Restaurant Rockstars Podcast

A great restaurant general manager (GM) isn't just the boss. They're the person a team wants to follow into battle every night. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars podcast, host Roger talks with Will Dasco of Hospitality By Will, who was promoted to general manager at Hillstone Restaurant Group just after his 24th birthday and most recently led food and beverage at a hotel with a members club.

Will explains why emotional intelligence and an appreciation for every role come first, and why culture is the values you live every day, not the mission statement on the wall. He shares how he hires and onboards new team members, how he holds people accountable fairly with progressive discipline, his three-I framework for pre-shift meetings (inspect, inform, inspire), how to recognize great work, and how to suggestively sell without sounding like a car salesman.

In this episode:

• What separates a true leader from a boss: emotional intelligence, empathy and understanding every role

• Why culture is the values you live every day, not your mission statement

• How to hire and onboard so new team members feel welcome, including hiring in groups of at least two

• How to train your trainers and keep one or two people in the hiring pipeline

• How to hold everyone accountable fairly with clear standards and progressive discipline

• Will's three-I pre-shift framework: inspect, inform, inspire

Roger Profit Analysis

Is your menu costing you thousands in lost profit? I've uncovered as much as $345,000 in lost profit at individual restaurant locations, and his Menu Profit Accelerator can reveal hidden opportunities to boost your bottom line. Schedule a free, 30-minute, no-obligation call at RestaurantRockstars.com.

https://www.restaurantrockstars.com

Thank you to our sponsors:

Forward Financing

Restaurants always need Capital when THEY need it! Problem is you don't have time to wait, you need the cash now! Forward Financing has funded more than $5.4 billion to over 100,000 small businesses, and 10,000 restaurants just like yours. Forward funds anywhere from $5,000 to $500,000, often with same-day FUNDING.

https://go.forwardfinancing.com/restaurants?utm_campaign=53259160-Restaurant%20Rockstars&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Audio

Yelp Host

In a busy restaurant missed calls mean missed sales opportunities. Yelp Host is an AI phone answering service that handles reservations, waitlists, and takeout orders 24/7. Yelp Host Speaks 17 languages, handles multiple simultaneous calls, answers questions, books tables and sends everything right to your kitchen.

https://business.yelp.com/rockstars

Smithfield Culinary

Smithfield knows that to meat lovers, a great serving of their favorite cut is so much more than just food. It's an experience. That's why they're committed to offering your restaurant the perfect protein for every dish at every daypart. When you partner with Smithfield, you will serve what you love…and your hungry, carnivorous patrons will love what you serve.

http://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

Connect with Will Dasco:

Instagram: @hospitalitybywill

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willdasco/

Watch the episode and read the show notes: https://www.restaurantrockstars.com/audio/510-what-makes-a-great-restaurant-gm

What's your restaurant really worth, and are you making costly mistakes that could lower its selling price?

In this episode of Restaurant Rockstars, Roger sits down with Robin Gagnon, Co-Founder and CEO of We Sell Restaurants, to uncover what buyers actually look for, how restaurants are valued, and what owners can do NOW to maximize their business's worth.

You'll discover:

- How buyers and lenders determine your restaurant's value

- The financial mistakes that can cost you thousands when selling

- Why your lease, financial records, and operating systems matter

- How to make your restaurant more attractive to potential buyers

- What to expect during the restaurant sales process

Whether you're planning to sell soon or intend to operate for years to come, building a more valuable restaurant starts today.

About Robin Gagnon

Robin Gagnon is the co-founder and CEO of We Sell Restaurants, a restaurant brokerage founded in 2004 that represents restaurant sellers across the United States, with franchise offices in markets around the country. The company has about 1,750 restaurant listings, which Robin describes as the largest restaurant listing website in the nation. She is the co-author of "Appetite for Acquisition" (2012) and publishes a restaurant market report on the We Sell Restaurants website.

