Since I was the main hiring manager at one of my restaurant jobs and a member of three new store opening teams, I figure that I have interviewed well over 1,000 people in my life. During those interviews, I have always asked the following question-
"On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being people oriented and 10 being task oriented, rate yourself and tell me why."
I love this question for many reasons. First, I want the person I am interviewing to be decisive. Thus, the only incorrect answer is 5. I want you to be either a people oriented person or a task oriented person. An answer of "5" tells me you are indecisive and are looking to please me by saying you are both.
Second, I love the question because, other than an answer of "5", there really isn't a wrong answer. I don't care if you are people or task oriented, my main concern is why you consider yourself the way you do. Do you like talking to people and getting to know them or do you do better with managing a to do list? Explain to me why you chose the way you did.
Finally, I love this question because it gives me a way to balance my staff. A successful staff must have a mix of people oriented and task oriented staff members. The people oriented staff members are going to be the ones who chat with tables, make friends with guests and are very social around the restaurant. The task oriented staff members are going to be the ones who are good at pre-busing, running food/drink, and complete side-work in a very timely manner. If you had a staff full of people oriented people, you would have servers lolly-gagging at tables talking to guests when there is food/drink to run and tables to pre-bus. If you had a staff full of task oriented people, you would have servers doing nothing but side-work and food running and forgetting about the hospitality aspect of running a restaurant.
Next time you have to conduct an interview consider asking the applicant "On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being people oriented and 10 being task oriented, rate yourself and tell me why." See what they say. Ask your current staff, too. Do you have a good mix of people and task oriented staff? If not, consider hiring the opposite of what you have the most of. It will make a difference in the service you provide.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
129 Cardinal Sins of Service- Part Three
More thoughts on the the 129 Cardinal Sins of Service that was originally published by Eric Ripert. I have already covered the first 9 here and here.
9. Chipped glassware.
What bothers me most about chipped glassware is not that it is poor service to serve someone a glass with a chip in it, but rather it is a safety issue. A guest could cut his/her lip by drinking from a glass with a chip in it. If a guest cuts a lip, there are much bigger issues than poor service- try lawsuit.
10. Tables not completely set when guests are seated.
This has more to do with impatience and lack of communication than anything else. As most hosts can attribute, it can get very difficult to manage guests when there is a wait for a table. The guest can see there are open tables and are wondering why he has not been seated. He can be demanding and rude. To appease him, the host may take the guest to the table regardless of the state it is in. In this case, the host needs to manage the situation as best as possible so as not to take the guest to the table before it is properly set.
The other issue here is lack of communication. Many times someone will tell the host that "table XX is ready to be sat" when that certainly is not the case. The host, going off the information and trusting that information, seats the guest when the table is not quite ready. The remedy here is for the host to visually ensure the table is ready to go and ensure the communication lines are accurate.
11. Dead or wilted flowers on the tables.
If you have enough money to put fresh flowers on every table as the centerpiece, you have enough money to replace flowers when they are wilted and dying. Dead or wilted flowers look tacky and gives a poor impression to the guest.
12. Tables not leveled.
This annoys me as both an employee and as a guest. There are few things worse than setting your drink down on a table that wobbles. A wobbly table is annoying because every time I put weight on the table, I think it is going to tip. Oh yeah, don't fix it with coasters either, it looks tacky- fix the table.
13. Salt and pepper shakers that are half empty.
This looks like the job being done is "half-assed." Makes the guest think "what else are they scrimping on if they cannot refill the salt and pepper shakers?" Taking care of this shows you have attention to the small details.
9. Chipped glassware.
What bothers me most about chipped glassware is not that it is poor service to serve someone a glass with a chip in it, but rather it is a safety issue. A guest could cut his/her lip by drinking from a glass with a chip in it. If a guest cuts a lip, there are much bigger issues than poor service- try lawsuit.
10. Tables not completely set when guests are seated.
This has more to do with impatience and lack of communication than anything else. As most hosts can attribute, it can get very difficult to manage guests when there is a wait for a table. The guest can see there are open tables and are wondering why he has not been seated. He can be demanding and rude. To appease him, the host may take the guest to the table regardless of the state it is in. In this case, the host needs to manage the situation as best as possible so as not to take the guest to the table before it is properly set.
The other issue here is lack of communication. Many times someone will tell the host that "table XX is ready to be sat" when that certainly is not the case. The host, going off the information and trusting that information, seats the guest when the table is not quite ready. The remedy here is for the host to visually ensure the table is ready to go and ensure the communication lines are accurate.
11. Dead or wilted flowers on the tables.
If you have enough money to put fresh flowers on every table as the centerpiece, you have enough money to replace flowers when they are wilted and dying. Dead or wilted flowers look tacky and gives a poor impression to the guest.
12. Tables not leveled.
This annoys me as both an employee and as a guest. There are few things worse than setting your drink down on a table that wobbles. A wobbly table is annoying because every time I put weight on the table, I think it is going to tip. Oh yeah, don't fix it with coasters either, it looks tacky- fix the table.
13. Salt and pepper shakers that are half empty.
This looks like the job being done is "half-assed." Makes the guest think "what else are they scrimping on if they cannot refill the salt and pepper shakers?" Taking care of this shows you have attention to the small details.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Dear Management Staff- An Open Letter to Restaurant Managers
Dear Management Staff,
First off, I want to thank you for employing me. I need a job, you had one available, we chatted and you hired me. Now that I have been working for you for a while, there are some things we need to discuss. This is kind of my pet peeve list of things that are going on in the restaurant. Please feel free to address them as soon as possible.
You expect me to do many things in the restaurant- you want me to refill drinks a certain way, carry said drinks on a tray, greet the table within a certain time frame, show guests the dessert tray to entice them to purchase, etc. If you want me to do all of these things, you need to give me the tools to do so. If you want me to tray all of the drinks, please make sure there are enough trays for me to do that. Because there are so many other things you need me to do for my table (I'll get to that in a bit), I don't want to have to look for a tray to bring a guest a water. Same thing goes for glassware. If you want me to bring the guest a new glass for each refill, make sure there are plenty of glasses. Same goes for coffee cups and silverware. Oh, and the dessert tray needs to be changed more often, after day four, they start looking unappetizing.
As far as my job, in general, it is pretty easy. However, you always seem to make things harder than it should. You always seem to be adding small things for me to do saying "If you do it like this, it only takes 30 seconds..." Well, this is on top of the 30 seconds you added to my to do list last week and the 30 seconds from 2 weeks ago. Now you are wondering why I am not getting to my tables quicker. It's because all of those 30 seconds are adding up. How will you solve it when it becomes a storewide issue? By giving me a smaller section so I can handle things better. Now, instead of a 4 table section, I get three. Instead of 4 tables getting turned 3 times for a total of 12 tables, my three tables get turned 3 times for a total of 9. I am missing out on 3 tables. That's probably $25. Over the course of a week, that's $125, and so on.
Be consistent when dealing with servers. If you let one do something, let everyone do it. Yell at me? Yell at him for doing the same thing. Write he up because she is late? You'd better do the same for me otherwise people will start taking advantage. There is an old adage- "Treat me good and I'll treat you better. Treat me bad and I'll treat you worse." If you treat me well, I'll bend over backwards for you and the store. Treat me bad and I'll make life bad. I'll steal stuff, I won't show for work and I'll make the restaurant look bad in front of guests. Want to fire me? Go ahead. I'll just go across the street or down the road and find something else.
Bottom line is- give me the tools (silverware, glasses, trays, etc.) to do my job the way you want me to, don't over extended me and then punish me for it, and treat me well. Simple things. Do these and we will have a good relationship. Don't and I'll be across the street.
Thanks.
First off, I want to thank you for employing me. I need a job, you had one available, we chatted and you hired me. Now that I have been working for you for a while, there are some things we need to discuss. This is kind of my pet peeve list of things that are going on in the restaurant. Please feel free to address them as soon as possible.
You expect me to do many things in the restaurant- you want me to refill drinks a certain way, carry said drinks on a tray, greet the table within a certain time frame, show guests the dessert tray to entice them to purchase, etc. If you want me to do all of these things, you need to give me the tools to do so. If you want me to tray all of the drinks, please make sure there are enough trays for me to do that. Because there are so many other things you need me to do for my table (I'll get to that in a bit), I don't want to have to look for a tray to bring a guest a water. Same thing goes for glassware. If you want me to bring the guest a new glass for each refill, make sure there are plenty of glasses. Same goes for coffee cups and silverware. Oh, and the dessert tray needs to be changed more often, after day four, they start looking unappetizing.
As far as my job, in general, it is pretty easy. However, you always seem to make things harder than it should. You always seem to be adding small things for me to do saying "If you do it like this, it only takes 30 seconds..." Well, this is on top of the 30 seconds you added to my to do list last week and the 30 seconds from 2 weeks ago. Now you are wondering why I am not getting to my tables quicker. It's because all of those 30 seconds are adding up. How will you solve it when it becomes a storewide issue? By giving me a smaller section so I can handle things better. Now, instead of a 4 table section, I get three. Instead of 4 tables getting turned 3 times for a total of 12 tables, my three tables get turned 3 times for a total of 9. I am missing out on 3 tables. That's probably $25. Over the course of a week, that's $125, and so on.
Be consistent when dealing with servers. If you let one do something, let everyone do it. Yell at me? Yell at him for doing the same thing. Write he up because she is late? You'd better do the same for me otherwise people will start taking advantage. There is an old adage- "Treat me good and I'll treat you better. Treat me bad and I'll treat you worse." If you treat me well, I'll bend over backwards for you and the store. Treat me bad and I'll make life bad. I'll steal stuff, I won't show for work and I'll make the restaurant look bad in front of guests. Want to fire me? Go ahead. I'll just go across the street or down the road and find something else.
Bottom line is- give me the tools (silverware, glasses, trays, etc.) to do my job the way you want me to, don't over extended me and then punish me for it, and treat me well. Simple things. Do these and we will have a good relationship. Don't and I'll be across the street.
Thanks.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Hiring the Assistant Manager
One thing that annoys me about the phrase "We promote from within..." is that it does not always make sense. Sure, when there is a need for a bartender, it makes sense to promote a server because the skills are very similar- drink knowledge, customer service, menu knowledge, etc. The skill that may be lacking is the physical activity of making drinks. This is an easy enough skill to learn if the server can follow and memorize recipes.
When it does not always make sense is when there is a need for an assistant manager at a restaurant and management/ownership decides to "promote from within" and hire a server and/or bartender to do the job. There are times when this is appropriate- the employee slated for the promotion has the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to do the job and to do the job well and when the learning curve for this new position is low. When it is not appropriate is in most situations when the employee is promoted because "she/he has been here for a while, knows our systems ans processes and would (probably) be good at the job (plus we need someone to work nights and weekends for less money than she/he would make waiting tables)." What management/ownership fail to realize in this situation is that the server that is being promoted was hired to do one job, serve, but is being promoted to do another with a different skill set.
Below are some things to think about when promoting a server to the assistant manager position:
- Does the server have the knowledge, skills and abilities to do the job or is the promotion just because the employee has been there for a while and it's the natural progression?
Servers are usually hired just to serve, not to manage. Though some have the skills to be a manager, many do not. Many think that being a manager is just like being a server except you get to do discounts and talk to tables. I'm not trying to make restaurant management a job where only the best of the best of the best can do it, I am trying to make the point that management/ownership needs to really look at the candidate before the promotion and not just promote because that's the natural progression of things. Ask yourself if you would hire this person if he/she walked in off the street and answered a job ad. Hold your employee to the same standards as you would someone from outside the organization.
