In January's One for the Road, we asked experts:
How are you keeping costs down at your bar/restaurant in the new year?
Kyle Brown, General Manager Customshop, Charlotte, North Carolina
At Customshop, we try to control costs through a variety of systems. At the end of each quarter, I do a pricing check on everything to make sure our inventory sheets are correct and adjust pricing accordingly. Our spirits pricing is static, but wine costs can change significantly, so it’s important to know any variance to accurately list items. We also closely monitor our product-mix to keep up with the trends of what is selling at a higher than anticipated rate.
I think the most important thing we do is to spend our money on revenue-generating items versus constantly bringing in new products. A large portion of our revenue, like most restaurants, comes from our cocktail & BTG wine programs. We make a concerted effort to make sure we have enough stock of each item to make it through the entire week as to generate the maximum number of sales. If we run out of a wine BTB that we might have two to four of on hand, that’s fine with me, but running out of BTG Pinot Noir on a Friday night means we’re going to lose a large section of sales. So, spending your money wisely on your biggest revenue-generating items is, in my opinion, the easiest way to control costs. Over time, you can use those profits to bring in another cool bottle of wine or whiskey, but new items are gambles as you do not have any actual data to look back on, and you might have ended up spending money on something that you never actually sell.
Rosa Thurnher, Partner, El Ponce, Atlanta, Georgia
Looking ahead to 2026, keeping costs down for us means investing in smarter growth. We’re renovating, adding leadership roles, and expanding into revenue streams outside of the physical restaurant—especially catering, retail, and our tamale carts, which have higher profit margins. Investing in leadership and promoting from within will also help support this growth as well as employee retention.
As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary at our brick and mortar, we’re releasing a new menu designed around what guests want most today: value, authenticity, and a memorable full-service experience.
Additionally, we will bring back a lunch menu to capture the return-to-office crowd, while protecting margins. Cost-conscious decision-making isn’t new to restaurants, but in 2026, we’re approaching it through intentional diversification and team development rather than cuts.
Ana Acela Perez, Co-Owner, El Puro Cuban Restaurant, Charlotte, North Carolina
As a restaurant owner, especially going into a new year, keeping costs down is really about being intentional without compromising quality or guest experience. We’re doing that by tightening our inventory management—being very mindful of portion control, reducing waste, and ordering smarter based on actual sales patterns. We’re also refining our menu, focusing on dishes and cocktails that perform really well and share ingredients across multiple items, so nothing goes unused.
At the bar, we’re streamlining the cocktail list, featuring seasonal ingredients, and negotiating more strategically with vendors. Sometimes fewer, well-executed cocktails are more profitable and more memorable than a long menu.
On the operations side, we’re being smarter with scheduling, cross-training our team so everyone can wear multiple hats, and investing in systems that improve efficiency. At the end of the day, it’s about working lean, staying creative, and protecting the soul of the restaurant while running it sustainably for the long term.
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