What's new at Zestt?

For most restaurateurs, lunch specials and happy hours are the automatic solutions for down times. They fill tables, increase turnover, and create movement. But let's be real here: At the end of the month, is this actually generating money for you, or are you simply eroding your profit and overloading your staff? These deals aren't just "promotions"—they're strategic tools that need to be calculated. Here's how to know if your deal is a growth engine or a weight pulling your brand down.

Imagine COGS as the gatekeeper—the one who checks all the costs involved in bringing your dishes to life. From the finest ingredients to the humble packaging, and even the labor costs of your loyal cooks, no expense escapes COGS' watchful eyes. It stands guard, ensuring that every shekel invested in the pursuit of gastronomic glory is accounted for. This includes not only the cost of ingredients used to prepare food but also other expenses directly related to food preparation and service, such as packaging, spices, and specific labor costs directly involved in production (like line cooks). By tracking and reviewing COGS, you can examine your efficiency and profitability, identify waste, streamline procurement processes, and even uncover opportunities to improve your menu offerings.

Many restaurateurs in Israel tend to classify winter as a "weak season." Rain driving customers from outdoor seating, a general atmosphere that draws people home, and decreased pedestrian traffic are often seen as unavoidable fates. In actuality, Israeli winters are a golden opportunity to sharpen your management systems, optimize your menu, and build a long-term psychological impact on your customers. By using the right strategy and smart menu engineering, you can do more than just keep your head above water—you can actually be more profitable than in the summer. Here's how to turn lemons into lemonade (or onions into French Onion Soup) in three simple steps:

Whether it’s a restaurant manager, a shift lead, or an employee who volunteered to "tie up loose ends" with the suppliers—everyone can agree on one thing: nobody enjoys manually typing data into a system. That is exactly why we developed our new feature—“ZesttScan,” the smart scanner by Zestt. It's a solution that turns one of the most tedious processes—receiving goods—into one of the simplest and most efficient. So how does it work, and why can it change the way you manage your restaurant?

How to Build a BOM That Helps You Grow

The technological revolution is already here, and it seems almost everyone is using artificial intelligence. If you can't beat them—join them! We've gathered some practical, straightforward ideas for using simple AI tools like ChatGPT that can help your daily restaurant routine with just a few clicks.

Does this sound familiar? You have a winning dish—customers are crazy about it, but when the new cook prepares it, the sauce comes out a bit different, or the portion size on the plate suddenly changes. When you ask the chef for the exact cost of the dish, you usually get a quick calculation on a napkin or a something like: "Around 18 shekels, give or take." A profitable restaurant has no "around". This is where the most important concept in a professional kitchen comes in: the bill of materials (BOM).

You’ve set up a location, built a menu, chosen suppliers, and now it’s time to make delicious food and make money from your dream. Regarding taste, we can't help you. Regarding money, we absolutely can.

Being on good terms with everyone you work with is a basic concept. So why are we writing a whole article specifically about your relationship with suppliers? Because suppliers are partners in your restaurant. They are the ones who allow you to maintain consistency in your menu and the flavors of your dishes. A good relationship with a supplier is more than just goods arriving on time—it brings you service, promotions, and new products. We've seen lots of vendors and restaurateurs and realized a few things that we feel we should pass on.