RESTAURANT STRATEGY

#116 - INTERVIEW with EatOkra founders, Anthony & Janique Edwards ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: OVATION Get more feedback, more reviews, and more revenue with Ovation. Get started with 2,000 FREE text messages by visiting ovationup.com/chip ***** This week's episode is also sponsored by: RESTAURANT FUNNEL Generate leads, turn those leads into contacts, and then convert those contacts into actual guests that will rave about their experience. To get started, they offer a free Marketing Report Card for your business. Visit restaurantfunnel.com/chip ***** Anthony & Janique Edwards created the EatOkra App in 2016 as a way of supporting black-owned businesses in their neighborhood. Over the course of the last five years the app has exploded, now with more than 9,000 listings and 335,000 unique users. They have the unique opportunity of peeking behind the curtain of a lot of businesses, and I sat down with them to chat about everything they've learned in building this community.  IMPORTANT LINKS:  WEBSITE: https://www.eatokra.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/eatokraTheApp/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/eatOkraTheApp TWITTER: https://twitter.com/eatOkraTheApp *****Come join the community on Patreon where a monthly contribution will give you access to a bunch of different perks and benefits like monthly Q&A sessions, podcast swag, and one-on-one coachings with me. SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/restaurantstrategy

#115 - Luxury vs. Commodity ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: OVATION Get more feedback, more reviews, and more revenue with Ovation. Get started with 2,000 FREE text messages by visiting ovationup.com/chip ***** This week's episode is also sponsored by: RESTAURANT FUNNEL Generate leads, turn those leads into contacts, and then convert those contacts into actual guests that will rave about their experience. To get started, they offer a free Marketing Report Card for your business. Visit restaurantfunnel.com/chip ***** Even though they both get you from point A to point B… a Mercedes is twice as expensive as a Toyota. If you’re looking for a good red wine to pair with your steak, you might wander over to the aisle showcasing California Cabs. You’ll find that Screaming Eagle — if you’re lucky enough to even put your hands on a bottle — is ten times as expensive as Opus One. And the price tag for a brand new Hermes Birkin bag starts at about $35,000.  Okay… so why?  On this week’s episode we’re going to talk all about luxury versus commodity. Yes it’s about price and value… but there’s another component too this that’s worth discussing. And no you don’t have to serve a high-end product to high-end clientele for high-ticket prices to be able to apply these lessons to your own business. IMPORTANT LINKS:  https://www.businessinsider.com/hermes-birkin-bag-realreal-handbag-expert-so-expensive-2019-6 SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SMWL93V *****Come join the community on Patreon where a monthly contribution will give you access to a bunch of different perks and benefits like monthly Q&A sessions, podcast swag, and one-on-one coachings with me. SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/restaurantstrategy

#114 - INTERVIEW with Renae Scott, CMO of Ike's Love and Sandwiches ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: OVATION Get more feedback, more reviews, and more revenue with Ovation. Get started with 2,000 FREE text messages by visiting ovationup.com/chip ***** This week's episode is also sponsored by: RESTAURANT FUNNEL Generate leads, turn those leads into contacts, and then convert those contacts into actual guests that will rave about their experience. To get started, they offer a free Marketing Report Card for your business. Visit restaurantfunnel.com/chip *****Renae Scott is the Chief Marketing Officer of a west coast-based restaurant group called Ike's Love and Sandwiches. She brings more than three decades of experience to the job, and really has a clear idea of how to set a true identity for a brand. Hear what she learned from the early days of Carl's Jr. "big juicy burgers" campaigns, and how Ike's personality influences all of the choices the company makes on a daily basis. Tons of wisdom, and a couple good laughs! IMPORTANT LINKS Ike's Website - http://www.loveandsandwiches.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ikesandwiches Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ikessandwiches/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/ikessandwiches *****Come join the community on Patreon where a monthly contribution will give you access to a bunch of different perks and benefits like monthly Q&A sessions, podcast swag, and one-on-one coachings with me. SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/restaurantstrategy

