In this episode Jason Brooks and I discuss the importance of hospitality, leadership, and company culture in the restaurant industry. Jason emphasizes the role of accountability, the significance of onboarding, and the power of coaching in building effective teams and delivering exceptional guest experiences. They also touch on the challenges faced by the industry post-pandemic, the importance of soft skills, and strategies for recovery and building a stronger hospitality culture. 🌟 The Restaurant Profit Maximizer course will show you proven ways to boost profit in your restaurant. Check it out - https://restaurantrockstars.com/sp/restaurant-profits 🌟 Connect with our guest: Twitter: @2LeadNSucceed Instagram: @2LeadNSucceed LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jason-e-brooks Website: www.jasonebrooks.com Website Book Link: https://www.jasonebrooks.com/everyleader 🌟 Thank you to our sponsors: Restaurant Technologies: takes care of your fry oil challenges. They handle everything end-to-end from delivering, filtering monitoring, collecting, and recycling your waste cooking oil. Restaurant Technologies customers save 10-15% on their insurance premiums and even get bonuses for any new customer referrals. Go to https://www.rti-inc.com/ or call 866-399-3639 to get started today. The National Restaurant Association Show: the biggest show in food service. Register now and get $55 off the current show rate using promo code PODCAST24 at https://www.nationalrestaurantshow.com - Promotional offer expires on May 16. (Offer is redeemable through online registration and is only valid for operators. Offer cannot be combined with any other promotion and does not apply to current 2024 show registrants. Non exhibiting suppliers are subject to a higher badge rate.) The Birthday Club – Get new and repeat business, fill your tables, and boost sales with Birthdays: https://jointhebirthdayclub.com/BirthdayRockstar/ Restaurant Equippers: Top equipment brands, extensive inventory, everyday low prices, and 60 years serving independent food service operators. Only at https://www.equippers.com/ The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits, maximize sales and train your team in restaurant fundamentals! https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/

In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Anne Beiler, the founder of international restaurant success story “Auntie Anne’s Pretzels”. Anne learned the meaning of hard work, integrity, and persistence at an early age, but had many moments of doubt and lack of confidence. Despite all odds and immense personal tragedy, Anne rose above her challenges to create a global empire. Listen as Anne shares her story of restaurant success including: • How she overcame heartbreak, the limits of an 8th grade education, no money, and no business plan to create huge restaurant success • Instilling values and recognizing your people’s talents and successes • The true meaning of leadership • How one word “Light” created a powerful restaurant culture • Marketing mistakes that led to greater successes • Marketing product quality with “sampling” to drive business • Advice on growing from 1 location to 5 and even more • Your team delivering great guest experiences are what it’s about Whether you’re running a single location, adding locations, or creating your own empire, Anne’s approach is more than inspiring. Don’t miss this episode! Listen, would you spend less than the cost of a fancy beer on boosting your restaurant profit? That’s right for just $7, our Restaurant Profit Maximizer course will show you proven ways to boost profit in your restaurant. Check it out - https://restaurantrockstars.com/sp/restaurant-profits and then go Rock YOUR Profits and YOUR Restaurant! Roger Connect with our guest: • Facebook: Auntie Anne Beiler • Instagram: @auntieanne • website: https://auntieannebeiler.com/ Thank you to our sponsors: Restaurant Technologies: takes care of your fry oil challenges. They handle everything end-to-end from delivering, filtering monitoring, collecting, and recycling your waste cooking oil. Restaurant Technologies customers save 10-15% on their insurance premiums and even get bonuses for any new customer referrals. Go to www.rti-inc.com or call 866-399-3639 to get started today. The National Restaurant Association Show: the biggest show in food service. Register now and get $55 off the current show rate using promo code PODCAST24 at www.nationalrestaurantshow.com Promotional offer expires on May 16. (Offer is redeemable through online registration and is only valid for operators. Offer cannot be combined with any other promotion and does not apply to current 2024 show registrants. Non exhibiting suppliers are subject to a higher badge rate.) Tock: Increase restaurant sales, optimize guest throughput, and boost customer engagement all on one seamless platform. Request a demo at https://www.joinTOCK.com/podcast Restaurant Equippers: Top equipment brands, extensive inventory, everyday low prices, and 60 years serving independent food service operators. Only at https://www.equippers.com/ The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits, maximize sales and train your team in restaurant fundamentals! https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/

