Mr. Gary Coburn
Office: 818-400-0123
Award-winning restaurant executive, operator, consultant, and expert witness with over 45 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Extensive background in restaurant operations, hospitality management, franchising, staffing and training systems, operational safety, commercial kitchen design/build, concept development, business viability, and restaurant-related disputes.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Coburn has helped create, open, operate, reposition, and advise hundreds of restaurant, bar, hospitality, and foodservice concepts throughout the United States ranging from independent restaurants to regional and national brands. His experience includes service as an owner, operator, franchisor, consultant, President, Chief Operating Officer, and General Manager.
Mr. Coburn remains actively involved in restaurant operations and concept development through Restaurant Concept Innovations and current projects including Lily’s Donuts & Pops and Lily’s Donuts & Coffee in Santa Barbara, with additional expansion initiatives planned beyond 2026. His opinions are grounded not only in decades of industry leadership, but also in continued day-to-day operational involvement within the restaurant and hospitality industry.
Mr. Coburn maintains an active expert witness practice involving restaurant and hospitality operations, premises safety, slip/trip/fall incidents, burns and hot beverage incidents, staffing and training, operational safety matters, alcohol awareness, and restaurant business and concept-related disputes. His engagements include over 70 cases across 14 states, with matters historically remaining relatively balanced between plaintiff and defense.
- Alcohol
- Bars/Lounges/Night Clubs
- Burn Injury
- Food
- Franchising
- Hotel & Hospitality
- Liquor Liability/Dram Shop
- Premises Liability
- Restaurants
- Slip, Trip & Fall
- Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
- A: No
- Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
- A: Over 70 times since 2020
- Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
- A: Mr. Coburn has been retained as an expert in matters involving:
• Restaurant and hospitality operational standards and practices
• Premises safety and slip/trip/fall incidents
• Burns and hot beverage incidents
• Staffing, training, and operational supervision
• Guest incidents involving warnings, procedures, and reasonable safety practices
• Restaurant safety and security practices, including foreseeability, notice, and reasonable intervention
• Alcohol awareness and responsible beverage service
• Restaurant concept viability and operational feasibility
• Business interruption, loss of income, and operational impact analysis
• Lease disputes, lease assignment issues, and restaurant operational viability
• Restaurant development, franchising, concept conversion, and operational systems
• Furniture handling, maintenance practices, and operational safety procedures
• Foodservice operations, protocols, and industry standards - Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
- A: 51%
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
- A: 49%
- Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
- A: 14
- Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
- A: 2026
- Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
- A: 2
- Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
- A: 2
- Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
- A: Site inspections, Reports, Opinions, Testimony to my areas of expertise
Available Upon Request