From staffing nightmares to making enough during peak months to survive the off-season, seasonal restaurants face obstacles most year-round establishments never encounter.

In this episode, your host, Andrew Scott, interviews Benjamin Devlin, a successful multi-location seasonal restaurant owner.

You’ll hear how his restaurant in Muskoka (the "Hamptons of Ontario") does a quarter million in sales during peak weeks - and $4 million in just six months of operation.

You'll discover Benjamin's counterintuitive approach to staffing that helps him attract the best talent, and keep the restaurant drama free.

You’ll also hear from Ben’s experiences on a range of topics, including:

✅The "sports coach recruiting" strategy keeps his kitchen fully staffed - even when competitors are desperate for employees

✅The importance of hiring for peak season levels well in advance

✅Taking "radical responsibility" as a restaurant owner

✅Optimizing menus for efficiency

Benjamin's insights apply to all restaurant owners, not just seasonal operators.

Key Points

00:01:10 Benjamin's journey to restaurant owner
00:05:30 Staffing challenges for seasonal restaurants
00:11:20 Recruitment strategies
00:15:00 Being an "employer of choice"
00:17:40 Management and certification systems
00:19:30 Responding to a major fire
00:24:10 Hiring tips for seasonal restaurants
00:31:20 Taking radical responsibility for everything in the business
00:39:40 Optimizing kitchen efficiency
00:41:10 Menu simplification
00:45:10 The value of seeking advice from others

Ready to transform how you approach your restaurant business?

Listen now and discover strategies that could transform your operation and profitability.

-

✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅

Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee): https://ghl.ownershifttraining.com/weekly-tracker-lp

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/

The only thing standing in the way of your success as a restaurant owner is the mental barrier you've placed in front of your own potential.

Andrew Scott (founder of OwnerShift) and Dave Doyle confront the limiting belief that restaurant owners MUST work 20+ hours per day to be successful - a belief Andrew once held himself.

They break down the fascinating psychology behind why we cling to beliefs that actually harm us, including the "frog in boiling water" syndrome where restaurant owners gradually accept declining revenue until it's too late.

Andrew shares the alarming story of an owner who lost $1.5 million in revenue before seeking help - all because he once spent $2,000 on marketing that didn't work.

Key moments:

00:02:45 Making excuses for failure
00:04:30 Breaking justification cycles
00:05:49 Mental barriers fall together
00:08:45 Why your profit ceiling is self-imposed
00:10:12 $1.5 million costly delay
00:12:45 Beliefs dictate results
00:16:45 Systems replace presence
00:17:45 Profitable habits create profits
00:19:35 Rapid transformation IS possible
00:21:35 Question your deepest assumptions

This episode reveals exactly how to identify and challenge the self-limiting beliefs that are secretly sabotaging your restaurant's success.

Listen now to discover how to transform both your mindset and your bottom line.

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/

Restaurant owners stuck working in their business, not on it, aren't failing at leadership - they're missing crucial restaurant systems.

Tune in to this episode of Restaurant Growth Accelerator to learn how to build a restaurant business that runs smoothly without you.

Your host and multi-location restaurant owner Andrew Scott - and Dave Doyle - reveal why owners struggle to take time off without chaos erupting. The culprit isn't lazy staff, but a lack of systems, clarity, and accountability.

Tune in to discover:

• The frameworks that transform owner-dependent restaurants into well-oiled machines

• Why "people problems" are often systems issues (and what systems you need to install into your restaurant)

• How to create effective checklists that actually get done by your team at all levels

• A simple feedback sequence that maintains standards without alienating your team

This episode reveals how to break the "stress spiral" of resentful shifts and build a "virtuous cycle" of teamwork and success.

Stop being the firefighter and empower your team to uphold high standards, even in your absence.

