--- title: "FIXE Expert Review: a CFO-level review of your restaurant's numbers | FIXE" description: "Every month, FIXE turns your restaurant's P&L into a CFO-level review: what moved, why, and a 30-day plan with targets. See a sample FIXE Expert Review." --- [Skip to content](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/expert-review#main) FIXE Expert Review For FIXE customers New customers who sign by Jan 31: your first FIXE Expert Review is on us. [Ask about it](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/expert-review#request) FIXE Expert Review # Are you going to pay your investors back on time? Your books tell you what happened. Your FIXE Expert Review tells you what to do next. Every month, Dan Margolis, our Director of Finance, and our restaurant team turn your P&L into a plan built for your restaurant. [See a sample review](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/expert-review#sample) [Ask about it](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/expert-review#request) FIXE Expert ReviewSeptember 2026 Sample Ember & Rye (sample) September 2026 Financial Review **Prepared by FIXE** · October 2026 Sample restaurant and numbers, made up for illustration. ## What you get every month ### Your books, closed. FIXE closes your books every month, so your review starts from numbers you can trust. ### Your review, built for you. What moved this month, why it moved, and what to fix. Built for your restaurant, not pulled from a template. ### Your 30-day plan. Targets for next month, so you and your managers know exactly which numbers to watch. ## What each one tells you Bookkeepers and CPAs do important work. A FIXE Expert Review answers a different question. A bookkeeper Tells you What happened. Records your sales and bills, reconciles your accounts and closes the month. Everything else is built on it. A CPA Tells you What you owe, and how to file. Handles your taxes, filings and year-end. A FIXE Expert Review doesn't replace that work. A FIXE Expert Review Tells you What to do next. What moved this month, why, and a 30-day plan with targets, built on books FIXE closes. With FIXE, the first and the third come together: we close your books every month, then build your review on them. Your CPA keeps doing your taxes. ## A sample FIXE Expert Review Sample **Ember & Rye is a made-up restaurant.** The numbers are a sample, built to show what a review looks like. Ember & Rye (sample) is a one-location neighborhood bistro, opened April 2024 and backed by investors. Here's its September 2026 Financial Review, prepared by FIXE in October 2026. Inside the review 1. [01Operating profit](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/expert-review#p01) 2. [02Sales](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/expert-review#p02) 3. [03Prime cost](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/expert-review#p03) 4. [04Food cost](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/expert-review#p04) 5. [05Beverage](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/expert-review#p05) 6. [06Labor](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/expert-review#p06) 7. [07Discounts and leakage](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/expert-review#p07) 8. [08Cash flow and financing](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/expert-review#p08) 9. [09Investor payback](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/expert-review#p09) 10. [10October action plan](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/expert-review#p10) 01 · Operating profitSeptember 2026Sample ### Operating profit fell from $22,350 to $4,440. - That's down **$17,910**. Margin went from **11.9%** to **2.5%**. - Net revenue fell **$12,710** (**6.8%**), but costs didn't fall with it. Prime cost rose from **58.6%** to **65.1%**. - Overhead was **$56,800**. Supplies and online orders, at **2.9%** of net revenue, need a review. Operating income **$22,350**Aug11.9% margin**$4,440**Sep2.5% margin $17,910less operating income than August Key message Sales slipped, but costs didn't follow them down. Prime cost is the first place to look. Sample restaurant and numbers, made up for illustration.Ember & Rye (sample) · Prepared by FIXE 02 · SalesSeptember 2026Sample ### Sales fell 7.1%, mostly in food. - Gross sales went from **$196,400** in August to **$182,400** in September, down **$14,000**. - Food sales fell **8.8%**. Beverage held up better, down **3.2%**. - After discounts, net revenue was **$175,440**, down **$12,710** (**6.8%**). Sales, August vs September Gross sales down 7.1% Aug$196,400 Sep$182,400 Food down 8.8% Aug$137,800 Sep$125,700 Beverage down 3.2% Aug$58,600 Sep$56,700 Key message Bring covers back without leaning on discounts. October's goal is gross sales of $190K+. Sample restaurant and numbers, made up for illustration.Ember & Rye (sample) · Prepared