Matt Bernabe is the Owner of Urban Hot Dog and Fat Frank's. Matt got his start as a very young entrepreneur, always feeling he had the entrepreneurial spirit. He got his first real job in the restaurant industry at Chic-Fil-A where he went from new employee to GM in just a year. He was then part of the opening team (just him and the owner, basically) of Urban Hot Dog in 2012 in Albuquerque, NM. He purchased the restaurant from the original owner in 2014 after attending business school. Fat Frank's opened in the basement of the Urban Hot Dog location and a second Urban Hot Dog opened along with a second food truck.

Check out Restaurant Success by the Numbers by Roger Fields as mentioned in today's episode!

Favorite success quote/mantra:

• "A high tide rises all ships."

In this episode we will discuss:

• Nepotism
• Numbers/KPI's
• Food trucks
• Catering
• Expansion
• Tech stacks - Popmenu, Meez, Toast, Restaurant Systems Pro, etc.

Today's sponsor:

Are you a chef, owner, operator, or manage recipes in professional kitchens? meez is built just for you. Organize, share, prep, and scale recipes like never before. Plus, engineer your menu in real-time and get accurate food costs. Sign up for free today and get 2 FREE months of invoice processing as a listener of the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast. Visit getmeez.com/unstoppable to learn more.

Restaurant Technologies the company that helps restaurants, “Control the kitchen chaos.” With RT’s total oil management, you get: Dependable fresh bulk cooking oil delivery; Filtration + oil usage monitoring and reporting; Used cooking oil pick-up, and recycling; And say goodbye to messy, dangerous restaurant rendering tanks-yuck. RT’s end-to-end cooking oils solution helps you manage your used cooking oil storage, collection, and recycling- conveniently, safely, and cleanly- with no upfront costs. Head to www.RTI-inc.com, and let them know the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast sent you their way.

Owner.com is the leading all-in-one platform for restaurant marketing. Owner.com powers everything from SEO-optimized websites, direct online ordering, automated email and text marketing, built-in loyalty programs, zero commission delivery, and branded mobile apps for your restaurant that integrate right into your POS. With Owner.com, there are no contracts, no hidden fees, and nothing to lose. Join thousands of restaurant owners using Owner.com to grow direct online sales, save thousands in third-party fees, and simplify their online presence all-in-one.Book a free demo today at owner.com/unstoppable and see why Owner.com is the #1-rated Restaurant Marketing Software.

Restaurant Systems Pro - Join the 60-day Restaurant Systems Pro FREE TRAINING. This is something that has never been done before. This 60-day event is at no cost to you, but it is not for everyone. Fred Langley, CEO of Restaurant Systems Pro, will lead a group of restaurateurs through the Restaurant Systems Pro software and set up the systems for your restaurant. During the 60 days, Fred will walk you through the Restaurant Systems Pro Process and help you crush the following goals: Recipe Costing Cards; Guidance in your books for accounting; Cash controls; Sales Forecasting(With Accuracy); Checklists; Budgeting for the entire year; Scheduling for profit; More butts in seats and more… Click Here to learn more.

Contact:

Email: matt@urbanhotdogcompany.com

Instagram: @urbanhotdogcompany

Danny Azzarello and Alan Frei are the co-founders of CRACK'D Kitchen and Coffee. Both guests grew up in restaurants and learned the fundamentals from working in profitable and system-heavy chains. They met while working together and decided to open CRACK'D in 2019. Today there are 5 locations, along with retail and secondary concepts.

Favorite success quote/mantra:

• "Whatever it takes."

In this episode we will discuss:

• Training and checklists
• Franchising
• Work ethic
• Food trucks and food carts

Today's sponsor:

MarginEdge: Boost your efficiency and profitability without adding labor costs. MarginEdge is a complete restaurant management software that allows you to seamlessly manage all aspects of your business from one central location. Track food costs in real time, make inventory faster and less tedious, easily cost out your recipes, and get a daily P&L so you always know where you stand. See how it works at marginedge.com/unstopabble.

