Restaurant trade shows are back, and we couldn’t be more excited.

We’re still in one of the most challenging times for restaurants in recent history — and the only way out is together. That’s why it’s more important than ever to connect with your colleagues in the restaurant industry.

If you’re thinking about attending a restaurant conference this year, we’ve compiled our list of favorites that give you the biggest return on investment (and can provide solutions to the thousands of questions, fears, and hardships you’ve faced since the last time you attended one). You may even see us at a few!

Why You Should Attend a Restaurant Trade Show

Let’s face it: running a restaurant can be a very lonely business. It’s the great irony of being a restaurateur — you’re in the business of serving others, but you rarely get help yourself. Restaurant trade shows and conferences give you a chance to connect with other restaurant owners who may be struggling with the same challenges you’re going through — or to learn from folks have been there, done that.

Restaurant trade shows give you the opportunity to:

• Take a break! This is a tough biz — and that’s true whether you’re running your own restaurant, playing the franchise game or operating an enterprise brand. The restaurant world never sleeps, and it can be hard to get away. But it’s important to give yourself (or your team) a break from the daily grind. Restaurant trade shows and conferences are the perfect opportunity to take a breather, bond with your colleagues, and get inspired.
• Learn something. So many people and ideas in one place means there’s bound to be something you haven’t tried before, whether that’s a new culinary technique, business best practice, or tech solution. So come with an open mind, and be ready to take what you learn and apply it to your business when you come home.
• Meet new people. The best part about restaurant trade shows is the people. These conferences draw diverse crowds who hail from all different places and walks of life — but who have a lot of common ground when it comes to their passions and professions. And they tend to be friendly folks (hey, it is hospitality, after all). Trade shows foster an environment that’s ripe for connection, collaboration and a lot of shared learning. 

What to Expect at a Restaurant Trade Show

Every trade show is a little different, but you can expect a mix of structured content (think: speakers, seminars, workshops) and downtime (perusing the exhibition hall, networking events, etc.). Often, keynote speakers kick off and end each day with high-level advice or inspiration. Throughout the event, you’ll probably have the opportunity to attend more focused sessions around industry trends or best practices; product demonstrations for specific items like appliances or software; and kitchen or food demos that show off suppliers or well-known chefs.

Formal networking opportunities like a happy hour or luncheon are often built into the event agenda. It’s also common for vendors or potential investors or partners to set up one-on-one meetings with restaurant execs and operators — either by reaching out ahead of time, or scheduling something on the spot at the event. But really: great networking can happen when you’re simply waiting in line for the elevators or grabbing a coffee. Everyone is there for the same reasons you are — to learn and make connections — so don’t hesitate to strike up conversations with fellow attendees.

Depending on the theme of the show, you may find more sessions around running the front of house, back of house, or the business overall. No matter what, though, you’ll come away from a trade show having learned, seen, or met someone new.

With COVID-19 regulations, some shows have gone virtual or hybrid, streaming sessions online and moving networking opportunities to chat or through video calls. While virtual events offer a lot more accessibility — no need to fly halfway across the country! — you should still try to give them your full attention. The more you can immerse yourself in the event, the more value you’ll get out of it.

How to Decide Which Shows to Attend

Of course, one of the hard parts about restaurant conferences is that there are so many in a given year. Which to attend? You’ll want to balance:

• Goals: What do you hope to get out of a conference experience? Are you looking to meet other restaurant owners and talk shop? Find staff at a hiring event? Learn about a specific aspect of the restaurant business? Upgrade your tech stack? Every conference is a little different, and that will influence your choice.
• Virtual vs. in-person: With COVID-19 restrictions in place in many locations, some restaurant trade shows have gone virtual. While that makes it easier to attend (all you have to do is open your laptop!), it can be more challenging to network or to really test drive a new fridge you’ve had your eye on, for example.
• Geography: How far away is the conference? Travel time and expenses can add up quickly, so if you’re on a tight budget, consider more local events.
• Type of restaurant: Each event caters to a slightly different audience. Depending on your restaurant’s cuisine, business structure, and services (such as part of a hotel or brewery, for example), you may want to choose one event over another.
• Budget. While your local association may help sponsor some events, ultimately, whether or not you attend an event (and how much of your team comes with you) depends on your budget.

The Top 7 Restaurant Trade Shows in 2022

This is only a small snapshot of the food and beverage events happening this year, but some of our favorites (and hey, you might even see us there!)

1. MURTEC // March 7 – 9, 2022

MURTEC, or the Multi-Unit Restaurant Technology Conference, happens each March in Las Vegas. This year the show is back at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino and designed to help restaurant owners digitally transform their operations. Past speakers hail from brands like CKE Restaurants, Restaurant Technology Network, Spyce, P.F. Chang’s, and Taco Bell.

Register here.

2. Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit // March 30 – April 1, 2022

If you fall more on the corporate franchising side of restaurant management, this conference, which takes place every spring at the Grand Hyatt Nashville, is a great choice for you. Covering topics like product development, franchise operations, marketing and branding, and technology use and adoption, this multi-day event boasts a packed lineup with speakers from Panera Bread, Oath Pizza, Fat Brands, Fazoli’s, and more.

Register here.

3. Restaurant Leadership Conference // April 10 – 13, 2022

Located at the luxurious JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in Phoenix, the Restaurant Leadership Conference is the event to bookmark if you want to hear from some of the biggest executives in the food and beverage space. With headliners like David Chang (Momofuku), Paul Brown (Inspire Brands), and Tucker Bryant (Google), the conference focuses on leadership skills and solving industry-wide challenges taking place today.

