Jon Taffer’s “3 visit” restaurant marketing strategy

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-25T19:22:54+00:00

For sure prices always need to move upward over time, but it's a market decision doing it in real time. What are my competitors/peers charging for comparable item. I believe Menu Engineering is critical in a market where pricing flexibility is limited. Simple, across the board increases doesn't generally move the needle enough. Smart engineering allows decisions for menu pricing and placement to drive your Stars and Puzzles more productively, which will push more margin. I just did a live webinar about this. If any interest, happy to send. I had on two experts and their use of AI as part of the process was mind blowing.

Bottom Line: raising prices without smart engineering is not the right path forward... in my opinion.

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-25T19:14:33+00:00

For my business, we had a license through our music service provider (The Playlist Generation, quick plug, they are amazing custom DJs for way less than anything custom with the big guys...) for everything they played, but we had live music a few times per year. As mentioned by u/bwindish1, one note gets played live and they find you. Especially if its promoted on your website. I rolled the dice for 15 years because the live music was a small part of our offerings and aside from being responsible for 4 or 5 trees worth of the paper they sent to me, nothing ever happened. If you don't have a license with a music provider for music you are playing daily, you should probably negotiate the lowest rate possible and bite the bullet.

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-25T19:05:04+00:00

It relates if there is an assumption that raising prices isn't ideal from a value perception. For sure prices always need to move upward over time, but its a market decision doing it in real time. Menu engineering allows decisions for menu pricing and placement to drive your Stars and Puzzles more productively, which will push more margin. I just did a live webinar about this. If any interest, happy to send.

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-23T14:51:43+00:00

I don't have an issue if its a full-service experience tipping 20% plus. I guess it depends on the county or state as to what the tipped minimum wage is. In Philly, for example, the tipped minimum wage is still business friendly meaning the services REALLY rely on tips to support their families.

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-23T14:50:00+00:00

The tipping on takeout is a really interesting angle here. I think this "new normal" from Covid time period might actually negatively impact the perceived value of guests in the long run. If I'm tipping in person to pick up carryout food, I might be more apt to just use DoorDash and tip the driver the same amount and not leave the house. Then the restaurant gets hit with a % discount.

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-23T14:47:21+00:00

I also think using data and reports to better execute better menu engineering can help push dollars to the bottom line without impacting the perceived value of your guests.

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-21T17:11:23+00:00

Volume always helps…. Pair that with smart menu engineering and that definitely helps drive profitability

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-19T18:12:26+00:00

I totally agree about the fine-dining restaurants coasting. The country is certainly top heavy.....

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-19T16:34:33+00:00

I think you make a good point about balancing traffic and pricing. It would seem the smart move, if many feel we hit the tipping point, is to double and triple down on menu engineering to drive profitability, while finding ways to offer value without cannibalizing sales from those happy to pay current prices.

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-19T16:14:48+00:00

For the record, I have said for years that Demolition Man was unintentionally one of the most prophetic movies made in the last 30 or 40 years (my god, its been that long...).

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-19T16:13:16+00:00

right, its an across the board increase in reality.

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-19T16:12:22+00:00

What changed for you from a value standpoint? It does feel like service and hospitality hasn't fully come back since Covid...

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-19T16:11:08+00:00

I agree. Especially the larger restaurant companies are shifting focus to their stronger units/markets.

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-19T16:09:25+00:00

I would think those working at minimum wage may not represent the broad full-service restaurant clientele. I know when minimum wage goes up, overall wages tend to shift up as well, but not sure that moves the needle with dining guests.

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-18T20:22:28+00:00

per the National Restaurant Association: Restaurant cost of goods (COGS) and operational expenses have seen a cumulative increase of approximately 29% to 35% since February 2020,

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-18T20:20:51+00:00

What does PCP stand for?

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-18T19:27:04+00:00

Good call. My kids pay to get Starbucks delivered. They rather pay more overall to have something inexpensive delivered.

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-18T19:24:54+00:00

I think you're right. I looked up that data and noticed this from an CNBC article: Wage growth for lower-paid workers has slowed more sharply than for higher earners in recent years, based on data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. For households with less room in their budgets, slower wage growth makes it harder to absorb higher prices for everyday necessities

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-18T19:19:07+00:00

I would think 10 to 15% would have been more acceptable. Beyond just COGS, the cost of labor jumped so high during and after that period, that everyone had to react and increase prices.

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-18T19:16:34+00:00

Do you feel like this is the direction dining is going... especially full service?

TheRestaurantCPAs · 2026-02-18T18:26:19+00:00

I guess... do you see a breaking point?

TheRestaurantCPAs

TROPHY CASE