I was so excited and genuinely thrilled to be invited back to The Home Show for Valentine’s 2026 – it feels like such a treat to return to Sinead Ryan’s kitchen‑loving corner of Newstalk. Sinead isn’t just a brilliant broadcaster; she’s an incredible cook, someone who really understands the joy of delicious food made from scratch, from proper home‑cooked meals & desserts that actually work in real kitchens. Her ability to cut out the fluff and make it delicious means that we

Set your boundaries, make them clear, train your team and stand tall. So many Irish café owners are accused of being “greedy” or “unwelcoming” for doing one simple thing: asking people not to use their business as a free picnic area. While customers unpack supermarket rolls, homemade sandwiches, packets of biscuits, deli coffees and soda cans at the table or under the shelter of privately paid‑for booths or privately owned picnic tables, the owner is busy trying to cover wage

Entitled consumer behaviour is quietly stripping the profit, joy, and humanity out of my world – the world of independent Irish hospitality that I have given my life to. We do not permit BYO food into our cafe! What I’m seeing every day For years I’ve worked in, run, and now coach cafés, restaurants and food businesses across Ireland, and I can tell you this: the behaviour of a growing group of customers is no longer “a bit cheeky”, it’s destructive. On my TikTok and Instagr

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE: https://www.traciedaly.com/podcast/episode/608ce2fb/meet-the-maker-felix-of-mor-taste Meet the Maker: Felix of Mor Taste – How to Crack Retail in 12 Months Ever wonder how a brand-new food product gets into every major Irish retailer within a year? Felix of Mor Taste is here to share everything—no closed doors, no secrets held back. Because when you achieve nationwide retail domination with a one-year-old business, the industry sits up and takes no

Independent Irish butchery took center stage this year in a celebration of pure skill, passion, and pride at the Butcher Wars, the National Steak Challenge, and the Sausage and Pudding Competitions – all under the banner of ACBI Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland.​ The competitors: masters of their craft From the moment the first side of lamb was hoisted onto a shoulder, it was clear this was not just a show – it was elite butchery in motion. Eight competitors from Ireland,

BUCKLE UP! Hire fast, fire faster! Let’s face it — people will always show up exactly as they are. In hospitality, that truth reveals itself daily: the late staff member, the cranky supplier, or the customer whose energy dips your mood. But here’s the thing — frustration often comes not from what people do, but from expecting them to do something different. When we stop expecting and start accepting, we regain control. Acceptance doesn’t mean lowering your standards; it means

Customer icks are not the problem in your business – your fragile ego is. Every eye‑roll, bad review and sent‑back plate is a live, paid‑for focus group screaming, “Here’s exactly where you’re leaking profit,” yet most owners react like they’ve been personally attacked instead of professionally advised. Food business coach Tracie Daly sees it every week: the operators who get offended by feedback stay stuck, while the ones who swallow their pride, dissect the complaint and re

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 1–3

Irish hospitality is entering another year of recalibration — tighter margins, cautious consumers, and evolving routines around work, travel, and leisure. But opportunity is still there for those who adapt fast. Here’s what “the best next steps” look like for every type of hospitality business in 2025–26. 1. Cafés: Focus on Margin, Movement and Momentum The café market is cooling at the top but thriving where menus earn their keep. Tighten your menu around margin. Keep only

Knowledge can be power- take back control in 2026 with Tracie Daly by your side. PART 1 of 3 Ireland’s eating‑out market is bigger than ever, but growth is slowing and profit is under real pressure. In 2026, most businesses will grow only a little in money terms, so winning will be about smarter operations, sharper value and picking the right niches.​ SWOT: Irish Foodservice in Plain English Strengths Big and resilient market People still spend over €10 billion a year eating

2025: The Year Irish Cafés Hit Breaking Point – And How To Get Ahead Of 2026 Before It Breaks You Get your TOOLKIT here for Auto-enrolment and the wage increase https://www.traciedaly.com/toolkit-auto-enrolement-wage-increase There has never been an “easy year” to own an independent food business in Ireland, but 2025 asked more of café and restaurant owners than any spreadsheet could show. Closures, inspections, staff burnout, rising costs, and the silent grief of watching go

How lucky I am to get to chat to the incredible and brilliant Sinead Ryan twice this Christmas about Christmas dinner prep where I developed a cookery book that showcases Ireland’s top celebrity chef recipes (my cookbook is attached below for you to download) and then I’m back on air with Sinead on Newstalk for the The Home Show on the 27th of December 2025 where I am talking about Leftovers (recipe book attached below) and I will stress that they are not second best – they’r