RESTAURANT STRATEGY

#528 - How to Find a POS That Works for You *****  This week's episode is brought to you by: MARGIN EDGEVISIT: https://www.marginedge.com/lp/chip This week's episode is brought to you by: RESTAURANT SCALE SECRETSVISIT: https://restaurantscalesecrets.com/Chip ***** Connect with Sam Maddox, founder of BridgeWave to see how they can help:  EMAIL: sam@bridgewave.ioWEBSITE: https://bridgewave.io/chipLINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-maddox/   *****   If you want to snag a copy of Chip's book, The Restaurant Marketing Mindset...  CLICK HERE: https://www.therestaurantmarketingmindset.com/   If you're ready to learn more about the P3 Mastermind... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/p3-mastermind-program   If you want a free 30-day trial of our Restaurant Foundations Membership Site... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/Foundations-b   If you want to leave a 5-star rating/review on Apple Podcasts... CLICK HERE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/restaurant-strategy/id1457379809   

#527 - Putting Employee Retention Front and Center *****   This week's episode is brought to you by: KICKFINVISIT: https://kickfin.com/demo/ This week's episode is brought to you by: AJINOMOTOVISIT: https://ajinomotofoodservice.com/ ***** KickFin: https://kickfin.com/demo/ KickFin is an incredible tool that allows for instant, cashless, tip payouts the second an employee's shift ends. It saves the management team from late night tip distribution plus all the annoying bank runs. Safe and convenient. They are working with thousands of companies all over the country... why not you?  Prairie Canary: https://www.prairiecanary.com/ Check out this charming little upscale bistro in the middle of Iowa to see how the PHG leadership is putting the staff experience front and center.   *****  If you want to snag a copy of Chip's book, The Restaurant Marketing Mindset...  CLICK HERE: https://www.therestaurantmarketingmindset.com/ If you're ready to learn more about the P3 Mastermind... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/p3-mastermind-program If you want a free 30-day trial of our Restaurant Foundations Membership Site... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/Foundations-b If you want to leave a 5-star rating/review on Apple Podcasts... CLICK HERE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/restaurant-strategy/id1457379809   

#526 - Google Should Be at the Heart of Your Marketing Strategy *****  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: RESTAURANT TECHNOLOGIES Simplify and automate your back of house operations with RESTAURANT TECHNOLOGIES and their cooking oil management program. These guys take the dirtiest job out of your kitchen!  VISIT: https://www.rti-inc.com/   ***** 1. Google Is the New Front Door For most guests, Google is the first interaction they’ll ever have with your restaurant. Before they see your menu, your dining room, or your Instagram, they see your Google Business Profile. That means Google decides whether you look busy or dead, trustworthy or risky, relevant or invisible. If that front door looks dusty, people don’t knock—they keep scrolling. 2. “Near Me” Searches Are Pure Buying Intent When someone searches “restaurant near me,” they’re not researching—they’re hungry. Google prioritizes proximity, relevance, and activity, which means owners who optimize their profiles win disproportionate traffic without paying for ads. This isn’t branding; it’s demand capture. Ignore Google, and you’re leaving ready-to-spend money on the table. 3. Reviews Are Social Proof on Steroids Google reviews don’t just influence guests—they influence Google itself. Quantity, quality, and recency all affect how often you show up in search results. A restaurant with 1,200 reviews and a 4.4 rating will outperform a 4.8 with 73 reviews almost every time. Reviews are not vanity metrics; they are ranking fuel. 4. Google Often Decides Before Your Website Most guests never click through to your website. They see your photos, hours, menu highlights, reviews, and busy-ness directly on Google—and make a decision right there. If your photos are dark, outdated, or nonexistent, you’ve already lost them. Google isn’t a gateway to your site; it’s the decision engine itself. 5. It’s the Easiest Marketing Win You’re Ignoring Posting updates, photos, and offers on your Google profile takes minutes—and almost no one does it consistently. That means the bar is low. Active profiles get rewarded with more visibility, more clicks, and more calls. This is one of the highest-ROI activities available to an independent operator, precisely because it feels unsexy. 6. Google Answers Questions About You—Whether You Like It or Not “What are your hours?” “Do you have parking?” “Is it good for kids?” Google will answer these questions with or without your input. If you don’t control the narrative, the internet will happily guess for you. Claiming and managing your profile is reputation management, not marketing. 7. Photos Matter More Than You Think Restaurants with frequent photo uploads dramatically outperform those without. Guests want to see the food, the room, the vibe, and the crowd. Google prioritizes businesses that look alive. A restaurant that visually signals momentum wins over one that looks like it hasnitated since 2019—even if the food is better. 8. Google Is the Referee of Local Competition When two restaurants are equally good, Google decides who gets the guest. Activity, reviews, responses, and completeness all tilt the algorithm. You don’t have to be the best restaurant in town—but you do have to look like the safest bet. Google rewards clarity, consistency, and engagement. 9. It Influences Where People Drive Google Maps literally tells people where to go. If you’re not optimized, you’re not just losing clicks—you’re losing physical traffic. Directions, call buttons, and hours all drive real-world behavior. In a hyper-competitive market, being invisible on Maps is the same as not existing. 10. Google Is a Long-Term Asset, Not a Hack Instagram reach disappears. Ads stop working when you stop paying. But a strong Google presence compounds over time. Reviews stack. Authority grows. Visibility increases. The owner who treats Google like infrastructure—not a campaign—builds a defensible advantage their competitors can’t easily copy.   *****   If you want to snag a copy of Chip's book, The Restaurant Marketing Mindset...  CLICK HERE: https://www.therestaurantmarketingmindset.com/   If you're ready to learn more about the P3 Mastermind... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/p3-mastermind-program   If you want a free 30-day trial of our Restaurant Foundations Membership Site... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/Foundations-b   If you want to leave a 5-star rating/review on Apple Podcasts... CLICK HERE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/restaurant-strategy/id1457379809   