- There are growing pains when you hire from within.
One of the main issues when hiring from within is the way other servers see the newly promoted employee. There are issues of jealousy, lack of respect and boundary testing. Some servers, especially those who feel they should have been promoted instead, may feel jealous and create issues for the new manager when they are working together. Some servers may feel that the newly promoted employee is not worthy of the position and not respect the manager's new authority. They may refuse to do what is asked, may purposely create issues during a shift or, worst case, simply refuse to work with that person. Management/ownership needs to nip this in the bud instantly by always supporting the new manager. If not, credibility is lost instantly and you might as well start looking for a new manager.
- Customer service may suffer.
It takes a while for a new manager to get the hang of dealing with customer issues, plus it is never easy dealing with an irate guest who just wants to scream and yell. Intimidation is always a factor when a guest is upset and, most times, the only way to get used to it is practice. The advice here is to set-up some practice sessions for the new manager to deal with customer service issues. Practice makes perfect.
- Set boundaries.
What do you want you new manager doing? Should they perform interviews and do hiring? Are they to work with inventory and check-in food/alcohol? What is their role going to be with employee discipline? Ensure the entire management staff is on the same page with this so no one is stepping on anyone's toes. One of the worst things that can happen is for the new assistant manager to make a decision and for another, more seasoned manager, to revoke it. This creates credibility issues with the new manager, who may already have credibility issues.
When it does not always make sense is when there is a need for an assistant manager at a restaurant and management/ownership decides to "promote from within" and hire a server and/or bartender to do the job. There are times when this is appropriate- the employee slated for the promotion has the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to do the job and to do the job well and when the learning curve for this new position is low. When it is not appropriate is in most situations when the employee is promoted because "she/he has been here for a while, knows our systems ans processes and would (probably) be good at the job (plus we need someone to work nights and weekends for less money than she/he would make waiting tables)." What management/ownership fail to realize in this situation is that the server that is being promoted was hired to do one job, serve, but is being promoted to do another with a different skill set.
Below are some things to think about when promoting a server to the assistant manager position:
- Does the server have the knowledge, skills and abilities to do the job or is the promotion just because the employee has been there for a while and it's the natural progression?
Servers are usually hired just to serve, not to manage. Though some have the skills to be a manager, many do not. Many think that being a manager is just like being a server except you get to do discounts and talk to tables. I'm not trying to make restaurant management a job where only the best of the best of the best can do it, I am trying to make the point that management/ownership needs to really look at the candidate before the promotion and not just promote because that's the natural progression of things. Ask yourself if you would hire this person if he/she walked in off the street and answered a job ad. Hold your employee to the same standards as you would someone from outside the organization.
- There are growing pains when you hire from within.
One of the main issues when hiring from within is the way other servers see the newly promoted employee. There are issues of jealousy, lack of respect and boundary testing. Some servers, especially those who feel they should have been promoted instead, may feel jealous and create issues for the new manager when they are working together. Some servers may feel that the newly promoted employee is not worthy of the position and not respect the manager's new authority. They may refuse to do what is asked, may purposely create issues during a shift or, worst case, simply refuse to work with that person. Management/ownership needs to nip this in the bud instantly by always supporting the new manager. If not, credibility is lost instantly and you might as well start looking for a new manager.
- Customer service may suffer.
It takes a while for a new manager to get the hang of dealing with customer issues, plus it is never easy dealing with an irate guest who just wants to scream and yell. Intimidation is always a factor when a guest is upset and, most times, the only way to get used to it is practice. The advice here is to set-up some practice sessions for the new manager to deal with customer service issues. Practice makes perfect.
- Set boundaries.
What do you want you new manager doing? Should they perform interviews and do hiring? Are they to work with inventory and check-in food/alcohol? What is their role going to be with employee discipline? Ensure the entire management staff is on the same page with this so no one is stepping on anyone's toes. One of the worst things that can happen is for the new assistant manager to make a decision and for another, more seasoned manager, to revoke it. This creates credibility issues with the new manager, who may already have credibility issues.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Pet Peeve- FOH Food Discounts
Servers will eat almost anything, anywhere at anytime. They are always hungry. If a dish gets sent back to the kitchen without being eaten and management allows servers to eat it, the food will be gone in minutes. If there isn't time to eat it, it can sit around and, as long as its free, a server will finish it. Servers are like a pack a wild dogs around free food, barely chewing before swallowing. If it is free, they will eat it.
The reason behind this is servers are notoriously cheap when it comes to food (not when it comes to drink, mind you, but that is another post for another day). Why spend hard earned money on something that can be eaten for free, even if it is cold, old or made incorrectly? Even when a server does not have free food to eat, a server will, more times than not, eat the cheapest thing he can get his hands on. He will wait a long time to order food until it is discounted (happy hour, late night, "on special," etc) before ordering. As a server for a long time, I was the same way. I'd wait until 10pm until happy hour kicked in before ordering my meal, even if I was really hungry. That way, I'd get a $10 meal for the $5 Happy Hour price and a 50% discount off that.
Most servers get a discount of 50% on food items. Most items are discounted, though some restaurants limit what servers can get a discount on, how much the total discount can be and some even limit what a server can order, even if she is going to pay full price. This is something I never understood. Part of the servers job is to know the food- know what goes into preparation, know what it tastes like and know what ingredients go into the dish. Why would a restaurant limit what a server can order and why would a restaurant limit the discount for the server? These are hard working employees whose job it is to know the food and management limits the opportunity to know the food. These are the people who are taking care of the customer and you are being nitpicky about their ordering?
Below are some pet peeves of mine when it comes to employee discounts:
Discounting only certain items on the menu.
Some restaurants limit what can and cannot be discounted. Usually, it is items like steaks and lobster are not discounted. However, how often would servers even order a $22 steak even at 50% off? Probably not very often. Throw the server a bone and let him order the steak if he wants it. Plus, the more items a server is able to order and taste, the more he knows about the taste of the food.
Not discounting on already discounted items.
I understand the thinking behind this- if an item is already 50% off, why should management give a server another 50% off? The reason is the server works hard for you and this is a way to show appreciation to your server. Like I said above, servers are cheap, throw them a bone and let them get some cheap food.
Not giving the server the same discount guests get.
I worked at a restaurant where happy hour meant $5 appetizers. There were a couple appetizers that were priced above $10, so making them $5 was a pretty good deal. However, servers could only get 50% off the original price and were not allowed to order anything during happy hour. Thus the nachos that my guest was ordering for $5 actually cost me $5.75. Another place would sell $17 fajitas for $10 on Wednesdays. The discount policy for this restaurant stipulated that servers could only get up to $5 off any non-discounted food. Thus, to have fajitas on Wednesdays, it would cost me more ($12) to eat than a guest ($10). This same restaurant gave 50% off to all employees who worked at the nearby mall. This meant steaks, burgers, fajitas, salmon, fires, etc. It didn't matter what the mall employee ordered, she would get 50% off. I, the hard-working longtime employee, got less than that- $5 off. How did this restaurant survive by treating the mall employees better than it's own employees? It didn't- they shut the doors and went out of business.
Different discounts for working servers and off the clock servers.
Many restaurants I have worked for have a policy where a server who comes into the restaurant when not working gets 50% off of his and his party's meal, sans alcohol. Anything the server wants is 50% off. However, this same restaurant will limit what a server can and cannot order while working. What this tells a server is that he is more welcome in the restaurant off the clock than on it. To me, not a very good message to send. The employees on the clock should be the most important employees because they are actively taking care of customers, not taking up space a customer might be.
There is an old saying in customer service- take care of the people who take care of the customers. By setting a discount policy for FOH staff that makes servers feel taken advantage of, you are not taking care of the people who take care of the customer. My advice to restaurant owners is to set a fair employee discount policy where no server should felt taken advantage of. Think like a server when creating the policy- would you feel taken advantage of if you were the server? Does the policy make sense when it comes to food that is already discounted? Better yet, ask your servers for help in creating the policy- they will know what is fair and what makes sense.
The reason behind this is servers are notoriously cheap when it comes to food (not when it comes to drink, mind you, but that is another post for another day). Why spend hard earned money on something that can be eaten for free, even if it is cold, old or made incorrectly? Even when a server does not have free food to eat, a server will, more times than not, eat the cheapest thing he can get his hands on. He will wait a long time to order food until it is discounted (happy hour, late night, "on special," etc) before ordering. As a server for a long time, I was the same way. I'd wait until 10pm until happy hour kicked in before ordering my meal, even if I was really hungry. That way, I'd get a $10 meal for the $5 Happy Hour price and a 50% discount off that.
Most servers get a discount of 50% on food items. Most items are discounted, though some restaurants limit what servers can get a discount on, how much the total discount can be and some even limit what a server can order, even if she is going to pay full price. This is something I never understood. Part of the servers job is to know the food- know what goes into preparation, know what it tastes like and know what ingredients go into the dish. Why would a restaurant limit what a server can order and why would a restaurant limit the discount for the server? These are hard working employees whose job it is to know the food and management limits the opportunity to know the food. These are the people who are taking care of the customer and you are being nitpicky about their ordering?
Below are some pet peeves of mine when it comes to employee discounts:
Discounting only certain items on the menu.
Some restaurants limit what can and cannot be discounted. Usually, it is items like steaks and lobster are not discounted. However, how often would servers even order a $22 steak even at 50% off? Probably not very often. Throw the server a bone and let him order the steak if he wants it. Plus, the more items a server is able to order and taste, the more he knows about the taste of the food.
Not discounting on already discounted items.
I understand the thinking behind this- if an item is already 50% off, why should management give a server another 50% off? The reason is the server works hard for you and this is a way to show appreciation to your server. Like I said above, servers are cheap, throw them a bone and let them get some cheap food.
Not giving the server the same discount guests get.
I worked at a restaurant where happy hour meant $5 appetizers. There were a couple appetizers that were priced above $10, so making them $5 was a pretty good deal. However, servers could only get 50% off the original price and were not allowed to order anything during happy hour. Thus the nachos that my guest was ordering for $5 actually cost me $5.75. Another place would sell $17 fajitas for $10 on Wednesdays. The discount policy for this restaurant stipulated that servers could only get up to $5 off any non-discounted food. Thus, to have fajitas on Wednesdays, it would cost me more ($12) to eat than a guest ($10). This same restaurant gave 50% off to all employees who worked at the nearby mall. This meant steaks, burgers, fajitas, salmon, fires, etc. It didn't matter what the mall employee ordered, she would get 50% off. I, the hard-working longtime employee, got less than that- $5 off. How did this restaurant survive by treating the mall employees better than it's own employees? It didn't- they shut the doors and went out of business.
Different discounts for working servers and off the clock servers.
Many restaurants I have worked for have a policy where a server who comes into the restaurant when not working gets 50% off of his and his party's meal, sans alcohol. Anything the server wants is 50% off. However, this same restaurant will limit what a server can and cannot order while working. What this tells a server is that he is more welcome in the restaurant off the clock than on it. To me, not a very good message to send. The employees on the clock should be the most important employees because they are actively taking care of customers, not taking up space a customer might be.
