Restaurant Management Services: Toss Us the Keys

Running a restaurant is one of the most demanding jobs out there. If you’re exhausted, you’re not broken—you’re just running a business that can eat your calendar for breakfast.

Salt & Cayenne is a full-service restaurant management company, not just a consulting firm. That means you keep the concept and ownership, and we run the day-to-day using two non-negotiables:

• Professional SOPs
• Regular profit reporting

The Quick Difference: “Toss Us the Keys” vs. “Passenger Seat”

Here’s the easiest way to know what you need:

• Full-service management: you can toss us the keys and we take it from there. We handle operations end-to-end—people, process, standards, and reporting—so you can step back without your restaurant turning into a live-action group project.
• Consulting: we don’t need the keys, because we’re in the passenger seat with you. You’re still driving and staying involved; we help you make smarter decisions, tighten systems, and improve results faster.

If you want to step back, management is the play. If you want to stay hands-on, consulting fits better.

Why restaurant management services work

1) Professional SOPs

SOPs are the difference between “we’ll train them” and “we can repeat this.” They create consistency across shifts, speed up onboarding, and protect quality when turnover happens (because it will).

Harvard Business Review even makes the case that SOPs can increase flexibility—not kill it: https://hbr.org/2013/04/standard-operating-procedures-can-make-you-more-flexible

2) Regular Profit Reporting

You shouldn’t have to wait for month-end to learn you’ve been losing money for three weeks. Regular reporting keeps you informed, keeps managers accountable, and connects daily decisions to actual financial outcomes.

If you want a clear overview of what restaurant financial reporting should include, TouchBistro lays it out well: https://www.touchbistro.com/blog/understanding-restaurant-financials/

What You Get With Full-Service Management

When Salt & Cayenne manages your restaurant, you get:

• Consistent execution (less “depends who’s working”)
• Leadership structure (so you’re not the default GM)
• Labor + COGS controls (the two big leaks)
• Training systems that stick (not just a one-time pep talk)
• Clear reporting and scorecards (no more financial surprises)
• Your concept stays yours (we don’t erase the soul—we stabilize the machine)

How It Works

1. Baseline: we review operations + financials to find the real constraints.
2. Systemize: we build/upgrade SOPs and manager routines so the place runs on process, not heroics.
3. Operate: we lead day-to-day execution—staffing, standards, controls, and accountability.
4. Report + improve: we deliver regular profit reporting and adjust fast based on what the numbers and the floor are telling us.

Is Full-Service Management Right for You?

Full-service management is a strong fit if you:

• want to step back from daily operations
• need tighter execution, controls, and consistency
• want professional SOPs and regular profit reporting without becoming a full-time operator again

Want to talk through whether you’re a “keys” situation or a “passenger seat” situation? Schedule a conversation and we’ll map out what support actually makes sense for your restaurant.