Register here.

4. National Restaurant Association Show // May 21 – 24, 2022

The National Restaurant Association Expo is one of the biggest restaurant trade shows in the country. Located in the sprawling McCormick Place Convention Center in downtown Chicago, you’ll find miles of booths covering every aspect of restaurant management, from international suppliers to major appliances to food and beverage demonstrations to restaurant technology.

Register here.

5. Your State Association Conference // Multiple Dates

If getting to Chicago feels out of reach, it’s a good idea to check your local state restaurant association to see if they’re running any events in 2022. Chances are, there will be a scaled-down version of the national show you can attend. These are a great chance to get to know your extended restaurant community, with more local networking opportunities and suppliers. Check your local chapter for dates and more information.

Some of the largest state association events include:

• International Restaurant and Foodservice Show of New York // March 6 – 8, 2022
• TRA Marketplace (Texas) // July 9 – 11, 2022
• California Restaurant Association // Dates TBA
• Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show // Dates TBA

6. FSTEC // September 19 – 21, 2022

More than 1000 attendees and 70 speakers in the course of three days come together at the Gaylord Texan in Dallas for FSTEC every year. Known as “the event where restaurant and tech connect,” FSTEC is focused on helping restaurant industry leaders leverage technology to address real business challenges. The event features speakers from highly reputable national and global brands, including Dave & Busters, Restaurant Business, Technomic, Winsight, D’Angelo Sandwiches, Nathan’s Famous, and more.

Register here.

7. Restaurant Finance & Development Conference // November 14 – 16 2022

Hosted by the Restaurant Finance Monitor, this event — taking place this year at the Wynn Las Vegas in November — focuses on the nitty-gritty operational side of running your restaurant. If you’re looking to secure funding or expand your business into a multi-unit or a franchise, this is a must-attend. Expect to hear from banks, real estate developers, private equity investors, government representatives, and more.

Register here.

Stay head of the tech curve!

Restaurant industry trade shows are a great place to brush up on the latest restaurant tech. But if you’re still paying out cash tips? You don’t have to attend a conference to find a better way to pay. Schedule a demo with Kickfin to see how you can send instant, cashless tip payouts directly to your employees’ bank accounts. 

Did you know tips your servers receive are taxable in the United States? But it’s not just the employee’s responsibility to track their hard-earned tips and report them as part of their taxable income. As a restaurant owner, tip reporting plays into your job, too; you have to make sure you know how much cash is flowing in and out of your business — whether it’s through regular wages or from tips.

Here’s the lowdown on tip reporting for both employers and employees.

Are restaurant tips taxable?

The short answer: Yes. 

The IRS requires every tipped employee to report those tips to their employer. Generally, a “tipped employee” regularly earns over $30 a month in tips, so this likely applies to most of your waitstaff. Tips include any cash tips and tips added to credit or debit charges on a bill. If your server received it, it counts as income.

There’s one exception. This does not include service or mandatory gratuity charges you’re already adding to a check — that counts as regular wages.

Who is responsible for reporting tips to the IRS? 

Both restaurant employers and restaurant employees are responsible for reporting tips to the IRS. The majority of the work, however, falls on the employee, and should be a part of their regular clocking out routine. We’ll talk more about what that looks like in a moment.

How do you report cash tips?

The way you report your cash tips to the IRS differs based on whether you’re a restaurant employee or the restaurant owner.

Your servers must:

• Keep a daily tip record using Form 4070A, Employee’s Daily Record of Tips. This must include their legal name and signature, address, social security number, workplace, time period covered, and total amount of tips.
• Report all tips to you by the 10th of the following month, unless the total is less than $20 per month 
• Report all tips on their individual income tax return using Form 4137, Social Security and Medicare Tax on Unreported Tip Income
• While unlikely in a restaurant setting, the IRS also requires them to record any non-cash tips you receive, such as tickets, passes, or gift cards, and note the value in their individual income tax return

Employers must also report tips to the IRS. That means they need to:

• Retain a copy of all tipped employees’ daily tip record
• Withhold taxes based on combined wages and tip income and report those withheld taxes as part of Form 941 in your quarterly tax returns
• Include tipped income as part of Form W-2, in Box 1, 5, 7, and 12

What is the FICA tax tip credit?

The FICA tax tip credit gives food and beverage business owners a tax break on employee earnings from tips. You still need to pay the FICA taxes (currently 7.65%) up to the federal minimum wage, but after that, you would be eligible for the credit. Talk to your payroll or accounting team, and learn more about it here.

Note: This is different from the FLSA tip credit, which you can opt-in to in order to save money on your minimum wage obligations. Essentially, it’s the difference between the federal minimum wage and base pay for tipped employees. For a full overview of the FLSA tip credit, click here.

