Explore every episode of the podcast Restaurant Growth Accelerator: More Profit, More Locations, And More Time With Your Family
Dive into the complete episode list for Restaurant Growth Accelerator: More Profit, More Locations, And More Time With Your Family. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
Rows per page:
50
1–50 of 83
Title
Pub. Date
Duration
How to Prepare Your Restaurant for the Slow Season
12 oct. 2026
00:38:11
Your sales drop every August and September. And every year, it still catches you off guard.
Your bank account takes the hit, your costs climb, and you end up back on the line covering shifts.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator podcast, Chris and I break down why the slow season hurts so many restaurant owners.
I walk you through the simple maths to forecast next month's restaurant sales, then I show you how to turn that number into food and labor budgets - so your cash stays in your bank account and not on your shelves.
We also cover the two times of year when staff turnover always shows up, and how to hire before your competition does.
If the slow season catches you off guard this year, grab a pen, press play, and get ahead of your next slowdown (before it hits your bank account).
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 The Post Summer Slowdown 00:05:00 Knowledge & Execution 00:08:50 Simple Sales Forecast 00:12:26 Food and Labor Budgets 00:18:45 Expect Unexpected Turnover 00:22:20 Hire Before Everyone Else 00:25:40 Plan Fall Marketing Early 00:28:45 Back to School Marketing 00:32:00 Marketing Lead Times 00:35:03 Order Gift Cards Now
-
✅About Us✅
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
I used to wake up at 6:00 a.m. scared to look at my own phone. Because I knew as soon as I looked, I’d see somebody had quit or didn’t show up. And I was the only one who could fix it.
If your restaurant falls apart the minute you leave, this episode shows you the way out.
In this episode I was a guest on The Pre Shift podcast, hosted by DJ Constantino, and presented by 7Shifts. I share my story as a multi-unit restaurant owner. I had the sales, the managers and 50-plus employees.
Yet I still worked 100-hour weeks and had no life.
Then I saw the real problem - I was the system. I walk through how I fixed that, and how restaurant owners can build restaurant systems that grow profit and give them their time back.
We also get into the fifth location mistake that pulled 30% of the customers away from my best store. I share the "streaky mirror" example that explains why your team gets simple tasks wrong. And you'll hear why I track food cost and labor cost every week instead of waiting on a monthly P&L.
If you want a restaurant business that works for you instead of you working for it, hit play now.
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:00:45 My Restaurant Story 00:04:26 Afraid Of My Phone 00:07:45 When Scaling Turns Risky 00:13:31 The Streaky Mirror Lesson 00:20:06 The Walk-In Problem List 00:23:56 Finding Five Free Hours 00:27:08 Track Your Numbers Weekly 00:32:11 Why I Raised Wages 00:35:16 The Overstaffing Trap 00:38:55 Two Fixes This Week
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
Lines out the door do not mean money in the bank, and I learned that the hard way.
You can have great food, great reviews and a great team - and still close the month with zero cash flow. In this episode I show you why, and I share the formula that changes it.
I’m sharing the biggest secrets I’ve learned after reviewing hundreds of restaurant P&L statements every single month - along with the 3 key numbers I check first that reveal whether your restaurant has a sales problem or a cost problem.
We also cover the rent percentage test, the real net profit target you should aim for, and the five tactics my clients use to get there.
I share real client numbers too, including one seafood restaurant that doubled its bottom line without adding much revenue.
If your restaurant is busy but your bank account is not, this episode gives you the numbers to fix it.
Grab a calculator, pull up your P&L, and hit play.
00:00:00 Intro 00:00:45 You Are The System 00:04:45 Successful Restaurant, Failing Business 00:07:53 The 60% Prime Cost Lie 00:10:45 The Rent Percentage Test 00:15:30 Cut Costs Or Grow Sales 00:19:03 Break Even Profit Stacking 00:25:54 What Good Looks Like 00:30:25 Measure Every Single Week 00:34:25 Check Your Competitors' Prices 00:39:25 Upsells And Frequency Offers
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
The Social Media Strategy Restaurant Owners Actually Need in 2026
07 sept. 2026
00:29:19
Restaurant social media isn’t dead. But posting food photos, boosting posts, and chasing likes won’t reliably turn attention into restaurant sales.
In this episode, Andrew Scott and Chris Wietecha explain how one restaurant generated roughly $2,000 in business from a single text message - and why building an owned customer list can be more valuable than paying for the same eyeballs again and again.
If you’re an independent restaurant owner trying to get a real return from social media marketing, this episode reveals what’s changed, what’s working now, and how to turn social media visibility into revenue.
Andrew and Chris also explore why the old restaurant social media strategy of posting attractive dishes and waiting for customers to show up has lost effectiveness (and what to do instead)
In this episode, you’ll learn:
✅Why traditional restaurant social media tactics aren’t producing the same results they used to ✅What social media algorithms reward now ✅How social media keeps your restaurant visible and top of mind ✅How offers and incentives can turn attention into restaurant visits ✅Why restaurant owners should collect customer phone numbers and email addresses ✅The “memorable dishes and experiences” secret that generates content for you ✅How your restaurant staff can help produce better TikTok, Instagram Reel, and social media content
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 What owners get wrong 00:03:54 The algorithm 00:06:57 Skip trend hopping 00:10:43 Your digital open sign 00:13:49 Design camera-ready dishes 00:17:11 Build one memorable dish 00:20:14 Your staff already do this 00:24:20 Ads build your owned list 00:28:00 TikTok is the new Google
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
Restaurant Owner Pay… How Much Should You Actually Take Home?
31 août 2026
00:33:52
Your restaurant can show a profit on paper and still leave you asking, “Where the hell did all the money go?”
In this episode, restaurant coach Andrew Scott reveals how much money a restaurant owner should actually take home - and the number below net profit that tells you what's really yours.
He calls it net free cash flow, and after 20 years of multi-unit restaurant ownership, he says most owners have never calculated it once.
Here's why that matters - some of the money in your business bank account right now isn't yours and Andrew learned this the hard way.
This episode shows you what you SHOULD be taking home vs what you’re taking home right now (and how to fix it)
Tune in to discover:
✅The simple calculation that shows how much you can actually take home from your restaurant ✅How "only 2 or 3 percent over" on food and labor costs could be draining $70,000 a year ✅The prime cost target almost all profitable restaurants hit ✅Fix your restaurant in THIS order (do it wrong and you'll add work without adding money) ✅Expansion mistakes that kept Andrew broke across three locations ✅How a $6 million restaurant loses half a million a year
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 Money That Isn't Yours 00:04:57 The Profit Pipe 00:08:40 The Balance Sheet Blind Spot 00:11:40 Savings Buffer 00:15:00 The Replenishing Bank Account 00:18:20 Profitable Today, Not Later 00:21:27 55 Percent Target 00:24:40 Death by Small Percentages 00:27:40 Stack Sales After Break Even 00:31:00 Two Unprofitable Locations
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
The Restaurant Hiring System That Cuts Turnover and Labor Cost
24 août 2026
01:08:53
"Nobody wants to work anymore." - Every restaurant owner has said it. But the strange thing is, the generation and your local area haven't actually changed. So why has hiring got harder?
In this episode, restaurant coach Andrew Scott reveals the restaurant hiring system he built across multiple locations.
You’ll discover how to attract great employees, write job ads that pull A players, and how to cut labor costs - while paying your best people more.
This episode is from a live webinar training, and Andrew holds nothing back.
Tune in to discover:
✅ The two hiring dead zones that wreck restaurant staffing every year ✅ What to do with reference checks… this catches bad hires before they cost you ✅ The simple timing shift that gets you better candidates at lower wages ✅ A common hiring trap keeping you stuck in the same staffing hole every few weeks ✅Job ad mistakes that repel A players (and how to write better job ads for better staff) ✅ How paying one dollar more per hour dropped Andrew's total labor cost by 5% of sales ✅ How Andrew stretched average employee tenure from three months to three years ✅ The hiring funnel that builds a restaurant team that runs without you covering shifts
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:50 Nobody Wants To Work 00:04:21 Constant Calls, No Freedom 00:09:22 Hiring Dead Zones 00:18:10 The Bob Conversation 00:21:30 Job Ads That Repel 00:25:50 The Dollar Wage Raise 00:30:34 Past Behavior Interviews 00:35:30 The Alex Mistake 00:41:27 Reading Reference Checks 01:05:10 Hire Three, Keep Two
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
The Checklist System That Runs a Restaurant Without You
18 août 2026
00:40:42
Want your restaurant to run like a well-oiled machine, even on your day off? Press play.
In this episode, Andrew Scott (founder of Owner Shift) shares how to build restaurant employee training systems, SOPs, and processes that make your team consistent (with or without you there).
You’ll hear the four-word fix that ended one of his most frustrating problems for good - and the leadership rule that changed the standards of his team.
You'll also get his three-step training method and the week-by-week structure he used to train new hires across multiple locations.
