When I first started my venue, I expected the hard parts to be things like cash flow, staffing, suppliers, marketing.

The technical stuff.

What I didn’t expect was how lonely it would feel.

There was a time when my mornings looked like this:

Snooze the alarm twice.

Grab my phone before even sitting up.

Scroll through emails, panic at the ones I’d missed, and start mentally firefighting before my feet even hit the floor.

When you first start out in hospitality leadership, you think the biggest challenge will be running the venue.

Keeping the wheels turning. Keeping the customers happy.

Keeping the cash flow moving.

And sure, those things are tough.

But the real challenge?

For a long time, I thought burnout just meant feeling tired.

Like if I could just get one good night’s sleep, maybe a day off, I’d bounce back.

But it’s not like that, is it?

When I first opened my restaurant and cocktail bar, I had no real hospitality experience. I built it from scratch, one lesson at a time—usually the hard way.

And like a lot of business owners, I thought success would eventually bring a sense of control.

It didn’t.

It brought more chaos.

Everyone loves a good deal. Whether it’s a two-for-one cocktail special or a discounted meal, happy hours and promotions feel like a win for customers. So why do some restaurants and bars refuse to offer them?

It’s not because they don’t want to reward their customers—it’s because in many cases, discounts do more harm than good for a business.

You walk into a restaurant, grab a table, and smile at the server. You’ve been here before. Maybe even a few times. But when they come over, there’s no sign of recognition.

You think, Surely they should remember me?

If you ask any hospitality business owner what their biggest challenge is, the answer is almost always the same: staffing. Finding, training, and keeping the right people is one of the hardest parts of running a restaurant or bar.

The hospitality industry is constantly evolving, and the businesses that thrive are the ones that know how to adapt. Running a restaurant, bar, or café isn’t just about great food and drinks—it’s about staying ahead of challenges, embracing technology, and understanding changing customer expectations. Those who evolve with the times survive. Those who don’t? They get left behind.

Splitting the bill at a restaurant should be simple, right? You order, eat, drink, and at the end of the meal, everyone pays for what they had—or just divides it equally. But in reality, splitting a bill isn’t always as straightforward as customers expect. Many people don’t realize that breaking up payments can cause delays, create confusion, and make service slower for everyone.

If you’ve ever wondered why some restaurants don’t allow multiple payments or why your server hesitates when you ask to split the bill ten ways, here’s what you need to know.

You know, for the longest time, no one really talked about mental health in hospitality.

The stress, the long hours, the late nights, the drinking culture—it was all just part of the job. If you struggled, you were expected to push through. And for years, I thought I was fine. I’d hear friends talk about anxiety, burnout, and stress, but I’d never really experienced it myself.

Have you ever looked at a restaurant’s wine list and thought, “I can buy this bottle for way less in the supermarket”?

It’s a common thought. Many people assume that restaurants get wine at super cheap wholesale prices and then add a massive markup. But the reality? Restaurants don’t get wine as cheaply as supermarkets, and they’re not overpricing it just for profit.

You ever looked at your bill in a restaurant or bar and thought, “What’s this service charge for?” Maybe you’ve assumed it’s just extra profit for the business. But that’s not how it works.

Service charges exist for one main reason: to make sure staff are fairly paid.

You ever been at a bar or restaurant and thought, “It’s just one free drink, what’s the big deal?” Or maybe you’ve asked for a discount on the bill because you’re a regular and figured, “It’s only a few quid, it won’t hurt them.”

Running a restaurant is a constant balancing act. Every day is different, and despite careful planning, there’s no way to predict exactly what will happen. One night, you’re fully booked and turning people away. The next, you’re overstaffed with empty tables. Some days, deliveries arrive late, bookings cancel last minute, and unexpected walk-ins flood the venue all at once.

There’s a common misconception that restaurants and bars use surge pricing, much like Uber or airlines, to charge more when demand is high. But that’s not how hospitality pricing works.

Yes, prices in restaurants and bars often rise during peak seasons, but this isn’t a case of businesses cashing in on demand—it’s about survival.

Ever wondered how a dish makes it onto a restaurant’s menu? It’s easy to think it’s as simple as coming up with an idea, cooking it once, and serving it—but the reality? It’s a process that takes months of testing, adjusting, and refining before it ever reaches your plate.

Making a reservation at a restaurant seems like a simple commitment—you book a table, plan your night, and enjoy a meal. But what happens when you don’t show up? Many people assume it’s no big deal, but for hospitality businesses, no-shows can be financially damaging.

Ever heard the saying that a swan looks graceful and calm on the surface, but under the water, its legs are constantly moving to keep it gliding effortlessly?

That’s exactly what working in hospitality is like.

Running a hospitality business is never easy, but running one in a seaside town? That’s a whole different challenge.