Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Get the Ghost Kitchen Bootcamp Course! 

The Restaurant Boss Ryan Gromfin is today's guest.

Ryan’s culinary journey began as a teenager after watching the great chefs and personalities on TV. This led him to the Culinary Arts program at Johnson & Wales. After graduating with honors, Ryan worked in countless restaurants, at 5 Star Hotels, and operated 4 restaurants. Other owners took note of his success and began seeking his advice. As The Restaurant Boss, Ryan is the most followed restaurant coach in the world and a professional speaker, helping Restaurant Owners and Operators increase profits, improve operations, and scale and grow their businesses.

Check out episode 256 about the difference between managers and leaders with Ryan Gromfin.

Check out episode 313 about budgeting and tracking with Ryan Gromfin.

Check out episode 687 with Steve Reggiani and Joe Scalo, founders of the 8it app as mentioned in today's episode!

Check out 99designs as mentioned in today's episode!

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

Favorite success quote or mantra:

  • "Show me your calendar and I'll predict your success."

In today's workshop with Ryan Gromfin we will discuss:

  • The 7 Ghosts:
    • Ghost brick
    • Multi-ghost brick
    • Ghost Operator
    • Ghost Outsource
    • Multi-source concept
    • Single Ghost/multi-concept
    • Multi-ghost facility
  • Check out Ryan's Restaurant Unstoppable-exclusive course on ghost kitchen!

Today's sponsor:

7shifts is a modern labor management platform, designed by restaurateurs, for restaurateurs. Effectively labor management is more important than ever to ensure profitability and restaurant success. Trusted by over 400,000 restaurant professionals, 7shifts gives you the tools you need to streamline labor operations, communicate with your team, and retain your talent. Best of all 7shifts integrates with the POS and Payroll systems you already use and trust (like Toast!) turning labor into a competitive advantage for your business. Restaurant Unstoppable members get 3 months, absolutely free.

Ecolab: Streamline your clean with Ecolab’s new EPA-registered 2-in-1 solution, Sink & Surface Cleaner Sanitizer. It will help reduce risk, simplify your procedures and help ensure compliance. This solution cleans and sanitizes hard non-porous surfaces with a single product, eliminates the rinse step and equips your staff to clean more efficiently. Clean simplified, confidence delivered.

Ecolab S&S Clean Simplifed Ad 300x300

Contact info:

The Restaurant Boss website

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Ryan Gromfin for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!
Direct download: 782_Ryan_Gromfin_PODCAST_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30am EST

With excitement allow me to introduce to you today's guest Founder and CEO of the McNellie's Restaurant Group Elliot Nelson.

Elliot Nelson went to the University of Notre Dame for college. During his junior year, he left South Bend to study abroad in Dublin, Ireland. While there, he fell in love with the atmosphere and unique hospitality that he experienced every time he walked into classic Dublin pubs. 

Upon returning to Tulsa, Nelson made it his mission to recreate the Irish Pub feel in his hometown. He opened James E. McNellie’s Public House in March of 2004 in what had been a lonely and rather desolate corner of downtown Tulsa. 17 years later, McNellie’s and the area around it are thriving. Today the McNellies Group consist of 10 brands: McNellie’s Downtown; McNellie’s South City; El Guapo’s Downtown; Howdy Burger; Fassler Hall; Dilly Diner; Yokozuna; The Tavern; Dust Bowl Lanes & Lounge; Elgin Park

Check out episode 778 with Rachel Cope as mentioned in today's episode!

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

Favorite success quote or mantra:

  • “If you're not impressive then by default you are unimpressive.”
  • “The complacency of today is the direct enemy of tomorrow.”

In today's episode with Mike Bausch we will discuss:

  • Start with the end in mind
  • What makes Ireland's hospitality different from ours?
  • Judging success by how long the guest stays in the building
  • Location
  • Passion
  • Networking
  • Social intelligence
  • Opening blunders
  • Opening an Irish bar on St. Patrick's Day
  • Marketing
  • Building a neighborhood around your restaurant/bar
  • Smile and get the order right...that's it!
  • Creating/sustaining culture
  • People in this industry need vacations!
  • Ghost kitchen/events centers
  • Packaging for take-out

Today's sponsor:

7shifts is a modern labor management platform, designed by restaurateurs, for restaurateurs. Effectively labor management is more important than ever to ensure profitability and restaurant success. Trusted by over 400,000 restaurant professionals, 7shifts gives you the tools you need to streamline labor operations, communicate with your team, and retain your talent. Best of all 7shifts integrates with the POS and Payroll systems you already use and trust (like Toast!) turning labor into a competitive advantage for your business. Restaurant Unstoppable members get 3 months, absolutely free.

Ecolab: Streamline your clean with Ecolab’s new EPA-registered 2-in-1 solution, Sink & Surface Cleaner Sanitizer. It will help reduce risk, simplify your procedures and help ensure compliance. This solution cleans and sanitizes hard non-porous surfaces with a single product, eliminates the rinse step and equips your staff to clean more efficiently. Clean simplified, confidence delivered.

