Running Restaurants

Jaime gets with secret shopping expert Darren Denington of Service With Style in this short snippet to discuss the growing problem of mediocre dining experiences. With rising meal costs, they emphasize that restaurants must deliver exceptional service to justify prices. Both Jaime & Darren share recent personal dining experience that fell flat due to missing small but impactful gestures like friendly smiles and warm farewells. Their candid discussion reveals actionable strategies for restaurateurs who want to move beyond mediocrity and consistently deliver exceptional value. The key takeaway: invest in people, refine service systems, and prioritize genuine human connection to elevate the overall guest experience.https://restaurant.mysamcart.com/products/

In this episode of the Running Restaurants podcast, Jaime Oikle and Roger Beaudoin explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the restaurant industry. They discuss AI's role in tackling labor shortages, cutting costs, optimizing inventory, and enhancing menu engineering. Real-world examples illustrate how AI boosts efficiency and profitability, while creative menu descriptions and new revenue ideas are highlighted. Despite these technological advances, the hosts emphasize that genuine hospitality and personal guest service remain crucial, urging operators to use AI as a tool to support—not replace—the human touch that defines memorable dining experiences. Find out more at https://www.runningrestaurants.comHighlights Include:- Impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the restaurant industry- Addressing labor shortages and rising costs through technology- Importance of menu engineering and inventory management- AI's role in enhancing guest experience while preserving hospitality- Demand foreca

In this episode, Roger Beaudoin of Restaurant Rockstars explains the crucial concept of prime cost in the restaurant industry (the combined percentage of food, beverage, and labor costs relative to sales). He discusses strategies for managing prime cost, such as accurate menu costing, promoting high-profit "cash cow" items, enforcing portion control, boosting alcohol sales, and efficient labor scheduling. Roger shares real-world examples of restaurants losing profits due to poor menu management and emphasizes the importance of understanding item profitability. The episode highlights how effective prime cost management is essential for restaurant profitability, especially amid rising costs and industry challenges.We hit on:- Definition and importance of prime cost in the restaurant industry- Breakdown of prime cost components: food, beverage, and labor costs- Industry benchmark for prime cost and its implications for profitability- Challenges faced by restaurants, including inflation and rising wages- Strategi

More than social media influencers and online reviews, your most important marketing resource is your loyal guests. Through trackable marketing, you can ensure they will keep coming back and will talk about you even beyond the table. Jaime Oikle sits down with Roger Beaudoin of Restaurant Rockstars to discuss how to keep track of your marketing strategies and boost guest frequency. They discuss how to train your team to constantly deliver impeccable services and offer customer incentives to attract new guests and retain the most loyal ones. From mug clubs to trivia nights, discover interesting ways to encourage people to visit your restaurant over and over again.Find out more at https://restaurantrockstars.com/ & https://www.runningrestaurants.com. https://restaurant.mysamcart.com/products/

Restaurants have to go the extra mile and go beyond food if they want to stay relevant and keep their seats filled at all times. Through the right content creation strategies, you can use social media to your advantage and keep guests coming back. Jaime Oikle sits down with Samantha Flynn, founder of Junipr Public Relations, who breaks down practical tips to market your restaurant in the vast online space, even with a tight budget. From fixing early branding mistakes to highlighting your very own signature dish in your posts, she explains what it takes to tell your story through social media, drive real traffic, and bring customers to your tables.Find out more at https://juniprpublicrelations.com & https://www.runningrestaurants.com.https://restaurant.mysamcart.com/products/

In this Running Restaurants Podcast episode, Roger Beaudoin of Restaurant Rockstars shares practical strategies for training restaurant staff. The discussion covers mentoring and shadowing multiple top performers, cross-training for versatility, and the value of daily pre-shift huddles focused on sales and guest experience. Roger also describes engaging role-playing exercises, like "How to Turn $100 into $1000," to sharpen sales skills. The episode emphasizes empowering staff, using creative sales props, and identifying unique "hooks" to boost revenue and set restaurants apart, offering actionable tips for operators to elevate team performance and guest satisfaction.Highlights include:- Mentoring and shadowing strategies for restaurant staff.- Importance of learning from multiple top-performing employees ("A players").- Cross-training staff to enhance versatility and understanding of various roles.- Daily pre-shift huddles as a strategy for improving guest experience and sales.- Key topics for discussion duri

Managing one restaurant is already challenging. How crazy would it be to manage not one but four different restaurant concepts? This is exactly the life of Leo Moura, a seasoned restaurant owner and operator in the Atlanta marketplace. He joins Jaime Oikle to share his experiences and strategies in handling American, French, and Italian cuisine – and even a pizzeria. Leo breaks down his approach to staff hiring, onboarding, and training, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and public recognition in a restaurant team. He also explains how they adapted to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with digital marketing and online ordering. Find out more at  https://lagardeamerica.com, https://restolantoinette.com, https://ilgialloatl.com, https://gspizzaria.com & https://www.runningrestaurants.com. https://restaurant.mysamcart.com/products/

