Restaurant Rockstars Podcast

Nothing you do today is more important! This episode may be the last Hail Mary you receive from the government due to Covid 19. In case you haven’t heard, your restaurant can claim lots of money without paying it back. This is money you’ve already paid in payroll taxes, and the IRS will pay it back to you. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Mike Schaeffer of Whi...

When I owned multiple concepts, I was obsessed with my Restaurant Profit. Now I work with other operators....and I am obsessed with their restaurant profit! With rising costs beyond your control, there is nothing as important as having a feel for your restaurant’s critical numbers, your restaurant profit or where you might be losing money. Listen as I tell you: - The difference between running a r...

To stay ahead of your competition and succeed during this restaurant labor crisis, you must keep both your staff and guests happy. Times have changed and the way we manage our team has changed. Today, it’s more essential than ever to create a company culture that’s inspiring, inclusive, and rewarding. Achieve staff loyalty and guest loyalty and positive online reviews will follow. In this episode...

Here’s a Fact… You can’t have too many Profit Centers in your operation! Most operators think they sell food & drinks. Instead, we should be selling experiences both inside and outside our restaurant. One of the biggest needle movers to increased sales and profit is restaurant catering. You already have satisfied guests that love your food. Where these customers work and recreate is an opportunity...

No one could have anticipated the business risk that was the Covid pandemic. As a restaurant owner at the time, my first thought was that it would be a temporary inconvenience! Never did I expect we would be forced to shut down, remove all our dining seats to become a market, and then pivot at least 3 more times. I also thought our restaurant insurance had the business protected. The point is, bus...

For all the love we put into our business and the joy we provide our guests, unfortunately, one of the downsides is food waste. This bothered me when I owned restaurants, and with the widespread hunger in our country, it still does. Imagine if every restaurant, yours included could be part of the solution and not the problem! In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with J...

Everyone in hospitality has been hit hard by the labor crisis. It continues to affect morale, our guest experience, open days and hours and online reviews. There are solutions and we need them now! In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars podcast, I am speaking with Chef and Partner Jamie Lynch of The 5th Street Group, a dynamic series of restaurants in Charlotte, Charleston and Nashville. The...

You’ve got a thousand details on your plate and more important things to do than worry about your Accounts Payable. Yeah, I know it’s gotta be done, but it doesn’t have to be so complicated! Imagine a world in that your accounts payable is completely automated and you no longer must take the invoice, pay it, enter it into your accounts payable system and then throw it into your already overflowing...

In this business, you can either run a restaurant or create a powerful Brand! There is a big difference between the two. The image your team & restaurant project to your guests determines guest satisfaction, repeat business, word of mouth and positive reviews. Building a strong and lasting brand is all about the experience your concept provides. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast,...

There’s a huge difference between a restaurant’s Culture and their Mission. Most restaurants have a Mission Statement, but once it’s put on the wall do the staff practice it? If they do, that’s called culture. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking all about the power of culture with Michael Mabry, President of www.famoustoastery.com Both their Mission and their Culture...

Hospitality drives our business and is the foundation that great guest service is built upon. Your restaurant’s success and competitive advantage will always come from each member of your team providing genuine, caring hospitality. Do this and your repeat business, online reviews and profits will rise. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Greg Provance of GP Hospi...

I’m obsessed with Marketing, but few operators are great restaurant marketers or have the time. On top of that, few marketing ideas are fully trackable so you know where the business is coming from and the return on your investment. Well in this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, we have a solution. I’m speaking with Dyson Barnett of https://www.getfanconnect.com/BirthdayRockstar/ Dyson’...

This can be a crazy business and we all have crazy restaurant stories! In this episode, I’m speaking with Stratis Morfogen, a restaurateur’s restaurateur and industry disruptor. He tells about playing by his own rules, having a driving vision, creating luck, and achieving destiny. Listen as Stratis tells us about: 🌟 Turning the tables on the mafia 🌟 Finding success in one of the world’s most cha...

Many of us lease space for our restaurants. Those looking to expand or open a new business need to evaluate many space options and then negotiate their best deal and terms. It has been said that “You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate”! To come out on top, takes experience and the right approach. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Dale Willer...

Lots of restaurants have opened their doors and hoped for the best. Those that truly Rock their restaurants have a Strategy - a game plan that becomes their mission. If this is done well; the staff, restaurant, and guests become one! That’s the magic dust of a great restaurant. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I speak with Martha Lucius, a restaurant strategist and kindred hosp...

Not every first restaurant succeeds. Many of us have opened concepts with the best of ideas and intentions only to see the dream fade. But those who see a more powerful future vision and keep going may rise to extraordinary heights. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I speak with Austin Samuelson of Tacos 4 Life. Austin and his wife started their first concept by trying to make a...

You know a really great restaurant the minute you walk in the door. It’s attention to detail, the way you’re greeted and made to feel comfortable, the ambiance, service provided and of course the food & drinks. Hitting all these marks is a continual challenge, but my guests today aren’t missing a beat! In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast. I’m speaking with family operators Joe, Nic...

Pride and passion run deep in the restaurant business no matter the size of the organization. Some may be fulfilled running a single independent restaurant while others aim to grow their concepts to multiple locations. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I speak with Anthony Ackil who co-founded and grew a 70+ unit restaurant chain, then exited to become the Founder of www.streetl...

Everyone is searching for solutions to today’s restaurant “big issues” ie: labor, prices, shortages… In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Sam Zeitz, CEO of www.grubbrr.com Grubbrr offers one such solution with their self-ordering technology and digital restaurant kiosks. Listen on as Sam tells us: - What the “restaurant of the future” looks like - How this technol...

To build a great business, it takes not only a clear vision but a relentless pursuit to stay ahead of your competition. As restaurateurs, we are competitive by nature, and to play our best game, we need to always strive to stay fresh, innovate and dazzle our guests. In this week’s episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Mark Setterington, the Co-Founder and CEO of Island Fin...

A 20+ year run in this business holds hard-won experience and many stories! In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Eric Scheffer of www.thescheffergroup.com. Eric is a true industry leader, visionary, and builder of five dynamic concepts in Asheville, NC. Listen as Eric shares with us: - The “secret sauce” of a truly great restaurant and what it takes to get there -...

I had great success by incentivizing my entire team to strive for maximum performance and guest service. You might say it was my “secret weapon” for over 20 years running restaurants. Now, it’s more important than ever to keep your good people happy and create a culture that attracts new team-players. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Andrew Duffy, the CEO and...

These are crazy times for all of us, and now more than ever it’s up to you to deliver dining experiences that WOW your guest, make them forget their daily routine and give them a memorable escape. This is the “key” to loyalty, repeat business and the pride that comes from making guests happy. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Bob Ray, the C.O.O. of Margaritas a...

Imagine the know-how and experience you would have after building 1,500 restaurants. Would you then have the Golden Touch? In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I speak with Kevin King, President of www.donatos.com, Kevin’s long career has taken him some of the most successful franchises in the business including Dominos, Papa Murphys, Smoothie King and others. Listen on as Kevin te...

An “A-Player” is someone with great personality, stellar product knowledge, a true understanding of service and a strong desire to please the guest. Imagine if your entire team took this approach! In this week’s episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Zaylan Jacobsen. Zaylan is a veteran server, bartender and team leader who saw a gap in staff training and service. He not on...