Restaurant Association: The best source for Restaurant Industry News & Operations Tips

A 2026 overview of restaurant labor law changes - minimum wage, overtime, tips, scheduling rules, leave, minors, posters, and records.

Restaurant owners can standardize guest experiences by using customer service training covering brand standards, communication, menu knowledge, pacing, recovery, and safety.

Use core POS reports - sales summary, dayparts, channels, transactions, item mix, discounts - to build accurate Sales Forecasts for staffing and ordering.

Lower food cost percentage by tracking accurate numbers, finding variance leaks, tightening portions, reducing waste, improving purchasing, and optimizing menu decisions.

Determine the best accounting method for restaurants by comparing cash and accrual across inventory, vendor invoices, and multi-location reporting.

Build a reliable restaurant hiring system with clear roles, steady pipelines, structured interviews, fast offers, onboarding, and metrics for hiring and recruiting.

A clear, tax-type system helps restaurant owners manage taxes confidently - reducing errors in sales, payroll, tip reporting, and income filings.

Most restaurants say they have goals for the year—but very few actually set goals that drive results. In this video, we walk through how to set clear, realistic, and measurable restaurant goals for 2026, whether you’re running one location or multiple units. You’ll learn: ✔️ The biggest mistake restaurants make when setting annual goals ✔️ How to break big goals into weekly and monthly actions ✔️ Which numbers actually matter (and which don’t) ✔️ How to align owners, managers, and staff around the same targets ✔️ Simple goal examples for sales, labor, food cost, and operations This framework works for: • Restaurant owners • General managers & operators • Multi-unit groups • New concepts and established brands 📊 Stop “hoping” 2026 is better—plan for it.

In 2026, the cost to open a restaurant depends on concept, build-out, equipment, permits, staffing, tech, and working capital.

Learn essential types of restaurant technology, including POS, payments, ordering, kitchen, labor, inventory, and guest tools, to boost profit.