Most restaurant owners are unknowingly overpaying for five expense categories that can drain thousands from their bottom line each month.

From hidden distributor markup schemes to the productivity-killing effects of overstaffing, these profit leaks are quietly sabotaging your financial success.

The good news is, each one can be plugged quickly with the right knowledge and systems - especially when you know how to lower restaurant expenses without affecting quality.

In this episode, Nathan Voulgaris shares battle-tested restaurant cost-cutting strategies from managing 700+ employees across seven locations, generating $90 million annually.

You'll discover:

✅How to reduce food cost in your restaurant by 20-40% by switching to branded equivalents and negotiating better prime vendor agreements

✅The cash flow killer hiding in your restaurant inventory… and how to fix it with smarter restaurant inventory management

✅Why adding extra staff can reduce total productivity and increase labor costs far beyond what most operators realize

✅The TRUE cost of employee turnover, and how better onboarding and training can save you thousands

✅A simple restaurant expense audit strategy using just your bank statement that can immediately free up hundreds each month

✅Plus, we reveal the sales per labor hour benchmark you should be hitting - and how to schedule your team for both efficiency and performance.

Ready to finally take control of your restaurant profitability and stop bleeding money from the inside out?

Listen now to uncover the five expense categories secretly draining your margins - and the exact systems to fix them fast.

Key Points

00:00:50 Food purchasing secrets
00:04:00 Rebate programs explained
00:05:50 Inventory management strategies
00:08:40 Labor productivity principles
00:11:00 Daily labor tracking
00:15:50 Employee turnover costs
00:19:30 Exit interview importance
00:21:10 Controllable expense audit
00:24:00 Two-question expense test

-

✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅

Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee): https://ghl.ownershifttraining.com/weekly-tracker-lp

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/

Your most reliable employees might be planning their exit right now, but you can still keep them if you know the warning signs.

In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator podcast, hosts Andrew Scott and Dave Doyle tackle one of the most frustrating challenges restaurant owners face: employee turnover.

Drawing from their combined decades of experience, they reveal that most employees start thinking about quitting 4-6 weeks before they actually leave, giving owners a critical window to intervene.

The hosts share a powerful system of meetings that not only helps identify issues early - but actually saves time in the long run.

Andrew and Dave also discuss reasons why good employees leave, the importance of tracking when and why people leave, and implementing proper feedback systems.

You’ll hear about how to decide how much to pay your team - along with practical examples from their own businesses.

Key Points

00:02:55 The emotional impact of losing trusted employees
00:06:45 Who drives away good employees
00:11:05 Warning signs before quitting
00:11:55 The power of one-on-one meetings
00:15:00 Regular communication
00:19:50 Track retention & conduct exit interviews
00:23:25 Relationship-based management
00:26:30 How much to pay
00:29:45 Giving feedback

If your restaurant staff turnover is through the roof, you’re sick of hiring and firing, and you want a stable, loyal team - listen now to discover the specific strategies that’ll help you retain your best people and create a healthier restaurant culture.

-

✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅

Thinking of opening another restaurant? Avoid costly mistakes with my free guide:
👉https://hs.ownershifttraining.com/optin-mupb

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/

Most restaurant owners work IN their business when they should be working ON their business - one franchise owner flipped that script in just 120 days.

Brad Morton’s transformation of a failing Sonic franchise reveals the brutal reality most restaurant owners face, and the proven path to restaurant turnaround success.

Starting with a $10,000 investment in a store he'd never visited, Brad discovered broken equipment, 25-minute lunch tickets, and employees carrying switchblades.

Yet within four months, he achieved 20% profit margins and was ready to expand to multiple units - proving that growing a restaurant business doesn’t require massive capital or perfect conditions.

The secret wasn't complicated systems or massive capital investment.

Instead, Brad focused on three fundamental pillars: people, sales, and profit.

By prioritizing speed of service over food quality and implementing aggressive hiring practices, he transformed customer experience and drove sales growth.

His restaurant hiring and staffing strategies became a critical foundation for turning around operations and scaling fast.

