If labor feels “out of control,” it’s usually not because you’re a bad operator. It’s because the rules changed—again. In 2025, 89% of restaurant operators reported rising staff expenses, and many saw the jump land in the 1%–5% range (with a meaningful slice experiencing 6%–14%). And heading into 2026, demand has gotten choppier: Black Box
Why restaurants and taprooms feel “busy but broke” — and the cash system that fixes it If you own or operate a restaurant or taproom, you already know the feeling: payroll clears and the account dips hard, vendors stack up at the exact wrong time, an annual bill hits (insurance, licensing, repairs), and suddenly you’re
Why “food is high” isn’t a diagnosis—and how restaurants and taprooms build prime-cost control you can manage weekly Most owner/operators don’t lose money because they “don’t work hard enough.” They lose money because prime cost drifts—quietly, consistently, and usually without one obvious smoking gun—until the month closes and the conversation turns into: “How did we
Why “how much is in the account?” and late P&Ls are too slow—and what a fractional CFO does instead When guest counts start to wobble and every invoice feels a little heavier, the numbers in your business stop being “nice to know” and start being survival tools. But most restaurant and taproom operators still manage
The pain points a finance partner can actually take off your plate If you own or operate a restaurant or taproom in 2025, you do not need another reminder that the math is tight. Industry data keeps coming back to the same picture: Average restaurant profit margins still sit in the 3–5% range, even as