
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

Feb 15, 2021 • 23min
The ABCDs of Marketing
#101 - The ABCDs of Marketing
This week's episode is brought to you by: BENTOBOX
BentoBox is a website, e-commerce, and marketing platform for restaurants. Over 6,000 restaurants worldwide rely on BentoBox to drive high-margin revenue and connect with guests through their websites, including those of José Andrés’s ThinkFoodGroup and Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. To further support the restaurant community during COVID-19, Restaurant Strategy listeners will receive 50% off their setup fee when they sign up by March 29.
To learn more, visit: www.getbento.com/restaurantstrategy
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On Episode 101, I'm reviewing a framework I've developed for marketing any product or service. I call it the ABCDs of Marketing - a systematic approach for understanding any market.
A is for AUDIENCE
B is for BRANDING
C is for Competition
D is for DIFFERENTIATION
I take you through each one and introduce an exercise to help you apply the ideas to your own business. Before you do any sort of promotion, you need to understand these four areas. Getting clear on this will help you as we move forward.
THREE SMALL REQUESTS:
1. Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcasts
2. Follus us on FB and IG: @restaurantstrategy
3. Support our Sponsor: www.getbento.com/restaurantstrategy
*****
Happy listening,Chip Klose

Feb 8, 2021 • 31min
Celebrating 100 Episodes!
#100 - Celebrating 100 Episodes with All of You
This week's episode is brought to you by: BENTOBOX
BentoBox is a website, e-commerce, and marketing platform for restaurants. Over 6,000 restaurants worldwide rely on BentoBox to drive high-margin revenue and connect with guests through their websites, including those of José Andrés’s ThinkFoodGroup and Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. To further support the restaurant community during COVID-19, Restaurant Strategy listeners will receive 50% off their setup fee when they sign up by March 29.
To learn more, visit: www.getbento.com/restaurantstrategy
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For our 100th Episode we're going to talk about community... how you build one and nurture one to help guarantee your long-term success. I'm doing that by sharing insights from an industry - Danny Meyer - and using this platform to help share your stories. I've loved getting to know you these past two years, and I feel like we're only just getting started. All of the links are below. Thanks for listening and keep coming back!
IMPORTANT LINKS:
BentoBox Favorites:
https://www.gramercytavern.com
https://www.marcforgione.com
https://www.collettarestaurant.com
https://www.hallschophouse.com/location/halls-chophouse-columbia/
https://www.mightyquinnsbbq.com
Setting the Table by Danny Meyer
https://www.amazon.com/Setting-Table-Transforming-Hospitality-Business/dp/0060742763
Top 10 Episodes to Date:
1. Episode #1 - "What is Marketing"
2. Episode #2 - "Identity"
3. Episode #3 - "Audience
4. Episode #93 - INTERVIEW with Peter Fader
5. Epsiode #96 - INTERVIEW with Christopher Tunnah
6. Episode #15 - 10 Books Every Restaurant Owner Should Read
7. Episode #98 - INTERVIEW with Steven Hall
8. Episode #91 - 10 Metrics You Should Track
9. Episode #77 - SEO Deep Dive with Kelly Cooper of Moz
10. Episode #75 - Building a Marketing Plan That Works
FEEDSPOT TOP 20: https://blog.feedspot.com/restaurant_podcasts/
THE MARKETING RULES PODCAST: https://www.themarketingrules.com/chip-klose/
RESTAURANTTOPIA #37: https://restauranttopia.com/episode-37-10-steps-every-restaurant-owner-should-take-to-get-started-with-marketing-with-chip-klose-part-1/
RESTAURANTTOPIA #38: https://restauranttopia.com/episode-38-10-steps-every-restaurant-owner-should-take-to-get-started-with-marketing-with-chip-klose-part-2/
THREE SMALL REQUESTS:
1. Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcasts
2. Follus us on FB and IG: @restaurantstrategy
3. Support our Sponsors like BentoBox: www.getbento.com/restaurantstrategy
*****
Happy listening,Chip Klose

Feb 1, 2021 • 54min
INTERVIEW: A New Kind of Collaboration for Mighty Quinn's & Otto's Tacos
#99 - INTERVIEW: A New Kind of Collaboration for Mighty Quinn's & Otto's Tacos
This week's episode is brought to you by: BENTOBOX
BentoBox is a website, e-commerce, and marketing platform for restaurants. Over 6,000 restaurants worldwide rely on BentoBox to drive high-margin revenue and connect with guests through their websites, including those of José Andrés’s ThinkFoodGroup and Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. To further support the restaurant community during COVID-19, Restaurant Strategy listeners will receive 50% off their setup fee when they sign up by March 29.
To learn more, visit: www.getbento.com/restaurantstrategy
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Mighty Quinn's hit NYC in 2012 and exploded in a matter of months, growing to nearly a dozen units including their first franchise location. Otto's Tacos opened that same year in the same neighborhood and built a loyal fanbase and had also expanded to multiple units.
Then came the pandemic... and the future of both brands became somewhat unclear. On this week's episode I'm talking with Micha Magid (Co-Founder of Mighty Quinn 's BBQ) and Otto Cedeno (Co-Founder of Otto's Tacos) all about their unique collaboration. This is an unusual story and I'm grateful that these guys were willing to come on the show and share it.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
Mighty Quinn's BBQ:
https://www.mightyquinnsbbq.com
https://www.instagram.com/mightyquinnsbbq/
https://www.facebook.com/mightyquinnsbbq
https://twitter.com/MightyQuinnsBBQ
Otto's Tacos
https://www.ottostacos.com
https://www.instagram.com/ottostacos/
https://www.facebook.com/OttosTacos/
https://twitter.com/ottostacos
And remember... if you want to record a message for our 100th episode, click the link below and let the community know how this show has helped you and your restaurant. Some insight, breakthrough, idea, whatever... it can be 5 seconds or 5 minutes. Share your story: CLICK THIS LINK
*****
Happy listening,Chip Klose

