“The wise adapt themselves to circumstances, as water moulds itself to the pitcher.” Chinese proverb
Good bye winter and hello construction season in Chicagoland. With the onset of construction season and its accompanying warmer weather, people are turning away from comfort foods and towards healthier, lighter fare. Are you poised to take advantage of this shift in the dining habits of your consumers? With the warmer weather people start thinking about swim suit season and everyone makes a mad dash for the gym and the health food aisles in the grocery stores. Why not be an extension of their healthy mindset and become a dining destination for the newly health conscious?
As people put their snow blowers into storage and start pulling out their bikes and other outdoor activity equipment, they start to think about shedding their winter weight. Now is the time to start offering low cal and healthier specials for your LTOs (limited time offers) to take advantage of their new found desire to trim up and get in shape. Salads, fish, half sandwiches, smaller portions, and smoothies are all great ideas to tap into as the seasons change and people start thinking about their waistlines.
Diners love to go out to eat for foods that are too difficult to create at home or are too labor intensive or that they don’t know how to create at home. With that fact in mind, now is the time to freshen up your salads with some different blends of salad greens. Why not try an artisan lettuce, or some mesculine mix to spice up your ordinary house salads. People are more likely to try a gourmet salad at a restaurant than they are going to try to create one at home. Salads are great margin opportunities for operators as well. Why not spice up your regular salad with some nuts or a new house dressing?
People love to go out for seafood and fish because they are too afraid to try cooking it at home. Fish is generally seen as a healthier protein option than red meat, so why not combine those two incentives to try to lure new diners in with a seafood special each week? Since people rarely muster up the courage to cook fish at home, you can always build in some extra margin into your seafood specials. Why not combine both of the aforementioned trends and offer a salad topped with a salmon filet or some tuna?
Now is the time to get out in front of the trends and provide some excitement to your menu with adapting specials and LTOs to the relevant seasons. Take advantage of shifts in taste and trend to add profits to your bottom line.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Who Is The New American Diner?
I found this wonderful article in a trade publication and thought it worthy of sharing with everyone. From the article we can get some ideas on what consumers are looking for as well as some ideas for strategies to attack some of the changes consumers are making when they are dining out. One thing that jumps out at me from the article is diners' new found resistance to desserts, drinks and appetizers. To me, it seems like that is where we should start trying to break through consumer resistance with new and improved methods of marketing those segments to the diners that are already in our restaurants. People just need the reason to purchase those segments, and it is our job to find them a reason! Enough of what I think - here is the article.
Who is the New American Diner?
R&I's exclusive 2010 New American Diner Study shares insights into what today's diners really want from restaurant experiences and how the economy is affecting their dining-out habits.
By Kelly Smith Killian, Editor-in-Chief -- Restaurants & Institutions, January 1, 2010
Consumers generally have high regard for restaurants and what they deliver, but the economy continues to shape their views and behavior. About 70% see going out to eat as a treat or an indulgence, and as such, they value highly the quality of their overall experience (58.7% consider it as important as the food). And though most say restaurant visits are worth the expense, 65.4% acknowledge they’re looking for value. Additionally, regardless of whether they’re offered a deal, consumers are finding ways to shave dollars from check averages.
Diner Profile
According to R&I’s New American Diner Study, today’s diners …
… purchase a meal away from home 2.59 times a week on average.
… have higher expectations for the level of service in restaurants than in the past (53.5% say their standards are higher now).
… want choices—65% of diners want to be able to choose their own sauces, dressings or toppings; 68.7% like having options in portion size.
… put price before everything. Nearly 60% agree with the statement “In choosing a restaurant, price is usually my first consideration.” And diners across the board name lower prices as the top incentive at breakfast, lunch and dinner that would encourage them to eat at restaurants more often.
… say value is about more than price; 51% consider décor, music and furniture in determining whether a restaurant is a good value.
Word of Mouth Rules
Percent of diners who say they are drawn to restaurants by word of mouth. Recommendations from people they know well outweigh the word of strangers—only 17% say their choices are influenced by critics’ reviews, and just 12.9% are swayed by online consumer reviews. In addition, 45.3% say they choose restaurants because of coupons and specials; 26.3% are lured by television or radio commercials.