This episode is a must-listen for multi-unit franchisees and restaurant leaders aiming to improve restaurant profitability, build lasting teams, and create scalable systems. If you're working long hours and stuck in survival mode, Brad’s story will show you how to shift from operator to true owner.

Key Points:

00:03:30 Investing $10,000 unseen (disaster)
00:11:00 People first strategy
00:15:00 Spotting hidden talent
00:17:20 Speed of service
00:24:00 The multiple unit mindset
00:29:30 Creating profit systems
00:39:00 120-day transformation
00:47:30 Guest experience formula

Tune in to discover the specific restaurant management strategies that transformed a failing franchise into a profitable multi-unit restaurant operation… and how you can apply these lessons to your own business.

-

✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅

Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee): https://ghl.ownershifttraining.com/weekly-tracker-lp

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/

You can reduce call-outs in your restaurant by 90% - all while creating a team that actually has each other's backs.

The secret isn't threats or punishment.

It's systems and culture.

In this episode of Restaurant Growth Accelerator, Andrew Scott and Dave Doyle share proven strategies to significantly reduce call-outs and no-shows in your restaurant, including:

✅How to create breathing room with a highly effective staffing method

✅How to implement an effective attendance policy

✅Clear escalation protocols for handling call-outs

✅An unusual but effective "Attendance Golf" system that gamifies attendance

✅How to uncover who's helping versus hurting the team

PLUS, you’ll also hear about the simple spreadsheet system that has transformed entire restaurant cultures by aligning team interests with business needs.

Key moments:

00:02:00 Ridiculous call-out excuses
00:04:21 Tracking call-out patterns
00:05:31 The bad apple effect
00:06:21 Scheduling and staffing policies
00:08:41 The 110% staffing solution
00:12:11 Effective sick call policies
00:14:31 Addressing problem employees
00:16:21 Creating a supportive team culture
00:20:01 The Attendance Golf system
00:23:31 Gamification and transparency
00:25:11 Aligning interests for success

Don't miss this episode packed with actionable strategies to stop working in your restaurant, covering call-outs, and start working on growing it instead.

-

✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅

Thinking of opening another restaurant? Avoid costly mistakes with my free guide:
👉https://hs.ownershifttraining.com/optin-mupb

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/

Going from one restaurant location to two is the hardest and most dangerous expansion jump you'll ever make in your business.

And it's where most owners make catastrophic operational and financial mistakes.

In this episode, multi-unit growth experts Andrew Scott and Nathan Voulgaris share hard-earned wisdom from their combined experience managing multiple restaurant locations (Andrew with 4 units and Nathan with up to 7 locations and 700 employees).

They break down exactly why multi-unit restaurant expansion fails, including:

⚠️The inability to physically manage multiple locations effectively

⚠️The lack of scalable restaurant systems and processes

⚠️The financial strain of supporting an underperforming second unit

⚠️Why many owners don't realize they're not ready for growth until it's too late

You'll learn:

✅Why having an "heir and a spare" in your restaurant leadership team is essential

✅How to ensure your first location stays profitable while launching a second

✅The key restaurant management training your team needs before scaling

✅The routines and performance systems that must be in place to run without you

✅How to avoid multi-unit burnout, team turnover, and brand damage

This is the ultimate guide to going from one to two restaurant locations successfully (without sacrificing your sanity, profits, or reputation).

Key Points

00:00:40 Different stages of multi-unit expansion
00:02:00 Managing multiple locations
00:05:00 Dangers of not having proper manager training
00:09:00 Why two unprofitable restaurants never equal one profitable one
00:14:30 The cell division model for management expansion
00:20:50 A STRONG signal your business isn't ready for expansion
00:26:30 Multi-unit systems and management routines
00:32:00 Make processes that can be handed off
00:42:30 Tme management & establishing routines
00:51:00 Productivity hack for restaurant owners

If you're a restaurant owner thinking about expansion, this episode will help you avoid the biggest mistakes and know when you're truly ready.

-

✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅

Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee): https://ghl.ownershifttraining.com/weekly-tracker-lp

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/

Behind every failing restaurant is a menu filled with profit vampires - those seemingly innocent items secretly draining your bank account with every order.