Restaurant Technologies the company that helps restaurants, “Control the kitchen chaos.” With RT’s total oil management, you get: Dependable fresh bulk cooking oil delivery; Filtration + oil usage monitoring and reporting; Used cooking oil pick-up, and recycling; And say goodbye to messy, dangerous restaurant rendering tanks-yuck. RT’s end-to-end cooking oils solution helps you manage your used cooking oil storage, collection, and recycling- conveniently, safely, and cleanly- with no upfront costs. Head to www.RTI-inc.com, and let them know the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast sent you their way.

Owner.com is the leading all-in-one platform for restaurant marketing. Owner.com powers everything from SEO-optimized websites, direct online ordering, automated email and text marketing, built-in loyalty programs, zero commission delivery, and branded mobile apps for your restaurant that integrate right into your POS. With Owner.com, there are no contracts, no hidden fees, and nothing to lose. Join thousands of restaurant owners using Owner.com to grow direct online sales, save thousands in third-party fees, and simplify their online presence all-in-one.Book a free demo today at owner.com/unstoppable and see why Owner.com is the #1-rated Restaurant Marketing Software.

Restaurant Systems Pro - Join the 60-day Restaurant Systems Pro FREE TRAINING. This is something that has never been done before. This 60-day event is at no cost to you, but it is not for everyone. Fred Langley, CEO of Restaurant Systems Pro, will lead a group of restaurateurs through the Restaurant Systems Pro software and set up the systems for your restaurant. During the 60 days, Fred will walk you through the Restaurant Systems Pro Process and help you crush the following goals: Recipe Costing Cards; Guidance in your books for accounting; Cash controls; Sales Forecasting(With Accuracy); Checklists; Budgeting for the entire year; Scheduling for profit; More butts in seats and more… Click Here to learn more.

Contact:

Website

dannya@crackdkitchen.com

Instagram: @crackdkitchen

Paula Haines is the CEO of Freedom a la Cart. Paula Haines graduated college with a degree in marketing. Freedom a la Cart is a nonprofit that empowers women of Ohio who are survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation. The cafe and catering business gives these women workforce skills and training. The organization started in 2009, the social enterprise started in 2011, and Paula joined in 2013. Freedom a la Cart started as a food cart in 2011 and in 2021 opened their first cafe. They have plans to open more in the near future!

Favorite success quote/mantra:

• "Many people will come to Freedom a la Cart because of the mission, but how you build a business is by creating repeat customers and being exceptional."

In this episode we will discuss:

• Marketing
• Enabling vs. Empowering employees
• Culture
• Business models
• Non-profits

Today's sponsor:

OneDegree Coaching: Self-awareness is the #1 skill for leaders in the New Era of Work. Self-awareness is also said to be the Peak of emotional intelligence. So How Truly self-aware are you? Cue Ed Doherty, OneDegreeCoaching, and the Predictive Index. The Predictive Index is a Talent Optimization platform that helps leaders understand themselves and others, helping build happy, high-performing teams. Try the Predictive Index Behavior Assessment for free! Head to restaurantunstoppable.com/tryPI  to take the PI Behavioral Assessment. Once you take the assessment, Ed Doherty is offering a free 30-minute call to read your results and help you become a better Self-aware leader.

Tater Kegs, because It’s time to serve the Tater your guests deserve! Tater Kegs are shredded potatoes mixed with delicious flavors. All the best parts of a baked potato in the perfect handheld package. From the freezer → to the fryer → to the guest. Serve them in a variety of different ways and in many different applications. Great for dine-in, delivery and to-go. With all the uncertainties in the world today we should be able to be certain that our food always has great flavor, and Tater Kegs provide that comfort in every bite! Request samples at Taterkegs.com.

