Helping open a new spot in Brooklyn and the GM hire is proving to be the hardest one. We need someone who can come in pre-opening, help build the team from scratch, work alongside a chef with a big international reputation and very high standards, and then stay and run the place.

We're thinking $125-150k for the right person. For those of you who've opened restaurants or managed them: is that realistic for NYC, and where do the good GMs actually come from? Every opening I hear about seems to fill this role through someone's network, not job boards.

Curious what's worked (or totally failed) for people here

I’m exploring an idea for a lightweight digital queue system specifically designed to handle front-of-house walk-in bottlenecks during peak hours, and I’d love some brutal honesty from people actually running the floor.

The concept: Instead of a host manually jotting down names/numbers on a notebook or a locked iPad, guests scan a QR code at the door, enter their party size, name, and phone number, and enter a live queue.

• They get an SMS link showing their real-time spot in line.
• They receive an automated alert when their table is ready.
• The host has a simple web dashboard to call parties, mark no-shows, or pause new walk-ins with a single tap.

What I want to learn from you:

1. What’s your current setup for walk-in waits (pen & paper, OpenTable/Resy, dedicated buzzer hardware)?
2. What drives you crazy about your current workflow (e.g., no-shows, guests crowding the host stand, high subscription fees)?
3. Would allowing guests to self-add to the waitlist reduce host workload, or does it invite headaches (fake names, trolling, parties waiting down the street)?

Hey team! I recently moved to work a job, and live on site. I originally came to work as a lead, but upon arrival was asked to be the FOH manager. The team I am asked to work with has been here for about 5 years, think they run the show, never been held accountable, and have excuses for every single thing to not change.

Infact, on my first day I had to write someone up for insubordination, and the next day a different member for pouring one brand of alcohol into another brand of alcohol.

So, how do I even muster up a positive attitude or foster change with such pushback and animosity towards me? Trust me, I am implementing change regardless. It's just is really soul crushing, and making it impossible to climb the hill. I have never worked with anyone this resistant. Upper management knows this, and wants them out, and completelyhave my back. I am just not sure how to come into work knowing I have to be in fight mode all day. But I love everything else. Help me!

Small mom and pops if yall havent seen higher invoices expect them soon

This is basically wholesale price index vs 1 year ago

I suggest to reprice your menus soon before the ship sinks

We are doing it for our 4 restaurants

God speed 🫡

Just curious if anyone out there has worked or is a current staff member at The Bongo Room (Chicago). Was your experience good? Is the restaurant doing well in the wake of co-founder John Latino's death several years back?

I bartended at a privately owned restaurant owned by two brothers up until yesterday. The younger brother loves to nitpick, but will do so professionally and out of earshot of employees or customers. The older brother has zero filter and gets very sketchy.

Several weeks ago the older brother had a meltdown that I threw away an empty gift card. I have only worked here for four months and didn't know that he recycled them, and don't think that a $.40 piece of plastic was worth of the reaction I got. Called me an idiot, asked how it wasn't common sense when I've been in the industry for a decade, carried on shouting and belittling me. From this point I knew it was only a matter of time.

Last night he asked "where my brain was at" because he allows a party of ten to sit in a specific area where they blatantly don't fit because I didn't pull the table further away from the wall. There is about a two foot walkway from the table to the wall and it would have been the same issue on the other side and a fire hazard. sat at the end of the bar drinking with a group of regulars. First he criticized the technique I used to make a margarita and asked why. I told him that's how a margarita should be made and why and he said that I was wasting ice. Then a similar issue with a Manhattan. I explained again why I made it that way. These were both service bar drinks, not for bar guests. It was the first time we have had these conversations. Then the regulars at the bar started agreeing with me and told him to "stay on his side of the bar" and this must have angered him more. I went to leave the bar to check on food in the kitchen, thinking this was done, and he put his foot out to try to trip me then stood up, got chest to chest and started screaming in my face about wasting his ice. He knows that I'm epileptic and if I were to trip and hit my head it could be catastrophic. Both of these things, the trip and blocking me from leaving and getting in my face in such a way, are pretty easily assault, however petty. I also have severe PTSD from an unrelated stabbing and this still has me reeling.

After this he stormed out and I left a letter with the closing manager for him that I wouldn't be returning to working effective immediately because I feared his violent behavior. Is this something I should file a police report about? He has called other employees all sorts of slurs and has slapped a few in the back of the head. Is this something that I could get unemployment for in NJ, albeit I quit the job, but under duress. Is there another place I should report something like this to? He owes me tips from a party I worked last week as well as a paycheck; if this isn't paid, how should I pursue that?

Been out of the restaurant business for around 10 years and recently opened a new one. I can't fuckin believe the amount of mods nowadays. Why even put a menu together? And it's not like "no tomato" either. They literally change everything.

That and the amount of takeout is insane. Has the American diner changed that much?