Key Points

00:04:59 Break The Burnout Cycle
00:07:23 Clear Standards Win
00:12:48 Perfect Feedback Formula
00:16:04 Expand Without Failing
00:18:47 End Team Conflict
00:24:55 Break The Blame Cycle
00:27:36 Create Supportive Teams
00:31:02 Shift Communication Secrets
00:34:33 Standards For Everyone

Ready to reclaim your time and transform your restaurant operations? Listen now and unlock the path to restaurant freedom and increased profitability.

-

✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅

Thinking of opening another restaurant? Avoid costly mistakes with my free guide:
👉https://hs.ownershifttraining.com/optin-mupb

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/

Terrified about raising menu prices? You're not alone.

Many restaurant owners fear customer backlash, but avoiding price increases is a recipe for disaster in a world of rising costs.

In this episode, Andrew Scott and industry veteran Nathan Voulgaris (former manager of a $60M restaurant group) debunk the myths around price increases - and reveal a proven framework for pricing your menu strategically.

Discover how to:

✔️Overcome the Fear of Raising Prices: Hear why most fears are unfounded and how focusing on value is the key.

✔️Implement Strategic Price Increases: Learn the difference between arbitrary increases and strategic ones that maximize profit without alienating customers.

✔️Determine Optimal Menu Pricing: Get practical tips on calculating costs, assessing your competition, and identifying which items should cost more.

✔️Train Your Staff to Handle Price Objections: Equip your team with the skills and confidence to address customer concerns effectively.

Stop letting fear destroy your profits - start making what you deserve.

Click play now and learn how to raise prices strategically, protect your margins, and keep your customers happy.

-

✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅

Thinking of opening another restaurant? Avoid costly mistakes with my free guide:
👉https://hs.ownershifttraining.com/optin-mupb

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/

Hiring for restaurants has never been easy, but today’s labor challenges feel like an endless uphill battle - unless you know what’s really going on.

In this episode of Restaurant Growth Accelerator, Andrew Scott (Founder of OwnerShift) and Dave Doyle (Success Director at OwnerShift) share why top restaurant owners never struggle to find employees - while everyone else does.

Spoiler alert: It’s not about luck.

They dive into:

✅The most common hiring mistakes that repel good candidates (without realizing it)

✅How job ads are actually marketing tools

✅Why treating interviews like sales conversations will land you better talent

✅The two worst times of year to hire… and how to plan ahead

Plus hear a breakdown of the shocking cost of hiring the wrong people.

Key moments:

00:01:40 Today's approach needs to change
00:03:00 Most job ads make this mistake
00:05:30 Low pay attracts "leftovers"
00:08:30 Your job title must sell the click
00:13:00 It costs this much to train one new employee
00:16:20 Avoid vibe-based hiring
00:21:30 What to ask candidates
00:26:40 Rank candidates as A, B, or C players
00:34:00 Reference checks
00:38:50 Never hire in desperation
00:45:40 Hire before peak seasons

If you’re tired of bad hires, constant turnover, and feeling like “nobody wants to work anymore,” this episode will change the way you think about hiring forever.

-

Thinking of opening another restaurant? Avoid costly mistakes with my free guide:
👉hs.ownershifttraining.com/optin-mupb

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/

Quick service restaurants (QSRs) often fail because they ignore small yet crucial details - are you making these same mistakes?

In this episode of Restaurant Growth Accelerator, Andrew Scott (Founder of OwnerShift) and Dave Doyle (Client Success Director At OwnerShift) reveal the top mistakes QSRs make and how to fix them.

They break down why food quality should always come first.

And how inconsistency can kill your reputation.

They also uncover why customer service in most QSRs is broken - and how to train your team to engage customers naturally with a simple yet powerful technique called "onion conversations."

But that’s not all. They dive deep into why speed matters more than you think and how long lines - real or perceived - could be silently driving customers away.

Plus, they share a brilliant trick to stop customers from walking out before ordering.

