Forklift Restaurant Consulting
Forklift Restaurant Consulting was launched by Bill Lecos with the intention of being of service to an industry carrying an historically high loss ratio. The backstory for this intention began at a young age, working alongside his father and three uncles in the family business. As Bill tells it…
“From a young age, on weekends, I would go to work with my dad. I’d wash dishes, stock deliveries, spin pizza dough in the air, and even pour beer on occasion. I was, the only kid in the 7th grade earning a paycheck and was having fun!”
Bill experienced their collective dream grow from a very successful restaurant into a chain the ultimately failed. From early on, their family restaurant had been wildly successful. With near immediate success, the four brothers’ ambition grew, but over time the company grew too fast for sustainability. The business was ultimately forced to close. When things fell apart, the family lost not only their dream and life savings, but it was devastating to their relationship.
“By the time the business took a downturn and ultimately closed, I was away at college and well on my way to completing a degree in Hospitality Management at Michigan State University. I was ready to embark on a career in restaurant and hotel management. A career that eventually took me to some of the best-known restaurant companies in cities across the U.S., as well as a long stint as a sales director providing technology systems and applications to the hospitality industry.”
“All along, I had a burning desire to form a business that would leverage what I learned during my working life within a portfolio of services to help restaurateurs. I think of it as providing the service, that if available and employed by my family all those years ago, could have led to a much different and better outcome.”
It is that dream, the dream of being able to help other families working, or wanting to start in the industry he has loved since he first went to work with his dad, that infuses his desire to be of service.
“I love the restaurant industry and I bring that passion and experience into every facet of the work I do helping others.”
Bill Lecos
Owner & Founder
Bill Lecos
Bill Lecos graduated with a degree from the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management at Michigan State University. His career rose from washing dishes and tossing pizza dough in his family’s restaurant, to General Manager and Vice President of Operations in coveted companies that included Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Planet Hollywood International, Boogie’s Diner, The Cross Keys Inn, and Bertucci’s Brick Oven Pizzeria. During that time, Bill opened or participated in the re-concepting of over 25 restaurants across the United States. Additionally, he acquired vast experience in hospitality technology sales and implementation, serving as Regional Director for the NCR Corporation, helping hundreds of restaurants benefit from the adoption of cutting-edge technology. With his adult-aged children no longer needing him to coach their school’s Lacrosse team or hustle up food favorites for dinner, Bill decided it was time to launch Forklift Restaurant Consulting, bringing his experience full-circle and in service to the industry he grew up in.
Bill has been a guest presenter for the National Restaurant Association Show, is currently a contributing columnist for Food Industry News and is an active member in many hospitality-centered associations and organizations.
It is Bill’s belief that his deep and varied background has immense value for meeting the current challenges and needs within the restaurant industry.
