When to Hire a Consultant (And When to Figure It Out Yourself)

We sell consulting, so take this with whatever salt you like — but the fastest way to lose a partner's trust is to take money for a problem they could have solved with a weekend and a spreadsheet. Here's the honest breakdown we give people who call us.

Figure it out yourself when…

• The problem is information, not judgment. Food cost formulas, labor targets, pricing math — this is all public knowledge. Start with our guides and free calculators; they cover a real percentage of what people first call us about.
• You already know the answer. If you're hoping a consultant will tell you it's okay not to fire your underperforming manager, you need resolve, not an invoice.
• The fix is discipline. Weekly inventory, follow-up calls on quotes, holding pars. No outsider can want it more than you do.

Bring in help when…

• You can't see the problem from inside. You've tried the obvious fixes and the number won't move. Fresh eyes on the floor find things familiarity hides — we once traced a "labor problem" to a walk-in on the wrong side of the kitchen.
• The mistake is expensive and one-shot. Kitchen builds, major equipment packages, lease commitments. Paying for experience once beats paying for the wrong decision for ten years.
• Speed is worth money. You could learn it in six months. If six months of the problem costs more than the engagement, the math is simple.

If you're not sure which side you're on, ask us — we'll tell you straight, including when the answer is "you don't need us." It's cheaper for you and better for us than a mediocre engagement either way.