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Restaurant Punk
When you work in the restaurant industry, sometimes you just need to cut the s*** and get a little toasted so that you can spill the tea and shake off that saltiness. Simply stated - sometimes you need to flip the f*** out! Cut through the noise and tune in to hear hilarious anecdotes, humbling advice on how to create a hospitality business that doesn't suck, and whatever the hell else we come up with after decades in the industry.
Episodes
178 episodes
Working Overtime: What is the Standard Work Schedule in Restaurants?
Some corporate workplaces are moving to four-day work weeks, and many offices offer hybrid work-from-home options, but in hospitality, you almost always must report for in-person duty. Nick, Liz, and George are discussing the impacts of working...
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13:52
Expanding Your Empire: The Pros and Cons of Operating Multiple Businesses
Owning and executing one business concept well is hard work, but what happens when you expand into multiple entrepreneurial endeavors? Noelle, Peter, and George are pulling from their own experiences attempting to run two or more businesses at ...
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13:17
Ice, Ice Baby: Choosing the Right Ice Maker for your Business
Some people like room-temperature water, but most prefer cold beverages when dining out, especially in the hotter months. So, when developing your business plan, a well-functioning ice machine is one of the most important (and overlooked) neces...
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14:41
Dining Room Divas: How to Manage Prima Donna Personalities in the Workplace
A positive company culture is critical to creating an enjoyable customer experience in restaurants, casinos, hotels, and other hospitality-centric venues. So, when one or more employees exhibit Prima donna behavior, how should you handle it as ...
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12:10
When the Line Cook Walks Out: Handling a HR Crisis as a Restaurant Owner
Picture this: it's the middle of the busiest shift of the summer, and your line cook walks out at 7pm. What are some effective strategies for managing a restaurant during a staffing crisis? Peter, George, and Nick are sharing their experiences ...
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11:33
Hospitality ‘Honey Do Lists’: How to Maintain Cleanliness Standards in Your Restaurant
A dirty secret of the restaurant industry is that no matter what, someone has to deal with all of the trash that accumulates. So, as a business owner, how do you always ensure that every part of your restaurant is ‘camera-ready’? Nick, Noelle, ...
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13:32
Love in this Club: Balancing Being Life Partners & Business Partners
Do couples that work together stay together? Nikos puts Peter and Noelle in the hot seat to answer questions about how lovers manage their lives when both work and home are intertwined. Tune in for their answers to questions, including:...
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14:17
Polishing Faux Pas: When Should You Shine Restaurant Serveware?
Few things gross a customer out more than finding lipstick or fingerprints lingering on their glassware. So, as a restaurant owner, what practices should you implement to ensure this faux pas never happens? Nick, George, and Liz are answering q...
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13:52
Early Bird Breakfast: What Time Should AM Eateries Open?
Morning routines are one of our most sacred rituals as humans – and everyone’s different. So, as an entrepreneur, how do you determine which hours of operation will maximize your morning business? George, Nikos, and Yianni are debating th...
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13:39
Working the Floor: Should Restaurant Owners Serve Tables and Collect Tips?
As a restaurant owner, trying to do everything yourself can be tempting. Especially on slow days, you may consider sending your server home and taking the tables (and tips) yourself. Is this the right mindset for an entrepreneur? Nick, George, ...
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11:24
Guac Costs Extra: When Is It OK For Restaurants to Upcharge?
Everyone knows Guac costs extra at Chipotle, but at what point do restaurant upcharges take it too far? From drink refills and to-go coffees to complimentary water cups and extra sauces, Nick, Yianni, and Peter discuss the economics of ‘extras’...
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16:25
Ranking Restaurant Resources: Are Websites or Social Media More Relevant? Part II
Marketing and advertising have evolved tremendously since the days of simple print ads in the local newspaper. Today, businesses use everything from billboards and banner places to social media trends and cutting-edge website design to set them...
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16:31
Customers in Crappy Moods: How to Handle Unhappy Restaurant Guests
Everybody makes mistakes...everybody has bad days, but is it ever ok to take them out on your server at a restaurant? Noelle, Peter and George are discussing how customers’ bad moods have impacted their businesses and answering questions, inclu...
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14:35
Should I Open A Restaurant?: The Pros and Cons of Being a Hospitality Entrepreneur
If you ask nearly anyone who works in the restaurant industry, it can be grueling and utterly unrewarding. Despite this, habitual restauranteurs continue to open new concepts year after year. So, what fuels the desire to work in an industry tha...
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17:02
Fast-Food Favorites: What Junk Food Would You Take to a Deserted Island?
McDonalds vs. Burger King, Chipotle vs. Moe’s, Wendy’s vs. Chick-fil-A – fast food is an American obsession and a divisive one at that. Noelle is asking the question: what is your ultimate fast-food item? Tune in to hear what Peter, George, and...
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11:29
Music Makes the Meal: How Playlists Impact Restaurant Atmosphere
Music is an essential part of establishing the atmosphere in any business, but especially so in restaurants. Why? Tune in to hear what Yianni, Nick, and Noelle have to say about the topic while answering questions, including:- How does ...
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17:12
Breakfast Vs. Lunch: Which Meal Do Chefs Prefer to Prepare and Serve?
Everyone loves brunch, but if you HAVE to choose between breakfast or lunch, which do you prefer? Peter, Nikos, and Guest Host Ryan Jones are exploring their opinions on which meal is more fun to cook, serve, and eat on this week’s episode of R...
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12:40
Budgeting for Bonuses: Should Business Owners Award Annual Performance Perks?
Every business is different when it comes to its system of employee compensation, and bonus programs can be especially controversial. For restaurant owners, it can be especially tough to determine if and/or how to award performance incentives. ...
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15:56
BYOB(ags): How Plastic Bag Bans and Technological Advances Impact Employment
“So you’re telling me that now I not only have to remember to bring my own grocery bags to the store, but the prices are higher, AND I have to scan and bag my own groceries?” – Yianni, essentially. If you agree, you’re not going to want to miss...
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15:39
F*ck Pescatarians: Why We Hate People Who Only Eat Seafood
With more than a dozen restaurants located in Cape May County, which is also home to some of the North East’s most renowned commercial fishing ports, it’s no wonder why many Kara eateries feature seafood prominently. So, why does Yianni take su...
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16:13
BAR Basics: Do I Need A Lawyer As A Business Owner?
When you decide to pursue your dream of opening a business, it can be easy to forget you’re wearing rose-colored glasses. Yianni, Liz, and Peter dive into why you need legal representation as a business owner and explore what factors should inf...
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14:01
The Star Treatment: What Celebrities Would You Close Your Business For?
Hollywood stars – and even local celebrities – often expect special treatment, but business owners have to weigh the pros and cons of whether catering to their needs is worth it. While Yianni has been known to tell a famous actress or two to ki...
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17:59
Making Money Moves: How Much Can I Earn as a Restaurant Entrepreneur?
From the outside looking in, most people think that restaurant owners are rolling in cash, but what is the reality? Speaking from their own experiences over the past four decades, Yianni, Nick, and Nick are answering questions, including:
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18:32
All-American Eats: What Foods Is the USA Known For?
For international travelers and foodies, one of the best parts about visiting a new country is trying their signature dishes. We fly to Italy for pizza and pasta, explore Greece to enjoy gyros and spanakopita, and South America to discover a ra...
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12:54
The Business of Bathrooms: Refining the Restroom Experience at Restaurants
No two restaurants are alike, and neither are their bathrooms. Within the Kara Restaurant Group family of businesses, we believe in making the restroom an experience of its own, but many other entrepreneurs put it on the back burner. So, whose ...
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13:00
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