Okay, I'm going to start this off for any mods reading this: I did read the rules, especially rule 5 about not asking if I should start a restaurant. I already know I want to but I'm hoping to get technical advice.

So I've had this idea of starting a TTRPG themed restaurant, catering to not just fans of said gaming scene, but regular people as well. It would be a fantasy style restaurant that serves more traditional and homely foods; think roasts, brown soups, meat pies, game birds, etc.

At the largest scale I've imagined, it would have two separated wings where regular diners would be separate from reservation diners. Reservation diners have access to isolated rooms for use as gaming spaces, or just regular dining if that is what it is reserved for. Of course for reserving such rooms there would be rules for personal hygiene and keeping any illicit activities out of discussion, though enforcing those is still a work in progress.

I understand that doing something to this scale would require incredible amounts of capital and networking with suppliers, not to mention actually finding a building to work out of and employees.

I'm just wanting to get some general advice and maybe a few starting points where I can begin better outlining my ideas.

I pay for a business streaming thing. bmi as per usual is hounding us. this last email though was different. its title was “review with your attorney“. Curious if anyone has gotten this far with them? Normal? Usually I just ignore them as I don’t want to engage with us. We do live music like maybe a couple times a year and I know that’s not covered by the streaming.

I work at a small pizza place in Florida and we just got new owners a couple months ago. They have cut hours and wages and often take tables , togo's and deliveries themselves. And they take the tips as well. We can be totally dead and the server is forced clean because there are no tables and the owner will take a to go order or delivery and get the tips because the server can only take tables. Or if we are busy the owner will help and take a table or to go and pocket the tips. If we are dead we get sent home while the owners stay and work our positions. I do think it is great that they will actually work and help out when needed and I know they are trying to save on labor but I feel like the employees should be making the money not the owners. My question is is this fair? I thought it was illegal for owners to take tips?

I'm new to a bigger restaurant where it's a big issue, but I've been seeing it opo up at other places I've worked before too, the small sink filters not being enough to catch everything, when you take it out to clean it, the rest of the debris still going down the drain, eventually clogging it. Is there a low effort solution to this aside from installing garbage disposal units or regularly cleaning the pipes manually?

I own a small restaurant in a small city in one for the small provinces in Canada for a year now running . And we’re barely breaking even . Tried almost everything I know can help ; Meta Ads , TikTok Ads, influencers , email campaigns , campaigns on delivery platforms ( DoorDash & UberEats ) , been in the news at least 4 times ( TV & Radio ) hosted events to bring people in. All these seemed to have worked but just for a while . Currently only 5% of our customers are returning which is alarming. We’ve got a solid 4.9 rating on Google with over 200 reviews organically .

For context this is a different cuisine being introduced to the community . We find that the audience are seeing more like a one-time experience so they come try it and don’t show up again or maybe after 2-3 months when they bring another friend . This is just my observation and from the data.

Would you say it’s worth it still trying to make this work or call it quits and go to another city .

Need ideas on people who have been able to turn their restaurant around in a similar situation like this . For new customers and even to retain customers.

I’d be reading and responding to comments if anyone has any follow up questions. Thank you all!

Planning to explore the food scene in Rajkot? This guide to the best celebrity chef restaurants covers menus, prices, and reviews to help you make informed dining choices.

Hey, guys, restaurant owner of 10+ years here, me and my buddy, who is a chef got into an argument over a few beers, classic on how much reputation has changed in the past year with insta, tiktok, reviews and all and how now it feels like one bad night can follow a place around forever now.

Then we kinda switch it up to what hurts a restaurant’s rep more, the place not being clean, or the kitchen not keeping up when it’s slammed?

He swears guests will forgive a slow night but never a dirty glass. I think he’s wrong, my POV is that people will remember sitting hungry for 45 minutes watching other tables get their food way more than a smudge on a glass they probably didn’t even notice.

Before anyone jumps on me, I know it’s never just one or the other and the food matters most… but if you had to pick one that does more rep damage, which is it? 

Open to any and all opinions, genuinely curious how people who live this every day see it.

I quit my previous job because they kept bullying me, punching things at work, cursing me out, cut my hours a lot and threatened to fire me a lot. I waited until i started this new job to quit the old job.

They say training is 3 days and that we don't get tips until our training is over after we pass the test. Well, they cut my hours cause of the weather and they extended my training which means i still have not gotten tips. I was told that we would make 8 an hour before tips and that we would get at least 5 an hour in tips. Well i can't afford to make 8 an hour. And they said they still havent given me my training test cause they think I am not ready. I think i did good but I guess not. This is crazy. I can't afford to have less than 35 hours a week and I also can't afford to make only $8 an hour. I have workes with food for over a decade. There is no way i am that bad at my job.

I’ve spent almost two years building a small, food-driven restaurant in a small town. People seem to love the food to a point where its the talk of the town, but the business isn’t financially sustainable, and I haven’t paid myself yet.

