It is the end of the year which typically means we are already looking to the next. We evaluate the goals we missed or want to achieve in 2025.    Now that we are in December we figured we would ask the question, How is your vision?  No, not because you may need your eyes checked (although you should get that check up because you can't replace those?)    How did you do this year sticking to your vision and mission as a business?  Did you stray a little out of desperation or slow days?  Did you create new goals?    We always have to ask ourselves this!  This year we definitely had to visit vision often in opening a new space. We realized we were in survival mom for half the year and kind of missed the mark in some areas. We forgot about having more community nights. We were "busy". Which is probably true! But were we busy doing things that mattered? Not always.   How about you?  ... View more

Hello F&B community!   As is shown in the headlines nationwide (at least here in the US), restaurants are seeing some significant cost pressures. Closures have been announced at a staggering pace. In fact, here in Colorado Springs, over 10 restaurants and breweries announced their closure in just the last two weeks!   We can sit here and discuss the reasoning behind the pressures: increased rents, payroll costs out of control, cost of raw goods, paper costs, utility costs, insurance costs, etc. etc. etc. We all live in this purgatory right now, we don't need to focus on the problem.   Let's focus on the solutions: what cost trimming measures have you started working on in order to survive this crunch?   For me, my first big leap was to close my cafe in late 2023. My landlord and I could not come to an agreement on rates, and I took it as a sign to run away. In hindsight, I realized this was the best for the survivability of my business. I was able to focus my menu on just the coffee roasting aspect of things, find a brick and mortar where the rent and utilities are a third of what I was paying, and for now work it just by myself. I'm not saying that drastic of a cut would work for everyone, but maybe you could figure a way to subdivide your space: do you need that big of a dining room anymore if the majority of your service is to go anymore?   After that, it's been a constant monitoring of what is and isn't selling, and making tough but necessary cuts to the menu. If it's a profitable item, it stays. If it's consistently in the bottom 10 of sales volume, it goes. Does it take extra prep time that takes a team member away from something else?   Pricing: when I first entered the manager stage of my foodservice experience, the number I was told to always keep an eye on over everything else was the Food Cost. At that time, the labor dollar wasn't nearly as important in my market: servers were still making $2.13/hr. Nowadays, I've found that if I don't continually monitor the cost of the labor at least as hard as the food cost, things get out of control very, very quickly. So I've changed my thinking to ask what is the prime cost for the menu items? Prime being the cost of the product plus the cost of the labor to make it. Hopefully the prime is below 60%. Don't forget to factor in the cost of the dishwasher who washes the plates and line tools! You may end up finding out that your pricing strategy needs to improve. I know I did the last time I looked at these numbers!!   I'm curious to hear what innovative tricks you've come up with to keep costs as low as possible without affecting the customer experience! ... View more

Hello Square Friends,   As many restaurant owners know, the key to the business success lies in your staff.  A great staff makes for a great business.   Keeping employees engaged in the success of the business can be a challenge at times.   As captain of your ship, you are well aware that everyone rowing in the same direction will get you to your destination much quicker.    What tips/tricks/suggestions do you have that helps keep  your employees engaged?   Public recognition?  A special perk for a job well done?  Goals with rewards?   Let's hear your best suggestion, big or small.  ... View more

Hey restaurant entrepreneurs! 🍽     Opening a new restaurant location is equal parts art  🎭 and science 🧪. This five-part video series chronicles the highs and lows of Ggiata, LA-based restaurant's journey, offering some key takeaways for those in the restaurant business:   Authentic Connections: Sharing unfiltered moments builds trust with the customers. Embracing Challenges: Struggles—from delays to tough decisions—showcase resilience. Focus on Design: The impact of thoughtful interiors on guest experiences. Preparation is Key: Behind-the-scenes of the pre-opening hustle. Community Momentum: Documenting growth invites support and inspiration.   Discover the series: Part 1: MEET THE TEAM Part 2: FOR THE COMMUNITY Part 3: THE BUILD OUT Part 4: FAMILY BUSINESS Part 5: OPEN FOR BUSINESS   What's your restaurant expansion story? 🍽️✨ Drop a comment below and share: Your biggest challenge in opening a new location One piece of advice for fellow restaurant entrepreneurs   Curious to hear how your journey compares to Ggiata's! Your insights could be the spark that helps another restaurant owner navigate their own growth story. ... View more

We would like to know how important is for the restaurant community the TV Menu Installation Process:   Please share with us what would you like a Digital Menu Company to do when is time to get the menus done.   From design to implementation.     ... View more