Practical guides for independent restaurant owners. No fluff.
Most first-time restaurant owners either pay themselves too much too early, or nothing at all for way too long. Here's how to think about owner compensation without sinking your business.
One bad Yelp or Google review can cost you more than a slow week. Here's exactly how to respond - and what never to say - so you come out looking better than before it happened.
Your P&L shows a profit. Your bank account says otherwise. This is one of the most common and most confusing situations in the restaurant business. Here's what's actually happening.
Most restaurant schedules are built on gut feel and guilt. Here's a system for scheduling based on actual sales data so you stop over-staffing slow nights and burning out your best people.
Prime cost is the single most important number in your restaurant. Most owners have never heard of it. Here's what it is, how to calculate it, and what to do when it's too high.
Menu engineering is about understanding which dishes make you the most money - not the most revenue - and designing your menu so guests naturally order them.
A restaurant lease is the most consequential financial decision you'll make. Most first-time operators sign them without understanding what they're agreeing to. Here's what to look for.
Your accountant sends you a P&L every month. Most independent operators glance at the bottom line and file it. Here's what you're actually supposed to look at.
Labor is your biggest controllable cost and also the easiest to ignore because it's uncomfortable. Here's how to actually track it before it bleeds you dry.
Most restaurant owners eyeball portion sizes and hope for the best. Here's the actual math - and why a single uncosted dish can wipe out a week of profit.