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
153 episodes
Waste Not, Want Not: Is Wasteful Food Prep Cutting into Your Profits?
Prepping ingredients for service is an essential part of restaurant operations, but how much of an impact does your prep person really have on the business’s bottom line? Join Nikos, Peter, and Patrizia as they answer questions including: ...
•
15:08
Picking a Playlist: Setting Standards for Music Selections in the Workplace
An important part of a restaurant’s ambiance is the playlist, but for employees working day in and day out, listening to the same songs 24/7 can be downright infuriating. As a business owner, do you think it’s ok to allow the kitchen staff to l...
•
13:04
Selling Out: Bargaining Options When Buying and Selling Businesses
As an entrepreneur, your business is your baby. So, after investing all of yourself and your savings into building it, what happens when you decide to put your business up for sale? Nick, Bobby, and Peter are answering questions, including:...
•
14:59
Family-Style Dinner: Ordering Food for the Table to Share
Is sharing really caring? Noelle, Nick, and George discuss family-style ordering and sharing food in this week’s episode of Restaurant Punk. Tune in to hear their answers to questions, including:What are the pros and cons of tables ...
•
11:28
Scheduling Sh*tshows: Handling Employee Callouts, Late Arrivals & No-Shows
As a business owner, scheduling is an inevitably challenging task at times. From sick kids, COVID, and hangovers to last-minute visits from friends and the endless list of other reasons employees call out, how do you handle it when someone says...
•
11:59
Put Your Money Where Your Marketing Is: Why Promoting Your Business
All business owners know that they need to market themselves if they want to keep their doors open. From print advertising and coupons to match books and social media, Noelle, Bobby, and Nick are exploring the topic and answering questions, inc...
•
15:29
No Days Off: Should I Close My Restaurant One Day A Week?
In the restaurant industry, burnout is an all too real problem. So, as an owner, is it worthwhile to consider closing one day per week to ensure that everyone has enough time to recover from the stress of the job? Nick, Nikos, and Liz are answe...
•
17:10
Pay to Park: How Restaurant Profits Are Impacted By Their Area’s Parking
Unless you live in an entirely walkable/bikeable city or one with exceptional public transportation, parking your car to patronize a restaurant is almost inevitable. Join Nick, George, and Nikos to discuss the impacts of parking on businesses w...
•
11:32
First-Class Food: Answers About Airport Restaurants & In-Service Ordering
Options for airport dining vary from city to city and terminal to terminal, but typically, you end up disappointed (or worse) no matter what you decide to eat. Join Peter, Bobby, and Nick as they discuss all things airport cuisine, including sk...
•
15:54
What Makes A Manager: Attitudes and Attributes of A1 Leaders
Being a manager isn’t easy, and many factors impact how your team respects you. How do you hold people accountable? Are you a boss who calls employees out in front of other people? Do you give feedback for improvement? Nick, Noelle, and Yianni ...
•
16:56
Requiring Restaurant Work: Mandatory Labor to Learn Manners
Knowing which customers haven’t worked in the hospitality industry is like a sixth sense you develop when working in restaurants. Typically, those who haven’t are more likely to be rude and fail to understand basic etiquette rules, so we propos...
•
12:13
Dishwasher Dos and Don'ts: Common Courtesies in the Kitchen
At any job, there are hard rules and there are common courtesies. In the restaurant industry, one of the most debated topics is whether or not the bussers and/or servers should be responsible for scraping plates and emptying drinks when clearin...
•
17:50
Catering Pros & Cons: What It’s Like Operating an Event Business
Many restaurants offer takeout options, and some will even prepare meals for a crowd served in disposable sheet pans, but operating a catering and events business tends to be a standalone endeavor. Noelle, Peter, and George are discussing a not...
•
11:38
Jager Bombs on the Job: Drinking Among Dining Industry Professionals
Whether they’re drinking to cope with annoying customers, taking a shot with a hot-shot guest, or just enjoying a shift drink after a long day, there is a lot of alcohol consumption in the restaurant industry. Liz, Noelle, and Nick are reflecti...
•
12:23
Efficient Eateries: Optimizing Restaurant Food Costs, Labor & Menu Design
Once upon a time, there was only one George’s Place Restaurant, not five, and this week’s Guest Host, Ryan Jones, was among the original employees cranking out Greek specialties on the corner of Beach & Perry in Cape May. Throughout his car...
•
13:23
Giving Away Free Money: Why Our Restaurants Offer BOGO Free Gift Certificates
In seasonal towns, keeping your restaurant operating during the slower months can be difficult. This is especially true in Cape May County, New Jersey. So, how does Kara Restaurant Group keep new guests coming through the front door while ensur...
•
14:21
Juggling Jobs: How Entrepreneurs Manage Their Many Hats
Being an entrepreneur means wearing about 100 different ‘hats’ at any given moment. So, how does the gang at Kara Restaurant Group keep everything straight while operating restaurants, editing podcasts, and producing plating manuals, among othe...
•
15:36
Drinking While Dining Out: How The Sober Curious Impact Bar Sales
From eating gluten-free and cutting carbs to experimenting with drinking less often – or not at all – the trends around alcohol consumption while dining out are ever-evolving. So, how do bar and restaurant owners stay on top of current hot-tick...
•
11:53
What Not To Wear: How Tattoos, Piercings, and More Impact Employability
Over the course of history, personal style has become more and more important. Today, tattoos, vibrant hair colors, and piercings are among the most common aesthetic ‘alternations.” Liz, Nick, and Noelle are exploring how these very personal ch...
•
15:27
Ranking Restaurant Resources: Are Websites or Social Media More Relevant?
In today’s technology-driven era, starting a small business also means developing a website, creating a Google Business listing, and managing an array of social media channels. At times, it can be overwhelming to keep every platform up to date,...
•
14:46
Bartenders Who Bust The Budget: Overpouring, Underbilling, and Straight-Up Stealing
For many people, being friends with the bartender is not only a badge of honor but also a way to drink more while paying less. For restaurant managers and owners managing inventory and costs, however, customer interactions, including overpourin...
•
14:10
Rage Retirement: What Causes Burnout In The Restaurant Industry?
Work and stress are often synonymous when you work in the restaurant industry, so after a while, it almost feels normal to be a bit on edge whenever you’re on shift. But what happens when the mounting agitation boils over and causes you to leav...
•
15:36
Classroom vs. Career Training: Is College Worth The Cash?
For a long time, the standard path to success was defined by attending college before accepting a salaried career. In recent years, particularly amid the COVID pandemic, many began questioning the need for a college education. While Nick attend...
•
14:02
The Dessert Discussion: How To Sell More Specials and Desserts
The potential for debates is endless when it comes to the psychology of ordering. But when deciding whether or not to order dessert, what are the impacts of a written menu vs. verbal specials? George, Noelle, and Nick are answering questions, i...
•
13:05
Rules of Thumb: How To Present Plates While Serving
Perhaps one of the greatest advantages of being a human is having opposable thumbs that make it easier to grasp and manipulate objects firmly, but when you’re serving tables, the standard is only to use them for stabilization. Noelle, Liz, and ...
•
18:19