Tune in to discover:
✅How to build a restaurant training checklist from scratch (using a tool you already have) ✅The two things every restaurant checklist needs before staff will follow it ✅TAn accountability hack that let’s you track who did what ✅How to build opening, closing, and prep checklists your employees will follow ✅The “single focus” training method that transforms new hires into strong staff faster ✅How restaurant systems raise consistency and labour productivity at the same time ✅Why Andrew still used his own checklists after 20 years… PLUS what happened when he didn't
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 Why Systems Matter 00:04:00 What Makes a Good Checklist 00:09:16 Accountability Mechanisms 00:12:42 How Standards Fall 00:17:40 Deadlines 00:21:00 Openers Versus Closers 00:24:00 Leading By Example 00:27:00 The Smoothie Story 00:30:00 Tell Them Why 00:36:00 Standards Get Diluted
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
Why 90% Of Restaurant Owners Never Escape The Kitchen
10 août 2026
00:13:41
Getting out of restaurant operations is not the hardest part of growing a restaurant business.
The real challenge is resisting the urge to step back into the chaos once strategic restaurant leadership starts to feel slower, harder, and less immediately rewarding.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator podcast, Andrew Scott explains why restaurant owners often stay trapped in operations, even after systems, staff, and improved profitability give them the opportunity to step away.
Operational work feels urgent, familiar, and rewarding.
Strategic work, like marketing, financial management, team development, menu planning, and leadership, often takes longer to produce results.
That makes it easier to return to the work you already know instead of developing the skills required to grow the business.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
✅Why restaurant owners become addicted to firefighting ✅Why working in the business can feel more rewarding than working on it ✅How comfort zones keep owners trapped in daily restaurant operations ✅Why important strategic work is often avoided when there is no urgent deadline ✅How restaurant owners can create stronger personal accountability ✅Why some restaurant businesses improve and then slide backward ✅How to stop becoming the bottleneck in your own business ✅Why leadership skills must evolve as your restaurant grows ✅How coaching, masterminds, and accountability can help maintain success ✅What it takes to build a restaurant business that performs without constant owner involvement
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 The Walk That Started This 00:04:05 Systems Replace The Fires 00:07:10 Netflix Versus The Marketing 00:10:15 Why Coaching Actually Works 00:13:20 Don't Be The Roadblock
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
How We Took a Restaurant From $0 Profit to $40K Profit in 90 Days
03 août 2026
01:04:41
A restaurant can be busy, generate strong sales, serve great food - and still lose money.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott speaks with restaurant owner Monty about how he went from making no profit for six years - to putting $40,000 on the bottom line in a single month.
Monty’s restaurant had strong customer demand, quality food and growing sales. But high prime costs, inconsistent scheduling, weak inventory controls, and a lack of financial accountability were preventing the business from becoming profitable.
After years of losses, including approximately $300,000 in one year, he knew something had to change.
This restaurant turnaround story reveals how Monty turned everything around, changing his entire approach to owning and operating a restaurant
In this episode, you’ll learn:
✅How a restaurant went from no profit to $40,000 profit in one month ✅Why increasing restaurant sales does not always increase profit ✅How to calculate and control restaurant prime cost ✅How to reduce restaurant labor costs without hurting customer service ✅What’s actually destroying most restaurants' margins ✅The BIG myth about talented chefs that’s caught out too many owners ✅Why restaurant owners must work on the business, not only inside it ✅How local SEO, Google reviews, and direct online ordering can grow restaurant sales ✅One thing that can produce faster results than trying to solve everything alone ✅How sobriety and personal discipline helped Monty become a stronger business owner
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 Forty grand, one month 00:07:40 Lease over purchase 00:12:20 Opening into COVID 00:20:00 Accountant isn't a CFO 00:26:20 Sobriety and asking for help 00:34:20 Losing $300k 00:42:20 The schedule fix 00:48:00 The $100k swing 00:53:00 Commissary kitchen
-
✅To save $970 when signing up with Owner.com for Website & SEO Help, use this link✅
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
A stronger restaurant hiring process can help you attract better applicants, reduce employee turnover, and build a team that does not depend on you for everything.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator podcast, Andrew Scott breaks down the restaurant “hiring funnel”, and shows you how to identify exactly where your recruitment process is failing.
Instead of blaming staffing shortages, unreliable applicants, or the idea that “nobody wants to work anymore,” Andrew explains how other factors are influencing your ability to hire good staff.
You’ll learn how to approach restaurant hiring like a marketing funnel - measuring each stage so you can fix the real bottleneck, instead of constantly starting the hiring process again.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
✅The complete restaurant hiring funnel, from job listing to long-term employee ✅Why generic restaurant job titles struggle to attract attention ✅How to write job ads that make stronger candidates want to apply ✅Why the benefits you promote may not be what applicants actually value ✅How interview delays can cause you to lose candidates to competitors ✅What interview and hiring conversion rates you should monitor ✅What restaurant owners must document, train, measure, and reinforce ✅How better people systems give owners more freedom from daily operations
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 Your Biggest Business Problem 00:04:00 The Spring Hiring Trap 00:07:35 Hiring Is A Funnel 00:10:40 Job Titles 00:14:20 Stop Repelling Good Applicants 00:17:40 The Apply Rate Benchmark 00:23:40 What Turnover Really Costs 00:26:40 Why Stars Go Average
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
Full Restaurant, Empty Bank Account. Where did the Money Go? | Joseph “Pino” Ciccone
21 juil. 2026
00:41:54
Busy restaurant, empty bank account? This restaurant owner discovered why strong sales don’t always lead to restaurant profitability (and what changed everything).
If you're working 60-to-80-hour weeks, struggling with cash flow despite a busy restaurant, or wondering why there's never enough profit left at the end of the month, this episode is for you.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott sits down with “Pino”, owner of P&M Fine Foods in New Haven, Connecticut, to discuss his incredible transformation.
After spending over 16 years growing his family-owned restaurant, Pino found himself stuck in the cycle many restaurant owners know all too well - working long hours, constantly firefighting, and barely staying ahead of payroll and vendor payments.
Fast forward just a few months after implementing the right restaurant systems, financial tracking, and leadership strategies, and everything changed.
If you're looking for practical restaurant management advice, restaurant profitability strategies, and proven ways to build a business that gives you both freedom and financial success - you won't want to miss this conversation.
Tune in to discover:
✅How to increase restaurant profits without sacrificing food quality ✅Why being busy doesn't always mean being profitable ✅The biggest cash flow mistakes restaurant owners make ✅How to stop working 80-hour weeks in your restaurant ✅One thing that’s essential for restaurant growth (most owners suck at this) ✅The real secret to creating consistency and freedom ✅How to build managers who can run your restaurant successfully ✅Restaurant pricing strategies that leaves customers happy ✅One of the easiest ways to grow restaurant revenue… do this tonight!
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 Pino's Family Roots 00:05:00 Why Quality Commands More 00:09:00 Price Increases Reveal All 00:13:20 The Missing Business Side 00:16:40 Money In, Money Gone 00:20:00 The 80 Hour Myth 00:25:00 Getting His Time Back 00:28:20 Small Upsells Big Profit 00:31:40 No Magic Bullet 00:35:00 Facing The Fears
-
✅About Us✅
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
Why Most Restaurant Owners Never Take A Real Day Off
13 juil. 2026
00:14:16
Should you close your restaurant one day a week?
Many restaurant owners think about closing their restaurant one day a week to reduce stress and reclaim their time.
Before they make that decision, they need to ask a more important question: What problem are they actually trying to solve?
In this episode of The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott shares why reducing your operating hours is often a temporary fix - not a long-term solution.
Drawing on nearly 20 years as a multi-unit restaurant owner, Andrew explains how restaurant owners can identify the real bottlenecks holding their business back, build systems that reduce owner dependence, and create a restaurant that delivers both profit and freedom.
Tune in to discover:
✅The truth about closing one day a week… and the real impact it can have ✅How to identify the root cause of owner burnout and operational stress ✅The difference between being self-employed and owning a true business ✅Why hiring, training, and management systems matter more than reducing trading hours ✅How strong restaurant systems create more profit, more freedom, and better work-life balance ✅When closing a day a week actually is the right business decision ✅How to build a restaurant that can operate successfully without relying on you every day
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:00:50 Closing Once A Week 00:03:50 Find The Real Problem 00:07:10 The Coca-Cola Mindset 00:10:10 The Temporary Fix Trap 00:13:10 The Mercedes Lesson
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
3 Myths About Selling A Restaurant | With Joseph McKeown
07 juil. 2026
00:55:14
A restaurant doing $1 million in sales can still be worth far less than the owner expects if the profit, team, and operations aren’t built correctly.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott sits down with restaurant owner and business broker Joseph McKeown to share what really makes a restaurant valuable.
Whether you're looking to increase restaurant profits, reduce food and labor costs, build a business that runs without you, or prepare your restaurant for a future sale - this episode reveals the financial and operational changes that create long-term success (and higher business valuations).
