The Restaurant Finance Podcast

What if chasing the lowest price on ingredients is costing your restaurant more money? Corey O’Connor, chief operating officer of DeCheco’s Pizzeria, joins James Tice to share how working at Sysco changed his approach to restaurant purchasing. Buying from several suppliers might save a few cents on individual items, but extra deliveries, pickup trips and overlooked package sizes can erase those savings. His experience on both sides of the business helps him negotiate contracts, consolidate orde

What happens when customers see something in your restaurant brand that your marketing is missing? Jennifer Dodd, CEO and board advisor at Main Squeeze Juice Co., joins James Tice to discuss her decision to pause franchise sales and marketing spending to rethink the brand. Customer data and conversations pointed toward an unexpected idea: Main Squeeze was a beauty brand. A new message focused on helping customers look and feel better brought a reported 35% sales increase within four months, wi

How do you decide which opportunities to pursue when your business is growing fast? Scott Kleckner, owner of Olive Wood Pizza, joins James Tice to discuss the decisions behind scaling his Southern California catering business. After nearly 30 years in corporate hospitality, Kleckner bought a small company and doubled it in about 20 months. He explains why he passed on a promising restaurant space, even though it was close to home and could have raised the brand’s profile. Kleckner also shares

How do you update a restaurant brand without losing the customers who have loved it for decades? Alfredo Miro, chief operating officer of Baker’s Drive-Thru, joins James Tice to discuss that challenge as the 38-location Southern California chain prepares to grow. Baker’s wants to reach new customers and expand into markets where former California residents already know the brand, but even small changes at home can upset longtime regulars. Miro shares what happened when Baker’s changed the toma

How do you take a culture built on radical transparency and high operational standards into an environment where guest stress is high and time is scarce? Michel Falcon, founder of Brasa Peruvian Kitchen, joins James Tice as the brand prepares to launch its first non-traditional location inside Toronto Pearson International Airport. Scaling into major transit hubs usually exposes young concepts to steep learning curves and diluted guest experiences. Falcon unpacks his framework for high-trust l

What good is a busy restaurant if the numbers do not work? Daniel Holzman joins James Tice to talk honestly about building successful restaurants in New York, mismanaging the business and ultimately losing the company. Now operating three pizzerias in Los Angeles, he is taking a simpler approach to financing, technology and growth. Holzman makes the case for buying restaurant real estate, keeping unnecessary software costs off the P&L and giving general managers room to lead. For him, a restau