Part 3: 90-Day Action Plan to make more money!

You create a business by design or you risk being left behind!

Part 3 of this blog zooms out. Instead of obsessing over discounts or décor, this 90‑day window is about turning your hospitality business into a machine that reliably makes money – whether you run a café, food truck, gastro pub, restaurant, bar or hotel. Think of it as three tight 30‑day sprints: clarify the offer, simplify operations, then double‑down on what actually works.

1) Cafe – 90‑day action plan

Days 1–30: Get the basics and menu right

Pull last 3–6 months’ sales: identify top 20% items by volume and profit; mark low‑margin, slow sellers.
Trim the menu by 20–30%: remove low‑profit, low‑volume items; simplify production.
Design 2–3 value bundles (e.g., coffee + pastry, soup + sandwich) at clear “everyday” price points.
Create a basic cold‑drink range (iced coffee, iced latte, flavoured lemonades) with strong GP.
Set weekly targets: spend per head, wage %, waste level.

Days 31–60: Grow high‑margin drinks and recurring trade

Launch a small seasonal drink calendar (e.g., spring special every 6–8 weeks).
Train team to upsell: always offer a drink upgrade (iced, flavoured, larger size) and one food add‑on.
Introduce simple loyalty (stamp card or app) focused on Monday–Wednesday visits and morning trade.
Approach 3–5 nearby offices or workplaces with a “coffee partner” offer (pre‑order for meetings, staff discounts on certain days).
Start tracking daily: number of transactions, average spend, mix of hot vs cold drinks.

Days 61–90: Optimise operations and marketing

Adjust staffing and prep to match actual busy windows (especially office days and school runs).
Standardise recipes and portion sizes for top 10 items to protect GP.
Improve the “value story” in‑store: board messaging around local suppliers, freshness and your bundles.
Run one mini event (tasting, local maker collaboration) to test experience‑led sales.
End of 90 days: review KPIs vs. start (spend per head, wage %, waste, cold drink sales) and lock in the winning changes.

2) Food trucks – 90‑day action plan

Days 1–30: Focus your concept and calendar

Cut menu to 6–8 items built from a small set of shared components.
Cost every item and set prices to hit target GP; flag 1–2 hero items.
Secure a 90‑day trading calendar: at least 4 recurring pitches (brewery, office park, market) plus 2–3 events.
Fix ordering and prep flows so you can handle peak service with minimal labour.

Days 31–60: Build demand and partnerships

Collect customer details (QR code or simple sign‑up) for location and event alerts.
Approach 5–10 local businesses/venues for regular slots (lunch once a week, post‑work once a fortnight).
Test one limited‑time menu item linked to a big event or season, priced for high margin.
Create a simple “event menu” PDF with per‑head pricing and minimum spend for private bookings.

Days 61–90: Tighten economics and scale what works

Drop any item with poor sales/Margin; add a second hero built on the same core prep.
Introduce simple “combo” deals at busy events to speed ordering and increase spend per head.
Lock in 2–3 anchor partners for the next quarter (brewery, venue, office complex).
End of 90 days: compare event vs. regular pitch profitability; decide where to focus capacity for the next season.

3) Gastro pub – 90‑day action plan

Days 1–30: Clarify offer and trading pattern

Analyse by day and day‑part: identify weak services (e.g., Mon–Tue dinner) vs. strong (Thu–Sun).
Tighten menu: keep core pub comfort dishes and 2–3 signature plates; remove low‑selling complex items.
Introduce a 2–3 course early bird or mid‑week value menu with strict GP targets.
Map community and corporate opportunities: local offices, sports clubs, schools, groups.

Days 31–60: Build occasions and groups

Launch 1–2 recurring weekly events (quiz, live music, sports nights) aligned to slow evenings.
Create group packages (set menus + drinks options) for 10–40 people; distribute to local businesses.
Calibrate staffing to focus kitchen and front‑of‑house on Thu–Sun; consider shortened menu or kitchen hours on quiet days.
Strengthen low/no‑alcohol and premium drink offer that pairs with your food.

Days 61–90: Optimise margin and experience

Standardise recipes and plate specs for all high‑volume dishes.
Train staff on service pace and upselling (starters, sides, desserts, drinks) for event and weekend trade.
Run at least one “event menu” weekend (e.g., game day, bank holiday) with a simplified, high‑margin offer.
End of 90 days: evaluate revenue by day, average spend per head and wage %; decide if further cutbacks or expansion of events are needed.

4) Restaurant (full‑service) – 90‑day action plan

Days 1–30: Financial reset and menu engineering

Do a simple P&L review: labour %, food cost %, average spend per head, seat utilisation by shift.
Rank all dishes by profit and popularity; build a “keep, fix, cut” list.
Redesign the menu around high‑margin, mid‑priced dishes; remove or rework low‑margin mains.
Introduce a clear value anchor (early bird, prix fixe, set lunch).