5 tips for tip tracking and reporting 

Tracking tips can be challenging, especially if you have multiple locations or more than one or two employees. Here are a few ways to make it easier:

1. Trust your accounting team. While the tip process can be tricky, it’s common practice in restaurant payroll. If you haven’t already, it may be worth investing in an accountant or accounting agency with food and beverage experience you can trust so you can focus on the day-to-day restaurant operations.
2. Use technology to your advantage. Depending on what you’re using, you may already have a built-in way to record tips at the end of every shift. Many restaurant POS systems do this, or you can look into apps like Just the Tips, ServerLife, or Tip Counter.
3. Set a reminder on your calendar and/or use your email service provider to send an automated email to your employees every month. You need the full log of the month’s tips by the 10th of the following month. Make it easy to get that information from your team by setting a calendar reminder or putting together an automated email through your email service provider you’re already using.
4. Include tip reporting training for your employees. If they’re new to the restaurant business, or they’re working for you as their first job, they may not know that tips count toward taxable income. Include information on how to do this as part of their employee onboarding or put it on the agenda for your next family meal.
5. Use Kickfin to pay tips instantly. Track tips and pay out through direct deposit with Kickfin, so tracking and reporting are easy come tax time.

Track your tips more easily with Kickfin

Kickfin gives you 100% visibility in tip payment history — by individual employee, by location, or as an entire organization. Get a demo here to see Kickfin’s tip tracking and reporting in action!

If you run a restaurant and you’re not yet a restaurant podcast junkie: Your time has come.

For those restaurant owners and execs who have blissfully ignored the recent podcast wave — we get it. Every time you turn around, it seems that someone’s launched their own show. It can be hard to separate the treasure from the…well, the other stuff. 

But there are some real gems in the hospitality podcast world. If you follow the right folks, you’ll get unprecedented access to seasoned, successful (sometimes famous) restaurant pros. And they’ll lay it all out there for you — from unbelievable war stories to operational insights to crazy, never-before-shared growth hacks that actually worked. And of course, some that didn’t.

So: the next time you’re commuting to work, or traveling, or washing dishes, or trying to tune out your toddler’s tantrums (just us?), grab your AirPods and add these podcasts to your must-listen list. 

The Best Podcasts for Restaurant Owners

Food on Demand // Tom Kaiser and Nick Upton

Food On Demand is a monthly podcast that covers the latest news “at the intersection of food, technology and mobility,” with a heavy focus on the future of delivery and off-premises operations. Most episodes feature a specific topic or trend — e.g., drone delivery, virtual kitchens — as well as interviews with experts and operators who are driving the evolution of foodservice. Past guests include David Bloom, Chief Development and Operating Officer of Capriotti’s; Don Fox, CEO of Firehouse; and Fred Lefranc of Results Thru Strategy.

• About the hosts: Tom Kaiser is the editor of Food On Demand, a media brand for restaurateurs, foodservice professionals, restaurant technology suppliers, and catering and delivery providers. Nick Upton is the Restaurants Editor for Food on Demand and Franchise Times. In addition to the podcast, Food on Demand also publishes a weekly e-newsletter and hosts an annual conference.
• Catch an episode: Episode 20 of Food on Demand features Meredith Sandland and Carl Osbourn, authors of “Delivering the Digital Restaurant.” Listen here. 
  

FULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry Revolution // Josh Kopel

Created in partnership with Yelp for Restaurants, FULL COMP is a weekly podcast that explores the past and future of the hospitality industry. Host and Michelin-rated restaurateur Josh Kopel interviews both renowned hospitality professionals (ever heard of Wolfgang Puck?) as well as thought leaders from outside of the industry — many of whom offer smart new perspectives on an old business.

• About the host: With more than 20 years in hospitality under his belt, Josh created FULL COMP to help restaurateurs “survive the present and thrive in the future.” He also hosts Restaurant Marketing School, and he’s currently the president of the California Restaurant Association. 
• Catch an episode: Episode 160, “Offboarding Yourself,” features Michele Hecken, an executive coach who helps business owners get out of their own way so they can foster growth and empower their team.

Hospitality Hangout // Michael “Schatzy” Schatzberg and Jimmy Frischling

A production of Branded Strategic Hospitality and Foodable Network, Hospitality Hangout is a podcast devoted to all things hospitality, technology and capital. The “Restaurant Guy” (Michael Schatzberg) and the “Finance Guy” (Jimmy Frischling) explore the latest trends and breakthroughs in hospitality tech — which includes everything from digital marketing to kitchen robots. While the two lively hosts bring plenty of personality (and smarts) to the show, most episodes also feature conversations with industry leaders who know a thing or two about restaurant innovation.

• About the hosts: Michael Schatzberg and Jimmy Frischling are co-founders of Branded Strategic Hospitality. Michael is also the managing director of Branded Restaurants (which Jimmy co-founded), and he has over 35 years of hospitality brand development, management, and marketing experience. An entrepreneur and finance professional, Jimmy has over 30 years in the financial services, capital markets and hospitality industries. He serves as partner and finance director at Branded Restaurants, and he’s a principal at Oak Branch Advisors as well as a trio of municipal bond data and technology companies.
• Catch an episode: Season 5, Vol. 2 features Carissa De Santis, chief information officer at Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, who talks about building their virtual brand, international expansion, and more.

Restaurantopia // David Ross, Brian Seitz, and Anthony Hamilton

Restaurantopia is a podcast all about restaurant management and operations. It’s heavily geared toward independent restaurants — but really, there’s something for everyone. Episodes feature a wealth of tactical content, and it’s a great podcast to follow if you’re looking for information specifically around cost control, marketing, management and personnel issues. Interviews focus on real-world learnings and successes from guests like Ken McGarrie, founder of Korgen Hospitality, and David “Rev” Ciancio, a hospitality marketing executive.

