2026 Independent Restaurant Profit Outlook
Costs are high, traffic is unpredictable, and price increases are hitting a wall. Here’s how operators will protect profit in 2026—and what writers and analysts should watch.
Heart & Hustle
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Your Restaurant Holiday Checklist
Grow profits and happiness this holiday season with six simple tips. Create a warm, efficient space for guests and staff, and keep customers coming back.
How to Make a Menu for Your Restaurant (and make it profitable)
Learn the art and science of restaurant menu creation, from concept to setting profitable prices and expert design tips.
How to Schedule Restaurant Staff: 8 Tips for Restaurant Managers
Creating and communicating a restaurant schedule can take hours out of your day. But with the right strategies, it doesn't have to.
How Restaurant Loans Work—And How to Find the Right One for Your Business
Learn how restaurant loans work and discover easier funding options to grow your business.
SpotOn Ranked #1 Restaurant POS by G2 for Fall 2025, Outperforming Toast Where It Matters Most
Restaurants rated SpotOn higher than Toast in major categories, cementing SpotOn as the go-to tech partner for independent operators
How to Create Online Ordering for Your Restaurant
Make money on online orders. Learn how to keep your profits, increase online orders, control order flow, and capture guest data—without per-order commissions.
How to Build a Restaurant Tech Stack Every Operator Needs to Thrive
Learn how to build a restaurant tech stack that works together to streamline operations and grow your business.
Restaurant SEO: A Beginner-Friendly Guide To Getting Found Online and Growing Your Customer Base
Learn how to use restaurant SEO to attract more local customers, boost online visibility, and grow your business—without paying for ads.
How to Read a Restaurant P&L (Profit and Loss) Statement + Free Template
Assess the financial health of your restaurant. Our P&L template brings together your sales and costs to calculate your profit.
Menu Engineering: Free Worksheet + Tips for a More Profitable Menu
Find out how popular and profitable your menu items are with our menu engineering matrix. Then learn how to modify your menu for more sales.
Restaurant Profit Margin: 7 Ways To Actually Make Your Operation More Profitable
Running a more efficient restaurant is the key to higher margins. Learn how to lower costs and increase revenue with solutions for your hospitality business.
5 Ways Your Restaurant Branding Can Stand Out in a Saturated Market
A lot goes into a great first impression. Here’s how you can create a restaurant brand that new and loyal guests identify with.
6 Ways to Increase Restaurant Revenue
Making money in restaurants is hard. Here are some ways to reach profitability.
Turning the Corner: How to Manage a Restaurant (As a Restaurant Owner)
Former Restaurant Owner and Chef Scott Youkilis shares his secrets on how to successfully manage a restaurant.
Guía del Salario Mínimo en California 2025
Obtén información sobre el salario mínimo en California y cómo los negocios pueden navegar salarios mínimos más altos en diferentes condados y ciudades.
Shifting into Soup Mode and Streamlining Operations at Soup’d Up
How a community-oriented soup shop Soup’d Up manages costs and increases sales with SpotOn.
Tips & Resources for Restaurants Impacted by LA Wildfires
Wildfires have inflicted serious damage on LA restaurants and communities. Here’s how you can adapt—and SpotOn can help.
Florida Minimum Wage Guide 2025
Learn about Florida's new minimum wage rate for 2025 and whether any upcoming changes will affect your small business or restaurant.
Michigan Minimum Wage Guide 2025
Michigan's minimum wage might be changing in the next few years. Stay up-to-date with this minimum wage guide written for employers and their staff.
Colorado Minimum Wage Guide 2025
Keep your business compliant with the Colorado minimum wage using this up-to-date guide.
