Operator Insights
Practical guidance from 24 years inside restaurants, bars and family entertainment centers.
Operator Insights is where I share practical lessons from 24 years inside restaurants, bars and family entertainment centers. The focus is simple: clearer systems, stronger teams, safer operations and better revenue—not theory written from outside the building.
LATEST ARTICLES
Why FEC Concessions Underperform—and How to Make the Space Earn Its Keep
Most venues treat concessions like a necessary evil. This guide explains how better products, reasonable pricing, tighter menus, real training and smarter transaction-level selling can turn F&B into 20–25% of venue sales.
FEC Membership Programs: Keep Them Simple, Valuable and Easy to Cancel
Memberships should create loyalty, secondary spending and future opportunities—not recurring arguments at the front desk. Learn why simple tiers, guest-friendly policies, natural selling and the right payment tools matter.
Opening an FEC: Decisions to Make Before Construction Ends
New venues often make expensive attraction and design decisions before defining the operating model. This guide covers the guest journey, parties, systems, labor, safety and rehearsal work that should begin before the contractors leave.
What Most FECs Get Wrong About Birthday Party Packages
Parties should be a repeatable sales and hospitality system. Learn how package design, host training, check-in, capacity, pricing and departmental handoffs affect both revenue and the parent’s experience.
ROLLER Implementation: What Operators Should Decide Before Setup
A successful ROLLER launch starts with operating decisions. This guide explains what to define around products, capacity, parties, memberships, waivers, permissions, reporting and employee testing before go-live.
ABOUT CHRIS
Chris Matern has 24 years of experience across restaurants, bars and family entertainment centers. He has helped open more than two dozen businesses and has worked with organizations including Dave & Buster’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, R&R BBQ, Nacho Daddy, HallPass and Carson Kitchen.
Chris is a preferred ROLLER partner and provides practical consulting for venue openings, multi-unit operations, parties, POS implementation, food safety and responsible alcohol service.
Have an operational problem you want to solve? Start with the intake form, schedule a 20-minute strategy call or email Chris directly at chris@maternco.com.