• About the hosts: David Ross is a sales pro and the COO of Hillcrest Foodservice, which sponsors the show. Brian Seitz, a member of the Hillcrest management team, has a background in operations, law and finance. Chef Anthony Hamilton is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has more than 20 years of restaurant and hospitality working experience, ranging from quick-service outlets to full-service catering to fine dining. 
• Catch an episode: Episode 66, “Restaurant KPI Benchmarks and What to Make of Them,” breaks down specific numbers around common (and uncommon-but-useful) industry benchmarks.

Restaurants Reinvented // Jen Kern

The Restaurants Reinvented podcast spotlights industry leaders and change agents — both the seasoned pros and the up-and-comers you need to know. Host Jen Kern brings a strong perspective to the show, asking her interviewees insightful questions around brand building, guest engagement, and revenue-driving strategies. The knowledge and experiences shared here inspire listeners to approach historical challenges in new ways — and they can expect to leave each episode ready-to-implement tools and tactics for their own operations.

• About the host: Jen is the CMO of Qu, a centralized restaurant tech platform that goes beyond POS to connect on- and off-premise ordering, loyalty, and production experiences for restaurant chains. A long-time CMO, Jen leverages her business acumen to draw out stories and insights from her guests that resonate with restaurant owners on every level.
• Catch an episode: In Episode 9, Jen interviews Greg Creed, former CEO of Yum! Brands. Greg shares insights and lessons learned from his time leading some of the world’s most well-known brands. 

MP TV // Matt Plapp 

MP TV is an “in-person video podcast” — but unless you really want to put a face to the voice, listening in is usually sufficient. Host Matt Plapp interviews restaurant and brewery owners and operators about their successes and failures in the business. Matt isn’t afraid to ask tough questions about wins and losses, and he likes to go deep on topics like building and retaining a strong team, brand development, and customer loyalty. In addition to business owners/operators, he’ll often bring on industry vendors and advisors — like food distribution execs and CPAs with a hospitality focus.

• About the host: Take one look at Matt’s website, and you can tell he’s a busy guy. In addition to running MP TV, Matt is the founder and CEO of America’s Best Restaurants, an industry consultant for major franchise brands, and three-time author. He’s kind of the “king of content” for restaurants; if you’re ready to take your business to the next level, Matt’s probably got a resource for you.
• Catch an episode: “Crunching The Numbers With Chris Rogers” features the CEO of AEH Accounting, who shares advice and ideas about restaurant marketing and finance.

BDO To-Go Podcast // Jeff Tubaugh and Dana Zukofsky 

BDO To-Go is a monthly podcast hosted by Jeff Tubaugh and moderated by Dana Zukofsky. Each episode features subject matter experts who explore industry trends and best practices. The conversation often revolves around the impacts of ongoing consumer and economic shifts — and how to leverage constant change to achieve meaningful growth and success. 

• About the host: Jeff is a partner at BDO and Dana is a director in the firm’s National Restaurant Practice. Both Jeff and Dana have deep expertise in restaurant/hospitality accounting, compliance, and other financial aspects of the business.
• Catch an episode: “The Scope of Restaurants Today: Supply Chain and Labor Shortages” features Mark Bromberg, the president at Apex Restaurant Group, which focuses on chain restaurant improvement, management, and rejuvenation.

Keys to the Shop // Chris Deferio

There’s a special niche in the podcast world just for coffee shop and cafe owners (and plain old coffee-lovers). Chris Deferio’s podcast is a definite stand-out. Keys to the Shop provides coffee retail professionals the insights and tools they need to grow their business or advance their coffee careers. Chris, an expert himself, leans on fellow industry vets to deliver actionable advice around management, leadership, and personal development. At the time of this publication, Chris has produced over 300 episodes. 

About the host: Chris has spent more than 20 years in the specialty coffee retail industry. His roles have included barista, trainer, multi-unit cafe operations manager, consultant — and of course, podcast host. His clients range from small-but-growing cafes to large, well-established brands. 

Catch an episode: In episode 314, “The 6 Essential Qualities of Coffee Shop Leaders,” Chris discusses the things leaders develop in succession that allow them to lead people sustainably.

Are we missing your favorite podcast?

If you listen to (or host!) a show for folks in the restaurant business — give us a shout on LinkedIn and we’ll add it to our list! 

Ask any seasoned restaurateur, and they’ll tell you the same story: Restaurant theft is a problem in the hospitality industry. 

The nature of the restaurant business — and all-too-common messy accounting practices — open many restaurants up to everything from inventory theft to skimming to full-blown embezzlement. It’s not uncommon for restaurant theft to go unnoticed for days, weeks or even years — which can have a major impact on your bottom line.

While “inside jobs” account for a lot of the issues, you can’t assume that every employee is out to get you. (Of course, it’s never a bad idea to revisit and refine your hiring practices.)

But you should safeguards and policies in place to protect your business and your people from restaurant theft. Here’s what you need to know.

