I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter, more successful businesses.
In this episode, I explore the critical role of signature dishes in restaurant marketing. I share why effective marketing is less about offering a large menu and more about creating standout items that truly resonate with guests. I walk through strategies for identifying, crafting, and promoting a signature dish so it becomes a magnet that draws customers in and keeps them coming back. I also highlight the importance of consistency in execution and show how building a brand story around that dish can strengthen engagement and loyalty.
Takeaways:
- Most restaurant marketing fails because it's built on guesswork.
- Menus don't go viral. Heroes do.
- Create the thing the guests dream about.
- People don't remember lists, they remember legends.
- Your signature item sets expectations.
- Rituals turn signatures into traditions.
- It's a magnet and it functions like one.
- Give it an iconic name and a one-sentence story.
- In today's competitive landscape, it just isn't enough.
- If this conversation made you realize the gourmet you need to magnet.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Full Comp and Restaurant Marketing
01:44 The Importance of a Signature Dish
05:38 Operationalizing and Ritualizing Your Signature Item
If you’ve got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at josh@joshkopel.com and include Office Hours in the subject line. If you'd like to scale the profitability of your restaurant in only 5 days, sign up for our FREE 5 Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting
https://joshkopel.com.
What is FULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry Revolution?
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.
Every week, I go one-on-one with the smartest minds in the game: restaurateurs, chefs, and industry insiders who’ve cracked the code. Together, we unpack their biggest wins, hardest lessons, and the strategies that changed everything.
No fluff, no filler—just actionable insights to help you boost profits, build your brand, and create the kind of restaurant you’ve always dreamed of.
So, if you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start seeing results, hit subscribe.