Podcast Summary: "Simple Tricks for Growing Revenue"

RESTAURANT STRATEGY with Chip Klose
Guest: Joffrey Tuffetti, CEO of Frontline Performance Group (FPG)
Release Date: December 1, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of RESTAURANT STRATEGY explores simple, actionable methods to grow top-line restaurant revenue, focusing on frontline staff performance. Host Chip Klose sits down with Joffrey Tuffetti, CEO of Frontline Performance Group, to discuss revenue-driving tactics and the importance of developing a process and measurement system for service-based sales. The conversation emphasizes empowering restaurant managers and staff, rather than relying on outside consultants, and harnessing practical data insights to boost revenue and profitability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Evolution of FPG’s Model (04:39–08:16)

• History & Shift in Approach:
  • FPG has 33 years in hospitality, recently focusing intensively on restaurants and hotels.
  • Originally, FPG embedded consultants onsite. COVID-19 forced a pivot to technology and remote support.
  • Key Insight: "When your consultant is going into your operation...the management team can begin to rely too much on them rather than on themselves." (B, 06:41)
• New System:
  • Development of an online LMS and certification programs to empower managers directly rather than creating dependency on consultants.

From Training to Measurement: The Two Pillars (09:27–12:35)

• Core Philosophy:
  • "We call it service-based sales. It's all rooted in how to be influential with your customer without feeling like you're selling to them." (B, 09:53)
  • Service and sales are two sides of the same coin; effective staff maximize guest experience and sales without pushiness.
• Training Curriculum:
  • Focuses on universal sales/service skills and process steps to maximize per-guest revenue.
  • Includes lessons and practical tools, plus guidance on behaviors to avoid.

Real-Time Measurement and Ongoing Development (12:35–15:46)

• Data & AI Integration:
  • FPG's system integrates POS data at the check level to monitor sales behaviors in real time.
  • "We've trained our AI to interpret what is happening on the checks against our framework of service-based sales." (B, 12:53)
  • The AI diagnoses gaps, recommends targeted training, and pairs lower performers with top performers to foster peer learning.
• Practical Example (14:52):
  • Regularly rank servers by revenue per guest.
  • Focus manager attention on lifting the performance of the lowest tier.

The Impact of Small Shifts on Profitability (15:46–18:31)

• Illustrative Math:
  • For every guest served, "one [server] is selling at $10 less per guest than the other than the top." (B, 15:45)
  • Scheduling highest-revenue servers on busy shifts could increase revenue and potentially double profit.
  • Cites industry benchmarks: “These five companies average 7½% EBITDA margin...if you increase your revenue by 10%, you double your profit.” (B, 17:48)

Profit-First Mentality and Revenue Leverage (18:31–22:36)

• Chip’s Formula:
  • “Profit first, then growth”—master expenses (prime cost: cogs and labor) before focusing on revenue growth.
  • Once expenses are dialed in, “revenue growth has a massive impact on bottom-line profit.” (A, 20:59)
• Joffrey on Restaurant Leverage:
  • FPG’s approach leverages “same guest, same labor, more money.” (B, 21:00)
  • Productivity of servers is rarely discussed by restaurateurs or investors, yet it is a powerful operational lever.

Three Moving Targets in Restaurant Management (22:36–25:49)

• Chip’s Framework:
  • Revenue, COGS, and Labor are all "moving targets"—unpredictable by nature, thus hard to manage in restaurant operations.
  • “When I have a better cook...my guy at 22 bucks, has got way more experience and he can prep faster...a better server...can sell more, right? Can maximize every butt we have in our seats.” (A, 24:01)

The Virtuous Cycle of Server Productivity (25:49–27:24)

• Mutual Benefit:
  • "The more revenue you're generating, the more money is available for the servers to earn." (B, 25:49)
  • Well-trained staff create a virtuous cycle of higher earnings, better retention, and greater operator profit.
  • "Most of the places we have ever gone...there is no sales process...So we bring one." (B, 26:13)

FPG’s Five-Course Sales Framework (27:45–29:33)

• Framework Essentials:
  • Five steps: emotional recognition (“service is emotion”), rapport-building, beginning with drink orders, sequential add-ons, and closing with desserts.
  • Puts process steps in a logical, repeatable order for staff.
  • “You connect, you build rapport. Then...get them their first round of drinks...That adds a drink round to almost every check.” (B, 28:10)
  • Framework increases average check and number of guests served per staff member.

Counterintuitive Truth: The Frontline is the Brand (29:40–30:30)

• Joffrey’s Conviction:
  • The front line (servers, frontline staff) is the most important—yet most overlooked—part of hospitality.
  • “Your brand is the server...If the server blows up the experience, they don't care about any of that [decor or chef].” (B, 29:40)
  • Applying the framework can yield a 10–15% revenue boost with no added cost.

Final Takeaways & Action Steps (32:37–33:12)

• Joffrey’s Practical Advice:
  • “Find a metric that you're comfortable measuring. Revenue per guest is an easy one. Rank your people and set your training priorities based on the bottom...Pair them with people that are doing better.” (B, 32:37)
  • Peer learning, data-informed training, and specific accountability accelerate revenue growth.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On consulting vs. empowering:
  • “Instead of there being a heartbeat, like your onsite results go up, you leave, they go down...now [performance is] just kind of a steady climb.” (B, 07:33)
• On sales/service:
  • “No one likes to be sold to...We think sales and service are two sides of the same coin.” (B, 09:53)
• On using data:
  • “Just taking that action and being that deliberate on your scheduling can have a monumental effect on your revenue.” (B, 14:23)
• The operator’s lament:
  • “I said, you know, I'm doing everything you need me to do and I'm just like head down grinding...I'm worth $17 more per head. When you schedule them and not me, it makes no sense.” (A, 16:35)
• On profit potential:
  • “Scheduling your top earners in your busiest shifts, if you're not already doing it, could...give you a 10% boost, could double your profit 100%.” (B, 18:13)
• On emotional service delivery:
  • “Your role as a server is to create a positive emotional experience for the diner and...keep the magic going.” (B, 27:57)
• Frontline staff as the brand:
  • “We believe that the front line is the most important thing in your business...It is the most important thing.” (B, 29:40)
• Actionable metric:
  • “Find a metric that you're comfortable measuring. Revenue per guest is an easy one...It’ll change everything.” (B, 32:37)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 04:39 – Introduction to FPG’s history and business model shift
• 06:41 – Onsite consulting vs. manager empowerment
• 09:53 – What is service-based sales?
• 12:53 – AI and measuring server behavior
• 15:11 – Using check averages to boost revenue
• 17:48 – Real-world margin math: 10% more revenue = double profit
• 22:36 – Chip’s three moving targets for restaurants
• 25:49 – The virtuous cycle of server sales and retention
• 27:45 – FPG’s five-course sales framework explained
• 29:40 – “The front line is the brand”
• 32:37 – Joffrey’s final, actionable advice

How to Learn More

• FPG Website: frontlinepg.com — Case studies, contact, demos.
• Connect: Joffrey Tuffetti on LinkedIn.
• Restaurant Strategy / P3 Mastermind: restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule — Free consults offered.

Tone & Style

The conversation is practical, direct, and empowering, focusing on real-world strategies and debunking the myth that sales and service are in opposition. Both Chip and Joffrey stress data over intuition, the importance of systematizing training, and creating a culture of measurement and peer mentorship.

For any operator struggling with profitability or plateauing sales, this episode offers both philosophical mindset shifts and actionable, immediate steps — grounded in decades of real hospitality experience and results.