A rundown of restaurant theft statistics you should know

The best defense against any type of fraud is data. Here’s what you need to know about restaurant theft:

• 75% of employees have fessed up to stealing from their employer — and up to 30% of business failures may be due to this kind of employee-based fraud. (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
• Restaurant theft causes up to $6 billion in lost revenue for restaurants annually. (Forbes)
• Theft accounts for up to 4% of food costs (National Restaurant Association)
• 95% of all businesses suffer from theft in the workplace (California Restaurant Association)
• 75% of inventory shortages happen because of restaurant theft (National Restaurant Association)
• The average employee steals 4.5 hours of work each week from their employer. (Connecteam)
• 80% of white-collar theft occurs at companies with fewer than 150 employees, and 50% occurs at companies with 25 or less. (Hiscox)

Who steals from restaurants: 5 different types of restaurant theft

Restaurant theft takes several different forms — not just making off with cash from the safe in the middle of the night. You may also experience:

1. 1. Food and inventory theft: This could be as innocuous as snacking or drinking outside family meals, taking leftover food home or delivering “free” meals to friends or family stopping into the restaurant. But it could be much more serious, like swiping supplies off of delivery trucks.
   2. Point-of-sale (POS) theft: This kind of theft is much more serious, from taking cash out of the register to inflating tips, or improperly ringing up items and pocketing the difference. 
   3. Accounting fraud: This can be a lot harder to spot, especially since you may have outsourced your accounting to a bookkeeper. This looks like underreporting earnings, skimming cash, setting up fake accounts, or manipulating the books in some way — and if caught, can lead to jail time for embezzlement.
   4. Intellectual property theft: You’ve likely spent years fine-tuning your recipes and cultivating just the right ingredients or processes. If you have staff that work in multiple restaurants — or a chef that leaves to start their own thing — you may find eerily similar recipes or techniques popping up at other spots in your neighborhood.
   5. Time theft: This is common for any kind of clock-in system, and can often happen just by accident if an employee forgets to punch out. This looks like taking unscheduled breaks, arriving late or leaving early, “buddy punching” (when a coworker punches in for you, to cover), or doing some generous rounding on time sheets.

How to prevent theft in your restaurant

The good news? You can prevent restaurant employee theft by putting safeguards and policies in place, including investing in the right kind of technology:

Pay your employees well and on time

Don’t be that boss. 

One other type of theft we haven’t talked about is wage theft — when employers hold out wages, or don’t pay their workers in full — and it’s increasingly common. In fact, 34% of workers reported an increase in wage theft since 2020. Viral stories like this waitress who only received one cent for six weeks of work illustrate the gap in trust between employees and employers. 

The best way to prevent theft is to make sure that your employees feel like they’re being treated fairly, and that means paying them well, on-time, and including benefits like transportation stipends, health insurance, or paid time off.

State expectations and policies up front to employees

A lot of restaurant theft isn’t actually done with malicious intent — things like comping meals, snacking, or taking breaks are rarely done in an effort to hurt the restaurant — but they do add up. Make sure when you’re training your employees that you include a session on expectations with employee policies like this, so that everyone is on the same page (and so if they do violate the rules, you’ve at least warned them once.)

Build an open, fulfilling work environment

Creating an open, accountable working environment is the biggest way to prevent employee theft. You may still have a bad actor in your midst, but if your team trusts one another, it’s much more likely that you’ll hear about it. Instead of wondering where that extra cash went, you’ll be able to address the deeper, underlying issues if someone does engage in restaurant theft (for example, it could ironically be the only way for them to put food on the table — restaurant workers are twice as likely to experience food insecurity compared to the rest of the population.) 

For your part, don’t assume that your employees will automatically steal from you. The more trust and empowerment you give them, the more likely they’ll respond positively. 

Use technology to your advantage

It’s a lot easier to cook the books if there isn’t an AI humming in the background, looking for fraud patterns. Installing accounting software can alert you to potential mistakes (or worse, embezzlement) while a POS system can help keep receipts, cash-outs, and payments on track. 

Back-of-house, inventory management systems can check what goes in and what goes out, and there’s nothing wrong with installing an old-fashioned security camera at key points in the restaurant, like above the register, at the delivery dock, and upstairs in the offices.

If you’ve already experienced this problem, it may also be worth investing in a more rigorous background check for your employees. If someone is lying on their resume, hiding a previous conviction or employee fraud incident, or otherwise untruthful, you don’t want them serving your customers anyway.

Reduce cash on premises

One easy way to help with theft is to simply reduce the amount of cash you keep on premises by using software like Kickfin. We help keep businesses safe by minimizing cash touchpoints, increasing visibility into tip payments and tracking, and eliminating the need for managers to make bank runs late at night — keeping your employees safe from theft, too.

When diners first step into a restaurant, there’s a lot to take in: the decor, the layout, the guests and employees, the overall “vibe.”

But for 99.9 percent of restaurants, it’s the menu that really matters to your guests — and to the success of your business. Your menu doesn’t have to be fancy or even unique: Whether you’re offering quick-service burgers or fine dining at its finest, strategically planning out your menu is a critical factor when it comes to restaurant profitability. 

And even if your menu was thoughtfully planned: it’s wise to constantly evaluate what you’re offering, how it’s performing, and why it belongs there. Here’s what to think about when you’re planning (or revamping) your restaurant menu.

Menu planning overview

Menu planning starts with your restaurant concept. The best menus have a sense of creativity that feels true to a restaurant’s brand, whether that’s an homage to a childhood favorite dish or a masterpiece that took months and months of tinkering with flavors to create.

Planning your menu requires three steps:

• List out all of your menu items, including descriptions of each item.
• Categorize your items into different areas, like appetizers, entrees, or seafood.
• Set prices for each item.

Sounds easy, right? Not so much.

Why is menu planning important?