In this episode, you'll learn:
✅How to increase restaurant profits without relying on more sales ✅The one thing that matters more than revenue when valuing a restaurant ✅The biggest mistakes restaurant owners make before selling ✅What buyers actually look for when purchasing a restaurant ✅How to lower food costs and labor costs through better systems ✅The truth about restaurant business valuations and EBITDA multiples ✅Why most restaurants struggle to sell…and how to avoid becoming one of them ✅How to prepare your restaurant for a profitable exit years before you sell
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:15 Meet Joseph 00:02:35 From $10K to $1.2M 00:04:15 The 15% profit swing 00:06:55 Death by thousand cuts 00:11:35 Summer is go time 00:14:21 Why he became a broker 00:16:15 Three selling myths 00:21:58 What buyers pay for 00:25:48 Multiples explained 00:34:46 Net profit is the scoreboard 00:41:00 Biggest seller mistakes 00:42:35 The staff mistake 00:50:50 Steps to sell now 00:51:57 Two things to fix
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
Why Busy Restaurants Still Go Bankrupt | With Tim Halls
29 juin 2026
00:59:49
This restaurant owner was making $20,000 a week in sales - and still losing money.
Bad debt, broken bookkeeping, and weak systems pushed his BBQ restaurant straight into bankruptcy.
Then he turned it all around with real bookkeeping, smarter systems, and tighter cost control that helped him rebuild the business from the ground up.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott sits down with Tim Halls of Burnt BBQ & Tacos.
Together, they share the real story behind restaurant profit, money stress, and how to build a business that actually supports your life.
This is a must-watch for restaurant owners, BBQ shop operators, food truck founders, and catering business owners who want to know why strong sales alone do not equal profit.
Tune in to discover:
✅Why restaurants can have great sales and still lose money ✅How bad bookkeeping and unclear P&L reports hurt restaurant owners ✅The danger of merchant cash advances and taking loans to pay loans ✅Why food cost, labor cost, and P&L reports are key to restaurant profit ✅Simple systems, checklists, and employee manuals that create freedom ✅The underleveraged way to quickly grow restaurant revenue ✅How strong restaurant operations improve your home life, team, and future
Tune in to learn how to fix a restaurant losing money, grow your catering sales, and finally build a profitable BBQ business that gives you your life back.
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:10 Meet Tim Halls 00:04:40 The Partner Who Wrecked Everything 00:09:00 The Bookkeeper Nightmare 00:18:10 Trapped In Cash Advances 00:21:40 From $250K To $60K 00:26:30 Life After Bankruptcy 00:34:10 Building The Catering Engine 00:39:10 Going Out And Hunting Orders 00:47:10 Whales vs Minnows 00:53:40 Why Service Wins
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
The Hardest Lessons From 20 Years of Owning Restaurants Part 3
22 juin 2026
01:11:22
This is the third and final part of my journey as a multi-unit restaurant owner. I share the real cost of growing a restaurant business too fast.
I lost the lease on my first shop after ten years of hard work (my landlord gave my space to the neighbor next door). Then I opened a fifth location at the worst possible time and my sales were almost non-existent.
I was overwhelmed with loan payments, I lost a key manager, and I worked 100-hour weeks (again).
THANKFULLY I fixed everything…
And in this episode, I’m sharing how - so you can learn how to scale a restaurant the right way.
Tune in to discover:
✅Why opening more restaurant locations doesn’t automatically create more profit ✅How poor lease planning can cost restaurant owners years of work and tens of thousands of dollars ✅Why multi-unit restaurant ownership requires a completely different skill set ✅How I realized I’d scaled beyond my systems, team, and leadership capacity ✅The overlooked skills that are 100% foundational to a restaurant's success ✅The dangers of debt, short loan terms, and opening before your business is ready ✅How COVID tested restaurant systems, leadership, delivery, marketing, and cash flow ✅The BIG alternative to cost-cutting restaurant owners should be focusing on instead
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:02:54 Losing the lease 00:07:50 Lessons from location one 00:10:10 Hiring a business coach 00:16:40 Building real systems 00:23:10 Scaling talent and leadership 00:26:40 The fifth location mistake 00:33:10 The marketing breakthrough 00:40:50 COVID changes everything 00:47:50 Survival through subsidies 00:58:40 Selling the restaurants 01:02:40 The bigger mission
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Thinking of opening another restaurant? Avoid costly mistakes with my free guide:
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
The Hardest Lessons From 20 Years of Owning Restaurants Part 2
15 juin 2026
00:59:36
A profitable restaurant is built before it’s scaled. This is part 2 of Andrew Scott sharing the biggest lessons and mistakes from scaling his own restaurants.
You’ll hear how Andrew went from one struggling location to three locations - and back to barely surviving.
And why he spent years chasing sales when his real problem was something that no amount of sales could ever fix.
Tune in to hear about:
✅Why more restaurant sales do not always mean more restaurant profit ✅One thing that can destroy profitability even when revenue grows ✅How to review your P&L and bank account to cut expenses without cutting growth ✅When you should never ever cut marketing, even when things feel tight ✅How restaurant discounts can work when used strategically ✅The risks of opening a second or third restaurant location too soon ✅Why restaurant managers fail time and time again, no matter what you do
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:02:40 The cost control wake-up call 00:05:25 Watching staff waste food 00:07:05 The two-question P&L cleanup 00:09:15 Cutting marketing 00:12:00 Prime cost math 00:18:15 Mascot suit marketing 00:20:25 Adding delivery and catering 00:22:45 Smart discounting rules 00:31:35 Why second locations fail 00:36:45 Heir and spare hiring 00:43:45 Opening next to competitors 00:52:25 The ran-out-of-product lie
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Thinking of opening another restaurant? Avoid costly mistakes with my free guide:
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
The Hardest Lessons From 20 Years of Owning Restaurants Part 1
08 juin 2026
00:59:28
Andrew Scott (founder of Owner Shift) didn't plan to buy a restaurant at 20.
He just said yes when the owner offered it to him, and his dad co-signed a loan that put the family house on the line.
What followed was seven years of 80-hour weeks, no days off, zero profit, and a 100-pound weight gain.
In Part 1 of this raw series, Andrew sits down with his new Director of Marketing Joe DiRoma to crack open the early years of his restaurant journey.
From getting fired by his own great-aunt at a fried chicken shop to losing every friend he had, this is the side of restaurant ownership nobody likes to share.
You'll hear the birthday party story he's never told anyone, the Christmas party that taught him not to trust people, and the assistant manager whose resignation email broke him.
Andrew also shares the moment everything shifted.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
✅The hidden personal cost of restaurant ownership and burnout ✅How doing everything yourself can keep your restaurant stuck ✅Why restaurant owners struggle to trust employees and delegate ✅The difference between single-unit leadership and multi-unit leadership ✅How limiting beliefs can cap your restaurant’s profitability ✅Why systems, SOPs, staffing, and leadership are essential for scaling ✅How to avoid the painful mistakes many restaurant owners learn too late ✅What it really takes to build a restaurant business that works without you being there every hour
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 Meet Joe DiRoma 00:04:33 Fired from fast food 00:18:43 Radio days and writing 00:21:40 Moving to Ottawa 00:24:30 Buying at twenty 00:27:40 A normal Tuesday 00:33:50 The birthday party 00:49:00 Losing trust completely 00:53:20 The resignation moment 00:56:15 Finding good people
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
What You Need To Know About Franchising And Franchises
03 juin 2026
00:35:07
Franchising your restaurant can be a powerful way to grow a restaurant brand, create recurring revenue, and expand faster - without funding every new location yourself.
But if your restaurant isn’t already profitable, systemized, and able to run without you, franchising can create bigger problems than the ones you are trying to solve.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott and Dave Doyle share the real pros, cons, risks, and hidden challenges of restaurant franchising.
If you are a restaurant owner considering franchising your concept, opening more locations, or buying into a restaurant franchise - this conversation will help you understand what actually needs to be in place before you scale.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
✅What prospective franchisees should look for before buying into a restaurant franchise ✅Why franchising is not the shortcut many restaurant owners think it is ✅The biggest mistake owners make before franchising a restaurant concept ✅What must come before any meaningful restaurant growth ✅The difference between scaling a restaurant and building a franchise company ✅Why your flagship location needs to be profitable and repeatable
If you are asking yourself questions like “Should I franchise my restaurant?”, “How do I scale my restaurant business?”, or “Is my restaurant ready to franchise?”, this episode is for you.
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 Franchise Dream vs Reality 00:02:41 The Turnkey Promise 00:06:03 Wrong Reasons To Franchise 00:09:17 Build Flagship First 00:12:20 My Fourth Location Disaster 00:14:41 Shiny Object Trap 00:17:20 Franchisees Go Rogue 00:20:50 The COVID Collapse Story 00:23:20 Gross Sales vs Profit 00:28:00 Death By A Thousand Cuts 00:30:26 The Legal Letter Warning 00:33:34 How To Be A Good Franchisor
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
Why One Franchisee Made 20% Profit and Another Lost Money
25 mai 2026
00:13:05
Why do two restaurants with the same brand and similar sales produce completely different profit margins?
