There’s a story I like to tell about a kid on Christmas asking why the family cuts the corners off the holiday ham every year. The answer goes up the chain – first to his Mom, who says Grandma did it, then Grandma says Great-Grandma did it. Finally, it turns out Great-Grandma says the only reason she ever did it was because she had a very small oven and a large ham wouldn’t fit in the small pan she had to use. That’s it. No grand reason. Just a small oven.

This is the same logic I see play out every day in restaurants. People blend their cheese because “that’s how we were taught.” They pre-blend their flour mix because “it’s just what we do.” These are decisions that affect your labor costs, your brand quality and your ability to grow – and they’re being made based on nothing but historical habit, sometimes rooted in no real logic.

There’s no shame in learning from tradition, but holding tradition above scrutiny? That’s laziness dressed up as loyalty.

Measure the Results

We have a hard rule at our restaurant, Andolini’s and all our brands. No ego, only results. We experiment, track and repeat what works. That means challenging what’s always been done. It means cutting your own cheese instead of paying a premium for pre-shredded. It means comparing recipes in blind taste tests because that is all that matters, what your palate says, not the label. Everything is evaluated from a scientific perspective, not an emotional one.

Why does it matter? Because in this business, your time and your margins are too thin to waste on assumptions. Doing something “just because” is not leadership. It’s autopilot. And autopilot doesn’t work when you’re flying blind through a storm of rising costs, shrinking labor pools and ever-changing customer expectations. To not question if things can be better – or, even worse, assume you’ve peaked – goes beyond lazy to the realm of delusional.

We all need to act like scientists. Form a hypothesis. Test the outcome. Measure the results. You’d be amazed at what you uncover when you look at every part of your operation, that means every recipe, every process, every price tag, and ask, “Is this still smart? Is it still serving us?”

Sometimes it is. Often, it’s not.

Making Changes

I’m not saying overhaul your entire operation overnight. I’m saying treat nothing as sacred unless it’s been vetted. If it makes you more profitable, more consistent, and more aligned with your brand’s mission, keep it. If not, replace it. This will not only build your pride in product, but your staff will see this as well and know nothing is taken for granted. Additionally, if they are part of the vetting process for menu items and processes, they’ll have that much more buy-in on your goals.

The restaurants that progress are the ones that know why they do what they do. They’re willing to try new things, iterate and evolve.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post Stagnation Is Not a Business Strategy | Mike’s Monthly Tip appeared first on Pizza Today.

In 2007, a massive ice storm in Tulsa shut down most of the city’s roads. Iced-over power lines cracked in half, and everyone hunkered down. By some act of God, our restaurant still had power. For a lot of people in our small town – most of whom didn’t cook for themselves, or even the elderly – we became the go-to restaurant. We made a conscientious decision that if we could open safely, we would make it into work. Anyone who was willing to come in would serve customers, even if it meant picking those workers up and setting up convoys to do so.

Nearly two decades later, that is part of our culture. When things go sideways, we are there for our town. Now, let me be clear. I’m not glorifying being a martyr. If it’s too gnarly to get into work, we don’t. But when it is possible, we are open 363 days per year, closed only for Christmas and Thanksgiving. That tells our community that we are here even when everything looks bleak. We rally. We prep the line, we warm the ovens, and we let our community know: We’re here.

This level of consistency builds a core customer base who knows they can count on us for stability, which matters more than any promotion ever will. Even Waffle House goes by this mantra. The National Weather Service literally uses Waffle House as a barometer for storm severity: If a Waffle House is closed, you know things are bad. That’s the level of consistency and community relevance we are going for.

The other side of the coin is that sometimes the storm doesn’t hit you, but it destroys someone else’s livelihood. We’ve had no shortage of tornadoes in Tulsa, and across the United States, there have been floods, hurricanes and brutal wildfires that affect all of us. The way you show up in those moments is what sets your restaurant apart to make a lasting difference in your community’s minds and hearts – to know that you are one of them.

