Major Growth Targets in 2026

Growing a restaurant from one or two places into a multi-unit chain is the dream of lots of operators., to unpack the lessons discovered from scaling 2 effective dining establishment brands.

Lots of brands go after growth before the basic engine is strong. As Jason noted, "growth of an ineffective operating design is a disaster." Unless you already have actually: A differentiated brand that resonates A proven system economics design And functional rigor you run the risk of watering down quality, overspending, and striking underperformance faster than you anticipate.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Jason shared that lots of operators do not know their break-even sales or marginal margin gain as volume boosts, and yet they green light new systems. This isn't simply theory.

Steps to Scale Your Restaurant Concept

Brands with clear expense visibility and disciplined expansion are weathering inflation far better than those chasing volume for its own sake. When expansion is developed on opaque presumptions, you're basically betting with capital. From the webinar, Jason and Clinton's conversation surfaced three non-negotiable pillars for scaling well. Numerous brands can talk distinction, but couple of perform consistently across markets.

Guaranteeing your operating design truly works before expansion is the difference between scaling success and increasing inadequacy. Jason highlighted that both ChopShop and his prior brand, Zos Kitchen, succeeded because they used something few others were doing. When your idea is too generic (hamburgers, pizza, tacos), you contend on margin alone.

The math should work at the first day, month 12, and year three. Jason discussed cash-on-cash returns, breakeven volumes, and margin enhancement curves. Without clear monetary criteria, expansion becomes uncertainty. Presuming new markets will open at full-blown, home-market volume is among the riskiest mistakes a chain can make. In the webinar, Jason shared that in Dallas, ChopShop expected new systems to strike 50-70% of Phoenix volumes.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Restaurant Sector Trends Redefining 2026

Some lessons from Jason's experience: Accept that brand-new shops will open gradually. Be capitalized with a buffer to take in early losses. In a new market, objective to open 4-6 shops within a 2-3 year period to build awareness and validate above-store assistance. Seed market leadership and move tested operators into new markets to "live it daily." These methods assist prevent overextending early and allow local brand momentum to develop organically.

Jason described how ChopShop constructed profession paths from hourly functions all the method to regional management. A few of their crucial people metrics: Per hour turnover around 97% (approximately half what industry norms often report) GM tenure surpassing 4.5 years Over 80% of GMs promoted internally They likewise developed "AGM-in-training" roles to prepare brand-new supervisors before a store opens, a smarter, proactive method to grow bench strength.

It's uncommon (and slightly audacious) to make an IT lead your fourth hire, however that's specifically what Jason did at ChopShop. Their tech stack allowed the company to seem like a 150-unit brand even when they had simply 18 areas, a durability benefit when COVID hit. Key tech financial investments consisted of: A modern-day POS (rather than tradition systems) Back-office systems and inventory tools An information warehouse (Mirus) to generate real reporting Digital purchasing and commitment integrations (today 74% of sales are digital, and 40% carry loyalty IDs) As highlights, technology is no longer optional, it's how operators scale predictably, handle expenses, and mitigate danger.

If growth outpaces your bench, quality wears down. Scaling isn't simply about store count, it's about growing a company that keeps brand identity, quality, and function.

Regional Success in Brand Scaling

It's much easier to expand when development is grounded in clarity, rigor, and a people-first values.

Our session is all about the development playbook for dining establishment CEOs with an exciting guest speaker I will present for a little while. And simply as people are joining and signing on, I'll use this time to cover a quick couple of housekeeping notes.