Thriving Restaurants

06/27/2025

A restaurant CEO of ten units increased costs by $580,000 this year and blamed purchasing!

As someone in purchasing, my immediate thought is that it was the CEO’s fault, but there’s more to it than that.

What most CEO don't realize is that the purchasing team is usually buried in daily operations. Even fully staffed, purchasing departments spend 90% of their time on tasks other than RFPs and strategic pricing.

When purchasing employees are hired, the rest of the company leans heavier on purchasing- it often doesn’t equate to faster output of savings.

Until the new person is trained, the department has more work than before.

That’s where an honest consultant can add savings quicker and reduce your purchasing department's stress.

Feel free to call us for more details.

Here’s how the CEO can keep the department lean and make them happier. Outsource to a consultant, allowing input from the purchasing department.

Why the idea may be uncomfortable

Fear of disruption
Personal loyalty
Change= More Work
Teams often have long-standing, emotional ties to incumbent suppliers. (and they should)

A consultant brings independence, objectivity, and zero attachment, allowing them to:

Push for stronger pricing
Ask tougher questions
Replace underperformers without hesitation
Allow the internal team to make the consultants the “bad guys”

Here’s the good news-
An honest consultant typically pays for themselves after one RFP, generating net savings much quicker.

The speed to savings means it is on this year's P+L . Not to mention alleviating stress on the department.

Save money this year and start next year in a better place!

Have a quick conversation with us.
Email me at: [email protected]
or...
Shoot me a text at 832-934-4493
All the best,
GH

07/26/2023

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/davidmaloni_lots-going-on-in-the-markets-including-crop-activity-7089663600130183168-Do6X?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

Lots going on in the markets including crop challenges and historically low cattle numbers. This and more in this week's issue below. Thanks for the…

05/29/2023

05/16/2023

Restaurant Owners and Managers--Do your food costs fall as fast as they rise? Recent commodity price fluctuations to be aware of...

Fresh chicken wings are 53% lower than they were in 2019. The market has them priced below $1 per pound! Are your prices back to 2019 levels? Avocados, pork back ribs, and pork belly (bacon) are all below 2019 as well. Eggs are currently below their price from 3 years ago. A seasoned procurement person knows how to navigate the commodity markets. They should more than pay for themselves over a year. At Thriving Restaurants our goal is to save a minimum of 2X our fee. The savings is usually much higher than that.
If your company needs someone to help manage and negotiate prices send us a note at [email protected]

05/09/2023

Attention Restaurant Owners/Managers! Are you aware of how deflating food prices can have a negative impact on your business? Read on to learn how dropping prices can harm your restaurant and what you can do about it.

When market prices for ingredients drop, restaurants with a contracted markup in writing with their distributor will benefit from immediate price reductions. However, those without a contracted markup are at a significant disadvantage because their prices will drop much slower, potentially losing out on profits.

This disadvantage becomes even more pronounced during times when customers are watching their spending closely. Competitors with a margin in place can offer more competitive menu prices and see greater profits from similar sales. This allows them to offer higher wages to their staff and outspend the competition on advertising.

To avoid falling behind, it's crucial to have a solid contract in place with your suppliers that outlines a set markup for everything you buy. This provides stability and protects your business from the fluctuations of the market. Take some time to review your supplier contracts and ensure you have a contracted markup in place.

In short, having a contracted markup in place is essential for restaurants to stay competitive and maintain their profits. Don't let deflation harm your business - take action today. If you need help or advice, don't hesitate to contact us at Thriving Restaurants. We're dedicated to helping growing restaurant operators compete with big chains, leveraging our 30+ years of relationships, large buying power, and aggressive contracts. Gain an advantage over your competition before they gain one over you.

04/18/2023

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7054215914111565824-7n2Q?utm_source=post_nba&utm_medium=member_desktop&utm_campaign=copy

📣 Attention Restaurant Owners & Managers! 🍽️ Are you in the process of negotiating a new food contract for your restaurant? Have…

03/08/2023

Beef tenderloin typically takes a sizable price jump as hotels buy it up heading into Easter brunch. PSMO's have a 30-45 day shelf life from the kill date.

Buy Low

If you use a lot of filets/PSMO's plan to buy 3-4 weeks of tenderloins within the next week. Tenderloins usually increase in price every week between now and Easter.

Buy it by the case whenever possible. Distributors often charge more when they have to open a case.

02/10/2023

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/glenn-hurley-38044ab_fresh-chicken-wing-prices-have-been-lower-activity-7029517215980732416-OvpS?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

Fresh chicken wing prices have been lower than expected, especially for Superbowl weekend. After the Superbowl, I would anticipate rising prices as we…

02/09/2023

Restaurant owners are using AI to write bad reviews for competitors' restaurants and the help of AI allows them to do it very quickly.