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 why profitability has to be the North Star for every restaurant owner — because without profit, nothing else is sustainable. I also break down one of the most underrated marketing tools in the game: the power of 'surprise and delight.' We’re talking about those unexpected moments that turn a first-time guest into a lifelong fan. I share practical ways to build those moments into your operations — from budgeting for them to training your team to execute with heart. Because when you systemize joy, you create loyalty. And that’s how you win.

Takeaways:

Money makes every other problem a minor inconvenience.
Surprise and delight isn't just generosity; it's unexpected generosity.
Creating unforgettable experiences turns guests into raving fans.
A surprise and delight budget empowers staff to enhance customer experiences.
It's about exceeding expectations in ways they couldn't even imagine.
Transforming guests into ambassadors is key for marketing.
Marketing through surprise and delight pays for itself.
Training staff on surprise and delight strategies is essential.
Focus on creating genuine moments of connection with guests.
Implementing a structured approach to surprise and delight can lead to greater profitability.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Restaurant Profitability
02:06 The Power of Surprise and Delight
05:54 Creating Unforgettable Experiences
09:47 Implementing Surprise and Delight Strategies

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.

#081 - Jonathan Hunt of Dead To Fall