In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Jim Collins, the owner of Town Kitchen and Grill in California. Jim wasn’t born from the restaurant business, but he certainly has a way with running a successful restaurant and leading his employees to greatness! Listen as Jim shares his story, failures, successes, and his philosophy on running a great restaurant including: • Valuable lessons learned from his tech career that he applies to his restaurant daily • His passion of building a great restaurant and recognizing his people’s successes • The true meaning of leadership • Early restaurant experiments, failed ideas, and ultimate successes • Necessary technology that fills seats • The importance of knowing your restaurant numbers and tracking “kpi’s” • The guest experience is what it’s all about • If it’s not fun anymore, why do it? Whether you’re running a single location or building a national chain, Jim’s approach is a model to be followed. And his restaurant employees really love his free-meal policy! Don’t miss this episode! Show Notes - https://bit.ly/E385RRP Listen, would you spend less than the cost of a fancy beer on boosting your restaurant profit? That’s right for just $7, my Restaurant Profit Maximizer course will show you proven ways to boost profit in your restaurant. Check it out - https://restaurantrockstars.com/sp/restaurant-profits and then go Rock YOUR Profits and YOUR Restaurant! Roger Thank you to our sponsors: The National Restaurant Association Show: the biggest show in food service. Register now and get $55 off the current show rate using promo code PODCAST24 at www.nationalrestaurantshow.com Promotional offer expires on May 16. (Offer is redeemable through online registration and is only valid for operators. Offer cannot be combined with any other promotion and does not apply to current 2024 show registrants. Non exhibiting suppliers are subject to a higher badge rate.) Tock: Increase restaurant sales, optimize guest throughput, and boost customer engagement all on one seamless platform. Request a demo at https://www.joinTOCK.com/podcast Restaurant Equippers: Top equipment brands, extensive inventory, everyday low prices, and 60 years serving independent food service operators. Only at https://www.equippers.com/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits, maximize sales and train your team in restaurant fundamentals! https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/

This business is all about “SHOW BIZ! Guests don’t just come into a restaurant for food & drink, they’re looking for an experience. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Dale Schwartz, CEO & Co-Founder of Pinstripes, which is a restaurant concept that boasts giant spaces for bowling, bocce, delicious bistro dining, events, and fun. These restaurant concepts are as large as 30,000 square feet on multiple levels. Not every restaurant and bar has this much space, but the ideas here can spark ideas of how to capture more guests and keep them spending money. Listen as Dale shares golden nuggets of wisdom about his restaurant concept including: • His approach to running a business, not restaurants. • The importance of “FUN FACTOR” for revenue, repeat business and buzz in the marketplace. • Why size can be a competitive advantage. • Essential and foundational brand-building • Creating a hospitality culture that “Wows” the guest • Effective leadership, staff training and recognition • Influencer marketing that drives business Whether you’re running a single location or building a national chain, Dale’s experience and approach to the restaurant business is a great listen! Don’t miss this episode. Listen, would you spend less than the cost of a fancy beer on boosting your restaurant profit? That’s right for just $7, our Restaurant Profit Maximizer course will show you proven ways to boost profit in your restaurant. https://restaurantrockstars.com/sp/restaurant-profits Check it out and then go Rock YOUR Profits and YOUR Restaurant! Roger Connect with our guest: • Pinstripes: Overview | LinkedIn • Dale Schwartz | LinkedIn • Pinstripes (@pinstripesbbb) • Instagram • Pinstripes | Facebook • Pinstripes (@PinstripesBBB) / X (twitter.com) Thank you to our sponsors: Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars The Birthday Club – Get new and repeat business, fill your tables, and boost sales with Birthdays: https://jointhebirthdayclub.com/BirthdayRockstar/ Tock: Increase restaurant sales, optimize guest throughput, and boost customer engagement all on one seamless platform. Request a demo at https://www.joinTOCK.com/podcast Restaurant Equippers: Top equipment brands, extensive inventory, everyday low prices, and 60 years serving independent food service operators. Only at https://www.equippers.com/ The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/