There is an old saying in customer service- take care of the people who take care of the customers. By setting a discount policy for FOH staff that makes servers feel taken advantage of, you are not taking care of the people who take care of the customer. My advice to restaurant owners is to set a fair employee discount policy where no server should felt taken advantage of. Think like a server when creating the policy- would you feel taken advantage of if you were the server? Does the policy make sense when it comes to food that is already discounted? Better yet, ask your servers for help in creating the policy- they will know what is fair and what makes sense.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Amazing Meals I've Eaten
I saw this article in Saveur Magazine- 25 Greatest Meals Ever, and thought about what some of my greatest meals ever have been. Some have been great food and wine alone, but some have been great food accompanied by an amazing situation.
Horseradish Crusted Atlantic Salmon- Pilot Pete's Restaurant, Schaumburg, Illinois
I don't remember the exact situation when I ate this for the first time, but I do remember making it many, many times. I did an internship at Pilot Pete's in college. Part of the internship was to work at each station in the kitchen. This dish came from the Saute station. The salmon would marinate in horseradish until ready to use. Then, I would cover the salmon in panko and saute until I got a nice crust on either side. Then, into the oven to finish. While it was in the oven, I would saute some spinach, artichokes and tomato in a little olive oil and put onto the plate. I'd top this mixture with the 2 salmon pieces and top everything with a beurre blanc. I am salivating just thinking about this meal. Though I served it many times for others, I do replicate it at home for guests.
Azteca Calamar- Tamayo, Denver, CO
I love this dish. I go to Tamayo (when I can afford it) and just order this dish to myself. It is an ancho chile crusted calamari dish that is finished with a chipotle blood orange reduction. Man is this good. My wife and I went to Tamayo the first time while we were engaged and we were celebrating her birthday. We shared the Azteca Calamar and then each of us had a dinner entree. I have long since forgotten what my entree was because the appetizer was that good.
Breakfast Tostada- Don Emiliano Restaurant at the Riu Jalisco, Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
Part of the reason this dish is so amazing was that it was my first adult vacation out of the country. My wife and I took a delayed honeymoon to the Riu Jalisco resort outside of Puerto Vallarta. It was all inclusive, we were there for 8 days and relaxed so much that I actually took 2 naps in one day. My favorite meal of each day was breakfast. They made these wonderful breakfast tostadas each morning- I must have had at least three a day. It started with a warm corn tostada covered with refried beans, pico de gallo and guacamole On top of that was an over-easy egg (my favorite kind) and queso fresco. The combination of flavors and the fact that I could see the ocean from the restaurant made this an amazing meal.
Look at your history. Where did you eat an amazing meal? What are some of the foods that give you comfort and make you smile when you think about them? Please share some of your amazing meals.
Horseradish Crusted Atlantic Salmon- Pilot Pete's Restaurant, Schaumburg, Illinois
I don't remember the exact situation when I ate this for the first time, but I do remember making it many, many times. I did an internship at Pilot Pete's in college. Part of the internship was to work at each station in the kitchen. This dish came from the Saute station. The salmon would marinate in horseradish until ready to use. Then, I would cover the salmon in panko and saute until I got a nice crust on either side. Then, into the oven to finish. While it was in the oven, I would saute some spinach, artichokes and tomato in a little olive oil and put onto the plate. I'd top this mixture with the 2 salmon pieces and top everything with a beurre blanc. I am salivating just thinking about this meal. Though I served it many times for others, I do replicate it at home for guests.
Azteca Calamar- Tamayo, Denver, CO
I love this dish. I go to Tamayo (when I can afford it) and just order this dish to myself. It is an ancho chile crusted calamari dish that is finished with a chipotle blood orange reduction. Man is this good. My wife and I went to Tamayo the first time while we were engaged and we were celebrating her birthday. We shared the Azteca Calamar and then each of us had a dinner entree. I have long since forgotten what my entree was because the appetizer was that good.
Breakfast Tostada- Don Emiliano Restaurant at the Riu Jalisco, Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
Part of the reason this dish is so amazing was that it was my first adult vacation out of the country. My wife and I took a delayed honeymoon to the Riu Jalisco resort outside of Puerto Vallarta. It was all inclusive, we were there for 8 days and relaxed so much that I actually took 2 naps in one day. My favorite meal of each day was breakfast. They made these wonderful breakfast tostadas each morning- I must have had at least three a day. It started with a warm corn tostada covered with refried beans, pico de gallo and guacamole On top of that was an over-easy egg (my favorite kind) and queso fresco. The combination of flavors and the fact that I could see the ocean from the restaurant made this an amazing meal.
Look at your history. Where did you eat an amazing meal? What are some of the foods that give you comfort and make you smile when you think about them? Please share some of your amazing meals.
Monday, October 4, 2010
How to Improve Server Training
While trying to get Mise en Place Solutions off the ground and running, I have started a new job as a server. I won't name the restaurant, but it is a higher end chain Italian restaurant. Being a server, right now, works well for me and my family. It affords me the opportunity to work part-time so I am able to do things like take my daughter to swimming lessons, take my nephew to soccer practice and take my niece to gymnastics. Plus, because shifts run from 10:45am until about 2:00pm, I can take the extra time to work on starting my business (business plan, competitive analysis, website, etc.).
Anyway, the restaurant is corporate, with about 60 or so restaurants around the nation. Because it is "corporate," the training is very corporate. There are certain things that need to be covered at each training shift and certain things that need to be covered at each server follow shift. There are quizzes each day and there is a final at the end of training. A server needs to pass the final in order to work shifts alone. Don't pass the final and you have to take it again until you do pass.
Overall, the training at this restaurant is good. They understand that the menu is large, difficult to understand and hard to grasp. There are many different items that go into each dish and there are many dishes on the menu, plus the menu changes dramatically from lunch to dinner. Another difficult aspect is that there are a lot of items that can cause allergic reactions and servers need to know each and every one of them. I liken trying to understand and retain all of this information to having a Dixie cup's worth of retention and a waterfall's full of information.
That said, here are some general ideas as to how restaurants can improve their corporate training:
• Understand there is a lot of information to retain so do not expect a new server to know everything. Focus on what is important.
Menus have expanded and there a re a lot of ingredients that go into each dish. Do not expect each new server to know each and every ingredient in each and every dish. Rather, expect that servers know what goes into the dishes you sell the most. Do you serve a ton of BBQ chicken pizzas? If so, make sure the servers know everything about it. Is the foie gras served only once or twice a week? This is an item that can be discusses at training, but not imperative that new servers know everything about it.
• Let new employees try the food. For that matter, let everyone try the food.
New servers, make that all servers, need to know what the food tastes like so they can recommend specific items to each guest. Most times during training, a new server is offered tastes of popular menu items. This is good because it gets them familiar with what is on the menu. However, once training is over, these servers may never get a chance to try the food again. There are many reasons for this, but the two that stand out are that they are too expensive for the server to order (the item is not discounted enough to encourage them to order it) or the item is not allowed to be ordered by a server (i.e. servers can't order steaks). Thus, a server has to draw from distant memory how a menu items tastes. My advice is for restaurants to have a discount policy that encourages employees to try all of the menu items, not just ones they can afford. Also, do periodic re-tasting for employees. Ensure that everyone, not just the new servers, know what all of the dishes taste like.
• Make sure servers get plenty of practice time on the POS system.
It does not matter what system you use, make sure that the servers get plenty of practice time ringing in food and drink on the POS terminal. Make your training "real world." If many guests like to have the salad dressing on the side, make sure new servers know how to ring it in properly. Make them spend good quality time in training using the POS system so they do not have to spend good quality time becoming familiar with the system on a Friday night. The sooner they are comfortable using the POS the faster they will be on the floor.
• Make training constant.
Even though they have worked in your restaurant for a while, do your servers really know what goes into each dish? Make it a regular practice to go over your menu with your staff. They may not have seen or sold a certain menu item in a while and may not remember what sauce goes on it or what veggies accompany it. Show them the food and let them taste it. Not only will they be happy that they got to eat, but you have reinforced their food knowledge.
Anyway, the restaurant is corporate, with about 60 or so restaurants around the nation. Because it is "corporate," the training is very corporate. There are certain things that need to be covered at each training shift and certain things that need to be covered at each server follow shift. There are quizzes each day and there is a final at the end of training. A server needs to pass the final in order to work shifts alone. Don't pass the final and you have to take it again until you do pass.
Overall, the training at this restaurant is good. They understand that the menu is large, difficult to understand and hard to grasp. There are many different items that go into each dish and there are many dishes on the menu, plus the menu changes dramatically from lunch to dinner. Another difficult aspect is that there are a lot of items that can cause allergic reactions and servers need to know each and every one of them. I liken trying to understand and retain all of this information to having a Dixie cup's worth of retention and a waterfall's full of information.
That said, here are some general ideas as to how restaurants can improve their corporate training:
• Understand there is a lot of information to retain so do not expect a new server to know everything. Focus on what is important.
Menus have expanded and there a re a lot of ingredients that go into each dish. Do not expect each new server to know each and every ingredient in each and every dish. Rather, expect that servers know what goes into the dishes you sell the most. Do you serve a ton of BBQ chicken pizzas? If so, make sure the servers know everything about it. Is the foie gras served only once or twice a week? This is an item that can be discusses at training, but not imperative that new servers know everything about it.
• Let new employees try the food. For that matter, let everyone try the food.
New servers, make that all servers, need to know what the food tastes like so they can recommend specific items to each guest. Most times during training, a new server is offered tastes of popular menu items. This is good because it gets them familiar with what is on the menu. However, once training is over, these servers may never get a chance to try the food again. There are many reasons for this, but the two that stand out are that they are too expensive for the server to order (the item is not discounted enough to encourage them to order it) or the item is not allowed to be ordered by a server (i.e. servers can't order steaks). Thus, a server has to draw from distant memory how a menu items tastes. My advice is for restaurants to have a discount policy that encourages employees to try all of the menu items, not just ones they can afford. Also, do periodic re-tasting for employees. Ensure that everyone, not just the new servers, know what all of the dishes taste like.
• Make sure servers get plenty of practice time on the POS system.
It does not matter what system you use, make sure that the servers get plenty of practice time ringing in food and drink on the POS terminal. Make your training "real world." If many guests like to have the salad dressing on the side, make sure new servers know how to ring it in properly. Make them spend good quality time in training using the POS system so they do not have to spend good quality time becoming familiar with the system on a Friday night. The sooner they are comfortable using the POS the faster they will be on the floor.
• Make training constant.
Even though they have worked in your restaurant for a while, do your servers really know what goes into each dish? Make it a regular practice to go over your menu with your staff. They may not have seen or sold a certain menu item in a while and may not remember what sauce goes on it or what veggies accompany it. Show them the food and let them taste it. Not only will they be happy that they got to eat, but you have reinforced their food knowledge.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
20 Secrets from Restaurant Kitchens- My Take
In an an anonymous survey by the U.S. Food Network Magazine, Chefs confessed their own peeves and sometimes surprising practices. Having worked in restaurants for over 20 years, here's my take on the 20 secrets. Though I am not a chef (by any means), I have spent good quality time on the line.
When they eat in somebody else’s restaurants, chefs say they steer clear of chicken and pasta, because they’re usually overpriced and the least interesting things on the menus. “I won’t pay $24 for half a chicken breast,” said one chef.
I only eat chicken and fish, so there is not much of an option for me. However, I do see how chicken and pasta can be boring.
25% said they snatch up food that’s fallen on the floor and keep cooking it.