Ecolab S&S Clean Simplifed Ad 300x300

 

Knowledge bombs

  1. Which “it factor” habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
    • Perseverance
  2. What is your biggest weakness?
    • Guiness
  3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
    • "Where do you get your news?"
  4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
    • COVID-19, retaining staff
  5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
    • Treat everyone with respect
  6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
    • Try to get to yes
  7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
  8. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
    • Don't say thank you enough to staff
  9. Name one service you've hired.
  10. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influenced operations?
    • Basecamp - project management software
  11. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    • Be kind to eachother
    • Guiness is like drinking a hug
    • I hope my kids have a sense of adventure

Contact info:

Instagram: @elliotmcnellies

www.mcnelliesgroup.com

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Elliot Nelson for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!
 
 
Direct download: 781_Elliot_Nelson_PODCAST_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30am EST

With Excitement allow me to introduce to you today's guest CEO Found of Meez Josh Sharkey. Josh is joining us today because my guest mentors have been recommending Meez on the show, and because Meez has come up a few times in conversation within the network. Meez is a recipe tool for professional chefs and organizations. It's one part recipe tool, one part costing tool, and one part e-learning platform.

Meez has agreed to pay Restaurant Unstoppable a 25% commission on all new leads! If you're interested in leveraging this tool in your business, Please:

USE OUR LINKS 

Check out The Flavor Bible by Karen Page as mentioned in today's episode!

Check out this video demo for Meez! Special thanks to The Little Beats Geoff Kornberg! Go to www.restaurantunstoppable.come/780

Direct download: 780_Josh_Sharkey_PODCAST_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:07pm EST

In today's episode, we make an example of Co-founder and President of A Good Egg Dining Group, Keith Paul! Before starting his first restaurant, Keith Paul was a Sales Rep for Ben E. Keiths Food Distributor, where got a crash course about the restaurant business and made invaluable network connection. In 2000, Paul opened his own restaurant Cheever's, which still serves Oklahoma city to this day. Today, A Good Egg Dining Group consists of 9 unique concepts: Cheever's, Iron Star Urban Barbecue; Red PrimeSteak; Republic Gastropub; Tucker's Onion Burgers; Kitchen No 324; The Drake; Barrios; and Mexican Radio.

Check out RestaurantOwner.com as mentioned in today's episode!

Check out The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything by Stephen M. R. Covey as mentioned in today's episode.

Check out the highly recommended Setting The Table by Danny Meyer as mentioned in today's episode!

Check out Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow by Chip Conley as mentioned in today's episode!

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

Favorite success quote or mantra:

  • "The meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose of life is to give it away."

In today's episode with Keith Paul we will discuss:

  • Curious about human nature
  • Hiring/firing
  • Leveraging your wholesalers
  • What is courtesy in the hospitality industry?
  • Promotion
  • Collaboration
  • Finding the right city for your concept
  • Creating a good business plan
  • Scaling
  • How to establish trust
  • How to schedule
  • Inventory control
  • Growing too fast?
  • Open-book management
  • Profit sharing?
  • "Writing the end of the story."
Direct download: 779_Keith_Paul_PODCAST_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30am EST

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

Brittany and Eric (but mostly Brittany) suggested some really great resources. If you're interested in ANY of these, please use RUNetwork links.....

Chowly - "Simplifying technology for restaurants."

Restaurant 365 - "Restaurant Management Software."

Toast POS - "All-in-one restaurant POS."

Revel - "Leading cloud-based iPad POS system."

Plate IQ - "Simplify and automate your accounts payable."

Postmates - "Food delivery, groceries, alcohol - anything from anywhere."

Quickbooks - Accounting "Run your whole business."

Contact info:

 

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Brittany McCrary for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

 

Direct download: Tech_Talk_1_Brittany_McCrary.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:37pm EST

With Excitement allow me to introduce to you today's guest Founder and CEO of 84 Hospitality,  Rachel Cope!

Rachel recommends the book The New Food Lover's Companion by Sharon Tyler Herbst and Ron Herbst

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

Favorite success quote or mantra:

  • "Figure it out."

In today's episode with Rachel Cope we will discuss: 

  • Walk the way you talk
  • Starting in the industry in a corporation
  • Tell people "good job" often
  • Treat staff with kindness and inclusiveness
  • You NEED to be consistent with your hours of operation
  • Learning to make dough from a school of pizza making
  • Gaining capital
  • Splitting equity
  • Partnerships
  • Scaling
  • Pop-ups as a way to get a concept started
Direct download: 778_Rachel_Cope_PODCAST_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30am EST

Today's guest, Scott Landers, is the founder of Figure 8 Logistics, a consulting firm that specializes in delivery for the restaurant industry. Prior to figure 8 Logistics Landers was a civil engineer, and found his way onto the team of the New York City-based restaurant Dig Inn, where is focus was on developing their delivery program. He's opened his skills up to the rest of the industry with Figure 8

Check out The E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What To Do About It by Michael E.Gerber as mentioned in today's episode!