#113 - Operations + Marketing ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: OVATION Get more feedback, more reviews, and more revenue with Ovation. Get started with 2,000 FREE text messages by visiting ovationup.com/chip ***** This week's episode is also sponsored by: RESTAURANT FUNNEL Generate leads, turn those leads into contacts, and then convert those contacts into actual guests that will rave about their experience. To get started, they offer a free Marketing Report Card for your business. Visit restaurantfunnel.com/chip *****Marketing of the thing can't make up for the thing. The best way to market a product is to come up with a product worth talking about. This week we're talking all about how to use operations to solve a marketing problem! *****Come join the community on Patreon where a monthly contribution will give you access to a bunch of different perks and benefits like monthly Q&A sessions, podcast swag, and one-on-one coachings with me. SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/restaurantstrategy

#112 - INTERVIEW with Bestselling Author Martin Lindstrom ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: OVATION Get more feedback, more reviews, and more revenue with Ovation. Get started with 2,000 FREE text messages by visiting ovationup.com/chip ***** This week's episode is also sponsored by: RESTAURANT FUNNEL Generate leads, turn those leads into contacts, and then convert those contacts into actual guests that will rave about their experience. To get started, they offer a free Marketing Report Card for your business. Visit restaurantfunnel.com/chip *****Martin Lindstrom is one of the most sought-after consultants in the world, working with brands like Apple, Nike, Disney, and more. We talk branding, marketing, and common sense! IMPORTANT LINKS Martin Lindstrom's website - https://www.martinlindstrom.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MartinLindstrom Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lindstromcompany/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/martinlindstrom LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindstromcompany/ GET THE NEW BOOK, MINISTRY OF COMMON SENSE The Last Bookstore (Los Angeles, CA): https://www.shopthelastbookstore.com/search/site/martin%20lindstrom Books & Books (Coral Gables, FL):  https://shop.booksandbooks.com/search/site/martin%20lindstrom?utm_source=search&utm_medium=booksandbooks.com The Strand Books (New York, NY): https://www.strandbooks.com/product/9780358272564?title=the_ministry_of_common_sense_how_to_eliminate_bureaucratic_red_tape_bad_excuses_and_corporate_bs Greenlight Bookstore (Brooklyn, NY): https://www.greenlightbookstore.com/book/9780358272564 Uncle Bobbie's Coffee & Books (Philadelphia, PA): https://bookshop.org/books/the-ministry-of-common-sense-how-to-eliminate-bureaucratic-red-tape-bad-excuses-and-corporate-bs/9780358272564 *****Come join the community on Patreon where a monthly contribution will give you access to a bunch of different perks and benefits like monthly Q&A sessions, podcast swag, and one-on-one coachings with me. SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/restaurantstrategy

#111 - Surgeons, Jewelers, and Restaurants ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: OVATION Get more feedback, more reviews, and more revenue with Ovation. Get started with 2,000 FREE text messages by visiting ovationup.com/chip ***** This week's episode is also sponsored by: RESTAURANT FUNNEL Generate leads, turn those leads into contacts, and then convert those contacts into actual guests that will rave about their experience. To get started, they offer a free Marketing Report Card for your business. Visit restaurantfunnel.com/chip *****What do jewelers and knee surgeons have to do with the restaurant industry? Listen in to hear some personal stories and ideas for how to build better releationships with your guests.  *****Come join the community on Patreon where a monthly contribution will give you access to a bunch of different perks and benefits like monthly Q&A sessions, podcast swag, and one-on-one coachings with me. SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/restaurantstrategy

