488. 45 Years of Restaurant Lessons: The Truth About Profit, Labor & Marketing - Ben Fischer

488. 45 Years of Restaurant Lessons: The Truth About Profit, Labor & Marketing - Ben Fischer

Restaurant veteran Ben Fischer joins Roger to share 45+ years of hard-earned restaurant operations lessons on leadership, staffing, labor management, pricing, systems, marketing and what actually makes restaurants successful long term. From opening and selling restaurants to building a restaurant-focused marketing agency, Ben has seen every side of the business. This episode is packed with practical advice independent restaurant operators can apply immediately. In this episode: • Restaurant operations systems • Leadership & staffing strategies • Labor cost control • Restaurant marketing insights • Pricing & guest perception • Loyalty programs & discounts • Building operational freedom Connect with Ben Fischer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bensonfischer/ https://www.facebook.com/ZivZoVideos/ https://www.instagram.com/zivzovideos/ https://zivzo.com/ https://bensonfischerrestaurantmarketing.com/ Thank you to our sponsors: Grub Lab Grub Lab reinvented the kids’ menu with licensed NBA, NFL and Hollywood brands in augmented reality that bring characters to life right at the table. Families stay longer, spend more and come back more often. https://www.grublab.co Smithfield Culinary Smithfield Culinary serves up premium ready-to-cook bacon that saves labor, improves consistency and elevates guest experience. https://www.smithfieldselect.com ZivZo Marketing ZivZo is a full-service marketing, advertising and video production agency specializing in restaurants and hospitality brands. https://www.zivzo.com Rally Catering Simplify catering orders, reduce chaos and grow your catering profit center with Rally Catering. https://rallycatering.com/rockstars

487. Restaurant Leadership, Accountability & Profit Systems with Big Biscuit CEO Chad Offerdahl

Independent restaurant operators are facing rising labor costs, shrinking margins, inconsistent team performance, and growing pressure to deliver value while maintaining hospitality. In this episode, Roger sits down with Chad Offerdahl, CEO of Big Biscuit, to break down the operational systems helping their rapidly growing restaurant brand scale successfully across 30+ locations. Chad shares practical strategies around: • Restaurant leadership and accountability • Team training and onboarding systems • Labor management and retention • KPIs and operational transparency • Building strong restaurant culture • Menu simplicity and operational efficiency • Community-driven marketing • Increasing guest loyalty and repeat business • Using AI to improve restaurant operations without losing hospitality This episode is packed with actionable ideas independent restaurant owners and small restaurant groups can apply immediately to improve team performance, consistency, and profitability. Thank you to our sponsors: Grub Lab Grub Lab completely reinvented the kids’ menu with licensed NBA, NFL, and Hollywood brands in augmented reality that bring characters to life right at the table. Their collectible menus rotate regularly, helping families stay longer, spend more, and come back more often. http://grublab.co Rally Catering Rally Catering helps restaurants streamline catering orders with online ordering, kitchen-ready production sheets, packing forms, and organized workflows that eliminate chaos and help grow catering sales. https://rallycatering.com/rockstars The Operator Inner Circle Mastermind Join a curated group of restaurant operators focused on labor, leadership, marketing, margins, accountability, and operational excellence. Meet twice monthly to share best practices and solve real restaurant challenges together. https://restaurantrockstars.com/mastermind

486. Inside Restaurant Operations at a 35-Unit Brand: KPIs, Training & Culture - Alex Sadowsky

Running 35 restaurants takes more than systems. It takes real restaurant operations. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I sit down with Alex Sadowsky, Vice President of Training, Culinary, and Beverage at Ojos Locos Sports Cantina, a growing 35-unit brand. We go inside how a multi-unit restaurant actually operates, from hiring and training to culture, accountability, and managing margins in today’s environment. Alex shares how they hire for attitude over experience, build long-term teams, and create real paths for growth from server to leadership. We also get into the realities of running a scratch kitchen at scale, keeping menus tight for efficiency, and maintaining consistency across multiple locations. We break down the numbers that matter, including prime cost, labor, and food cost, and how their team is working toward more real-time visibility to make better decisions faster. This is not theory or a list of systems. It’s a real look at restaurant operations inside a multi-unit brand that’s growing while staying true to its culture. Listen to the full episode: https://restaurantrockstars.com/audio/restaurant-operations-35-unit-brand/ Connect with our Guest: @ojoslocossportscantina https://ojoslocos.com Thank you to our sponsors: 🔘 The Operator Inner Circle Mastermind: Join a select group of restaurateurs seeking solutions to labor, increasing margins, leadership, proven marketing, staying ahead of the competition and today’s most pressing operating challenges. We get together brainstorm and share best practices 2 X/ month. Uplevel your restaurant with like-minded peers and industry experts. https://restaurantrockstars.com/mastermind 🔘 Rally Catering: Catering is an excellent added profit center for your restaurant, but it’s all in the details. With Rally Catering, customers browse your packages and pricing to order instantly. Orders arrive complete and ready to approve, with kitchen-ready production sheets and packing forms. Grow your catering business without missing a beat and without the chaos! https://rallycatering.com/rockstars Busy doesn’t equal profitable. More sales won’t fix weak margins; smarter menu decisions will. Do the 5-Day Menu Margin Makeover Challenge and turn one item into a repeatable profit driver.👉 https://restaurantrockstars.com/the-5-day-menu-margin-makeover-challenge/ Connect with Restaurant Rockstars on Social Media: LinkedIn Roger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-beaudoin-21590016 LinkedIn Restaurant Rockstars: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restaurant-rockstars LinkedIn Roger Beaudoin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-beaudoin/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restaurantrockstars/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restaurantrockstars X: https://x.com/RestaurantRock1

485. How to Turn Catering Into a High-Profit, Repeat Revenue Machine - Elias Hage

Turn catering into a profit machine. In this episode, Roger sits down with Elias from Rally Catering to talk about how the right restaurant catering system can help operators simplify the ordering process, reduce chaos, and turn catering into a repeatable revenue stream. They break down the biggest mistakes restaurants make with catering, the systems needed to streamline operations, and how easy online ordering can lead to more orders and more repeat business. If your catering process is still being managed through calls, emails, and manual follow-up, this episode will show you how to make it easier for your team and your customers, while building a stronger profit center for your business. Want to simplify your catering and stop missing revenue opportunities? Get a free demo at rallycatering.com/rockstars Want more restaurant profit strategies? Join the 5-Day Menu Margin Makeover Challenge at restaurantrockstars.com/the-5-day-menu-margin-makeover-challenge/

484. The Systems Behind a Fully Booked Concept (And How to Scale Without Burning Out) - Jessica Zouaoui

Most restaurant owners are stuck chasing food costs. The real opportunity is building systems that scale profit. In this episode, Roger sits down with Jessica Zouaoui, Co-Founder of Oakwell Beer Spa, a fully booked, multi-location concept built without investors. She shares how systems, team culture, and experience-driven strategy created a business that runs without burnout. You’ll learn how to scale, improve margins, and build a business that works without you. Join the Menu Margin Makeover Challenge: https://restaurantrockstars.com/the-5-day-menu-margin-makeover-challenge/ Sponsored by Restaurant Rockstars Coaching. Get expert guidance to increase profits and build systems: https://restaurantrockstars.com Sponsored by TouchBistro, the all-in-one restaurant POS: https://touchbistro.com Connect with Jessica Zouaoui and Oakwell Beer Spa: Website: https://oakwell.com/ Franchise: https://oakwellfranchise.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oakwell-beer-spa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakwellBeerSpa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oakwellbeerspa/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OakwellBeerSpa TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oakwellbeerspa