Andrew Scott (Founder Owner Shift) and Nathan Voulgaris dive deep into how your menu could actually be hurting your bottom line.

They explore counterintuitive insights about scratch kitchens versus pre-made products (hint: one can perform better than the other… and it may not be what you think).

The conversation challenges common restaurant owner assumptions, like whether customers truly value your housemade condiments or if your kitchen workflow can efficiently execute your current menu design.

You’ll also learn simple menu analysis frameworks that help identify which items deserve your focus and which might need elimination.

This episode is essential listening for any restaurant owner looking to maximize profitability through strategic menu design.

Key Moments:

00:00:54 Hidden Menu Profit Killers
00:02:00 Alfredo Profit Transformation Example
00:04:00 Volume Discounts
00:06:32 Pride vs. Profit
00:09:14 Results Vs. Process
00:10:58 Modern Prep
00:14:00 Brand Identity Focus
00:16:54 The Menu Star System
00:19:34 Strategic Item Replacement
00:24:22 Kitchen Choreography
00:27:32 Bill Time Secrets
00:32:25 90-Minute Sandwich Disaster

Ready to find thousands in hidden profits that could be trapped in your menu?

Tune in now and discover the simple changes that could transform your restaurant's bottom line.

-

✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅

Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee): https://ghl.ownershifttraining.com/weekly-tracker-lp

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/

From staffing nightmares to making enough during peak months to survive the off-season, seasonal restaurants face obstacles most year-round establishments never encounter.

In this episode, your host, Andrew Scott, interviews Benjamin Devlin, a successful multi-location seasonal restaurant owner.

You’ll hear how his restaurant in Muskoka (the "Hamptons of Ontario") does a quarter million in sales during peak weeks - and $4 million in just six months of operation.

You'll discover Benjamin's counterintuitive approach to staffing that helps him attract the best talent, and keep the restaurant drama free.

You’ll also hear from Ben’s experiences on a range of topics, including:

✅The "sports coach recruiting" strategy keeps his kitchen fully staffed - even when competitors are desperate for employees

✅The importance of hiring for peak season levels well in advance

✅Taking "radical responsibility" as a restaurant owner

✅Optimizing menus for efficiency

Benjamin's insights apply to all restaurant owners, not just seasonal operators.

Key Points

00:01:10 Benjamin's journey to restaurant owner
00:05:30 Staffing challenges for seasonal restaurants
00:11:20 Recruitment strategies
00:15:00 Being an "employer of choice"
00:17:40 Management and certification systems
00:19:30 Responding to a major fire
00:24:10 Hiring tips for seasonal restaurants
00:31:20 Taking radical responsibility for everything in the business
00:39:40 Optimizing kitchen efficiency
00:41:10 Menu simplification
00:45:10 The value of seeking advice from others

Ready to transform how you approach your restaurant business?

Listen now and discover strategies that could transform your operation and profitability.

-

✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅

Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee): https://ghl.ownershifttraining.com/weekly-tracker-lp

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/

The only thing standing in the way of your success as a restaurant owner is the mental barrier you've placed in front of your own potential.

Andrew Scott (founder of OwnerShift) and Dave Doyle confront the limiting belief that restaurant owners MUST work 20+ hours per day to be successful - a belief Andrew once held himself.

They break down the fascinating psychology behind why we cling to beliefs that actually harm us, including the "frog in boiling water" syndrome where restaurant owners gradually accept declining revenue until it's too late.

Andrew shares the alarming story of an owner who lost $1.5 million in revenue before seeking help - all because he once spent $2,000 on marketing that didn't work.

Key moments:

00:02:45 Making excuses for failure
00:04:30 Breaking justification cycles
00:05:49 Mental barriers fall together
00:08:45 Why your profit ceiling is self-imposed
00:10:12 $1.5 million costly delay
00:12:45 Beliefs dictate results
00:16:45 Systems replace presence
00:17:45 Profitable habits create profits
00:19:35 Rapid transformation IS possible
00:21:35 Question your deepest assumptions

This episode reveals exactly how to identify and challenge the self-limiting beliefs that are secretly sabotaging your restaurant's success.

Listen now to discover how to transform both your mindset and your bottom line.

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/