Scaling a Mission, Not Just a Menu: Dean Neff on Profitability, Purpose, and Leading with Story

Dean Neff didn’t set out to build the biggest seafood restaurant—he set out to build the most meaningful.At Seabird in Wilmington, North Carolina, Dean’s created a model where purpose isn’t a marketing angle—it’s the operating system. From sourcing to storytelling to team education, his restaurant is a case study in how to scale impact without sacrificing profitability.In this episode, Dean breaks down the systems that support a values-driven business, the importance of teaching staff to connect the dots between product and purpose, and why his restaurant runs on more than just service—it runs on story. For any operator wondering if deeper meaning can lead to stronger margins, this episode says yes—and shows you how.To learn more about Seabird and the work he’s doing in Wilmington, visit https://www.seabirdnc.com.____________________________________________________________Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

What if the most powerful list in restaurants isn’t about food—it’s about influence?William Drew runs the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, the ranking that can transform a chef’s life overnight. But behind the glitz is a story of politics, pressure, and purpose. In this episode, we go deep on how the list really works, who gets included, and what it reveals about the evolving values of the global dining scene. We explore the rise of storytelling over technique, how post-pandemic shifts are impacting who wins, and why French cuisine is no longer the default standard. William doesn’t just defend the list—he opens it up. And in doing so, he gives us a rare look into how prestige is created and what it means for the future of restaurants. If you’ve ever wondered who decides what matters in food—this is that conversation. To learn more about The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, visit https://www.theworlds50best.com.____________________________________________________________Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

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 talked about why we need to rethink loyalty programs in the hospitality industry. To me, loyalty isn’t about handing out discounts—it’s about creating emotional connections with our guests. I shared how designing programs that reward status and access, rather than just transactions, can help restaurant owners build a real sense of belonging. I also touched on how important it is to involve our team in these programs and why they can serve as powerful marketing tools to boost both engagement and sales.Takeaways:Most restaurant owners think they need more guests.Profit isn't random, it's engineered.Loyalty isn't transactional. It's emotional.Discounts don't build loyalty, identity does.Your loyalty program should sell, not just retain.Engagement trumps size every day.Make loyalty a part of service, not a side hustle.Your team is the engine.Audit your current program.Reward it with a feeling of belonging.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Hospitality Insights01:20 Rethinking Loyalty Programs04:43 Building Emotional Connections with CustomersIf 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.

Derrick Hayes didn’t open a restaurant—he made a promise.Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks started in a gas station as a tribute to his father. Today, it’s one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands in the country. But the road wasn’t easy. Derrick had the demand, the brand, the lines out the door—but not the systems. And without systems, profitability nearly broke him. In this episode, Derrick gets real about what it took to turn Big Dave’s into a scalable, sustainable business. We talk about how he built a cult following, the lessons he learned about money and margins, and how mentorship changed everything. He’s built something big—but he’s done it with clarity, culture, and purpose. If you’ve ever felt like your success is outpacing your systems—this episode is for you. To learn more about Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, visit https://www.bigdavescheesesteaks.com.____________________________________________________________Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

John Paterson had every reason to chase growth. The hype was real. The demand was there. But instead of opening more restaurants, he doubled down on one—and built a brand that runs deep instead of wide. Raised inside family-run restaurants in Alabama, John’s path to ownership wasn’t fast—but it was intentional. And at Frankie’s in Nashville, that intention is baked into every decision: from the way they hire and train, to how they lead, serve, and scale.In this episode, we talk about the risks he refused to take, the systems he uses to keep team culture strong, and the belief that building something worth coming back to is more powerful than just being new. To learn more about Frankie’s in Nashville, visit https://www.frankiesnashville.com.____________________________________________________________Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

What does it take to introduce an entire country to a cuisine they’ve never heard of—and scale it into a multi-million-dollar empire? Ivan Iricanin pulled it off with AMBAR, turning an obscure idea into one of the most successful and unique restaurant groups in the country.In today’s episode, Ivan breaks down how he created product-market fit where none existed, scaled a culturally unfamiliar concept into a household name, and mastered the economics of an unlimited tasting menu—without racing to the bottom. You’ll hear how he used hospitality as a weapon, designed operations for profitability, and built a team that could support explosive growth in both the U.S. and abroad.If you’re sitting on an unconventional idea or wondering how to scale in a crowded market, this one’s for you. To learn more about Ambar and the group behind one of the most successful Balkan concepts in the world, visit https://www.ambarrestaurant.com.____________________________________________________________Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

Most chefs build restaurants. Gavin Kaysen built a legacy. With his Synergy Series book, Gavin captures years of mentorship, collaboration, and lessons from 25 of the country’s top chefs—all while scaling his own hospitality empire. In this episode, we explore how he turned six years of curated dinners into a blueprint for future generations, the power of mentorship in shaping the industry, and why chasing comfort kills creativity. If you’ve ever dreamed of turning your work into lasting impact, this is the conversation you’ve been waiting for. To learn more about his restaurants, the Synergy Series book, and his work with the nonprofit Mentor, visit https://gavinkaysen.com/____________________________________________________________Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

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 tackle the current state of SEO and why traditional strategies can be both expensive and ineffective. Instead, I share a smarter approach I call “SEO jacking”—a method that boosts visibility by partnering with established local media and influencers. It’s all about giving restaurant owners practical, actionable ways to build their online presence without relying on costly SEO tactics.  Takeaways:Most restaurant owners think they need more guests.Profit isn't random, it's engineered.SEO is often seen as too expensive or exhausting.Traditional SEO is slow, expensive, and unreliable.Partnering with top-ranking sites is more effective than outranking them.SEO jacking boosts credibility and visibility quickly.Media folks are more likely to write about you after a great experience.Crafting win-win pitches is essential for collaboration.Google wants trusted sources, so borrow their credibility.Visibility can be achieved faster than traditional blogging methods.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Full Comp and Profitability Masterclass01:48 The Relevance of SEO in the Restaurant Industry05:36 SEO Jacking: A New Approach to VisibilityIf 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.

Most chefs wear burnout as a badge of honor. Scott Crawford wears balance and transparency. After years of struggling with addiction, Scott made a radical shift—not just in his own life, but in how he runs his restaurants. From zero-tolerance harassment policies to no-shift-drinks rules, Scott’s approach flips the industry’s toxic culture on its head. In this episode, we dig into how owning his story helped him attract the right people, why he’s embraced vulnerability in leadership, and the systems he’s built to protect his mental health—and his business. If you’re ready to rethink what success in this industry looks like, this is the episode for you.To learn more about Crawford Hospitality and the restaurants that are redefining work-life balance in hospitality, visit https://crawfordhospitality.com. ____________________________________________________________Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

Forget the loyalty programs and outdated marketing tricks. Chris Smith, CEO of Zunzibar, has a different approach—one that turns customers into fans, simplifies operations, and scales with soul. From flipping burgers in college to building a franchise model with a clear mission, Chris shares how focusing on simplicity, relationships, and purpose has helped him create a brand that resonates with customers, team members, and franchisees alike. In this episode, we dive into why fandom beats loyalty, how to build an operation that scales without breaking, and how your personal purpose can power your business growth. To learn more about Zunzibar and how they’re blending fast casual with a bar-driven experience, visit https://www.zunzibar.com. Chris’s story is proof that when you keep it simple and lead with purpose, the result is a brand people don’t just visit—they love.____________________________________________________________Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars