FULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry Revolution

What if the restaurants you admire most were never meant to be copied? Alex Pfaffenbach came up inside some of the most celebrated dining rooms in the world—Eleven Madison Park, The NoMad, Quality Branded—where ambition was massive and the standards were unforgiving. He saw what happens when lightning strikes. He also learned that lightning isn’t a business model. In this conversation, we break down the difference between managing a restaurant and owning one, why being busy doesn’t mean being profitable, and how timing, capital, and emotional resilience shape long-term success. Alex shares how he blended world-class hospitality with commercial discipline to build Marquette and Argyle without chasing anomalies. If you’re building something that has to last, and not just impress, this episode will recalibrate how you think about growth. To learn more about Marquette and Argyle and follow Alex’s journey as an independent operator, visit marketterestaurant.com. _________________________________________________________ Today's episode was brought to you by Square. If you want restaurant tech that actually supports how you run your restaurant, find out how Square can help at square.com/goodstuff. Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

Success in the restaurant industry is as much about grit as it is about vision, and few people embody both quite like Peter Newlin. As Chief Vision Officer of the Gastamo Group, Peter has transformed small neighborhood restaurants into a multi-concept hospitality group, all while championing the power of focus and community-driven dining. In today’s conversation, we explore Peter’s journey from outdoor enthusiast to restaurant innovator, his vision for disrupting suburban dining, and the critical role of AI and intentionality in shaping the future of hospitality. If you’ve ever wondered how to build a thriving business while staying grounded, this episode is for you. For more information on the Gastamo Group and their innovative concepts, visit https://www.gastamogroup.com. _________________________________________________________ Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter, more successful businesses. In this episode, I talk about why most restaurant owners struggle to see where their real profits are hiding. If you are not actively evaluating performance, you are guessing. I break down how to take control of your numbers and where to look first when margins start slipping. Takeaways Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Restaurant Success 01:35 The Camcorder Method for Efficiency 06:01 Conclusion and Call to Action If you’ve got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at josh@joshkopel.com and include Office Hours in the subject line. If you'd like to scale the profitability of your restaurant in only 5 days, sign up for our FREE 5 Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting https://joshkopel.com.

What if your guests aren’t buying what’s on the menu, they’re buying who you are? That’s the philosophy guiding today’s guest, the CEO of Philz Coffee and the man behind some of the most successful turnarounds in hospitality. After scaling Wingstop and reviving Chuck E. Cheese, Mahesh didn’t come to Philz for the margins, he came for the mission. In this conversation, Mahesh breaks down why culture is the only sustainable advantage, how he trimmed 87 priorities down to five that actually mattered, and the high-stakes leadership moves required to reignite passion from the top down. We also unpack the loyalty trap most brands fall into, and how Philz is turning casual customers into community superfans. This isn’t just about fixing broken brands. It’s about leading with clarity, choosing people over product, and building a coffee shop that everyone has to visit and no one wants to leave. To learn more about Philz Coffee and their community-driven mission, visit philzcoffee.com. _________________________________________________________ Today's episode was brought to you by Square. If you want restaurant tech that actually supports how you run your restaurant, find out how Square can help at square.com/goodstuff. Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if your biggest marketing asset isn’t your food or your logo, but your team? Mike Smith didn’t build his career by following trends. As the president of Moe’s Southwest Grill, he’s championing a radical shift in how we think about fast casual: less transaction, more transformation. In this conversation, Mike shares why brand is culture, how real loyalty is built inside the four walls, and why treating people like line items kills growth before it begins. We get into hiring with intention, empowering teams to act with personality and how value can still win in a discount-fatigued world. For any operator struggling to balance margins with meaning, this one hits home. To learn more about Moe’s Southwest Grill, visit moes.com. _________________________________________________________ Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter, more successful businesses. In this episode, I talk about the difference between being a manager and being a restaurateur, and why that gap is where a lot of restaurant owners get stuck. The problem is rarely effort. It is usually spending your time on the wrong things. I break down the high leverage activities that actually drive growth, and how getting buried in daily operations keeps you from making real progress. We dig into how to step back, spot hidden revenue opportunities, and focus on the moves that create momentum. Takeaways Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Restaurant Challenges 01:35 The Role of a Restaurateur vs. Manager 05:23 Shifting Mindsets for Success If you’ve got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at josh@joshkopel.com and include Office Hours in the subject line. If you'd like to scale the profitability of your restaurant in only 5 days, sign up for our FREE 5 Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting https://joshkopel.com.

