“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 »
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 »
Everyone knew that the pandemic would change people; the way they shop, eat, and live their lives, but we didn’t know how. Finally, all the opinion surveys and all the data collection are starting to give us enough information to plot a path forward. The people have spoken and what they said is “We want
Happy New Year: 2022 Restaurant Trends Read More »
Another new year is almost upon us. You’ve made it through the tough parts of the pandemic and you’re looking for a new business venture…one that’s challenging but fun…something you can show off and grow. Real estate has historically been a great place to park your money but it’s not much of a buyer’s market
Opening a Restaurant – Getting Started Read More »
So, you think you want to quit your job and open a restaurant…or become a rock star. Those are pretty natural instincts when you’re trying to figure out where your life is going if you’ve made a wrong turn. Possibilities for becoming a rock star are a little easier to contain as talent is somewhat
Opening a Restaurant – How Much Should You Pay for Your Rock-n-Roll Lifestyle? Read More »
I was dining at a popular Italian restaurant in a popular outdoor lifestyle shopping plaza at a popular time – Saturday night, 7:30pm. We had a reservation, but expectations for being seated on time were low because of COVID. Generally, everyone gets a hall pass so minor grievances like wait time or long ticket times
5 Recommendations for Restaurant Music Management Read More »
It’s that time of year! July…halfway through the year… the beginning of Q3. Somewhere in December most restaurateurs compile a list of things they want to accomplish for the year, vowing to use the “down time” after the holidays to regroup and get ready for Q2. Springtime is usually good to restaurants and this year
Half Year Resolutions Read More »
There has been a lot of chatter lately about the first few dozen states cutting short the pandemic unemployment benefit in an effort to get folks to return to work. In a May 2021 article from NBC News by Dartunorro Clark, the topic is polarizing with the right claiming that ending the program early will
The REAL Reason for The Great Restaurant Labor Shortage Read More »
M&A activity in large public chain concepts is well documented and thriving. In fact, Atlanta-based Roark Capital / Inspire Brands acquired their way to the 2nd largest restaurant company in the US. Indeed, M&A activity has grown at a 9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the past five years and “has topped more than
Mergers and Acquisitions are for Independent Restaurants Too Read More »