Restaurant Profit Maximizer mini-course teaches you how to boost profit in your restaurant. ONLY $7 https://restaurantrockstars.com/sp/restaurant-profits That’s right, boost your restaurant profit for less than the cost of a fancy beer – Get it today then go Rock YOUR Profits and YOUR Restaurant! EPISODE NOTES: In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Howard Task and John Ebarhart of Restaurant Equippers, a family-owned company specializing in restaurant equipment going on 60 years. Listen as Howard and John talk about restaurant equipment including: • Common mistakes restaurants make when buying equipment. • New versus used restaurant equipment • Quality, life expectancy and warranty of today’s equipment • Current industry trends and hot popular restaurant equipment items • Restaurant Equippers highly experienced restaurant sales team that educate and help operators make the best choices for their restaurants. • Time saving, Energy-Star efficient and pieces that drive return on investment. • Preventative maintenance “do’s & don’ts” • Finding a balance between the best brands at the best price When you need equipment, call my friends at Restaurant Equippers (800) 235-3325, go online at www.equippers.com you can also shop their giant warehouse stores in Michigan, Ohio, or New Jersey. If you Act Now until March 31, qualifying customers can Get 60 Days Financing with No-Interest, but hurry as this offer expires March 31, 2024. Thank you to our sponsors: Tock: Increase restaurant sales, optimize guest throughput, and boost customer engagement all on one seamless platform. Request a demo at https://www.joinTOCK.com/podcast Restaurant Equippers: Top equipment brands, extensive inventory, everyday low prices, and 60 years serving independent food service operators. Only at https://www.equippers.com/ The Birthday Club – Get new and repeat business, fill your tables, and boost sales with Birthdays: https://jointhebirthdayclub.com/BirthdayRockstar/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/

Leading a great restaurant kitchen is difficult. It takes experience, skill, the desire to teach, patience, calm under pressure and the right chops. Most of all it takes a passion for food, people, and new experiences. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Chef Jarad McConnell of Ocean Club St. Barths. He rose from culinary school, cooking competitions and numerous restaurant kitchens to nurture, lead and inspire his team to greatness. Listen as Chef Jarad shares his wisdom on restaurant kitchen success including: • The importance of having and being a mentor • Key learnings that to continue to influence and make a difference • How to exceed the highest guest expectations • Why being an “intrapreneur” advances restaurant careers • The keys to a strong kitchen culture • Team spirit between front and back of house • Why every impression and the smallest details count Chef offers insights, experience, and advice to future and current culinary professionals. Don’t miss this episode! Listen, would you spend less than the cost of a fancy beer on boosting your restaurant profit? That’s right for just $7, our Restaurant Profit Maximizer course will show you proven ways to boost profit in your restaurant. Check it out at https://restaurantrockstars.com/sp/restaurant-profits and then go Rock YOUR Profits and YOUR Restaurant! Roger Thank you to our sponsors: Sculpture Hospitality is the solution to improve your bar or restaurant inventory and gain healthier profit margins! https://SculptureHospitality.com/rockstar Tock: Increase restaurant sales, optimize guest throughput, and boost customer engagement all on one seamless platform. Request a demo at https://www.joinTOCK.com/podcast Restaurant Equippers: Top equipment brands, extensive inventory, everyday low prices, and 60 years serving independent food service operators. Only at https://www.equippers.com/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/

In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Marc Haine, a true operator’s operator, about leading and inspiring a restaurant team. As a young dishwasher Marc went on to master the kitchen. He never lost the hospitality bug and later ran three restaurants, became a Food & Beverage Director. Marc also founded a hospitality consulting firm, became a podcaster, and has authored a best-selling book: Lights, Camera, Action! Listen as Marc shares his wisdom on leading a great restaurant team including: • The true meaning of leadership • An employee experience strategy to get the most from your restaurant team • The magic formula for restaurant success • Necessary operating systems and restaurant best practices • His new book “Lights, Camera, Action”. Why the restaurant business is really “theatre” and how your restaurant team’s performances build happy guests and repeat business Marc offers insights, experience, advice and most of all a leader’s approach to building your restaurant team and great guest experiences. Don’t miss this episode. Listen, would you spend less than the cost of a fancy beer on boosting your restaurant profit? That’s right for just $7, our Restaurant Profit Maximizer course will show you proven ways to boost profit in your restaurant. Check it out at https://restaurantrockstars.com/sp/restaurant-profits and then go Rock YOUR Profits and YOUR Restaurant! Roger Thank you to our sponsors: Sculpture Hospitality is the solution to improve your bar or restaurant inventory and gain healthier profit margins! https://SculptureHospitality.com/rockstar Tock: Increase restaurant sales, optimize guest throughput, and boost customer engagement all on one seamless platform. Request a demo at https://www.joinTOCK.com/podcast Restaurant Equippers: Top equipment brands, extensive inventory, everyday low prices, and 60 years serving independent food service operators. Only at https://www.equippers.com/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/

