Matt Plapp, founder of America's Best Restaurants, reveals the marketing strategies that have helped over 2,000 restaurants grow their sales. Learn the 3 critical tactics every restaurant must implement: customer data capture, strategic email/text marketing, and authentic video content that builds community connections.

Discover how one pizza restaurant generated $6,500 in sales from just $700 in Facebook ads, why storytelling beats coupons, and how independent restaurants can compete with major chains. Matt shares real examples, including a viral Mother's Day campaign and practical tips you can implement immediately no massive budget required.

Perfect for restaurant owners, operators, and hospitality managers looking to grow sales through smarter, more effective marketing.

Guest: Matt Plapp, founder of America's Best Restaurants (serving 2,000+ restaurants since 2008)

In this episode, Jay and Dom talk with the team behind Pivot, a Montreal restaurant tech company that's actually built by people who've worked in restaurants.

They get into one of the biggest headaches in the industry: scheduling, payroll, and trying to make five different systems talk to each other. The Pivot founders walk through how their AI scheduling works (it's literally one click), how tips and payroll sync up automatically, and why connecting your existing tools is way smarter than piling on more software.

Pivot basically acts like the brain of your operation—connecting your POS, reservations, and payroll so you're not chained to a laptop in the back office. More time on the floor, with your team, with guests. You know, the stuff that actually matters.

They also share some real numbers: restaurants cutting scheduling time from 12–16 hours a week down to under an hour. The whole conversation is about simplicity, not complexity—and why tech built by people who've actually worked a Friday night dinner rush just gets it in a way most software doesn't.

Worth a listen if you run a restaurant, manage multiple spots, or you're just curious how AI can actually help day-to-day ops without making your life harder.

Learn more about Pivot : https://www.pivotapp.ca/en

What do a rubber duck, local search optimization, and soggy burgers have in common? They all show up in this high-energy, no-fluff conversation with the legendary David Rev Ciancio aka Rev... restaurant owner, hospitality marketing expert, and unapologetic pickle-hater.

In this episode of The Late Night Restaurant Podcast, Rev spills the secret sauce on:

• The 67% rule that proves Google was built for restaurants

• Why most operators are chasing squirrels instead of guests

• The one marketing fix that boosted beer sales at his restaurant by 800%

• Why posting on Instagram isn't marketing and what actually is

• The marketing tool every restaurant needs (that costs less than a good steak)

Whether you're a seasoned operator or just opened your first food truck, this episode is a masterclass in restaurant growth packed with real talk, killer stats, and laugh-out-loud moments. Yup, this is a keeper.

🍔 🍺 Bring your appetite. Leave with a blueprint.