A great example is Mike and Mick Mahan from Parma Pizzeria in California. During the L.A. wildfires – while homes were burning and first responders were running ragged – they didn’t just keep their doors open, they fed the people on the frontlines. Emergency crews. Families left with nothing. They gave what they had, not because it would “go viral,” but because it was the right thing to do.

That’s humanity. That’s leadership.

Moments like these are why local restaurants will always matter more than massive chains. Chains can’t pivot like that. They can’t feel at home. But you can. You can be a refuge in a storm, both literally and metaphorically. You can make sure your team is cared for and your community is seen.

So, when the next crisis hits, ask yourself: Can the truck make it in? If so, fire up the ovens. Open your doors. Let people in. That’s how you don’t just survive the storm, you become part of the story people tell long after it passes.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

Read the July 2025 Issue of Pizza Today Magazine

Who are this year’s Rising Stars in the Pizza Industry? We profile six up-and-comers who are making their mark on pizza. Discover why the Grandma style pizza is spreading across the country. See why your pizza could benefit from whole-grain flour. Brush up on inventory management best practices. Learn how to take your products to the retail market. Go to the July Issue.

The post Weather the Storm, Build the Bond | Mike’s Monthly Tip appeared first on Pizza Today.

Back then, marketing was about pounding the same message into the same heads over and over – familiarity breeds trust, and trust breeds business. Now? Same game, just a different playing field. Instead of paper in the mailbox, it’s pixels on your phone. Instead of being “above the fold” in a newspaper, you’re trying to land above the scroll on someone’s feed.

Yes, the tools are cheaper today. A reel costs nothing to post. A viral video is free – kind of. But you do bear the mental burden of your time, creativity and consistency. And now, you’re not just competing with other pizzerias in your Yellow Pages – you’re battling makeup tutorials, travel influencers and dancing dogs for your customers’ attention.

That’s where quality and quantity come in.

There’s a story I always revert to: A pottery class was split in two. One half was told, “You’re graded on making the perfect pot.” The other? “Make as many pots as you can.” Who made the best pots? The quantity group. Why? Because repetition breeds refinement. Trying over and over – not just waiting for the perfect moment – makes you better, faster and more instinctual.

The same thing applies to online content. You want to make great posts? Don’t obsess over one “perfect” video that shackles you never to make anything because, “It’s not good enough,” or “I’ll look dumb.” I wholeheartedly encourage you to look dumb. Make more. Shoot more. Post more. The quality will come as a byproduct of doing the reps.

Stories Over Side Work and Posts Over Prep

We must remember that visibility is the driver of revenue. And nothing important can become a victim of what’s essential. I’m not saying skip the tasks of the day, but don’t skip telling your story either. The prep will get done. But if nobody knows who you are? You’re invisible, no matter how good your food is.

Repetition, Visibility, Connection

Making inroads with the community is still the game – and it always will be the game. How many people see you and how often? When they see you, do they care? Building trust alleviates purchase anxiety and increases the potential for purchase pride.

I remember Jerry Seinfeld explaining why he chose Netflix to hold the Seinfeld catalog. He said it didn’t matter whether it was a network or Netflix, as long Seinfeld was showing on the “medium of the day.” That’s how you’ve got to think. Don’t romanticize the platform, romanticize the result: connection.

We need to be where our customers’ eyes are and show up consistently with content that reflects our restaurant’s values, food and vibe.

So, yeah. Everything’s changed. But really? Nothing has.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

Read the June 2025 Issue of Pizza Today Magazine

This month, we focus on restaurant technology. See what’s hot in tech trends this year. Explore kitchen automation that can save labor costs and improve quality. See how digital menu boards can help you stay on top of menu prices in a fluctuating economy. After a record-breaking Pizza Expo and International Pizza Challenge, we explore pizza trends from the world pizza competition. Find summer dessert inspiration. Discover how to take your side salads to entree status. Go to the June Issue.

The post Everything’s Changed and Nothing’s Changed | Mike’s Monthly Tip appeared first on Pizza Today.