In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Kelly Hoyman, Vice President of Marketing for an 85-unit concept called Wings and Rings. Kelly brings 30 years of proven restaurant marketing expertise to this episode. Listen as Kelly shares all things restaurant marketing including: • Lessons learned from 17 years in restaurant marketing for McDonald’s. • The role restaurant marketing plays in your own restaurant’s success • Essential and foundational brand-building • How to track Return on Investment with any marketing idea • The everyday importance of social media in your operation • Upleveling the guest experience as a competitive advantage • Loyalty and Rewards programs that really work. Whether you’re running a single location or building a national chain, Kelly offers great restaurant marketing advice from in the trenches! Don’t miss this episode. Listen, would you spend less than the cost of a fancy beer on boosting your restaurant profit? That’s right for just $7, my Restaurant Profit Maximizer course will show you proven ways to boost profit in your restaurant. Check it out https://restaurantrockstars.com/sp/restaurant-profits and then go Rock YOUR Profits and YOUR Restaurant! Roger Thank you to our sponsors: Sculpture Hospitality is the solution to improve your bar or restaurant inventory and gain healthier profit margins! https://SculptureHospitality.com/rockstar Tock: Increase restaurant sales, optimize guest throughput, and boost customer engagement all on one seamless platform. Request a demo at https://www.joinTOCK.com/podcast Restaurant Equippers: Top equipment brands, extensive inventory, everyday low prices, and 60 years serving independent food service operators. Only at https://www.equippers.com/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/

I get that running your restaurant is a total commitment, and business challenges never stop. Tax time is upon us, April is looming and Restaurant Taxes are due. No worries, I’ve got your back. Know that now is the time to get your financial house in order before you send the books to your tax preparer. It’s not too late to clean things up for your 2023 restaurant taxes, make some moves that will preserve your bottom line and put you in the best possible tax position. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Mirissa Harrison, a seasoned Certified Public Accountant with expertise in restaurant taxes and a passion to help you achieve your business goals. Listen as we discuss: • Mistakes that restaurants make when it comes to finances or running the business • The basics of financial understanding and acumen to Improve your operation • A crash course in restaurant financials and understanding the P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow and Daily Break-Eve • What you can do now to improve your tax position before you close the books on 2023 • Steps to take moving forward quarterly to reduce your tax liability • The importance of “Basis” and what that means for owner compensation • How to maintain checks and balances with your bookkeeper or office manager This is solid advice, and I’m speaking from experience when I say that Marissa recently helped me get my books ready and in the best tax position. Reach out to her at www.northpointfinancials.com and then go ROCK your restaurant taxes! Roger The Profit Maximizer mini-course is now available - Learn how to maximize your restaurant profits! Only $7 - https://restaurantrockstars.com/sp/restaurant-profits/ Thank you to our sponsors: Sculpture Hospitality: The solution to improve your bar or restaurant inventory and gain healthier profit margins! https://SculptureHospitality.com/rockstar Tock: Increase restaurant sales, optimize guest throughput, and boost customer engagement all on one seamless platform. Request a demo at https://www.joinTOCK.com/podcast Restaurant Equippers: Top equipment brands, extensive inventory, everyday low prices, and 60 years serving independent food service operators. Only at https://www.equippers.com/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/