The menu planning process is actually one of the most complex you’ll go through as a restaurant business, because it combines business analysis (profit margins and cost/benefit analysis) with creativity (what inspires you) and design (what it looks like on paper or on your website). That’s a lot!

But it’s one of the most important processes your restaurant undergoes, especially if you rotate your menus with the seasons and suppliers. Menu planning, done right, evokes a feeling, harnesses your back-of-house skills and creativity, and flows together so that every diner leaves your restaurant happy and satisfied — and you turn a profit.

5 factors to consider when planning a menu

As you build out your menu, keep in mind:

• Length. Your menu should probably be smaller than you think! Unless you’re the Cheesecake Factory — known for their 21-page, 250-item coffee table-sized menu — you’ll want to come up with a short list of items that truly represent the best of what your kitchen has to offer. In fact, small menus are back in style — not just for fancy bistros but for well-known spots like Applebee’s, Red Robin, and iHOP, which have all downsized their menus in the last year.
• Quality. Every kitchen has strengths and weaknesses. Acknowledge where your staff is at and what they do well…and what doesn’t always hit the mark. If timing is an issue for a particular dish, cut it. If your customers complain about your breadsticks, cut them. Focus on what you do spectacularly well, and that’s what you’ll become known for.
• Costs. Prices have gone up, up, up this past year for everything from kale to cardboard boxes, shrinking already slim profit margins. Do the math for each menu item and cut the ones that don’t help you break even.
• Delivery. With takeout and delivery a core part of any restaurant model today, consider how each menu item handles transit time. Maybe now isn’t the time to debut too many fried or saucy items that don’t hold up well. Consider how you’ll package each item, too.
• Names and descriptions. You don’t order a double cheeseburger at McDonald’s — you order a Big Mac. While you don’t have to trademark every item you make, think about common mouthwatering descriptors to use for your menu items, like crispy, crunchy, fresh, hearty, smoky, or juicy. Keep your descriptions brief and specific so customers know exactly what they’re going to get when they order it.

How to develop a more profitable restaurant menu

The secret to a more profitable menu isn’t just about the food.

It’s about psychology. The average diner spends only 109 seconds looking at your menu. That mean they’re probably not reading it like a book; they’re skimming and scanning — often distracted by fellow guests, or servers coming and going — so you’ve got a short amount of time  to make an impact. Whether you’re using a physical menu or putting it all online using QR codes, the way you design and lay out the menu matters just as much as what’s on it. 

Here are a few steps to follow for a more profitable menu:

1. As you evaluate your menu item ideas, create a grid with profitability on one axis and popularity on the other. Ideally, you want to maximize both profitability and popularity (the top right quadrant), as that’s where your big money-makers are that your customers love. Sort each item into the different quadrants, so you can identify your hits…and your duds. This is sometimes called menu engineering.
2. Once you can see everything on one chart, you can start to take action. Cut anything that’s low in popularity and low in profitability, and then evaluate cost-saving opportunities for anything that’s popular but not very profitable. Your customers obviously love ordering that item, but can you make an ingredient swap that won’t impact the quality, but may help your margins? For anything that’s profitable but unpopular, consider a social media promotion, asking servers to talk it up at tables, or running a discount. Maybe your customers don’t know about it — or maybe your prices are a little too high.
3. Think about how you’re putting your menu together to maximize your high profitability items. In vertically arranged menus, for example, the eye tends to gravitate toward the first and last items in a list, so any dishes in those spots will be big sellers. Another sweet spot? The upper right corner.
4. Use visual cues like boxes, graphics, or typography to highlight big-ticket items and maximize space for your layout.
5. As you work on your menu planning, test your menu designs and items and don’t discount customer feedback. If you have customers clamoring for a pastrami sandwich (or you’re known to have that as a “secret” item), offer it!
6. Similarly, if you receive negative feedback on a specific menu item after more than one service, then you know you need to revisit it. Test out different menu designs, ask your customers what they think, and have fun with it — your menu is what makes you stand out!

Optimize your restaurant operations with digital tip payments

If you’re revamping your menu, it might be a good time to revamp your tip payment process, too. Digital tip payments cut your labor costs, eliminate bank runs, and reduce the risk of theft and error — all while helping you hire (and retain) more workers. See Kickfin’s digital tip payment platform in action! 

Monte Silva has spent 40 years in hospitality.

He’s done every job that exists in this industry: dishwasher, prep cook, line cook, busser, server, bartender, DJ, bouncer. But the majority of his career has revolved around restaurant management and operations.

He’s been a GM for Wolfgang Puck, and he’s also managed a $18.5 million revenue restaurant, where he oversaw a team of 13 salaried people and over 100 employees.

To say Monte is qualified to coach other restaurateurs is an understatement. And the ever-elusive, oft-forgotten concept of work-life balance is one of his favorite areas to focus on. Here’s what Monte has to say about living your life while successfully scaling your restaurant. (Yes, it’s possible.)

What’s your restaurant coaching philosophy?

It’s about mindset and habits. It takes 67 days to develop and keep new habits. But we tend to abandon behaviors before they become habits. And that’s the crux of why I started doing 90-day coaching.

The people who hire me are owners, often owner-couples. They run a restaurant, usually one to three locations. Maybe they’ve got kids. And ultimately they want to know: how do we grow our business and make sure we’re successful without having to be “in it” every day?

What does life look like for the typical restaurant owner “couple?”

