The concept of the “third place” was first developed by Starbucks, and anyone who has been in a Starbucks immediately understands the principle: make your business feel like a home-away-from-home. Unfortunately for Starbucks they made way too many homes just as the economy turned south – tripling the number of …
Read More »The Pre-Shift Meeting (Part One)
I have worked for a number of companies over the years that held pre-shift meetings with the servers. They have been called a variety of things: line up, fresh talk, jump start, family meal, and many other names have been used to refer to these meetings. I have also managed …
Read More »Should You Allow After-Shift Drinks in Your Restaurant?
Some restaurants allow an after-shift drink, after which the staff is allowed to hang around and become regular paying customers. The issue has come up in my trainings and I have a definite opinion on it. I prefer that employees do not sit at the bar and drink after their …
Read More »How To Deal With Rising Food Costs In 4 Steps
More and more it looks official – the U.S. economy is pulling out of recession slowly but surely. The restaurant industry is cautiously optimistic about sales growth this year and consumers appear to be venturing out of their downturn shells. Unfortunately a growing economy – even one that’s growing so …
Read More »Marketing Your Restaurant’s Core Values
In a previous post, I discussed the benefits of implementing Core Value Marketing as part of a successful growth strategy. This type of program creates a bond with your potential guests while providing tremendous opportunities for free publicity. Most importantly, it allows you to provide much needed support to organizations …
Read More »So You Want To Start A Restaurant: 3 Things That Will Decide Your Fate
So, you’ve thought about it and decided that starting a restaurant is your dream job. Good luck with that. Nearly 50% of restaurants fail in their first three years. That’s an astronomically high casualty rate. There are many factors that add up to the success or failure of a restaurant. …
Read More »How to Give Customers the Extra Information They Want
Beyond recommendations about food & beverage, there are many other questions that locals and tourists ask. Use this list to build your ‘fact file’ for staff, and quiz them regularly to check they’re offering correct answers. #1 issue for most managers is ‘staff motivation and attitude’. The interesting thing is, …
Read More »Efficient Water Heating in Restaurants
Restaurants and commercial kitchens use A LOT of hot water. In fact, it’s probably one of your larger energy expenses in a given month. Tips to Cut Costs Set water temperature to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Your dishwashing unit should have a built in booster heater that heats water to the …
Read More »3 Tips To Give Your Host Stand Some Personality
The host stand is the first thing your customers see when they enter your restaurant. That first impression can be an opportunity or a potential stumbling block, and no matter which way you impress your customers, the host sets the tone. It’s like any new relationship: every word and action …
Read More »6 Reasons Why Poor Employee Performance Is Your Fault
Managing a working restaurant is hard. There are a lot of moving parts that must come together just right in order to pull off a successful shift. Add in the stress created by a couple missed orders or irate customers and the goal of making every guest full and happy …
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