For a restaurant operating a single location, consistency often comes down to the people behind the line, the recipes they know by heart and the culture built inside those four walls. But as a brand grows into a multi-unit operation, that personal connection becomes harder to maintain. The chef who once tasted every sauce batch, monitored every plate and trained every employee is replaced by a network of managers, trainers, systems and processes designed to deliver the same experience across multiple locations.
That transition is one of the greatest operational challenges for growing restaurant brands. Scaling requires more than opening new units; it requires creating repeatable systems that protect food quality, beverage execution and hospitality standards without removing the creativity and personality that made the concept successful.
“Systems deliver consistency, but only if they’re followed,” said Ray Camillo, founder and CEO of Blue Orbit Restaurant Consulting. “The most common challenge isn’t designing systems – it’s ensuring compliance. Operators often correct bad results instead of correcting deviations from the systems that produce those results.”
For successful multi-unit brands, consistency is not about making every restaurant identical. Instead, operators must determine what elements cannot change – recipes, preparation methods, service expectations and brand standards – while creating opportunities for local connection and innovation.
Michael Grundgeiger, president and COO, and culinary director of Shakey’s USA, said the brand’s philosophy is to “standardize the core and localize the feel.”
“As a legacy brand, it is critical to uphold our roots while remaining innovative,” he said. “Our philosophy is to standardize the core and localize the feel.”
A Blueprint for Execution
The foundation of consistency begins with clearly defined operating standards. While recipes are an important component, true consistency involves every step of execution, including ingredient specifications, storage procedures, equipment settings, plating instructions and service expectations.
“We standardize core items through recipes, equipment, storage methods, line configuration, utensils and plating standards,” Camillo said. “Those don’t change by location.”
That level of detail ensures employees across different restaurants are not relying on interpretation. Instead, they have a documented process that defines what success looks like.
Derek Clayton, corporate chef at Vitamix Commercial, said recipes alone cannot guarantee consistency.
“You can write the perfect recipe, but if it’s being executed by someone on their third double shift who’s never been properly trained, that recipe doesn’t matter much,” he said. “The further you get from one kitchen with one team you know well, the more your standards rely on systems rather than supervision.”
Consistency, he said, comes from the combination of documentation, equipment and training. A recipe provides the target, but systems ensure teams can repeatedly achieve that result.
Equipment reliability also plays an important role. “When your tools are reliable and work the same way every time, you remove one more variable from an already complicated equation,” Clayton said.
From programmable equipment that reduces guesswork to standardized prep processes that improve efficiency during busy periods, operational tools help reduce differences between locations.
Creating Room for Creativity
While consistency is critical, overly rigid systems can prevent restaurants from adapting to local preferences and opportunities. The challenge for multi-unit brands is determining where flexibility belongs.
Clayton describes it as creating layers within the operation.
“The core of a recipe has to be locked in – the ratios, the technique, the outcome you’re trying to hit. That doesn’t move,” he said. “But around the edges, there’s room to breathe.”
That flexibility may include locally sourced ingredients, seasonal offerings or community partnerships, as long as they align with the brand’s identity.
At Shakey’s, this approach is reflected in its beverage program. While the food menu remains consistent across most locations, the brand allows managers to create more localized experiences through regional brewery partnerships.
“We encourage our manager teams to partner with local breweries to create a more community-focused feel for our tap program,” Grundgeiger said.
The key is establishing boundaries. Creativity should strengthen the brand rather than create inconsistency.
“Local and seasonal items operate within defined parameters for cost, complexity, ingredient utilization, flavor profile and portion size,” Camillo said. “Creativity is encouraged, but it still has to fit the brand.”
Training & Protecting Standards
As restaurant brands expand, training becomes one of the biggest challenges. The informal coaching and hands-on learning that works in a single restaurant must evolve into scalable programs that support dozens or hundreds of employees.
For Shakey’s, maintaining culture during growth requires a combination of digital resources and personal interaction.
