How to Manage a Restaurant: Build Systems
If you feel like you’re working harder than ever and your restaurant still can’t run without you, listen up. I’m about to show you the one thing that will give you your life back. It’s not magic. It’s not luck. It’s systems. Let’s talk about how to build restaurant systems that solve the problems keeping you stuck in the grind — and where they fit into my proven formula so you can take back control of your business.
If you think systems are just corporate nonsense, you’re wrong. They’re the only way to get consistency, profitability, and a team that doesn’t text you every five minutes asking what to do.
Step one: Understand what restaurant systems really are
Systems aren’t just checklists. They’re your playbook — the exact, repeatable way you want things done. Instead of running your restaurant from memory, you run it by design.
Take Tina and Rob, for example. They came to me exhausted, constantly putting out fires because every shift ran differently. We built systems for ordering, prep and line checks. Within weeks, waste went down, food quality went up, and for the first time, they took a weekend off without panic calls from the staff.
Step two: Why restaurant systems set you free
Without systems, you are the system — and that’s why you can’t step away. With systems, your managers run the place exactly the way you would, even when you’re not there.
Brett was a great example of this. He was ready to open a second location but terrified his first would fall apart without him. Together, we documented every process from hiring to closing. When he launched his second location, sales stayed strong at both restaurants because his systems duplicated him.
Step three: How to build restaurant systems the right way
So, how do you start building systems? Pick one pain point — something that frustrates you daily. Write down the exact steps to fix it. Or, with today’s technology, record it and use a tool like ChatGPT to create a training document. Then, train your team on it and hold them accountable. Once that system is solid, move to the next pain point.
Tracy used to think she had to fix everything at once, which was so overwhelming that she didn’t even start. We began with just one system — her ordering system. Once that worked, she moved on to scheduling, then to other areas. A year later, she had systems for every critical function, and her restaurant practically ran itself.
Systems inside the Restaurant Prosperity Formula
Systems are just one part of my Restaurant Prosperity Formula — the framework I’ve used for over two decades to help restaurant owners achieve freedom and profitability. The other parts are leadership, training, accountability and taking action.
Over the next few posts, I’ll break down each one so you can finally run your restaurant—instead of your restaurant running you.
If you’re serious about making your restaurant run without you, start building systems today. Pick one, write it down, train it, enforce it. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll get your nights and weekends back.
Be sure to visit my YouTube channel for more helpful restaurant management video tips.
