Restaurant Misfits

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Get practical restaurant management advice from the Restaurant Misfits podcast. Learn how to navigate the industry effectively.

This episode features a candid discussion between two industry professionals. They break down the realities of running a food service business, focusing on the day-to-day operations and strategic decisions that impact your bottom line. Whether you are scaling your kitchen or refining your service flow, this conversation provides honest insight into what it takes to succeed.

By examining current restaurant industry trends, you can better identify where to focus your resources. We discuss how to balance hardware and software needs with the human element of hospitality to keep your business running smoothly.

Subscribe for weekly restaurant management tips, and comment below with your biggest challenge in the kitchen.

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This episode features a roundtable discussion focused on the realities of running a food service business. We examine the dynamics of effective team dialogue and how to manage the day-to-day challenges that arise in a busy kitchen or dining room. Whether you are struggling with staff coordination or just looking for new perspectives on leadership, these insights provide practical ways to refine your approach.

We break down the specific interactions between team members to highlight what works and what causes friction. By analyzing these real-world discussions, you can identify better ways to handle restaurant operations and foster a more collaborative culture among your own staff. Use these takeaways to streamline your management style and create a more cohesive environment for your team.

🍽️ Learn more about how to scale your restaurant through Dineline’s done-for-you marketing program: https://dineline.co/yt

Watch the latest Restaurant Misfits conversation to improve your restaurant operations and team communication strategies.

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In this episode, we sit down with Melissa to discuss the nuances of running a venue outside the corporate playbook. We explore the unfiltered truth behind the decisions that keep a business afloat and the lessons learned from the front lines of the industry. This conversation is essential for independent restaurant owners looking to carve out their own path.

Whether you are managing staff or refining your guest experience, understanding these operational challenges is vital for long-term survival. We focus on the practical steps you can take to build a brand that reflects your personal vision rather than just following industry trends.

🍽️ Learn more about how to scale your restaurant through Dineline’s done-for-you marketing program: https://dineline.co/yt

Improve your restaurant management strategy by hearing from those navigating the daily realities of the hospitality business.

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In this episode, we sit down to discuss the realities of the restaurant industry from an unconventional perspective. Whether you are struggling with standard operational norms or looking to build a brand that stands apart from the competition, this conversation offers an honest look at what it takes to succeed on your own terms.

We break down the strategies that define effective restaurant management for those who prefer to challenge the status quo rather than follow the crowd. By embracing your specific identity, you can create a more authentic guest experience that builds lasting loyalty.

🍽️ Learn more about how to scale your restaurant through Dineline’s done-for-you marketing program: https://dineline.co/yt

Are you one of the restaurant misfits? We explore the unique challenges of running a business when you don't fit the mold.

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🍽️ Learn more about how to scale your restaurant through Dineline’s done-for-you marketing program: https://dineline.co/yt

Join us for a restaurant management podcast interview with Cherryh Cansler. See how industry leaders tackle daily operations.

In this episode of Restaurant Misfits, Cherrysh Cansler shares her perspective on the evolving restaurant industry. We discuss the practical strategies needed to keep operations running smoothly while maintaining quality standards.

Whether you are just starting or looking to optimize your existing workflow, this conversation highlights the essential pillars of the hospitality business. Learn how to better align your team and focus on the metrics that truly impact your bottom line.

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This episode is different. Not only did we sit down with the man who literally brought birria from Mexico to the US — but I also did a live marketing breakdown of his business on the second half of the episode. First time we've ever done this on the show.

Raul Luis is the owner of Birrieria Chalio. His family started selling birria out of their house in East LA in the 1970s (yes, the SWAT team showed up once — you'll hear that story). 50+ years later, they're running four locations, doing $4.5M/year at their Texas store alone, and are known as the kings of birria in America.

