Operations Consulting

We evaluate the operations of your restaurant and help get your business to optimal efficiency.

Running a great restaurant isn’t just about offering the public delicious food or developing a compelling design; how you run your restaurant’s daily operations is vital to your success. Hiring a restaurant operations consultant to take a look behind the scenes and evaluate your operational efficiency could be the best decision you make in helping your restaurant succeed and outperform the competition.

A professional restaurant management consultant can objectively observe your organization’s operations and help identify areas of concern and improvement to increase your efficiency, productivity, and profit margin. Even if things are going well currently, an operational analysis can help identify anywhere you may be losing money or not capturing potential profits. An objective analysis can also point out potential problems before they occur, pinpoint the source, and offer possible solutions.

Operations Analysis

If you’re considering hiring a professional restaurant operations consultant to improve your restaurant’s performance and profitability, Gilkey Restaurant Consulting Group can perform an operations analysis of your restaurant which will identify and determine:

• Ideal labor metrics
• Proper menu pricing
• Effective menu engineering
• Inventory controls
• Vendor relations and pricing
• Manager training and development
• Employee training and development
• Guest satisfaction

As a result of the hot economy and governmental interest in the restaurant business, the industry has become extremely competitive with thinning margins. In light of your time and money spent, it may be helpful to learn how to improve your daily operations and profitability for the long haul. You’ve invested time, effort, money, skill, and emotion to make it a success. An objective third party assessment analysis of your restaurant operations can help you identify issues and see where improvements can be made that will ensure long-term success. At Gilkey Restaurant Consulting Group, we’d like to help you make that happen.

Contact us today and let our restaurant operations consultants take your business to the next level!

Restaurant Operations Consulting: Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the questions restaurant owners and operators ask most about operations consulting, drawn from over 30 years of hands-on food and beverage experience.

What is restaurant operations consulting?

Restaurant operations consulting is a behind the scenes evaluation of how your business runs each day, from labor and inventory to service flow and management practices. An experienced consultant objectively observes your operation, identifies areas of opportunity , and recommends practical improvements that increase efficiency, productivity, and profit margin. The goal is not just fixing problems, but spotting them before they cost you money. And it is also to train the owners and operators how to avoid the same problems in the future. At Gilkey Restaurant Consulting Group, our team draws on over 30 years of hands-on industry experience to help operators outperform the competition and build lasting success.

What does a restaurant operations analysis include?

A thorough operations analysis examines every lever that affects performance and profitability. At Gilkey Restaurant Consulting Group, that means reviewing ideal labor metrics, menu pricing, inventory controls, vendor relations, manager and employee development, and overall guest satisfaction. We look for places where money leaks out or potential profit goes uncaptured, then deliver clear, actionable recommendations. Effective  menu engineering is often a key part of this work, since smart pricing and menu design directly shape margins. The result is a practical roadmap toward stronger, more efficient daily operations.

How does restaurant operations consulting improve profitability?

Operations consulting improves profitability by tightening the systems that quietly erode margins. Even well run restaurants lose money to inefficient scheduling, poor inventory controls, mispriced menus, and weak vendor terms. An objective third party assessment pinpoints these issues and recommends targeted fixes that protect your bottom line. Pairing operational improvements with detailed  financial assessments gives owners a complete picture of where profit is gained or lost. In a competitive industry with thinning margins, these gains often make the difference between merely surviving and genuinely thriving.

When should a restaurant hire an operations consultant?

You should consider an operations consultant whenever performance feels inconsistent, margins are slipping, or growth has stalled, even if things currently seem fine. An objective analysis can reveal hidden problems and untapped profit before they become serious. Operators often bring us in during periods of rapid growth, ownership changes, or declining results. If your restaurant is struggling more seriously, our  restaurant turnaround services offer a more intensive path to recovery. Either way, an experienced outside perspective helps you act with clarity rather than guesswork.

How is staff training part of restaurant operations consulting?

Strong operations depend on people, so training is central to lasting improvement. A consultant evaluates how managers and staff are developed, then recommends systems that build consistency, accountability, and better guest experiences. Process changes only stick when teams understand and embrace them. Gilkey often pairs operational analysis with focused  employee training and development so improvements hold over time rather than fading after the engagement ends. Investing in your team turns one time fixes into durable habits that protect efficiency, morale, and profitability for the long haul.