The most straightforward answer to this question is also the one that is hardest for some owners to hear: listen to everything the consultant says and do it. Especially the things that cost nothing.
That sounds simple. In practice it is surprisingly rare.
Start With the Free Stuff
When a consultant identifies problems and recommends solutions, not every solution requires a financial investment. Some of the most impactful recommendations cost nothing but time and willingness to change. If a consultant tells you something that will only cost you effort — not money — and you do not do it, you have already wasted the consulting fee regardless of what else happens in the engagement.
Let me give you a real example. I worked with a restaurant owner for about nine months. Early on I noticed he had a residential grill outside — not a commercial grill, a rusted, ten-year-old Home Depot grill that guests could see when they arrived. He was cooking customer food on it. I asked if we could at least move it somewhere less visible, put it behind a tree, wheel it out when needed. It had wheels. It would cost nothing.
He refused. He was convinced the grill was part of his identity, part of why customers liked the place. He could not explain why his food sales were 30% of revenue while liquor was 70% — he just knew the grill was important. Nine months of consulting and one of the simplest, free recommendations never got implemented.
The lesson is not about the grill. The lesson is about the pattern. An owner who will not implement free recommendations will struggle to implement paid ones. And a consultant whose free recommendations are ignored cannot produce the results that justify the investment.
The Investment Recommendations
Some recommendations do require capital — a lighting upgrade, a POS system change, an inventory management tool, a menu redesign. I understand that not every owner has unlimited capital available. If a specific investment is genuinely not possible right now, say so and work with your consultant to prioritize what is actionable.
But do not use budget constraints as a reason to ignore everything. If you hired a consultant and your budget is limited, the most valuable thing you can do is implement every zero-cost recommendation perfectly. Those recommendations alone, executed consistently, often produce meaningful results.
The Sixty Day Commitment
Give the recommendations a genuine sixty day trial before evaluating results. Restaurant problems did not develop in a week. They will not fully resolve in a week. But in sixty days of real implementation you should see clear directional movement — food cost trending down, voids declining, check averages improving. If you are not seeing any movement after sixty days of genuine effort, then it is worth a real conversation with your consultant about whether the approach needs to change.
At 5 Loaves Restaurant Consulting, we stay engaged through the implementation phase — not just the advisory phase. Contact us for a free consultation.
