Restaurant Rockstars Podcast

Your restaurant needs a strong Social Media presence. You know this! Problem is, very few of us operators really know what we’re doing here.. what to post, when to post, what platforms, who are we trying to reach? Then there are the all-important Online Reviews.. Yelp, Google, Trip Advisor. I have to ask - Are you routinely monitoring what people are saying online about your operation, good, bad o...

In this most challenging business, I love speaking with dynamic restaurateurs who rose from humble beginnings to find amazing success. But as you all know, its not just about the triumphs, but the key-learnings, mistakes, pivots and ultimate decisions that make all the difference. You’ve got to listen to this episode of the Restaurant RockStars Podcast. I’m speaking with Mr. Joshua Kopel who’s run...

We did a huge delivery business in our restaurants, but we also had the hassles of doing it all ourselves. This was long before technology revolutionized delivery. Now there are endless platforms that drive business to your door. Only problem is you probably need to use several to serve all your customers who have their favorite service. This means lots of tablets, clutter, confusion, lost orders,...

I always say “Don’t Run a Restaurant, Build a Brand”! In this hyper-competitive and most challenging business, you need every advantage you can get and an effective targeted marketing plan is critical to your success. Why not learn from an expert marketer whose company is setting the country on fire with a fast-growing and very unique concept? Tune in to this episode of the Restaurant RockStars Po...

Just like pro sports teams that use video to analyze and coach their best players, you can improve staff performance and deliver superior customer service experiences through video data analysis. In this episode of the Restaurant RockStars Podcast, I’m speaking with Mr. Ken Bianchi of Hoptix 720. We’ll be showing you how this technology will: - Give you Accurate Guest Counts - Show you how long it...

I love talking shop with true industry professionals and when a conversation clicks, you just know there will be lots of key-nuggets and best practices shared. In this episode of the Restaurant RockStars Podcast, I’m speaking with Mr. Greg Plester from Core Hospitality. We’re going to dive deep on the true meaning of Hospitality and great service. We’ll start with what makes a fantastic dining exp...

This is a tough business and sometimes cash is tight. Seems like we’re always writing checks faster than the customers are coming in the door. I get it. But why are you the last to get paid? What if you could take your Profit First? You’re probably thinking… “wait a minute, how can I do that before I pay my operating expenses”? Well, “Profit First” just happens to be a whole new way of looking at...

With so many Point of Sale choices on the market, it pays to do your homework. So begin here. I just bought a restaurant that uses the CAKE POS system. I’m told its built to meet the demands of quick and full-serve restaurants. I really like what I see so far. Its intuitive, user-friendly and really functional. Yesterday, I did payroll on CAKE and I can’t believe how little time it took compared t...

There are nearly 1 million unfilled jobs in the hospitality industry, and chances are you’re struggling to find and keep great people. Its no secret that the average tenure of a new restaurant hire is just 4 months. Every time you onboard someone, get them up to speed in the job, lose them, find another and train them, it just cost your operation $3,000 or more. No restaurant or lodging place can...

Traditional advertising is like dumping money out the window. Unless, everyone who walks in your door says “Hey Joe, your radio commercial brought us in tonite”, you’re wasting your money. Why? Because there’s no way to track the return on investment of most ad spends if there is any and there’s just too much advertising clutter out there to get your message across. Here’s an idea. Technology can...

When I ran restaurants, my attorney was invaluable for so many unexpected issues saving me time, money and headaches. You never know when something seemingly innocent turns into a big problem. I’m also a huge believer in creating and sustaining an unstoppable “Brand”, not just running a restaurant. Today on the Restaurant RockStars Podcast, I’m speaking with Abe Cohn, of Cohn Legal Group, a NYC at...

I was blown away this week speaking with Reed Allen Slobusky - he’s the consummate impresario restaurateur. Passion drives this business, but so does marketing genius, financial acumen and a finger on the pulse of what diner’s want in a restaurant. All this has led to a ketchup factory in Costa Rica, phenomenal success in multiple states and unlimited future opportunity. The concept is so cool and...

