
RESTAURANT STRATEGY
The Restaurant Strategy podcast is dedicated helping independent restaurant owners increase the profitability of their restaurants. Hosted by industry expert, Chip Klose, the focus is split between operations and marketing... two episodes every single week. What would your life look like if your restaurant could deliver consistent, predictable 20% returns?
Latest episodes

May 13, 2024 • 1h 7min
INTERVIEW with Cook, Critic, and Author, Corey Mintz
#341 - INTERVIEW with Cook, Critic, and Author, Corey Mintz
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This week's episode is brought to you by: MARGIN EDGE
Take control of your costs with using MarginEdge. Best of all? No contract. No setup fee. Free and unlimited training and support.
VISIT: marginedge.com/chip
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This week's episode is brought to you by: 7SHIFTS
7shifts is the team management platform for restaurants. From hiring, to scheduling, training and retaining, they’ve got the tools you need to help you run your business with ease. Better understand your restaurant, hit your labor targets, and keep your entire team connected. Plus, 7shifts integrates with POS and payroll systems you already use and trust! Join over 30,000 restaurants using 7shifts today. Restaurant Strategy listeners get 3 months free.
VISIT: https://www.7shifts.com/restaurantstrategy/
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Corey Mintz has embedded himself so deeply into our industry that it makes reading his writing such a joy. It's sepcifically because he writes as an outsider... unlike so many pundits and critics, he gets us. He gets what we do. He gets how difficult it is to do what we do... and to do it well. Below I'm linking to a couple of his articles you should definitely read, but start with this interview. I hope you enjoy his perspective as much as I do.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
WEBSITE - https://coreymintz.ca/
"Dining out is about to look a lot different" - https://www.businessinsider.com/restaurants-america-eating-out-crisis-your-fault-labor-shortage-tipping-2024-2?curator=MediaREDEF
Opinion Piece on CNN about DoorDash - https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/08/opinions/doordash-tipping-warning-consequences-mintz/index.html
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Currently the P3 Mastermind has nearly 200 members enrolled, spread across 4 different groups. Our members are seeing huge transformations, often in the first 90 days. The system works, and yes it can work for you.
Click the link to schedule a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule

May 9, 2024 • 24min
Tech Stack "Must Haves" for Your Restaurant
#340 - Tech Stack "Must Haves" for Your Restaurant
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I get asked all the time... "What are your tech stack must haves?" Today, I'm spilling the beans:
SpotOn - Email me directly and I'll connect you with the team over there - chip@chipklose.com
MarginEdge - https://www.marginedge.com/lp/chip
7shifts - https://www.7shifts.com/restaurantstrategy/
Sevenrooms - https://sevenrooms.com/
Chowly - https://chowly.com/
Mailchimp - https://mailchimp.com/
Kickfin - https://www.kickfin.com/demo/
Marqii - https://marqii.com/
Popmenu - https://get.popmenu.com/lp/restaurant-strategy
Squarespace - https://www.squarespace.com/
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Are you ready to generate consistent, predictable, 20% returns? Click the link to schedule a FREE 30-minute strategy session to learn about my P3 Mastermind: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule

May 6, 2024 • 1h 11min
Restaurateur and Activist, Yannick Benjamin (ENCORE)
#339 - Restaurateur and Activist, Yannick Benjamin (ENCORE)
*****
This week's episode is brought to you by: MARGIN EDGE
Take control of your costs with using MarginEdge. Best of all? No contract. No setup fee. Free and unlimited training and support.
VISIT: marginedge.com/chip
*****
This week's episode is brought to you by: 7SHIFTS
7shifts is the team management platform for restaurants. From hiring, to scheduling, training and retaining, they’ve got the tools you need to help you run your business with ease. Better understand your restaurant, hit your labor targets, and keep your entire team connected. Plus, 7shifts integrates with POS and payroll systems you already use and trust! Join over 30,000 restaurants using 7shifts today. Restaurant Strategy listeners get 3 months free.
VISIT: https://www.7shifts.com/restaurantstrategy/
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Yannick Benjamin is the owner of Contento restaurant in NYC as well as Beaupierre Wine Shop. He is an accomplished industry veteran... and guess what? He does it in a wheelchair, after having been paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident over a decade ago. Because of that, he is a leading activist for the disabled community here in NYC. He even started his own non-profit to help those who need support to rebuild their lives after a spinal cord injury. His story is amazing. I hope you get a lot from this conversation.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
CONTENTO - https://www.contentonyc.com/
BEAUPIERRE - https://www.beaupierrewine.com/
WHEELING FORWARD - https://wheelingforward.org/
*****
Currently the P3 Mastermind has nearly 200 members enrolled, spread across 4 different groups. Our members are seeing huge transformations, often in the first 90 days. The system works, and yes it can work for you.
Click the link to schedule a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule

