Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 14, 2025

Experts have deemed recovery from the pandemic “complete ,” but a new set of challenges has emerged for restaurants: labor shortages, disrupted supply chains, and extreme weather. Negotiate Strategically : Don't be afraid to negotiate on price, payment terms, and delivery schedules. percent annually.

Management 450

Management Management Food Seasonal Menu 450

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 11, 2024

Key considerations include: Wage and Hour Laws The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets standards for minimum wage, overtime pay and recordkeeping. Key considerations include: Wage and Hour Laws The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets standards for minimum wage, overtime pay and recordkeeping.

Audits 418

Audits Employee Relations Restaurant Law Document 418

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 26, 2024

However, new uncertainties—from economic pressures to labor shortages—underline the importance of robust risk management strategies as the linchpin for future success. Additionally, labor shortages remain a critical pain point, driving up wages across the industry. Yet, the road ahead is not without its bumps.

2025 418

2025 Management Management Insurance 418

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 6, 2025

There are not enough workers, and for an industry with a long history of high turnover rates and seasonal fluctuations such a long running labor shortage could quickly cause things to spiral out of control. Rather than just another hiring season, or a lull, labor-intensive industries such as restaurants face a permanent labor shortage.

Recruiting 251

Recruiting Front of House Back of House Training 251

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 16, 2024

As labor costs rise and compliance becomes trickier to navigate, keeping high-performing employees on staff will prove a vital cost-saving measure. Flexible scheduling is a highly effective method of combating burnout and disengagement. Strategy Flexible workplaces are built on future-focused, employee-centric labor strategies.

Hiring 251

Hiring Employee Relations Coaching 2025 251

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 5, 2025

According to the latest 7shifts 2025 Restaurant Labor and Cost Profitability Report , labor costs reaching up to 30 percent of revenue and food inflation ranked as the top concern by 52 percent of restaurant operators in 2025, therefore finding ways to reduce expenses without compromising quality has never been more critical.

Operations 251

Operations Front of House Back of House 2025 251

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 28, 2025

Leadership and management are terms often used interchangeably, but they’re far from the same. Each requires distinct skills and mindsets that play critical roles in a restaurant’s success. The challenge—and opportunity—lies in blending these roles to fully engage your team and propel your business forward.

Management 422

Management Management Leadership Innovation 422

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 19, 2025

Margins shrank, labor shortages intensified, and guest expectations rose. With the right tools, operators can manage staff schedules, streamline kitchen communication, monitor inventory levels, and analyze sales trends all in one place. Twenty years ago, hospitality looked very different. Real-time insights?

Hospitality 275

Hospitality Front of House Back of House Food Order 275

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 14, 2025

Restaurants, hotels,and otherhospitalityindustry businesses continue to battle a tight labor market. Toattractnot only enough employees butalsoengaged and productive ones, itsimportantto offer benefits thatmeet them where they are.

Serving 373

Serving Workshop Education Training 373

7 Shifts

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

Problem When the original Bobe’s Pizza launched in the ‘50s, writing schedules on pen and paper was the only option. Scheduling so many employees across different locations was complex and unmanageable. It took too much time to not only create schedules but also find coverage and keep track of everyone’s availability.

Website Management 195

Website Management Communication Point of Sale Coaching 195

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 22, 2024

While these cases may be on the more extreme side, restaurant owners have to be careful not to fall into any traps when it comes to payroll, as even accidental violations could still yield big penalties. Even if these were unintentional, this individual would still be subject to fines and a loss of trust with staff.

Restaurant Law 332

Restaurant Law Tip Distribution Fine Dining Insurance 332

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 9, 2025

AI-driven tools can help optimize everything from labor scheduling to inventory management, reducing waste and improving margins. Automation – Investing in smart kitchen equipment and AI-driven scheduling tools can help reduce labor costs and improve efficiency.

Loyalty Program 251

Loyalty Program Franchising Franchise Fast Casual 251

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 5, 2021

Every industry felt the impact of the labor crunch during the pandemic and now, as recovery efforts are underway, businesses are struggling to recover employees quickly enough to meet the rise in demand. Bureau of Labor statistics. However, consumer demand is only increasing. But not all hope is lost. Addressing Staff Concerns.

Technology 558

Technology Tip Distribution Front of House Back of House 558

Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 23, 2024

When we talk about the “restaurant of the future,” labor compliance isn’t exactly the flashiest or most exciting topic to include—certainly not when juxtaposed with salad-making robots and personalized digital menus. Restaurants face a multifaceted compliance situation.

Restaurant Law 508

Restaurant Law Employee Relations Kitchen Safety Customer Experience 508

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

Too many restaurants, even enterprise brands, are still using manual processes for various areas of the business, such as inventory, scheduling, and reporting. These time-consuming tasks not only burn labor hours when you can least afford it but losing track of your inventory will eat away your margins faster than you realize.

2021 612

2021 Kitchen Safety Food Safety Inventory 612

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 17, 2024

With only half of restaurants using advanced tools like scheduling software and performance tracking, there is a clear opportunity for growth. Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine asked restaurant industry experts for their views on what trends and challenges owners and operators can expect to see in 2025.

2025 419

2025 Loyalty Program Customer Experience Online Ordering 419

ChowNow

MAY 9, 2025

In this article, you will learn: The five most important restaurant costs to track and manage Easy strategies for controlling food costs and labor costs Tactics to save money without hurting your guest experience Lets start with the big picture and learn where your money is actually going.

