Uncertainty seems to be the only certainty in today's restaurant industry. In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we sit down with Jay Ashton, Canada's Restaurant Guy, to discuss how Canadian restaurants can adapt to tariffs and economic challenges.
Jay shares practical strategies from his 35-year career. These go beyond simply raising prices to tactics like creating salads without lettuce and developing multiple revenue streams through newsletters and digital merchandising. Whether you're concerned about the current tariff situation or looking for always-relevant business advice for navigating uncertain times, Jay's approaches and timeless wisdom offer valuable insights for restaurants looking to thrive during economic shifts.
Resources
Connect with Jay on LinkedIn 🔗
Site: Canada's Restaurant Guy 🍁
Listen to The Late Night Restaurant Show 🌃
Strategies to offset tariffs newsletter 📰
Latest Updates on Canadian Tariffs | restaurantscanada.org 🇨🇦
Chapters
0:00 - Introduction to Jay Ashton, Canada's restaurant guy
2:00 - Understanding the tariff situation for Canadian restaurants
4:00 - The impact of tariffs on restaurant inventory and pricing
7:30 - Menu innovation: "You can make salads without lettuce"
8:15 - The flex burger: Reducing costs through creative protein options
9:00 - Using the "why column" to evaluate every menu ingredient
12:00 - Preparing your business without panicking
14:00 - Cash flow is king: Smart inventory management
16:30 - Technology solutions for tracking costs and inventory
19:00 - Communicating price changes to your customers
22:00 - Why restaurants need five revenue streams
25:00 - Newsletter marketing as an additional revenue source
31:00 - Using Uber Eats as an e-commerce platform
33:30 - Developing CPG product lines and merchandise
35:45 - Final advice: Don't panic, have a plan
📲 Connect with D.J.
DJ's Email
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About Us
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.
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