Dealing with the Downturn
More than seven in 10 consumers who say the economy has affected their dining-out habits say they’re choosing less-expensive restaurants; 87.2% say they’re dining out less. When they do go out, diners are adjusting their usual orders to cut costs. Nearly 69% say they’re cutting back on alcohol—up from 58% who last year said they were doing so. Among other changes diners are making:
79.9% don't order dessert
75.2% don't order an appetizer
68.7% don't order or limit alcoholic beverages
45.1% don't order sides
44.7% order smaller portions (i.e. lunch sizes)
44.6% don't order a beverage
44.4% share entrées
Opportunities for Operators
Give them something to talk about. Word of mouth matters: Operators should be leveraging the friend-to-friend power of social-networking sites such as Facebook by encouraging and incentivizing fan-site members to spread the word online about the brand.
Step up to the combo plate. It’s possible to nudge up check averages by offering full-meal deals: 58.3% of consumers say that if presented with the opportunity to order an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert for one set price, they would be likely to take it.
Consider coupons. More than half of consumers say they’re taking advantage of coupons or special deals as a result of the economy, and 45.3% choose restaurants based on the discounts they offer. Coupons and deals also are what people most want to get when they connect to a restaurant’s Facebook or Twitter account (63% said so).
Attack snacks. Snacks remain a golden opportunity for operators. More than half of consumers say they snack between meals at least once a day, and only 8.7% say they never snack. But 81% say they rarely or never stop at a restaurant to meet their noshing needs.
Who is the New American Diner?
R&I's exclusive 2010 New American Diner Study shares insights into what today's diners really want from restaurant experiences and how the economy is affecting their dining-out habits.
By Kelly Smith Killian, Editor-in-Chief -- Restaurants & Institutions, January 1, 2010
Consumers generally have high regard for restaurants and what they deliver, but the economy continues to shape their views and behavior. About 70% see going out to eat as a treat or an indulgence, and as such, they value highly the quality of their overall experience (58.7% consider it as important as the food). And though most say restaurant visits are worth the expense, 65.4% acknowledge they’re looking for value. Additionally, regardless of whether they’re offered a deal, consumers are finding ways to shave dollars from check averages.
Diner Profile
According to R&I’s New American Diner Study, today’s diners …
… purchase a meal away from home 2.59 times a week on average.
… have higher expectations for the level of service in restaurants than in the past (53.5% say their standards are higher now).
… want choices—65% of diners want to be able to choose their own sauces, dressings or toppings; 68.7% like having options in portion size.
… put price before everything. Nearly 60% agree with the statement “In choosing a restaurant, price is usually my first consideration.” And diners across the board name lower prices as the top incentive at breakfast, lunch and dinner that would encourage them to eat at restaurants more often.
… say value is about more than price; 51% consider décor, music and furniture in determining whether a restaurant is a good value.
Word of Mouth Rules
Percent of diners who say they are drawn to restaurants by word of mouth. Recommendations from people they know well outweigh the word of strangers—only 17% say their choices are influenced by critics’ reviews, and just 12.9% are swayed by online consumer reviews. In addition, 45.3% say they choose restaurants because of coupons and specials; 26.3% are lured by television or radio commercials.
Dealing with the Downturn
More than seven in 10 consumers who say the economy has affected their dining-out habits say they’re choosing less-expensive restaurants; 87.2% say they’re dining out less. When they do go out, diners are adjusting their usual orders to cut costs. Nearly 69% say they’re cutting back on alcohol—up from 58% who last year said they were doing so. Among other changes diners are making:
79.9% don't order dessert
75.2% don't order an appetizer
68.7% don't order or limit alcoholic beverages
45.1% don't order sides
44.7% order smaller portions (i.e. lunch sizes)
44.6% don't order a beverage
44.4% share entrées
Opportunities for Operators
Give them something to talk about. Word of mouth matters: Operators should be leveraging the friend-to-friend power of social-networking sites such as Facebook by encouraging and incentivizing fan-site members to spread the word online about the brand.
Step up to the combo plate. It’s possible to nudge up check averages by offering full-meal deals: 58.3% of consumers say that if presented with the opportunity to order an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert for one set price, they would be likely to take it.
Consider coupons. More than half of consumers say they’re taking advantage of coupons or special deals as a result of the economy, and 45.3% choose restaurants based on the discounts they offer. Coupons and deals also are what people most want to get when they connect to a restaurant’s Facebook or Twitter account (63% said so).
