Office Hours: Discounts Are a Tax on Weak Storytelling

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 break down why discounting is one of the biggest traps in the restaurant industry and how it can actually hurt your brand long term. I explain how to build real value through storytelling and emotional connection instead of cutting prices. You’ll learn how to create scarcity, meaning, and loyalty that drive both profit and trust—without relying on discounts to fill your seats.
 
Takeaways

• Discounting attracts deal seekers, not true believers.
• Sell meaning, not math; value is a feeling.
• Scarcity builds desire, while discounting builds doubt.
• A full room doesn't equate to a full bank account.
• Profit is the cure; busy is just a drug.
• Kill blanket discounts for a week to assess impact.
• Highlight the story behind high-margin items.
• Replace discounts with scarcity plays.
• Track margin instead of traffic for better insights.
• Rewrite marketing messages to focus on meaning.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Restaurant Marketing Strategies

01:50 The Dangers of Discounting

05:39 Building Value Through Meaning and Scarcity

If you’ve got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at [e-mail] 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.