Thanksgiving Week is weird… Staffing shifts, unpredictable traffic, half-days, family events — the whole thing is chaos. But here’s the truth: 👉 This is one of the MOST valuable weeks of the entire year …if you use it right. This is the perfect time to tighten your systems, finalize your December promotions, update your GBP, and make sure your marketing is ready for the next 40 days — which can easily become the most profitable stretch of the entire year. A few reminders from the original Business Builder Tips I wrote years ago (still true today): ✔ Systemize to eliminate fires ✔ Automate the repetitive stuff ✔ Prioritize what ACTUALLY moves revenue ✔ Don’t let the holiday week run you — YOU run it I’m also dropping something big later today — something I’ve never made publicly available in 18 years. If you’re a motivated restaurant owner who wants more consistency, more profits, and less stress… stay close. Big news coming. What’s one thing YOU want to tighten up before Thursday? Drop it below 👇

This is a quick one off video I did to help people deal with the chaos we have going on in our country right now. I did a full blog post with detailed instructions and checklist to prepare which you can get for free here: https://restaurantsuccesssystem.net/featured/how-restaurants-can-prepare-for-ice-raids/

If ICE Walks Into Your Restaurant… Would Your Team Know What To Do? This isn’t fear-mongering — it’s what’s happening right now in NC. Restaurants are dealing with: • Staff too scared to show up • Missed shifts • Kitchens short-handed • Teams unsure of what to do if ICE shows up • Even legal workers panicking Here’s what every restaurant, bar, brewery & café should do today: ✅ Label all back-of-house areas “Employees Only” ✅ Keep I-9s organized in one separate binder ✅ Train staff to say ONLY: “Let me get the manager.” ✅ Don’t let ICE enter private areas without a judge-signed warrant ✅ Don’t answer questions or volunteer info ✅ Stay calm. Stay professional. Stay protected This is about safety — not politics. Preparation > Panic. 👉 Want the full article, checklist & guidance: https://restaurantsuccesssystem.net/featured/how-restaurants-can-prepare-for-ice-raids/ #RestaurantIndustry #ICERaids #KnowYourRights #EssentialWorkers #BackOfHouse #KitchenLife #WorkerSafety #LaborShortage #RestaurantOwners #HospitalityIndustry

Promos, Playbooks, and Profits — November 10–16 Alright hospitality friends — this is one of those weeks. We’ve got: - A holiday that’s technically on Tuesday (Veterans Day — Nov 11), - A bunch of places observing it Monday, - Liquor stores closed Tuesday in NC, - Football everywhere, - And food & drink holidays stacked like bar tabs on a Friday night. So here’s the plan — simple, powerful, and ready to promote: Double Duty Veterans Day Veterans Day officially lands on Tuesday, November 11 — commemorating the end of WWI at the “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.”But with schools closed Monday, and mixed observances everywhere… let’s just do a two-day celebration. Promo Ideas: - Free meal or drink for veterans (Mon & Tue) - Wall of Honor: guests write notes to vets - Double loyalty points for members who are veterans or bring one - Gift Card Promo: Buy $50, Get $10 Bonus Food & Beverage Holidays to Feature Nov 10 (Sun) – Vanilla Cupcake DayPair a cupcake dessert with a sweet cordial or coffee drink. Nov 12 (Tue) – Pizza With the Works DayRun a “No Anchovy Left Behind” pizza combo with a beer flight or slice deal. Nov 13 (Wed) – World Kindness DaySurprise guests. Shout out your team. Launch a feel-good giveaway. Nov 14 (Thu) – National Pickle DayPickle martinis, fried pickles, pickle trivia night? Yes, yes, yes. Nov 15 (Fri) – Clean Out Your Fridge DayFeature “mystery fridge” flash specials. Let your chef have fun. Nov 16 (Sat) – Fast Food DayGourmet sliders, loaded fries, boozy shakes. Elevate the classics. Sports = Sales - Monday Night Football – Eagles vs Packers - Thursday Night Football – Jets vs Patriots - Sunday – Panthers vs Falcons - NBA & NHL – Full swing - College Basketball – Just getting started Got a hometown team?Make it a theme night. One of my clients runs a Bills Bar in Tampa — and he absolutely dominates. The secret? Find what works. Make it awesome. Repeat. Quick Wins to Plug In - Run a "Veteran + 1" promo: Vets bring a friend and both get a discount - Use World Kindness Day to spotlight staff and boost morale - Promote daily holidays on Instagram stories with polls or countdowns - Add your game day schedule to your website & Google Business Profile - Offer bonus loyalty points during big games - Test a “Mystery Menu” night tied to fridge cleanout — chef’s choice

👋 Why I Wrote This Every time a new client joins Restaurant Success Skool, I hear the same things: “Sales are flat, but costs are through the roof. ”“We can’t keep staff longer than 3 months. ”“Traffic’s slowing down — even regulars are pulling back.” “It feels like we’re working harder for less.” Sound familiar? I kept hearing these patterns over and over again — so I went deep to confirm what’s really happening across the U.S. food and beverage industry right now. What I found? It’s not just in your head. The challenges are real. The pressure is rising. And if 2026 mirrors 2025, this industry could face a shakeout we haven’t seen since COVID. This post breaks it all down — what’s happening, why it’s happening, and what the top 5% are doing differently. Let’s get into it. ______________________________________________ If 2026 looks anything like 2025, the U.S. food and beverage industry may be facing a mass extinction event — one we haven’t seen since COVID. Operators are getting squeezed from all sides: - Costs are up. - Traffic is down. - Staffing is broken. - And the guests? They’re hunting for deals while spending less per visit. Margins are vanishing, even for seasoned operators. And the hard truth? Many restaurants that survived the pandemic may not survive 2026. Welcome to the new F&B reality. ______________________________________________ 🩸 What’s Bleeding the Industry Right Now 📉 Traffic Collapse Behind the Scenes - More than 60% of restaurants saw fewer guests in 2024. - Guest counts have continued falling into late 2025, even as sales hit record highs on paper. - Translation: You’re making more because you’re charging more — not because you're serving more That’s not sustainable. ______________________________________________ 💸 Food & Labor Costs Are Crushing Margins - Food costs are still 20–30% higher than pre-pandemic, and volatile. - Wages are up 30%+, with many states pushing new minimum hikes in 2025. - Most operators report lower profitability year-over-year, despite raising prices again. - Fine dining and family dining are getting hammered the hardest.