Office Hours: Why Your Staff Can’t Sell & Why It’s Your Fault

I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter, more successful businesses.

In this episode, I dive into the critical aspects of profitability in the restaurant industry. I emphasize the importance of effective sales training that prioritizes emotional engagement over just product knowledge. I also share actionable strategies to help restaurant teams connect with guests and sell more effectively by using storytelling and developing a genuine belief in the food they serve.

Takeaways:

• Most restaurant owners think they need more guests.
• Profit isn't random, it's engineered.
• Sales doesn't come from knowledge. It comes from conviction.
• Guests don't buy facts. They buy feelings.
• Selling isn't about pressure, it's about believing.
• The best servers are matchmakers.
• Curiosity builds connection. Emotion builds belief.
• Empower storytelling over scripting.
• If your team isn't trained to feel it, they'll never be able to sell it.
• Make what's working a daily conversation.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Hospitality Insights
01:20 The Importance of Profitability Systems
02:45 Transforming Team Sales Training
05:42 Empowering Teams for Effective Selling

If you’ve got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at josh@joshkopel.com and include Office Hours in the subject line. If you'd like to scale the profitability of your restaurant in only 5 days, sign up for our FREE 5 Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting https://joshkopel.com.