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The full-scale invasion transformed the restaurant business from a hospitality industry into a daily struggle for survival. War is not a temporary downturn, but a fundamental change in reality, where the main task is to save the restaurant. The initial shock forced many to either close or freeze in anticipation, but it became clear that in order to ensure the survival of the business, waiting was not an option.
Why were restaurants hit so hard? First, there were direct threats: airstrikes, blackouts, and forced relocation. Second, the guests themselves changed. In the first few months, the priority was not your signature dishes, but bulletproof vests, food for the Armed Forces, and donations to the Armed Forces. When people started to return, they were not looking for foie gras, but for a sense of security, warmth, and normality. Thirdly, operational constraints: curfews reduce evening sales, logistics chains are disrupted, and retaining qualified staff is becoming an extremely difficult task.
But there is good news. The crisis has unexpectedly made restaurants extremely important. Your establishment with a generator is no longer just a cafe, but a “point of resilience” where you can work and charge your phone. Many restaurants have become volunteer kitchens, humanitarian headquarters, or partners of international organizations such as World Central Kitchen, feeding thousands of people.
Therefore, business survival is impossible with a “wait it out” strategy. It requires a conscious, radical, and data-driven transformation. Resilience today is the ability to adapt intelligently and quickly, sometimes with the help of tools such as anti-crisis consulting.
Common mistakes made by restaurant owners during crises
War acts like an X-ray: all the weak spots that could be ignored in peacetime become deadly dangerous. Truthfully, it is not war that destroys business. It only accelerates what was bound to happen anyway. Managing an establishment is a difficult task, and a successful restaurant during wartime requires even more expertise.
Financial short-sightedness: there is no such thing as “your money” in business
The main sin of a novice restaurateur (and not only) is to perceive daily revenue as personal income. Today there is 20 thousand in the cash register, and the owner is already mentally buying a new iPhone. But tomorrow, the rent is due, and there is no money left. In a crisis, this leads to instant collapse.
💡 Iron rule: build up reserve capital to cover 3-6 months of fixed costs (rent, salaries for key people, utilities).
Operational blindness: “it somehow works on its own”
It doesn’t work.
The “absent owner” syndrome during wartime is unacceptable. The absence of the owner on site demotivates staff and creates opportunities for waste and theft. A separate problem is hiring friends and relatives without clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and accountability. Very soon, this will turn into internal conflicts that will destroy the team from within.
Strategic paralysis: “waiting it out” as a path to ruin
Inertia and clinging to the pre-war business model is a sure path to bankruptcy. The market has changed, but you haven’t? That’s a death sentence. The crisis requires flexibility and determination. An example of such paralysis is restaurants that were unable or unwilling to adapt their menus, pricing, and service format to the new reality. In such cases, it will be impossible to save the restaurant.
Legal negligence: an invisible enemy in the rear
In conditions of total economy, it is easy to wave away “paperwork.” But this is a mistake. For example, failure to register as a “market operator” with the State Food and Consumer Service. This seemingly minor detail can lead to devastating fines: up to UAH 97,500 for sole proprietors and up to UAH 195,000 for legal entities.
How to analyze the situation: a business audit “for yesterday”
Before treating anything, you need to make a diagnosis. This is the first step to saving a restaurant. Here are three tools that every owner should adopt.
Financial check-up
The profit and loss (P&L) statement is the manager’s main tool. It shows where you are making money and where you are “losing” money. But in a crisis, this is not enough, because decisions need to be made today. Therefore, it is crucial to move from retrospective analysis to proactive budgeting and daily tracking of key indicators. The main P&L categories that every owner should monitor are: revenue (100%), cost of goods sold (COGS or food cost), personnel expenses, controllable and fixed expenses.
Menu review
For any establishment, especially a restaurant during wartime, an optimized menu is the foundation of financial stability. Its purpose is to identify the dishes that generate the lion’s share of profits and get rid of those that “eat up” resources. The analysis is based on the Pareto principle, according to which approximately 20% of menu items generate 80% of revenue.
The ABC analysis process
- Data collection: Download a sales report for the last month or quarter from the POS system, containing the number of servings sold, revenue, and profit for each dish.
- Categorization: Divide all dishes into three groups:
- Group A: The most popular and profitable items. This is approximately 20% of the dishes that generate up to 80% of the profit.
- Group B: Analyze and optimize. Can you raise the price a little? Can you reduce food costs?
- Group C: Remove from the menu immediately. These dishes freeze money and complicate the work of the kitchen — they are a luxury that is unacceptable for the survival of the business. Exceptions can be made for items that perform a unique strategic function (for example, the only item on the children’s menu).
- Developing a strategy:
- Group A: Protect and promote. These are the foundation of your business. They cannot be removed from the menu.
- Group B: Analyze and optimize. Can the price be raised slightly? Can the food cost be reduced?
