From -8% EBITDA to +14% in 9 months
Turnaround of a 12-outlet chain through menu rationalisation, supply consolidation and store-level P&L discipline.
- EBITDA
- +22 pts
- Food cost
- -410 bps
- Outlets
- 12 → 16
The challenge
A 12-outlet casual dining chain was bleeding cash with -8% EBITDA, food cost above 38%, and four stores trending toward closure within two quarters. Leadership had lost visibility into store-level performance and central-kitchen yields.
Our approach
- 01
Diagnostic across all 12 stores: 4-wall economics, menu mix, prep loss and labour deployment.
- 02
Rationalised menu by 32% — removed loss-makers, repriced anchors, engineered three new high-margin hero dishes.
- 03
Consolidated 47 vendors to 18 with category-led negotiation; introduced weekly variance reporting.
- 04
Rolled out store-manager P&L training and a weekly operating rhythm with the founders.
Outcomes
EBITDA swung from -8% to +14% within nine months.
Food cost dropped 410 bps; central kitchen yield up 9%.
Closed 2 unviable stores, opened 6 new ones on a tighter format.
“They didn't hand us a slide deck. They sat in our kitchens and fixed the business with us.”