I have been really tempted to do this, especially when we are busy and I am in the weeds. However, I have never done it.
Just three chefs confessed to recycling bread in bread baskets.
I used to work in a restaurant that did this. Table bread would go into a giant basket to be used later or to be used for breadcrumbs.
Specials are experiments, not a way to get rid of ingredients, the chefs said. Only five contended they make up dishes to clean out the fridge.
I worked with a chef who used the leftover bread from previous days to make bread pudding and leftover meats as soup. He rarely experimented with new products, just recycled old food to keep his costs down.
Several said they don’t get fresh deliveries on Sunday. So, yes, the rule about not ordering fish when you get out on a Sunday might hold water.
Yeah, I never order fish on Sundays or Mondays, especially here in Denver. If I were closer to the coast, I would consider it.
60% said customers who ask for substitutions are annoying. Particularly aggravating are customers who feign an allergy to get a substitution or vegetarians who bend their own rules, saying “a little chicken stock is okay.”
I disagree here. If a guest wants something substituted then they should get it. A restaurant has the ingredients so why not do it and do it with a smile? The guest is paying good money for food and they should get it the way they want it.
15% said what’s listed as vegetarian on the menu might not be 100 per cent vegetarian. One chef claimed to see another cook toss lamb’s blood into a vegan primavera.
Tossing lamb's blood into a vegetarian dish is just mean. Some people, especially people who have not eaten meat in years, will have serious digestive issues if they eat meat. Be kind to the vegetarians and cook them the food the way they like it.
50% admitted to coming to work sick or staying at work after they’re injured. Many said they’ve cut themselves, gone for stitches and gone back to work.
For sure on this one. In the restaurant industry, if you don't work you don't get paid. I work sick and hurt all the time. Just don't sneeze or cough in the food.
Nearly 60 per cent aspire to their own cooking show.
I can barely walk and talk at the same time. How do you expect me to cook food and explain it to the camera at the same time?
95% admit they push waiters to promote certain dishes to customers.
Duh! Push the high margin items to guests- that is how a restaurant makes money.
A restaurant bottle of wine can cost 2.5 times as much as in the liquor store.
Duh! Push the high margin items to guests- that is how a restaurant makes money.
75% of chefs copy from other chefs’ menus.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Why not copy something that is good and is successful?
Chefs are picky eaters. At the top of their least-favorite foods list are oysters, eggplant, tofu, sea urchin and liver. Just 15% said they’d eat any food.
I'd have to agree here. I like the food I like and do not, much, stray from the box I have put myself in.
Their favorite fast food chain is Wendy’s.
Chik Fil A or Sonic for me.
71% of chefs will give restaurant critics gold-plated service when they recognize them, while only 63 per cent would roll out the magic for celebrities.
I agree with the restaurant critic- what they write can make or break a store. However, I wouldn't know a restaurant critic if one walked into my house right now. I have served and cooked for celebs- most are uptight, cheap and expect the world when they walk in. Usually, celebs are a pain in the ass.
More than 50% have found customers up close and intimate in the restaurant bathrooms.
Totally. I have seen, especially late night, seen a man and a woman walk into the same bathroom to get their freak on.
75% have spotted roaches in their kitchens; 85 per cent rate their kitchens 8 on a scale of one to 10 for cleanliness.
Sometimes, no matter how clean you are, bugs and critters can get in the restaurant. Do what you can to mitigate and it can be taken care of. There is food everywhere, for crying out loud, there are going to be bugs.
The best restaurant in the U.S. is French Laundry in California, the chefs agreed. They tip 20 per cent when they eat out, although 90 per cent said they’d tip less if the service was bad.
Never been to French Laundry, but will go one day. I always tip at least 20% because I worked my tail off as a server and have gotten too many poor tips. I understand what it is like to live off of tips, so I try to go above and beyond.
65% said they earn less than $75,000 a year for a 60 to 80 hour week and most work holidays.
The most I ever made working in a restaurant was $55k and that's only because I squeezed every dime from the franchisee. I threatened to quit and he had no one else to manage, much less GM. He basically had no choice. I did earn it, though- 12-14 hour days for six days a week, all closing shifts.
Their least favorite holiday to work is New Year’s Eve, followed by Valentine’s Day. Although 54% are pleased when customers become engaged in their restaurant.
NYE and Valentine's Day are amateur nights. One is amateur night for drunks and one is amateur night for lovers. Stay home with you adult beverage of choice, watch Ryan Secrest and go to bed on NYE. For V Day, cook your lover something nice at home. Go out the night before or the night after.
When they eat in somebody else’s restaurants, chefs say they steer clear of chicken and pasta, because they’re usually overpriced and the least interesting things on the menus. “I won’t pay $24 for half a chicken breast,” said one chef.
I only eat chicken and fish, so there is not much of an option for me. However, I do see how chicken and pasta can be boring.
25% said they snatch up food that’s fallen on the floor and keep cooking it.
I have been really tempted to do this, especially when we are busy and I am in the weeds. However, I have never done it.
Just three chefs confessed to recycling bread in bread baskets.
I used to work in a restaurant that did this. Table bread would go into a giant basket to be used later or to be used for breadcrumbs.
Specials are experiments, not a way to get rid of ingredients, the chefs said. Only five contended they make up dishes to clean out the fridge.
I worked with a chef who used the leftover bread from previous days to make bread pudding and leftover meats as soup. He rarely experimented with new products, just recycled old food to keep his costs down.
Several said they don’t get fresh deliveries on Sunday. So, yes, the rule about not ordering fish when you get out on a Sunday might hold water.
Yeah, I never order fish on Sundays or Mondays, especially here in Denver. If I were closer to the coast, I would consider it.
60% said customers who ask for substitutions are annoying. Particularly aggravating are customers who feign an allergy to get a substitution or vegetarians who bend their own rules, saying “a little chicken stock is okay.”
I disagree here. If a guest wants something substituted then they should get it. A restaurant has the ingredients so why not do it and do it with a smile? The guest is paying good money for food and they should get it the way they want it.
15% said what’s listed as vegetarian on the menu might not be 100 per cent vegetarian. One chef claimed to see another cook toss lamb’s blood into a vegan primavera.
Tossing lamb's blood into a vegetarian dish is just mean. Some people, especially people who have not eaten meat in years, will have serious digestive issues if they eat meat. Be kind to the vegetarians and cook them the food the way they like it.
50% admitted to coming to work sick or staying at work after they’re injured. Many said they’ve cut themselves, gone for stitches and gone back to work.
For sure on this one. In the restaurant industry, if you don't work you don't get paid. I work sick and hurt all the time. Just don't sneeze or cough in the food.
Nearly 60 per cent aspire to their own cooking show.
I can barely walk and talk at the same time. How do you expect me to cook food and explain it to the camera at the same time?
95% admit they push waiters to promote certain dishes to customers.
Duh! Push the high margin items to guests- that is how a restaurant makes money.
A restaurant bottle of wine can cost 2.5 times as much as in the liquor store.
Duh! Push the high margin items to guests- that is how a restaurant makes money.
75% of chefs copy from other chefs’ menus.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Why not copy something that is good and is successful?
Chefs are picky eaters. At the top of their least-favorite foods list are oysters, eggplant, tofu, sea urchin and liver. Just 15% said they’d eat any food.
I'd have to agree here. I like the food I like and do not, much, stray from the box I have put myself in.
Their favorite fast food chain is Wendy’s.
Chik Fil A or Sonic for me.
71% of chefs will give restaurant critics gold-plated service when they recognize them, while only 63 per cent would roll out the magic for celebrities.
I agree with the restaurant critic- what they write can make or break a store. However, I wouldn't know a restaurant critic if one walked into my house right now. I have served and cooked for celebs- most are uptight, cheap and expect the world when they walk in. Usually, celebs are a pain in the ass.
More than 50% have found customers up close and intimate in the restaurant bathrooms.
Totally. I have seen, especially late night, seen a man and a woman walk into the same bathroom to get their freak on.
75% have spotted roaches in their kitchens; 85 per cent rate their kitchens 8 on a scale of one to 10 for cleanliness.
Sometimes, no matter how clean you are, bugs and critters can get in the restaurant. Do what you can to mitigate and it can be taken care of. There is food everywhere, for crying out loud, there are going to be bugs.
The best restaurant in the U.S. is French Laundry in California, the chefs agreed. They tip 20 per cent when they eat out, although 90 per cent said they’d tip less if the service was bad.
Never been to French Laundry, but will go one day. I always tip at least 20% because I worked my tail off as a server and have gotten too many poor tips. I understand what it is like to live off of tips, so I try to go above and beyond.
65% said they earn less than $75,000 a year for a 60 to 80 hour week and most work holidays.
The most I ever made working in a restaurant was $55k and that's only because I squeezed every dime from the franchisee. I threatened to quit and he had no one else to manage, much less GM. He basically had no choice. I did earn it, though- 12-14 hour days for six days a week, all closing shifts.
Their least favorite holiday to work is New Year’s Eve, followed by Valentine’s Day. Although 54% are pleased when customers become engaged in their restaurant.
NYE and Valentine's Day are amateur nights. One is amateur night for drunks and one is amateur night for lovers. Stay home with you adult beverage of choice, watch Ryan Secrest and go to bed on NYE. For V Day, cook your lover something nice at home. Go out the night before or the night after.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
2010 NFL Predictions
Every other blogger is doing it, so why not me? I love watching football, but without having basic cable, which means no ESPN, NFLN, Versus, FSN, etc. (sacrilege isn't it?) I don't know as much as a true sports man should. Nor do I get to watch as much football or highlights as I would like. Anyway, here are my predictions for Division winners, teams earning Wild Card berths, the playoffs and the SuperBowl.
NFC
South: New Orleans
North: Green Bay
West: San Francisco
East: New York Giants
Wild Card: Dallas
Wild Card: Atlanta
NFC Title Game: Dallas def. New Orleans
AFC
South: Indianapolis
North: Baltimore
West: San Diego
East: New England
Wild Card: New York Jets
Wild Card: Pittsburg
AFC Title Game: Baltimore def. San Diego
Super Bowl: Baltimore def. Dallas
NFC
South: New Orleans
North: Green Bay
West: San Francisco
East: New York Giants
Wild Card: Dallas
Wild Card: Atlanta
NFC Title Game: Dallas def. New Orleans
AFC
South: Indianapolis
North: Baltimore
West: San Diego
East: New England
Wild Card: New York Jets
Wild Card: Pittsburg
AFC Title Game: Baltimore def. San Diego
Super Bowl: Baltimore def. Dallas
Football Season is Here- What That Means for Your Restaurant
The first thing it means is more $$$$! Business will certainly pick-up now that football season is here, however, there are some unintended consequences to football season.
Guests will show up more often and stay longer.
You might be thinking, "More guests and they stay longer? That means they will be ordering more and my revenues will increase. What's wrong with that?" What's wrong with that is that they may not order more- just stay longer. Instead of ordering beer after beer after beer for the entire NFL game, they will order a beer or two and finish with water or soda. Then they will sit until the entire 3.5 hour game is done. Not only is the guest not ordering anything to increase revenue, they are taking up a table someone else may want.
The College Football and NFL DirecTicket Packages are expensive.
Costs vary depending on the size of the restaurant, but fees for the DirecTV NFL DirecTicket package can be more than $10,000. Add another $5,000 for the college football package and you are shelling out at least $15,000 to show football. Add that to any promotions, signage and increased labor and food costs and football season is getting expensive.