Attack snacks. Snacks remain a golden opportunity for operators. More than half of consumers say they snack between meals at least once a day, and only 8.7% say they never snack. But 81% say they rarely or never stop at a restaurant to meet their noshing needs.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Feed Your Fish? Something Like That.
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you have fed him for a lifetime." Chinese Proverb
Why are so many people resistant to training? Why when we are at work and the topic of training comes up do we immediately groan and bellyache about being pulled away from our normal jobs? What does all this have to do with restaurants – and servers in particular?
I have always found that compensation drives behavior. If it doesn’t make me money, then I have a hard time fitting things into my schedule. Can’t get anymore honest than that. I recently had occasion to sit through a 4 hour training class. I will be the first to admit that my ability to stay on task is seriously challenged when I am faced with a boring humdrum training exercise. This one was different. As I sat last night reflecting on my day, I couldn’t help but admit that it wasn’t so hard to pay attention in this one, and it got me to wondering why. The first thing that popped into my mind was that they were able to communicate with me in my language. They didn’t tell me what they thought I needed to learn or to get better at, instead they talked about how what they were going to show me today was going to help me make more money (my love language). They didn’t push their private agenda (unless their private agenda was to help me earn more money each year). They didn’t tell me why it was important to them. They didn’t stop at saying this is what we do, instead they went steps beyond and showed us why we are doing it, and how that is relevant to me.
Again you ask – “what does this have to do with restaurants?” Everything. The most successful restaurants have happy employees that generate big ticket averages. So, you say, I will hire happy people. That is a good start, but teaching them to stay happy is where most of us fall short. Servers making decent money in tips = happy employees. Happy employees = committed employees. Committed employees = a well run restaurant. Therefore servers making decent money in tips = a well run restaurant.
Whoa, wait, hold on……I hear you saying, it’s just not that easy. No it’s not easy, but it is simple. Want to grow your check averages? Teach your waitstaff how drinks, appetizers and desserts grow their tips. So now instead of making $5 off of a $30 check they can make $10 off a $55 check in the same amount of time and energy that it took to make that $5 tip. Teach the art of the suggestive sell. Bring dessert by before they order (so that they are mentally committing to a dessert before they even order). Suggest an appetizer to share. It is amazing how a good server can build check averages without the guests realizing that the server is crawling deeper into their pocket.
Do you know what else I have noticed? Servers that make money take pride in the work that they do. They take pride in their work area, and they take pride in their restaurant. They see things differently because they begin to realize that all of the subtle things help make them more money with each table. Again, if you teach and train the waitstaff why it is important TO THEM to have a clean station, make sure their tables have the right accoutrements and that you are there to help them make more money, then you will have a staff that cares, respects and wants to see you succeed.
We are all selfish people. The question burning in all of our minds is usually “What’s in it for me?” If we realize that at the core everyone is truly interested in what they can get out of something, then we can structure training and teaching in a manner that remains relevant to the audience. If we can make the mundane and the ordinary relevant, then we can achieve great things. Try it – when you meet with your staff next try to communicate what you want done in a language and form that is relevant to them and see what happens. If your employees begin to see and believe that they are doing things not just for your (the owner / manager) benefit, but rather they are doing it as an investment in their earnings, then you will see check averages, morale and the environment exceed your expectations.
Why are so many people resistant to training? Why when we are at work and the topic of training comes up do we immediately groan and bellyache about being pulled away from our normal jobs? What does all this have to do with restaurants – and servers in particular?
I have always found that compensation drives behavior. If it doesn’t make me money, then I have a hard time fitting things into my schedule. Can’t get anymore honest than that. I recently had occasion to sit through a 4 hour training class. I will be the first to admit that my ability to stay on task is seriously challenged when I am faced with a boring humdrum training exercise. This one was different. As I sat last night reflecting on my day, I couldn’t help but admit that it wasn’t so hard to pay attention in this one, and it got me to wondering why. The first thing that popped into my mind was that they were able to communicate with me in my language. They didn’t tell me what they thought I needed to learn or to get better at, instead they talked about how what they were going to show me today was going to help me make more money (my love language). They didn’t push their private agenda (unless their private agenda was to help me earn more money each year). They didn’t tell me why it was important to them. They didn’t stop at saying this is what we do, instead they went steps beyond and showed us why we are doing it, and how that is relevant to me.
