Kitchens are the engines that drive restaurants. They are wonderlands of food production capacity and capability. But, above all else, they are the factories in which raw materials are converted into products for retail sale. When you look at a kitchen as a production facility, you can easily imagine the need for it to run […]
How to Run a Kitchen – 11 Critical Systems Read More »
One of the biggest problems we find when we’re trying to help struggling restaurants is that they can’t really “see” their business. Their managers work hard, often 70 to 80 hours per week. They enact policies to cut staff when its slow or they endlessly pursue cheaper ingredients and/or portion control, but efficiency often proves
Restaurant Fiscal Calendars – The Silver Bullet Read More »
There are a lot of restaurant consulting companies out there and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some are good, some are not so good. Some solve your problems; some leave you with more problems. In the search for the consulting company that is right for you, look first at the company culture to
It’s Our Company Culture That Makes Us the Right Choice Read More »
“The restaurant kept running out of food.” “The manager gave us free mimosas for seating us 45 minutes after our reservation, but they never made it to our table.” “It took 25 minutes for a server to greet our table.” “Apparently water and iced tea refills are forbidden on Mother’s Day.” These are all lines
Mother’s Day: The One Day Restaurateurs Cannot Afford to Mess Up Read More »
When creating a restaurant concept, the stage I look most forward to is design. We’re not designers but instead we get to work with different designers across the country – usually chosen by the client. Each designer has their own collection of superpowers, non-negotiables, and pet peeves. During design phases (kitchen, architecture, and design) our
Restaurant Lighting – 13 Philosophies Read More »
When you think of ambience in a restaurant, or anywhere for that matter, you often consider things like music, lighting, temperature, smells, materials, and acoustics. Those are certainly components of great ambience (which, by the way, I learned can be spelled ambience or ambiance). But in our series discussing a restaurants “LAMA” (lights, atmosphere, music,
6 Pillars of Restaurant Ambience Management Read More »
“Check Your LAMA!” was something a colleague drilled into my head many years ago. He had worked for Maggiano’s, and it was/is a reference to the four pillars of guest comfort. It’s an acronym for Lights, Atmosphere, Music, and Ambience. I’ve always found it very easy for restaurant employees to become desensitized to these things
Getting Guest Comfort Right Read More »
The tea leaves have settled and it’s time to read them: The Pandemic has provided a Petri dish in which to test third party delivery services like Grubhub, DoorDash, and Post Mates… and the verdict is in. According to Fortune Magazine, most (71%) of consumers prefer to order and pickup their takeout food from the
Where to Invest Your Money in Restaurants – Post-COVID Read More »
So far, 2022 feels like quicksand. Stocks are frowning, my crypto wallets are shrinking into a pile of worthless electronic blips, mask mandates are back, restaurants are asking for government assistance, and Russia seems poised to invade Ukraine. Last year at this time we felt like we were blasting out of the Death Star after
Optimism is Worth the Effort Read More »
The two sides of our consulting business: launching new concepts and fixing/improving existing concepts. These have given us a unique perspective on what makes restaurants successful …or not. It’s widely known, or at least surmised, that the restaurant business is risky…too risky for most. What makes them so? Is it cost of goods? Not really.
Why Restaurants Should Outsource Management Read More »