Connect with Robin Gagnon and We Sell Restaurants

Website: https://www.wesellrestaurants.com

Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robingagnonrestaurantbroker

We Sell Restaurants on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wesellrestaurants/

We Sell Restaurants on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wesellrestaurants/

We Sell Restaurants on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/wesellrestaurants

We Sell Restaurants on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeSellRestaurants

Resources Mentioned

- Free restaurant valuation from We Sell Restaurants: https://www.wesellrestaurants.com

- We Sell Restaurants restaurant market report, at the top of wesellrestaurants.com

- "Appetite for Acquisition" by Robin Gagnon, including the chapter "The Landlord Is Not Your Friend"

- BizBuySell, the business-for-sale database used for comparable sales

This episode is brought to you by our sponsors:

Yelp - Tools to help restaurants attract guests, manage reservations, and grow their business.

https://business.yelp.com/rockstars

Smithfield Culinary - Quality pork products and culinary solutions for restaurant operators.

http://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

Forward Financing - Flexible business financing solutions to help restaurant owners access capital.

https://go.forwardfinancing.com/restaurants

Discover more restaurant profit strategies, expert interviews, and training at https://www.restaurantrockstars.com.

Listen now and find out what your restaurant could really be worth!

Your restaurant is busy. Your team is working hard. So why isn’t your bank account growing?

In Episode 508 of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, Roger shares practical standard operating procedures that help restaurant owners uncover profit leaks, control costs, and keep more of what they earn.

Drawing on 23 years of restaurant ownership, Roger breaks down:

• Inventory routines that reveal what you’re actually using

• Labor tracking and scheduling that follow the flow of business

• Menu costing that uncovers gaps in contribution dollars

• Portion standards that protect consistency and margins

• Promotions that give guests a reason to visit on slower nights

• Additional revenue opportunities, including merchandise and mug clubs

• Staff training that turns order takers into knowledgeable Sales Stars

You’ll hear real examples from Roger’s restaurants, including how a few extra pizza toppings revealed a costly inconsistency and how a slow Tuesday became one of the strongest nights of the week.

Clear procedures. Consistent follow-through. A stronger restaurant business.

The Profitable Restaurant Operator Academy

Explore restaurant training, templates, and operating tools:

https://www.restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy

Free Prime Cost Score Card

Find this free resource and more:

https://www.restaurantrockstars.com

Forward Financing

Restaurants always need Capital when THEY need it! Problem is you don’t have time to wait, you need the cash now! Forward Financing has funded more than $5.4 billion to over 100,000 small businesses, and 10,000 restaurants just like yours. Forward funds anywhere from $5,000 to $500,000, often with same-day FUNDING. Head to https://go.forwardfinancing.com/restaurants?utm_campaign=53259160-Restaurant%20Rockstars&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Audio

Smithfield Culinary

Smithfield knows that to meat lovers, a great serving of their favorite cut is so much more than just food. It’s an experience. That’s why they’re committed to offering your restaurant the perfect protein for every dish at every daypart. When you partner with Smithfield, you will serve what you love…and your hungry, carnivorous patrons will love what you serve. For more information or to order products, visit http://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

Yelp Host

In a busy restaurant missed calls mean missed sales opportunities. Yelp Host is an AI phone answering service that handles reservations, waitlists, and takeout orders 24/7. Yelp Host Speaks 17 languages, handles multiple simultaneous calls, answers questions, books tables and sends everything right to your kitchen. GO TO business.yelp.com/rockstars

Constantly hiring, covering shifts, and losing good employees?

In Episode 507, Roger talks with Dana DeVito, Co-Founder & COO of Elite Performance Associates and author of Now Hiring: Recruit Right, Grow Your Culture, Build Teams That Stay.

Dana has hired and managed more than 6,000 people and faced 300% employee turnover in his own businesses. He shares how he changed his approach to hiring and leadership, with practical lessons from operating restaurants and coffee shops.

In this conversation:

• Hiring for drive, mindfulness, humility, and role-specific traits.

• Interview questions that reveal character and relationship skills.

• Preparing managers to coach and hold people accountable.

• Five questions for employee-led one-on-one meetings.

• Welcoming new hires and supporting them through learning mistakes.

• Giving employees opportunities to contribute ideas.

• Protecting your team when staffing falls short.

Listen for practical ways to strengthen your restaurant’s culture and build a team you can count on.

Connect with Dana:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-devito/

https://www.instagram.com/dana_devito/

FREE RESOURCES FOR RESTAURANT OWNERS

Get your FREE Prime Cost Score on our home page, join the FREE 5 Day Menu Margin Makeover, or request a FREE 30-minute Profit Strategy Call with Roger.