Your restaurant inventory represents thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars of food and beverage sitting in your business at any given time. With so much opportunity for waste, spoilage, or loss, you really need to understand and manage all that value. When I coach restaurants, I tell them Not taking inventory is like leaving hundred-dollar bills all over your restaurant. You just wouldn’t do that, so don’t leave your restaurant inventory to chance. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Victoria Mosley and John Nanny, from Sculpture Hospitality, a tech platform that systemizes both your food and beverage restaurant inventory. Their people are former restaurant owners, GMs and other industry experts who are a fresh set of eyes that provide a hands-on approach to improving your business. Listen as Victoria and John explain: • Today’s biggest restaurant challenges and solutions • The importance of taking inventory and not just placing orders • How restaurants can leverage their purchase and sales data to increase sales, reduce losses and improve overall efficiency • Where valuable goods on hand may be hiding without proper storage procedures • The optimum frequency of restaurant inventory • How to easily account for prepped foods, pars and goods in process And best of all how Sculpture Hospitality provides customized restaurant inventory solutions that work for your business and budget from full-service to sharing responsibility to do it yourself service. Don’t miss this episode, get my FREE “Top 3 Ways You’re Killing Your Restaurant Profits and a bonus at www.restaurantrockstars.com/profits then go out there and Rock YOUR Restaurant! Thank you to our sponsors: Sculpture Hospitality is the solution to improve your bar or restaurant inventory and gain healthier profit margins! https://SculptureHospitality.com/rockstar Tock: Increase restaurant sales, optimize guest throughput, and boost customer engagement all on one seamless platform. Request a demo at https://www.exploretock.com/join/ Restaurant Equippers: Top equipment brands, extensive inventory, everyday low prices, and 60 years serving independent food service operators. Only at https://www.equippers.com/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/

Every owner and leader wants and needs to increase restaurant sales. Success here requires many things… efficiency, systems, excellent service, but most of all engaged loyal guests. Here’s where all the power lies. Guests want to be recognized, acknowledged, and served. Providing this at a high level requires a well-trained staff and seamless technology that makes this process simple, but authentic. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Matt Tucker, who heads up the hospitality tech platform Tock which optimizes restaurant sales, throughput, and guest satisfaction. Listen as Matt explains: • Today’s biggest restaurant challenges and solutions • What dining guests are looking for in any restaurant they choose • How restaurants can leverage data on guest preferences to provide personalized hospitality and build loyalty • How to achieve guest engagement • Ways to optimize reservations, turn the tables and increase restaurant sales through pre-paid events • How a restaurant can experiment with multiple guest experiences even at different tables • Easy set-up, quick onboarding and dedicated hospitality professionals at your service And how to drive demand and increase restaurant sales when you need it most with the Tock Platform. See it all with a free demo at https://www.joinTOCK.com/podcast Don’t miss this episode, get my FREE “Top 3 Ways You’re Killing Your Restaurant Profits and a bonus at www.restaurantrockstars.com/profits then go out there and Rock YOUR Restaurant! Roger Thank you to our sponsors: Tock: Increase restaurant sales, optimize guest throughput, and boost customer engagement all on one seamless platform. Request a demo at https://www.joinTOCK.com/podcast Restaurant Equippers: Top equipment brands, extensive inventory, everyday low prices, and 60 years serving independent food service operators. Only at https://www.equippers.com/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/ Sculpture Hospitality is the solution to improve your bar or restaurant inventory and gain healthier profit margins! https://SculptureHospitality.com/rockstar

I hear it time and time again. “My employees don’t do what I expect... they call out on shifts, or they don’t show up at all”! Since the pandemic; finding, keeping, and motivating restaurant employees has just gotten harder. They seem to have a different mindset... their work ethic doesn’t meet expectations... What to do? In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Scott Greenberg, a leadership and restaurant employee performance expert. On top of being a leading franchisee himself, Scott is an author and internationally acclaimed speaker for TEDx and leading top organizations in many industries. Listen as Scott advises: • The difference between true leadership and being a manager • How a restaurant can create a strong company culture • Understanding the values of younger workers and the four personality types of hourly restaurant employees • Effective ways to motivate today’s hourly restaurant employees • The difference between a “results oriented vs. “people oriented” approach • What is a “Peak Performance Mindset” • How to turn a “paycheck collector” into an A-Player And of course what you can learn and apply from Scott’s new book: Stop the Shift Show: Turn Your Struggling Hourly Workers Into a Top-Performing Team. Don’t miss this episode, get my FREE “Top 3 Ways You’re Killing Your Restaurant Profits and a bonus at www.restaurantrockstars.com/profits then go out there and Rock YOUR Restaurant! Roger Thank you to our sponsors: Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/ Sculpture Hospitality is the solution to improve your bar or restaurant inventory and gain healthier profit margins! https://SculptureHospitality.com/rockstar The Birthday Club – Get new and repeat business, fill your tables, and boost sales with Birthdays: https://jointhebirthdayclub.com/BirthdayRockstar/