Again you ask – “what does this have to do with restaurants?” Everything. The most successful restaurants have happy employees that generate big ticket averages. So, you say, I will hire happy people. That is a good start, but teaching them to stay happy is where most of us fall short. Servers making decent money in tips = happy employees. Happy employees = committed employees. Committed employees = a well run restaurant. Therefore servers making decent money in tips = a well run restaurant.
Whoa, wait, hold on……I hear you saying, it’s just not that easy. No it’s not easy, but it is simple. Want to grow your check averages? Teach your waitstaff how drinks, appetizers and desserts grow their tips. So now instead of making $5 off of a $30 check they can make $10 off a $55 check in the same amount of time and energy that it took to make that $5 tip. Teach the art of the suggestive sell. Bring dessert by before they order (so that they are mentally committing to a dessert before they even order). Suggest an appetizer to share. It is amazing how a good server can build check averages without the guests realizing that the server is crawling deeper into their pocket.
Do you know what else I have noticed? Servers that make money take pride in the work that they do. They take pride in their work area, and they take pride in their restaurant. They see things differently because they begin to realize that all of the subtle things help make them more money with each table. Again, if you teach and train the waitstaff why it is important TO THEM to have a clean station, make sure their tables have the right accoutrements and that you are there to help them make more money, then you will have a staff that cares, respects and wants to see you succeed.
We are all selfish people. The question burning in all of our minds is usually “What’s in it for me?” If we realize that at the core everyone is truly interested in what they can get out of something, then we can structure training and teaching in a manner that remains relevant to the audience. If we can make the mundane and the ordinary relevant, then we can achieve great things. Try it – when you meet with your staff next try to communicate what you want done in a language and form that is relevant to them and see what happens. If your employees begin to see and believe that they are doing things not just for your (the owner / manager) benefit, but rather they are doing it as an investment in their earnings, then you will see check averages, morale and the environment exceed your expectations.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Which Type of Twitter Account Should You Create?
Which Type of Twitter Account Should You Create?
Social Media February 17, 2010 By Lisa Barone
There’s nothing difficult about heading to Twitter and creating an account to represent your business. What is difficult is knowing what kind of account you want to create and the voice you’ll be using with it. That takes some thinking about. There are many different types of Twitter accounts that you can create. You need to decide what’s going to be most effective for you.
Do you want to be strongly corporate and spend most of your time talking about the business? Do you want to create a personal account where you downplay what you do and focus more on relationships? Do you want to go totally left field and tweet as a syrup bottle? Don’t laugh. People are doing it! The type of Twitter account you create will depend on your goals for using it and, to some degree, your comfort level sharing information with your audience.
Below are some of the most common account types SMB owners are using on Twitter, along with some examples of each. Which ones do you identify with?
The Totally Corporate Account
There’s a difference between being a business owner on Twitter and being a business on Twitter. When you take The Totally Corporate Account it means that you’ve decided to tweet as the company itself. There’s no employee or real personality publicly tied to the account in any way. The focus is on promoting business news, blog posts, deals and to offer customer service. It’s not on building genuine relationships with customers. Everything that is done is done from the perspective of The Company.
For example, @JetBlue uses its account to tweet about flight deals, @Starbucks talks about offers on coffee, and we all recently saw @SouthwestAir use its account to do some reputation management when they got themselves into trouble. All three accounts take a 100 percent corporate approach to talking to Twitter users. We don’t know the face(s) behind the account or have any deeper understanding of the company’s voice because of them. The account is just there to keep us up-to-date on news and handle customer service complaints as they come up.
The Corporate-led Persona Account
The Corporate-led Persona allows the business to tweet as a Corporation, but to also include a bit of personality and insight behind the person publicly running the account. Customers will be able to tie a face and a name to the account to help build a community around it. All of the tweets coming out will still be able the corporation, with the exception of a few spice of life tweets to add some flair and personality. However, it will still be very clear that the person tweeting is doing so on behalf of the company and that’s their reason for being there. It is in no way seen as a personal Twitter account.
