Behind the Scenes of the WRA Traveling Show: My Talk on Menu Engineering, Design, Social Media & Guerrilla Marketing

This past fall, I had the privilege of presenting at the Wisconsin Restaurant Association’s Traveling Show, with stops in Eau Claire, Green Bay, and Wausau. Each city brought a different energy, and every conversation reminded me why I love working with independent restaurant operators—they’re passionate, hardworking, and hungry for practical tools that actually move the needle.

In my session, I walked through the foundations of menu engineering, the power of strategic menu design, and the importance of building a planned, consistent social media presence that sparks conversation. I also shared several of my favorite guerrilla marketing tactics—the simple, scrappy ideas that can drive real attention without expensive budgets.

Whether you attended the show or are seeing this for the first time, the video below is a look into how smart menu decisions and better storytelling can transform a restaurant’s bottom line. If you’ve ever wondered why certain items sell, why others don’t, or how to get more people talking about your brand, this is a great place to start.

Thanks again to the WRA team for hosting such a well-run and inspiring program. I’m already looking forward to the next opportunity to connect with operators across Wisconsin.

Watch the full presentation linked below.
(If the video takes a moment to load, hang tight—it’s worth it.)