Checklist: 30-Day Action Plan to Stabilise a Struggling Hospitality Business

No fluff, just four weekly sprints designed to stop the bleed and start the comeback.

Week 1: Cash & Clarity

• Day 1: Build a 13-week cashflow and colour-code red days.
• Day 2: Call top five suppliers, agree payment plans.
• Day 3: Audit inventory, clear dead stock via specials.
• Day 4: Freeze non-essential spend, cancel unused subscriptions.
• Day 5: Share the reality with the team and set daily sales targets.
• Day 6: Launch a gift card + bonus value offer.
• Day 7: Rest, review cash position, adjust forecast.

Week 2: Offer Reset

• Day 8: Survey guests (online and in-person) about cravings.
• Day 9: Shortlist a hero menu for food and drinks.
• Day 10: Cost recipes, set profitable price ladder.
• Day 11: Reprint menus, update website listings.
• Day 12: Deep clean FOH, refresh playlists and lighting.
• Day 13: Staff tasting and upsell training.
• Day 14: Soft launch the new menu to loyalty members.

Week 3: Sales Sprint

• Day 15: Email and WhatsApp list with booking incentives.
• Day 16: Shoot reels of the new offer, schedule paid social.
• Day 17: Door-drop flyers to 500 nearby homes.
• Day 18: Partner with a local brand for a weekend pop-up.
• Day 19: Run a "bring a friend" locals night.
• Day 20: Host a press/creator preview lunch.
• Day 21: Publish testimonials and open next week's bookings.

Week 4: Scale & Systemise

• Day 22: Document SOPs for open/close, prep, and service.
• Day 23: Implement daily dashboards for sales, GP, labour.
• Day 24: Launch loyalty scheme or referral cards.
• Day 25: Negotiate landlord concessions armed with progress.
• Day 26: Review staffing levels, cross-train team.
• Day 27: Plan the next 8-week event calendar.
• Day 28: Record a video update for followers showing the turnaround story.
• Day 29: Audit feedback, implement quick wins.
• Day 30: Celebrate the team, publish results, and set the next monthly goal.

Mini FAQ

What if I fall behind? Do not scrap the plan. Shift tasks by a day, but keep momentum. Progress beats perfection.

Is 30 days enough? It is enough to stabilise and prove to stakeholders that the business deserves further support. Keep running the four-week cycle until growth feels natural.

Execute the checklist and you replace panic with a rhythm the whole team can follow.