Visit our website to access these resources and request your call:

https://www.restaurantrockstars.com

CONNECT WITH RESTAURANT ROCKSTARS

Instagram: @restaurantrockstars

https://www.instagram.com/restaurantrockstars/

Facebook: @restaurantrockstars

https://www.facebook.com/restaurantrockstars/

YouTube: @RestaurantRockstars

https://www.youtube.com/@RestaurantRockstars

LinkedIn: Restaurant Rockstars

https://www.linkedin.com/company/restaurant-rockstars/

X: @RestaurantRock1

https://x.com/RestaurantRock1

TikTok: @restaurantrockstars

https://www.tiktok.com/@restaurantrockstars

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Yelp Host

In a busy restaurant, missed calls mean missed sales opportunities. Yelp Host is an AI phone answering service that handles reservations, waitlists, and takeout orders 24/7. Yelp Host speaks 17 languages, handles multiple simultaneous calls, answers questions, books tables, and sends everything right to your kitchen.

http://business.yelp.com/rockstars

Smithfield Culinary

Smithfield knows that to meat lovers, a great serving of their favorite cut is so much more than just food. It’s an experience. That’s why they’re committed to offering your restaurant the perfect protein for every dish at every daypart. When you partner with Smithfield, you will serve what you love, and your hungry, carnivorous patrons will love what you serve. For more information or to order products, visit:

http://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

Forward Financing

Restaurants always need capital when they need it! The problem is you don’t have time to wait. You need the cash now! Forward Financing has funded more than $5.4 billion to over 100,000 small businesses, including 10,000 restaurants just like yours. Forward funds anywhere from $5,000 to $500,000, often with same-day funding. Learn more:

https://go.forwardfinancing.com/restaurants?utm_campaign=53259160-Restaurant%20Rockstars&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Audio

Your restaurant is busy, but where’s the profit?

In Episode 506 of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, Roger Beaudoin welcomes Ami Alexander of Barrel Aged Management to discuss restaurant profitability, rising labor costs, employee retention, menu pricing, and genuine hospitality.

Drawing on her restaurant and hotel operating experience, Ami shares how thoughtful staffing, structured training, and ongoing employee development can help operators build stronger teams while maintaining service standards.

You’ll hear:

• How to align labor costs with guest volume and service expectations

• Why hiring for attitude requires a commitment to training

• How independent restaurants can give great employees reasons to stay

• Why menu costing and product mix should guide pricing decisions

• How cross-training and a welcoming arrival improve the guest experience

• How to keep your restaurant concept relevant

• Where AI could reduce administrative work and create more time for hospitality

A full dining room doesn’t automatically mean a healthy bottom line. Listen for practical perspectives on protecting restaurant margins while delivering the quality and service guests expect.

How is your restaurant doing? Get the FREE Prime Cost Score Card to calculate your prime cost and see how your restaurant measures up:

https://www.restaurantrockstars.com

Explore the Profitable Restaurant Operator Academy:

https://www.restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy

Sponsors:

Forward Financing

Restaurants always need Capital when THEY need it! Problem is you don’t have time to wait, you need the cash now! Forward Financing has funded more than $5.4 billion to over 100,000 small businesses, and 10,000 restaurants just like yours. Forward funds anywhere from $5,000 to $500,000, often with same-day FUNDING. Head to https://go.forwardfinancing.com/restaurants?utm_campaign=53259160-Restaurant%20Rockstars&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Audio

Yelp Host

In a busy restaurant missed calls mean missed sales opportunities. Yelp Host is an AI phone answering service that handles reservations, waitlists, and takeout orders 24/7. Yelp Host Speaks 17 languages, handles multiple simultaneous calls, answers questions, books tables and sends everything right to your kitchen. GO TO business.yelp.com/rockstars

Smithfield Culinary

Smithfield knows that to meat lovers, a great serving of their favorite cut is so much more than just food. It’s an experience. That’s why they’re committed to offering your restaurant the perfect protein for every dish at every daypart. When you partner with Smithfield, you will serve what you love…and your hungry, carnivorous patrons will love what you serve. For more information or to order products, visit http://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

Restaurant profits don't disappear in one place. They leak through labor, food cost, poor systems, weak training, and missed opportunities.

In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, Roger Beaudoin sits down with restaurant industry veteran Matt “Walls” Walls, whose career has included Domino’s, CKE Restaurants, Caribou Coffee, Roti, and Edible Brands.

