Pop-up vs. brick-and-mortar

Restaurants are betting big on loyalty programs to keep budget-conscious diners coming back. Plus, what does it take to run a pop-up bar in a space that was never meant to be one? We talk to someone making it work. And if you’re hiring or looking to grow, we’ve got the ultimate guide to SBA loans and interview questions every restaurant should be asking. All that and more, coming right up!

High standards: Running a restaurant is tough, with most closing within five years. One smart way to protect your business? Raise your food safety standards to avoid costly mistakes.

Points well taken: As diners pull back on spending, restaurants are leaning on loyalty programs to drive repeat visits, turning perks into essential tools for customer retention and sales growth.

Raw material:This anonymous female chef is pulling back the curtain on restaurant culture with her unfiltered Instagram, exposing the industry’s hidden world of drugs, sexism and survival.

Shrimp tales? A new lawsuit claims 25 South Carolina restaurants falsely advertised imported shrimp as “local,” potentially damaging the state’s reputation and violating federal and state trade laws.

Drive-thru disaster: A Seattle restaurant was full when a truck smashed into it on the Fourth of July. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt.

‘It enables us to believe in ourselves in a way we didn’t before’

Opening a bar is never easy, but opening one in a space that was never meant to be a bar? That takes creativity and, to some extent, a sense of humor.

Just ask Izzy Tulloch and Danielle “D” De Block, longtime friends and service industry vets who launched their cocktail pop-up, A Pop-Up Called Pancakes, in New York City with nothing but vision and a deep love of hospitality. These pop-ups take place in unconventional venues, like diners and delis.

We talked to Tulloch, fresh off a month-long stint at S&P, a lunch counter in NYC, about what it’s like to run a bar in a borrowed space and why this scrappy little pop-up could be the blueprint for something much bigger.

What inspired you to start your pop-up series?

I've wanted to open a bar for as long as I can remember. I've also been terrified to open a bar for as long as I can remember. Almost as soon as Danielle and I started working together we started brainstorming. We both have a deep appreciation for casual food culture—diners, chains, rest stops, pubs; those are really the foundation of our inspiration, I think. 

What are some of the challenges of running a makeshift cocktail bar?

Many of them are physical. It's not a bar, so it's not designed for bartending. We set it up as best we could; we could reach almost everything with just a pivot, but there are no rails, so we're reaching high for bottles on the counter. There's no ice well, so we're bending across ourselves into a giant ice cooler on the floor. There's no drains or sinks, so we're constantly changing out rinse buckets. All entirely doable, just not necessarily an easy shift. 

What are some of the things a pop-up enables you to do that a brick-and-mortar can't?

There's certainly more flexibility; we can pop up virtually anywhere, anytime. But more than anything, I think it enables us to believe in ourselves in a way that I'm not sure we did before this.

What are some of the necessary skills for running a business like yours? 

Creativity and the ability to make a balanced menu. Every skill D has that I don't, like being organized, running payroll, paying invoices. Like a million things. And then being able to host the shit out of a room, and put out fires before anyone even knows they've started. But maybe more than anything, to run any business, is drive. We're not experts by any means, but we really wanted to do it, and one day we decided we were going to and we did. 

What advice do you have for someone who may want to follow in your footsteps?

Everything you do leading up to whatever it is you're going to do, matters. Every job, every interaction, every failure—it all matters. And work with someone that you completely trust and you can be completely honest with. If you can't have a tough conversation, they're not the right partner.

Responses have been edited for brevity. See the full interview here.

6 server interview questions that actually work

Hiring the right servers is crucial—not just for guest experience, but for your bottom line. The trick with interviewing is to focus on open-ended questions that reveal personality, service mindset and cultural fit. Here are some examples:

Why apply here? – Shows interest and alignment.

How did you solve a customer issue? – Reveals experience and empathy.

Dining style preference? – Gauges communication.

Ideal schedule? – Clarifies flexibility.

POS experience? – Tests tech readiness.

Questions for us? – Reveals engagement.

Why it matters: The wrong hire can cost you in more ways than one: wasted training time, a lull in team morale or even a bad customer experience. But the right one will become part of the fabric of your restaurant. That’s why the interview matters. It’s your chance to uncover the traits that don’t always show up on paper: empathy, hustle, attention to detail and genuine warmth. A good conversation reveals a lot when you know how to approach it. (Back of House) 

How one man turned a corner store into a must-visit

Ramzi Budayr opened Dolores Deluxe in San Francisco’s Mission District in 2022, transforming a century-old corner store into a vibrant market and community hub. With a background that includes leadership roles at Eleven Madison Park and the NoMad Hotel, Budayr brought his hospitality expertise to the neighborhood, emphasizing adaptability and local connection. By listening to the building, the neighborhood and evolving customer needs, he created a space that reflects a strong sense of community and history.

Why it matters: Dolores Deluxe is a case study in how thoughtful hospitality, community engagement and adaptive business instincts can revive historic spaces. Budayr’s transformation of a 100-year-old corner store into a thriving neighborhood business that serves the community reflects the evolving role of neighborhood restaurants and markets. In an era of rapid change and rising costs, his approach proves that listening to your surroundings—and your neighbors—can lead to lasting impact. (The Bottom Line) 

Your guide to restaurant SBA loans

Getting an SBA (Small Business Association) loan can be a smart move for restaurant owners seeking favorable rates and flexible repayment terms. These loans can be used to launch a new concept, buy an existing restaurant or finance equipment and operating costs. But because restaurants are often seen as high-risk, getting approved can be tricky. That’s why it’s essential to create a strong business plan, calculate how much funding you need and why, explore your loan options and gather all financial documents early to streamline the process.

Why it matters: Securing funding is one of the biggest hurdles restaurant owners face, especially in a high-risk, high-cost industry. SBA loans offer a lifeline with lower interest rates and longer repayment terms than traditional loans. Getting approved isn’t easy, but with the right preparation, restaurants can unlock vital capital for launching, growing or stabilizing operations. Understanding how SBA loans work can be the difference between thriving and just surviving in a tough industry. (Restaurant HQ)

44%

Consumers who expect to lower their restaurant spend this summer compared to last summer. Meanwhile, 18% expect to increase it and 38% anticipate no change.
(Nation's Restaurant News)

💠 Top 50 indie restaurants of 2025
💠 Michelin's brilliant business strategy
💠 Sous chef wins $3M in abuse case
💠 Food TV's longest-running show
💠 Fast food price hikes, ranked

In the end, you don’t really have any way to know if this person knows what the f*** they’re talking about, besides their own word for it.”
– Zach Geballe, co-host of the VinePair podcast, on why the era of influencers might be over. (🎧 VinePair Podcast)

Thanks for reading today's edition! You can reach the newsletter team at editor@theprep.co. We enjoy hearing from you.

Interested in advertising? Email us at newslettersales@mvfglobal.com

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here to get this newsletter once a week.

The Prep is written by Julien Perry and edited by Lesley McKenzie.