You have to get the football packages because your competitors are.
You really don't have a choice but to get the football package because all of the restaurants down the street are getting them. If a guest comes in looking for a certain game and you tell them you won't have it, they will walk out and go to a place that does. Plus, they won't be back for any games during the season and they will tell their friends you don't have the good games.
Promotions can be costly.
Everyone has the football packages, so what are you going to do to differentiate your business from someone else? Offer some sort of promotion! Well, that promotion is costing you money every week you run it. $.50 wings during football when wings normally cost $.68? You are losing $.18 per wing. What does that do to food cost? Are you willing to sacrifice that cash per wing? Selling $2 domestic drafts when they are normally $3? Not only are you losing $1 per draft, but how many people who would normally order the $4 micro brew are now ordering the $2 domestic?
There is always a game on and you need to know what channel it is on.
There are football games on 7 days a week. College football games run Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Pro football is on Thursday, Sunday and Monday. Even if you don't care that Little Brothers of the Sick and Poor are playing Western Community College of Northern Alaska, one of your guests might. Be prepared.
There will be fights over the TV and the sound.
You think that people will want to watch and listen to the match-up between the #4 ranked team and the #9 ranked team? Guess again, they want to watch State U take on #24 in a meaningless game. Even with 400 TVs in your restaurant, this guest wants to watch this game on this TV. My advice, stick to your guns- put a game on a certain TV, let your guests know what games will be on what TVs (make a TV map) and don't change anything until the game is over. That way, no one gets mad when you change the channel.
Certainly, with football season here, traffic increases in stores that carry the football games. If you manage the season well you can make a really nice profit heading into the doldrums of the year (February and March).
Guests will show up more often and stay longer.
You might be thinking, "More guests and they stay longer? That means they will be ordering more and my revenues will increase. What's wrong with that?" What's wrong with that is that they may not order more- just stay longer. Instead of ordering beer after beer after beer for the entire NFL game, they will order a beer or two and finish with water or soda. Then they will sit until the entire 3.5 hour game is done. Not only is the guest not ordering anything to increase revenue, they are taking up a table someone else may want.
The College Football and NFL DirecTicket Packages are expensive.
Costs vary depending on the size of the restaurant, but fees for the DirecTV NFL DirecTicket package can be more than $10,000. Add another $5,000 for the college football package and you are shelling out at least $15,000 to show football. Add that to any promotions, signage and increased labor and food costs and football season is getting expensive.
You have to get the football packages because your competitors are.
You really don't have a choice but to get the football package because all of the restaurants down the street are getting them. If a guest comes in looking for a certain game and you tell them you won't have it, they will walk out and go to a place that does. Plus, they won't be back for any games during the season and they will tell their friends you don't have the good games.
Promotions can be costly.
Everyone has the football packages, so what are you going to do to differentiate your business from someone else? Offer some sort of promotion! Well, that promotion is costing you money every week you run it. $.50 wings during football when wings normally cost $.68? You are losing $.18 per wing. What does that do to food cost? Are you willing to sacrifice that cash per wing? Selling $2 domestic drafts when they are normally $3? Not only are you losing $1 per draft, but how many people who would normally order the $4 micro brew are now ordering the $2 domestic?
There is always a game on and you need to know what channel it is on.
There are football games on 7 days a week. College football games run Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Pro football is on Thursday, Sunday and Monday. Even if you don't care that Little Brothers of the Sick and Poor are playing Western Community College of Northern Alaska, one of your guests might. Be prepared.
There will be fights over the TV and the sound.
You think that people will want to watch and listen to the match-up between the #4 ranked team and the #9 ranked team? Guess again, they want to watch State U take on #24 in a meaningless game. Even with 400 TVs in your restaurant, this guest wants to watch this game on this TV. My advice, stick to your guns- put a game on a certain TV, let your guests know what games will be on what TVs (make a TV map) and don't change anything until the game is over. That way, no one gets mad when you change the channel.
Certainly, with football season here, traffic increases in stores that carry the football games. If you manage the season well you can make a really nice profit heading into the doldrums of the year (February and March).
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
14 Shifts Per Week- From Worst to First
In most restaurants (breakfast places not included because I have never worked in one), there are 14 shifts a server can work. Most restaurants are open Monday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. 7 days X 2 shifts a day = 14 shifts. Having worked in restaurants as a server for too many years to want to remember, I have worked all shifts. Here are my rankings, from worst to first in terms of money making probability, of the 14 restaurant shifts.
14. Monday Lunch
Everyone goes back to work on Monday and everyone spent a good deal of money the previous weekend. Motivation is high on Monday, thus, people will be more motivated to make a lunch and bring it to work rather than go out. Culinary-speaking, Mondays are not a great day for food because the delivery truck came earlier that day and the staff, usually, has not been able to prep what was on the truck. Also, stay away from "Lunch Specials," especially fish, on Monday. It is all leftovers from the weekend.
13. Saturday Lunch
Families are together, there are activities going on and eating out is not a priority. Another reason Saturday lunch is not a good shift is that the shift seems to drag on forever. People eating out on Saturday do not see the food as their main priority, they see it as an afterthought. They might be at soccer, doing some shopping or working around the house and suddenly realize that they are hungry. They mosey on in whenever they feel like it. Thus, the Saturday lunch shift can be really long but not really busy.
12 and 11. Tuesday All Day
There is nothing really special about Tuesdays. It is early in the week and people still have motivation to cook lunch and dinner for themselves and there aren't very many sporting events to draw someone in on a Tuesday. Some restaurants, seeing Tuesdays as a poor business day, may run a promotion that day. They may do a kids night, pint night or other food special to entice people to come in.
10 and 9. Wednesday All Day
Wednesday is hump day and people start getting lazy. They may not pack a lunch and decide to eat out instead. At night, they have worked three days so far and might not want to cook dinner, thus bringing people in. Happy hour business starts to pick-up in restaurants on Wednesday, seeing as most people only have 2 more days of work left. Again, another night to run a promotion.
8. Thursday Lunch
Lunches are getting better on Thursday. The end of the week is in sight and people are getting lazier. Some would rather sleep another 10 minutes than spend it making lunch. Workers who have spent all week in the office are getting restless and will want some fresh air, so off to lunch they go. Food trucks have been rolling in all week so food is fresh.
7. Sunday Dinner
It is the end of the week and people are trying to get back into reality after the weekend. Sundays are usually "Family Night" for people as they try to have a meal together at the house. Though many do have their "Family Night" out, thus, you might see a lot of groups. People try to get to bed early, get the kids ready for school and get things tidied up around the house before heading to work on Monday, so you will see an earlier crowd than normal. Another bonus for Sunday Dinner is, if your restaurant is open late, it might offer a "Service Industry Night" party. A "SIN" party's goal is to encourage other restaurant and hotel workers to come to the restaurant for cheap booze and drink. Service Industry people usually tip really well, since they are in the same position you are in.
6. Sunday Lunch
A lot of restaurants will do a Sunday Brunch which brings out a lot of people. The day can be really lazy, so the shift may drag on and on as a steady stream of people come in and out of the restaurant. Anytime you are able to go on a wait on a Sunday is a good thing- that means a constantly full section for a while. Another thing that will bring people into the restaurant for the Sunday lunch shift is any holiday (Mother's Day, Father's Day) or the NFL. People love celebrating at a restaurant and Sunday Lunch is the time to go. The NFL, as long as your store has DirecTicket, brings people to eat and drink for long periods of time.
5. Monday Dinner
Monday dinner is ranked this high for one main reason- Monday Night Football. It is the last football game of the weekend and it usually brings people out for some beers and for some wings. Another reason Monday night is good to work is that people have a tendency to wash down their Monday-Start-Of-The-Week-Blues with a tasty adult beverage. Thus, happy hour can be busy. The food truck has been to the store and cooks have prepped the days fresh food, so Monday night is a good night for food. However, don't eat the fish- fish is still leftover from the weekend and does not usually come in fresh until Tuesday.
4. Thursday Dinner
By Thursday night, people have gotten lazy- they don't want to cook and want to get out of the house for a bit. Hence, they go out. Plus, with one more work day in the week, they may do a little drinking. Stores usually have some sort of special for Thursdays to try and get people to start their weekend early and this benefits the server. Drink and food specials are available to entice people even more. Football games, sometimes NFL but always college, start on Thursdays which also bring people out.
3. Friday Lunch
This is the day everyone goes out for lunch. People are sick of brown bagging it, want to go out with some co-workers, or take a late lunch and leave for the weekend. The lunch crowd is usually steady on Fridays because of this. You also see a higher number of groups coming into the restaurant as well. Lunch shifts are usually long and can stretch into dinner shifts, with dinner patrons arriving Food is good because food trucks have been coming in all week and the kitchen knows to ramp up production. Another large order of food probably came in earlier in the day to ramp up for the weekend.
2. Saturday Dinner
Saturday dinner is the night people plan for- rarely does Saturday dinner happen spontaneously. People get dressed up, plan where they will eat, and head out and make a night of it. Saturday night is the night you see the most "complete tickets." A "complete ticket" is one that has at least one of the following- an adult beverage, an appetizer or starter salad, an entree and a dessert. Because people make plans for Saturday night, check averages tend to be higher, people tend to stay longer and people tend to wait through the waiting list to be seated. Other things that effect dining on Saturday include college football and special events. For example, most Homecoming, Sadie Hawkins, and Proms tend to be on Saturday night and attendees need a place to eat prior to the dance. Large groups will eat out on Saturday nights too.
1. Friday Dinner
Friday dinner is short, intense and has the best potential for making money. People start coming to dinner on Friday night early so they can get a couple of drinks from the happy hour menu. Then, they stay to have a meal. Because it is Friday night and people have plans, they drink, eat and get out to do their Friday night activities. Friday nights tend to get a lot of work groups who want to blow off steam after a week's worth of the grind. They also tend to get a lot of families because parents do not want to cook another meal, having cooked throughout the week. Plus it gives families a chance to get out of the house and blow off some steam as well. I write that Friday night dinner is short because people come straight from work or school or daycare without going home. So, they come, drink, eat and head home.
I have been working in restaurants for many years as a manager, cook, server, bartender, busboy and dishwasher. These may not be accurate at all restaurants, but it is my experience that this is the way it works. If you disagree, drop a line in the comment section.
14. Monday Lunch
Everyone goes back to work on Monday and everyone spent a good deal of money the previous weekend. Motivation is high on Monday, thus, people will be more motivated to make a lunch and bring it to work rather than go out. Culinary-speaking, Mondays are not a great day for food because the delivery truck came earlier that day and the staff, usually, has not been able to prep what was on the truck. Also, stay away from "Lunch Specials," especially fish, on Monday. It is all leftovers from the weekend.
13. Saturday Lunch
Families are together, there are activities going on and eating out is not a priority. Another reason Saturday lunch is not a good shift is that the shift seems to drag on forever. People eating out on Saturday do not see the food as their main priority, they see it as an afterthought. They might be at soccer, doing some shopping or working around the house and suddenly realize that they are hungry. They mosey on in whenever they feel like it. Thus, the Saturday lunch shift can be really long but not really busy.
12 and 11. Tuesday All Day
There is nothing really special about Tuesdays. It is early in the week and people still have motivation to cook lunch and dinner for themselves and there aren't very many sporting events to draw someone in on a Tuesday. Some restaurants, seeing Tuesdays as a poor business day, may run a promotion that day. They may do a kids night, pint night or other food special to entice people to come in.