In today’s highly digital world, maintaining a strong online visibility is a must if you want your business to thrive. But in the restaurant industry, hospitality marketing executive David "Rev" Ciancio has noted one alarming truth: many are not doing even the fundamentals of digital marketing. He joins Jaime Oikle to point out what restaurant owners and operators are missing out on if they refuse to post on social media, build a properly optimized website, and create engaging digital ads. Rev also highlights the benefits of publishing build videos regularly, setting up a rewards program for customers, and gathering client feedback to continuously improve your systems.Find out more at https://handcraftburgers.com/ & https://www.runningrestaurants.com.https://restaurant.mysamcart.com/products/

Choosing the right music for restaurants may not seem important from the get-go, but it is definitely a crucial aspect of your business that you must never set aside. Jaime Oikle emphasizes how your chosen playlist can make or break your restaurant environment with Ola Sars, founder and CEO of Soundtrack. He shares how they serve as a one-stop shop for businesses that want to secure the right music for their commercial needs while navigating all of its complicated licensing matters. Ola discusses their process in cultivating music for restaurant owners and employ AI tools to elevate their techniques. He also explains how restaurant managers should handle their music access, deal with explicit content, and determine the best music volume that works well for your place.Find out more at https://www.soundtrack.io/ & https://www.runningrestaurants.com.Sponsor Link: https://servicewithstyle.com/runningrestaurantsSponsor Link: https://www.theleasecoach.com

A good restaurant is beloved not just because of its delicious food, but most importantly the lasting shareable experiences it offers to every single customer. Jaime Oikle sits down with Michael Tronn of 3 Hospitality and TIMBR to discuss the right way to deliver a complete restaurant experience anyone will love and remember. He explains how to perfectly combine good food, flawless service, and impactful branding to make your restaurant a certified go-to establishment. Michael also discusses why restaurant owners must always stay updated with current social media trends, where word of mouth is passed around almost instantly.Find out more at https://www.michaeltronn.com & https://www.runningrestaurants.com.Sponsor Link: https://www.RestaurantFormula.comSponsor Link: https://servicewithstyle.com/runningrestaurants

Having a good restaurant manager is essential in securing success in the world of hospitality. What characteristics and leadership styles should they possess? Jaime Oikle explores the eight traits of an effective manager with Darren Denington and Alison Anne. They discuss how managers must do the inner work to elevate themselves as impactful leaders and the best ways to build thriving relationships with their team. Darren and Alison also talk about Restaurant Management 201 and 301, a series of in-depth workshops about building cohesive and effective restaurant managers and crews.Find out more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrendenington/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonanne/, & https://www.runningrestaurants.com.

The everyday and long-term success of your restaurant hinges greatly not just on hiring the most talented people but also on building the right culture. Jaime Oikle sits down with David Friedman, founder of CultureWise, to break down how to create the ideal restaurant culture and environment. He talks about the right way to cultivate positivity within your team by constantly showing that you care about them, not just as employees but living and breathing human beings. David also dispels some misconceptions about culture building and the right way to take care of red flags as soon as they appear.Find out more at https://culturewise.com/ & https://www.runningrestaurants.com.Sponsor Link: https://servicewithstyle.com/runningrestaurantsSponsor Link: https://www.RestaurantFormula.com

Your restaurant finances and taxes will always be your restaurant's most complicated and overwhelming aspects. Streamlining operations is the way to go if you want these to become much more manageable. Jaime Oikle sits down with returning guest Matthew Patrick to take a deep dive into the financial aspect of the restaurant industry. Together, they share valuable tips on menu engineering, tax compliance, cash flow monitoring, and tip management. Matthew also discusses how AI and the plethora of automated tools right now reshape how restaurants are run and managed - and why you cannot afford to ignore them at all.Find out more at https://patrickaccounting.com/ & https://www.runningrestaurants.com.Sponsor Link: https://www.RestaurantFormula.comSponsor Link: https://www.theleasecoach.com

Restaurant goers will certainly remember good food bundled with good customer service. By creating a point of differentiation in these areas, you can make your place not only commendable but also memorable. Chris Tripoli of The Restaurant Clinic discusses why a personalized and specialized approach is the rising trend every restaurant should take advantage of in this age when so many food choices are readily available and easily accessible. He also shares insights on adjusting to customer needs in a post-pandemic world, starting a restaurant even with little to no experience, and using the latest technology to level up your operations.Find out more at https://www.therestaurantclinic.com/ & https://www.runningrestaurants.com. Sponsor Link: https://www.theleasecoach.comSponsor Link: https://servicewithstyle.com/runningrestaurants