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott breaks down why two restaurants can have completely different financial results.
Often, the difference comes down to something unexpected - the restaurant owner’s mindset, decisions, systems, and willingness to improve.
You’ll also hear why better bookkeeping and financial tracking matter and how growth-minded restaurant owners create stronger cash flow, more freedom, and more scalable businesses.
Tune in to discover:
✅Why two restaurants with the same brand and similar sales can have totally different profit margins ✅How owner mindset directly affects restaurant profitability ✅The blame game that sounds good, but keeps restaurant owners stuck ✅The importance of restaurant financials, bookkeeping, reporting, and systems ✅Why working harder in the business is not the same as building a better business ✅How growth-minded restaurant owners create more freedom, cash flow, and expansion opportunities
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 Two Restaurants Same Brand 00:04:40 Same Franchise Different Profit 00:07:40 Blame Versus Build 00:10:40 Why Growth Owners Win
-
✅About Us✅
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
How to Control Restaurant Labor Without Hurting Service
18 mai 2026
00:15:34
Are you cutting restaurant labor to save money… but accidentally destroying your restaurant’s profitability, customer experience, and team morale in the process?
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott breaks down one of the biggest mistakes restaurant owners make during slow seasons…
Blindly cutting labor and working more hours themselves instead of fixing the real problem.
Tune in to discover:
✅Why blindly cutting restaurant labor can hurt profits instead of helping them ✅What actually creates poor customer experiences and team stress ✅Why restaurant labor costs should move with revenue and sales volume ✅How slow-season decisions affect busy-season performance ✅When you might work 60-70 hours (and when you 100% shouldn’t)
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:13 Restaurant Owner Story 00:04:30 Bandaid Solution Trap 00:07:30 Spring Hiring Squeeze 00:10:45 Hamster Wheel Pattern 00:14:00 Lifeboat To Airplane
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
Weak Restaurant Standards Are Costing You Thousands
11 mai 2026
00:21:07
Are weak standards, poor employee accountability, and avoided financial conversations secretly destroying your restaurant's profitability?
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott (founder of Owner Shift) reveals one of the biggest hidden killers in restaurant management:
Inaction.
From avoiding financial reports to ignoring employee accountability, this episode explains why sticking your head in the sand keeps restaurants stuck, stressed, and unprofitable.
Tune in to discover:
✅ How avoiding your restaurant numbers hurts profitability ✅ Why successful restaurant owners embrace difficult conversations ✅ Why poor employee performance spreads through your culture ✅ The accountability framework Andrew uses with restaurant teams ✅ How restaurant systems break down over time ✅ Why operational standards determine business growth
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:04:00 Inaction Equals Action 00:07:20 System Or Person 00:10:30 Warning To Termination 00:14:00 Grease Toilet Disaster 00:17:00 Standards Get Diluted 00:19:30 Final Takeaway
Whether you run a single-location restaurant or a multi-unit operation, these restaurant leadership lessons can help you improve systems, increase accountability, strengthen your team culture, and grow a more profitable restaurant business.
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
Create a Better Workplace While Lowering Costs. Here’s How
04 mai 2026
00:28:02
Most restaurant owners think their labor cost is already as low as it can go. But what if they're wrong?
If your restaurant labor cost is sitting at 30-35% of sales, you're likely leaving thousands in profit on the table every month.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott (founder of Owner Shift) reveals why your management team believes lowering labor is impossible - and how to prove them wrong without cutting pay, slashing hours, or hurting your restaurant culture.
Tune in to discover:
✅ How to lower restaurant labor cost without cutting hours or underpaying staff ✅ The real reason your restaurant team feels overwhelmed (even when overstaffed) ✅ Why most restaurant managers resist lowering labor costs ✅ The dangerous belief keeping your restaurant stuck at "this is as efficient as we can get" ✅ Why adding more restaurant staff often leads to less work getting done ✅ The leadership shift that increases restaurant profit margins and employee retention
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:04:30 Belief Blocks Profit 00:07:30 Two Cooks Vs Five 00:10:30 Smaller Sandwich Test 00:14:00 The Newspaper Moment 00:17:00 Standards Over Softness 00:20:00 Whose Business Is It Really? 00:23:00 Why Staff Complain 00:25:30 Call People Up
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
If you're a restaurant owner struggling with profit, cash flow, or growth… this might be the most important episode you listen to this year.
Most people think restaurants fail because of bad food or bad service.
But that's rarely the real reason.
Restaurants usually fail because of bad decisions, flawed thinking, and misreading the numbers. And most owners don't even realize they're doing it.
In this episode, I break down the biggest mindset and strategy mistakes restaurant owners make - and how to fix them fast.
Tune in to discover:
✅ Why comparing weekly or monthly sales is misleading your decisions ✅ How to properly analyze restaurant financial data and avoid emotional mistakes ✅ The truth about restaurant seasonality (and how I grew winter sales by 50%) ✅ Why your P&L shows profit - but your bank account is empty ✅ The dangerous trap of merchant loans and why more cash won't fix a broken business ✅ Why opening a second restaurant location can hurt more than help ✅ The mindset shift that separates profitable restaurant owners from struggling ones
Whether you're running one location or thinking about scaling to multi-unit, this episode will help you stop guessing and start making smarter, data-driven decisions.
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:40 Week Over Week Trap 00:05:00 Seasonality 00:07:00 Pioneering Delivery 00:11:20 Data Versus Feelings 00:12:20 The Barbecue Client Story 00:17:00 External Versus Internal Control 00:19:20 Best Worker Worst Leader 00:20:20 Someday It Gets Better 00:22:40 Liquidity Is A Symptom 00:25:00 More Locations = More Problems
Hit play now and find out which thinking errors are costing you the most.
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Thinking of opening another restaurant? Avoid costly mistakes with my free guide:
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
Restaurant Staffing Problems? Here’s What You’re Doing Wrong
20 avr. 2026
00:14:23
Hiring more staff won't fix your restaurant staffing problems.
In fact, it's probably making them worse.
If you're constantly short-staffed, dealing with unreliable employees, or stuck working in your restaurant instead of on it… this episode will change the way you hire forever . I’m sharing the critical difference between hiring for relief vs hiring for leverage - and how this one mindset shift can transform your team, your profits, and your freedom as a restaurant owner.
Tune in to discover:
✅ Why hiring out of desperation is killing your restaurant business ✅ The difference between A, B, and C players… and why it matters more than your menu ✅ How to identify, attract, and retain top-performing restaurant employees ✅ Why "gut feel" hiring fails the moment you try to scale ✅ How paying your team more can actually lower your labor costs ✅ The exact mindset shift you need to build a self-running restaurant
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:00:30 Staffing vs. Leadership Mindset 00:01:30 The A-B-C Player Grid 00:03:10 Hiring to Level Up 00:04:10 Engineer Your Hiring System 00:05:50 The Reverse Roster Exercise 00:06:50 It's a Talent Game 00:08:10 Gut Feel Doesn't Scale 00:09:50 You Can't Overpay A-Players 00:10:30 The Dollar Raise Experiment 00:12:10 Hiring Drives Your Finances
-
✅Get your FREE copy of The Restaurant Manager Hiring Playbook✅
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
The Right Way to CUT COSTS in a Restaurant Business
06 avr. 2026
00:16:39
Most restaurant cost-cutting strategies fail because restaurant owners are cutting costs the wrong way - destroying profit margins and unknowingly making their business harder to run.
This episode will help you change that, so you can decrease costs and increase margins for the long term.
You’ll also hear why most cost-cutting strategies fail - and how to fix them without hurting your business, your team, or your customers.
Tune in to discover:
✅ Why aggressive cost-cutting backfires in restaurants ✅ The biggest mistake owners make with food cost… and how to avoid it ✅ How to reduce labor costs (without hurting service) ✅ The right way to increase menu prices… while keeping customers happy ✅ What you MUST do with any changes before rolling them out across your business ✅ The simple secret to increasing profit margins by 10%+
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 Why most cost-cutting plans fail 00:02:40 The comfort zone trap 00:04:00 Price increases done wrong 00:06:00 Inventory vs food cost myth 00:08:40 Smart labor scheduling 00:11:20 The 50 flyers mistake 00:13:20 Facebook ads "don't work" fallacy 00:15:00 Test first
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Thinking of opening another restaurant? Avoid costly mistakes with my free guide:
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
Why Doing It Yourself Is STOPPING Your Restaurant Growth
30 mars 2026
00:15:07
Most restaurant owners say, “I can’t afford help”... but what if that mindset is actually costing you tens of thousands of dollars every year?
This episode exposes one of the biggest mistakes restaurant owners make - trying to do everything themselves.
