Restaurant & Foodpreneur Systems That Protect Your Margin
From soul food to food trucks and ghost kitchens, we turn your menu, labor, and delivery channels into a predictable, profitable system—using real numbers, not guesswork.
For restaurants, food trucks, ghost kitchens, and catering teams who want real control over food cost, labor, and delivery—without losing their mind.
You’re Not Just Tired — Your Systems Are.
Most restaurants don’t fail because of recipes. They fail because the numbers are hidden, the operations are chaotic, and delivery partners eat the margin.
Sound Familiar?
- Food cost creeps up but you don’t know exactly where it’s leaking.
- Vendors, invoices, and credits live in a stack of paper or someone’s head.
- Labor schedule is a guess — some weeks you’re slammed, others overstaffed.
- Delivery orders are busy, but you’re not sure if they’re actually profitable.
We’ve lived this for 17+ years. We’ve seen the Friday night rush, the vendor drama, the delivery-app fees, and the feeling of “I’m working too hard for what’s left over.”
That’s why we built restaurant-specific systems using tools like QuickBooks, MRPeasy, Gusto, and DoorDash Partner—so your culture stays warm, but your business runs cold and precise.
Four Systems We Build With You
We implement these together so you can see your margin clearly and act fast.
1. Menu & Recipe Costing
Know exactly what each plate, combo, and add-on really costs — and which items carry your profit.
- Ingredient-level recipe cards with current vendor pricing
- Plate profit per dish, category, and daypart
- Menu engineering (stars, plow-horses, puzzles, dogs)
- Simple rules for when to reprice or re-cost
2. Inventory & Vendor Controls
No more “we should be making money but there’s nothing left.” Get a handle on product, waste, and vendor terms.
- Weekly inventory rhythm that doesn’t kill the team
- Par levels and order guides by vendor
- Simple waste tracking that feeds back into menu and prep
- Vendor scorecard: price, quality, reliability
3. Labor & Payroll Rhythm
Align your schedule, payroll, and sales so you aren’t overstaffed on slow days or drowning on busy ones.
- Labor targets by day and shift
- Schedules tied to real sales patterns
- Payroll and onboarding flows using Gusto
- Simple roles & responsibilities chart so everyone knows their lane
4. Delivery & Expansion Engine
Turn delivery, catering, and new locations into strategy—not just opportunity that drains you.
- Delivery profitability analysis by platform (incl. DoorDash Partner)
- Catering / bulk order systems and checklists
- Cash-flow modeling for expansion using Onramp Funds
- Integration into QuickBooks & your reporting rhythm
From “I Hope We Made Money” to “I Know Exactly Where It Came From.”
Before
- Food cost and labor are “gut feel” — not tracked weekly.
- Vendors raise prices quietly; recipes don’t change for months.
- Delivery apps feel busy but no one can prove they’re profitable.
- Owner is last to get paid and first to be exhausted.
After
- Weekly snapshot of sales, food cost %, and labor % in one view.
- Menu, inventory, and vendor decisions informed by real data.
- Clear rules for which delivery channels to keep, tweak, or cut.
- Owner knows exactly what a strong week looks like — in numbers.
How We Build Your Restaurant System
This isn’t a course. We’re in the kitchen and back office with you — mapping real numbers and real shifts.
We review your current sales, food cost, labor, and delivery mix using QuickBooks and your POS/export data.
We identify your most profitable items, leaks, and quick wins, then design the four systems around them.
We build checklists, dashboards, and routines your team can actually run during real service — not just on paper.
We track results, adjust thresholds, and make sure you’re confident reading and using your numbers weekly.
A Soul Food Case Story (Simplified)
One restaurant came to us feeling busy but broke. Sales looked good on paper, but cash was always tight.
- We discovered 3 high-volume plates with almost no profit after food + labor.
- Vendor price increases had never been rolled into menu pricing.
- Delivery orders were strong but unprofitable on two platforms.
After re-costing those plates, updating menu pricing, tightening inventory, and shifting the delivery mix, the restaurant finally saw the busy weeks matched by real money left over.
What This Means for You
- You don’t have to guess which menu items or channels to push.
- You’ll know which days and shifts are truly profitable.
- You’ll have a weekly rhythm to keep food, labor, and delivery in line.
How We Typically Work With Restaurants
Exact pricing depends on your locations, systems, and goals — but here’s how most owners engage with us.
“Get My Numbers Straight”
- QuickBooks cleanup + restaurant Chart of Accounts
- Basic menu costing & weekly snapshot dashboard
- Simple inventory and labor review
Best for: single-location restaurants that need clarity before big changes.
“Full Restaurant System Build”
- All four systems (menu, inventory, labor, delivery)
- Custom dashboards, routines, and staff training
- 60–90 day implementation with reviews
Best for: restaurants ready to lock in margin and prep for growth.
“Fractional Ops & Numbers Partner”
- Monthly review of numbers and key systems
- Quarterly tune-ups and staff refreshers
- Support for new locations or concepts
Best for: owners who want a long-term partner watching the numbers with them.
Restaurant-Focused FAQs
Can you work with my existing POS and delivery platforms?
Yes. We don’t force you to switch tools on day one. We start by pulling the data you already have and only recommend changes when they clearly improve profit or simplicity.
Will this disrupt service or my staff?
We design the rollout around your slow periods and existing rhythms. Most work happens behind the scenes, with short, focused sessions for training and adjustments.
Do you only work with soul food concepts?
No. We work with many cuisines and formats — full service, quick service, food trucks, and ghost kitchens. The numbers and systems principles are the same.
Can you help if I’m behind on taxes or bookkeeping?
Yes. We can start with a financial cleanup and work alongside your tax professional, then layer on restaurant systems once the books are trustworthy.
How long before I see results?
Most owners feel clarity within the first 30 days. Menu, vendor, and delivery changes typically show up in your numbers within 1–3 cycles, depending on volume.
Do you get paid by any of the tools you recommend?
Some tools have affiliate programs, but we only recommend platforms we actually use and stand behind. Our priority is a system that works for your restaurant long term.
Ready to See Which Plates and Channels Really Make You Money?
One short call can show you whether your menu, labor, and delivery are working for you or against you. From there, we’ll map a clear 90-day plan to tighten the system.
On the Call, We’ll Cover:
- Your current sales, food cost, labor, and delivery picture
- Where the biggest leaks and quick wins likely are
- Which of the four systems to prioritize in the next 90 days
No pressure, no hard sell. Just a real conversation with someone who’s lived behind the line and in the numbers.