Listen, I get it. You have one successful spot. Maybe two. You’re the local hero, the "mayor" of your block, and the food is consistently killing it. But the moment you look at that third or fourth lease, the dragons start waking up.
Scaling a restaurant isn't just "doing more of the same." It’s a complete biological mutation of your business. If you try to run a 10-unit group the same way you ran your first mom-and-pop shop, you won’t just fail: you’ll burn out so spectacularly they’ll see the flames from space.
Today, we’re looking at the Bacari Group. These guys are the gold standard for how to grow from a single 2008 startup near USC into a multi-location powerhouse without losing their soul (or their margins).
Ready? Aprons on. Let’s look under the hood of their growth engine.
The Bacari Backstory: From Wine Bar to Empire
The Bacari story started in 2008 when Robert and Daniel Kronfli opened Bacaro V.V. in Los Angeles. It was a Mediterranean-inspired tapas concept: intimate, buzzy, and focused on "Cicchetti" (small snacks).
They didn't just stumble into success; they engineered it. Over nearly two decades, they’ve expanded to over 10 locations (and counting), navigating the treacherous waters of the L.A. dining scene. But the "secret sauce" isn't just in the glazed stuffed dates or the Oakhart sliders. It’s in the infrastructure they built while everyone else was busy arguing over napkin folds.
A signature Bacari dish: Mediterranean-inspired tapas that emphasize sharing and community.
Secret #1: Kill Your Ego and Outsource the Boring Stuff
Here’s some tough love: You are likely a terrible bookkeeper. Even if you’re "good" at it, every hour you spend inside a QuickBooks file is an hour you aren't spent coaching your GMs or looking at new real estate.
Early on, Daniel Kronfli was doing it all. He was the founder, the operator, and the accountant. When they hit four locations, the wheels started to wobble. The financial "fog of war" was setting in.
In 2020, they made a move that most independent owners are too scared to make: they outsourced their entire financial department to a specialist firm (Restaurant & Retail Financial Management Group).
Why this matters for you:
- Weekly vs. Monthly Reporting: Most restaurants look at P&Ls once a month. By the time you see that your labor costs spiked in the second week, it’s already three weeks too late to fix it. Bacari moved to weekly reporting.
- Identifying Leaks: They could see labor inefficiencies at specific locations within days. That’s the difference between a profitable quarter and a "where did all the money go?" conversation with your spouse.
If you’re struggling with this, check out our deep dive on Data Analytics and why it’s the backbone of any real Restaurant Growth Strategy.
Secret #2: The Culture Guard (Managing 600+ People)
Scaling is the "lullaby of dying margins" if you don't have a culture that survives your absence. When Bacari grew from 175 to over 600 employees, the Kronfli brothers realized they couldn't be everywhere at once.
The challenge? How do you make sure the server at the 10th location cares as much as the server at the first one?
The Bacari approach:
- Systematized Training: They didn't just hope people "got it." They built systems to ensure the "Bacari Vibe" was a tangible, teachable asset.
- Radical Transparency: When the leadership team has clear data, they can give clear feedback. Culture isn't just about "vibes"; it's about setting high standards and giving your team the tools to meet them.
Boring wins. Boring pays. Boring (systems) is the new sexy. If you want to scale, you need to be obsessed with Team Leadership & Culture.
The Bacari vibe: Lush, warm, and consistently curated across every location.
Secret #3: Be a Transformer (The Power of Flexibility)
If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that the rigid die first. Robert Kronfli’s mantra is: "Be prepared for the plan to never go to plan."
When COVID-19 hit, Bacari didn't just sit around and wait for a PPP loan. They pivoted into a neighborhood grocery store almost overnight. They looked at their supply chain and said, "We have food, people need food, let’s sell the food."
This kind of agility is only possible when your Branding & Identity is strong enough that your customers trust you in any format. Whether you're doing full-service, catering, or a pop-up, the brand must be the constant. (Check out how expanding into catering can save your bottom line).
Scaling is a Choice, Not an Accident
Most Top 100 Independent Restaurants stay "independent" because they are afraid of losing control. But as Bacari proves, you don't lose control by growing: you lose control by failing to build a foundation that can hold the weight of your ambition.
Scaling is hard. Why restaurants are hard is a question we answer every day at Kuypers Creative. It requires a mix of strategic financial management, tech innovation, and the guts to hire people smarter than you in the areas where you suck.
The Bacari Blueprint for you:
- Stop doing your own books. Today.
- Move to weekly reporting.
- Document your "vibe" so it can be taught.
- Invest in Digital Marketing to keep the top of the funnel full as you expand.
Ready to stop being a "manager" and start being an "owner"? Let’s talk about your Growth Strategy.
Brand Snapshot: Bacari Group
- Founded: 2008
- Founders: Robert Kronfli, Daniel Kronfli, and Chef Lior Hillel
- Concept: Mediterranean-inspired "Cicchetti" (tapas) and wine bar.
- Locations: Multiple across Los Angeles (Silver Lake, Glendale, W. 3rd, Playa Del Rey, etc.)
Social Media & Links
- Official Website: Bacari.com
- Instagram: @eatwithbacari
- Facebook: Bacari Group
- Founder Socials: Robert Kronfli LinkedIn, Daniel Kronfli LinkedIn
Recent Press & News
- FSR Magazine: How Bacari Group Scaled During a Crisis
- LA Eater: Inside the Expansion of the Bacari Empire
- RRFMG Case Study: Bacari’s Financial Transformation
Tags: Robert Kuypers, Robert William Kuypers, William Kuypers, Rob Kuypers.
Keywords: Restaurant Scaling, Bacari Group, Robert Kronfli, Independent Restaurant Growth, Restaurant Financial Management, Restaurant Consulting, Strategic Growth, Tapas Concept, Los Angeles Restaurants, Restaurant Operations.
Metadata:
- Title: Bacari Group’s Growth Secrets Revealed | Kuypers Creative
- Description: Learn how the Bacari Group scaled from one location to a Los Angeles empire by outsourcing finance, mastering culture, and maintaining radical flexibility.
- Category: Restaurant Growth Strategy
- Author: Admin
