Insights
For operators, by an operator
How to read your numbers, run a tighter shop, and stop finding out two weeks late.
May 14, 2026
Restaurant labor cost percentage: the 25–32% benchmark, and what to do when you're over
Labor is one of the two big variable costs in a restaurant. Here's what 'good' looks like by concept, why most operators are over without knowing, and the three levers that actually move it.
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May 11, 2026
Square POS reporting vs. true daily P&L: what your POS doesn't tell you
Square's dashboard tells you what you sold. It doesn't tell you what you made. Here's the gap, and how to close it without leaving Square.
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May 7, 2026
What's a good prime cost for a restaurant? (And how to get there.)
Prime cost is the single most important number in restaurant operations. Healthy operators run under 55%. Here's what it means, what's good, and how to move it.
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May 7, 2026
How to read your restaurant P&L (without an MBA): a 5-minute daily ritual
Most operators see their P&L two weeks after the month ends. Here's the five lines that actually matter, what 'good' looks like, and a 5-minute morning ritual that catches leaks before they compound.
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May 7, 2026
Inventory shrinkage in restaurants: why 2–10% of revenue is leaking, and how to catch it
Most independent restaurants leak 2–10% of revenue to inventory shrinkage and never see it on the P&L. Here's what shrinkage is, where it hides, and how to catch it weekly.
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