Run the Show: What It Takes to Run a Successful Restaurant

Since 2017, Rickey Booker, owner of the Texas-based Breakfast Brothers, has grown his business from serving fried food baskets out of a little black trailer behind a nightclub into a fully functional restaurant group with its own headquarters, a full-service breakfast-lunch restaurant in Dallas, a second location in Arlington, an express location, a catering operation and a newly opened 3,400-square-foot location by the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium – all with little to no staff turnover.

“These days, if people are just clocking into a job, they won’t last long,” Booker says. “But if they love coming here, they’ll stay. Every day, I get up like it’s the first day of school for me and I get to see my school crush. That’s how I feel about owning Breakfast Brothers, and that’s what I’ve tried to help others feel about working here.”

Here are Booker’s tips for creating the kind of culture and safe space that makes each one of his 70-plus crew just as excited to come to work as he is every day.

How to Build a Restaurant Culture
That Keeps Staff Coming Back

Invest in leadership

When I first opened the permanent restaurant (January 2021), we had a lot of turnover. I created headquarters and hired a director of operations to oversee HR and marketing. I had to quit working in the business and instead work on the business.

Hire the right people

We added CareerLink to our website, and it’s been a game-changer – we can ask certain questions and see if someone is telling the truth. One applicant said he worked at Denny’s, but didn’t know what a sunny-side-up egg was compared to an egg cooked over easy.

Promote from within

I hired a cook on the line with me when I was cooking who’s now a kitchen manager, and a server who’s now the corporate trainer.

Be an open book

We have monthly meetings with the full management team twice a month where we share everything that’s going on. We also have an open line for our employees to call with any issues or problems.

Reward and regularly praise your team

We give out monthly awards such as “Employee of the Month” and “Most Improved,” but sometimes it’s just as simple as reminding everyone what a great job they’re doing every day.

Offer ongoing education

We bring in monthly speakers – from real estate agents to experts on mental health, safety and wellness. We’re trying to create financial literacy for our employees who need it, as well as train them on cooking, service and hospitality.

Give back in benefits (if you can)

We offer medical, dental and vision insurance after 90 days for individuals and families. We have also partnered with a credit union for membership.

Don’t just say you’re inclusive, show it

We have many Spanish-speaking employees, so we use a service where our trainer can speak in English and it will be automatically translated to Spanish in videos.

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