Now think about how many restaurant websites or social media profiles you’ve seen that make you hunt for what you need. Our customers are hungry, they want to order – but instead, they’re clicking through a maze of links, menus and notifications. By the time they find what they need, they’re over it – or worse, they’ve ordered from someone else.

If Amazon teaches us anything, it’s this: Simplicity sells. If you’re running a restaurant and want more online orders, you’ve got to stop playing hard to get. Here’s how to apply Amazon’s success to your online ordering.

Reduce Number of Clicks

Amazon knows every extra click is an opportunity to lose the customer. That’s why they have features like “Buy Now” and one-click checkout. Apply this to your restaurant’s website by making your menu and ordering system as direct as possible.

Think about your setup: How many steps does it take someone to go from “I’m hungry” to placing an order? If it’s more than two or three, you’re losing business. Don’t make people dig through your homepage or scroll past endless options to find the “Order Now” button. Put it front and center – big, bold and impossible to miss.

Funnel Traffic Where It Counts

Amazon doesn’t waste your time. Click an ad for headphones, and it takes you straight to the product page. No detours, no “look at these other 20 things you don’t care about.”

To achieve this in your restaurant, ditch Linktree or general website links on your social media. Someone clicking your Instagram bio isn’t looking to browse – they’re hungry and ready to buy. Make the link go directly to your online ordering platform. Not your homepage. Not a choice of multiple third-party menus. The faster they can order, the better.

Keep It Stupidly Simple

Amazon’s product pages are all about clarity: What is this? How much does it cost? How do I buy it? There’s no room for confusion.

Your online ordering needs the same vibe. Make your menu clean, with clear categories like appetizers, mains and desserts. Use real pictures for every item. Show me the pizza, not just the name “supreme pizza.” And for the love of all things holy, have a description that is just the ingredients. This is not story time; people don’t want to work to give you money.

Tips to Nail Online Orders

1. Get a Mobile-Friendly System: Most of your traffic is from cell phones. If your site feels clunky, you’re losing orders. Use a quick and easy platform that integrates with your social media platforms.
2. Prominent Buttons: Make sure “Order Now” or “Start Your Order” is the first thing people see. If they have to scroll, you’re doing it wrong.
3. Kill the Noise: No distractions, no unnecessary fluff. Keep the focus on ordering. Reduce the number of clicks.
4. Test It Yourself: Use your system. If it’s annoying, fix it. If you wouldn’t order from your setup, why would anyone else?

Close the Sale

Amazon’s secret is making the process so simple you don’t even think about it – you just do it. Your restaurant can do the same. Funnel people directly to the purchase. Make it stupidly easy for them to order. Keep the process clear and uncluttered.

People are hungry, not patient. Be the restaurant that gets it. The one that doesn’t make them jump through hoops. Nail this, and you’ll see the difference – not just in orders but in loyal customers who keep ordering because your site works and they want to eat.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post What We Can Learn From Amazon | Mike’s Monthly Tip appeared first on Pizza Today.

Proper restauranting (it’s a verb) means working at a nonstop breakneck speed, right? It means chaotic lines with crazy speed of service, constant demands, and the make line churning nonstop, but to what end? I’ve learned from enough crazy rushes that when things start to pile on like the seventh level of Tetris, you have to take a moment to pause, regroup, and allow a moment of reflection about what is the most important thing to do in that moment, so you’re not just walking over people and moving inefficiently so you feel busy.

I’ve learned the best way is to do the following:

Call out to the team, “PAUSE. Everyone clean your station, and let’s assess where we are.” This is called a tactical pause in the military, and it has more purpose than just handling a rush properly. This can help in many more ways, I’ve learned.

Why Take a Tactical Pause?

The tactical pause isn’t about stepping out for a smoke break; it’s about creating a moment of clarity. In the heat of battle —or the Friday night dinner rush — it’s easy to ignore inefficiencies and push through simply because it’s what we’ve always done. However, pausing momentarily to assess the situation can prevent missteps and streamline ops.

