The Hidden Levers of Profit in QSRs

Margins have always been thin in quick service, but lately the pressure feels relentless. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, beef prices are up more than 12 percent over the past year, and that kind of increase isn’t something you can hide with a few menu tweaks. For a brand the size of Wendy’s, that kind of increase translates into millions of extra dollars in daily costs. 

The first place owners might look to save money is labor, but you can’t balance rising food prices by cutting deeper into already stretched teams. You do it by strengthening your workforce. The smartest operators I know treat retention and compliance as financial levers every bit as important as food cost controls.

As someone responsible for dozens of restaurant locations, I’ve learned that the biggest difference between holding the line and bleeding profit comes down to how you manage your people.

Retention Is Profit ProtectionSome operators still try to manage rising costs by trimming hours…