As a restaurateur, you can’t afford to ignore technology. Since the pandemic, operators of every size have had to adapt to platforms and tools that offer guest convenience and operating efficiencies. The landscape keeps changing every day and to stay competitive, great food and service are no longer enough to keep guests coming in the door. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Brendan Sweeney and Tony Roy who run Popmenu, arguably one of the leading and fastest growing restaurant technology companies. We delve into the innovative ways PopMenu harnesses the power of artificial intelligence for answering phones, increasing customer interactions, enhancing menu engagements and marketing strategies. We also discuss how adopting such technologies can significantly increase restaurant profitability and improve operations, amid labor shortages and other challenges faced in the industry. Listen as Brendan and Tony explain: • What’s important to know about current and future restaurant technology. • Guest expectations in today’s dining or “to go” experiences. • How to get more customers, increase their frequency and boost your restaurant margins • The basics of Artificial Intelligence and why it’s the future of your restaurant operation • How your restaurant can benefit from 10 million plus data points on guest preferences • How to uplevel guest service and free staff time from answering your phone while still informing guests calling in. Brendan and Tony also highlight Popmenu’s exciting new partnership with Open Table and what’s coming next. Don’t miss this episode, get my FREE “Top 3 Ways You’re Killing Your Restaurant Profits and a bonus at www.restaurantrockstars.com/profits then go out there and Rock YOUR Restaurant! Roger Thank you to our sponsors: Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/ Sculpture Hospitality is the solution to improve your bar or restaurant inventory and gain healthier profit margins! https://SculptureHospitality.com/rockstar The Birthday Club – Get new and repeat business, fill your tables, and boost sales with Birthdays: https://jointhebirthdayclub.com/BirthdayRockstar/

Don’t miss this episode, get my FREE “Top 3 Ways You’re Killing Your Restaurant Profits and a bonus at www.restaurantrockstars.com/profits then go out there and Rock YOUR Restaurant! Every restaurant has its own unique story. But this one carries on a 152-year tradition. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Francesco Zimone. Francesco grew up in Naples, Italy where pizza and pizza making are a time-honored tradition. Francesco is an ex-finance person turned movie maker, turned pizzeria impresario who has brought authentic Naples’ pizza to America with four restaurant locations. As a young boy, he frequently visited L’antica Pizzeria da Michele for many family get-togethers. This pizzeria is not only famous for its century plus old recipe, but also notably appearing in the classic film Eat, Pray, Love! Listen as Francesco shares: • Careers in Finance and movie making before starting his restaurant journey. • How he brought his Neapolitan roots to Hollywood to authentically establish L’antica Pizzeria da Michele here in America • Opening new locations in New York City, Santa Barbara and soon to be Long Beach just four years after founding L’antica in Hollywood • The true meaning of hospitality and how to build a winning team • Why responding to every online review matters • Leadership, company culture and loyalty And of course, chasing the American Dream, wearing “all the hats” and never wavering on his authentic vision. The episode also highlights the business challenges faced due to COVID, how Francesco adapted to that and his vision of a restaurant as a place that brings people together in a warm, hospitable manner. Learn about Francesco's passion for food and quality, and how he is propagating this legacy in America. From his inspiring story, gain insights on running a successful restaurant and see the passion it takes to deliver a memorable dining experience. Roger Thank you to our sponsors: The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/ Sculpture Hospitality is the solution to improve your bar or restaurant inventory and gain healthier profit margins! https://SculptureHospitality.com/rockstar The Birthday Club – Get new and repeat business, fill your tables, and boost sales with Birthdays: https://jointhebirthdayclub.com/BirthdayRockstar/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars

