As the year begins, many restaurant owners are dealing with messy books, unclear numbers, and lingering cash flow stress from the holidays. In this episode of No Reservations, Kasey Anton breaks down what a “financial mess” really looks like, why it is more dangerous than most owners realize, and how to fix it before it quietly destroys profitability.
If your books feel confusing, unreliable, or overwhelming, this episode explains why guessing is costly and what it actually takes to regain clarity and control.
You’ll learn
✅ Why running your business off your bank balance creates hidden problems
✅ How inaccurate or messy books distort food cost and labor decisions
✅ What restaurant food cost percentages should actually look like
✅ Why fixing bad books later costs far more than doing them right upfront
✅ A simple, practical approach to cash flow forecasting using real numbers
Kasey also shares real client examples, including how restaurants with strong sales still lose money due to poor bookkeeping, and why understanding your numbers changes every decision you make.
Action steps to try this week
- Review whether your decisions are based on reports or bank balance
- Pull your most recent P&L and identify your current food cost percentage
- Check for obvious red flags like duplicate or missing transactions
- Ask your bookkeeper to explain your numbers clearly, not just send reports
- Build a simple cash flow forecast based on a real month of data
Resources from this episode
📥 Download the Menu Cost Calculator and Free Tools
📘 Read the Book: Profit First for Restaurants
🧠 Explore the Online Course
🎓 Get Certified
🌐 Visit the Website
