I am not talking about retail clothes stores. There is this space between what owners and managers want, and what they get out of their staff. Let’s call it ‘the gap’. You want to make sure that the gap in your restaurant is as small as possible. How? There is only one way to do…
Category: Labor
Do the Math
I have mentioned before in this blog, as well as to my consulting clients, and to my students, that it is all just one big–not too big–math problem. I recently wrote a post about cost structures and how every place is different when it comes to finding their profit. https://tabletalkpdx.com/2015/10/23 This is just another way…
Every Place is Different
Cost structures. Not exactly the sexiest of topics. But understanding what they mean, especially to you the chef/owner, is important. Every establishment is different. I don’t mean that this place serves Italian food, this place serves Mexican food, this place serves Thai food, etc., of course those places are different. That is more like what we talk about…
Take Pride in Your Work
Not the kind of pride that is one of the 7 deadly sins. I’m talking about the opposite. The kind of pride that only you can feel. The kind of pride that only you know about. There is no need to share it with others. The simple joy that is obtained from the knowledge that…
Step it Up
That’s right, I am talking to you Mr. Owner. Mr. Manager. You want to have a successful place? You want a lot of customers coming in and spending a lot of money? You want employees who are doing good work and enjoying it, leading to more customers coming in? You want your staff to do…
I Love This Place!
I met a coworker for a drink the other night at a place that he likes to ‘frequent’ and I have been to from time to time. It is in a less developed part of Portland (hard to find these days), a bit off of the beaten track–at least for me–but still quite charming. What…
Thank the Kitchen (Again)
When I first started writing this blog–a year and a half ago–I posted an early one about thanking the kitchen. Showing appreciation for those men and women who worked a long day, in a hot, cramped kitchen, who prepared your wonderful meal, just so you could sit and enjoy it while you visited with your family,…
No One Answers the Phone Anymore
Whenever I have a question or a concern regarding my children, I give them a call. Of course, they never answer (they probably know it is me), but I still make the call anyway. I know there is no point in leaving a message–no one under the age of 25 listens to voicemails–but I do bother…
Front vs. Back Remix
This is definitely a subject worth revisiting. It never goes away. Now I have always been a guy who tries to get along with everyone, so I never really fully understood it. I mean I understand why it happens to a certain degree, but I don’t, and won’t, tolerate it. I do understand where it…
The Restaurant Game
When I was much younger, my mom got a couple of hostess gigs at some upscale restaurants. Yeah, it’s her fault. She ended up marrying the owner of one of these places, and sometime during that period she invented a game about restaurants. To win this game, you had to make your way around the…
Who’s the Boss?
Actually, this post should be called, “Where’s the boss?” It’s sad, but too often restaurant employees are left to fend for themselves. That is not how to run a successful restaurant. Or any business for that matter. We probably have all had this happen in our working experience: The owner comes around once a week. Not…
Think of Everything
I have had more than a handful of consulting clients who have done very well for themselves outside of the hospitality industry, and for whatever reason, probably something related to the existence of the Food Network, they think it would be a good idea to own a restaurant. An old saying There is an old…
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