Learn the Top 3 Restaurant Profit Killers and how to fix them: https://restaurantrockstars.com/profits/ In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Abraham Merchant, veteran restaurateur, President & CEO of Merchant’s Hospitality. Abraham shares his philosophy on hospitality, employee retention, strategies for operational success, and the importance of public relations, marketing, and responding to online reviews. A major focus of the conversation is Abraham’s attitude towards scaling and maintaining relevance in a competitive landscape like New York City, while also expanding into new markets like Nashville and Miami. Listen as Abraham shares his restaurant journey including: • Emigrating from Pakistan and working his way up in this business • What he learned managing restaurants before starting a powerhouse restaurant group • Early challenges to ultimate restaurant success • The true meaning of hospitality and how to build a winning team • The aftermath of 9/11 and rising above the devastation to help rebuild downtown Manhattan. • Leadership philosophy, loyalty and developing company culture • A typical day at the top of the organization • Retaining staff amidst labor challenges And Abraham’s approach to adding value and growing margins amidst inflation. Don’t miss this episode, then go out there and Rock YOUR Restaurant! Roger Thank you to our sponsors: The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/ Sculpture Hospitality is the solution to improve your bar or restaurant inventory and gain healthier profit margins! https://SculptureHospitality.com/rockstar The Birthday Club – Get new and repeat business, fill your tables, and boost sales with Birthdays: https://jointhebirthdayclub.com/BirthdayRockstar/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars

Learn the Top 3 Restaurant Profit Killers and how to fix them: https://restaurantrockstars.com/profits/ All successful restaurants have a secret formula. It might be about the food, or the relationships between owner, staff & guests. Perhaps it’s the marketing, or the location. Sometimes it’s a combination of all of these. How can your restaurant be more successful? Listen on! In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Doug Stritzel – the Founder of Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafes. Listen as Doug shares all about what makes a successful restaurant including: • Experience and key-learnings gained from other leading brands that built his restaurants. • Early challenges to ultimate restaurant success • The secret sauce of successful restaurants • The importance of valuing and empowering staff to combat the labor crisis. • Efficiencies and throughput for guest satisfaction and profit • Regularly tracking finances and the key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter most. • Rewards, loyalty programs and marketing that works. • The key to an effective social media program And Doug’s advice if you wish to grow your restaurant brand to multiple locations. Don’t miss this episode, then go out there and Rock YOUR Restaurant! Roger Thank you to our sponsors: The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/ Sculpture Hospitality is the solution to improve your bar or restaurant inventory and gain healthier profit margins! https://SculptureHospitality.com/rockstar The Birthday Club – Get new and repeat business, fill your tables, and boost sales with Birthdays: https://jointhebirthdayclub.com/BirthdayRockstar/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars

Learn the Top 3 Restaurant Profit Killers and how to fix them: https://restaurantrockstars.com/profits/ SHOW NOTES: https://restaurantrockstars.com/audio/371-restaurant-finances/ I get it, many operators hate numbers, so they avoid them. But the truth is numbers really move the needle good or bad, and they ultimately determine your restaurant’s success or failure. When I owned restaurants, I was obsessed with my critical numbers and analyzed them each and every week. It’s one of the reasons my restaurants had more than double the net profit of the average full serve restaurant. With the right approach, you can too! In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Tom Rutledge, Founder and Managing Member of RDMS Group, restaurant finance guru and game-changer with expertise in payroll, food costing, labor analysis, budgeting, COGS trending, and financial viability. Listen as Tom tells: • The vital financial foundation your restaurant needs. • What restaurants need to do now to move forward post-pandemic? • How to deal with inflation and the labor crisis • The importance of maintaining margins despite rising costs • His best advice on inventory & prime cost • What to do about labor cost abuses And a key-takeaway, changing the mindset of running a restaurant to running a business. Don’t miss this episode, then go out there and Rock YOUR Restaurant! Roger Learn the Top 3 Restaurant Profit Killers and how to fix them: https://restaurantrockstars.com/profits/ Ask Roger a Question or Share a Restaurant story with us: https://www.speakpipe.com/RestaurantRockstars Thank you to our sponsors: Sculpture Hospitality is the solution to improve your bar or restaurant inventory and gain healthier profit margins! https://www.sculpturehospitality.com The Birthday Club – Get new and repeat business, fill your tables, and boost sales with Birthdays: https://jointhebirthdayclub.com/BirthdayRockstar/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars VERGE Funding Group: Set up your personal meeting with Karen to see how much money your business may qualify to get back at this link: https://calendly.com/vergefundinggroup/erc-qualifying-call-rrs

