Hello, I'm Donald Burns.

Hi, I'm Donald, I've been in the restaurant industry for over 40 years. I've been a restaurant owner, executive chef with Wolfgang Puck, an award-winning author and international speaker. I have shown over 2000 independent restaurant how to break free from their restaurant running their life. Allow me to show you...

My Mission

When I opened my first restaurant I learned right away that while I knew how to run a restaurant, I did not know how to build a profitable brand. I was lucky to find a mentor who taught me and he changed my life. It's now my duty to help independent restaurants break free from mediocrity and coach on how to work ON their restaurant and less IN their business. I won't stop until I help 1M restaurants around the world get the restaurant and life they desire.

The Latest from My Blog

Restaurant Success Is Closer Than You Think

In 1979, a DC-10 Passenger Jet flew from New Zealand to Antarctica on a sightseeing excursion on Air New Zealand flight 901. This 8-hour flight would provide passengers an experience of a lifetime: a chance to see the bottom of the world. 257 passengers and crew members took off at 8:20 that morning for a routine round-trip sightseeing trip with great anticipation to experience a part of the world very few people had ever seen.

Why Discounts Will Slowly Kill Your Restaurant

I like a good deal and I’m sure you do as well.

I have a friend who is like a bloodhound when it came to finding deals! I mean she is obsessed with getting one. I actually don’t think she has paid full retail once. LOL. Deals are everywhere and we think they drive sales and they do for a short amount of time. It’s a lot like the carrot and stick management style.

Before You Reopen Your Restaurant...Think About Your Staff

We all want to get back to “normal,” whatever that means now.

Honestly, normal wasn’t very normal in the first place so, let’s look at this as a plot twist! This time around is your opportunity to do things better than you did before. COVID-19 isn’t your fault, but how you ran your restaurant before is. Now, if that upsets you a little bit, then read on because there are a few things we must discuss.

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