Question 1

What does a hospitality consultant actually do?

Accepted Answer

A consultant helps you build, launch, or improve your hospitality business with expert advice, systems, and proven strategies covering concept development, kitchen layout, operations, staffing and compliance.

Question 2

How can a consultant help with my existing business?

Accepted Answer

We assess your current operation, identify what is not working, and implement changes that improve profitability, efficiency and customer experience. For many businesses we uncover hidden losses and turn them into profit.

Question 3

Is hiring a hospitality consultant expensive?

Accepted Answer

Not hiring one can be far more expensive. Fixing a failed launch, redesigning a kitchen post-build, or rehiring due to poor training can cost tens of thousands. Our services are designed to protect your investment and maximise your long-term success.

Question 4

What should my food cost percentage be?

Accepted Answer

For most cafes and casual dining venues, food cost should sit between 28 and 32 percent of revenue. Fine dining can run slightly higher. If you are above those benchmarks and do not know why, something is leaking.

Question 5

What should my labour cost percentage be?

Accepted Answer

For most restaurants and cafes, labour should sit between 30 and 35 percent of revenue. Above 35 percent and you need to look at your roster design, your productivity per shift and whether your trading hours are actually viable.

Question 6

Do you work across all of Australia?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We work with venues across Australia including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin, Canberra and regional areas in every state and territory.

Question 7

Can you help with opening a new restaurant or cafe?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. We work with clients from concept development, site selection, kitchen design and menu planning through to staff training and opening day. Getting the foundations right before you open is far cheaper than fixing them after.

Question 8

What is menu engineering?

Accepted Answer

Menu engineering is the process of analysing every dish based on profitability and popularity, then redesigning your menu to push customers toward your highest margin items. A properly engineered menu typically increases average spend per cover by 10 to 20 percent.

Question 9

How do I get started with Pestle and Mortar?

Accepted Answer

Call us on 0420 862 490 or reach out through our contact page. We will have a straight conversation about your situation, what you need and whether we are the right fit. No obligation and no sales pitch.

Question 10

What industries do you work with?

Accepted Answer

Restaurants, cafes, hotels, resorts, catering companies, fast casual venues, food trucks and private dining clubs. If food and beverage is part of your business, we can help.

Hospitality Consultant FAQ Schema