“It needs to be a systematic approach to materials, videos and quizzes, but done with a human touch,” Grundgeiger said. “Our certified trainers at our locations ensure extensive hands-on training complements all the other forms of training we use.”
Camillo said multi-unit operators often make the mistake of depending too heavily on individual trainers.
“Training should be built to the standard, not the trainer,” he said. “The biggest mistake multi-unit operators make is relying on their best trainer instead of a repeatable training system.”
Training also cannot stop after onboarding. Standards can erode when shortcuts become routine, making ongoing reinforcement essential. Camillo recommends monthly skills workshops, quarterly refreshers and pre-shift tastings, while Clayton compares training to equipment maintenance.
“You don’t just sharpen your knives once,” he said. “Training has to be ongoing, built into the culture. It’s not just training, it’s maintenance.”
That ongoing approach becomes especially important during periods of high turnover and volume.
“High turnover and high volume – usually at the same time – are where things start to crack,” Clayton said. “The moments when you’re most slammed are exactly when your newest people are most exposed.”
Consistent Leadership
Even the strongest systems require people to oversee them. As brands grow, leadership roles shift from personally executing every task to identifying where standards are drifting.
“Leadership is everything,” Clayton said. “You can have great documentation and solid systems, but someone still has to be in those kitchens watching for the drift – the small things that start slipping before they become big problems.”
Regional managers, corporate trainers, chefs and operations leaders serve as the connection between brand expectations and individual locations.
At Shakey’s, those leaders play a critical role in maintaining standards.
“They are key to ensuring that standards are upheld across our locations,” Grundgeiger said. “Again, it is a personal touch that makes the difference. We want our staff to feel supported and comfortable providing authentic hospitality while upholding our standards.”
Camillo said leadership must focus on accountability. “Regional chefs and area managers aren’t there to be cheerleaders,” he said. “They’re there to inspect compliance, identify breakdowns and ensure corrective action occurs.”
Managing Vendors & Ingredient Consistency
Sourcing becomes increasingly complex as brands enter new markets. Maintaining quality requires balancing centralized purchasing with local realities.
Shakey’s benefits from a centralized sourcing strategy.
“We are fortunate to source all of our food and supplies from a single vendor,” Grundgeiger said. “This puts us in control of everything coming through our kitchen. Any issues can be dealt with immediately systemwide.”
However, complete uniformity is not always realistic.
“You have to accept some variance and plan for it,” Clayton said. “Not every market is going to have the same access to the same products, and forcing uniformity can actually hurt you.”
Instead, operators can build recipes and processes that focus on technique and execution.
“The workaround is building recipes that are technique-forward, where the method and the equipment do more of the heavy lifting than any single ingredient,” Clayton said.
For brands entering new markets, vendor relationships should be established before opening.
“Operators entering new markets should establish sourcing relationships before opening, not after,” Camillo said. “Poor vendor decisions affect food cost, waste and ultimately the guest experience.”
The Role of Technology
Technology continues to play a larger role in helping restaurant brands monitor execution, analyze costs and maintain standards. Recipe management platforms, POS systems, inventory tools and digital training systems can provide visibility across multiple locations.
Camillo said platforms such as Toast and MarginEdge can help operators monitor performance.
“Toast tracks sales and item movement, while MarginEdge maintains recipe costing and provides theoretical food cost analysis,” he said.
However, technology alone cannot create consistency.
“It’s not about any particular system that contributes to consistency; it’s about ensuring those systems work seamlessly together and do not get in the way of upholding our hospitality standards,” Grundgeiger said.
The strongest operators use technology to reduce friction, allowing managers and employees to spend more time supporting teams and serving guests.
As restaurant brands continue to grow, consistency will remain one of the defining challenges of scaling. The operators that succeed will be those that combine clear standards, strong training, reliable systems and leadership that continuously reinforces the brand promise.
“The operators who scale successfully understand that consistency is about managing compliance with systems,” Camillo say, “not managing the symptoms of non-compliance.”