The blog for people who run the place.

Benchmarks, data deep-dives, and practical playbooks for running an independent venue — with real numbers and named sources.

Guides

The Anti-Lock-in POS Buyer's Guide: Total Cost of Ownership (2026)

Card processing is now the third-largest restaurant operating expense behind food and labor, and 66% of US operators saw fees rise over the past two years. Here is what a POS system actually costs once you count the processing stack, the contract clauses, and what switching away really takes.

Alex Riesenkampff · July 17, 2026 · 10 min read

Guides

How to Set Up a Tronc Scheme Without a Consultant (UK, 2026)

An independent tronc keeps tips off the 15% employer and 8% employee National Insurance charge that applies to ordinary wages, but only if you meet HMRC's independence test. Here is the DIY setup path, what the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 already requires, and what changes again from October 2026.

July 16, 2026 · 12 min read

Guides

ChatGPT Prompts for Restaurants: Reports, Rotas, Reviews and More

Copy-paste ChatGPT prompts for restaurant reports, profit margins, staff rotas, menu descriptions, and Google review replies, with connected Super44 workflows for recurring tasks.

July 10, 2026 · 10 min read

Benchmarks

Restaurant Labour Cost Percentage: What Independent Venues Actually Spend (2026)

US full-service restaurants ran a median labour cost of 36.5% of sales in 2024. Germany's last official ratio puts restaurant personnel costs at 31.7% of turnover — in 2019, the freshest full figure that exists. Here are the verified benchmarks, the misquoted German number, what 2026 wage rules really add in Germany and the UK (including the offsets most coverage omits), and what one percentage point is worth to your venue.

July 5, 2026 · 12 min read