#110 - INTERVIEW with Sarah Gavigan, Founder of Nashville's Otaku Ramen ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: OVATION Get more feedback, more reviews, and more revenue with Ovation. Get started with 2,000 FREE text messages by visiting ovationup.com/chip ***** This week's episode is also sponsored by: RESTAURANT FUNNEL Generate leads, turn those leads into contacts, and then convert those contacts into actual guests that will rave about their experience. To get started, they offer a free Marketing Report Card for your business. Visit restaurantfunnel.com/chip *****Food had always been a big part of her life, but it wasn't until her Secodn Act when Sarah Gavigan considered making it a business. After a long career in Hollywood, she returned to her howetown of Nashville and launched a culinary career with a series of pop-ups. Those eventually led to a restaurant of her own - Otaku Ramen.  On today's episode we talk all about starting over, going big, finding space, and finding a market for your product! IMPORTANT LINKSOtaku Ramen website - https://www.otakuramen.comOtaku Ramen IG - https://www.instagram.com/otakuramen/Otaku Ramen FB - https://www.facebook.com/OtakuRamen1Otaku Ramen Cookbook - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735220069?tag=randohouseinc5606-20 *****Come join the community on Patreon where a monthly contribution will give you access to a bunch of different perks and benefits like monthly Q&A sessions, podcast swag, and one-on-one coachings with me. SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/restaurantstrategy

#109 - Dealing with Difficult Guests ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: OVATION Get more feedback, more reviews, and more revenue with Ovation. Get started with 2,000 FREE text messages by visiting ovationup.com/chip ***** This week's episode is also sponsored by: RESTAURANT FUNNEL Generate leads, turn those leads into contacts, and then convert those contacts into actual guests that will rave about their experience. To get started, they offer a free Marketing Report Card for your business. Visit restaurantfunnel.com/chip ***** There’s an old cliche that says, “The customer is always right.” And I think that’s largely true, but misunderstood. We often forget about the second part of the quote. The whole thing goes like this: “The customer is always right; they’re just not all your customers.”  This week I want to talk about those people who may not be your customers. In the restaurant industry we call them difficult guests. *****Come join the community on Patreon where a monthly contribution will give you access to a bunch of different perks and benefits like monthly Q&A sessions, podcast swag, and one-on-one coachings with me. SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/restaurantstrategy

#108 - INTERVIEW with David Schneider, Director of Ops at Portale Restaurant 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 ***** "Marketing of the thing can’t make up for the thing." The best way to market a product is to create a product worth buying. On today’s episode I had the great pleasure of sitting down with my longtime friend and colleague, David Schneider. He spent years wiorking with Chef Michael White at the Altamarea Group and is now the Director of Operations for Portale restaurant here in NYC. We spend a good deal of the conversation talking about relationship between operations and marketing. He’s one of the smartest guys I know and also perhaps the nicest. I hope you enjoy this week’s interview.  IMPORTANT LINKS: David Schenider's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/davidschneiderny/Portale Restaurant - https://www.portalerestaurant.com *****Come join the community on Patreon where a monthly contribution will give you access to a bunch of different perks and benefits like monthly Q&A sessions, podcast swag, and one-on-one coachings with me. SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/restaurantstrategy  ***** Happy listening,Chip Klose

#107 - The Best Ways to Increase Check Average 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 ***** A few weeks back I launched a Patreon Page for people to support the show, and as one of the key perks I decided to create a daily private podcast for all of my supporters. The show is called The Daily Special and episodes are released every weekday. Short, snackable where I share tips and tools you can implement right away.  I love the format of the show and I’m having a lot of fun with it. So far we’ve got about a dozen patrons over on Patreon and I want to continue growing that community. To entice you to come join us, I’m sharing the first week of episodes with you here this week on this podcast… 5 back to back episodes that all add up to 25 minutes of fun. I hope you enjoy this special episode of Restaurant Strategy.  *****Come join the community on Patreon where a monthly contribution will give you access to a bunch of different perks and benefits like monthly Q&A sessions, podcast swag, and one-on-one coachings with me. SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/restaurantstrategy  ***** Happy listening,Chip Klose