Background
Industry Insights

HUBPLATE
JOURNAL

Expert Strategies, Data Driven Insights, Tips and Tools, and Trending Recipes to Help Your Restaurant Dominate the Competition and Boost Revenue.

How to Fill a Slow Tuesday Night Without Discounting Everything
StrategiesOctober 27, 2026

How to Fill a Slow Tuesday Night Without Discounting Everything

Find your real slowest shifts in your sales reports, then run a simple four-week test with a notebook before you cut a single price.

Matthew Kobilan

Matthew Kobilan

Editorial Team

Read Story
Toast vs. a Flat-Rate POS: How to Compare the Real Monthly Cost, Not the Starting Price

Tools

Toast vs. a Flat-Rate POS: How to Compare the Real Monthly Cost, Not the Starting Price

A starting price tells you very little. Here is how to build a spreadsheet that compares software, add-ons, hardware, contracts and card fees side by side.

Matthew Kobilan
Matthew Kobilan10/15/2026
The Black Garlic Gourmet Smash Burger: Why It Belongs On Your Menu

Recipes

The Black Garlic Gourmet Smash Burger: Why It Belongs On Your Menu

The Margin Story Is Exceptional Ground beef has climbed to $6.75/lb at retail by January 2026, up 79% from the 2017 baseline — but restaurants buying wholesale are in a meaningfully better position. Toast's proprietary xtraCHEF invoice data puts the national wholesale ground beef average at $3.78–$3.84/lb, and the wholesale range for common ground beef in early 2026 runs $3.44 to $5.00/lb depending on fat ratio and volume purchasing.

Matthew Kobilan
Matthew Kobilan7/1/2026
No Tax on Tips: A 2026 Restaurant Owner's Compliance Guide

Insights

No Tax on Tips: A 2026 Restaurant Owner's Compliance Guide

The new No Tax on Tips law changes restaurant payroll, POS tip settings, and W-2 reporting in 2026. Here's exactly what operators must update now.

Matthew Kobilan
Matthew Kobilan6/25/2026
Restaurant Gift Card Marketing: 7 Strategies to Sell More Cards Year-Round in 2026

Strategies

Restaurant Gift Card Marketing: 7 Strategies to Sell More Cards Year-Round in 2026

Most restaurants only push gift cards in December. Here are 7 proven marketing strategies to sell more cards, drive repeat visits, and grow revenue all year long.

Matthew Kobilan
Matthew Kobilan6/8/2026
Restaurant Sustainability: 7 Profit-First Strategies for a Greener Kitchen in 2026

Strategies

Restaurant Sustainability: 7 Profit-First Strategies for a Greener Kitchen in 2026

Restaurant sustainability isn't just good ethics — it's a profit strategy. Discover 7 data-backed ways to cut costs, win more guests, and protect your margins in 2026.

Matthew Kobilan
Matthew Kobilan6/2/2026
Restaurant Cash Flow Management: 7 Strategies to Stop the Bleed and Protect Your Margins in 2026

Strategies

Restaurant Cash Flow Management: 7 Strategies to Stop the Bleed and Protect Your Margins in 2026

Your restaurant looks busy — so why is cash always tight? These 7 proven restaurant cash flow management strategies help operators stop the bleed and protect margins in 2026.

Matthew Kobilan
Matthew Kobilan5/29/2026
Newsletter

Stay Ahead of the Curve

Subscribe to the HubPlate newsletter and get the latest restaurant industry insights, expert strategies, and product updates delivered straight to your inbox.

No spam, ever. Unsubscribe at any time.