You should never have a secret menu. However, an open-secret menu is a great idea. An open-secret menu is something that everyone could readily figure out or find. So it’s not a secret at all, but it has just enough mystique to come off as a special. In-N-Out does...
Every week in Vegas, there’s a different convention in town (Non-Covid Years). Electronic Expo, Car Dealership Expo, Builder’s Expo, etc. There are expos for every niche demo imaginable. These events are where exhibitors get to sell to their target customers. There’s...
Set standards and enforce them You're in your business all the time, surrounded by the same four walls day in and day out. Even if you own multiple locations, you're seeing the same people over and over again, and that's not a bad thing. They're the people that you...
Lightning has struck, and you’ve come up with a great new menu idea. You’ve tried it out, tweaked it a few times, and you know that it’s pretty solid. You’ve had people that don’t mind offending you tell you they love it too. When this happened to me I’d think, “It’s...
I don’t like listening to the Billboard Top 40. I never have. I don’t like songs that have no relation to each other. I don’t like listening to music that hasn’t proven it can stand the test of time. Don’t get me wrong, I love new music — just not what is deemed the...
Explore Mushrooms on Pizza Pepperoni has one implementation on pizza. Pepperoni goes on top, before the bake like any other typical topping. The size and taste of the pepperonis will vary, but there aren’t multiple species of pepperoni. Mushrooms, by contrast, have so...
Full Steam Ahead Expanding is tough. Small stores take a lot of effort and planning. A full-service restaurant roll-out can feel like it’s taken years off your life by the time you’re finally open. To handle it, I’ve refined my opening process to take care of the...
Mike Bausch outlines how to get specific with your social influencer marketing A self-proclaimed social media influencer contacted my pizzeria via direct message to "Collab" for her baby shower. I said, "Sure. We can do the appetizers for free." I was quite surprised...
All Systems Dough Your dough is the heart and soul of your menu. No question. When I opened Andolini’s, I made the dough alone every morning. If something went wrong, it was on me to figure it out. After a year of working every day and dealing with whatever dough...
AccuForecast Restaurant forecasting for your pizzeria is as vital to your restaurant’s health as your recipes or your customer service. To not forecast is as reckless as driving an 18-wheel truck with a blindfold on. It’s imperative not only to know where you are...
Acquiring talent has never been more challenging than it is today. Developing solid, dependable employees is currently extremely hard. It’s not too dissimilar to how hard it was to recruit enlisted service members after the Vietnam War. After removing the draft, there...
Netflix was started by Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings while they were in job limbo. Not too dissimilar from a COVID limbo of wondering where life would land. They worked for a company that got acquired, and they were getting paid to go to work and do nothing. They...