What if running a restaurant is the best leadership training program in the world? Mayor Daniel Rickenmann believes it is. Before becoming Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina, Daniel built his career in hospitality, managing teams, navigating high-pressure service environments, and learning how to lead when outcomes are public and unforgiving. Those lessons didn’t stay in the kitchen. They followed him into city leadership. In this conversation, we explore why hospitality creates sharper leaders, how failure becomes leverage when handled correctly, and what operators can learn from public-sector decision-making. We also break down why authenticity outperforms image, why empowering employees drives real ownership, and how “success leaves clues” when leaders pay attention. If you’ve ever felt the pressure of leading people, managing conflict, or carrying responsibility for outcomes, this conversation goes far beyond restaurants. To learn more about Daniel’s background, leadership work, and community initiatives, visit rickenmannformayor.com. _________________________________________________________ Today's episode was brought to you by Square. If you want restaurant tech that actually supports how you run your restaurant, find out how Square can help at square.com/goodstuff. Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if delivery isn’t a cost center, but your biggest growth engine? Most restaurant operators still treat delivery like a necessary evil. Today’s guest knows better. What started as a delivery-only restaurant in India turned into a blueprint for Loop, a platform now powering $4 billion in digital restaurant ordering. In our conversation, Anand shares how he turned operational obsession into competitive advantage, what it really means to “win the algorithm,” and why delivery isn’t the end game, it’s the front door to growth. We get into the economic shifts redefining restaurant success, how digital ordering became the new drive-thru, and why resisting delivery is like ignoring your best customers. If you’ve ever felt stuck between low margins and rising demand, this conversation will change how you see your business, and highlight where the real opportunity lives. To learn more about Loop and how they’re helping restaurants grow with delivery, visit loopai.com. _________________________________________________________ Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

Most operators think they’re managing food costs. Ronald Cardwell thinks they’re just guessing. As Commodity Director at Restaurant Technologies, Ronald has a unique vantage point: tens of thousands of kitchens and decades inside the oil and biofuel industries. And his message is blunt: if you’re not measuring it, you’re losing money. In this episode, we get into why fryer oil might be your highest-margin opportunity, how to identify invisible cost leaks before they wreck your menu, and the underrated power of treating every ingredient like a commodity - with strategy, not habit. If inflation is the headline, this is the fine print. This episode is for operators who are ready to stop gambling with their margins and start managing with intention. To learn more about Restaurant Technologies and their management systems, visit rti-inc.com. _________________________________________________________ Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

Most chefs want more creativity. David Utterback wanted more control. After 13 years helping grow a sushi brand from one shop to a $175M empire, he walked away to build something of his own. What he learned? Great food is only part of the puzzle. In this episode, David shares how he’s applying big-brand systems to small-scale restaurants, with a relentless focus on profit, precision, and sustainability. We get into why scaling doesn’t always mean selling more, how he trimmed labor without killing creativity, and the spreadsheet moment that made him rethink growth altogether. This episode is for those of us who are tired of working harder just to make less, and ready to start running a restaurant like a business. To learn more about Yoshitomo and his growing group of restaurants, visit yoshitomo.com. _________________________________________________________ Today's episode was brought to you by Square. If you want restaurant tech that actually supports how you run your restaurant, find out how Square can help at square.com/goodstuff. Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if your biggest opportunity wasn’t the one you planned for, but the one that forced you to prove you belonged? For Sarah Thompson, leading a fine dining Mexican restaurant as a non-Mexican chef wasn’t the goal, but it became the proving ground. At Casa Playa inside the Wynn Las Vegas, Sarah has built more than a menu: she’s built trust, earned belonging, and redefined what excellence looks like in a cuisine she wasn’t raised in but has come to deeply respect. In this episode, we unpack how she overcame cultural bias in the kitchen, turned imposter syndrome into authentic leadership, and leveraged the resources of a major hospitality group to create a restaurant that’s as respected by locals as it is by the Strip’s most demanding diners. If you’ve ever had to earn your place in the room, you’ll feel this one. To experience Casa Playa or learn more, visit wynnlasvegas.com. _________________________________________________________ Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if your entire career started with being told you were too nice to succeed? For John Terzian and Brian Toll, that’s exactly how it began. These are the minds behind The h.wood Group: an empire born from rejection, reinvention, and the refusal to follow the rules. In this episode, they share how protecting guests instead of exploiting them became their superpower, why aesthetics matter more than you think, and how they transitioned from bottle service to building culture through culinary. We get into the painful leap from nightlife to fine dining, how they designed demand instead of chasing it, and the operational discipline required to stay profitable 10 years in. This isn’t just about cool venues, it’s about what it takes to last in an industry designed to burn you out. To learn more about The h.wood Group and their concepts, visit hwoodgroup.com. _________________________________________________________ Today's episode was brought to you by Square. If you want restaurant tech that actually supports how you run your restaurant, find out how Square can help at square.com/goodstuff. Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if the real reward in restaurants isn’t the exit, but the impact? Scott Redler didn’t just co-found Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, he scaled it to 400+ units without losing his soul. In this episode, we get into the mindset shifts that made that possible: from hiring like your business depends on it (because it does), to giving GMs ownership in everything but name. Scott shares how he built a culture of transparency and accountability, why the “no-jerk rule” matters more than a resume, and how he chose franchisees who shared his values, not just his ambitions. For operators who care about building something bigger than themselves, this is a masterclass in scaling with intention, and not ego. To learn more about Mocha’s Coffee & Eatery, visit mokasusa.com _________________________________________________________ Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter, more successful businesses. In this episode, I explain why your website is either helping your restaurant grow or quietly costing you business. Most restaurant sites look fine but fail to answer the questions guests actually care about. I break down what your website is supposed to do, how emotion drives decisions, and why clarity matters more than clever design. If your site is not converting visitors into guests, this conversation will change how you think about it. Takeaways Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Restaurant Growth Strategies 01:46 The Importance of Your Restaurant's Website 05:38 Critical Questions for Website Effectiveness 09:01 Emotional Engagement and Website Design If you’ve got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at josh@joshkopel.com and include Office Hours in the subject line. If you'd like to scale the profitability of your restaurant in only 5 days, sign up for our FREE 5 Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting https://joshkopel.com.

