People, Performance & ProfitsPeople, Performance & Profits

Jim

Ask most restaurant executives or owners how they make money, and you’ll hear something like: “By maximizing sales and minimizing receivables” or “Transactional growth and a differentiated concept,” or simply “A strong P&L.”


But ask them where they make money, and they reply: “In the restaurant.” This, of course, is why restaurants have cash registers. You make money there. And that’s also why you don’t see cash registers at headquarters. They spend money, there. 


But the real answer to where a foodservice operator makes money is more granular. It’s not “in the restaurant”; it’s “during the shift.” 


A P&L is a history document. You can’t change it. The shift is real-time profit or loss, and there’s much you can do to ensure it’s the f...