Well, it’s busy. If they’ve got kids, there’s lots of daycare, after-school programs. Figuring out who’s picking up the kids and a million other logistics. Who’s handling chores and repairs and general maintenance at their house. Who’s going to be at the restaurant when.

It’s really, really tough for a married couple. They’re at the top of the line. It falls on them to share challenges with each other — they don’t want to take worries and complaints down to employees. They act like business associates, and a lot of times, they don’t know how to create a boundary between that relationship and their personal one.

It’s not unusual for a restaurant franchisee to start small. While investing in a franchise can be a smart move, it isn’t risk-free, and it generally requires a hefty investment of time and capital. Jumping straight into multi-unit franchise ownership doesn’t make sense for everyone, especially if you’re new to the restaurant franchising game.

Multi-unit franchising can be a fast-track to growth and success, but it comes with a few “ifs” — if you’ve got the operating experience; if you’re working with an established, proven brand; if you’ve got the resources to do it right. And keep in mind: Transitioning from one unit to two (or three, or 10) typically requires big changes to your management team and staff, your operations and processes, and your role as the franchise owner.

If you’re thinking about amplifying your success through multi-unit franchising, here’s everything you need to know.

What is a multi-unit franchise?

A multi-unit franchise model allows franchisees to operate more than one restaurant unit in a given territory.

A franchisee may own the right to operate multiple units of the same brand or operate restaurants for several different franchisors. Guillermo Perales, CEO of Dallas-based Sun Holdings, operates more than 1,000 stores, including 293 Burger Kings, 150 Popeyes, 94 Arby’s, and 18 Krispy Kremes.

Multi-unit doesn’t necessarily mean thousands of restaurants like Perales. Today, 54% of franchises are multi-unit operations, compared to single-unit owners (46%). Breaking that down further, 30% own between two restaurants and 30. Only 5.3% of owners make it past the 100-unit mark.

As long as a franchisee is running more than one store, they qualify as a multi-unit franchisee.

How does a multi-unit franchise work?

Multi-unit franchises scale up operations from one restaurant to two (or many). Typically, this means a multi-unit franchise owner steps into a business development or strategic role rather than a hands-on manager of each restaurant unit.

This also means the multi-unit franchise owner is responsible for developing and running each unit themselves. While they may visit each location to meet with staff or check on operations, more likely they hire an experienced management team to run each location or several locations at a time.

What are the benefits of being a multi-unit franchisee?

Multi-unit franchises exploded in popularity in recent years for restaurant owners — from 2010 to 2018, businesses saw a 23% increase in entry-level multi-unit operators. It’s no surprise why, once you consider the benefits:

• More income. More locations mean access to more revenue streams, especially when expanding into multiple brands.
• Lower operating costs. The more locations you open, the more you can leverage economies of scale, sharing back-end staff like accounting, marketing, and operations across multiple locations and decreasing your overhead.
• Diversified income. Separate locations in a given territory allows you to diversify your income streams and spread risk across multiple investments. If there’s construction in front of one location that decreases traffic, for example, your other units can pick up the slack.
• Relationship-building: Without franchisees, major restaurant chains wouldn’t function. The more locations you open, the stronger relationship you build with a brand — so everyone wins the more profitable you are.

What is a multi-unit franchise agreement?

Franchisees expand in two different ways: starting with one unit and opening more franchise locations over time or signing a multi-unit franchise agreement at the outset. The multi-unit franchise agreement details the rights and obligations of each party (in this case, the franchisor and the franchisee.)

When you sign a multi-unit franchise agreement, you determine:

• How you will open additional units. Are you taking over existing locations or building new ones in your territory, and if so, where? This is part of your area development agreement, which determines guidelines for choosing new sites and franchisor approval.
• The timeline for opening additional units. Most multi-unit franchise agreements outline a prescribed schedule for opening subsequent units, often on an annual basis. How long will you be managing these units, and at which points will you open new ones?
• Your territory. Franchisors grant a specific geographic area for your business to operate in. Some grant more than one territory, if that’s what you’re looking for, but most franchisees operate in one area at a time.
  Intellectual property. This includes training, menus, branding colors, guidelines for marketing and other materials, and what rights franchisees have to make changes. In many QSR agreements, the franchisor retains all rights to recipes and menu items offered and changes are not allowed.
• Profit, fees, and insurance: The revenue-sharing model you agree to, what fees the franchisee must pay each year to the franchisor for the right to operate, pricing for menu items, and of course, insurance and other costs of operating a business in partnership together.

Franchisors legally have to give you 14 days to review any multi-unit franchise agreement, so read through it carefully with your legal team before making a commitment.

Types of multi-unit franchise agreements

There are two kinds of multi-unit franchise agreements:

• Area development agreements: The more common of the two, this gives franchisees the right to open a certain number of franchise units in your territory over time
• Area representative agreements: This creates a sub-franchisor relationship, which allows the franchisee to open and operate locations but also sell those franchises to others within that territory.

With multi-unit franchises, it’s less about the day-to-day restaurant operations and more about your overall business strategy. As you consider how you plan to expand your restaurant business, think about how many units you want to acquire, which brands you want to partner with, and what types of agreements make the most sense for you.

Opening a multi-unit franchise?

Whether you have one unit or 50, restaurant franchisees can use instant tip payment technology to minimize the risk, hassle, and hidden costs of paying out cash tips. If you’re not already using Kickfin, get in touch with us today for a free demo!

Meet Ken and Shane of Fabio Viviani Hospitality.