If you're stuck working long hours, struggling to grow sales, or feeling like your business isn’t moving forward, you need to understand how investing in your restaurant can help.
Andrew shares real experiences from his early days as a restaurant owner - including costly trial-and-error mistakes, failed marketing assumptions, and the hard truth about why figuring things out alone slows your growth.
Tune in to discover:
✅ Why saying “I can’t afford help” is holding your restaurant back ✅ The hidden cost of trial and error in your business ✅ How delaying decisions can cost you $50K+ in lost profit ✅ The difference between paying with time vs money ✅ Why learning from experts accelerates restaurant growth ✅ How to break out of the “stuck” phase and scale faster ✅ The mindset shift every successful restaurant owner makes
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 Podcast overview 00:02:00 The "I can't afford help" trap 00:04:05 Learn from others' mistakes 00:05:00 Self-made mindset 00:06:00 The delusional mailout math 00:07:40 You pay either way 00:09:00 The 5-10x time penalty 00:10:00 Who has what I don't know? 00:11:00 Seven years to location two 00:12:20 Choose your hard 00:13:40 Limiting belief to leverage
Listen now and discover why the smartest investment you can make is the one that saves you years of guessing.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
The High Sales Low Profit Trap - what most owners get wrong
23 mars 2026
00:22:16
If your restaurant is packed but your bank account isn’t growing, this shows you exactly why - and how to increase restaurant profits.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator, Andrew Scott (multi-unit restaurant owner with 20+ years of experience) breaks down one of the biggest myths in the industry:
More sales do NOT automatically mean more profit.
Most restaurant owners focus on getting more customers, but ignore the one metric that actually determines profitability.
If you don’t fix this metric first, more volume can actually make you poorer.
Tune in to discover:
✅ Why increasing sales can hurt your profits ✅The truth about restaurant prime cost (and why it matters) ✅How to properly match labor to demand ✅How to reduce costs and instantly improve cash flow ✅How to turn slow weekdays into revenue opportunities ✅Why every restaurant needs a clear P&L (profit & loss statement)
Key moments:
00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:00 - When Busy Means Broke 00:04:00 - Bare Bones Staffing Exceptions 00:06:40 - Your P&L Is Non-Negotiable 00:08:20 - Prime Costs Over 100% 00:10:00 - The 55% Prime Cost Target 00:12:00 - Protecting Your Profit Margin 00:14:00 - Fix Costs Before Marketing 00:17:00 - The Lean Model Framework 00:18:40 - Weekday Revenue Strategies 00:20:40 - Prioritize the Right Actions
If you feel stuck, working harder than ever in your restaurant, but you're still not making the money you want - this episode is the guide to increasing restaurant's profits.
-
✅About Us✅
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
How He Turned One Bagel Shop Into 6 Restaurants - Then Sold the Business for 5× | Chris Wietecha
16 mars 2026
01:04:11
Growing a profitable restaurant is hard. Scaling a restaurant to multiple locations is even harder. But building a restaurant business that someone will actually pay millions to buy?
That requires a completely different level.
In this episode, you’ll hear the real story of Chris Wietecha - and how he scaled a restaurant brand to six locations and sold it for a 5x multiple.
Like many restaurant owners, Chris faced the early challenges of overworking, inconsistent systems, staffing struggles, and thin profit margins.
But by focusing on better leadership, smarter systems, and operational discipline, he scaled the brand to six locations and millions in revenue - before selling the company to a restaurant group.
If you're a restaurant owner looking to grow, improve profitability, or eventually sell your business, this conversation will show you what actually happens behind the scenes.
Tune in to discover:
✅ How Chris went from one location to six restaurant locations
✅ The biggest mistakes restaurant owners make when opening a second location
✅ What systems and management structures matter when scaling restaurants
✅ The operational changes that dramatically improved profit margins
✅ Why many restaurant owners struggle with burnout and a lack of freedom
✅ The truth about restaurant exits and why most restaurants never sell
Key moments:
00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 Chris's origin story and first location 00:06:37 Growing to six locations 00:07:22 Readiness checklist for expansion 00:10:20 The danger of scaling unprofitable 00:15:00 Systems break at multi-unit 00:18:20 When Chris found ownership coaching 00:26:00 The cream cheese cost revelation 00:36:04 Coffee switch that boosted sales 00:40:20 What drove Chris to get help 00:47:00 Good versus great in business 00:52:40 The exit and 5x multiple explained 00:57:40 Why most restaurants can't sell
Listen now and start running your restaurant like a business that actually pays you.
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
The Weekly Restaurant Dashboard That Increases Profits
09 mars 2026
00:23:24
Most restaurant owners think more sales = more profit.
That’s a lie.
If your restaurant is busy but your bank account doesn’t reflect it, this episode will show you exactly why - and how to fix it.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott (multi-unit owner for 20+ years) breaks down the simple weekly tracking system that transformed his own restaurants - from stressed and losing money to structured and profitable.
If you’re tired of working 80+ hours a week, constantly putting out fires, and wondering where the money went… this is the system you need.
✅How to calculate prime cost (food + labor) properly
✅The ideal prime cost percentage for maximum restaurant profitability
✅Why increasing sales alone won’t fix your profit problem
✅The simple dashboard system that gives you visibility and control
Key moments:
00:01:30 Track numbers weekly 00:02:10 Painful first restaurant story 00:04:30 Discovering the real problem 00:05:30 The Issue With Monthly P&Ls 00:06:30 Weekly dashboard 00:07:30 Prime cost sweet spot 00:09:50 How the sales forecasting tool works 00:14:50 Year-over-year vs month-over-month 00:17:30 Planning three months ahead 00:18:50 How to actually get real results 00:19:50 The personal trainer analogy 00:21:10 Start tracking this week
Listen now and start running your restaurant like a business that actually pays you.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
How to Avoid Being Short-Staffed During Busy Season
02 mars 2026
00:25:40
What if you could predict exactly how many employees your restaurant will need before peak season hits?
No scrambling.
No desperate hiring.
No working 80-hour weeks.
Instead, what if you could have a clear restaurant labor forecast, a hiring funnel strategy, and a plan to maximize profit during your busiest months?
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott breaks down a simple but powerful Restaurant Peak Hiring Calculator that helps you forecast staffing needs - BEFORE your busy season hits.
Instead of reacting to sales increases, losing key staff members, and working 80-hour weeks, you’ll learn how to plan ahead using real numbers - so you can stay in the CEO seat and maximize profit.
Tune in to discover:
✅ How to calculate your projected peak season sales
✅ How to forecast restaurant labor hours accurately
✅ How to determine how many employees you’ll actually need
✅ Why 33% of new hires typically don’t work out
✅ The real math behind the restaurant hiring funnel
✅ How labor supply and demand impact restaurant wages
Key moments:
00:00:45 Why Owners Don't Plan Ahead 00:02:25 Two Major Turnover Seasons 00:03:45 The Peak Hiring Calculator 00:06:05 How the Six-Week Staffing Crisis Works 00:07:45 Calculating Year-Over-Year Sales Trends 00:09:25 Forecasting Peak Season Hours 00:11:25 The 800-Hour Gap Problem 00:13:45 Running the Flat Growth Scenario 00:15:25 Hiring Efficiency and Funnel Math 00:17:45 Good Months vs. Bad Months to Hire 00:21:25 Why "No Good Candidates" Is a Timing Problem 00:22:45 Peak Season Profit Potential
If you own a restaurant and want to stop the cycle of burnout and bad hires, this episode gives you the exact framework to get ahead.
Hit play now and build your staffing plan before your next busy season hits.
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
The 2026 Local SEO Playbook for Restaurants | With Claudia Tomina
23 févr. 2026
00:38:57
AI is changing how restaurants show up on Google - and most owners don’t even realize they’re invisible.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator, Andrew Scott sits down with local SEO expert Claudia Tomina to discuss important restaurant marketing updates.
They discuss how AI, Google’s evolving algorithms, and large language models (LLMs) are reshaping restaurant marketing.
If you're relying on just your Google Business Profile, QR codes for reviews, or old website content
…you may already be losing bookings, catering orders, and high-intent customers.
This conversation explains exactly what’s changed and what to fix immediately.
Tune in to discover:
✅ How AI interprets your restaurant (and why that matters)
✅ Why review quality now matters more than quantity
✅ The real risk of QR codes for Google reviews
✅ What “review jail” is… and how to avoid it
✅ Why outdated website content is hurting your rankings
✅ How AI booking and “agentic workflows” impact reservations
✅ The importance of review diversification (Yelp, TripAdvisor, Reddit, etc.)
✅ How to respond to negative reviews without damaging your brand
If you own or operate a restaurant and haven't audited your online presence recently, this episode is a timely reminder to do so.