Your restaurant’s marketing and branding are not only about turning heads and getting everyone’s attention. Most importantly, it is about turning your target market into loyal customers. Joe Haubenhofer, owner of The Plaid Penguin, discusses the right way to do this to improve and elevate how your restaurant is received by the public. He shares practical tips on creating effective logos, designing restaurant menus, using photography for maximum impact, and sticking to your set brand guidelines. Joe also discusses how to blend brand and marketing with your workplace culture to inspire everyone to exude authenticity, intentionality, and consistency.Find out more at https://www.theplaidpenguin.com/ & https://www.runningrestaurants.com.Sponsor Link: https://servicewithstyle.com/runningrestaurantsSponsor Link: https://www.RestaurantFormula.com

Dive headfirst into the data revolution sweeping the restaurant industry! In this episode, host Jaime Oikle dives deep into the world of restaurant customer data analytics with Abhinav Kapur, co-founder and CEO of Bikky. Abhinav shares his journey from identifying the data gap in the hospitality industry to creating a powerful tool that helps restaurants understand and leverage customer insights. Discover how analyzing menu data can drive loyalty, why customer lifetime value is crucial (it's WAY more than just that one sandwich!), and how personalized marketing can triple your conversion rates. We explore how Bikky integrates seamlessly into existing restaurant tech stacks and even sneak in some personal life wisdom and book recommendations. Get ready for a data-driven future where restaurants thrive by understanding the people behind every transaction, turning casual diners into lifelong fans!Find out more at https://www.bikky.com/ & https://www.runningrestaurants.com.Sponsor Link: https://www.Restaurant

Tipping is an important element in running a restaurant. Employees often receive several tips in a single dinner service, and sometimes keeping up with it is quite overwhelming and confusing. Kirk Grogan is here to discuss how automation can ease the burden of this particular task. Joining Jaime Oikle, the Co-Founder & COO at TipHaus shares the many benefits of using an automated process in computing, recording, and distributing tips, which results in a more optimized and streamlined restaurant operation. Kirk also explains how improving your tipping system greatly helps in improving employee retention and building a healthy workplace culture.Find out more at https://www.tiphaus.com/ & https://www.runningrestaurants.com.Sponsor Link: https://www.theleasecoach.comSponsor Link: https://servicewithstyle.com/runningrestaurants

The 2025 Restaurant Business Report was recently released, and it is full of curious yet enlightening information for the industry’s future. Jaime Oikle explores its contents with Bryan Solar, Chief Product Officer at SpotOn. Together, they discuss how restaurants should navigate today’s rising economic pressures, which involve increased costs, labor issues, and supply chain volatility. They explain how restaurant pricing should be adjusted and managed despite potential resistance from customers. Bryan also talks about the role of data, AI tools, and other innovative technologies in greatly transforming the restaurant industry in today’s highly digital society.Find out more at https://www.spoton.com/ & https://www.runningrestaurants.com.Sponsor Link: https://servicewithstyle.com/runningrestaurantsSponsor Link: https://www.RestaurantFormula.com

Understanding the intricacies of restaurant accounting is paramount for any owner looking to thrive in today's competitive market. In this episode, we dive into the crucial world of restaurant accounting and finances with Marta Grumberg of Grumberg Accounting. Jaime Oikle sits down with Marta to explore the biggest financial challenges restaurant owners face—shrinking margins, rising food costs, and the common accounting pitfalls that can make or break a business. Get ready for a fast-paced, no-nonsense guide to help you stay on top of your numbers and run a smarter, more successful restaurant. Stay tuned!Find out more at https://grumbergaccounting.com/ & https://www.runningrestaurants.com.Sponsor Link: https://www.RestaurantFormula.comSponsor Link: https://www.theleasecoach.com

Running a restaurant is tough – managing orders, executing marketing campaigns, and maintaining high customer engagement can quickly become overwhelming. Thankfully, AI has been changing the game and is now helping owners automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks. In this episode, Jaime Oikle talks with Carl Turner, CEO of SWIPEBY, to discuss how AI-driven tools can streamline marketing, online ordering, and customer interactions. They emphasize how this innovation allows owners to spend more time on things that truly matter: great food and outstanding service. Whether you are looking to improve efficiency or drive more repeat customers, this conversation is packed with insights you do not want to miss.Find out more at https://swipe.by/ & https://www.runningrestaurants.com. Sponsor Link: https://servicewithstyle.com/runningrestaurantsSponsor Link: https://www.RestaurantFormula.com