Owner.com is the leading all-in-one platform for restaurant marketing. Owner.com powers everything from SEO-optimized websites, direct online ordering, automated email and text marketing, built-in loyalty programs, zero commission delivery, and branded mobile apps for your restaurant that integrate right into your POS. With Owner.com, there are no contracts, no hidden fees, and nothing to lose. Join thousands of restaurant owners using Owner.com to grow direct online sales, save thousands in third-party fees, and simplify their online presence all-in-one.Book a free demo today at owner.com/unstoppable and see why Owner.com is the #1-rated Restaurant Marketing Software.

Restaurant Systems Pro - Join the 60-day Restaurant Systems Pro FREE TRAINING. This is something that has never been done before. This 60-day event is at no cost to you, but it is not for everyone. Fred Langley, CEO of Restaurant Systems Pro, will lead a group of restaurateurs through the Restaurant Systems Pro software and set up the systems for your restaurant. During the 60 days, Fred will walk you through the Restaurant Systems Pro Process and help you crush the following goals: Recipe Costing Cards; Guidance in your books for accounting; Cash controls; Sales Forecasting(With Accuracy); Checklists; Budgeting for the entire year; Scheduling for profit; More butts in seats and more… Click Here to learn more.

Contact:

Website

Email: paula@freedomalacart.org

Thanks for listening!

Joe Pine II is the author of The Experience Economy: Competing For Customer Time, Attention, and Money and Co-Founder of Strategic Horizons LLP. Joe Pine began programming computers in the 7th grade. He worked at IBM for 13 years and moved up to management and strategic roles within that company. Since the he has been a consultant, coach, expert and author on the topics discussed today. 

Favorite success quote/mantra:

• "Go beyond goods and services to staging experiences and guiding transformations for each one of your individual customers."

In this episode with Joe Pine, we will discuss:

• What is the Experience Economy?

Today's sponsor:

MarginEdge: Fluctuating food prices. Staffing challenges- Now more than ever you need to control costs to remain profitable. MarginEdge is a restaurant management software that lets you see your food and labor costs in real time. By automating your invoice processing and totally digitizing your back office, MarginEdge saves your team hours on paperwork and gives you instant insights to manage your prime costs. No contract. No setup fee. See how it works at marginedge.com/unstoppable.

Restaurant Technologies the company that helps restaurants, “Control the kitchen chaos.” With RT’s total oil management, you get: Dependable fresh bulk cooking oil delivery; Filtration + oil usage monitoring and reporting; Used cooking oil pick-up, and recycling; And say goodbye to messy, dangerous restaurant rendering tanks-yuck. RT’s end-to-end cooking oils solution helps you manage your used cooking oil storage, collection, and recycling- conveniently, safely, and cleanly- with no upfront costs. Head to www.RTI-inc.com, and let them know the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast sent you their way.

Owner.com is the leading all-in-one platform for restaurant marketing. Owner.com powers everything from SEO-optimized websites, direct online ordering, automated email and text marketing, built-in loyalty programs, zero commission delivery, and branded mobile apps for your restaurant that integrate right into your POS. With Owner.com, there are no contracts, no hidden fees, and nothing to lose. Join thousands of restaurant owners using Owner.com to grow direct online sales, save thousands in third-party fees, and simplify their online presence all-in-one.Book a free demo today at owner.com/unstoppable and see why Owner.com is the #1-rated Restaurant Marketing Software.

Restaurant Systems Pro - Join the 60-day Restaurant Systems Pro FREE TRAINING. This is something that has never been done before. This 60-day event is at no cost to you, but it is not for everyone. Fred Langley, CEO of Restaurant Systems Pro, will lead a group of restaurateurs through the Restaurant Systems Pro software and set up the systems for your restaurant. During the 60 days, Fred will walk you through the Restaurant Systems Pro Process and help you crush the following goals: Recipe Costing Cards; Guidance in your books for accounting; Cash controls; Sales Forecasting(With Accuracy); Checklists; Budgeting for the entire year; Scheduling for profit; More butts in seats and more… Click Here to learn more.

Contact:

Chech out the Strategic Horizons website

Thanks for listening!