Click here to read the previous column in this series, about the power of the burrito.
Pepe Stepensky
Editor’s Note: This is the 23rd edition of a regular column on www.elrestaurante.com. Pepe Stepensky, a veteran restaurateur and a long-time member of the el Restaurante Advisory Panel, is offering his advice to any el Restaurante reader with a question. When he does not have a specific question to answer, he will write about the steps to opening and running a restaurant. Click here to email him a question.
By Pepe Stepensky
After many years in the restaurant business, I have noticed a curious pattern. When the health inspector walks through the door, the kitchen suddenly becomes quieter. When a message arrives from the landlord, people brace themselves as if bad news is inevitable.
Somewhere along the way, many restaurant operators have come to see these two figures—the health inspector and the landlord—as adversaries. One carries a clipboard and the authority to cite violations. The other holds the lease and the keys to the building. Both have the power to complicate a restaurant owner’s day.
But experience has taught me something very different.
Your health inspector and your landlord are not your enemies. On the contrary, if you approach these relationships with the right mindset, they can become essential partners in the long-term success of your business.
Running a fast-food or fast-casual restaurant is not easy. Margins are tight. Staffing is unpredictable. Equipment breaks at the worst possible moment. Regulations evolve. Costs rise when you least expect them. In the middle of all this, it can feel like every outside authority only adds more pressure.
Over time, however, you begin to realize that these systems exist for a reason. And when you learn how to work within them—and with the people behind them—your business becomes stronger.
The Health Inspector: A Partner in Protecting Your Reputation
Let’s start with the health inspector.
At first glance, the relationship seems simple: they enforce the rules and restaurants try to comply. But that description misses something important. Health inspectors are not there to punish; their job is to protect public health and ensure that food establishments operate safely.
In reality, they are protecting your restaurant as much as your customers.
In today’s world, one serious food safety incident can destroy a reputation that took years to build. A single outbreak linked to a restaurant can force closures, damage trust, and impact employees, families, and the community. The standards enforced by health departments exist to prevent exactly that.
Once you understand this, an inspection begins to feel less like an attack and more like a professional checkup.
Over the years, I have learned that inspectors quickly recognize which operators are committed to doing things right and which only react when they are being watched. When your kitchen is organized, your staff is trained, and your systems are in place, the tone of the inspection changes.
Instead of confrontation, it becomes a conversation.
In my restaurants, we make it a standard to welcome inspectors sincerely every time they arrive. Either I or one of my managers walks with them, listens carefully to their observations, and asks for recommendations. We thank them for their feedback and, most importantly, we act on it.
When we correct an issue, we often follow up and invite them back to confirm that everything meets their expectations. This shows that we are not just complying—we are committed.
Inspectors have seen hundreds, sometimes thousands, of kitchens. Their perspective is valuable. If you listen, they can help you identify small problems before they become serious ones.
The Landlord: More Than Just a Lease
The relationship with a landlord is another area where operators often expect conflict before it even begins.
In the restaurant business, location is everything. But location is not just about foot traffic or demographics. It is also about the physical space: plumbing, electrical systems, ventilation, grease traps, drainage, parking, and overall maintenance.
All of these factors affect daily operations, and most depend on the building itself.
This is where the landlord becomes more than just the person who collects rent. A good landlord understands that a successful tenant benefits everyone. When a restaurant thrives, the entire property gains value. More customers visit the area, neighboring businesses benefit, and the reputation of the property improves.
The best landlord relationships are built the same way any strong partnership is built: through communication and mutual respect.
I have worked with many of my landlords for over 30 years, and several have become lifelong friends. That only happens when both sides understand that success is shared. I do not want to close a restaurant, and they do not want an empty space. When I ask for something, I make sure it is reasonable, justified, and based on real operational needs—and I have rarely had problems as a result.
When operators and landlords treat each other as partners instead of opponents, issues are resolved faster and with far less friction.
The Common Goal
At first glance, these roles may seem to have different priorities.
The restaurant owner focuses on customers, food quality, and profitability. The health inspector focuses on safety and compliance. The landlord focuses on the condition and value of the property.
But beneath those differences lies a shared goal: a stable, successful business that serves the community.
- A clean, well-maintained restaurant benefits everyone.
- Customers enjoy a safe experience.
- Employees work in a better environment.
- The restaurant builds a strong reputation.
- The landlord retains a reliable tenant.
- And the health department sees a responsible operator contributing to public safety.
Building Better Relationships
In my experience, the difference between stressful interactions and productive ones often comes down to mindset.
When inspectors or landlords walk through the door, remember—they are not obstacles. They are part of the system that allows your business to exist.
Professionalism goes a long way. Transparency goes even further.
Be proactive. Fix issues early. Communicate openly. Set expectations clearly. Treat people with fairness and respect, and in most cases, they will respond the same way.
You cannot build a successful business while maintaining bad relationships with the very people who influence your environment. Like every important relationship in life, the key is to be fair, to listen, and to collaborate.
A Final Thought
Restaurants are complex organisms. Behind every plate of food is a network of people, systems, and responsibilities working together.
- The health inspector helps ensure the food is safe.
- The landlord helps ensure the space functions properly.
- And the operator brings everything together to serve the public.
When we stop seeing these roles as adversarial and start seeing them as collaborative, everything changes. The work becomes smoother, conversations become easier, and the business becomes stronger.
Your health inspector and your landlord are not your enemies. On the contrary, they may become two of your most valuable allies in the challenging, demanding, and deeply rewarding world of running a restaurant.