For example, we know that @ComcastCares is Frank Eliason, @Zappos is Tony Hsieh, and @DunkinDonuts is the cheerful Dunkin Dave. They’re corporate accounts but they include branded personas working to build a community around what’s going on. When we tweet at Zappos, we know that we’re talking to Tony. It provides an outward face to the company.
The Strictly Personal Account
A personal Twitter account is one with no obvious tie to any business or corporation. The person is tweeting as themselves, for themselves. They tweet about what they’re doing and where they’re going; they tweet after hours and on the weekends. The account is there to build relationships and to gain information. We know the person works for someone but that “who” doesn’t play into their daily activity.
Lots of people choose to keep personal Twitter accounts. For example, my little brother is on Twitter. He’s a college student and has no business reason to do be there. For him, Twitter is just another social network that he can use to talk to his friends, comment on his classes or to share links about his favorite TV shows or Apple products. There’s no corporate slant there. Just him communicating with his network.
The Business/Personal Hybrid Account
A hybrid Twitter account is what I see most small business owners creating. It’s an account that mixes both the personal and professional. You can tweet about what’s going on in your industry, what blogs you’re reading and any struggles you’re facing as a person in your field. But then you use the same account to tweet about taking your kids to the movies and what you’re making for dinner. You mix both worlds, even if that means alienating some who’d rather not know about the other. However, you don’t dilute your efforts trying to grow multiple accounts.
This is the approach that I use with @lisabarone, as do many other business Twitterers. Under the Hybrid approach, we share links during the day and talk about work, and then go home to tweet about what’s on TV and what we’re doing with our families. It’s a relationship-heavy approach that mixes both the professional and the spice of life tweets.
The Character Account
Character-based accounts have the tweeter posting from the voice, perspective and insight of an object/animal/plant/whatever. Everything is done through that character and the tweeter never breaks that character. It may sound silly, but we’re actually seeing a lot more businesses take this approach as they look for a way to stand out and connect with customers. If you do it right, it’s often ingenious. If you don’t, well, you just look silly.
Some of examples of this in action? There are plenty. Aflac tweets as a the @aflackduck, the National History Museum tweets as a whale with its @nathistorywhale account, @mrsbutterworths tweets as a syrup bottle, and @ColonelTribune is the voice of the Chicago Tribune and a totally made up figure.
There’s no right way to use Twitter, just like there’s no wrong way. However, there is the right way for you and that’s what you need to determine. You may even decide to adopt multiple account types. The question to ask yourself is, what’s going to help you get your message across? Built your strategy.
About the Author
Lisa Barone is Co-Founder and Chief Branding Officer at Outspoken Media, Inc., an Internet marketing company that specializes in providing clients with online reputation management, social media services, and other Internet services.
Social Media February 17, 2010 By Lisa Barone
There’s nothing difficult about heading to Twitter and creating an account to represent your business. What is difficult is knowing what kind of account you want to create and the voice you’ll be using with it. That takes some thinking about. There are many different types of Twitter accounts that you can create. You need to decide what’s going to be most effective for you.
Do you want to be strongly corporate and spend most of your time talking about the business? Do you want to create a personal account where you downplay what you do and focus more on relationships? Do you want to go totally left field and tweet as a syrup bottle? Don’t laugh. People are doing it! The type of Twitter account you create will depend on your goals for using it and, to some degree, your comfort level sharing information with your audience.
Below are some of the most common account types SMB owners are using on Twitter, along with some examples of each. Which ones do you identify with?
The Totally Corporate Account
There’s a difference between being a business owner on Twitter and being a business on Twitter. When you take The Totally Corporate Account it means that you’ve decided to tweet as the company itself. There’s no employee or real personality publicly tied to the account in any way. The focus is on promoting business news, blog posts, deals and to offer customer service. It’s not on building genuine relationships with customers. Everything that is done is done from the perspective of The Company.
For example, @JetBlue uses its account to tweet about flight deals, @Starbucks talks about offers on coffee, and we all recently saw @SouthwestAir use its account to do some reputation management when they got themselves into trouble. All three accounts take a 100 percent corporate approach to talking to Twitter users. We don’t know the face(s) behind the account or have any deeper understanding of the company’s voice because of them. The account is just there to keep us up-to-date on news and handle customer service complaints as they come up.