Days 31–60: Improve experience and throughput

Standardise service steps for each shift so you can hit target table turns without rushing guests.
If lunch is quiet, test a more casual/hybrid service (order‑at‑counter, smaller team, limited menu).
Design one small plates or sharing section to support upselling without large ticket shock.
Review bookings, no‑show policy and table management to smooth peaks.

Days 61–90: Lock in profit drivers

Finalise core menu and prep lists for efficiency; reduce unnecessary mise‑en‑place.
Train team to always suggest one extra item (starter, side, dessert, higher‑margin drink) per table.
Run one time‑bound campaign (e.g., seasonal menu, producer collaboration) to test demand at a slightly higher price point.
End of 90 days: compare margin, wage %, and covers per service to baseline and set new “standards” for the next quarter.

5) Pub (drink only) – 90‑day action plan

Days 1–30: Define your core nights and identity

Map sales by day and hour; highlight true peak sessions (e.g., Fri/Sat evenings, match days).
Lock in your identity: sports, music, whiskey, craft, community hub – and align product range to this.
Fill obvious gaps in range: premium, low/no‑alcohol, shareable pitchers or cocktails where suitable.

Days 31–60: Build events and repeat custom

Put a 6‑week calendar on the wall: quizzes, live music, theme nights, big match screenings.
Create simple group packages for office and club nights (reserved area + set drinks offer).
Introduce a low‑labour snack solution (partner food truck, bar snacks, limited hot offering at peak times).
Start collecting customer details for event reminders and promotions.

Days 61–90: Strengthen economics and destination appeal

Adjust staffing to match peak sessions; cut back on quiet, unprofitable hours if needed.
For rural pubs, plan at least one “destination” weekend per month (mini‑festival, guest beer, local food tie‑in).
Track drink mix: push higher‑margin categories with staff incentives and chalkboard promotion.
End of 90 days: check uplift in key nights, average spend per head, and event attendance.

6) Hotel – 90‑day action plan

Days 1–30: Clarify F&B role and performance

Review F&B P&L by outlet (restaurant, bar, room service, banqueting, breakfast).
Decide what each outlet is for: profit centre, guest amenity, support for rooms/events.
Benchmark breakfast: cost per guest, waste, guest satisfaction; it may be up to half of F&B revenue.
Map demand by day and segment: corporate, leisure, local walk‑ins, events.

Days 31–60: Simplify offer and align to segments

Standardise breakfast operations and menu to reduce waste while protecting perceived quality.
Move main restaurant to an all‑day, casual menu with clear hero dishes and tight prep.
Develop bar food and drink pairings that encourage spend before and after events or check‑in.
Create 2–3 packages linking rooms, experiences (spa, local attractions) and F&B credits.

Days 61–90: Drive utilisation and margin

Target city‑based hotels: align menus and opening hours with concerts, sports and major events; partner with promoters or ticketing where possible.
Target regional hotels: lean into weddings, family breaks and local tourism with clear F&B‑inclusive packages.
Introduce basic KPI dashboards: F&B revenue per occupied room, labour %, average spend per cover, breakfast cost per guest.
End of 90 days: close or repurpose chronically unprofitable F&B elements, reinvesting energy in outlets that drive rooms, events and profitable spend.

Why 90 days changes everything

Over a full quarter you can see proper trading patterns: which days carry you, which services are dead weight and which products quietly pay the bills. Most operators “feel” this, but a 90‑day plan forces numbers onto the page so you can act with confidence rather than hunches.

Across all six formats, the same principles repeat:

Trim menus and offerings so the team can execute fast and consistently at target GP.
Shape demand with simple events, bundles, and group offers instead of random promos.
Protect labour by aligning staffing and opening hours to the reality of sales, not habit.

The common playbook behind the six plans

Although each action plan looks different on the surface, they all follow a shared backbone drawn from proven 30‑60‑90‑day planning models.

Days 1–30: Diagnose and simplify. Pull the last few months’ numbers, cut complexity, and reset your menu or offer around high‑margin, popular items.
Days 31–60: Build demand. Add value menus, events, or partnerships that drive repeat custom and fill weak trading windows.
Days 61–90: Optimise. Standardise recipes, portion sizes and service steps, then lock in new staffing patterns and KPIs for the next quarter.

How to use these six action plans

These 90‑day blueprints are not theory pieces; they are designed to drop straight onto the floor of your business. Start by picking the format that best matches your main revenue stream – café, truck, pub, restaurant or hotel – and commit to running that plan fully before you start tweaking.

From there:

Lift the weekly or daily actions into your rota, prep lists and team briefings.
Choose 3–5 KPIs you will actually track, like spend per head, wage %, waste or covers per service, and review them at the end of each 30‑day block.

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