The First Course: Introducing Staying Hungry and What’s Ahead

Welcome to the first episode of Staying Hungry, the podcast that takes you behind the swinging doors of the restaurant industry!

Think running a restaurant is all about good food and packed tables? Think again. In this pilot episode, hosts Vinny Pappalardo and Michael D’Onofrio of Premier Payroll Solutions break down what it really takes to survive in the restaurant business.

From long nights to razor-thin margins, we’re pulling back the curtain on the realities of hospitality—the ones Instagram doesn’t show you. If you’ve ever dreamed of opening a restaurant, currently own one, or just want to know how the best in the business stay afloat, this episode is for you.

🔥 In This Episode, We Cover:

✅ Why passion alone won’t keep your doors open

✅ The biggest mistakes new restauranteurs make

✅ The truth about restaurant margins (it’s not pretty)

✅ How technology is reshaping the industry

✅ The role of payroll, compliance, and operations in success

👀 Get ready for unfiltered, no-BS conversations from restaurant industry veterans. This is Staying Hungry!

00:00 - Welcome to Staying Hungry 🍽️

01:45 - Why we started this podcast

05:30 - The “glamorous” illusion of restaurant ownership

10:15 - Passion vs. business: What really matters

15:40 - The brutal reality of restaurant margins

21:20 - Why most restaurants fail in the first year

26:45 - The role of payroll & compliance in restaurant success

31:10 - How technology is changing restaurant operations

37:50 - Lessons from working with top restauranteurs

42:30 - What’s next for Staying Hungry

👉 Subscribe for more raw, real, and unfiltered conversations on the restaurant business!