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

Favorite success quote or mantra:

  • "Get your hands dirty and change the world."

In today's WORKSHOP with Scott Landers we will discuss:

Today's sponsor:

7shifts is a modern labor management platform, designed by restaurateurs, for restaurateurs. Effective labor management is more important than ever to ensure profitability and restaurant success. Trusted by over 400,000 restaurant professionals, 7shifts gives you the tools you need to streamline labor operations, communicate with your team, and retain your talent. Best of all 7shifts integrates with the POS and Payroll systems you already use and trust (like Toast!) turning labor into a competitive advantage for your business. Restaurant Unstoppable members get 3 months, absolutely free.

99designs is the global creative platform that makes it easy for designers and clients to work together remotely - no matter what your budget. From logos and brand identity, to menu and packaging, 99designs has helped more than tens of thousands restaurant owners build their brands. 99designs will match you with the right professional for your project from their curated community of talented creatives, and stay with you every step of the way so you love the outcome. Head to https://99designs.com/unstoppable to learn more or get $20 off your first design contest!

Ecolab: Streamline your clean with Ecolab’s new EPA-registered 2-in-1 solution, Sink & Surface Cleaner Sanitizer. It will help reduce risk, simplify your procedures and help ensure compliance. This solution cleans and sanitizes hard non-porous surfaces with a single product, eliminates the rinse step and equips your staff to clean more efficiently. Clean simplified, confidence delivered.

Ecolab S&S Clean Simplifed Ad 300x300

 

Contact info:

Figue 8 website 

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Scott Landers for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!
 
Direct download: 777_Scott_Landers_PODCAST_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:41am EST

Western Oklahoma native, Jeff Dixon, attended Oklahoma State University. While at Stillwater he obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management. He then spent the next 15 years in Edmond where he became a General Manager & Proprietor for the Hal Smith Group.  Today, Jeff serves as Co-Founder and CFO of Provision Concepts Jeff Dixon.

Check out The Great Game of Business: The Only sensible Way to Run a Company by Jack Stack as mentioned in today's episode!

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

Favorite success quote or mantra:

  • "If you don;'t like something about yourself, change it."

In today's episode with Jeff Dixon we will discuss:

  • BOH organized chaos
  • Early mentors
  • Taking a 1.5 year break from the industry
  • Best interview tactics and advice
  • Opening vs. running a restaurant
  • Building a team
  • Building an energy drink company
  • Budgeting
  • Raising capital
  • Operational expenses
  • Trust, checks, and balances
  • The Trust and Track method
  • Sales and labor
  • Opening a restaurant during the COVID pandemic
  • Collaboration

Today's sponsor:

7shifts is a modern labor management platform, designed by restaurateurs, for restaurateurs. Effectively labor management is more important than ever to ensure profitability and restaurant success. Trusted by over 400,000 restaurant professionals, 7shifts gives you the tools you need to streamline labor operations, communicate with your team, and retain your talent. Best of all 7shifts integrates with the POS and Payroll systems you already use and trust (like Toast!) turning labor into a competitive advantage for your business. Restaurant Unstoppable members get 3 months, absolutely free.

 

99designs is the global creative platform that makes it easy for designers and clients to work together remotely - no matter what your budget. From logos and brand identity, to menu and packaging, 99designs has helped more than tens of thousands restaurant owners build their brands. 99designs will match you with the right professional for your project from their curated community of talented creatives, and stay with you every step of the way so you love the outcome. Head to https://99designs.com/unstoppable to learn more or get $20 off your first design contest!

Ecolab: Streamline your clean with Ecolab’s new EPA-registered 2-in-1 solution, Sink & Surface Cleaner Sanitizer. It will help reduce risk, simplify your procedures and help ensure compliance. This solution cleans and sanitizes hard non-porous surfaces with a single product, eliminates the rinse step and equips your staff to clean more efficiently. Clean simplified, confidence delivered.

Ecolab S&S Clean Simplifed Ad 300x300

Knowledge bombs

  1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
    • Fire under my ass always
  2. What is your biggest weakness?
    • Organization
  3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
    • Outgoing
  4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
    • Juggling the growth
  5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
    • Embrace change
  6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
    • Don't be an order-taker, be a salesman. Care about your guests!
  7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
  8. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
    • When you scale you need to invest personal time in ALL of your stores
    • Give more praise
  9. Name one service you've hired.
  10. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations?
  11. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    • Treat others how you want to be treated
    • Go for no
    • You can do it

Contact info:

Email: jeff@eatdrinkpc.com

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Jeff Dixon for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!
Direct download: 776_Jeff_Dixon_PODCAST_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30am EST

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