For example, pausing for just 30 seconds when the line is chaotic can help identify who should be doing what. Tonight, one person is off their game on oven, or people are not calling out tickets, and even a minor reorganization of prep stations could clear up bottlenecks. That brief interruption in the action can save minutes — or even hours — down the line. It could mean the difference in a whole extra table turn.

Applying the Tactical Pause in the Kitchen

Here’s how a tactical pause might play out during service:

• Stop the Action: Take a step back, even if it’s for just half a minute.
• Assess the Situation: Ask yourself, “What’s working? What isn’t? Who’s struggling, what’s bottle necking and why?”
• Reorganize for Efficiency: Make quick adjustments. Shift tasks, streamline communication or if nothing else; physically clear space.
• Communicate the Plan: Briefly share the adjustments with your team to ensure alignment.
  

This doesn’t just reduce stress—it actively improves your output and sets the stage for a more seamless service.

Beyond the Line: Strategic Pauses in your day to day

The tactical pause isn’t limited to the kitchen. It’s valuable throughout your business. Are your social media efforts reaching your target audience? Is your financial strategy aligned with your growth goals? Are you running your systems as efficiently as possible or clinging to outdated processes?

Consider this: a restaurant unaware of its food costs is like a pilot flying blind. Stopping to evaluate your metrics, even if you’ve done it dozens of times before, might seem like a delay, but it actually can prevent waste and provide a new prospective. Reassessing data we assume to be set is extremely important to constantly do. That which is measured gets done.

Incorporating Tactical Pauses Into Your Workflow

Daily Operations: Start each shift with a 3-minute team huddle. Set clear objectives for the shift and go over outlier items of the day, like an 86 list or catering orders.

Weekly Reviews: Carve out time to truly analyze metrics like food cost, labor, average ticket value, p-mix, and customer feedback.

Big Picture Planning: Periodically reassess your long-term goals. Are you adapting to the world, or are you stuck on autopilot?

How to own the moment in a pause

A tactical pause shows you valuing correct action of wasted effort. It builds a culture of looking inward, where you address inefficiencies for constant improvement. It aligns with the principles of maximizing efficiency while reducing stress.

So next time there’s craziness in your restaurant, don’t blindly accept it. Stop. Think. Adjust. That tactical pause could save you time, money, and sanity.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post The Tactical Pause | Mike’s Monthly Tip appeared first on Pizza Today.

Credit card fees seem minor but they add up quickly for restaurant operators. Navigating these costs has only gotten more complex, as POS providers partner with credit card companies. Today, restaurants have more transparency into their fees than ever — a big shift from a decade ago, when processors operated more like pirates than partners, hiding actual rates. Here’s how to approach fees now, understand their impact and negotiate for what matters to your bottom line.

Percentage Rate vs. Interchange-Plus: Which is Right?

Most fees fall under one of two structures: a flat percentage rate or interchange-plus. The flat percentage rate is straightforward; however, it’s often not the most economical choice, especially for higher-volume restaurants. Interchange-plus, on the other hand, involves a base fee from the card issuer (interchange) plus a small percentage for the processor. This model offers more transparency and can be ideal for multi-unit operators with high sales volumes. The downside? Once you switch to interchange-plus, you can’t typically go back to flat rates. Some accounts grandfathered in at sub-2% rates might be better left alone, especially since volume-based discounts may still apply under their existing structure.

Swipe vs. Keyed Transactions and Their Impact on Costs

Understanding how your transactions are processed is crucial. Swipe (or chip insert/tap) transactions generally have lower rates because they seem more secure. Keyed transactions, on the other hand, carry higher fees since they’re more prone to fraud. For example, Amex’s OptBlue program offers swipe rates between 3.29% and 3.89%—higher for keyed transactions. If you see a lot of keyed-in Amex sales, that cost adds up fast and can skew your overall blended rate. It makes those low Visa swipe rates look less impactful in the bigger picture. Most of us, with high card-present transaction volumes, will have a lot of Visa swipes, but it’s essential to evaluate your sales mix and see where most of your fees are coming from.