10 and 9. Wednesday All Day
Wednesday is hump day and people start getting lazy. They may not pack a lunch and decide to eat out instead. At night, they have worked three days so far and might not want to cook dinner, thus bringing people in. Happy hour business starts to pick-up in restaurants on Wednesday, seeing as most people only have 2 more days of work left. Again, another night to run a promotion.
8. Thursday Lunch
Lunches are getting better on Thursday. The end of the week is in sight and people are getting lazier. Some would rather sleep another 10 minutes than spend it making lunch. Workers who have spent all week in the office are getting restless and will want some fresh air, so off to lunch they go. Food trucks have been rolling in all week so food is fresh.
7. Sunday Dinner
It is the end of the week and people are trying to get back into reality after the weekend. Sundays are usually "Family Night" for people as they try to have a meal together at the house. Though many do have their "Family Night" out, thus, you might see a lot of groups. People try to get to bed early, get the kids ready for school and get things tidied up around the house before heading to work on Monday, so you will see an earlier crowd than normal. Another bonus for Sunday Dinner is, if your restaurant is open late, it might offer a "Service Industry Night" party. A "SIN" party's goal is to encourage other restaurant and hotel workers to come to the restaurant for cheap booze and drink. Service Industry people usually tip really well, since they are in the same position you are in.
6. Sunday Lunch
A lot of restaurants will do a Sunday Brunch which brings out a lot of people. The day can be really lazy, so the shift may drag on and on as a steady stream of people come in and out of the restaurant. Anytime you are able to go on a wait on a Sunday is a good thing- that means a constantly full section for a while. Another thing that will bring people into the restaurant for the Sunday lunch shift is any holiday (Mother's Day, Father's Day) or the NFL. People love celebrating at a restaurant and Sunday Lunch is the time to go. The NFL, as long as your store has DirecTicket, brings people to eat and drink for long periods of time.
5. Monday Dinner
Monday dinner is ranked this high for one main reason- Monday Night Football. It is the last football game of the weekend and it usually brings people out for some beers and for some wings. Another reason Monday night is good to work is that people have a tendency to wash down their Monday-Start-Of-The-Week-Blues with a tasty adult beverage. Thus, happy hour can be busy. The food truck has been to the store and cooks have prepped the days fresh food, so Monday night is a good night for food. However, don't eat the fish- fish is still leftover from the weekend and does not usually come in fresh until Tuesday.
4. Thursday Dinner
By Thursday night, people have gotten lazy- they don't want to cook and want to get out of the house for a bit. Hence, they go out. Plus, with one more work day in the week, they may do a little drinking. Stores usually have some sort of special for Thursdays to try and get people to start their weekend early and this benefits the server. Drink and food specials are available to entice people even more. Football games, sometimes NFL but always college, start on Thursdays which also bring people out.
3. Friday Lunch
This is the day everyone goes out for lunch. People are sick of brown bagging it, want to go out with some co-workers, or take a late lunch and leave for the weekend. The lunch crowd is usually steady on Fridays because of this. You also see a higher number of groups coming into the restaurant as well. Lunch shifts are usually long and can stretch into dinner shifts, with dinner patrons arriving Food is good because food trucks have been coming in all week and the kitchen knows to ramp up production. Another large order of food probably came in earlier in the day to ramp up for the weekend.
2. Saturday Dinner
Saturday dinner is the night people plan for- rarely does Saturday dinner happen spontaneously. People get dressed up, plan where they will eat, and head out and make a night of it. Saturday night is the night you see the most "complete tickets." A "complete ticket" is one that has at least one of the following- an adult beverage, an appetizer or starter salad, an entree and a dessert. Because people make plans for Saturday night, check averages tend to be higher, people tend to stay longer and people tend to wait through the waiting list to be seated. Other things that effect dining on Saturday include college football and special events. For example, most Homecoming, Sadie Hawkins, and Proms tend to be on Saturday night and attendees need a place to eat prior to the dance. Large groups will eat out on Saturday nights too.
1. Friday Dinner
Friday dinner is short, intense and has the best potential for making money. People start coming to dinner on Friday night early so they can get a couple of drinks from the happy hour menu. Then, they stay to have a meal. Because it is Friday night and people have plans, they drink, eat and get out to do their Friday night activities. Friday nights tend to get a lot of work groups who want to blow off steam after a week's worth of the grind. They also tend to get a lot of families because parents do not want to cook another meal, having cooked throughout the week. Plus it gives families a chance to get out of the house and blow off some steam as well. I write that Friday night dinner is short because people come straight from work or school or daycare without going home. So, they come, drink, eat and head home.
I have been working in restaurants for many years as a manager, cook, server, bartender, busboy and dishwasher. These may not be accurate at all restaurants, but it is my experience that this is the way it works. If you disagree, drop a line in the comment section.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Restaurant Job Search Frustrations and How to Deal with Them
Wednesday, September 1, 2010, I was laid off from my restaurant job. The restaurant closed and I received a call 90 minutes before my shift letting me know that I need not come in because the restaurant was closed for good. This set off many emotions- sadness, frustration (this is the second time I was without a job in as many months), fear, anger and apprehension.
I was sad because I was enjoying working for the restaurant (The Counter at Park Meadows Mall, Lone Tree, Colorado). The people were nice and I was starting to get the hang of their unique way of doing things. I was frustrated because I would again have to look for a job; having just gone through this a couple weeks prior. I was fearful because I was, again, without a paycheck. I was angry because I had started the job two weeks prior and I was certainly not expecting to be laid off. I was apprehensive because I would have to go through the job search again and I hate looking for a job.
For those who don't know, the restaurant job search goes something like this: A restaurant will begin accepting applications at 2pm. Go in any earlier and there is no way you are going to get the job because restaurant people are too busy to talk before 2pm. The restaurant will stop taking applications at 4pm. Go in any later and there is no way you are going to get the job because restaurant people are too busy to talk after 4pm. When you go in, you are usually greeted by a host and you ask "Are you hiring?" The host will reply with something like "We are always taking applications.
"We are always taking applications..." is a big frustration of mine. Don't waste my time, your time and paper by having me fill out an application when you know good and well that you are not hiring but, rather, being polite. Straight up tell me if you are or not. If not, no big deal, I will move on to the restaurant next door. If you are hiring, please make sure there is someone who is available to talk to me. This is another frustration of mine- not having anyone to "sell" to. Being a server or a bartender is all about selling yourself to the guest so you can sell them some good food and drink. If I can't sell you "me," how am I going to sell your food?
My final frustration comes after the interview. If I get an opportunity for a formal interview, let me know, either way, if I got the job. It is common courtesy to call someone and let them know if they got the job or not. Sure, I would have loved to get the job, but I don't want to go days and days without knowing. Just tell me you decided to hire someone else or that I am not a good fit. I am an adult, I can handle rejection. Cowboy up and just tell me.
In review, here are my three frustrations and how to deal with them:
1. "We are always taking applications..." If you are taking them, great. If not, great. Don't waste my time, your time and paper if you have zero plans on hiring me.
2. If I take the time to fill out an application make sure there is someone for me to talk to so I can sell myself to them. If there isn't anyone, have me fill one out at a later date.
3. Whether or not I get the job, call and tell me. I hate waiting and wondering.
I was sad because I was enjoying working for the restaurant (The Counter at Park Meadows Mall, Lone Tree, Colorado). The people were nice and I was starting to get the hang of their unique way of doing things. I was frustrated because I would again have to look for a job; having just gone through this a couple weeks prior. I was fearful because I was, again, without a paycheck. I was angry because I had started the job two weeks prior and I was certainly not expecting to be laid off. I was apprehensive because I would have to go through the job search again and I hate looking for a job.
For those who don't know, the restaurant job search goes something like this: A restaurant will begin accepting applications at 2pm. Go in any earlier and there is no way you are going to get the job because restaurant people are too busy to talk before 2pm. The restaurant will stop taking applications at 4pm. Go in any later and there is no way you are going to get the job because restaurant people are too busy to talk after 4pm. When you go in, you are usually greeted by a host and you ask "Are you hiring?" The host will reply with something like "We are always taking applications.
"We are always taking applications..." is a big frustration of mine. Don't waste my time, your time and paper by having me fill out an application when you know good and well that you are not hiring but, rather, being polite. Straight up tell me if you are or not. If not, no big deal, I will move on to the restaurant next door. If you are hiring, please make sure there is someone who is available to talk to me. This is another frustration of mine- not having anyone to "sell" to. Being a server or a bartender is all about selling yourself to the guest so you can sell them some good food and drink. If I can't sell you "me," how am I going to sell your food?
My final frustration comes after the interview. If I get an opportunity for a formal interview, let me know, either way, if I got the job. It is common courtesy to call someone and let them know if they got the job or not. Sure, I would have loved to get the job, but I don't want to go days and days without knowing. Just tell me you decided to hire someone else or that I am not a good fit. I am an adult, I can handle rejection. Cowboy up and just tell me.
In review, here are my three frustrations and how to deal with them:
1. "We are always taking applications..." If you are taking them, great. If not, great. Don't waste my time, your time and paper if you have zero plans on hiring me.
2. If I take the time to fill out an application make sure there is someone for me to talk to so I can sell myself to them. If there isn't anyone, have me fill one out at a later date.
3. Whether or not I get the job, call and tell me. I hate waiting and wondering.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Employee Meetings- The Right Way
My employer had an employee meeting the other night. Having sat through many of these, both as an employee and as a manager, I was not looking forward to it. They all kind of go the same way, accomplish what is necessary (for a while anyway) and need to be done every 4-6 months. Unfortunately, what was well intentioned turned into a blame game, did not accomplish much and failed to get everyone on the same page.
One of the inevitable downfalls of an employee meeting is that it has to be done before or after business hours. That means a bunch of servers and cooks either have to get up early and come to the restaurant or they have to come late. This is detrimental because very few servers are morning people. Thus, morning meetings means grumpy and less attentive employees. Late meetings means servers are missing out on family, sleep or drinking time. Many have already worked at least one shift and are tired. This also means grumpy and less attentive employees.
During the meeting, the managers, inevitably, have a list of things that need to be covered. Things like running food, pre-busing, helping each other out and overall teamwork are covered. If luck happens, new food/menu items get introduced. What inevitable happens during these meetings (and what happened in my meeting the other night) is that people pick out a couple very specific issues to focus on rather than look at the issues as a whole. For example, in my meeting, one server, when discussing running food, spoke about "This one time I had eight tables going, was totally in the weeds and no one would help me run food. There were people chatting in the back, people smoking and the manager was playing on the internet. Why should I run others' food when no one will run mine?" Well, this might have been true for that one situation, but it certainly is not the case in general and the anecdote did nothing to help the overall message of the meeting. The overall message- run more food- gets lost because one sever is complaining about one very specific situation. The meeting dissolved from here as other servers spoke of their own similar stories. Eventually, what was meant as a 45 minute meeting had turned into a 2 hour "bitch/moan/blame fest."
Many of us, especially those who have worked in the restaurant industry for a long time, have certainly been in these meetings before. They are frustrating because we all don't want to be there, they take too much time, and don't accomplish much. However, there is a right way to do these meetings. My first advice is to not have them to begin with. General housekeeping items, like running food, pre-busing, helping each other out and overall teamwork should be covered in a pre-shift meeting (you are doing pre-shift meetings, right?). This is the time where a manager can say "okay, for this shift let's focus on making sure all the food gets run to the tables within 30 seconds of it being put in the window." That way, everyone is on the same page. The next shift, cover something else in the meeting, something like pre-busing. Then, during the shift, give consistent reminders to staff about what they should be working on that day. Eventually, the things you are covering during pre-shift will be commonplace.