Matt breaks down the operating systems he uses to build stronger restaurant teams, control labor and food costs, protect margins, and create a better guest experience.

You'll discover how to:

• Control restaurant labor hour by hour

• Find hidden labor waste between peak shifts

• Improve food cost through portion control and smarter SKUs

• Create value without constantly discounting

• Build a deeper bench of restaurant leaders

• Recruit people for careers instead of simply filling jobs

• Turn frontline employees into a source of new ideas

• Improve onboarding and employee retention

• Use AI to uncover trends and opportunities faster

• Use technology without replacing human hospitality

Matt also shares how a frontline employee's idea became a successful Roti menu item and why some of the best innovations in a restaurant can come directly from the people working in the stores.

And when it comes to AI, Matt has a clear philosophy: use technology behind the scenes to make the business smarter while keeping the guest experience authentic and human.

If you're a restaurant owner, operator, general manager, or hospitality leader looking for practical ways to run a more profitable restaurant, this episode is packed with ideas you can put to work.

Subscribe to Restaurant Rockstars for more restaurant business, leadership, marketing and profitability strategies.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Smithfield Culinary: Smithfield knows that to meat lovers, a great serving of their favorite cut is so much more than just food. It’s an experience. That’s why they’re committed to offering your restaurant the perfect protein for every dish at every daypart. When you partner with Smithfield, you will serve what you love…and your hungry, carnivorous patrons will love what you serve. For more information or to order products, visit http://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

Yelp Host: In a busy restaurant missed calls mean missed sales opportunities. Yelp Host is an AI phone answering service that handles reservations, waitlists, and takeout orders 24/7. Yelp Host Speaks 17 languages, handles multiple simultaneous calls, answers questions, books tables and sends everything right to your kitchen. GO TO business.yelp.com/rockstars

Forward Financing: Restaurants always need Capital when THEY need it! Problem is you don’t have time to wait, you need the cash now! Forward Financing has funded more than $5.4 billion to over 100,000 small businesses, and 10,000 restaurants just like yours. Forward funds anywhere from $5,000 to $500,000, often with same-day FUNDING. Head to https://go.forwardfinancing.com/restaurants?utm_campaign=53259160-Restaurant%20Rockstars&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Audio

What if your restaurant is losing revenue every time the phone rings?

During a busy shift, an unanswered call could mean a missed reservation, takeout order, catering inquiry, or private event opportunity.

In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, Roger Beaudoin speaks with Cliff Cate, Yelp for Restaurants, about how AI-powered restaurant tools can capture more sales while freeing employees to focus on the guests directly in front of them.

Cliff explains how Yelp Host can answer multiple calls simultaneously, provide restaurant information, manage reservations and wait-list questions, and take commission-free food orders through POS integrations. It can also support conversations in 17 languages while maintaining the voice, tone, and personality of the restaurant.

You’ll discover:

Why unanswered calls represent missed revenue

How AI is changing restaurant discovery

Why your Yelp profile, hours, menu, and restaurant details must remain current

How voice AI can manage reservations, wait lists, and takeout orders

How restaurants can customize the AI host to reflect their brand

How call transcripts, summaries, and analytics reveal what guests want

Why restaurant AI can strengthen hospitality instead of replacing it

How Yelp Guest Manager and Yelp Host work together

What operators can expect during the onboarding process

According to Cliff, approximately 70% of the restaurant calls analyzed by Yelp are connected to revenue-generating activities. Yelp has also seen some customers increase their takeout volume by more than 20%.

Learn more about Yelp Host:

https://business.yelp.com/rockstars

Learn more about The Profitable Restaurant Operator Academy:

https://www.restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy

This episode is sponsored by:

Forward Financing

Restaurants need capital when they need it, and operators do not always have time to wait. Forward Financing has funded more than $5.4 billion to over 100,000 small businesses, including 10,000 restaurants. Forward provides funding from $5,000 to $500,000, often with same-day funding.

Learn more:

https://go.forwardfinancing.com/restaurants?utm_campaign=53259160-Restaurant%20Rockstars&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Audio

Yelp Host

In a busy restaurant, missed calls mean missed sales opportunities. Yelp Host is an AI phone-answering service that handles reservations, wait lists, and takeout orders 24/7. It speaks 17 languages, handles multiple simultaneous calls, answers questions, books tables, and sends orders directly to your kitchen.

