Restaurant Punk

When times get financially challenging for entrepreneurs, decisions must be made. So, would you choose to sell your house or the business when you get to the bottom of your bank account?

While Liz considers her home her sanctuary, Yianni would lay it all on the line for his businesses. Hear more from George, Yianni, and Liz, including their answers to:

• Has Ricky Martin ever worked in a restaurant?
• If you don’t own a home, would you rather buy a house or invest in a business?
• If you had to give up one as a homeowner and entrepreneur, would it be your home or storefront?
• Do you invest your profits in your business or your restaurant?
• Where do you cut spending when you’re saving for something?
• Is buying new cars a waste of money?

Up and down the East Coast, you’ll find plenty of different cuisines, cultures, and niche industries. While many consider the marina business a boat storage service and not much else, this week’s Guest Host, Rick Weber, sees things a bit differently. For more than 40 years, the Weber family has been operating South Jersey Marina in Cape May, NJ, with an eye for hospitality. Join Yianni and Liz sit on the dock of the bay with Rick Weber as they address questions, including:

• Can a good culture fit create the synergy needed to solve any other problem?
• Is a handshake deal more powerful than a physical contract?
• Have you ever been in a biz-mance?
• Is respectful disagreement a catalyst for growth?
• What is the secret sauce of Kara Restaurant Group?

From customizing their order to complaining about the lighting, music, temperature, and the crying baby next to them, there is ALWAYS a customer asking for something to be changed *just* for them. As a hospitality professional, how do you draw the line between being accommodating to help the guest enjoy their experience and ruining the experience for other people around them? Peter, Matt, and George are weighing the pros and cons of people-pleasing and answering questions, including:

• Is it different when a customer asks for an ingredient to be omitted vs substituted?
• Do servers think about substitutions differently than the kitchen?
• Are you more likely to be accommodating when you’re not busy?
•  How do you deal with dietary restrictions and allergies at a restaurant?

Across America, you can find more than 78,300 pizza restaurants, and George only has one question about that number: WHY? From your hometown to your college campus and that one time you visited Chicago, you’ve likely sampled hundreds, if not thousands, of slices in your lifetime. Maybe you’ve even considered opening a shop yourself. George and Nick are joined by Aaron, a local bartender in Cape May County, to answer questions, including:

• Why do so many people open pizza shops?
• Are you loyal to one pizza shop, or do you order from a variety of local shops?
• Do people open pizzerias because they think it’s an easy way to become an entrepreneur?
• Would you rather order from a chain or a mom-and-pop shop?
• Why aren’t there more late-night options for food in Cape May County?

#restaurantpunk #pizza #pizzashop #capemay #capemaycounty #frozendough #pizzadough #pizzeria #smallbusiness #chain #entrepreneur #restaurant #businessowner #eatlocal #Localbusiness #smalltown #latenight #dominos #papajohns #delivery 

After several years – or maybe decades – in your industry, you may begin to find that business opportunities are seeking you out more than you’re actively looking for them. When that starts to happen, how do you know when it’s time to slow down and focus more on refinement than on growth and ‘just getting it open?’ Nikos, Liz, and Leah are weighing the pros and cons of rapid expansion and answering questions, including:

•  How can you tell you need to take a little more time to open to get it right?
• What are the consequences of opening a business before you’re fully prepared?
• How can you balance launching efficiently with doing things properly or perfectly?
• At what point should businesses consider prioritizing refinement over growth?
• Do you create a checklist when you’re opening a new business?
• What would you do differently when opening your next business?

#licensing #newbusiness #businesschecklist #opening #kararestaurantgroup #restaurantpunk #businessowner #hospitality #hospitalityindustry #serviceindustry #restaurant #restaurants #restaurantindustry #smallbusiness #businessgrowth #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #business 

If there’s one thing that you learn rather quickly about Kara Restaurant Group, it’s that it can quickly suck you in. Take it from Louie Ginsberg, who worked with the gang serving tables, managing shifts, and designing & printing apparel, menus, and more. More than a decade later, he’s yet to escape the gravitational pull of KRG despite leaving his role with the group to get married, have kids, and start his own businesses (shoutout Riptide Paddle and Pedals and Riptide Inc Screen Printing). Join Nikos and Peter as they have a candid conversation about business with Louie, including questions such as

• What do you prioritize when you’re a father, husband, and multiple business owner?
• Is profit the only thing that matters as an entrepreneur?
• What is the opportunity cost of going on vacation as a business owner?
• Do you have one piece of advice that you give to every new entrepreneur?
• After leaving the restaurant industry, would you ever want to return?

When a rookie entrepreneur enters their first business, they often believe that personal freedom is the biggest payoff, but how do money and passion factor into the equation? After spending decades in the industry, Yianni is asking Leah and Nikos what they think motivates business owners the most and other questions, including: 

• What are the most important contributing factors to being an entrepreneur?
• Can you be successful in business without passion?
• Have you watched Food for Thought: Ranking Atmosphere, Service, and Food yet? Watch now: https://youtu.be/yhyRACwCCZU
• How do freedom, money, and passion equate to atmosphere, food, and service?
• What are the differences between restaurateurs and entrepreneurs?

It’s long been said that there’s no crying in baseball, but do you know the adage: there are no breaks in the restaurant business? From grabbing a bite of your lunch every time you grab something from the back to sprinting to the bathroom between table turns, it’s a constant hustle to keep up while meeting your basic human needs. Don’t tell the Department of Labor, but Yianni, Liz, and Matt are answering employment-related questions, including:

• Have you ever been called a punk a$$ b*tch?
• Have you ever been given a formal break when working at a restaurant?
• As a non-smoker, how do you feel about the fact that smokers get regular 5-10-minute breaks?
• Are you more inclined to take the tables at the night's end or get cut early?

If you’ve ever visited Cape May County, New Jersey, you know it’s home to some of the country’s most delicious cuisine. From fresh seafood to abundant Jersey fresh produce, dining at the shore is a culinary treat, but when it comes to grabbing a quick and healthy lunch, it can seem nearly impossible. Leah, Noelle, and Yianni are talking about the components of quick-service restaurants (QSR) and answering questions, including:

• Do you eat out more when you’re in a relationship than when you’re single?
• What is Yianni’s beef with quick-service restaurants?
• Can you sustain a QSR in a rural area?
• What meal is the worst when it comes to profitability in a restaurant?

A new face joins us on this week’s episode as we meet Nick, a Kara Restaurant Group team member currently loaning his expertise to The YB and Shamone in Cape May, NJ. Join Liz and Nikos as they dig into Nick’s family history in diners and his attitude towards the restaurant industry, including questions like:

• How is the service on the Wildwood Boardwalk different from other restaurants?
• Can you avoid becoming jaded when dealing with mass amounts of people daily?
• What stressors cause people to be angrier on vacation than they usually are?
• Do you speak differently to quick-service restaurant guests than at a sit-down spot?
• Have you ever had a guest threaten to leave a bad review if you didn’t appease their demands?