We got into the real stuff — how his dad brought live goats over during the Bracero program, why they didn't have a menu for the first decade, how they figured out to steam-cook birria for 8-10 hours after the fire department shut down their traditional underground method, and the lesson from Ricardo Diaz that kept Raul up at night for three days.

Then I flipped the script. I pulled up his website live, walked him through what's broken, showed him exactly why he's flying blind on his $800/mo ad spend, and reverse-engineered what it'll take to hit his $8M goal.

If you own a restaurant — especially a legacy one — this is the episode.

🍽️ Learn more about how to scale your restaurant through Dineline’s done-for-you marketing program: https://dineline.co/growth/watch/Youtube

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If you're a restaurant owner running ads right now, you need to hear this one before you spend another dollar.

I sat down with my co-founder Jace Kovacevich — the guy actually running the ad strategy across every restaurant we work with at Dineline. $65M+ in ad spend managed. 2,500+ restaurant concepts. He's in the ad accounts every single day. This dude has seen what works and what doesn't across every category, every market, every price point.

Jace gets brutally direct about what's really working in restaurant paid media right now — why boosting posts isn't a strategy, what your CPA should actually look like, and the math most operators are getting completely wrong when they try to judge if their ads are working.

This isn't theory. This is the guy sitting behind the wheel of hundreds of restaurant ad accounts, telling you exactly what he sees every day.

🍽️ Learn more about how to scale your restaurant through Dineline’s done-for-you marketing program: https://dineline.co/growth/watch/Youtube

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This is the episode I'll be recommending to every restaurant owner I talk to this year.

I sat down with Craig Susser, founder of Craig's Restaurant in LA and Nashville. 35 years in the industry. Waiter, bartender, maitre d' for 22 years, and now one of the most respected names in fine dining. This guy has seen it all.

Craig gets brutally transparent about what it actually takes to survive and scale in this business right now — margins, labor costs, the online review nightmare, what hospitality really means, and why most operators are one bad decision away from losing the regulars they worked years to build.

This isn't theory. This is someone who's been in the trenches for three decades and figured out what works.

🍽️ Learn more about how to scale your restaurant through Dineline’s done-for-you marketing program: https://dineline.co/growth/watch/Youtube

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Babak Bina didn’t just survive the restaurant industry. He bent an entire city around his vision.

After landing in Boston as an immigrant, washing dishes to stay alive, he spent the next 30 years building concepts that defined the city’s dining scene.

Babak talks about the moments operators never admit publicly:
– The lowest point where he almost walked away
– Flooding an entire dining room and owning the fallout
– Reinventing concepts while everyone else plays it safe
– Investing in people instead of chasing shiny ideas
– The pandemic moments that could’ve erased everything
– What immigrants understand about hospitality that others don’t
– The belief he holds that most operators will disagree with

The market is shifting again. The operators who grow from here will be the ones who think like Babak — conviction, adaptability, and brutal honesty.

This is one of the strongest interviews we’ve ever released.
If you’re tired of surface-level advice, press play.

🍽️ Learn more about how to scale your restaurant through Dineline’s done-for-you marketing program: https://dineline.co

📲 Grow your restaurant the SMART way with our proprietary restaurant software, Dishio: https://get.dish.io/

🎓 Take a look at our FREE Restaurant Marketing Course: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL403WqY9pN16aGIQc02X1nXFQLg0ThWuF

Follow us on Instagram for tips to grow your restaurant: https://www.instagram.com/dinelineco/

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Jordan Boesch didn’t wait for a better solution to manage staff schedules. He built it.

He was just a kid when he saw his dad struggling to manage his team's schedule. Spreadsheets, paper, chaos—you know the drill.

So what did he do?

He coded a tool to help his dad out. Fast forward a few years… and that tool became 7shifts—now used by over 50,000 restaurants to manage their teams, schedules, and payroll.

