Three focused phases rebuilt the books, stopped cash bleed, and set up weekly controls.
Industry: Full-Service Restaurant
Location: Plano, Texas
Annual Revenue: $1.1 million
Team Size: 14 employees
The Problem
The local favorite was packed every Friday and Saturday. Brunch lines wrapped around the block. On the surface, business looked strong. But behind the scenes, the restaurant was on the edge.
The books hadn’t been updated in months. No one knew if the restaurant was actually turning a profit. Payroll kept going up, but there was no labor tracking in place. The point-of-sale system wasn’t connected to accounting, which meant the owner was relying on bank balances to make financial decisions. Bills to food and liquor vendors were weeks overdue, and the owner had stopped taking a paycheck just to make sure staff could get paid.
“I have no idea if I’m making money. I just know I’m exhausted and falling behind.” – Lisa T., Owner
What We Did
| Phase | Focus | What We Fixed | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Get the Books Right | Clean, accurate records | • Fixed 150+ misposted transactions• Connected sales system to QuickBooks• Set up a daily cash tracker | Books were up to date. Owner could check cash position at a glance. |
| 2. Stop the Bleeding | Cut unnecessary spending | • Renegotiated supplier terms• Adjusted staffing to match sales patterns• Cut $15,000 in unused software | Labor costs dropped 8%. Vendor costs dropped 15%. |
| 3. Build Habits That Stick | Put controls in place | • Started a weekly 30-minute finance check-in• Moved owner pay into payroll• Scheduled vendor payments in advance | Bills paid on time. No late fees. Owner got paid again. |
Results
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly labor cost | $9,700 | $8,150 |
| Monthly vendor spend | $48,000 | $40,800 |
| Owner pay | Missed 3 months | Paid regularly |
| Cash visibility | Unclear | Daily tracker with less than 5% error |
“I finally understand the numbers. Payroll is covered, bills are paid on time, and I’m taking a paycheck again.”
— Lisa T., Owner
Final Takeaway
This restaurant wasn’t struggling because of bad food or poor service. It was struggling because the numbers were out of sight and out of control. In just 12 weeks, this restaurant got back on stable ground and the owner regained control.
Book a 30-minute call to see if the Finance Reset Program is right for you.