Jan 25, 2021 • 58min
INTERVIEW: Talking PR with Steven Hall, Owner of Hall PR
#98 - INTERVIEW: Talking PR with Steven Hall, Restaurant Publicist
This week's episode is brought to you by: BENTOBOX
BentoBox is a website, e-commerce, and marketing platform for restaurants. Over 6,000 restaurants worldwide rely on BentoBox to drive high-margin revenue and connect with guests through their websites, including those of José Andrés’s ThinkFoodGroup and Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. To further support the restaurant community during COVID-19, Restaurant Strategy listeners will receive 50% off their setup fee when they sign up by March 29.
To learn more, visit: www.getbento.com/restaurantstrategy
*****
I promised a slew of great interviews to start the year and today is #3 out of 4. I'm chatting with friend and colleague, Steven Hall, who is the founder/owner of Hall PR. Based here in NYC, I think Steven offers a really interesting perspective... First, he started his company in 1996 just as food culture in America started to take off; it's given him unique access a sense of context many people don't have. Second, his agency works with clients all over the country from New York to San Francisco to Miami, Nashville, and Texas. Understanding the intricacies of those markets makes him especially valuable and I'm grateful to share some of his wisdom with all of you.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
Hall PR:https://hallpr.comhttps://www.instagram.com/hallpr/https://www.facebook.com/hallprhttps://twitter.com/hallpr
E-Mail:steven@hallpr.com
And remember... if you want to record a message for our 100th episode, click the link below and let the community know how this show has helped you and your restaurant. Some insight, breakthrough, idea, whatever... it can be 5 seconds or 5 minutes. Share your story: CLICK THIS LINK
*****
Happy listening,Chip Klose

Jan 18, 2021 • 1h 13min
INTERVIEW: Andrea Borgen Abdallah, Owner of LA's Barcito & Bodega
#97 - INTERVIEW: Andrea Borgen Abdallah, Owner of LA's Barcito & Bodega
This week's episode is brought to you by: BENTOBOX
BentoBox is a website, e-commerce, and marketing platform for restaurants. Over 6,000 restaurants worldwide rely on BentoBox to drive high-margin revenue and connect with guests through their websites, including those of José Andrés’s ThinkFoodGroup and Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. To further support the restaurant community during COVID-19, Restaurant Strategy listeners will receive 50% off their setup fee when they sign up by March 29.
To learn more, visit: www.getbento.com/restaurantstrategy
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My string of interviews continues this week as I chat with Andrea Borgen Abdallah, owner of Barcito & Bodega in Downtown LA. We talk about the difference between service and hospitality, how the pivot becomes an evolution, the future of hospitality, and how her activism is at the heart of all of it.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
Barcito & Bodega:https://www.barcitola.comhttps://www.instagram.com/barcitola/
No Relief, No Rent:https://www.noreliefnorent.org
And remember... if you want to record a message for our 100th episode, click the link below and let the community know how this show has helped you and your restaurant. Some insight, breakthrough, idea, whatever... it can be 5 seconds or 5 minutes. Share your story: CLICK THIS LINK
*****
Happy listening,Chip Klose

Jan 11, 2021 • 1h 32min
INTERVIEW: Restaurant Consultant, Christopher Tunnah
#96 - INTERVIEW: Restaurant Consultant, Christopher Tunnah
This week's episode is sponsored by: CRAVER
Get a beautiful, branded app for your restaurant with CRAVER. This isn’t just some cookie cutter software… it will be an extension of your brand in your customer’s pockets. You will own your customer’s data, own the process by which they engage with you, and have direct access to their orders, commission free!
To learn more about they can help you build loyalty and drive revenue, visit their website: https://craverapp.com
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This week I'm chatting with my good friend and colleague, Christopher Tunnah - a guy who's made a career opening restaurants. He's got a killer resume that stretches back two decades working with names like Tom Colicchio, Missy Robbins, Richard Gere, Danny Meyer, and more. He's got some great stories from the trenches, and a bunch of great info to share. Curious? Hit play!
And remember... if you want to record a message for our 100th episode, click the link below and let the community know how this show has helped you and your restaurant. Some insight, breakthrough, idea, whatever... it can be 5 seconds or 5 minutes. Share your story: CLICK THIS LINK
*****
Happy listening,Chip Klose
P.S. - CLICK HERE to download the ONLY Restaurant Budget Template You'll Ever Need

