Want to listen to the latest Restaurant Rockstars podcast episodes?

Episode #133 The MOST Important Detail in your Restaurant!

Know this…“paramount” service is everything in your restaurant.  Deliver anything less and your customers will talk… Immediately, their experience at your place is all over social media and online review platforms. You can lose your good reputation and customers at your restaurant’s peril.  Take a listen to my recent experience….

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Episode #132 Strategy From A Top Brand Expert

Give today’s episode a listen as I’m speaking with Ben Gaddis, the President of one of the world’s Top innovation agencies counting some of the world’s most powerful brands as clients.  We’ll talk digital marketing, online ordering, delivery, leading-edge loyalty programs and much more that shape and grow the all-important relationship between your operation and your customer.

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Episode #130 Does your Indie stack up to the Competition?

Well once again, I’m on the road driving cross-country. I had a chance to eat out several times a day in a wide variety of places. So today, I’m telling you about two dining experiences that really stood out for different reasons. I hope it helps you take a fresh look at your restaurant or hospitality enterprise, and give you some food for thought.

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Episode #127 One Cool Tip: How an ICEBERG can Double Your Restaurant Sales!

I’ve always believed that “Order Takers” in restaurants deliver Ordinary Experiences.  Why not be about creating Extraordinary guest service?  To do this, your staff need to take your customer on what I call “the Magical Journey”.  Here’s one cool tip to do just that while watching your guests smile and cash register ring.

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Episode #126 One Foot From Disaster, My Journey To Wild Success

From pitfalls and major struggles to straight out theft & fraud, you’ll learn how I built my successful restaurants from a bold dream and no practical experience to a wildly successful multi-million dollar exit. In this action-packed episode, my friend and fellow industry pro Jaime Oikle and I discuss my crazy restaurant journey and how the systems I created led to Double the Net Profit of the average restaurant and national press acclaim. 

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Episode #122 Lessons Learned Going from Hotdog Stand to World’s Largest Nightclub!

Imagine rising from the kitchen of his family’s humble Brooklyn restaurant at age 4 to professional waiter, manager, event planner, caterer and restaurateur.  Remarkably Ian will share how his family transformed their early hot dog stand into the “World’s Largest Nightclub”, serving 6,000 people every Saturday night.

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Episode #120 The Only Way To Staff Your Restaurant

I’ve always believed that the Help Wanted ads are a great way to find someone else’s problems and just because you need a new hire, the wrong person won’t be doing your business any favors.  So here’s a paradigm shift.  Give this episode a listen as today I’m talking to a superstar recruiting expert.  Mr. Mike Durre shares his “secret sauce” to finding key personnel from a GM, to Chef to line positions.

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Episode #119 Build Your Brand Inside and Out!

Heres a TWIST many restaurants miss. There are so many ways you can leverage your restaurant’s LOGO while promoting everything that’s special about your place. Give a listen to today’s episode as Thea and I riff on the power of your logo which is the true foundation of your marketing, to powerful promotional ideas that capture the public’s imagination, create that BUZZ and get them talking.  

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Episode #117 Ambiance or Food, Which Comes First?

Most restaurants want to turn their tables over and over, but again this one has so much space, they just keep packing them in and keeping them.  So what keeps them busy? EXPERIENCES!   On top of a James Beard Award-Winning Chef and lots of menu variety for both food and drink, this place serves up lots of FUN! You’ll have to give this episode a listen to learn all about it and when you do, your gears are probably going to start turning with lots of fresh ideas for your own place.

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Episode #116 When Concept Executions Go Wrong (or right)

I’ve started multiple concepts… some Rock N Rolled right from the get-go.  Another needed a total about face and re-branding, while yet another never really got legs and I had to sell it. Give a listen as Thea and I discuss different concepts, the things that make them work or Not, special “hooks” and lots of ideas to consider that impact your guest’s experience.

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