The biggest restaurant challenge today is finding and keeping a great staff! Doesn’t matter where you live or run your restaurant, unemployment is at record lows. The latest stats say that the average tenure of a “New Restaurant Employee” is just 4 months. And in that short period, everytime you hire someone, get them up to speed in their job, lose or have to fire them and then replace that person...

Fact is 82% of the Dining Public Order Out! If your restaurant isn’t taking online orders, you’re missing lots of sales and potential profit. I have always believed that you can’t have too many profit centers in your restaurant and this one is a must have. Problem is many systems require you to have multiple tablets from each of the delivery platforms to receive orders. Talk about a nightmare. How...

I know you agree that one of the greatest challenges you face running restaurants is staff. Going a step further, what happens when you lose a “Key” team member? I had this problem many times when I ran restaurants. All is well, things are running smooth, until they’re not! Does your operation have a “Plan B”? A backup when the unexpected occurs? Most of the time this happens in the kitchen. You j...

I loved this episode. Passion runs deep in all restaurants, but the magic formula to creating a truly great restaurant can be elusive. Even more so when you take an established and iconic brand and turn it into something completely new. Today, I’m speaking with Ms. Sylvie Gabriele who accomplished just that. She transformed her father’s 37 year old Los Angeles restaurant and re-branded it with her...

Imagine the sites, sounds, smells and ambiance of your restaurant without walking in the door. I’m talking about bringing the experience to life for the customer before they step foot in your restaurant. Then, once they’re there and they like what they see, giving them many reasons to spend money. You can sell the convenience and excitement of gift cards year-round, you can sell tickets to events,...

Selling food and beverage is Not enough. Your restaurant needs multiple profit centers. Our goal is to bring you new ideas, inspiring guests and powerful tools to help improve your restaurant. So here’s a story: Professional musician travels the country, constantly ordering out at restaurants. He sees a broken system and a better way to streamline the online ordering process. It just so happens, h...

It’s getting harder and harder to compete as an “indie” in the restaurant space. Its hard enough to open up one restaurant and succeed let alone two, three or more. But then add in tremendous competition in one of the fastest growing most intensely concentrated restaurant cities in America. What do you have? Two regular guys with a humble story who created a unique product, opened a small shop, th...

When I ran restaurants I was obsessed with Profit. Not just saving costs, but squeezing every dime of profit across the operation. Usually this takes some understanding of numbers, a keen eye and a plan; but in this case, the plan comes to you in a turn-key solution. In this episode, Naomi Canning, the President of Dining Edge shows us: How to save 8 - 12% on Inventory Purchasing with their propri...

Spirit, Soul & Passion are evident in a truly great restaurant. You know it the moment you walk in the door. The way you are greeted and made to feel welcome… the sights, sounds and smells that build anticipation. These are just the surface elements, but it’s the mission statement, the foundation and inspiring leadership that truly create greatness. This episode so moved me. My guest Mr. Hans Lutt...

What do Hypnosis, Psychology and Show Business have to do with your restaurant? Tune in to this episode to find out how to increase sales in a restaurant through an amazingly effective Marketing Strategy. I’m a huge believer in building that all important “Affinity” with your customers. This was super-powerful when I ran restaurants and it still is today and here’s the “key”. Rob and Kennedy are a...

What if you could gain decades of operating experience in just an hour? All the ideas that you could instantly execute, the headaches and pitfalls you could avoid, not to mention the leg up on your competition. Stay tuned. The “key” is to listen to this episode and then run right out and join your state restaurant association. Today, I’m speaking with Mr. John Barker the President and C.E.O. of th...

We’re in this together. This crazy business of pleasing the public, creating new dishes, getting customers in the door and making money. What does it take? Commitment, inspiration, leadership, attention to detail, numbers, people. You have to be good at all these things and so many more. I’m sure you agree that running restaurants is one of the most challenging of all businesses and it takes a spe...

I see far too many operators losing money with their menu. Its a restaurant’s most powerful marketing tool, but they don’t design it for maximum profit. This is not how to run a restaurant. Follow me here, you can be filling your restaurant seats with lines out the door and still be losing money all because your least profitable menu items are the Biggest Sellers! Your kitchen staff are working ju...