Operations 195

Operations Email Marketing Food Supply Seasonal Menu 195

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

Scheduling employees is one of the most time-intensive tasks for restaurant managers. Additionally, they have to remember how this demand aligns with employee skills and availability, before they begin creating shift schedules – often using pen and paper or an Excel spreadsheet.

Management 520

Management Management Customer Experience Communication 520

Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 24, 2025

Restaurants prepare ingredients and schedule staff based on anticipated guest numbers, and when diners fail to arrive, this precision quickly unravels into wasted food and unnecessary labor expenses. billion in annual revenue losses, according to Zonal and CGA's GO Technology report.

Book 385

Book Reservations Communication Customer Experience 385

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 4, 2021

While careful labor management has always been an important part of controlling prime costs in the restaurant industry, operators should be looking toward better ways to manage labor costs with competition for labor increasing and a potential minimum wage increase on the horizon. Smart Scheduling Assistance.

Management 547

Management Management Point of Sale 2000 547

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 9, 2021

However, other burnout remedies, particularly rethinking scheduling, can be implemented much more quickly — even in time to make the most of the 2021 holiday season. Try Self-Scheduling. Flexible self-scheduling is a time management approach that’s built by managers and employees.

Customer Service 547

Customer Service Retail Food Safety 2021 547

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 19, 2025

A strong POS system can streamline operations, inventory and menu management, assist with staffing shortages and scheduling conflicts, as well as assist with sorting through data and sales patterns to help personalize marketing campaigns in a new location. Tracking inventory can prevent unnecessary and costly food waste.

POS 221

POS Loyalty Program Inventory Food Order 221

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 30, 2021

Labor Department have sparked sharp contrasts among restaurants and industry labor advocates alike. This will enable operators to establish non-traditional gratuity pools that can now be used to create higher wages for back-house staff such as line cooks, dishwashers and janitorial without increasing their operational labor spend.

Tip Distribution 520

Tip Distribution Front of House Technology Back of House 520

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

Labor Scheduling. Leveraging a labor scheduling tool with contact tracing takes the guesswork out of the equation. Some tools can even make scheduling recommendations for working in “pods” to minimize the number of workers who come into contact with each other altogether.

Technology 600

Technology Guest Recovery Kitchen Safety Social Media 600

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

Are labor costs too high? Look into AI-driven scheduling and automation tools. Are you aiming to speed up service, cut labor costs, or increase online sales? What was once a gradual process turned into a rapid transformation, permanently reshaping how restaurants operate and interact with customers.

2025 195

2025 Technology Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering 195

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 7, 2025

It’s no secret that restaurants with more than one location depend on standardization to thrive. A customer in Miami should bite into the same perfectly seasoned burger that delights diners in Seattle. Reliable experiences build brand loyalty, and systemic processes lead to reliable profit margins.

Loyalty Program 282

Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering Customer Experience Customer Service 282

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 12, 2022

Finding a balance between controlling labor costs and attracting and retaining seasonal workers can be a challenge, but with a little ingenuity and flexibility, it is possible. Rethink Scheduling. Create an Employee-First Environment. An employee-first workplace retains more staff and attracts more new workers. Recognition.

Restaurant Law 493

Restaurant Law Small Business Hiring Communication 493

Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 24, 2025

Labor costs continue to rise. Notably, 92 percent of respondents reported increasing staff wages in 2024, up from 84 percent in 2023, reflecting the ongoing rising cost of labor. "While encouraging signs exist, the industry continues to navigate an increasingly complex landscape.

2024 251

2024 2023 2025 Loyalty Program 251

Culinary Cues

APRIL 7, 2025

We (those who have invested decades in the business already) may complain about the current labor environment and question the level of commitment from a younger pool of candidates but I have rarely heard anyone attempt to define how it will all wash out. What is the projected profile of cooks and chefs moving forward.

Kitchen Safety 302

Kitchen Safety Food Supply 2030 Healthcare 302

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 13, 2022

From unpredictable schedules to being denied time off, shift workers are frustrated and exhausted. Worldwide, 40 percent of job candidates rank schedule flexibility as one of their top factors in career decisions. Pen-and paper schedules are behind us – or at least you’d think. Reduce Wage Costs.

2022 547

2022 Communication Customer Experience Customer Service 547

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 25, 2025

GMs are used to making the final call on scheduling, hiring, P&L, and guest experience. GMs typically focus on operational execution, such as managing labor, food, and staffing costs. Not necessarily. Many top-performing GMs struggle in MUL roles or, worse, fail altogether. The result? Successful GMs excel at hands-on leadership.

Coaching 322

Coaching Leadership Training Management 322

ChowNow

APRIL 15, 2025

In this article, youll learn: How to break down your operating costs into fixed, variable, and semi-variable Smart ways to lower labor and food costs without sacrificing customer service Where hidden expenses are hiding in your tech stackand how to fix it Lets discover where your money is going, and how to take back control.

Operations 195

Operations Online Ordering Customer Service Customer Experience 195

7 Shifts

MARCH 22, 2021

All of that on top of the everyday tasks from scheduling to payroll to reporting can catch up to you. Restaurant Employee Scheduling Software. Labor-Management Reporting. No more paper schedules up on the board with scribbles that get sent around through text messages. Manager Log Books. Time Clocking. Payroll Automation.

Management 435

Management Management Book Communication 435

ChowNow

MAY 23, 2025

They tell you how much money your restaurant keeps after paying for everything from food costs to labor expenses to utilities and rent. It factors in all your operating expenses, like labor, rent, insurance, equipment repairs, marketing, and more. came to $35,000, and your operating expenses (labor, rent, insurance, etc.)

Point of Sale 195

Point of Sale Insurance Fast Casual Customer Service 195