(Source: Flickr) Everyone likes a bargain when dining out. But as a restaurant owner, it’s understandable that you might be wary of offering too many discounts to customers, as it can reduce overall profits. However, there is actually a way to offer discounts to customers that can actually drive sales for your restaurant: bundle deals.FIND OUT MORE |

Chef Dave FultsPhoto Credit: Rob Forsythe of Photog-Rob Photography. Question 1: Where did you get your start? “I started at Gabardine in Point Loma, San Diego working for Chad White (Bravo’s Top Chef, season 13) – it was a smaller restaurant within Chef Brian Malarkey’s restaurant group.

(Source: Flickr) Are you one of the many people who dream of owning a restaurant? If so, congratulations: you’ve got the adventure of a lifetime ahead of you. But know this: it’s going to require plenty of time, hard work, and quite a bit of money.

(Source: Flickr) What’s in a name? When it comes to your restaurant, there’s actually quite a bit riding on choosing a good name for your establishment. The name is wrapped up in the restaurant’s branding and identity, and is part of the “face” the establishment shows to the world. A well-chosen name acts as aFIND OUT MORE |

(Source: Flickr) Every restaurant craves a loyal and devoted clientele. But how do you build customer loyalty in a sustainable and sincere way?

(Source: Flickr) Particularly in this day and age, a lot of people are focusing on belt tightening and making a more efficient budget. While raising your restaurant menu prices might seem like a decision which would alienate and repel customers, it can in fact have the opposite effect. Raising your restaurant menu prices can actuallyFIND OUT MORE |

(Source: Flickr) It’s always exciting to add new items to your menu. New menu items can help reinvigorate your restaurant, simultaneously enticing new customers to your establishment and giving longtime customers something new to try.

(Source: Flickr) Believe it or not, one of the most effective ways to make your restaurant stand out has little to do with your decor, concept, or cuisine. It has to do with your customer service. Providing excellent customer service at your restaurant is one of the most important factors in creating the positive relationshipFIND OUT MORE |

(Source: Flickr) With great power comes great responsibility. In a restaurant setting, the leadership qualities (or lack thereof) of the boss can have a huge impact on the overall atmosphere of the establishment. A great boss can help foster good employee morale, which can lead to greater productivity and an overall happier workplace. A badFIND OUT MORE |

    1. Where did you get your start? As a young boy, helping out my parents when they opened their first restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico. (Chef Works note: Javier’s family owns and operates the iconic restaurant, Caesar’s, thought to be Tijuana’s oldest restaurant and where Caesar Salad was invented.)