Learn more:

https://business.yelp.com/rockstars

Smithfield Culinary

Smithfield knows that, to meat lovers, a great serving of their favorite cut is more than food. It is an experience. That is why Smithfield Culinary is committed to offering restaurants the perfect protein for every dish and every daypart. When you partner with Smithfield, you serve what you love, and your guests will love what you serve.

For more information or to order products, visit:

https://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

Why do great employees quit, average employees stay, and high performers suddenly stop performing?

In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, Roger Beaudoin speaks with leadership and performance expert Dre Baldwin about building stronger restaurant teams, creating accountability, and inspiring consistent performance.

Dre explains why discipline is more dependable than motivation and how structure helps employees consistently meet your restaurant’s standards. You’ll learn how to “trust but verify” without micromanaging, motivate and retain Gen Z employees, and create a workplace where people feel recognized and valued.

Roger and Dre also discuss:

How to create accountability without micromanaging

Why leaders need to understand what motivates each employee

The difference between delegation and empowerment

Why talented employees reach performance plateaus

How recognition can improve performance and retention

Why restaurant systems should not depend on one key person

How stronger systems protect the guest experience

How Dre’s Work On Your Game® philosophy applies to restaurant leadership

Dre Baldwin is the founder of Work On Your Game®, a system used by executives and organizations to install discipline, decision-making structure, and execution reliability. A 4x TEDx speaker and 43-time author, he helps leaders operate with clarity, authority, and measurable results.

Build a stronger and more profitable restaurant with The Profitable Restaurant Operator Academy:

https://www.restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Yelp Host helps busy restaurants answer calls, manage reservations and waitlists, answer customer questions, and take commission-free takeout orders using AI.

https://business.yelp.com/rockstars

Smithfield Culinary offers proteins for every dish and daypart, including bacon, ham, sausage, chorizo, and more.

https://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

Forward Financing provides eligible restaurant operators with access to business funding ranging from $5,000 to $500,000.

https://go.forwardfinancing.com/restaurants

Finding good restaurant employees is hard. Keeping them can be even harder.

In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, Roger sits down with Tom Kilby of Vanteo to talk about what it really takes to build a restaurant team that stays.

They dig into smarter recruiting strategies, better onboarding, creating a culture people want to be part of, developing employees from within, and why restaurant operators need to think beyond simply filling the next open position.

You’ll discover practical ideas for:

• Recruiting restaurant employees beyond traditional job boards

• Creating a stronger onboarding experience

• Setting expectations from day one

• Improving employee retention and workplace culture

• Developing and promoting your best people

• Building a longer-term staffing strategy

If staffing challenges are costing your restaurant time, money and momentum, this episode will give you a different way to think about building your team.

A special thank you to our sponsor, Smithfield Culinary.

Smithfield Culinary serves up perfect proteins for every dish, every daypart, like Smithfield’s new Ready to Eat Select Bacon, new Ground Chorizo, or the broadest portfolio of pork. When you partner with Smithfield, you serve what you love and your guests will love what you serve.

To order or learn more:

https://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

🎓 Ready to build a stronger, more profitable restaurant?

Join The Profitable Restaurant Operator Academy for proven systems, tools and training to help you improve your team, operations and bottom line:

https://www.restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy

Subscribe to the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast for more restaurant management, leadership, operations and profitability strategies.

What if one of your greatest opportunities to improve restaurant profit has nothing to do with raising prices or cutting costs?

Greg Vojnovic of The Melt joins Roger to reveal the restaurant profit strategy many operators overlook: building a culture and operation their people can execute successfully.

In this episode, discover:

• Why financial metrics are often lagging indicators

• How operational complexity hurts execution

• Why The Melt avoids constantly adding limited-time offers

• How cross-training improves labor efficiency

• Why strong restaurant cultures retain better employees

• How The Melt develops leaders from within

• How one location grew from $1.5 million to $6.1 million in annual sales

Profitability is not created only in a spreadsheet. It begins with your people, leadership, culture and consistent daily execution.

Learn more and join the Restaurant Academy:

https://www.restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy

CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMelt/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themelt/

Website: https://www.themelt.com