#525 - The Biggest Difference Between Independent Restaurants and Chains ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: OVATION OVATION provides frictionless feedback, streamlined guest recovery, and operational insights – all focused on the guest and perfected for restaurants. VISIT: https://ovationup.com/chip/ ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: DAVO Automate your sales taxes using DAVO BY AVALARA. The software integrates with most POS systems. It sets aside your sales taxes, files on time, and submits payments before the deadline. VISIT: https://davosalestax.com/RestaurantStrategy ***** Two words: REVENUE MANAGEMENT *****   If you want to snag a copy of Chip's book, The Restaurant Marketing Mindset...  CLICK HERE: https://www.therestaurantmarketingmindset.com/   If you're ready to learn more about the P3 Mastermind... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/p3-mastermind-program   If you want a free 30-day trial of our Restaurant Foundations Membership Site... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/Foundations-b   If you want to leave a 5-star rating/review on Apple Podcasts... CLICK HERE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/restaurant-strategy/id1457379809   

#524 - How to CRUSH Your Marketing Goals (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: RESTAURANT TECHNOLOGIES Simplify and automate your back of house operations with RESTAURANT TECHNOLOGIES and their cooking oil management program. These guys take the dirtiest job out of your kitchen!  VISIT: https://www.rti-inc.com/   ***** There are only 2 things you need to focus on when it comes to marketing your restaurant...    *****   If you want to snag a copy of Chip's book, The Restaurant Marketing Mindset...  CLICK HERE: https://www.therestaurantmarketingmindset.com/   If you're ready to learn more about the P3 Mastermind... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/p3-mastermind-program   If you want a free 30-day trial of our Restaurant Foundations Membership Site... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/Foundations-b   If you want to leave a 5-star rating/review on Apple Podcasts... CLICK HERE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/restaurant-strategy/id1457379809   

#523 - Founder of Craveworthy Brands, Gregg Majewski (ENCORE) ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: OVATION OVATION provides frictionless feedback, streamlined guest recovery, and operational insights – all focused on the guest and perfected for restaurants. VISIT: https://ovationup.com/chip/ ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: DAVO Automate your sales taxes using DAVO BY AVALARA. The software integrates with most POS systems. It sets aside your sales taxes, files on time, and submits payments before the deadline. VISIT: https://davosalestax.com/RestaurantStrategy ***** Gregg Majewsky runs a little company you might have heard of: Craveworthy Brands. LEARN MORE: https://www.craveworthybrands.com/  *****   If you want to snag a copy of Chip's book, The Restaurant Marketing Mindset...  CLICK HERE: https://www.therestaurantmarketingmindset.com/   If you're ready to learn more about the P3 Mastermind... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/p3-mastermind-program   If you want a free 30-day trial of our Restaurant Foundations Membership Site... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/Foundations-b   If you want to leave a 5-star rating/review on Apple Podcasts... CLICK HERE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/restaurant-strategy/id1457379809   

