It’s one thing to grow a restaurant group. It’s another to grow one that thrives across categories, cities, and economies. David Morton has done exactly that—without taking on debt, overextending his team, or compromising his values. As co-founder of Episcope Restaurants, David has engineered a scalable system that pairs creative vision with financial discipline. In this episode, we break down his approach to market selection, capital efficiency, weekly P&Ls, and the real difference between restaurants that survive and those that lead. If you want a playbook for building a restaurant business that lasts, this is it.
Takeaways:
- Profitability is the key problem for restaurant owners.
- David Morton aims to make a difference in the restaurant industry.
- The restaurant industry lacks leadership and standards for excellence.
- A conservative approach to business modeling can lead to success.
- Mistakes are part of the learning process in the restaurant business.
- The future of dining is influenced by social needs post-COVID.
- Managing balance sheets is as important as P&L statements.
- Openness to change is crucial for restaurant success.
- The restaurant industry must adapt to rising development costs.
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Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.
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What if I told you that the difference between struggling and thriving in the restaurant industry is just one conversation away?
I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur who’s spent decades building blockbuster brands across every tier of dining. I know the challenges you’re facing—because I’ve been there. That’s why I created FULL COMP.
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