The HubPlate Operator Series — Vol. 1
The Modern
Restaurant
Operator's
Playbook
44,000 words. 20 chapters. 12 fill-in worksheets. 100+ cited data points. The definitive profit and operations field manual for restaurant owners who are done leaving money on the table.
12 Operator Worksheets · Lifetime access
In 2026, 42% of operators reported their restaurant was not profitable. The ones who survive are not working harder — they're running better systems.
Food costs 35% above pre-pandemic levels
Every dollar you spend on ingredients costs more than it ever has. Without item-level cost tracking and weekly variance reviews, you are bleeding margin you cannot see.
Delivery platforms taking 20–30% per order
A restaurant doing $10,000/month in delivery at 28% commission sends $33,600 to a platform annually. That is a full-time manager's salary handed to a middleman.
Turnover costing $5,864 per replacement
The industry loses 75% of its workforce annually. Most operators have never calculated their true annual turnover cost — and they are shocked when they do.
Legacy POS extracting 2–3% of every transaction
On $80,000/month in revenue, a 2.5% processing fee costs $24,000 per year — before a single module fee, hardware cost, or support charge is added.
Managing by last month's P&L
Reactive operators look at month-end reports. Proactive operators look at this week's data and act while there is still time to change the outcome.
No system — just heroics
The restaurant where every good shift requires a heroic effort is a restaurant that cannot scale. Systems produce consistent results. Heroics produce burnout.
Inside the Playbook
Five parts. Twenty chapters.
Every major dimension of restaurant operations.
The Financial Foundation
The numbers that determine whether your restaurant survives — tracked at the right frequency, with the right benchmarks for 2026.
- Prime Cost Mastery
- Food Cost Control
- Cash Flow Strategies
- Labor Cost Optimization
Operations Systems
The systems that turn a reactive operation into a proactive one — built to run without you.
- Inventory Management
- Kitchen Operations
- Scheduling & Workforce
- POS & Technology
Revenue Systems
More revenue from the same tables, the same kitchen, the same team — no new costs required.
- Menu Engineering
- Upselling & Average Check
- Direct Online Ordering
- Loyalty & CRM
- Gift Cards & Ancillary Revenue
People & Leadership
The human dimension — reducing turnover, building managers who protect margins, and turning guests into regulars.
- Reducing Turnover
- Customer Service as Revenue Strategy
Data, Analytics & Technology
The intelligence layer — real-time analytics, AI tools, multi-location management, and sustainability as a financial strategy.
- Restaurant Analytics
- AI-Powered Operations
- Multi-Location Management
- Sustainability as Profit Strategy
The Operator Toolkit
12 worksheets that turn reading into doing.
Print them. Fill them in. Post them in your office. These are the fill-in templates most operators wish they had years ago.
Early Readers Say
What operators are saying.
"The prime cost chapter alone is worth 10x the price. I did the worksheet on a Sunday morning and identified a $1,400/week gap I had no idea existed. We closed it in three weeks."
"Most business books tell you what to think. This one tells you exactly what to do, in what order, with the data to back every claim. I've read a lot of restaurant books. This is the one I'll actually use."
"The turnover cost calculator on Worksheet 9 was brutal and necessary. We were spending $190,000 a year replacing people and had never seen the number written down. The retention plan that follows it gave us a clear path forward."
Get the Playbook
One price. Everything included.
Instant download.
No subscription. No upsell. No version without the worksheets. You get everything for $47.
The Modern Restaurant Operator's Playbook
Complete Edition — PDF + EPUB + All 12 Worksheets
One-time purchase · Instant delivery · Lifetime access
- Full 44,000-word playbook (PDF, print-ready)
- EPUB edition for Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo & all ereaders
- 12 print-ready Operator Toolkit worksheets
- 20 chapters across Finance, Ops, Revenue, People & Tech
- 52 proven strategies with real 2026 benchmark data
- 100+ sourced citations — no fabricated statistics
- Quick Reference: Key formulas & benchmark tables
- Full glossary of 18 key operator terms
Secure checkout via Stripe. Instant download after purchase.
Questions? hello@hubplate.app
$47 is what this book costs.
Here is what the problems inside it cost.
One week of uncontrolled prime cost overage
A prime cost running 5 points above target on $50,000 in weekly revenue costs $2,500 that week alone — and every week until you fix it.
Replacing one hourly employee
The industry average replacement cost per hourly worker is $5,864. This book has a full chapter and a worksheet on cutting that number.
One month of third-party delivery commissions
At 28% commission on $10,000 in delivery, you pay $2,800 this month. Chapter 11 walks you through building a direct ordering channel that eliminates that cost.
Two hours with a restaurant consultant
Industry consultants charge $150–$300/hour. For $47 you get 44,000 words of operator-first strategy based on 52 research-backed articles.
One year of leaving average check unmoved
A $4 average check lift on 1,000 weekly covers is $208,000 in additional annual revenue. Chapter 10 and Worksheet 7 show you exactly how to get there.
FAQ
Common questions.
What format does the ebook come in?
You receive both PDF (for desktop reading and printing) and EPUB (for all ereaders including Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo, and Google Play Books). Both formats are included in the $47 purchase.
Are the worksheets printable?
Yes. All 12 worksheets are formatted for standard letter-size printing. They are included in the PDF so you can print them as needed, fill them in, and keep them in your office.
How current is the data?
All statistics and benchmarks are sourced from 2025 and 2026 industry reports — including the National Restaurant Association's 2026 State of the Industry report, McKinsey's 2026 consumer analysis, and the Toast 2025 Restaurant Technology Report. Every claim has a citation.
I run multiple locations. Is this still relevant?
Absolutely. Part Five includes a dedicated chapter on multi-location management, and Worksheet 12 is specifically a cross-location benchmarking grid for up to six sites. The financial and revenue strategies throughout the book apply at any scale.
Is this written for independent restaurants or chains?
Both. Every strategy in the book works at any scale — from a single-location independent to a growing multi-unit group. The chapters on multi-location management and analytics specifically address the challenges of operating more than one site.
Do I need HubPlate to use this book?
No. Every strategy in this playbook stands on its own. The technology recommendations just make executing those strategies faster. You can implement these frameworks with whatever tools you currently use.
What is your refund policy?
Due to the digital nature of this product, there are no refunds on the ebook once purchased. All sales are final.
Ready to protect your margins?
Stop guessing at your numbers. Start building the systems that make your restaurant predictable and profitable.
Get the Playbook — $47