by FIXE 03 · Prime costSeptember 2026Sample ### Prime cost jumped to 65.1%. - Food cost, beverage cost and payroll took **65.1%** of net revenue, up from **58.6%** in August. - Against a **60%** target, September ran **$8,936** over. - Every point of prime cost is worth **$1,754** a month at September's revenue. Prime cost, share of net revenue Target 60% **58.6%**Aug**65.1%**Sep $8,936over the 60% target in September Key message Prime cost is the number to watch every week, not every month. Get it back to 60% or below. *÷*Try this math Prime cost = (food cost + beverage cost + payroll) ÷ net revenue ($52,300 + $61,900) ÷ $175,440 = 65.1%. Each point = net revenue × 1% = $1,754 a month. Sample restaurant and numbers, made up for illustration.Ember & Rye (sample) · Prepared by FIXE 04 · Food costSeptember 2026Sample ### Food cost crept up to 30.8%. - **$38,700** in food purchases on **$125,700** in food sales, up from **29.0%** in August (**$39,900** on **$137,800**). - Food sales fell **8.8%**, but food purchases fell only **3.0%**. - Protein is the biggest category at **$14,900**. Food cost, share of food sales Goal: below 29% **29.0%**Aug**30.8%**Sep 8.8%drop in food sales 3.0%drop in food purchases Key message Ordering didn't come down with sales. Start with a weekly protein and produce review. Sample restaurant and numbers, made up for illustration.Ember & Rye (sample) · Prepared by FIXE 05 · BeverageSeptember 2026Sample ### Beverage cost hit 24.0%. Check the timing first. - Beverage cost went from **$11,200** (**19.1%**) in August to **$13,600** (**24.0%**) in September. - A **$3,400** wine order landed Sep 28, so some of this is likely timing. - A full physical count will show what's really on the shelf. Beverage cost, share of beverage sales Goal: below 22% **19.1%**Aug**24.0%**Sep $3,400wine order that landed Sep 28 Key message Count before you react. Confirm the wine timing, then decide what needs fixing. Sample restaurant and numbers, made up for illustration.Ember & Rye (sample) · Prepared by FIXE 06 · LaborSeptember 2026Sample ### Labor rose to 35.3% of net revenue. - Payroll went from **$59,100** (**31.4%**) in August to **$61,900** (**35.3%**) in September. - Sales fell, but payroll went up. - At a **30%** target, September payroll would have been **$52,632**. That's a **$9,268** gap. Payroll, share of net revenue Target 30% **31.4%**Aug**35.3%**Sep $9,268gap to a 30% labor target Key message Schedule to covers, and have a manager sign off on overtime. *÷*Try this math Labor gap = payroll - (net revenue × target %) $61,900 - ($175,440 × 30%) = $9,268 Sample restaurant and numbers, made up for illustration.Ember & Rye (sample) · Prepared by FIXE 07 · Discounts and leakageSeptember 2026Sample ### Discounts improved, but they're still over target. - Discounts and comps fell from **$8,250** (**4.2%** of gross) to **$6,960** (**3.8%**). - Add **$540** in refunds and chargebacks, and total leakage was **$7,500**. - At a **3%** target, discounts would be **$5,472**. That's **$1,488** over. Discounts and comps, share of gross sales Target 3% **4.2%**Aug**3.8%**Sep $1,488over a 3% discount target Key message Approve and review every discount source weekly, and get below 3%. Sample restaurant and numbers, made up for illustration.Ember & Rye (sample) · Prepared by FIXE 08 · Cash flow and financingSeptember 2026Sample ### Cash went up, but not from the restaurant. - Cash started September at **$41,200**. Operations added **$1,900**. - Financing repayments took **$9,800**: **$7,300** on a revenue-based advance and **$2,500** on an equipment loan. - Investors put in **$25,000**, so cash ended at **$58,300**. September cash, start to end Start$41,200 Operations+$1,900 Financing-$9,800 Investors+$25,000 End$58,300 Key message Cash rose only because investors put more in. Sample restaurant and numbers, made up for illustration.Ember & Rye (sample) · Prepared by FIXE 09 · Investor paybackSeptember 2026Sample ### At today's pace, investors get paid back roughly 3 years late. - Investors put in **$400,000**. The goal: pay it back within 5 years of opening, by April 2029. - **$36,000** is paid back and **$364,000** is left. With 30 months to go, that's **$12,133** a month. - Free cash for payback averaged **$5,500** a month over the last 3 months (Jul **$9,800**, Aug **$14,600**, Sep **-$7,900**). At that pace, payback takes about 66 months. Monthly payback, needed vs today's pace Needed to hit April 2029**$12,133 a month** Today's pace, last 3 months**$5,500 a month** Paid back so far**$36,000 of $400,000** About 66 monthsto pay back at today's pace, about 5.5 years from now Key message Set a monthly payback amount, and send investors an update with the plan. *÷*Try this math Monthly amount needed = money left to pay back ÷ months left to the goal $364,000 ÷ 30 = $12,133 Months to payback at today's pace = money