What if resilience is just a code word for neglect? Catarina Bill of Southern Smoke is calling BS, and doing something about it. Born into the back-of-house world through her family’s meat business, Catarina’s not just preaching compassion, she’s building infrastructure. Her work exposes the cracks in our industry’s foundation: no healthcare, no mental health safety net, no margin for error. In this conversation, we get into the systems she’s building to catch people before they fall, why professionalizing hospitality means meeting human needs, and the radical idea that support shouldn’t be earned by burnout. This isn’t charity, it’s a wake-up call. And for anyone still wondering why staff won’t come back, this conversation has answers. To learn more about Southern Smoke and how to support their mission, visit southernsmoke.org. _________________________________________________________ Today's episode was brought to you by Square. If you want restaurant tech that actually supports how you run your restaurant, find out how Square can help at square.com/goodstuff. Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if the best leadership training didn’t come from business school, but from the brutal discipline of an Ironman? David Youngberg didn’t start triathlons until 50. But the mindset it required, focus, repetition, resilience, changed how he runs restaurants. After two decades at BJ’s and now CEO at Stonefire Grill, David brings that same intensity to team culture, systems thinking, and servant leadership. In this conversation, we get into how Ironman training sharpened his business instincts, what it takes to build 20-year team tenure, and why the best leaders don’t demand more, they serve more. For anyone trying to lead with longevity in mind, this episode is fuel. To learn more about Stonefire Grill and their people-first approach, visit stonefiregrill.com. _________________________________________________________ Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter, more successful businesses. In this episode, I talk about why the start of a new year feels so hard for so many restaurant owners. The problem is rarely effort. It is usually a lack of focus. I break down how unclear marketing, too many offers, and weak pricing strategies quietly kill profitability. We dig into how to simplify your model, narrow your services, and create calls to action that actually convert. If you want this year to feel more controlled and more profitable, this is where to start. Takeaways Chapters 00:00 New Year, New Strategies for Restaurant Growth 01:46 Understanding the Restaurant Business Model 05:05 The Importance of Focused Marketing 08:24 Pricing for Profit and Perceived Value If you’ve got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at josh@joshkopel.com and include Office Hours in the subject line. If you'd like to scale the profitability of your restaurant in only 5 days, sign up for our FREE 5 Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting https://joshkopel.com.

What if the best hospitality isn’t taught – it’s demonstrated, brick by brick? Wesley Sohn didn’t just walk away from a promising finance career, he ran toward something deeper. Something messier. Something real. He started as a food runner, not to climb the ladder faster, but to understand the foundation better. And it shows. Today, Wesley helps lead one of the most intentional hospitality groups in the country, where culture is lived—not laminated—and SOPs don’t kill creativity, they fuel it. In this conversation, we unpack the engineering mindset behind scalable hospitality, how real culture is modeled not mandated, the hidden value of invisible work, and what it takes to build restaurants that work, because the people inside them believe in what they’re building. This one’s for operators who know culture is your system, and your strategy. To learn more about Cote, visit cotekoreansteakhouse.com. _________________________________________________________ Today's episode was brought to you by Square. If you want restaurant tech that actually supports how you run your restaurant, find out how Square can help at square.com/goodstuff. Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if staying small was actually the boldest move you could make in restaurants? Fred Piehl didn’t come to San Diego chasing an empire; he came with Paris training, a place to sleep, and a 30–seat bistro he found on Craigslist that became The Smoking Goat. In this conversation, we break down why he and his wife Tammy treat restaurants like “leaky buckets,” how he built a life where skiing trips, summers in New Hampshire, and family dinners matter as much as Saturday covers and how he’s resisted the pressure to scale for so many years. For operators who feel owned by their restaurants, this is a blueprint for taking your time, your profitability, and your joy back. To learn more about The Smoking Goat and One Door North, visit thesmokinggoatrestaurant.com. _________________________________________________________ Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if the best restaurant stories aren’t about food—they’re about identity, risk, and reinvention? Johno Morisano didn’t set out to open a restaurant—he set out to escape. But a chance encounter with a Greyhound bus station, and later, chef Mashama Bailey, sparked something deeper: a creative and cultural reckoning that became The Grey. In this conversation, we unpack how Johno turned personal uncertainty into professional clarity, why the partnership with Mashama worked when others would have failed, and how building a restaurant from scratch became an act of redemption. We get into what it really takes to thrive in a small market, how to build a business that feels like it belongs, and why chasing growth without meaning almost cost him everything. This isn’t about real estate or restaurants. It’s about what happens when you finally stop running—and start building. For more on The Grey and his work with Mashama Bailey, visit thegreyrestaurant.com. _________________________________________________________ Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com