The Real Benchmark: Your Full-Blended Rate

Forget chasing the lowest possible rate on each card type — what truly matters is your blended rate. This is the total credit card fees you pay each month against your total sales. If you’re processing a lot of keyed Amex transactions, even a great Visa swipe rate won’t offset those costs. Calculating your full blended rate each month will show what you’re paying, and that’s the figure you can negotiate around. Remember, before you burn everything down over a 0.1% difference, consider the actual impact: 2.4% versus 2.5% on a million dollars in credit card sales amounts to $1,000 across the year. Look closely at whether chasing a rock-bottom rate will cost you in other ways, such as reduced POS functionality or customer support.

Negotiating Today’s POS Landscape

Today’s POS providers are increasingly separating their POS and credit card processing services, meaning your POS rep might not have control over the processing rates. Leverage that separation to your advantage by focusing on the bundled value of additional services, like inventory management or online ordering, that can justify negotiating lower rates. Adding services or modules to your setup might increase your bargaining power. It strengthens your ties with provider’s ecosystem.

If you choose interchange-plus, understand that “plus” typically ranges from 0.1% to 0.4% in fees, depending on volume and other factors. Multi-unit operators should aim to negotiate down to the lower end, but single-unit operators may find a flat rate more predictable and easier to manage.

The Takeaway

Credit card fees can be confusing, but transparency makes it easier to see what you’re actually paying. Focus on your blended rate, balance that cost with the features you need from your POS system, and don’t sweat small differences if they compromise functionality. Negotiation is key, but so is getting a system that works for you.

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We know the golden rule: treat others as you want to be treated. It’s basic, and we all heard it in grade school. It can have massive value for your restaurant if you can lean into that concept. I don’t mean this on a superficial level; I mean, you must live it. How would you ideally want to be treated in all segments of your restaurant?

As the owner, I find it easy to see my restaurant strictly from a birds-eye view. Putting yourself in another’s shoes is a great way to see areas for improvement.

Let’s start at the customer level. You’re the customer taking your first steps into the restaurant. How do you feel? Do you have a welcoming ambiance and a kind and personable host? How long does it take to get seated, and are you ignored when you walk in the door? Does this place look like the place you want to sit for 20 min, 1 hour, all day? Would someone want to be there for a while because the ambiance stands on its own? BTW I do not want campers as much as you, but the real question is: does the space make you want to stay?

After you’ve examined your restaurant’s vibe and layout, think about the food and service. If there’s a dish you wouldn’t eat or a server you know is boring and bordering on rude, are you owning that? If that is the current experience and you wouldn’t thoroughly enjoy this experience yourself, what makes you think a random stranger would?

The golden rule is also helpful with social media, in more ways than one. Once again, it’s easy to get wrapped up in posting to post because “it’s just a dumb app for kids, right?” But at the end of the day, it’s not your experience that will make a profit; it’s your followers.

Comb through your online presence from a customer’s perspective. Are you personable and fun to follow, or cold, boring, and detached? When you’re running a business profile, it’s easy to assume a professional approach is best, but if you wouldn’t follow and interact with your content, odds are no one else would either.

This holds true for your website. I’ve seen many confusing and nondescript websites with bush league photos; what about this page says, “we have our act together”, because if all it says is “we figured we’d make a website because that’s what you do and here’s ours” it’s not enough, it’s actually hurting you. A customer may go to your website ready to order your food but end up ordering somewhere else after failing to decipher how to get half pepperoni and half sausage on their pizza, or just bounce because the site conveys you don’t have a plan.

Your relationship with your staff is just as important as your relationship with your customers, so put yourself in their shoes too. Would you want to work for you? Do you give a hoot about them, provide flexibility with hours, and treat your staff with kindness? If your staff makes a mistake, how do you deal with the issue, and if you were to be on the receiving end would it be fixed? If the answer is no you need to reevaluate your approach as a boss.