The second piece of advice is to only have a meeting when you absolutely need to. Are you rolling out a new menu? Is there new software being installed that will drastically change the way work is done? Are there new owners or partners that will do things differently? Is there something drastic happening? If there is nothing major being changed in the way the restaurant is done, don't have the meeting. Cover it during the pre-shift. Finally, if you must have an employee meeting, make it fun. You don't want to be there and the staff does not want to be there, so do something fun. For example, the staff eats your food all the time, do an industry trade and get something else to eat. Have a contest on menu/drink knowledge. Let those of age have a (meaning 1) beer while you meet and give smoothies to those who cannot. If you have to give out bad news, sandwich it between two pieces of good news. Don't let the meeting end on a bad note and make sure the meeting ends on time. Stay in control and encourage people who have very specific gripes about what you are talking about to speak to you after the meeting, so as not to bog down the meeting.
Employee meetings can be very beneficial if done correctly. They can lead to better service, better attitudes and can get you back to where you want to be. Look at how you do employee meetings and see how you might improve them in the future.
One of the inevitable downfalls of an employee meeting is that it has to be done before or after business hours. That means a bunch of servers and cooks either have to get up early and come to the restaurant or they have to come late. This is detrimental because very few servers are morning people. Thus, morning meetings means grumpy and less attentive employees. Late meetings means servers are missing out on family, sleep or drinking time. Many have already worked at least one shift and are tired. This also means grumpy and less attentive employees.
During the meeting, the managers, inevitably, have a list of things that need to be covered. Things like running food, pre-busing, helping each other out and overall teamwork are covered. If luck happens, new food/menu items get introduced. What inevitable happens during these meetings (and what happened in my meeting the other night) is that people pick out a couple very specific issues to focus on rather than look at the issues as a whole. For example, in my meeting, one server, when discussing running food, spoke about "This one time I had eight tables going, was totally in the weeds and no one would help me run food. There were people chatting in the back, people smoking and the manager was playing on the internet. Why should I run others' food when no one will run mine?" Well, this might have been true for that one situation, but it certainly is not the case in general and the anecdote did nothing to help the overall message of the meeting. The overall message- run more food- gets lost because one sever is complaining about one very specific situation. The meeting dissolved from here as other servers spoke of their own similar stories. Eventually, what was meant as a 45 minute meeting had turned into a 2 hour "bitch/moan/blame fest."
Many of us, especially those who have worked in the restaurant industry for a long time, have certainly been in these meetings before. They are frustrating because we all don't want to be there, they take too much time, and don't accomplish much. However, there is a right way to do these meetings. My first advice is to not have them to begin with. General housekeeping items, like running food, pre-busing, helping each other out and overall teamwork should be covered in a pre-shift meeting (you are doing pre-shift meetings, right?). This is the time where a manager can say "okay, for this shift let's focus on making sure all the food gets run to the tables within 30 seconds of it being put in the window." That way, everyone is on the same page. The next shift, cover something else in the meeting, something like pre-busing. Then, during the shift, give consistent reminders to staff about what they should be working on that day. Eventually, the things you are covering during pre-shift will be commonplace.
The second piece of advice is to only have a meeting when you absolutely need to. Are you rolling out a new menu? Is there new software being installed that will drastically change the way work is done? Are there new owners or partners that will do things differently? Is there something drastic happening? If there is nothing major being changed in the way the restaurant is done, don't have the meeting. Cover it during the pre-shift. Finally, if you must have an employee meeting, make it fun. You don't want to be there and the staff does not want to be there, so do something fun. For example, the staff eats your food all the time, do an industry trade and get something else to eat. Have a contest on menu/drink knowledge. Let those of age have a (meaning 1) beer while you meet and give smoothies to those who cannot. If you have to give out bad news, sandwich it between two pieces of good news. Don't let the meeting end on a bad note and make sure the meeting ends on time. Stay in control and encourage people who have very specific gripes about what you are talking about to speak to you after the meeting, so as not to bog down the meeting.
Employee meetings can be very beneficial if done correctly. They can lead to better service, better attitudes and can get you back to where you want to be. Look at how you do employee meetings and see how you might improve them in the future.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
13 Things Your Bartender Won't Tell You- My Thoughts
I saw this article from Reader's Digest. Having worked in bars and restaurants for over 20 years, I thought I would give my $.02 on "The Secrets of the Bartender..."
1. Yell, whistle, or wave money and I'm going to make you wait. Make eye contact and smile, and I'll come over as soon as I can. Know what you want and have your money ready. Don't create a traffic jam.
I don't come into any place of business and snap my fingers, wave my arms or yell for someone to acknowledge me. I wait patiently to be recognized and complete my business transaction once I am. You, as a patron of a bar, should do the same. The bartender will get to you when he/she gets to you. I also agree that you need to be ready to order- especially when the bar is busy. Do not get the bartender's attention and then decide to talk to your friends about what drinks you want. Decide, wait, get served, pay, tip, and drink. In that order.
2. Start a tab. If I swipe your card five times this evening, that’s five times as much paperwork I have to do at 4 a.m.
For me, I do not care. If you want to start a tab, go ahead. If you want to pay by the drink, go ahead. Whatever is going to be best for the guest is best for me. It is all about customer service and taking the needs/wants of the guest in mind.
3. You want a drink made "strong?" Then order a double—for double the price.
I might hook-up a regular guest with a little extra booze now and then, but if it is the first time I have ever seen you, I am pouring to recipe. If you like more booze, then you need to pay for it.
4. Liquor sales in bars and restaurants were down 2.2 percent last year. Even beer sales are slow. But people scrimp on food first, drinks second.
People do scrimp on booze too. Instead of a Tanqueray and Tonic they will order a well gin and tonic. Instead of a pricey microbrew, they will order a macrobrew. They will still drink, just not drink the same thing.
5. A lot of bars have comp tabs, which allows me to give away drinks. It's smart business and helps build a base of regulars.
Come in regularly, order a lot of food and drink, tip well and you will get a couple of comp drinks. If this is the first time you have ordered from me, I am not going to give you a free one. You need to earn free drinks.
6. Bars that don't have regulars (in hotels, airports) have started using wireless gadgets that measure how much is poured and automatically ring up each shot. They're meant to prevent overpouring and to cut losses, but I don't like them—neither do customers.
Not just bars that don't have regulars but many establishments have started to closely monitor the pouring of drinks. Times are tough and businesses need to watch costs closely. Overpouring a drink is throwing money into a glass. Smart businesses will watch what bartenders pour.
7. If your tipping guideline is still "a buck a drink," listen closely: That doesn't fly if you order a $12 cocktail. Tip at least 15 percent.
Better yet, tip 20%. $12 drink? Tip $2.
8. At some bars, the sliced fruit garnishes sit out until they’re gone, sometimes for days. Munch accordingly.
Oh yeah, never eat the fruit. It has been handled by god-knows how many hands and has been sitting out all day. Bar fruit is gross. Plus, who knows when it was cut. It might have been cut three days ago and has been sitting out during the day and then put back into the cooler at night. Gross.
9. The smoothest guys compliment a woman, then walk away—it's very nonthreatening.
Agreed. Compliment and move on. If she is interested, she will come see you.
10. I have the police on speed dial, and I never hesitate to call.
It is better to be safe than sorry. When the police show up, everything gets taken care of. People suddenly settle down and there are no more problems. I let them do their jobs and diffuse the situation.
11. Don't order a round of drinks after last call. Last call applies to everyone—even you.
If you order a round of drinks after last call, I will simply tell you, "I called 'Last Call' fifteen minutes ago and that was your chance to order. We have stopped alcohol service." What I want to tell you is "You are not so special that you get another round when no one else does. Pay your tab, go home so I can too."
12. Some of us get a cut from the cab company when we call a taxi for a tipsy patron. Not that I've ever done that, of course.
Never gotten a cut from the cab company. I call the cabs that will get there the soonest. I want your drunk-ass out of my restaurant.
13. Last week, a couple had a little too much and got into a dumb argument, then asked me to choose the "winner" of the fight. There isn't a tip big enough to get me involved in that situation!
Just walk away from any and all arguments. There is no way to help the situation and your tip will most likely suffer.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Server/Waiter/Order Taker/Grunt
I have worked in the hospitality industry for over 20 years. I have done most every job in hospitality- everything from washing dishes to being the GM of a restaurant. My job titles have been varied. Most recently, I have been working as a server and bartender while I continue to get full-time work.
Today, while at work, I was about to greet a table where the lady was talking on the phone. Usually, greeting a table when someone on the phone can be dicey because a) you don't want to interrupt what might be an important call (if it was so important why did you take it in a restaurant when you knew you would be interrupted?) and b) you don't necessarily want to wait to greet them because they might be in a hurry (if you are in such a hurry, get off the phone already). As I approached the table, she took her mouth away from the speaker and said in the most rude voice possible "Tell my 'Order Taker' I'll have a Diet Coke and the Kids Grilled Cheese. And make it fast I am in a hurry." Well, alrighty then...
I have been in this industry for a long time to know that there will be, on occasion, times where I am treated with little to no respect. That I will be looked at as a simpleton just taking orders, communicating the order to the kitchen and bringing out the food and the check. However, her attitude today was shocking to me for some reason. No one has ever called me an "Order Taker" to my face before. Made me feel pretty worthless as an employee just trying to make a few bucks.
I guess I see myself as more than just an "Order Taker." I see myself as a "Provider of Guest Services," a "Gonna Make It Right For You," a "Make This Experience One We Will Remember." I try to engage my guests when I serve them- find out about them, make the experience a good one, and try to make a few bucks at it. The experience today set me into a poor mood and, obviously, is still bothering me. My hope is that there are very few people out there who treat servers just as "Order Takers." We may take your order, but that is not the extent of our job description.
Today, while at work, I was about to greet a table where the lady was talking on the phone. Usually, greeting a table when someone on the phone can be dicey because a) you don't want to interrupt what might be an important call (if it was so important why did you take it in a restaurant when you knew you would be interrupted?) and b) you don't necessarily want to wait to greet them because they might be in a hurry (if you are in such a hurry, get off the phone already). As I approached the table, she took her mouth away from the speaker and said in the most rude voice possible "Tell my 'Order Taker' I'll have a Diet Coke and the Kids Grilled Cheese. And make it fast I am in a hurry." Well, alrighty then...
I have been in this industry for a long time to know that there will be, on occasion, times where I am treated with little to no respect. That I will be looked at as a simpleton just taking orders, communicating the order to the kitchen and bringing out the food and the check. However, her attitude today was shocking to me for some reason. No one has ever called me an "Order Taker" to my face before. Made me feel pretty worthless as an employee just trying to make a few bucks.
I guess I see myself as more than just an "Order Taker." I see myself as a "Provider of Guest Services," a "Gonna Make It Right For You," a "Make This Experience One We Will Remember." I try to engage my guests when I serve them- find out about them, make the experience a good one, and try to make a few bucks at it. The experience today set me into a poor mood and, obviously, is still bothering me. My hope is that there are very few people out there who treat servers just as "Order Takers." We may take your order, but that is not the extent of our job description.
