Running a successful restaurant is harder than ever before. With rising costs, staffing challenges, and more competition than ever, restaurant owners have a tremendous amount to manage just to keep the doors open. Yet with the right systems, training, and support in place, it is possible not only to survive but to thrive in today’s turbulent market. This is where an experienced restaurant business coach like myself can make all the difference.
Over my many years of working with restaurant owners across the country, I’ve learned that every restaurant is unique. Each has its own concept, culture, staff, and particular pain points. This means that cookie-cutter advice or generalized consulting rarely solves the root issues holding a restaurant back. Instead, restaurants need targeted coaching tailored to their specific situation if they want to unlock sustainable growth.
My approach as a FocalPoint coach is to start every engagement by listening closely to a restaurant’s needs and goals. I dig deep in an initial consultation to understand the current state of their business as well as where they want to be in the future. This allows me to customize a training and implementation plan to address the exact problems they face, rather than relying on assumptions or guesses.
Once I have clarity on a restaurant’s challenges, we develop solutions together that are practical, results-driven, and designed to create lasting change. The training I provide focuses on equipping staff with easy-to-implement tactics and systems that make an immediate difference, while also training managers to continually optimize operations far into the future.
While each restaurant’s path is unique, there are common pain points I frequently help clients solve. Through questions, conversations and observation, here are some typical areas restaurants need to improve:
Inconsistent Service – Why does service quality fluctuate so much between servers and even day to day? How can we ensure every guest receives an exceptional experience on each visit?
Low Average Guest Check – What factors lead guests to order less food or lower priced items? How could menu design, upselling techniques and staff incentives boost revenue?
High Turnover Rates – What are the root causes of turnover of our top performing staff? How can we improve training, culture and incentives to retain our stars?
Inventory Waste – What inventory management processes need to change to reduce spoilage and waste? What data should we track daily, weekly and monthly to stay on top of costs?
Slow Table Turnover – How can we optimize floor plans, server routing, table assignments and coordination between front and back of house to increase table turnover?
Digging into questions like these allows me to create a crystal clear picture of areas that need improvement. From there, we build out solutions tailored to each restaurant’s unique situation. This typically involves hands-on training and implementation across three key areas:
- Team Sales Skills
Developing your staff’s ability to upsell, cross-sell and close more sales is one of the fastest ways to drive revenue growth. Most restaurants already have fantastic people on their team – they just need guidance and coaching to reach their full potential.
I provide hands-on sales training using roleplaying, competitions, and real-time coaching on the floor to sharpen staff skills. We focus both on obvious tactics like upselling and on subtle factors like body language, tone and timing that influence the guest experience. My goal is to turn every server into a true salesperson equipped to boost check averages and customer loyalty.
- Performance Analytics & Management
Many restaurants have access to sales and operational data but don’t know how to effectively analyze it and extract insights. I teach managers to understand key metrics like customer traffic patterns, average check size, turnover rates and labor costs.
With the right analytical skills, managers can spot opportunities to adjust staff schedules, change menu offerings, run targeted promotions and make other smart operational decisions. We implement tracking systems and hold managers accountable to review critical reports daily, weekly and monthly.
- System Design & Implementation
From inventory management to floorplans, how well a restaurant runs day-to-day depends heavily on having strong systems in place. I conduct deep dives into current workflows and processes to identify bottlenecks and waste. I then work with management to implement more efficient systems.
This may involve creating standardized inventory management and food prep processes in the kitchen, optimizing server rotation across floor sections, or digitizing reservations management. Whatever the area, I focus obsessively on designing systems for simplicity, efficiency and scalability.
While jumpstarting revenue growth is crucial, my engagements don’t stop there. I take a long-term outlook, working to build capabilities that equip a restaurant’s staff to drive continual improvement for years to come. That’s why manager coaching and staff accountability are built into my programs from day one.
To ensure changes stick, I schedule regular on-site visits to reinforce training. I monitor operations in real-time, checking that new processes are being followed consistently. I also conduct testing and validations to ensure staff retain key learnings.
This accountability piece is a key advantage of working with an experienced coach rather than attempting to problem solve on your own. I provide an outside perspective to keep everyone focused, as well as expertise and best practices from the hundreds of restaurants I’ve worked with over my career.
Another benefit of my approach is that I don’t just teach broad concepts or theories. I work directly with your team to build customized solutions for your restaurant, then roll up my sleeves to implement them hands-on. I continue coaching your managers and staff until new skills become second nature.
While each engagement is unique, restaurants that invest in my coaching and training programs can reasonably expect to:
– Increase customer check averages 15-25%
– Improve table turnover rates 15-30%
– Grow overall annual sales 20-40%
– Reduce wasted inventory by 10-15%
– Decrease turnover among top talent by 25-50%
In today’s complex and competitive restaurant market, success doesn’t happen by accident. It takes expertise, systems and training to unlock a restaurant’s full potential. Though each restaurant’s path forward is unique, growth begins when owners make the crucial decision to invest in their team.
My decades of hands-on experience have proven that restaurants can achieve remarkable growth, even in turbulent times, with the right strategy and execution. But seizing new opportunities requires fresh vision and skills. It’s easy for restaurants to stay stuck relying on assumptions rather than actively shaping their future.
That’s why I encourage any owner who feels their restaurant isn’t reaching its full potential to take that first step. Let’s have a discovery call to start mapping out possibilities. I’m eager to learn about your concept, strengths, pain points and where you hope to go.
Together, we’ll craft a custom coaching and training plan tailored to your needs. We’ll dig into the data to set baselines, build out systems aimed at efficiency and consistency, and thoroughly train both staff and management. I’ll provide accountability and expertise each step so you don’t have to go it alone.
Investing in targeted sales coaching pays off exponentially. Just a 15-20% increase in check size or table turns can transform profitability and growth trajectory. Small consistent changes create momentum. Mastery takes time, but excelling in a few key skills unlocks the door to new heights.
So what are you waiting for? Amazing opportunities exist in this industry every single day – but only for those willing to seize them. I’m here to help your team gain the confidence, skills and tools to pursue your restaurant’s full potential.
Let’s chat about how we can work together to strengthen your foundation, sharpen operations and delight guests. The future starts today. Reach out now to schedule your discovery call!
