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 talk about why the start of a new year feels so hard for so many restaurant owners. The problem is rarely effort. It is usually a lack of focus. I break down how unclear marketing, too many offers, and weak pricing strategies quietly kill profitability. We dig into how to simplify your model, narrow your services, and create calls to action that actually convert. If you want this year to feel more controlled and more profitable, this is where to start.

Takeaways

Evaluate what really happened with your goals in 2025.
Focus on proven strategies for real growth.
More work does not equate to more money.
Each service in a restaurant is a separate business.
Narrow down to your hero service for marketing.
Make one clear ask to your customers.
Pricing should reflect the value provided.
Perceived value can enhance customer experience.
Avoid spreading yourself too thin with multiple offers.
Reflect on where you can streamline operations for profit.

Chapters

00:00 New Year, New Strategies for Restaurant Growth

01:46 Understanding the Restaurant Business Model

05:05 The Importance of Focused Marketing

08:24 Pricing for Profit and Perceived Value

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.

Office Hours: Doing Less To Earn More