I sat down with Jordan on the latest episode of Restaurant Misfits and got the full story:

• How he scaled a side project into a restaurant tech powerhouse
• What he’s seeing across thousands of operators right now
• His take on AI, retention, labor costs—and what’s next for restaurants
• The biggest mistakes owners still make with their staff

Whether you're running one location or scaling a group, this one’s packed with gold.

🍽️ Learn more about how to scale your restaurant through Dineline’s done-for-you marketing program: https://dineline.co

📲 Grow your restaurant the SMART way with our proprietary restaurant software, Dishio: https://get.dish.io/

🎓 Take a look at our FREE Restaurant Marketing Course: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL403WqY9pN16aGIQc02X1nXFQLg0ThWuF

Follow us on Instagram for tips to grow your restaurant: https://www.instagram.com/dinelineco/

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Ever wonder what it takes to make people fall in love with sushi? Chef Cheng Lin has the answer.

In this new episode, I interview Chef Cheng Lin, the mastermind behind Brooklyn’s Michelin-starred Shota Omakase. And let me tell you... he doesn’t just make sushi—he LIVES it. For him, Japanese cuisine is an art, and every detail matters.

We dive into the omakase bubble in NY, the hidden costs of a cancelled reservation, and how it took him a YEAR to find the perfect location. Plus, the future of AI in restaurants, Google vs. ChatGPT, and the secret to making anyone fall in love with sushi.

Whether you run a restaurant or just love next-level food, this episode will be quite the treat!

If you’re in the restaurant or hospitality space, this is one episode you can’t afford to miss.

🍽️ Learn more about how to scale your restaurant through Dineline’s done-for-you marketing program: https://dineline.co

📲 Grow your restaurant the SMART way with our proprietary restaurant software, Dishio: https://get.dish.io/

🎓 Take a look at our FREE Restaurant Marketing Course: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL403WqY9pN16aGIQc02X1nXFQLg0ThWuF

Follow us on Instagram for tips to grow your restaurant: https://www.instagram.com/dinelineco/

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Dr. Cheng isn’t just the Dean of FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality—he’s a major force behind SOBEWFF (South Beach Wine & Food Festival), one of the largest food festivals in the world, drawing over 120,000 attendees and raising more than $40 million for hospitality education just this year alone! That’s beyond impressive—it’s changing the landscape of hospitality and education forever!

In this episode, Dr. Cheng shares exclusive insights on:
✔️ How SOBEWFF went from a small event to one of the biggest food festivals in the world
✔️ What it takes to manage 500+ chefs at once
✔️ The latest trends in hospitality, from AI-driven guest experiences to hyper-personalized menus
✔️ And last, but not least, how restaurant owners can and should be using data to drive more revenue! (I was so happy to hear him say this!)

If you’re in the restaurant or hospitality space, this is one episode you can’t afford to miss.

🍽️ Learn more about how to scale your restaurant through Dineline’s done-for-you marketing program: https://dineline.co

📲 Grow your restaurant the SMART way with our proprietary restaurant software, Dishio: https://get.dish.io/

🎓 Take a look at our FREE Restaurant Marketing Course: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL403WqY9pN16aGIQc02X1nXFQLg0ThWuF

Follow us on Instagram for tips to grow your restaurant: https://www.instagram.com/dinelineco/

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Award-winning chef Brad Kilgore has built a restaurant empire, from Michelin-starred kitchens to launching Kilgore Culinary Group. In this episode, we dive into:

🔥 His journey from Kansas to Miami’s top restaurants
🔥 Lessons from working at Alinea & L2o
🔥 How he built & scaled multiple restaurant concepts
🔥 The role of marketing, AI, and innovation in hospitality
🔥 What the future holds for the restaurant industry

📢 Don’t miss this deep dive into Mastering Fine Dining & Business Growth!