Friday, August 20, 2010
129 Cardinal Sins of Service- Part Two
More thoughts on the Cardinal Sins of Service. This next batch has to deal with the table and how it is set for the guest.
5 and 6. "Silverware set askew on the tables" and "Tabletop that isn't picture perfect."
Admittedly, I have not worked in many fine dining establishments so these two, as an employee, did not bother me very much. When working, I tried to bus the table as quickly as possible and get it rest as quickly as possible so I could get another table. I never pulled out a T-Square to ensure the napkin and flatware had been properly aligned to the bottom edge of the table. Simply, I put the napkin down and put flatware on top and straightened it as best and quickly as I could. During busy times, I would be lucky to get the flatware near the table before the next guest sat down.
One thing that does drive me nuts is when a restaurant seats my party at a table that has not been wiped clean yet. This is usually done due to lack of communication. One host says to the other "52 is gone." The other host takes the next waiting party to the table. A table being "gone" and being "cleaned" are two different things. If the silverware is not on the table and some of the condiments are askew, that's fine. Just make sure the table is clean before you seat me and my friends.
7. Forks with bent tines.
Just throw bad forks away- don't try to fix them because they never get fixed correctly. There is nothing worse (okay, maybe there is) than opening a silverware roll-up to see a fork all bent out of shape. It looks like a medieval torture device. Most restaurants are buying a ton of flatware every month anyway, just throw the bent one away and replace it.
8. Unevenly folded napkins.
This does not bother me much. Napkins are never perfect squares or rectangles so there is bound to be some overlap and unevenness. When folding the napkin, do your best to make it look straight. Don't make it look like my three year old tried to do it.
5 and 6. "Silverware set askew on the tables" and "Tabletop that isn't picture perfect."
Admittedly, I have not worked in many fine dining establishments so these two, as an employee, did not bother me very much. When working, I tried to bus the table as quickly as possible and get it rest as quickly as possible so I could get another table. I never pulled out a T-Square to ensure the napkin and flatware had been properly aligned to the bottom edge of the table. Simply, I put the napkin down and put flatware on top and straightened it as best and quickly as I could. During busy times, I would be lucky to get the flatware near the table before the next guest sat down.
One thing that does drive me nuts is when a restaurant seats my party at a table that has not been wiped clean yet. This is usually done due to lack of communication. One host says to the other "52 is gone." The other host takes the next waiting party to the table. A table being "gone" and being "cleaned" are two different things. If the silverware is not on the table and some of the condiments are askew, that's fine. Just make sure the table is clean before you seat me and my friends.
7. Forks with bent tines.
Just throw bad forks away- don't try to fix them because they never get fixed correctly. There is nothing worse (okay, maybe there is) than opening a silverware roll-up to see a fork all bent out of shape. It looks like a medieval torture device. Most restaurants are buying a ton of flatware every month anyway, just throw the bent one away and replace it.
8. Unevenly folded napkins.
This does not bother me much. Napkins are never perfect squares or rectangles so there is bound to be some overlap and unevenness. When folding the napkin, do your best to make it look straight. Don't make it look like my three year old tried to do it.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
How Does the Class of '14 View Food?
Yesterday, Beloit (WI) College came out with their "Mindset List." It provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college this fall. The list, found here, got me to thinking about how college freshman might view the food they eat and where they get that food. A few things came to mind-
- The class of '14 will always order their late night pizzas online.
- Pizza coupons will come directly from a text message, a facebook ad or a tweet.
- Many colleges will have to deal with the class of '14s increased amount of allergies. More kids have peanut, gluten and/or egg allergies than ever before.
- Also, colleges will need to offer more vegetarian and/or vegan choices because students who are have increased.
- “Caramel macchiato” and “venti half-caf vanilla latte” have always been street corner lingo.
As we look forward, more and more changes to the food industry will happen. Food sellers (including cafeterias) will need to keep up.
- The class of '14 will always order their late night pizzas online.
- Pizza coupons will come directly from a text message, a facebook ad or a tweet.
- Many colleges will have to deal with the class of '14s increased amount of allergies. More kids have peanut, gluten and/or egg allergies than ever before.
- Also, colleges will need to offer more vegetarian and/or vegan choices because students who are have increased.
- “Caramel macchiato” and “venti half-caf vanilla latte” have always been street corner lingo.
As we look forward, more and more changes to the food industry will happen. Food sellers (including cafeterias) will need to keep up.
Friday, August 13, 2010
129 Cardinal Sins of Service- Part One
Admittedly, I am borrowing these ideas from Eric Ripert of New York's Le Bernadin Restaurant. But, the discussion and further thought on each one is purely mine. Rupert wrote these 'sins' because he thinks that many restaurants should look at their own service and see where it can be improved.
Here are some thoughts about the Cardinal Sins of Service-
1. Not acknowledging guests with eye contact and a smile within 30 seconds. First impressions count!
I wrote about 1st impressions here, but more from a server point of view. This Cardinal Sin deals with any employee greeting any guest that comes into a restaurant. It doesn't matter if it is the host, a cook, a dishwasher or a busboy, all employees who see a guest enter needs to make eye contact and say hello.
2. Not thanking the guests as they leave. Last impression!
Again, I wrote about how the guest only remembers you how you leave here. However, this, again, is for all employees. Make sure that whatever employee is at the front doors when a guest leaves says "Goodbye" and "Thanks for coming in." Throw in a "See you again soon," open the door(s) for the guest and he/she will leave with a great final impression.
3. Not remembering the guests' likes and dislikes!
If you have "regulars" that come to see you, you better know what they like to eat and drink. If the "regular" hates avocados, make sure that no dish for that guest ever comes out of the kitchen with avocados. Know what the guest likes and dislikes will ensure they come back to see you often. Often returning guests means more money in everyone's pocket (except the guest, of course).
4. Not opening the front door for guests.
You open the front door for people who come to your house, don't you? Of course you do. Open the front door for guests that come into your restaurant, too. It is good hospitality and good business practice.
More discussion on the other 125 Cardinal Sins forthcoming.
Here are some thoughts about the Cardinal Sins of Service-
1. Not acknowledging guests with eye contact and a smile within 30 seconds. First impressions count!
I wrote about 1st impressions here, but more from a server point of view. This Cardinal Sin deals with any employee greeting any guest that comes into a restaurant. It doesn't matter if it is the host, a cook, a dishwasher or a busboy, all employees who see a guest enter needs to make eye contact and say hello.
2. Not thanking the guests as they leave. Last impression!
Again, I wrote about how the guest only remembers you how you leave here. However, this, again, is for all employees. Make sure that whatever employee is at the front doors when a guest leaves says "Goodbye" and "Thanks for coming in." Throw in a "See you again soon," open the door(s) for the guest and he/she will leave with a great final impression.
3. Not remembering the guests' likes and dislikes!
If you have "regulars" that come to see you, you better know what they like to eat and drink. If the "regular" hates avocados, make sure that no dish for that guest ever comes out of the kitchen with avocados. Know what the guest likes and dislikes will ensure they come back to see you often. Often returning guests means more money in everyone's pocket (except the guest, of course).
4. Not opening the front door for guests.
You open the front door for people who come to your house, don't you? Of course you do. Open the front door for guests that come into your restaurant, too. It is good hospitality and good business practice.
More discussion on the other 125 Cardinal Sins forthcoming.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
4 Laws of Server Customer Service
While reading How to Become a Rainmaker, the excellent book by Jeffrey J. Fox, I tried to relate what he was writing about to the job of a server. What I came up with was the "4 Laws of Server Customer Service." If followed, these laws will guarantee excellent customer service for each and every guest a server comes into contact with.
Law #1- You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression
I know, very cliché, but also very true. Imagine getting sat at a table and the host says "Your server will be right with you." Three, four, five minutes go by and no server. What is your mood now? Probably pretty upset and annoyed. Are you going to have a good experience through the rest of the meal? Probably not.
As a server, you need to greet that right away. You need to greet them with a smile. You need to greet them with enthusiasm. You need to get the guest experience off on the right foot otherwise the rest of the meal will go down the drain.
Law #2- Never Let the Guest Go Thirsty
One thing I have heard over and over and over from guests is that they hate it when their cup goes empty. It shows that the server is not paying attention to their needs or is just plain lazy. Even if that Diet Coke needs to be refilled 14 times, make it happen.
Law #3-Communicate Honestly
Did you forget to put the food in? Is the kitchen going down in flames? Is the Soup of the Day pretty terrible and you wouldn't let your dog eat it? Tell the guest honestly. They will appreciate what you are saying, appreciate that you are looking out for them and be more apt to visit you again in the future. Imagine being very busy and you, absentmindedly, forgot to put a table's order in. It has been 10 minutes, they look hungry and you know it is going to be another 10 before the food comes out. Just go up to the guest and tell them about your mistake and rectify it- quickly. Bring them salad or chips or another round. The guest may be upset, and rightfully so, but a lot can be smoothed over with honesty (and another round).
Law #4- People Only Remember You How You Leave
The easiest way to muck up a great dining experience is to take forever to present the check and collect payment. The guest may have had a wonderful experience with the food, the drink the atmosphere and the service. The guest may have had a wonderful time chatting with you and/or being served by you. Then, everything falls apart because you were too busy chatting with co-workers, doing side work, rolling silverware, smoking or farting around in the back. When the guest wants to leave, make it happen. Get them the check in a very timely manner and, when they are ready to pay, take their money and send them on their way and send them on their way happy thinking about the great experience not the length of time it took to get the check.
Law #1- You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression
I know, very cliché, but also very true. Imagine getting sat at a table and the host says "Your server will be right with you." Three, four, five minutes go by and no server. What is your mood now? Probably pretty upset and annoyed. Are you going to have a good experience through the rest of the meal? Probably not.
As a server, you need to greet that right away. You need to greet them with a smile. You need to greet them with enthusiasm. You need to get the guest experience off on the right foot otherwise the rest of the meal will go down the drain.
Law #2- Never Let the Guest Go Thirsty
One thing I have heard over and over and over from guests is that they hate it when their cup goes empty. It shows that the server is not paying attention to their needs or is just plain lazy. Even if that Diet Coke needs to be refilled 14 times, make it happen.
Law #3-Communicate Honestly
Did you forget to put the food in? Is the kitchen going down in flames? Is the Soup of the Day pretty terrible and you wouldn't let your dog eat it? Tell the guest honestly. They will appreciate what you are saying, appreciate that you are looking out for them and be more apt to visit you again in the future. Imagine being very busy and you, absentmindedly, forgot to put a table's order in. It has been 10 minutes, they look hungry and you know it is going to be another 10 before the food comes out. Just go up to the guest and tell them about your mistake and rectify it- quickly. Bring them salad or chips or another round. The guest may be upset, and rightfully so, but a lot can be smoothed over with honesty (and another round).
Law #4- People Only Remember You How You Leave
The easiest way to muck up a great dining experience is to take forever to present the check and collect payment. The guest may have had a wonderful experience with the food, the drink the atmosphere and the service. The guest may have had a wonderful time chatting with you and/or being served by you. Then, everything falls apart because you were too busy chatting with co-workers, doing side work, rolling silverware, smoking or farting around in the back. When the guest wants to leave, make it happen. Get them the check in a very timely manner and, when they are ready to pay, take their money and send them on their way and send them on their way happy thinking about the great experience not the length of time it took to get the check.
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