I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter, more successful businesses.

In this episode, I break down why focusing on frequency instead of foot traffic is the key to long-term profitability.

We’re diving into the power of customer data—how to capture it, segment it, and use it to create marketing that actually works. Because guess what? Not all customers are created equal. Once you know who your best customers are and why they keep coming back, you can stop throwing money at broad marketing and start making strategic moves that drive real growth. If you’re looking to maximize revenue without constantly hustling for new guests, this one’s for you.

Takeaways:

• Your fastest path to growth isn't new customers.
• A 5% increase in repeat customers boosts profitability by 25%.
• Reminding customers that you exist is crucial.
• Acquiring customer data is essential for retention.
• People value status and access over discounts.
• Role-playing can help staff feel comfortable selling.
• Segmentation of customer lists increases marketing effectiveness.
• Personalized communication makes customers feel valued.
• Focus on existing customers for quicker revenue growth.
• Implement frequency-based campaigns to drive repeat visits.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Restaurant Profitability
02:07 The Importance of Customer Frequency
05:00 Capturing Customer Data
07:52 Segmentation for Effective Marketing
10:12 Conclusion and Call to Action

If you’ve got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at [email protected] and include Office Hours in the subject line. If you'd like to scale the profitability of your restaurant in only 5 days, sign up for our FREE 5 Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting https://joshkopel.com.