#522 - Why Not Raise Prices Every Single Month? *****  This week's episode is brought to you by: MARGIN EDGEVISIT: https://www.marginedge.com/lp/chip This week's episode is brought to you by: RESTAURANT SCALE SECRETSVISIT: https://restaurantscalesecrets.com/Chip ***** In this episode Chip walks you through a simple framework he teaches to all of his clients: Popcorn Pricing. You should be raising prices on your menu every single month. But not on every dish... just a handful of dishes. By understanding the real time plate costs of what you serve you can use pricing as a tool to maintain profitability. Every month, you should be increasing the prices of 5-10% of your items.   *****   If you want to snag a copy of Chip's book, The Restaurant Marketing Mindset...  CLICK HERE: https://www.therestaurantmarketingmindset.com/   If you're ready to learn more about the P3 Mastermind... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/p3-mastermind-program   If you want a free 30-day trial of our Restaurant Foundations Membership Site... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/Foundations-b   If you want to leave a 5-star rating/review on Apple Podcasts... CLICK HERE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/restaurant-strategy/id1457379809   

#521 - Busy Isn't the Same as Productive *****   This week's episode is brought to you by: KICKFINVISIT: https://kickfin.com/demo/ This week's episode is brought to you by: AJINOMOTOVISIT: https://ajinomotofoodservice.com/ ***** Busy Isn’t the Same as Productive In this episode Chip walks you through a simple framework for how you can get out of the day-to-day and start being the CEO your restaurant needs. Ultimately there is only one way to tell if your brand is ready to grow: You need to take a 90-day sabbatical. Step away and let the team in place handle everything! Sounds crazy, right? But it's the only way. If you want to work up to it, trying getting off the grid 1 day a week for the next 3 months. By the end you'll be ready for your 90-day sabbatical.   *****  If you want to snag a copy of Chip's book, The Restaurant Marketing Mindset...  CLICK HERE: https://www.therestaurantmarketingmindset.com/ If you're ready to learn more about the P3 Mastermind... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/p3-mastermind-program If you want a free 30-day trial of our Restaurant Foundations Membership Site... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/Foundations-b If you want to leave a 5-star rating/review on Apple Podcasts... CLICK HERE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/restaurant-strategy/id1457379809   

#520 - Good Is No Longer Good Enough *****  This week's episode is brought to you by: MARGIN EDGEVISIT: https://www.marginedge.com/lp/chip This week's episode is brought to you by: RESTAURANT SCALE SECRETSVISIT: https://restaurantscalesecrets.com/Chip ***** Good food and good service is no longer enough. That's table stakes. To succeed you need to think bigger.    *****   If you want to snag a copy of Chip's book, The Restaurant Marketing Mindset...  CLICK HERE: https://www.therestaurantmarketingmindset.com/   If you're ready to learn more about the P3 Mastermind... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/p3-mastermind-program   If you want a free 30-day trial of our Restaurant Foundations Membership Site... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/Foundations-b   If you want to leave a 5-star rating/review on Apple Podcasts... CLICK HERE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/restaurant-strategy/id1457379809   

#519 - 8 Ways to Increase Revenue (Without Spending a Dime on Marketing) *****   This week's episode is brought to you by: KICKFINVISIT: https://kickfin.com/demo/ This week's episode is brought to you by: AJINOMOTOVISIT: https://ajinomotofoodservice.com/ ***** THE BOTTOM LINE Let's recap these eight strategies: Fix your menu mix - guide guests to high-margin items Stop giving away add-ons - charge for upgrades Engineer your drink menu - create premium beverage options Implement strategic pricing tiers - use price anchoring Maximize table turns - increase efficiency without rushing Capture the check - train staff to upsell appetizers and desserts Build a strategic takeout program - treat it as a profit center Implement minimum requirements - value your premium seating   *****  If you want to snag a copy of Chip's book, The Restaurant Marketing Mindset...  CLICK HERE: https://www.therestaurantmarketingmindset.com/ If you're ready to learn more about the P3 Mastermind... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/p3-mastermind-program If you want a free 30-day trial of our Restaurant Foundations Membership Site... CLICK HERE: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/Foundations-b If you want to leave a 5-star rating/review on Apple Podcasts... CLICK HERE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/restaurant-strategy/id1457379809