About this episode

Matt and Stephanie Dunken share their journey from financial struggle to success in the restaurant industry.

In this episode of The Restaurant Coach® Podcast , I sit down with Matt & Stephanie Dunken, the powerhouse duo behind Slam Dunk Pizza . Their story is one every independent restaurant owner needs to hear. When they started working with the TRC Method , they were drowning with a prime cost of 94% . Profit was non-existent, stress was constant, and vacations were nothing more than wishful thinking. Fast forward to today, and they’ve slashed their prime cost down to 53% —a complete game changer for their business. Even better, they’ve gone from seven years without a single vacation to enjoying 4–5 vacations every year . This episode is proof that you don’t need to be stuck in the grind forever. With the right frameworks, discipline, and focus, you can take control of your numbers, reclaim your freedom, and finally build the restaurant and life you deserve. If you want to see these kinds of results in your own restaurant, book a Profit Recovery Session with me personally at www.TheRestaurantCoach.com

People in this episode

Host: Donald Burns

Guests: Matt Dunken, Stephanie Dunken

Topics covered

• restaurant management
• profit recovery
• entrepreneurship
• business success
• financial control

Keywords

• restaurant
• profit
• TRC Method
• financial management
• vacation
• business growth

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Slam Dunk Pizza, The Restaurant Coach, TRC Method

Places: www.TheRestaurantCoach.com

More episodes of The Restaurant Coach Podcast

• Episode 181 – Leadership Is a System with Jarred Patterson · January 29, 2026 · 57 min
• Episode 180 – Why Systems Beat Passion Every Time with Nick Mattia · January 13, 2026 · 59 min
• Episode 179 – From Surviving to Thriving with Madison Bree · December 31, 2025 · 44 min
• Episode 178 – Chef Neo vs. The Matrix (with Craig Shelton) · December 18, 2025 · 55 min
• Episode 177 – From Firefighter Mode to Success Mode with Megan Coignard · December 4, 2025 · 32 min
• Episode 175 – Passion Drives Profits with Mark & Ruth Mills of The Plough · August 19, 2025 · 1h 17m

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