Learn the Top 3 Restaurant Profit Killers and how to fix them: https://restaurantrockstars.com/profits/ In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Josh Luger co-founder of Capital Tacos, a restaurant that started small, built a brand for itself and is now taking the country by storm. Listen as Josh shares: • The early brainchild and vision for his brand • Early growing pains and challenges of the first few restaurant locations • How leadership creates a strong company culture • Maintaining the “big picture” and systems necessary for restaurant growth • Important industry trends... the positive and negatives • Rewards, loyalty programs and marketing that works • Secret shopping for consistency And the key-takeaway... How to scale your small restaurant brand and become the next biggest thing in restaurants. Don’t miss this episode, then go out there and Rock YOUR Restaurant! Roger Thank you to our sponsors: The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/ The Birthday Club – Get new and repeat business, fill your tables, and boost sales with Birthdays: https://jointhebirthdayclub.com/BirthdayRockstar/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars

Learn the Top 3 Restaurant Profit Killers and how to fix them: https://restaurantrockstars.com/profits/ Join The Restaurant Academy: Train your entire team to up level your business, maximize sales and optimize profits - Join the Restaurant Academy: https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy 🌟 Episode Notes: In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Ty & Karen Raju, co-owners, and founders of Bene Hospitality Group. They are juggling multiple restaurants and concepts including Italian, Spanish and even New York style pizza! Listen as this couple shares: • How Ty balances an IBM career with founding three unique and very different restaurant concepts, becoming a certified sommelier and winning two Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence. • Husband and wife roles that create restaurant success. • How leadership creates accountability and team performance • The importance of smart financial controls, buying economics and constantly keeping an eye to the bottom-line • Their brand-building, cross-promotion, and guest loyalty strategy • The benefits of starting a wine club that introduces guests to the wonders of all things wine. • Finding time for community involvement and giving back And my favorite; the couple’s “4 C’s” - how communication, collaboration and contribution equal a strong culture. Don’t miss this episode, then go out there and Rock YOUR Restaurant! Roger Connect with our guest: SAVI Cucina + Wine Bar - @savicucina Sommba Spanish Gastrobar - @sommbacocina Upcoming concept, Woodhaven - @woodhavenpizza WWW.SAVICUCINA.COM WWW.SOMMBACOCINA.COM Thank you to our sponsors: The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/ The Birthday Club – Get new and repeat business, fill your tables, and boost sales with Birthdays: https://jointhebirthdayclub.com/BirthdayRockstar/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars

Learn the Top 3 Restaurant Profit Killers and how to fix them: https://restaurantrockstars.com/profits/ Join The Restaurant Academy: Train your entire team to up level your business, maximize sales and optimize profits - Join the Restaurant Academy: https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy Connect with us on Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-beaudoin-21590016 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restaurantrockstars/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restaurantrockstars X: https://twitter.com/RestaurantRock1 Subscribe to the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast: iTunes - https://apple.co/2WaKyqV Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3xGuOd0 Google - https://bit.ly/2VM10P1 Stitcher - https://bit.ly/3iFGAAb Soundcloud - https://bit.ly/3lYBhho Show Notes: Everyone has personal challenges in life, some even go through extreme hardship! What you do with those emotions and experiences often determines your future. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Chef Ahu of Istanbul Hawaii. Chef spent formulative years as a student in America and instantly felt a spiritual connection to Hawaii. Her personal struggles with extreme hardship lasted ten years, and then her dreams of opening a restaurant were nearly dashed. Only through the strength of character, perseverance and support of family did she finally achieve her dream of opening her restaurant. Watch or listen as Chef Ahu talks about her restaurant journey including: • How cooking with her mother healed her and rekindled her passion to combine art, psychology, and food • Her humble beginnings cooking in a tent at the farmer’s market and then growing to two tents, three and four. • Finding an ideal location for her restaurant space and building everything up from scratch including the walls and plumbing • The benefits of being resourceful, creative, and asking for help versus writing checks for what you need. • How their family-oriented company culture inspires her team and fosters amazing guest loyalty. • The ambiance that provides authentic experiences and transports guests to Turkey And of course, how nurturing your team, giving them opportunities, and even supporting their decision to leave benefits all. Don’t miss this episode, then go out there and ROCK your own Restaurant! Roger Connect with our guest: @istanbulhawaii www.istanbulhawaii.com Thank you to our sponsors: The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits and maximize sales https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/ The Birthday Club – Get new and repeat business, fill your tables, and boost sales with Birthdays: https://jointhebirthdayclub.com/BirthdayRockstar/ Popmenu: For a limited time only, popmenu is offering our listeners $100 off your first month plus an unchanging lifetime rate. FREE Demo: https://www.popmenu.com/rockstars