The Corporate-led Persona Account
The Corporate-led Persona allows the business to tweet as a Corporation, but to also include a bit of personality and insight behind the person publicly running the account. Customers will be able to tie a face and a name to the account to help build a community around it. All of the tweets coming out will still be able the corporation, with the exception of a few spice of life tweets to add some flair and personality. However, it will still be very clear that the person tweeting is doing so on behalf of the company and that’s their reason for being there. It is in no way seen as a personal Twitter account.
For example, we know that @ComcastCares is Frank Eliason, @Zappos is Tony Hsieh, and @DunkinDonuts is the cheerful Dunkin Dave. They’re corporate accounts but they include branded personas working to build a community around what’s going on. When we tweet at Zappos, we know that we’re talking to Tony. It provides an outward face to the company.
The Strictly Personal Account
A personal Twitter account is one with no obvious tie to any business or corporation. The person is tweeting as themselves, for themselves. They tweet about what they’re doing and where they’re going; they tweet after hours and on the weekends. The account is there to build relationships and to gain information. We know the person works for someone but that “who” doesn’t play into their daily activity.
Lots of people choose to keep personal Twitter accounts. For example, my little brother is on Twitter. He’s a college student and has no business reason to do be there. For him, Twitter is just another social network that he can use to talk to his friends, comment on his classes or to share links about his favorite TV shows or Apple products. There’s no corporate slant there. Just him communicating with his network.
The Business/Personal Hybrid Account
A hybrid Twitter account is what I see most small business owners creating. It’s an account that mixes both the personal and professional. You can tweet about what’s going on in your industry, what blogs you’re reading and any struggles you’re facing as a person in your field. But then you use the same account to tweet about taking your kids to the movies and what you’re making for dinner. You mix both worlds, even if that means alienating some who’d rather not know about the other. However, you don’t dilute your efforts trying to grow multiple accounts.
This is the approach that I use with @lisabarone, as do many other business Twitterers. Under the Hybrid approach, we share links during the day and talk about work, and then go home to tweet about what’s on TV and what we’re doing with our families. It’s a relationship-heavy approach that mixes both the professional and the spice of life tweets.
The Character Account
Character-based accounts have the tweeter posting from the voice, perspective and insight of an object/animal/plant/whatever. Everything is done through that character and the tweeter never breaks that character. It may sound silly, but we’re actually seeing a lot more businesses take this approach as they look for a way to stand out and connect with customers. If you do it right, it’s often ingenious. If you don’t, well, you just look silly.
Some of examples of this in action? There are plenty. Aflac tweets as a the @aflackduck, the National History Museum tweets as a whale with its @nathistorywhale account, @mrsbutterworths tweets as a syrup bottle, and @ColonelTribune is the voice of the Chicago Tribune and a totally made up figure.
There’s no right way to use Twitter, just like there’s no wrong way. However, there is the right way for you and that’s what you need to determine. You may even decide to adopt multiple account types. The question to ask yourself is, what’s going to help you get your message across? Built your strategy.
About the Author
Lisa Barone is Co-Founder and Chief Branding Officer at Outspoken Media, Inc., an Internet marketing company that specializes in providing clients with online reputation management, social media services, and other Internet services.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Everything I Know I Learned in the Restaurant Business
I came across this list in my readings....don't know who wrote it, but I thought there were some nuggets of wisdom within the list, so I figured I would pass it along.
Everything I know I learned in the restaurant business
This, the second month of the new year, is a critical time of year to sharpen the saw, kick all the cylinders in and grab some traction, because if you're standing still, you're walking backwards. But don't get so busy that you overlook the lessons this great industry teaches every one of us each and every day. Here are 33 things I've learned, and hopefully they sound familiar to you, too.
1) All work is teamwork.
2) If you want to be bigger than everyone else, you'd better be better than everyone else, too.
3) Our business is run first for the enjoyment and pleasure of our customers, then for the convenience of the staff or owners.
4) The secret to winning is not to lose twice in a row.
5) The customer is not always right, but is always the customer, and it's all right for the customer to be wrong.
6) A pat on the back is just a few vertebrae up from a kick in the ass.
7) Challenge the process daily: Are we doing the right things, and are we doing the right things right?
8) Never practice on the customer. Training is your secret weapon.
9) Be tough on standards, easy on people. What you permit, you promote.
10) Be a blowtorch, not a candle. Leaders are never "energy-neutral." You're either giving people energy or draining it from them.