🍽️ Learn more about how to scale your restaurant through Dineline’s done-for-you marketing program: https://dineline.co

📲 Grow your restaurant the SMART way with our proprietary restaurant software, Dishio: https://get.dish.io/

🎓 Take a look at our FREE Restaurant Marketing Course: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL403WqY9pN16aGIQc02X1nXFQLg0ThWuF

Follow us on Instagram for tips to grow your restaurant: https://www.instagram.com/dinelineco/

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n this episode of Restaurant Misfi, we explore how restaurants can unlock new revenue streams, enhance branding, and optimize operations with smart, data-driven strategies.

Joining us is Peter Litvinenko, CEO of WorkEatPlay, a platform transforming how restaurants monetize downtime by renting tables as workspaces during slow hours. Dubbed the "Airbnb for restaurants," WorkEatPlay currently operates at one Hamptons and five New York City venues, helping restaurants increase revenue while catering to remote workers.

Beyond maximizing space, we discuss how restaurants can embrace marketing as a truth accelerator, maintain brand consistency, and cater to both local and tourist audiences in an ever-evolving industry.

💡 What You’ll Learn:
✔ How WorkEatPlay is redefining how restaurants generate revenue outside traditional dining hours.
✔ Why the real estate should dictate the concept and how location impacts restaurant success.
✔ The importance of being Instagrammable and creating a visually compelling brand experience.
✔ How to use data collection (like Dishio) to enhance guest engagement.
✔ The role of cross-collaboration between brands to boost visibility and customer reach.
✔ The evolution of restaurant managers, their growing responsibilities, and strategies for managing large teams.
✔ Why creating scorecards for employees and investing in training leads to better guest experiences.
✔ How QR code menus are shaping modern restaurant operations and improving efficiency.

If you’re a restaurant owner, operator, or marketer, this episode is packed with insights on innovating your business, improving branding, and driving profitability in today’s competitive restaurant landscape.

🍽️ Learn more about how to scale your restaurant through Dineline’s done-for-you marketing program: https://dineline.co

📲 Grow your restaurant the SMART way with our proprietary restaurant software, Dishio: https://get.dish.io/

🎓 Take a look at our FREE Restaurant Marketing Course: • FREE Restaurant Marketing Course

Follow us on Instagram for tips to grow your restaurant: / dinelineco

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In this episode of Restaurant Misfits, we uncover the game-changing potential of influencer marketing for restaurants and brands. Joining us is Olivia Ormos, a Miami-based entrepreneur and founder of Maven, the innovative platform connecting brands with top influencers.

From launching successful initiatives like Model Volleyball to crafting influencer-driven experiences that captivate audiences, Olivia shares her journey and actionable strategies to help restaurants thrive in today’s competitive market.

What You’ll Learn:

• How influencer marketing can create authentic connections and drive real results.
• Tips for choosing the right influencers and leveraging local talent.
• The do’s and don’ts of influencer campaigns to maximize ROI.
• Why experiential dining is the future of restaurant marketing.

If you’re a restaurant owner, marketer, or brand looking to stand out and connect with your audience in impactful ways, this episode is packed with expert insights and proven tactics.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more strategies to elevate your restaurant marketing game!

Watch now and transform your approach to influencer marketing!

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In this episode of Restaurant Misfits, we’re excited to introduce Leslie Diaz, a dynamic digital creator from Miami who has turned her love for restaurants into a successful content creation career. Leslie takes us through her inspiring journey, from studying speech therapy to becoming a leading voice in the restaurant industry.

We explore how social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are transforming restaurant visibility and customer loyalty. Leslie shares her insights on how influencers can help restaurants grow in today’s competitive market. We also dive into Miami’s evolving food scene and its rising impact on the global restaurant landscape. Plus, we highlight the key ingredients for success—consistency, authenticity, and social engagement—crucial for building a loyal customer base and standing out.

Whether you’re a restaurant owner looking to improve your social media strategy or just curious about what it takes to thrive in the restaurant world, this episode is packed with practical tips and inspiration!

