Most restaurateurs’ dream is to create a concept with the potential to grow into a large regional or national brand. The restaurant industry is full of these kinds of concepts and Minnesota is home…
The tax law, passed almost a year ago, isn’t so new anymore. Let’s take what we’ve learned over that time and apply it to ideas for structuring your restaurant business. 1. The Lower Tax…
The brand new Lat14 Asian Eatery has a prominent position in the Minneapolis suburb of Golden Valley, right on Highway 55. The attractive signage is hard to miss, and you would never know that…
The Bungalow Club is what I would call the prototype for a successful neighborhood restaurant. It’s located at 43rd and Lake Street just before you cross over the bridge to St. Paul and occupies…
I have been very confused by the high valuations certain QSR concepts are obtaining on sale. After working in the restaurant and franchise marketplace for almost 40 years, I have seldom seen EBITDA multiples…
Centro in Northeast Minneapolis may call itself fast casual. It may even check off all the boxes for what consumers are looking for in that style restaurant, but it’s the Cinderella at the fast-casual…
I have been studying a number of the restaurant industry rankings that come out this time of year and gleaning what they tell us about the current and future state of the industry. Let’s…
My mantra over the years has always been: Successful restaurant companies have multiple profit centers. The most common profit centers include private dining, catering, off-premise sales, unique bar programs and the in-store sale of…
With restaurant profits tight, one tactic that is relevant to continued business success is leveraging and expanding a restaurant’s trade name and reputation. I call it “brand extension” as it seems to work for…
