becomes a depreciating asset. Back when the pandemic started, my first and most important question to all the operators I helped was: What is cash? At that horrible and scary time, instant … Continued

Looking into 2022, the greatest thing top restaurant companies have going for them is that – after experiencing all those previously unimaginable things over the past two years – they have now figured out their strengths, identity, branding, and plans. The future now looks much … Continued

Our strength was tested in 2021. Good news: We passed.  One of the best coping mechanisms remains laughter.   Above find my two favorite iconic pictures from 2021: The restaurant I drove by that put a hot-air balloon on the roof to attract talent, and … Continued

My clients’ activity over the next two weeks varies from taking time off with friends and family at home (or traveling), to going to a mostly empty office for some time to think – to spending mealtimes at their restaurants to greet and appreciate guests … Continued

If you missed the workshop I conducted last week, “Beat the Labor Shortage – How to Attract and Retain Talent Without Breaking the Bank,” I’m sharing six key takeaways discovered by the diverse group of owners, operators, educators, and corporate team members who collaborated with … Continued

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 … 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 … 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 … 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 … 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 … 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 … 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 … 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, … Continued

At Texas Restaurant Association Marketplace in three weeks – 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, … Continued

I recently talked to a restaurateur who had just taken his first plane trip in 15 months – and he told me incredulously that it felt “almost like normal.” I’m taking my first one in a few weeks. Last year, the year of oddness and … Continued

One of my peers in my international consulting community sent me the results of a small business owner poll taken by Alignable, the small business referral network, about reasons for the hiring shortage. It was interesting…and predictable, with unemployment presented as the #1 reason and stimulus … Continued

Said no one ever: “Honey, I feel hungry. What corporation do you want to dine at tonight?” One of the myriad changes forced on your multi-unit restaurant company during the crisis phase of the pandemic? Spending your corporate office budget much more wisely. No sacred … Continued

In Texas, from time to time, a bumper sticker appears that says, “Lord, grant me one more oil boom and I promise not to screw it up.” Welcome to our oil boom. Last week I dined with a group of experienced restaurateurs who I noticed … Continued

Attention procrastinators! There is still time to register for the webinar “Let’s Eat – How Restaurants Should Respond as Nighttime Diners Return.” This event takes place at 4 PM CDT today. Register free here.  You will hear success stories about my clients and the plans … Continued

The latest release in horror movies our industry is part of – our three-pronged labor shortage disaster. When I speak with operators, our first words are usually the zeitgeist pleasantries about Pfizer, Moderna, or J&J, and our next words are always about staffing our restaurants. … Continued

The latest release in horror movies our industry is part of – our three-pronged labor shortage disaster. When I speak with operators, our first words are usually the zeitgeist pleasantries about Pfizer, Moderna, or J&J, and our next words are always about staffing our restaurants. … Continued

The not-so-secret formula to exceeding your 2019 revenue by double digits? Getting to see friendly faces again. With capacity restrictions on your dining room removed as if by magic, you’ll see lots of customers you recognize from a long time ago.   Now that they’re … Continued

With Texas allowing 100% capacity, the honeymoon with our guests is on.   But honeymoons don’t last forever. And what about this crisis? It won’t really be over until the case load is low, we understand new post-COVID guest behavior, when the unready or hesitant … Continued

You live your restaurant brand – treating it as your precious, much-loved baby.  To you, every tiny change and improvement you make to your restaurant is obvious, just like parents notice their kids changing every few days when they are young. Unfortunately, what is great … Continued