May 2, 2024 • 26min
The Difference Between Leadership and Management
#338 - The Difference Between Leadership and Management
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This week's episode is brought to you by: MARQII
Marqii is your one-stop-shop for listings management and reputation management. Collect reviews in one place to make responding easy and effortless and win the SEO game to land at the top of more search results. Win back guests and put more butts in the seats with Marqii.
VISIT: https://marqii.com/
*****
This week's episode is brought to you by: 7SHIFTS
7shifts is the team management platform for restaurants. From hiring, to scheduling, training and retaining, they’ve got the tools you need to help you run your business with ease. Better understand your restaurant, hit your labor targets, and keep your entire team connected. Plus, 7shifts integrates with POS and payroll systems you already use and trust! Join over 30,000 restaurants using 7shifts today. Restaurant Strategy listeners get 3 months free.
VISIT: https://www.7shifts.com/restaurantstrategy
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Leadership is the WHAT and the WHY.
Management is the HOW.
Proceed accrodingly...
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Are you ready to generate consistent, predictable, 20% returns? Click the link to schedule a FREE 30-minute strategy session to learn about my P3 Mastermind: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule

Apr 29, 2024 • 1h 1min
The Power of Launching a Zero Proof Beverage Program with Heather Ransome
#337 - The Power of Launching a Zero Proof Beverage Program with Heather Ransome
*****
This week's episode is brought to you by: KICKFIN
Thousands of restaurants across the country use Kickfin to send instant, cashless tip payouts, directly to their employees’ bank accounts, the second their shift ends. Get in touch today for a personalized demo and see how restaurants and bars across the country are tipping out with Kickfin.
VISIT: https://kickfin.com/demo/
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This week's episode is brought to you by: POPMENU
If you’re a restaurant owner you need a great website that not only looks beautiful, but helps drive more traffic and sales. Use POPMENU to take your business to the next level. Best of all, listeners of this show can lock in one, set monthly rate… and get $100 off their first month.
VISIT: https://popmenu.com/restaurantstrategy
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Heather Ransome is an operator, lobbysist, consultant, and now founder of the company, Zero Proof Go. Over the course of this conversation we track her own path up through the industry, and most importantly we stop to consider: "What's next?"
The "zero proof" movement is really picking up steam, and so we dissect what that means for restaurants and bars all across the country.
We know this might be a challenge for some, so Heather has generously offered up a free consult (regularly priced at $1,000) just for listeners of this podcast. Use the link below to snag some time with her!
IMPORTANT LINKS:
FREE CONSULTATION: Https://www.zeroproofgo.com/klose.html
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Are you ready for consisent, predicatble 20% profits month after month? Set up a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule

Apr 25, 2024 • 49min
The 6 Big Complaints I Just Can't Stand (ENCORE)
#336 - The 6 Big Complaints I Just Can't Stand (ENCORE)
*****
This week's episode is brought to you by: MARQII
Marqii is your one-stop-shop for listings management and reputation management. Collect reviews in one place to make responding easy and effortless and win the SEO game to land at the top of more search results. Win back guests and put more butts in the seats with Marqii.
VISIT: https://marqii.com/
*****
This week's episode is brought to you by: 7SHIFTS
7shifts is the team management platform for restaurants. From hiring, to scheduling, training and retaining, they’ve got the tools you need to help you run your business with ease. Better understand your restaurant, hit your labor targets, and keep your entire team connected. Plus, 7shifts integrates with POS and payroll systems you already use and trust! Join over 30,000 restaurants using 7shifts today. Restaurant Strategy listeners get 3 months free.
VISIT: https://www.7shifts.com/restaurantstrategy
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I spend most of my week speaking with restaurant owners from all over the world... and when I go out to eat I pay careful attention to what the operators are saying. (Yes, I sometimes eavesdrop, but I also like to strike up conversations with the managers when I can.) And there are 6 things I hear all the time these days...
And I just don't think they should be in our vocabulary any more.
So on today's episode I'm going to share these 6 complaints, and I'm going to show you a way to rethink them. A way to shift your mindset about all of them. Are you ready? Hit PLAY!
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Are you ready to generate consistent, predictable, 20% returns? Click the link to schedule a FREE 30-minute strategy session to learn about my P3 Mastermind: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule

