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  <title>ALSTIG INC — Restaurant Operations Articles</title>
  <subtitle>Operator-direct guides on food cost, labor, menu engineering, and restaurant tech, written by Ben Mouton from 14 years running Mouton's in Cedar Park, Texas.</subtitle>
  <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/atom+xml"/>
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  <updated>2026-05-06T22:39:32Z</updated>
  <author>
    <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    <uri>https://www.alstiginc.com/about.html</uri>
  </author>
  <rights>© 2026 Alstig, Inc.</rights>
  <generator uri="https://www.alstiginc.com">ALSTIG static site</generator>
  <entry>
    <title>What are the best POS systems for independent restaurants?</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/best-pos-systems-independent-restaurants.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/best-pos-systems-independent-restaurants.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">A 2026 buyer&#x27;s framework for restaurant POS systems — what to evaluate, what doesn&#x27;t matter, and how the choice interacts with your back-of-house apps.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>How to build a profitable catering arm for your restaurant</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/build-restaurant-catering-arm.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/build-restaurant-catering-arm.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">A 2026 playbook for independent restaurants adding catering — pricing, capacity planning, and the operational pitfalls most operators learn the hard way.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>How to build a wine list for an independent restaurant</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/build-restaurant-wine-list.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/build-restaurant-wine-list.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">A practical 2026 framework for building a profitable, approachable wine list — pricing strategy, by-the-glass economics, and how to avoid the snob-trap that kills sales.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>What does it cost to open an independent restaurant in Texas?</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/cost-to-open-restaurant-texas.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/cost-to-open-restaurant-texas.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">An honest 2026 cost framework for opening an independent restaurant in Texas — startup capital, the line items that get underestimated, and where to find leverage.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>How to handle negative restaurant reviews professionally</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/handle-negative-restaurant-reviews.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/handle-negative-restaurant-reviews.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">A 4-step framework for responding to negative Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor reviews — without sounding defensive, dismissive, or AI-generated.&lt;/br&gt;</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>How do I lower labor costs in my restaurant?</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/lower-restaurant-labor-costs.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/lower-restaurant-labor-costs.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">Practical labor-management for independent operators in 2026: target percentages, where the savings actually live, and which app loops handle it.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>How do I price menu items for profit?</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/menu-item-pricing-strategy.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/menu-item-pricing-strategy.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">The 2026 pricing framework for independent restaurants — food cost percentage, perceived-value pricing, and how to price for margin without scaring off regulars.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>How to read your restaurant P&amp;L (and what numbers actually matter)</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/read-restaurant-pl-statement.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/read-restaurant-pl-statement.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">A working operator&#x27;s guide to the restaurant P&amp;L statement — which lines tell you the truth, which ones are noise, and the three numbers to track every week.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Restaurant new-hire onboarding playbook</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/restaurant-new-hire-onboarding.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/restaurant-new-hire-onboarding.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">A 5-day onboarding framework for independent restaurants — what to teach when, how to use recipe documentation, and where most operators lose new hires in week one.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>How to do a weekly restaurant inventory audit</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/weekly-restaurant-inventory-audit.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/weekly-restaurant-inventory-audit.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-05T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">A 90-minute weekly inventory framework that catches theft, vendor errors, and recipe drift — without requiring a full count of every item.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>How do I automate food cost management for my restaurant?</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/automate-food-cost-management.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/automate-food-cost-management.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">A practical 2026 guide for independent operators: scan invoices, catch vendor overcharges, scale recipes, and keep food cost under 30% — using apps that work in your pocket.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>What are the benefits of using a restaurant management system in Cedar Park, Texas?</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/cedar-park-restaurant-management.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/cedar-park-restaurant-management.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">Why Cedar Park, TX restaurant operators benefit from app-based management — and the six apps tested at Mouton&#x27;s Bistro &amp; Bar before release.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>How do I choose the best restaurant management software for my business?</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/choose-restaurant-software.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/choose-restaurant-software.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">A practical decision framework for 2026: how to evaluate restaurant software, what to avoid, and how to match the right tool to the job you actually need done.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>How can I use apps to improve customer engagement in my restaurant?</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/customer-engagement-apps.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/customer-engagement-apps.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">Three customer-engagement loops every independent restaurant should automate in 2026 — and the apps that handle them in your pocket.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>What are the key features of a restaurant management app?</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/restaurant-app-features.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/restaurant-app-features.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">A 2026 buyer&#x27;s guide for independent operators: the features that actually matter, the ones that don&#x27;t, and how the six ALSTIG apps cover the operational stack.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Can restaurants use apps to manage reviews and menus?</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/review-and-menu-management.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/review-and-menu-management.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">Yes — and the modern app stack handles both better and faster than a marketing agency. Here&#x27;s the 2026 playbook for independent operators.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>What are the best apps for restaurant operators to manage scaling?</title>
    <link href="https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/scaling-restaurant-operations.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
    <id>https://www.alstiginc.com/articles/scaling-restaurant-operations.html</id>
    <published>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</published>
    <updated>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</updated>
    <summary type="text">From single-location to multi-unit: the practical app stack restaurant operators use in 2026 to scale recipes, costs, training, and reviews without adding headcount.</summary>
    <author>
      <name>Ben Mouton</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
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