Everyday I am reminded of what a bad manager I was. Well, almost every day. Whenever I sit down to crank out another post on this blog, I sit here typing away (not very fast, I might add), basically retelling all of the mistakes I have made myself, but by using examples of my dining…
Category: Consultant
Training
I have written over and over again about the importance of training your staff. It is imperative if you want at least a fighting chance to succeed. This goes for every position in the restaurant. Are you the chef? Show your cooks how you expect the dish to look. Some chefs actually draw pictures for…
Nobody said, “Thank you”
Nobody said thank you? Really? What’s up with that? Time after time I sit in restaurants and observe the interactions between guests and employees. Most of the time I watch guests leave without any exchange with the staff at all. Say it The guest leaves without saying it to anyone (they should). The guest leaves…
Cell Phones
What to do…. This is a Pandora’s box that I don’t even want to open, but it is out there and needs to be dealt with. A friend of mine recently shared this link with me on Facebook, and I have to admit, I am at a loss on this one: We are a popular…
A Good Customer
Want to have a good time when you eat out? Start by trying to be a good customer. What is a good customer? If you were not raised by wolves, you should already know the answer to this. Please and thank you This is a great starting point. Saying please and thank you will most…
Represent
This happens so often: An employee receives a gift certificate to another restaurant from the boss for a job well done, or as a Christmas bonus, or a birthday present. They go out to the other place and have a good time. Too good of a time. Maybe they drank a bit too much. Maybe…
More Management Tips
My only goal with any of these posts is to make sure people have pleasant experiences when eating out. I like to think that anything I say can be applied to just about any establishment. Is the bartender busy? Jump back there and wash some glassware. Get them some more ice. See if those customers…
Make a Difference
Often when I go out, someone in my group will ask me why the service is not very good on any given night. In one second I know the answer: No management presence on the floor. It is true, while the cat is away, the mice will play. I have written before on the importance…
Vegan. Gluten.
If you work in the restaurant industry, or even if you do not, those words usually elicit some kind of response. If you do happen to work in the industry, that response is usually a negative one. However, I was out the other day with some friends, and one of my friends happens to be…
Where’s the Value?
It is important that you are sure you are bringing value to the table (bad pun) in your restaurant. That word value does not mean it has to be cheap, inexpensive food. It simply means that the customer is expecting something for the money they are spending. What is your value proposition? There are many…
Bring Your ‘A’ Game
I mentioned many months ago in a post titled ‘Work Ethic’ https://tabletalkpdx.com/2013/11/15/ how important it is to bring it every day to work. The sad reality is that customers are not going to care what is going on in your life. My dog died That is horrible. I know how awful it can be to…
Phone Etiquette
Even with all of our technology, the phone is still an important part of your restaurant. Make sure to properly train those answering the phone. Even if you use Open Table Maybe you are using an online reservation system. People are still going to call with questions. Or for a to-go order. Train those people…
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