Key moments:
00:01:15 Why AI Changed Restaurant Discovery 00:04:27 The Problem With Google-Only Strategies 00:07:33 How AI Reads Your Website 00:10:57 The QR Code Review Trap 00:13:23 Google's Secret Local Guide Questions 00:15:37 Review Quality Over Quantity 00:22:15 Missing Booking Links Kill Revenue 00:25:03 Agentic AI Workflows Are Coming 00:28:21 Three Steps to Fix Your Visibility
Hit play and find out what AI is telling your potential customers about you - before they even walk through the door.
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
Why do so many restaurant owners keep ending up in survival mode… even after sales recover and things “get better”?
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott breaks down why survival mode isn’t just “part of the industry”.
You’ll also learn how leadership psychology, pressure-based performance, and lack of planning during good times keep restaurants stuck in a constant cycle of stress, firefighting, and burnout.
Tune in to discover:
✅Why restaurant owners perform best under pressure… and why that’s DANGEROUS
✅How being the “hero” in your business actually keeps you small
✅The leadership mistakes that recreate chaos, staffing issues, and cash flow stress
✅Why seasonal dips (January, staffing crunches, slow months) are predictable - and preventable
✅How successful restaurant owners plan ahead instead of reacting
✅The mindset shift required to move from firefighting to leadership
If you're tired of the feast-or-famine rollercoaster and want to build a restaurant that runs without you white-knuckling through every season, press play now.
Key moments:
00:01:00 The Survival Mode Trap 00:03:00 Why We Need To Be Needed 00:05:20 The Hero High 00:07:00 Training Decay Cycle 00:09:00 Pressure Drives Performance 00:11:00 Chaos Is Not The Industry 00:12:40 January Comes Every Year 00:15:00 The April Hiring Crunch 00:17:00 Busy Season Profit Levers 00:20:00 The Stock Market Principle 00:25:00 Extreme Ownership Applied
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
✅How to build restaurant systems so you’re no longer the system
✅What it really takes to scale from one location to multiple locations
If you want more sales, more profit, and more freedom, stop being the hero. Press play and learn how to build a team that runs without you.
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
If your restaurant labor is stuck above 30%, these simple scheduling and productivity shifts can drop your restaurant labor costs fast - without cutting wages or overworking staff.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, multi-unit restaurant owner Andrew Scott breaks down proven restaurant labor management strategies that help operators reduce labor costs.
You’ll learn how to schedule smarter, increase productivity, and align staffing with sales volume so your restaurant runs leaner, smoother, and more profitably.
Tune in to hear about:
✅ Why your restaurant labor isn’t “too high”... something else is
✅ The ideal restaurant labor percentage for full-service vs quick-service
✅ How paying higher wages can actually lower your labor percentage
✅ Staggered start & end times to instantly reduce wasted labor hours
✅ How to schedule staff based on the data that matters
✅ The simple reason why overstaffing actually causes teams to work slower and get less done
✅ Daily checklists, prep windows, and operational standards that work
This episode shows you how to match restaurant staffing to sales, reduce waste, and build a more efficient operation using data and systems.
Key moments
00:00:45 Why your labor isn't high, your output is too low 00:02:25 Paying more to attract top performers 00:04:25 Staggered start and end times 00:06:25 Using a productivity calculator 00:09:05 Making cuts 00:10:45 Why over-staffed teams are slower 00:13:25 Creating artificial pressure 00:15:45 The daily checklist 00:17:45 Identifying anchor employees
If you're tired of bleeding money on labor while your team still feels overworked, this episode gives you the playbook to fix it.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
How to keep MORE of the profit your restaurant makes
20 janv. 2026
00:37:16
Running a restaurant is hard. Keeping it profitable is even harder.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott (Founder of OwnerShift) shares the four financial rules every restaurant owner needs to live by - if they want to keep their money once the profits start rolling in.
After almost 20 years as a restaurant owner and helping hundreds of clients grow their businesses, Andrew breaks down real-life scenarios.
Tune in if you want practical advice for avoiding the biggest money mistakes restaurant owners make.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✅Why profit is unnatural… and why most restaurant owners lose it
✅The biggest cash flow mistakes restaurant owners make after success
✅How much a restaurant owner should actually pay themselves
✅Why your bank account balance lies to you
✅The correct way to take owner’s draws without hurting your business
✅How to avoid sales tax and debt mistakes that shut restaurants down
✅How to set up financial guardrails so your restaurant survives long-term
Tune in now to discover the financial rules used to build sustainable, scalable restaurant businesses.
Key moments:
00:01:10 - Client Success to Crisis 00:03:30 - Why Profit Is “Unnatural” 00:04:30 - Buy High Sell Low? 00:07:10 - Letting Go of Basics 00:12:30 - The Four Financial Rules 00:14:10 - Taxes 00:18:10 - The Buffer Rule 00:22:30 - Emergency Fund Setup 00:29:50 - Owner's Draw System 00:31:30 - Bank Account Bonus
If you've got money coming in and you want to keep it there, this is your blueprint.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
In this FAQ episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator, Andrew Scott answers real questions submitted by restaurant owners.
Including questions about navigating POS systems, tech stacks, AI tools, marketing decisions, and third-party delivery (while staying profitable and protecting the guest experience).
You’ll also hear about what restaurant technology is actually worth paying for, what’s not, and how to make smarter decisions.
Tune in to discover:
✅ The real pros & cons of POS systems and add-ons ✅ When restaurant software is worth the cost (and when it’s not) ✅ How restaurant owners should use AI the right way ✅ In-house vs outsourced restaurant marketing strategy ✅ How to create restaurant social media content efficiently ✅ Systems to manage DoorDash, Uber Eats, and third-party delivery ✅ How to protect the dine-in experience while scaling delivery
Key moments:
00:01:00 Tech Stacks Actually Worth the Investment 00:03:20 The Best Software Rule 00:05:20 Integrating Systems That Work 00:07:20 Using AI in Your Restaurant 00:10:40 Marketing In-House vs Outsourcing 00:14:00 Creating Content Easily 00:17:00 Evaluating Agency ROI 00:18:20 Third-Party Delivery Balance 00:21:40 Staffing for Actual Volume 00:24:20 Third-Party Pricing Strategy
Listen now to get straight answers to the questions restaurant owners are actually asking.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
The #1 Belief Keeping Your Restaurant from Growing
05 janv. 2026
00:20:51
Is your mindset the real reason your restaurant isn’t growing?
If you're constantly blaming food costs, labor shortages, or the economy, this episode will challenge everything you think you know about restaurant success.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, multi-unit restaurant owner Andrew Scott dives deep into the mindset shifts every restaurant owner must make - to unlock increased profits, freedom, and long-term success.
Too many restaurant owners believe it’s impossible to run a profitable restaurant and have a great life. This is simply not true.
Tune in to discover:
✅The real cost of believing your restaurant can’t be profitable
✅Why “no one good to hire” is just a belief keeping you broke
✅The weird psychological phenomenon shaping your results… and how to change them
✅The mindset shift that helped Andrew grow by 30% in one year
✅Why venting with other struggling owners keeps you stuck
✅The key question to ask when you're not hitting your goals
Whether you’re struggling to increase profitability, lower food and labor costs, or just feeling burned out from 80-hour weeks, this episode offers a serious mindset reset.
Key moments:
00:01:00 The Belief Ceiling 00:03:40 Hiring Belief Trap 00:05:20 The $5 Beer That Changed Everything 00:07:20 The True Cost of Not Knowing 00:09:00 Why You Need a Bigger Room 00:10:40 Pity Parties Kill Progress 00:13:00 Stories We Tell Ourselves 00:16:40 Finding Someone Who Tells Hard Truths 00:18:20 Short-Term Comfort Costs
Listen now and discover the belief shifts that separate restaurant owners who thrive from those who just survive.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
Restaurant sales crash every January... here’s how to stop the bleeding before it starts.
Welcome to the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast with your host, Andrew Scott.
Today, we're diving deep into how to plan for and survive the winter sales slump that hits many restaurants in January and February.
Listen now and build your winter-proof restaurant strategy before the slow season hits!
Tune in to discover:
✅How to compare January vs January (not December) for real performance insights
✅Why cutting marketing during slow months is the wrong move
✅The best types of promotions to run in cold weather months
✅Why planning winter marketing in November is crucial
✅How past financial patterns can predict future pain
✅Quick-win ideas to increase foot traffic and repeat visits
If your restaurant sales drop after Christmas, you’re not alone. This episode is packed with actionable strategies to help you.
Key moments:
00:01:25 Understanding your seasonal patterns 00:04:45 The January cash crunch 00:07:45 Emotional reactions vs. staying the course 00:09:25 Should you cut marketing? 00:11:45 Planning your marketing 00:15:05 The stubborn new location story 00:19:45 Why your reality can change 00:23:25 The power of value offers 00:26:45 Holiday promotions 00:31:25 The thousand golden BBs principle 00:33:45 Compare year over year
The restaurant cash crunch that hits in January can become a pattern you can predict, plan for, and beat.
Tune in to hear how.
-
✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅
Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee):
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
How To Grow Restaurant Sales Without Discounting | With Kim Shapiro
09 déc. 2025
00:45:51
This episode will completely change how you think about restaurant growth, profitability, and freedom - straight from a multi-unit owner who scaled back and made more money.