I care deeply about what I cook, from naturally fermented sourdough pizzas to creative specials made from scratch. But I’m burnt out, and I genuinely don’t know what to do anymore.

Do I keep fighting to make this work, or accept that it’s time to move on and start somewhere new?

For those who’ve been through something similar, how did you know when to persevere and when to let go? I’m looking for honest advice from people who’ve actually been there.

I'm going to be working as a hostess at Firebirds, and we split tips with the servers. Ladies... what got you the most tips when hosting/serving?

(22y/o) I recently graduated from college with great stats and test scores for law school, I am doing a gap year at a law firm but my passion is food. I have always enjoying cooking, for roommates, family etc. and through this have gotten pretty good. I took a couple of summer camps where I was taught classic French Techniques. I love everything about it, the heat, the flavors, and most importantly feeding others. The only thing is, I have set myself up so well to pursue law, and could end up making a great career. I have never been a risk taker, but do not want to look back in 10 or so years and regret my decision. Looking for advice! Thanks!

I'm going to make this as short as possible! So I recently picked up a shift somewhere I used to work. I have left to pursue a career change opportunity and also doing an online course. So I am already stressed and learning alot. This is a decently fancy place but I wouldn't call it fine dining but close enough in my area. Owner is chef and other owner is FOH.. let's say they are verrrry close. I picked up a shift recently to help out but hadn't worked in over a month. I was just getting comfortable when I left, so my wheels were a bit rusty. Chef has a tendency to freak out over small things. This is an open kitchen and it's obvious when he's literally cussing about small stuff. Examples: Table rang in under the wrong number, a rare mistake, he mumbles he doesn't have fcking time for this. Table wants an item to go, again he mumbles we're a fcking restaurant, what in the hell is going on here? <-his words, After that guests would like 2 of the same to go desserts.. I misheard and thought he said he could do anything but that.. so I ring in a different single one. He proceeded to throw a fit about it, it was for their young kids, I told him they don't care what it looks like. He said I told you I could do the dessert I thought he said no to but I guess he said it just couldn't have a particular aspect to it, so he made it along with the other. Once I understand him about that dessert, I ring in the other 2, since he said he would not do the other single one. He ends up tossing the single one I ordered into a box and handing me one of the other. I asked if the other was for someone else because I didn't order it and he swears it was on the ticket... it was not, he looked at the ticket and didn't say one word. At this point he's LIVID, he says this is clearly getting complicated, he does not want to speak to me anymore and he wants to speak to the manager instead. I tell said manager, who is cool about it when I tell them what happened- they know he's a hothead. I tell them to just cancel the other dessert since I got one of each and that the guests would really be happy with ANY dessert they were allowed to get.. and they were and I BS'd my way around it by saying we ran out of the dessert they wanted two of... since he was not willing to make it. I would've paid for the other out of pocket, I have before to avoid issues in the past. It's a busy, high stress environment. Also, kitchen was super slow, it took over an hour and 15 min for my second course to come out. First was out in 30, SOUP TOOK OVER 40 MIN AFTER THAT! I am being vague in case anyone I may know is on this thread. The advice I need is how do I politely tell the other VERY CLOSE management that I don't really want to pick up any more shifts due to the feeling of a toxic environment. This other person is also an owner. I really don't need the stress, it's a small town.... I don't really want to come across any way, especially to the owners of one of the best restaurants in town. Ughgh I'm stressed and this was much longer than I expected 🙃 SORRY 😞

TLDR I’m making sourdough tortillas for my business but I need to take out all the gas before cooking them to keep a certain texture. I’ve tried punching it out but there seem to be tiny (very tiny) gas pockets that form by the time I cook them and it changes the texture.

I’ve though about
1. Cold bulk fermentation (I don’t have real logic to think of this might work or not)
2. Vacuum chamber degassing (idk if it would even work)
3. I’m out of ideas.

Any insight will be appreciated.

Hi all, not sure if this belongs here but I couldn’t find a non-fine dining Reddit.

Recently went out to a solo dinner to a nice-ish place in a mid tier city. Think something that could eventually get a James beard.

I ordered one of their bestsellers - croquettes. It was SO salty, the batter, the sauce, everything. The waiter asked if I would like a box but I kindly said no and gently said that it was a little salty for my taste.

The next two things I ordered were also loaded with salt. The woman next to me at the bar also said that the restaurant is normally not like this. It was my first time but she’s a regular.

I didn’t complain about the other two items, and when the tab came, the waiter comped the croquettes. He said I was the fifth person to complain about the saltiness of the batter that week. I appreciated it and tipped extra.

However, if the restaurant knew they had a salt problem, why didn’t they remake the batters? What if I didn’t say anything at all? Why didn’t the waiter asked if the other items I ordered were also salty, knowing that they were having an issue?

Just curious if this is common practice and what you all think. I’ll definitely be back to try that restaurant again, but I’m a little disappointed.