- Group C: Remove from the menu immediately. These dishes freeze money and complicate the work of the kitchen — they are a luxury that is unacceptable for the survival of the business. Exceptions can be made for items that perform a unique strategic function (for example, the only item on the children’s menu).
Example:
| Dish name | Sales volume, units | Revenue, UAH | Food cost | Profit | Category (A, B, C) |
| Ukrainian borscht | 350 | 42,000 | 25% | 31,500 | А |
| César salad | 280 | 50,400 | 35% | 32,760 | А |
| Pasta | 150 | 30,000 | 30% | 21,000 | В |
| Salmon steak | 40 | 14,000 | 55% | 6,300 | С |
| Broccoli puree soup | 25 | 2,500 | 40% | 1,500 | С |
Take a look at the salmon steak. High price, but low sales and terrible food cost. This is a prime candidate for elimination.
Operational audit
This is a tool for physically inspecting a restaurant to identify inefficiencies and non-compliance with standards. The manager should regularly walk through the establishment with the following checklist:
- Outdoor area and facade: cleanliness of the surrounding area, condition of the sign, lighting, relevance of information about opening hours.
- Dining room: condition of furniture, cleanliness of floors, tables, lighting fixtures. Clean, neat, and up-to-date menus. No dust or cobwebs.
- Restrooms: cleanliness, availability of consumables (soap, paper, towels), absence of unpleasant odors, serviceability of plumbing fixtures.
- Kitchen: serviceability and cleanliness of equipment, compliance with the rules of product proximity in refrigerators, labeling of ingredients, cleanliness of exhaust hoods, neatness of staff.
- Bar: cleanliness of the bar counter and equipment, proper storage of beverages, availability of all items on the bar menu.
Anti-crisis strategies: from survival to development
After diagnosis, it is necessary to immediately take decisive action. A comprehensive approach is needed to save the restaurant. A successful anti-crisis strategy is based on three pillars.
Total cost optimization
It is necessary to negotiate with all key suppliers and the landlord. Knowledge of market prices and competitors’ offers can be a strong argument for obtaining discounts or more favorable payment terms.
Buying a generator is not an expense, but a strategic investment. During blackouts, it will become your main advertisement and attract people who need light and internet. A generator also guarantees the uninterrupted operation of the establishment and helps preserve food.
Staff are not just an expense, but a key asset. The strategy should not be to cut back, but to retain a small but highly motivated team.
Adapting the concept and menu
Based on ABC analysis, you need to create a short menu. This reduces food costs, decreases write-offs, simplifies kitchen work, and makes it easier for guests to choose. It is worth introducing an “anchor product” — a unique, high-margin dish that will make guests come to you. Family offers and affordable set meals are also relevant.
It is necessary to weigh all the pros and cons of your own delivery service and working with aggregators. Your own service builds brand loyalty, while aggregators provide quick coverage but take a significant commission. The delivery menu should consist of dishes that travel well.
Marketing
Encourage user-generated content (UGC) by offering small bonuses for reviews and photos on social media. Tell heartfelt stories about your team, how your establishment is surviving, and how it is helping others.
An optimized Google Maps profile is critical for attracting local customers. It is essential to actively engage with reviews: thank customers for positive ones and respond to negative ones promptly and constructively.
Transparent communication about the percentage of sales going to the Armed Forces of Ukraine or the restaurant’s participation in volunteer initiatives builds an incredible level of trust and support from the community.
Write to us and get a personalized plan for overcoming the crisis.
Why external consulting is important
Seeking outside help is not a sign of weakness, but a manifestation of strategic thinking. Bringing in an expert from the BRG team is an investment in saving your business. An owner immersed in operational routine often cannot see the whole picture.
External anti-crisis consulting brings objectivity. They have no emotional attachment to the menu, staff, or the establishment as a whole. This allows them to make difficult but necessary recommendations based solely on data and financial feasibility.
Crisis consultants have a ready-made set of tools and proven solutions. They have already seen similar problems in other establishments and know what works and what doesn’t. This drastically reduces the time spent on experimentation and allows for the rapid implementation of effective strategies.
Hiring a consultant allows the owner to delegate the most complex analytical and strategic tasks: conducting a full financial audit, developing an anti-crisis menu, negotiating with the landlord, and building a new marketing strategy.
Conclusion: a crisis is not the end, but a transformation
The survival of a restaurant in wartime requires a transition from intuitive management to a systematic approach. Restaurants that survive this war will become stronger, more efficient, and closer to their guests. War is a terrible test for business survival, but at the same time, it is a crucible that forges businesses of a new caliber.
Don’t wait until it’s too late — leave a request for a free restaurant audit.
For any establishment, and especially for a restaurant during wartime, an optimized menu is the foundation of financial stability.