Welcome to the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast.
In this episode, Andrew Scott sits down with restaurant powerhouse Kim Shapiro, uncovering exactly how she scaled, simplified, and systemized her multi-location restaurant business.
Kim shares her 40+ years of experience in the restaurant industry…
Including growing up in a family-run restaurant to managing 7 successful concepts and more.
She also reveals how she went from burnout and survival mode to building a profitable business that runs without her.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
✅ How to stop working in your restaurant and start working on it
✅ The exact moment Kim realized more sales don’t mean more profit
✅ How to hit a 55-60% prime cost (and what it means for your bottom line)
✅ The planning secret used by the world's top-performing restaurants
✅ How creative event marketing can explode your traffic
✅ The #1 mindset shift that will unlock time freedom and bigger profits
✅ The metrics you MUST track if you want to be profitable (hint: stop relying on your P&L)
If you're a restaurant owner struggling with profitability, stuck in the day-to-day grind, or unsure how to grow your sales without discounting - this episode is packed with real, actionable insights you can implement right now.
Key moments:
00:02:20 Growing up in the restaurant industry 00:05:40 Rent-to-sales ratio reality check 00:08:00 The "I can't" to "I don't know how yet" shift 00:12:40 Reactive vs proactive restaurant management 00:17:40 Planning three months ahead minimum 00:19:00 Creating viral experiences without discounts 00:22:20 Marketing is the tax for being unremarkable 00:27:00 Using vendors as intelligence sources 00:31:00 Time blocking for restaurant owners 00:39:40 The weekly tracker that saves months of guessing
Hit play now and learn the planning framework that took Kim from barely-surviving multi-unit owner to the profitable, freedom-filled restaurant life she has today.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
If you're planning to scale your restaurant business, this is the blueprint for buying existing restaurants the smart way - straight from a 20-year restaurant industry veteran.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott shares what every restaurant owner needs to know before purchasing an existing business or expanding to new locations.
From costly mistakes made on his first restaurant acquisition to insider tips on evaluating financials, negotiating leases, and spotting red flags...
This episode is packed with real-world advice to help you scale your restaurant empire (without going broke).
Tune in to hear about:
✅ How to assess if you’re actually ready to scale to a second location
✅ The exact financial documents you need before buying a restaurant
✅ What EBITDA multiple to use for restaurant valuation
✅ Negotiation tactics with sellers and landlords
✅ The pros and cons of buying vs. building from scratch
✅ Lease agreement tips that can save you thousands
Listen to this episode before you sign another lease or make an offer on that available restaurant.
Key Moments:
00:01:40 Are You Really Ready for Location Two? 00:03:20 Avoid Scaling to Bankruptcy 00:06:00 Purchasing an Existing Business 00:09:00 Equipment Assessment 00:12:00 Negotiating the Best Deal 00:18:00 Location Selection 00:22:20 Competition Research 00:25:00 Contractors & Timelines
Buying a restaurant can grow your empire -or bankrupt it.
The strategies Andrew shares could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of regret.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
How To Get Restaurant Managers To Think Like Restaurant Owners
24 nov. 2025
00:26:02
Tired of restaurant managers who don’t take initiative, don’t know their numbers, and always need hand-holding?
Welcome back to the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast with your host Andrew Scott, a multi-unit restaurant owner with nearly 20 years of experience helping restaurant leaders grow sales, improve profits, and reclaim their time.
In this episode, Andrew is tackling one of the biggest challenges in hospitality:
"How do I get my restaurant managers to take ownership and accountability?"
If you're constantly pulling your managers across the finish line instead of coaching them to lead, this episode is for you.
Tune in to hear about:
✅ Why most accountability issues are rooted in selection or training
✅ How to shift from spoonfeeding managers to developing true leadership
✅ The power of scoreboards and measurable KPIs in driving performance
✅ How to structure weekly one-on-ones so managers come prepared
✅ The reporting secret that’s key to winning the week, month, and quarter
✅ How to identify if a manager has real initiative (or if they’re just holding a title)
This episode is packed with real-world examples, coaching approaches, and actionable strategies you can implement immediately to improve your restaurant management.
Key moments:
00:01:11 The Spoonfeeding Problem 00:02:48 Setting Clear Expectations 00:06:09 Making Unprepared Painful 00:12:08 The Scoreboard Principle 00:16:30 Leading vs Pulling 00:20:48 Training or Selection 00:23:46 The Two-Factor Test
Stop doing everything yourself.
Click play and learn how to build a team that actually takes ownership.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
How Smart Restaurant Owners Use Data to Explode Profits | With Russ Hawkins
17 nov. 2025
00:48:08
Data is the secret weapon of today’s most profitable restaurants.
Join Andrew Scott and Russ Hawkins as they break down how to use numbers and data to scale your restaurant, cut costs, and increase your revenue.
If you're a restaurant owner, multi-unit operator, or manager looking to improve your profits, reduce staff turnover, or optimize operations, this episode is packed with actionable insights you can use today.
Tune in to discover
✅ How to use POS data to drive smarter decisions
✅ Why most restaurant owners are losing money… without realizing it
✅ Hidden margin leaks every operator should be tracking immediately
✅ The surprising way you can use data to reduce employee churn
✅ Real-world strategies to upsell and boost average check size
✅ Simple data points that reveal massive profit potential
By the end of this episode, you’ll know all the hidden profit leaks costing you thousands - that simple data tracking reveals instantly.
Ready to stop flying blind and start making data-driven decisions that actually grow your bottom line?
Listen now to discover the systems that transform overwhelmed operators into profitable business owners who work less and earn more.
-
✅About Russ Hawkins✅
Russ Hawkins has spent over 35 years in the technology industry and is the president and CEO of the leading data technology and SASS Analytics company, Agilence.
Agilence, helps retailers, grocers, and restaurants improve their operational effectiveness and uncover preventable losses using the data already in their hands.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
If you’re a restaurant owner asking yourself, “Should I sell or fix my restaurant?” - then you need to know that getting this right could mean the difference between a six-figure loss or a thriving comeback.
In this episode, Andrew Scott is breaking down the real-world process of selling a restaurant - including the hidden costs, timelines, legal headaches, buyer red flags, and common myths that most operators don’t see coming.
You’ll hear about things like:
✅How to properly value your restaurant using EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization)
✅The truth about restaurant assets vs. actual profit
✅Why most restaurant sales fall apart
✅Common reasons owners want to sell… and why most are for the wrong reasons
✅The massive difference between a profitable business vs. a sellable business
✅When fixing your restaurant is often faster, cheaper, and more profitable than selling
Before you list your business or talk to a broker, listen to this episode!
Key moments:
00:01:40 Sell or Fix a Restaurant 00:03:20 How Business Valuations Work 00:06:00 Why Your Business Worth Less Than You Think 00:12:00 Hidden Costs Of Selling 00:20:20 Why Banks Won't Finance Your Sale 00:25:00 Supply and Demand 00:28:00 The “Fix It” Path 00:31:20 Your Business Beliefs 00:37:40 Paying the Ignorance Tax 00:43:20 Data Driven Decisions
Listen now to understand the real costs of selling versus fixing, and make the choice that protects your investment.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
How Much Should I Pay Myself As A Restaurant Owner? (Real Numbers & Strategies)
03 nov. 2025
00:34:54
If you're running a restaurant and not paying yourself properly, you're not running a business… you're running a liability.
Tune in today and see how to build a profitable restaurant that pays you like a real CEO.
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, industry veterans Andrew Scott and Nathan Voulgaris break down strategies for setting your owner pay.
You also get a deeper understanding of profit vs cash flow and making sure you don’t sacrifice your personal income for your business's survival.
Tune in to discover:
✅How to calculate a sustainable restaurant owner's salary
✅Why not paying yourself is a red flag, not a sacrifice
✅Creating financial buffers and business savings
✅How to spot financial blind spots in your operation
✅What restaurant owners get wrong about slow seasons
✅Why "pay yourself first" is bad advice (in some cases at least)
✅ Practical advice on restaurant accounting, break-even analysis, and salary planning
Over the years, we’ve seen it all.
From owners who don’t pay themselves at all, to those who take too much and cripple their restaurant’s finances.
This episode will help you avoid these common and costly mistakes in your restaurant business.
Key moments:
00:01:20 Owner Pay Fundamentals 00:03:00 Common Compensation Mistakes 00:05:40 Profit vs Cash Flow 00:09:20 Managing Business Reserves 00:14:20 Understanding Financial Statements 00:19:40 Setting Profit Targets 00:23:40 Strategic Cash Management 00:27:40 Seasonal Profit Planning 00:31:40 Personal Finance Integration
If you're serious about building a profitable restaurant that pays you what you're worth - this episode is for you.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
How A BBQ Restaurant Added $150,000 In Net Profit In Only 6 Months | With Donnie Saviak
27 oct. 2025
00:57:02
This restaurant owner turned a $110,000 loss into a thriving business, while taking back his time, team, and mental health.