You’ve probably heard of Fabio Viviani — Top Chef winner, New York Times bestseller, restaurateur extraordinaire (oh, and Kickfin customer!). Since 2005, Fabio has launched dozens restaurants across the country through Fabio Viviani Hospitality.

FVH owes a good deal of its success to Ken McGarrie and Shane Farzad. Ken, who founded the consulting firm Korgen Hospitality, has launched dozens of restaurants — both alongside Fabio and on his own — and Shane serves as Head of Operations for FVH.

When it comes to restaurant management, Ken and Shane are about as knowledgeable as you can get. They’re experts on how to be a great manager, and how to manage a manager. (Ken actually wrote a whole book on it.) Whether you employ managers, or you’re a manager yourself — read on for actionable tips and insights you can put into practice right now.

OK, we all know recruiting is a complete nightmare these days — but hiring the wrong manager can be worse than having no manager at all. What are some of the mistakes that employers make when bringing on new managers or GMs?

Ken: One of the things that often gets overlooked is that managing a new venue is much different than stepping into a manager role at an existing venue. For a restaurant that’s about to launch, or that’s recently launched, you can expect the first six months to be complete chaos. You have to be willing to handle whatever gets thrown at you and to get creative.

Some people do really well in that environment. But if you’re the type of person who wants to have mis in place — you need all of the kinks worked out, operations down to a science — you’re probably not going to make a great opening staff member.

Shane: There’s also this temptation to pull your star server and turn them into a manager. But those are two entirely different roles.

Which isn’t to say a server can’t be an amazing manager. A lot of managers started out as servers (or hosts, bussers, etc.) and they do a great job. But it takes a different skill set, so your experience as a server isn’t always going to translate.

So part of it’s finding the right fit — but isn’t training just as important?

Shane: For sure. One restaurant group I was with gave me a solid four weeks of training. I spent a week in the corporate office, a week in the flagship restaurant…they even put me in the kitchen for a week. The meals that guests were ordering — I had cooked those myself. I understood everything that went into every process.

Of course, that kind of program is hard to execute, and it’s expensive. It’s just not feasible for every restaurant. What’s important to keep in mind is that in order to be effective, training doesn’t have to be intense. It just has to be focused.

How should the approach to training managers differ from training hourly workers? Is there some overlap?

Ken: Restaurants do a much better job of hiring and training hourly staff than management, by far. At the hourly level, it’s a lot more straightforward. With managers, it’s like: Hey, surprise! You find yourself counting drawers, running reports, tipping out. No one taught you how to manage and coach staff. A month ago you were a bartender — now you have all these brand-new manager responsibilities.

Shane: You can’t just assume that managers know how to do it all; you’ve got to take the time to align on the key responsibilities, train them up on processes, and communicate frequently.

And in addition to regular training, you can incorporate wine training, do field trips, hold weekly education and menu tastings that keep people engaged and connected — both managers and hourly workers.

Why do you think turnover is so high for restaurant managers?

Ken: We put them to the grind. We add on more paperwork than necessary. We ask for things constantly that take them off the floor. They’re running reports at 2 a.m. It’s psychological warfare — and especially with the lack of staff, they’re having to fill in gaps everywhere.

What happens is that managers who are stuck in this grind will find other restaurants with better systems, more automation, easier solutions. Or they’ll just completely burn our and move away from the industry altogether.

Shane: We’ve seen much more of a revolving door of the management team especially during Covid. They had all this downtime, and now they’re coming back to this job that just wears them down. They really feel it now. So they’re questioning their whole career after they had this luxury of time and flexibility.

Ken: It’s a bummer because these people move into management actually looking for longevity. If we, as owners and operators, aren’t giving them a vision for how they can better themselves and move up, then they’re just going to leave.

And at the same time, managers also need to be advocating for themselves.

Talk a little bit more about that. What’s your best piece of advice for managers who want to succeed but are feeling the burn out?

Ken: Figure out why you did it. You probably moved into a job where you’re making half as much money for twice as many hours — so be honest with yourself. What do you want out of it? Do you want to be a GM? Do you want to run your own restaurant? Do you want to move into other leadership roles?

Being a manager is essentially a bootcamp. It’s skill development, and it’s a test of your capabilities. You probably don’t want to be there forever — the idea is that you will ultimately move on to something else. What is that for you?

How can managers “move up” quickly, if that’s their end game?

Ken: If you’re waiting for someone to recognize your talent and move you up, it’s never going to happen. Your boss doesn’t have the bandwidth or the time to focus on that. So a big chapter in the book I wrote is about being your own PR agent. It’s really the only way it’s going to happen.

Look for ways to develop yourself professionally. Learn new skills. Be an entirely different kind of manager, and then lobby for the role you want. Be vocal about it. Flood their inbox. Find ways to get on their radar over and over again.

That really goes for anyone on a restaurant team. Case in point: We had a busser who was so exceptional. He was the perfect busser. And to be honest, we didn’t need or want to move him because he was so great in that particular position. But he really wanted to be a server. If he hadn’t been lobbying for himself, we never would have made that change. Now he’s a great server, and he’s happy as hell.

Bottom line: Be your own advocate. It may not come naturally at first, but if you want to succeed in this industry and really turn it into a career, that’s what you’ve got to do.

Want more manager insights? Check out Ken’s book, The Surprise Restaurant Manager, for easy-to-execute strategies and real-life examples that will lead up your management game!