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In this episode of Restaurant Misfits, we're honored to host Christian J. Fischer, a culinary visionary whose journey from the family kitchen in Feldbach, Austria, to becoming a global influence in the restaurant industry is nothing short of extraordinary. Christian shares his invaluable insights on scaling your business, the pivotal role of marketing, and how to turn a restaurant into an architect of memories. We delve into the future of the industry with discussions on AI, digital menus, and the importance of hyper-personalization. From Chef to entrepreneur, Christian’s story is a masterclass in passion, innovation, and legacy.

This conversation is packed with wisdom and inspiration, offering a unique perspective on why some great restaurant concepts fail in the first year, and how the next generation of culinary professionals can succeed. Whether you're a seasoned restaurateur or just starting out, this episode is a must-watch.

You can find Christian J. Fischer's personal and company links below:
https://www.christianjfischer.com/
https://www.instagram.com/christianjfischer/

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In this episode of Restaurant Misfits, we are thrilled to introduce Roger Beaudoin! Join us as Roger and Brett delve into Roger's journey from a novice in the restaurant industry to becoming the founder of Restaurant Rockstars. With over 25 years of experience, Roger shares his invaluable insights and hard-earned lessons.

Roger dives deep into the nuances of leadership versus management and the importance of empowering teams to optimize performance. He discusses how recognizing opportunities to increase sales, building the business, and making strategic suggestions can positively impact the bottom line. Roger emphasizes the critical role of menu costing and menu profit analysis, especially in countering inflation and high labor costs.

Tune in for an engaging conversation with Roger Beaudoin and Brett as they explore the keys to success in the restaurant industry and the innovative strategies that make a difference.

🤝We’re here to help your business grow! If you feel like your full-service restaurant would be a good fit for our agency, you can learn more and apply here: https://dineline.co/

📍If your full-service restaurant is between 1-50 locations, we'd like to discuss how we can take your business to the next level.

🙏For everyone else, enjoy the content. We make this content for free in the hopes that we can help more businesses grow… and for a select few, eventually partner with our agency.

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Dineline Information:
1.) Website: www.dineline.co
2.) Free Training Video: https://get.dineline.co/howitworks
3.) Book A Discovery Call: https://requests.dineline.co/discovery
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In this episode of Restaurant Misfits, we are excited to feature Luana Borges, Luana and Brett discuss the main differences between restaurants in Brazil and the US, giving us an interesting look into the unique dining customs, service styles, and food trends in these two countries.

Additionally, Brett shares the fascinating story of how Dishio was created and how it’s changing the restaurant industry. His insights into Dishio (dishio.com) show the importance of innovation in today’s food world.

Join us for an engaging conversation with Luana Borges and Brett, offering valuable perspectives on international dining and the innovative ideas shaping the future of restaurants.

🤝We’re here to help your business grow! If you feel like your full-service restaurant would be a good fit for our agency, you can learn more and apply here: https://dineline.co/

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In this episode of Restaurant Misfits, we are privileged to feature Adrianne Calvo, a prominent name in the culinary realm. With over 15 years dedicated to infusing "Maximum Flavor" into her restaurants, cookbooks, and shows, Adrianne's journey is a testament to unexpected beginnings and unwavering passion.

During our conversation she reveals invaluable insights on attracting customers through strategic ads, igniting passion for your brand, and harnessing the power of cutting-edge software like Dishio (dishio.com) to revolutionize the restaurant industry. With her wealth of experience and innovative spirit, Chef Adrianne offers a roadmap for success that's both inspiring and practical.

This episode offers profound insights into Adrianne Calvo's journey, work ethic, and ongoing impact on the culinary industry. Her story isn't just about culinary excellence but also about innovation, ambition, and inspiration. We believe this conversation will engage and inspire you, and we invite you to join us in exploring the remarkable world of Adrianne Calvo.

You can find Adrianne's personal and company links below:
https://adriannecalvo.com/
https://www.instagram.com/chefadrianne/
https://dishio.com/chefadriannesvineyard/hello