Key moments:

00:01:20 Why food quality makes or breaks your restaurant
00:03:20 The hidden consistency challenge
00:04:40 Discover your brand pillars
00:08:20 Staff training secrets
00:12:40 Master the "onion conversation" technique
00:21:30 Conversation starters that actually work
00:24:20 Speed vs. standards: the perfect balance
00:27:00 Door-to-door time measurement
00:31:40 Rush preparation: the 30+ rule
00:37:30 The "Raving Fans" philosophy
00:41:00 Small details customers secretly notice
00:47:00 Would your team pass the "Grim Reaper test"?

If you run a QSR (or any restaurant), this episode will completely change the way you think about your business. Listen now and start making these simple but powerful shifts today!

-

Thinking of opening another restaurant? Avoid costly mistakes with my free guide:
👉hs.ownershifttraining.com/optin-mupb

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/

Your restaurant should make you money while you sleep - not work you to death.

Listen to today's episode of Restaurant Growth Accelerator with host Andrew Scott, as he shares systems that let you step away from running your restaurant every day.

While putting in the work is essential, most restaurant owners are missing a crucial piece of the puzzle: it's not about MORE work but the RIGHT kind of work.

Andrew shares his personal experience of working 80-100 hour weeks for years without days off, only to watch everything crash when he tried stepping away.

You’ll hear the fundamental difference between being a doer (just another body on the line) versus being a leader who creates systems and accountability.

Through real stories, he illustrates why many owners get trapped running between locations and putting out fires - instead of building a business that can run without them.

Key moments:

00:01:00 Type of work matters
00:01:40 100-hour weeks won't guarantee freedom
00:03:00 Doer versus a leader
00:04:00 Floor drain story
00:06:20 Stop working positions others could fill
00:07:00 Can't make $100k doing this
00:07:40 Create sustainable freedom

Tune in to discover the exact leadership framework that creates freedom and profitability, even when you're not there.

-

✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅

Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee): https://ghl.ownershifttraining.com/weekly-tracker-lp

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/

Too many restaurant owners are getting crushed by rising labor costs.

And if your restaurant has painfully low margins, then you already know that small changes to staffing costs can erase all your profits.

Thankfully the solution can be simple - though it might not be what you expect.

In this episode of Restaurant Growth Accelerator, Andrew Scott (4-location owner & founder of OnwerShift Training) and Nathan Voulgaris (former regional manager of 8 restaurants generating $60M annually) share 3 counterintuitive ways to cut labor costs.

Including their unusual findings that paying employees MORE can actually LOWER your overall restaurant labor costs (in the right situation).

It’s true!

Through practical examples and data-driven insights, discover:

• How Andrew slashed labor costs from 24% to 18% by doing the OPPOSITE of his competitors
• Why 90% of management time gets wasted on the bottom 10% of performers
• The hidden staffing cost that's bleeding most restaurants dry
• How to build a 12-week people plan that prevents staffing emergencies
• Why most restaurant schedules are built on habits instead of actual data

Ready to optimize your labor costs while improving employee satisfaction and customer service?

Listen now to transform your approach to restaurant staffing and cut labor costs. This applies to small restaurants, all the way to large multi-unit restaurants.

-

✅Tools For Restaurant Owners✅

Claim your FREE Restaurant Weekly Financial Tracker to uncover thousands in hidden profits and optimize your costs (in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee): https://ghl.ownershifttraining.com/weekly-tracker-lp

-

✅About Us✅

The Restaurant Growth Accelerator Podcast is hosted by Andrew Scott - founder of OwnerShift Training.

Andrew Scott successfully scaled his restaurant business to 4 locations while working a handful of hours each week. He’s since helped over 1,000 restaurant owners increase their sales, profits, and free time - and he’d love to help you too.

✅For Restaurant Owners✅

Interested in growing your restaurant business while working less? Book your free assessment call:
👉 Restaurant Assessment Call

✅Connect With Us✅

https://www.facebook.com/groups/multiunitempirebuilders/
https://www.instagram.com/andrewrichardscott
https://ownershifttraining.com/