11) Customers will forgive mistakes in the kitchen more than mistakes in bad service.
12) The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
13) Over teach. Managers and employees both under learn and over forget.
14) Unoccupied time passes slower than occupied time. If you have time to lean, you have time to clean.
15) Employees are our first market. Never treat a customer better than you treat an employee.
16) You can have the best product in the world, but if you can't sell it, you still got it.
17) Good service means never having to ask for anything.
18) All behavior is the result of consequences: You get what you reward.
19) Never order Chicken on a Spit from a waiter who seems to get everything backwards.
20) Use the "Sullivan Nod": If servers smile and slowly nod their heads when suggesting a soda, beer, fries, appetizers or desserts, the customer almost always nods back and says, "Yes."
21) Of all the people who will never leave you, you're the only one.
22) If a customer tells you right off the bat to take good care of them because they're "big tippers," they're not.
23) The seafood is always fresh. Even in Wyoming.
24) Recruiting doesn't end when you hire someone. You recruit your employees daily. 25) It is more fun to eat in a bar than it is to drink in a restaurant.
26) If someone tells you it's the principle of the thing and not the money, it's the money.
27) In this business, you can always tell when it's a full moon without ever looking outside.
28) Tools left in the toolbox never built anything.
29) One definition of insanity is to keep doing the same things over and over again and expect different results.
30) Q: What if we train our people to sell and they leave? A: What if we don't and they stay?
31) Life is short: Don't sweat the petty things … or pet the sweaty things.
32) High performers hate working with low performers. Groom 'em or broom 'em.
33) The restaurant business is a free circus. All you have to do is pay attention.
Everything I know I learned in the restaurant business
This, the second month of the new year, is a critical time of year to sharpen the saw, kick all the cylinders in and grab some traction, because if you're standing still, you're walking backwards. But don't get so busy that you overlook the lessons this great industry teaches every one of us each and every day. Here are 33 things I've learned, and hopefully they sound familiar to you, too.
1) All work is teamwork.
2) If you want to be bigger than everyone else, you'd better be better than everyone else, too.
3) Our business is run first for the enjoyment and pleasure of our customers, then for the convenience of the staff or owners.
4) The secret to winning is not to lose twice in a row.
5) The customer is not always right, but is always the customer, and it's all right for the customer to be wrong.
6) A pat on the back is just a few vertebrae up from a kick in the ass.
7) Challenge the process daily: Are we doing the right things, and are we doing the right things right?
8) Never practice on the customer. Training is your secret weapon.
9) Be tough on standards, easy on people. What you permit, you promote.
10) Be a blowtorch, not a candle. Leaders are never "energy-neutral." You're either giving people energy or draining it from them.
11) Customers will forgive mistakes in the kitchen more than mistakes in bad service.
12) The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
13) Over teach. Managers and employees both under learn and over forget.
14) Unoccupied time passes slower than occupied time. If you have time to lean, you have time to clean.
15) Employees are our first market. Never treat a customer better than you treat an employee.
16) You can have the best product in the world, but if you can't sell it, you still got it.
17) Good service means never having to ask for anything.
18) All behavior is the result of consequences: You get what you reward.
19) Never order Chicken on a Spit from a waiter who seems to get everything backwards.
20) Use the "Sullivan Nod": If servers smile and slowly nod their heads when suggesting a soda, beer, fries, appetizers or desserts, the customer almost always nods back and says, "Yes."
21) Of all the people who will never leave you, you're the only one.
22) If a customer tells you right off the bat to take good care of them because they're "big tippers," they're not.
23) The seafood is always fresh. Even in Wyoming.
24) Recruiting doesn't end when you hire someone. You recruit your employees daily. 25) It is more fun to eat in a bar than it is to drink in a restaurant.
26) If someone tells you it's the principle of the thing and not the money, it's the money.
27) In this business, you can always tell when it's a full moon without ever looking outside.
28) Tools left in the toolbox never built anything.
29) One definition of insanity is to keep doing the same things over and over again and expect different results.
30) Q: What if we train our people to sell and they leave? A: What if we don't and they stay?
31) Life is short: Don't sweat the petty things … or pet the sweaty things.
32) High performers hate working with low performers. Groom 'em or broom 'em.
33) The restaurant business is a free circus. All you have to do is pay attention.
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