left ÷ average monthly free cash, last 3 months $364,000 ÷ $5,500 = about 66 months Sample restaurant and numbers, made up for illustration.Ember & Rye (sample) · Prepared by FIXE 10 · October action planSeptember 2026Sample ### October: eight priorities, each with a number to hit. - Prime cost and labor are the biggest gaps, so they get a weekly view. - Every threshold gets checked in November's review. | Priority | Action | Threshold | | --- | --- | --- | | Sales | Rebuild dinner covers without broad discounting | Gross sales $190K+ | | Discounts | Approve and review every discount source weekly | Below 3% | | Food | Weekly protein and produce review, recipe costing | Below 29% | | Beverage | Full count, confirm the wine timing | Below 22% | | Labor | Schedule to covers, manager sign-off on overtime | Below 31% | | Prime cost | Weekly food, beverage and labor view | At or below 60% | | Overhead | Review supplies and online orders | Under 2% | | Cash and investors | 13-week cash forecast, investor update with the payback plan | Set a monthly payback amount | Key message One page, eight numbers. Your managers know exactly what to watch in October. Sample restaurant and numbers, made up for illustration.Ember & Rye (sample) · Prepared by FIXE ## Who builds your review Dan Margolis, our Director of Finance, and our team of accountants who only do restaurants, many of whom have run restaurants, across 600+ restaurant locations. DM Dan Margolis Director of Finance, FIXE Dan built his career bridging restaurant operations and finance, rising from busser to Director of Operations and later CFO of a major Los Angeles restaurant group. After earning his MBA in finance, he's helped hospitality companies improve performance by combining operational insight with financial strategy. Now he uses technology to drive efficiency and support growth at FIXE. [Meet Dan](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/communal-table/meet-dan-margolis?hsLang=en) ## How it works 1. 1 ### We close your books. Every month, FIXE closes your books. Your P&L lands within about 5 business days of month-end. 2. 2 ### Dan's team builds your review. What moved, why it moved and what to fix, built for your restaurant. 3. 3 ### You get a 30-day plan, and your team is a reply away. Targets for next month, plus a dedicated account manager when questions come up. ## How to get it Already a FIXE customer? Ask your account manager to add it. New to FIXE? Ask about it on your first call. Through Jan 31 ## New customers who sign by Jan 31: your first FIXE Expert Review is on us. Already a FIXE customer? Ask your account manager to add it. ## Want a FIXE Expert Review for your restaurant? Tell us about your restaurant and someone from FIXE will reach out. Offer: your first monthly FIXE Expert Review at no charge for new FIXE customers who sign a FIXE agreement between December 15, 2026 and 11:59 PM PT on January 31, 2027. Your first review arrives once your books are caught up and closed. After that, keep it monthly as an add-on, priced by your size, or don't. One free review per restaurant group. Can't be combined with other FIXE offers. Full terms are shared before you sign. ## Questions What is a FIXE Expert Review? It's a monthly, CFO-level review of your restaurant's numbers, built on books FIXE closes. Each review is a short deck: what moved this month, why, and a 30-day action plan with targets. Who builds it? Dan Margolis, FIXE's Director of Finance, and our restaurant team. FIXE only does restaurants, and our team includes people who've run restaurants. Is this the same as having a CFO? It's a CFO-level review of your numbers each month, built on books FIXE closes. It doesn't replace your CPA for taxes. Can I get it without FIXE doing my books? No. It's built on books FIXE closes each month, which is what makes it accurate. What does it cost? It depends on your size and locations. Ask on your first call, or ask your account manager if you're already a FIXE customer. New customers who sign by Jan 31 get their first review on us. Prepared by [![FIXE](https://hub.getmyfixe.com/hs-fs/hubfs/FIXE-wordmark-midnight-ER.png?width=198&height=70&name=FIXE-wordmark-midnight-ER.png)](https://www.getmyfixe.com?hsLang=en) [getmyfixe.com](https://www.getmyfixe.com?hsLang=en) · [hello@getmyfixe.com](mailto:hello@getmyfixe.com) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "FAQPage", "mainEntity" : [ { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "It's a monthly, CFO-level review of your restaurant's numbers, built on books FIXE closes. Each review is a short deck: what moved this month, why, and a 30-day action plan with targets." }, "name" : "What is a FIXE Expert Review?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Dan Margolis, FIXE's Director of Finance, and our restaurant team. 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