And finally, you’re not the only one who needs to be exercising the golden rule in your restaurant. Your staff does, too. If your staff ever serves food that they wouldn’t eat themselves, i.e. burnt, soggy or old, they fail themselves and fail to represent you. If your staff consistently strives to provide the experience they demand for themselves, those high standards lead to mutual respect and more revenue.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

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Everyone wants to be good at their job. Really, they do, but employees easily become complacent when they get used to their hourly wage and have no opportunity for growth. In their eyes, they’ve reached their ceiling. The days are the same no matter how hard they try or don’t. Rather than focusing on maximizing their output, they’re main focus is avoiding getting in trouble. Even if an employee was to go above and beyond, there are no systems in place that reward or recognize this. With no vested interest in maximizing their output, your staff can and will become stagnant. When employees have a paired interest—when they win when you win and lose when you lose—they start to take ownership of their actions and their output.

Here are some incentive plans to ensure you have mutually beneficial interests:

Knowledge Employee Incentives

Rank or Certification Programs: Developing certification training where staff can earn a rank, badge or new chef coat or hat can create motivation to strive for more, especially when it’s tied to a pay raise. When an employee earns this recognition it gives them distinction among their peers. Those who are consistently moving up in rank or certification are more likely to assume leadership roles in your restaurant, this way they’ll stimulate other staff to level up simply by comparison.

In our restaurant, we’ve modeled ours after the military rank structure, where achieving a certain rank results in higher pay. This system is very clean and simple to understand for back-of-house staff who want to advance.

Efficiency Incentives

Efficiency is key in the kitchen, not just knowledge. Setting time trials for prep or executing menu items to show who is the best at doing it correctly and quickly creates a healthy and competitive environment. Giving immediate bonuses or pay increases to those who perform exceptionally well, especially during peak times, will pay for itself in increased productivity and efficiency. If they are seen as awesome, and rewarded as such, that behavior starts to permeate the rest of the crew.

Front of House

If your staff is becoming complacent it’s often because they don’t see opportunities for growth and get accustomed to the average tips they get. When you hear “advancement” it’s easy to assume that means a pay raise, but there are other ways to encourage outstanding staff that doesn’t come with a dollar amount.

Servers have a built-in incentive with tips, but even that can become routine. Introducing an incentive for not just having more tables but achieving a higher ticket average can greatly influence the overall health of the restaurant. Implementing a profit-sharing program for servers who consistently exceed the average ticket value can set a new standard of excellence. Many servers will strive to meet this standard, seeking to win the “gold star” and perform at their best.

Depending on the age of your workforce, you can gamify the day with challenges, like who can sell a particular item last, akin to a game of hot potato. The winner could get a prize from a treasure chest filled with fun items from the dollar store or gift cards for older teams.

Communication and Evaluation

This means tight but ever-flowing communication. All employees need to know where they stand through proper evaluations so they can set goals and take on projects with the belief that their accomplishments will be recognized and rewarded. Transparency through CONSISTENT QUARTERLY EVALS will build a sense of shared purpose for paired incentives.

I’m not saying this as a theory, I’ve seen it happen. When staff know they get more when you get more, they act the part.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Paired Employee Incentive appeared first on Pizza Today.

It’s often said you’re the company you keep, and the innate response used to be, “I’m my own person. I don’t just follow those around me,” but whether weak-willed or strong-willed, at the end of the day, you adapt to those around you. It’s important to surround yourself with those that you wish to emulate.

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

Even if you’re not seeking to be exactly like them, they impact your productivity, motivation and even success. Are those around you helping you towards your goals? Are they on team YOU? Maybe you want to be a better restaurateur or a more talented pizza maker. Your goals can be as simple as being less lazy.

If your friend circle is working jobs they hate, and end each night at the bar, lacking ambition or a path towards success, that’s what you consistently interact with. Despite your best efforts, odds are you’ll end up on a similar path. When you’re constantly in a cold environment you’ll put on a coat, you’ll adapt. And in turn, if you’re interacting with people talking about new fermentation styles or new ways to execute in a kitchen, maximizing their brand, and seeking to make their employees a better success, that will affect you and your mindset.