Jan 4, 2021 • 22min
The KPIs of Human Connection
#95 - The KPIs of Human Connection
This week's episode is sponsored by: CRAVER
Get a beautiful, branded app for your restaurant with CRAVER. This isn’t just some cookie cutter software… it will be an extension of your brand in your customer’s pockets. You will own your customer’s data, own the process by which they engage with you, and have direct access to their orders, commission free!
To learn more about they can help you build loyalty and drive revenue, visit their website: https://craverapp.com
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In 2021 I'm going to spend a lot of time talking about connnection. With all of the metrics we track, I think we still don't do enough to track the human side of our businesses. Even as I urge all of you to incorporate technology into your operations, I also want to make sure we're taking the time for the "human" side as well. Don't quite know what I'm talking about? Listen in!
And by the way, if you want to record a message for our 100th episode, I hope you'll click the link below and let the community know how this show has helped you and your restaurant. Some insight, breakthrough, idea, whatever... it can be 10 seconds or 5 minutes. Help me share your story: CLICK THIS LINK
*****
Happy listening,Chip Klose
P.S. - CLICK HERE to download the ONLY Restaurant Budget Template You'll Ever Need

Dec 28, 2020 • 23min
Hindsight is 2020
#94 - Hindsight is 2020
This week's episode is sponsored by: CRAVER
Get a beautiful, branded app for your restaurant with CRAVER. This isn’t just some cookie cutter software… it will be an extension of your brand in your customer’s pockets. You will own your customer’s data, own the process by which they engage with you, and have direct access to their orders, commission free!
To learn more about they can help you build loyalty and drive revenue, visit their website: https://craverapp.com
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The end of the year is a perfect opportunity to assess the past and start making plans for the future. On this week's episode I'm walking you through my process of analyzing my accomplishments from 2020, and how to set actionable goals for 2021. Sharing insights and personal stories to help you get set for the year ahead.
And by the way, if you want to record a message for our 100th episode, I hope you'll click the link below and let the community know how this show has helped you and your restaurant. Some insight, breakthrough, idea, whatever... it can be 10 seconds or 5 minutes. Help me share your story: CLICK THIS LINK
*****
Happy listening,Chip Klose
P.S. - CLICK HERE to download the ONLY Restaurant Budget Template You'll Ever Need

Dec 21, 2020 • 1h 1min
INTERVIEW: Peter Fader, Wharton Professor and Bestselling Author
#93 - INTERVIEW: Peter Fader, Wharton Professor and Bestselling Author
This week's episode is sponsored by: CRAVER
Get a beautiful, branded app for your restaurant with CRAVER. This isn’t just some cookie cutter software… it will be an extension of your brand in your customer’s pockets. You will own your customer’s data, own the process by which they engage with you, and have direct access to their orders, commission free!
To learn more about they can help you build loyalty and drive revenue, visit their website: https://craverapp.com
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Peter Fader is a sought-after public speaker, a bestselling author, and a celebrated marketing professor at The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania. He's a pioneer when it comes to "customer centricity" and something he calls CLV - "customer lifetime value." He founded a company called Zodiac many years back, which he then sold to Nike. (They then used the analytics company to help them pivot from B2B to B2C and it has changed the trajectory of their company. You can read about their move from 2017 on. You can here about that HERE.)
On this week's episode Peter is sharing his work on this material, explaining how it applies to companies large and small, and then finally drills down to provide a sort of playbook for restaurants. This is one of the most thrilling interviews I've ever done and I hope you all get as much out of it as I did.
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IMPORTANT LINKS:
Purchase Peter's book, CUSTOMER CENTRICITY
Follow Peter on Twitter
Find Peter on LinkedIn
Learn more about his new company, Theta Equity Partners
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If you want to record a message for our 100th episode, I hope you'll click the link below and let the community know how this show has helped you and your restaurant. Some insight, breakthrough, idea, whatever... it can be 10 seconds or 5 minutes. Help me share your story:
CLICK THIS LINK
*****
Happy listening,Chip Klose
P.S. - CLICK HERE to download the ONLY Restaurant Budget Template You'll Ever Need

Dec 14, 2020 • 14min
Should You Spend $500 on Facebook Ads?
#92 - Should You Spend $500 on Facebook Ads?
This week's episode is sponsored by: CRAVER
Get a beautiful, branded app for your restaurant with CRAVER. This isn’t just some cookie cutter software… it will be an extension of your brand in your customer’s pockets. You will own your customer’s data, own the process by which they engage with you, and have direct access to their orders, commission free!
To learn more about they can help you build loyalty and drive revenue, visit their website: https://craverapp.com
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Everyone loves to tell you that you should be advertising on Facebook, and on this week's episode I'm going to put the rumors to bed. Should you be spending money on Facebook Ads? Maybe.
I give you some criteria as well as two strategies to consider.
*****
Happy listening,Chip Klose
P.S. - CLICK HERE to download the ONLY Restaurant Budget Template You'll Ever Need