Welcome back to the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast with host Andrew Scott - a restaurant owner turned restaurant growth coach helping operators increase profits, reduce stress, and reclaim their freedom.
Today, Andrew is talking with Donnie Saviak, a Calgary restaurant owner who went from losing $110,000 to earning $40,000 in profit in just a few months.
Donnie opens up about the real struggles behind restaurant ownership - including his crushing debt and burnout, to rebuilding his business and his mindset.
Tune in to discover:
✅How one restaurant owner turned a struggling business into a profitable restaurant
✅The mental health challenges of entrepreneurship and how to overcome them
✅Why restaurant profit margins don’t have to be 4-6%... and how to INCREASE margins
✅The truth about scaling from 1 to multiple locations
✅How better systems, hiring, and pricing can completely transform your restaurant
✅The dark side of restaurant ownership that nobody talks about
✅How to stop working 100‑hour weeks and finally get your life back
In this episode, you’ll also learn how to create processes, lead your team, raise prices confidently, and fix your margins so your restaurant works for you.
Key moments:
00:01:40 Mental Health Challenges 00:06:20 Catering to Smokehouse 00:09:00 Learning from The Wrong Mentors 00:14:40 The Reality Of Restaurant Profitability 00:21:40 The Breaking Point 00:29:20 Tracking and Metrics 00:36:00 Understanding True Costs 00:43:20 Team Building Strategy 00:50:20 Work-Life Transformation
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
If you’ve ever felt frustrated with restaurant employees, blamed the economy, or wondered why your restaurant's profitability isn’t improving - this episode will challenge you to look in the mirror.
Because it turns out, there’s a high chance you are the problem in your business.
But that's actually the best news you could receive.
Join Andrew Scott (Founder of Owner Shift) as he shares how restaurant systems, processes, and leadership skills directly impact restaurant growth.
Tune in to learn:
✅ Why every restaurant owner is both the problem and the solution in their business
✅ How to identify whether an issue is a people problem or a process problem
✅ Practical ways to improve restaurant training systems and accountability
✅ How to take full leadership responsibility and stop blaming external factors
✅ The mindset shifts that separate struggling operators from thriving multi-unit owners
Through real examples, like the "streaky mirror incident" that plagued multiple locations, you'll discover how seemingly small changes in your approach can eliminate problems you've blamed on everything and anything.
Key Moments:
00:01:40 The Core Question 00:04:40 Business Growth Equation 00:06:00 Everything Falls On Leadership 00:08:00 System vs People Problems 00:11:20 Anonymous Team Surveys 00:13:40 Asking Different Questions 00:15:00 Inaction Is Action 00:18:20 The Mirror Story 00:21:00 Common Sense Isn't Common 00:24:20 Changing The Inputs
It doesn’t matter if you're running one location or multiple units - this episode will help you reflect on your role, upgrade your skills, and ultimately unlock new levels of restaurant growth and profitability.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
5 Money Models to Boost Restaurant Profits in 7 Days
13 oct. 2025
00:44:49
Struggling with slim profit margins in your restaurant?
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Scott (founder of Owner Shift) shares 5 proven restaurant growth strategies you can use to boost profits and cash flow - in just 7 days.
You’ll walk away with actionable insights you can implement immediately.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
✅ How to increase restaurant profits fast with smart menu pricing
✅ Simple ways to reduce food cost without lowering quality
✅ Why portion control can make or break your margins
✅ Proven strategies for restaurant labor cost control and scheduling
✅ Practical upselling methods to increase average check size and boost sales
Key moments:
00:01:35 Pricing Strategy 00:03:55 Market Analysis 00:06:55 Product Management 00:09:55 Portioning Systems 00:13:55 Scheduling Optimization 00:17:55 Labor Productivity 00:20:55 Inventory Control 00:29:55 Upselling Techniques 00:35:35 Dessert Psychology 00:40:15 Server Metrics
Ready to stop working harder for less money?
This episode hands you the exact playbook to increase profits THIS WEEK - through simple adjustments to pricing, portioning, scheduling, inventory, and upselling systems.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
If you’re a restaurant owner who’s always covering shifts, stuck in 80-hour weeks, and constantly putting out fires - you need to know that restaurant owner burnout is real.
And it’s costing you your freedom, your profits, and your life.
Multi-unit restaurant owner and founder of Ownershift, Andrew Scott, and Client Success Director, Dave Doyle, break down why so many independent restaurant owners are burned out, stuck in the weeds, and unable to grow.
Tune in to discover:
✅Why restaurant owner burnout is so common (and totally avoidable)
✅How to identify the real root problems hiding behind daily chaos
✅The one simple tracking exercise that will expose every operational weakness
✅The 7-word phrase that shifts your team from dependent to empowered
✅How to stop acting like an overpaid line cook and start leading like a CEO
✅The reason your restaurant feels stuck… and how to systemize your way out
Whether you're running one location or several, this is your blueprint to stop firefighting and start scaling.
Key moments:
00:01:50 Marketing Won't Fix Time Problems 00:04:10 The Second Half Success 00:05:50 80 Hours Isn’t Impressive 00:08:50 Track Every Interruption 00:11:50 People Problems 00:15:10 Finding Real Solutions 00:17:50 Drama Vs Progress 00:21:50 Systems Beat Intentions 00:24:50 Deadlines 00:28:50 Tracking For Profit 00:36:30 Say These Seven Magic Words 00:39:50 You Get What You Tolerate
This is for independent restaurant owners ready to reclaim their time, increase profitability, and create a business that thrives without being chained to it 24/7.
-
*The book mentioned in this episode* “The One Thing” by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
Smarter Kitchen = Bigger Profits: Restaurant Kitchen Systems That Work
29 sept. 2025
00:34:13
Your kitchen could be costing you thousands in hidden labor and wasted time.
In this episode of The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, your host, Andrew Scott, sits down with kitchen expert Bruce Nollert.
Together, they share how optimizing your kitchen layout, systems, and equipment can massively increase your restaurant’s efficiency, profitability, and team performance.
Whether you’re a restaurant owner, multi-unit operator, or kitchen manager, this episode is packed with real-life restaurant strategies that will help you:
Tune in to discover:
✅The #1 kitchen management question to ask your team daily
✅Why overstaffed kitchens often get less done (and how to fix it)
✅Real ROI examples of smart equipment purchases
✅How poor kitchen design kills table turns in full-service restaurants
✅The role of menu design in efficiency and profitability
✅Why simplifying your menu can be your biggest win to date
Key Moments:
00:01:45 Bruce's Mafia Pizza Beginning 00:07:05 Building New Restaurant Essentials 00:12:45 Labor Percentage Paradox 00:14:45 Kitchen Layout Design Strategy 00:19:25 Equipment Investment ROI 00:25:45 Portioning Everything First 00:28:45 Time Study Analysis 00:31:45 Menu Minimalism
You're probably bleeding money in your kitchen - this episode will help you fix your layout, streamline operations, and boost profits… starting today.
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call
High stress. Long hours. Angry outbursts. If your restaurant is running you into the ground, it’s time to get honest about emotional control - and how it could be killing your business
In this episode of the Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast, host Andrew Scott - Founder of Owner Shift, 20-year restaurant veteran, and multi-location owner - gets real about the anger, frustration, and emotional pressure that restaurant owners face every day.
Joined by Dave Doyle, Director of Client Success at Owner Shift, Andrew shares shocking (and hilarious) true stories from his early years as a struggling owner.
More importantly, he breaks down the anger management techniques and leadership tools that helped him transform from a reactive, overwhelmed operator into a calm, strategic restaurant leader.
Here’s what you’ll learn on this episode:
✅How to manage anger and stress as a restaurant owner so you don’t damage your business
✅The #1 mindset shift that transformed a toxic work culture into a high-performing team
✅Why staff turnover is often a leadership problem (and how to fix it)
✅Real-world examples of poor leadership reactions - along with what to do instead
✅How to recognize early warning signs of burnout and avoid emotional outbursts
Key Moments:
00:01:00 Restaurant Owner Anger Crisis 00:02:40 Living in Overdraft Hell 00:05:20 The $250 Scam Meltdown 00:09:00 Facebook Stool Throwing Incident 00:14:00 Learning to Take Breath 00:17:00 The Chef Base Disaster 00:22:00 Can't Change Feelings Can Change Actions 00:25:00 Recognizing Physical Warning Signs 00:28:20 The 24 Hour Rule Concept 00:34:00 Customer Complaint Responses 00:37:00 Getting Three Sides
Whether you're dealing with burnt inventory, staff mistakes, or the crushing stress of negative cash flow…
This episode gives you the tools to protect your business from your own worst enemy - your uncontrolled emotional reactions.
-
✅About Us✅
The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.
Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.
✅For Restaurant Owners✅
Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call: 👉 Restaurant Assessment Call