You have characteristics that help you level up and others that keep you stagnant or regressing. The key to shaping your environment is choosing people who bring out the good characteristics. Think of these characteristics like muscles. Use them, or they’ll atrophy.

If you’re talking and surrounding yourself with people who are killing it in their restaurant or restaurants, you’ll inevitably learn a thing or two. These relationships don’t have to be industry-specific, just great business owners and people whose core values are aligned with yours. The friendships will occur.

Building these relationships may seem daunting, but it’s not as hard as it seems. If you’re unsure where to find these successful business owners or the idea of attending a Chamber of Commerce meeting is intimidating, turn to the internet. Online forums, direct messages, Zoom check-in calls, and masterclasses are all avenues to connect with like-minded individuals. Find communities that resonate with your values and goals.

The internet is a great resource, but it will always be better in person. Look at events like Pizza Expo or trade shows for top-notch opportunities. Don’t just check out a few exhibits and call it a day; that’s such a wasted opportunity. Really dive into making new friends because the thought of “networking” makes it feel seedy or opportunist. From a mental background, if you are around people in your circle who are achieving more and more things, it’s just osmosis that you will as well.

I didn’t create this concept, but I certainly have lived it. By being around great pizza makers and entrepreneurs on the national stage and in my local community, I’m constantly getting great tips and feeling that energy. And the more I learn, the more value I can give in return. It’s a mutually beneficial existence that I wish I had done right when I started in the industry. But no time like the present to level up.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

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Give a knee-jerk answer to this question: What is your restaurant’s limitation today? What is your bottleneck? If that one thing were fixed, you would earn more total profit—not simply revenue, but profit. What is that one thing that is not happening?

For example, Let’s say you have a widely high food cost, that if corrected, it would mean you made real money. Then that would be the limitation to profit. If so, what is the reason for it being off? Is your portion control off because staff won’t listen, which relates to lackluster training, lazy hiring practices and a leadership team that doesn’t feel enabled? The core fix of that issue would be inspecting work, incentivizing results and penalizing insubordination.

What if your staff is excellent? Renegotiating with your vendor could be as simple as getting those percentage points back.

Whatever the leak in the house is, you have to go to the source of the leak, which might not be right above you where you see the water leaking. But what is your leak, or, in the truer form, your business bottleneck? Could it be location, i.e., people don’t know where we are, or is it that we’ve angered too many customers over the years and need a whole new approach to gaining new customers who don’t feel burned by our brand?

Knowing the bottleneck to profit means you can undo the potentially multi-knotted rope holding you back. A word of warning, though: the typical thing people will do is reinforce the strongest facet of their restaurant when confronted with the need to reframe. Suppose three legs are holding up a table that represents your restaurant business. In that case, typical restaurant owners look at the leg that they know the best and seek to reinforce it. “Hey, the holdup is this super weak leg over here (marketing),” but then their actions are … “Okay, well, we’ll just reinforce the strong leg better (menu).” This egregious oversight is typical of a chef-driven restaurant with solid food but horrible financials, weak marketing and a lackluster team. And when confronted with all that, they go back to what they know: let’s make the food better and come up with more food items.

I’ll make this even more obvious. There are only two ways to improve profit: get more customers and/or get more out of them. If your current base is saturated, you need new customers, and a new daily special can only pull that off if it’s overtly advertised to non-followers.

The execution of that math equation could go down a thousand different rabbit trails. Finding the rabbit trail that you still need to go down more of is the key, and that means the first question: what is the thing holding you back? Is it leadership, food cost, marketing, customer satisfaction, speed and space for more customers? Your knee-jerk reaction, your gut feeling, and your instinctual knowledge will tell you that first rather than overthinking it. So again, I’ll ask or restate what you already know: what is your bottleneck to profit, and what are you doing about it?

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