Apr 22, 2024 • 1h 29min
Mike Bausch, Owner of Andolini's Pizza and Author of Unsliced
#335 - Mike Bausch, Owner of Andolini's Pizza and Author of Unsliced
*****
This week's episode is brought to you by: KICKFIN
Thousands of restaurants across the country use Kickfin to send instant, cashless tip payouts, directly to their employees’ bank accounts, the second their shift ends. Get in touch today for a personalized demo and see how restaurants and bars across the country are tipping out with Kickfin.
VISIT: https://kickfin.com/demo/
*****
This week's episode is brought to you by: POPMENU
If you’re a restaurant owner you need a great website that not only looks beautiful, but helps drive more traffic and sales. Use POPMENU to take your business to the next level. Best of all, listeners of this show can lock in one, set monthly rate… and get $100 off their first month.
VISIT: https://popmenu.com/restaurantstrategy
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Mike Bausch is on fire on this episode. Brutally honest and brimming with insights from his 3+ decades in the industry. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!
IMPORTANT LINKS:
Website: https://andolinisworldwide.com/
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Are you ready for consisent, predicatble 20% profits month after month? Set up a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule

Apr 18, 2024 • 28min
Excerpts from The Restaurant Marketing Mindset (ENCORE)
#334 - Excerpts from The Restaurant Marketing Mindset (ENCORE)
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This week's episode is brought to you by: TRIPLESEAT
Revolutionize your private event planning with Tripleseat's all-in-one platform. Boost new booking sales by 30%, generate more leads, create contracts, BEOs, and more. Plus listeners of the show get a discount when you sign up.
VISIT: https://tripleseat.com/restaurantstrategy/
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This week I'm reading the first two chapters from my new book, The Restaurant Marketing Mindset.
BUY NOW: https://www.therestaurantmarketingmindset.com/
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Ready for consistent, predictable 20% profits every single month? Let's chat about the P3 Mastermind.
Schedule a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule

Apr 15, 2024 • 56min
Welcoming Back Bo Davis, Founder and CEO of MarginEdge
#333 - Welcoming Back Bo Davis, Founder and CEO of MarginEdge
*****
This week's episode is brought to you by: MARGIN EDGE
Take control of your costs with using MarginEdge. Best of all? No contract. No setup fee. Free and unlimited training and support.
VISIT: marginedge.com/chip
*****
This week's episode is brought to you by: 7SHIFTS
7shifts is the team management platform for restaurants. From hiring, to scheduling, training and retaining, they’ve got the tools you need to help you run your business with ease. Better understand your restaurant, hit your labor targets, and keep your entire team connected. Plus, 7shifts integrates with POS and payroll systems you already use and trust! Join over 30,000 restaurants using 7shifts today. Restaurant Strategy listeners get 3 months free.
VISIT: https://www.7shifts.com/restaurantstrategy/
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Bo Davis returns to the show to talk about some of the important updates and features that are being added to the MarginEdge platform. This software - perhaps more than just about anything else - will help increase the profitability in your restaurant. This is a great conversation for understanding how to get a hold of COGS.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
WEBSITE: marginedge.com/chip
*****
Currently the P3 Mastermind has more than 150 members enrolled, spread across 4 different groups. Our members are seeing huge transformations, often in the first 90 days. The system works, and yes it can work for you.
Click the link to schedule a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule

Apr 11, 2024 • 26min
The VERY BEST Ways to Increase Check Average by 15 Percent
#332 - The VERY BEST Ways to Increase Check Average by 15 Percent
*****
This week's episode is brought to you by: TRIPLESEAT
Revolutionize your private event planning with Tripleseat's all-in-one platform. Boost new booking sales by 30%, generate more leads, create contracts, BEOs, and more. Plus listeners of the show get a discount when you sign up.
VISIT: https://tripleseat.com/restaurantstrategy/
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When it comes to full service restaurants, there are really only 4 opportunities to impact check average. In a quick service environment, there's only 1. What are they? Check out today's episode to learn more.
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Ready for consistent, predictable 20% profits every single month? Let's chat about the P3 Mastermind.
Schedule a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule