Leadership is Emotional

I am a Restaurant Guy...

and in our business leadership is essential to becoming a successful operator.

I read recently in a book a sentence that made me think. The author said "Leadership is Emotional." down deep I probably knew this, but I have spent so much time reading books and attending seminars and observing great leaders trying to be better leader. In all the technical knowledge that I have acquired I some how forgot this basic piece of emotion.

Our associates and peers feed off the emotion that we as leaders emit daily. The associates look for a few different things in the chaos of restaurant daily life.

1. Trust--The associates must be able to trust in the Manager on Duty and the organization to provide them with "being there in the time of need." They will literally fight for the restaurant against all odds if they know you have their back. Trust is the fuel that can carry the restaurant to higher sales and greater profitability. Without trust the associates revert to protection. This means that they cannot push the business because they think it will break.

2. Caring--Restaurant associates are some of the most giving, sacrificial people. They are generally big hearted and want to aid and assist any one in need. From their leaders they need to feel listened to and cared about. This type of emotional attachment has led to several miss placed relationship issues in our business for years and is not the appropriate way to care for associates. The part that is needed is to genuinely Care. Most times we cannot fix issues in the associates lives, but being a safe confidant or even good advise giver can gain connections and bonds with associates that will serve you for a long time.

3. Being a part of something bigger-- Most people react to the team dynamic and support global goals and standards of excellence. Leadership's job is to lead emotionally with Vision and Celebration of Achievements. The failure of several operators is to minimize the effect of the associates on the business. The truth is we get to be a part of something bigger because they achieve great results for us. Outline the picture and let them color it in.

Achieving an emotional connection will result in a more successful and profitable operation. We cannot let up on high standards and it is not about being friends. It is about knowing your associates and giving them the tools to run the operation. I have learned that Accountants and Servers do not look for or expect the same things out of their jobs, bosses, or lives. So please do not forget the emotional component of leadership in the Restaurant Industry.

The Holiday Season

I'm a Restaurant Guy...

and it is The Holiday Season. This presents several challenges for Restaurant Operators.

1. Family and Friends usually have events during days that we need to work. Working while everyone else is off is our job description. Restaurants always fill up on holidays and weekends. Family pressures can rise but work with your team to meet important family events. It is all about scheduling.

2. Employees have time off needs too. Staffing is critical during busy times and there are never enough employees to go around with endless parties and children's holiday shows. Employees, during this time of year, have a tendency to flake out on shifts or just choose to be absent. I would like to encourage you to remain firm on absentee policies. When we allow some employees to get away with not being there in our time of need, it is the most unfair to those who do come to work.

3. Customers are not jolly in December. I know it 'tis the season to be jolly, but our guests do not always have that opinion. There are several special parties and meetings that will take place in your restaurants with high expectations. Customer satisfaction surveys usually take a dive during December due to customer perception of service. To put it clearly, You must give better service in this month than usual. Being in the Christmas spirit in the Restaurant should equate to attention to detail in the entire dining experience. To some people the holidays are just not jolly and several are depressed and in a pretty crappy mood. It is our Job to step up our game and rally the troops to deliver excellence and ensure that Every Guest Leaves Jolly!

I would like to wish you all a very Happy Holidays!!!

Jesus remains my reason for the season!

Happy New Year

I'm a Restaurant Guy....

and I'm already thinking about 2011. You may think I am a little premature in celebrating the new year with all of the Christmas season still in front of me and Thanksgiving was just last week right? Well the truth is that next years plans are being finalized as we speak in most of our organizations.

As in store operators sometimes (especially during busy seasons) we tend to deal with our business day by day or even from a reactionary standpoint. This is a luxury that should not ever be afforded in this business. Even as the customers continue to pile through the door we must think future at all times! For Upper level managers (CEO's, Directors of Operation) they must plan for the upcoming year before it ever gets here.. Yes, that is right they have planned your sales trends, marketing strategies, and budgets already for 2011.

As a General Manger or Store Manager we cannot afford to think less than 90 days out. We should always be preparing for the upcoming quarter. What are we going to invest our budget into? How much sales does it take to make our budget? What was budgetary short fall and how can we recoup that for Company in the next quarter? This also means in Q4 we HAVE to think about Q1 of 2011.

So, Let's look at current trends.
The past 2 years have been a horrible time for Our Industry and America.
The food Service Industry actually began to show positive numbers in Q3 of 2010
The companies we work for will do major reinvesting in 2011
They will not finance growth but pay from bottom lines
We will invest in maintenance and construction.
Some people will have even received merit increases.
People are still eating out versus cooking at home.

Looking at these trends we can expect that:
 1) There will be no negative sales projections in the industry at all.
 2) Minimum of 5% (as high as 12%) sales growth expectation for every restaurant in America.
 3) There will be a minimum of 2% expectation of controllable profit industry wide.
 4) There will be about a 3% re-investment into the operation.
 5) There will be less Discount offers or new programs to drive traffic.

As operators we have to be looking at these numbers and expectations and planning now for a way to make this happen. (For those of you who are challenged a bit by this, please read "The Impossible Scenario" posting) We must take this time and evaluate our Business and prepare for the upcoming year. My brother was a boy scout so the motto "Be Prepared" was used often around our house. I didn't have to be a Boy Scout to take advantage of the saying and apply it to my business.

Plan your work and work your plan! Do not plan for negative results or you will have a self-fulfilling prophecy. Plan a Super 2011 and deliver the results needed. If you start thinking and planning now you can Make it happen.

Happy New Year!!! (just a little early)

On Vacation

I'm a restaurant guy...

and I'm on vacation. It is vitally important that operators take time away from their restaurant for a vacation at least twice a year. The ownership level needed to properly operate in this business usually requires sacrifice by family and friends as well as yourself. So, I support a twice a year break for a week for a few reasons.

1. Your Family needs you and you need them. Kiss your spouse, love your kids and go somewhere that is not your house. Get out of your element and do not look back. You should stay in your means but I do not recommend a stay-cation. Go to your in laws, great aunts, etc, for cheap or go big if you have it . Just get away. Don't go away mad, just go away.

2. When the cat is away the mice will play. I do not believe that I have ever been on vacation and at least one person in my restaurant has not lost their job. Sometimes we are the glue that holds things together and not being there can show weaknesses in the fabric of the team. This is a very fast way to test competency and intentions of several others in your restaurant. I always come back knowing a little more about the establishment and with open eyes.

3.The stars in your store can shine brighter when the Sun is not shining.Your absence will allow those up and comers an opportunity to show others what they bring to the table. Those who step up in your absence can really take your restaurant to new levels. You will be surprised for sure and new staff leaders will truly make a difference when you return. Seek them out and train them your way of doing things.

It is totally impossible in this day and age of communication to completely disconnect. I want to urge you to not react and understand that everything can truly wait until you return. Make a single contact to speak directly to if necessary. This requires you naming a leader before you leave. Wyatt Earp said "There is nothing worse than a leaderless mob." He was right then and now.

Finally, Enjoy your vacation and try not to control it. Be a follower for once. It is a new view and will change your life. Have Fun and come back refreshed.

Tipping is not a city in China!!

I'm a restaurant guy.

When I was growing up my mother was a waitress and somehow was able to provide for our family on the generosity of customers and their tips. I do not think I understood the full impact of tipping and server salary until I entered into management. That was probably when I realized that the highest wage my Mother had been paid was at an all time high of $2.13.

As my wife is now a Server (20 yrs later) and makes that same hourly rate, I will tell you that serving in a Restaurant is still a way of making money and a good job. I am by no means promoting that minimum be raised as in my opinion the customer will then pay twice for service as is evident in California where all prices of menu items are about 50% higher than in my state that does not require we pay servers $7.25. And they still want a tip, too. This type of government action only weakens an already struggling full service restaurant industry.

We are a Cash Industry. If you have ever had a job that paid cash in the form of tips then you can understand how addictive that is to people. Feeling cash everyday in your hand and getting instant feedback in the form of money on how well you do your job can be very gratifying. The people who are servers and salespeople enjoy this type of interaction. Cash is King.

It's like gambling in Vegas. Getting a big tip is like winning the lottery, it is awesome. Getting stiffed on a large tab feels like you let it all ride on black and red hit. It sucks.

Money is typically perverted in a servers mind because more is coming the next day or shift. Servers come to me everyday and talk to me about a high bill that did not tip well. They usually feeling that it is unfair and are really feeling dejected by the customer. They feel the customer should tip them more or that I should do something about it as an operator. I usually tell them to come to me next time someone leaves them a $20.00 tip on a $50.00 tab and tell me about how unfair it is. They usually don't come to me with that.

For Servers, Tipping is a game of averages. You have to take the highs with the lows. I recommend keeping a journal of how much money you make daily and reminding yourself of your jobs actual worth on occasion. There will always be a better section or better place to make money, but I will tell you the customers pay your bills and treat them right, let them rely on you and they will never fail you.

The thinking that a section with more tables will make more money is not the long term answer. It is impossible to provide WOW! service in a full service restaurant on more than 4 tables when busy. You will miss something if not several somethings. We have to think about future of the restaurant so we can make money next year too. We cannot run them off with mediocre service today.

For Operators, set yourself a goal of making all of your servers at least $450-$600 a week. When you schedule do not be swayed by the mumblings and grumblings of those unsatisfactory servers who are struggling; but provide ALL with opportunity to supply for their families. Trust me, there are servers who are great at budgeting their money and those who aren't. We cannot schedule for those who aren't.

The main issue with being a cash industry, is that most cash greedy people do not understand managing money. They struggle daily and especially in times of crisis. Do not block someone from picking up shifts to cover their rent but provide for them a solid structure and schedule to avoid problem in future.

For Customers, Please tip your server!! The restaurant industry will not raise their wage unless made to. This is not because we are cruel, just it would strain labor budgets and we would have to raise prices. Some of these servers tip out bussers or hosts as well and that is based on percentages of their sales. So if your bill is high, think about that when tipping.

So as you can see There is a lot that goes into and out of that tip left on the table. We need to respect it from all angles. Restaurants are a numbers game. The more customers you have the more successful you are. If we are engaged in retaining our customers and growing new ones, Tips and Profits take care of themselves.

The Impossible Scenario

I'm a Restaurant Guy.

I remember a call I received from a manager one time asking me how he was gonna juggle an unethical requests from his boss and the duty to the profitability line. He had been asked to call and lie to the truck delivery company and say that he was missing product from an unattended food drop because their food cost needed help and if he didn't get food cost in line then that could mean his job. He was really torn and sought out advice.

Today we will talk about the advice.

But first let's name it...
THE IMPOSSIBLE SCENARIO

A Great manager is a master at the impossible scenario. This example is extreme and has a very simple answer but this was not the only time this manager ran into this dilema and frankly we deal with this about 30 times a month as we daily do the 'right thing' for our restaurants.

Some critical requests that make up our job description:

Boss: "You need to hire more staff" versus "Your Labor is way too high, get it down!"

Boss: "You have to have a impactful table visit with every guest" versus "You must be on line and make sure every plate is quality standard."

Boss: "Never run out of plates or glasses." versus "You can't spend anymore money for the rest of the month."

These are just a few examples. Impossible scenarios are what we all about. How can I be on line and out front? How can I train a proper staff on such a low labor budget? Often managers just give up and resign to the fact that you can't make everyone happy and chose a path. This type of reaction to the impossible scenario will not bring you success.

I am saying "YES, you must find a way to do it all. that is what we are paid to do."

We  have to rise to the challenge and seek out a way to make most of it happen. We cannot pick one thing and drop another. That is not how this industry works. The only way to combat this is with systems and guidelines. You must implement your standard (a very high one) into the minds and hearts of all associates and do NOT give up on your standard no matter what scenario you are presented with.

You get out of your associates what you expect from them. If you expect them to plate that food right every time then they will do it even if you only check in with them every 15 minutes. Never let down on high standards in front or back of house and this will become their culture.

Sometimes you need to show improvement not complete fixes. Getting better servers is more than a one week or even a one month process. There are just not enough qualified people to fill the slots as fast as needed sometimes. You also cannot effectively train more than two associates in a week in a working restaurant. It just can't happen. So don't make double work; make a plan. In that plan include training dollars and communicate that to your boss. You can't give up! You have to move forward all the time.

Profitability is probably the most advanced scenario. Balancing restaurant operation and a Profit and Loss Statement is a challenge sometimes. I suggest you be prepared. You have a budget monthly for small wares and maintenance. You should not use these budgets only as crisis's arise but proactively put some dishes in your shed or fix those booths two at a time before they all get ratty and you have to kill you budget by getting them all done at once. Problems arise in a restaurant, that is what happens. Be prepared. Make lists of needed items and judiciously spend according to need.

Again, This is about actions you can take to remedy the impossible scenario. This is not about Prioritizing and Making Choices. This is about finding a way to do it all. Think about what is being asked of you, Plan for success, and Do it. Think, Plan, Do. Even when it looks impossible.

Ethical decisions such as the initial scenario I wrote about are actually easier than controlling your Profit & Loss Statement. The only guideline I will give you is: You CANNOT break the law. Health Codes are law, Company Standards are law, Code of Conduct are law, 10 Commandments are law. I have been asked on occasion to lie or misrepresent or let something go. I always throw it up against the wall of 'what is he gonna tell his boss?' That is what I asked this manager on that particular day. "Do you think he is gonna call his Area Manager and tell him you refused to lie to the Truck company, so he's gonna write you up? How do you think that termination hearing goes? Get your food cost in line by management not cheating."

Being a master of the Impossible Scenario will show improvement in Decision making to all those who follow you and gain their trust. Even Bosses, Peers and Associates.

Use your Restaurant Skill Everywhere!!!

I'm a Restaurant Guy.

At times, that means I spend more time at work than I do at home. As young managers and operators the emphasis on being available for the store is huge. This emphasis is a large part of what we do. We have a duty to our Restaurants and that duty can call at any hour. I personally have noticed that the water heater has never went out on my shift. It only goes out on my day off and usually when I have something else to do. But Duty Calls, so I go.

The truth is that this sense of duty is just part of the balance that is needed to be successful in this industry. Success breads from a foundation of Faith and Family first. I would like to challenge you to look at those that you view as successful in your industry and see where their priorities lie. The challenges of life almost always bring children, spouses and such. To keep these things together will require Faith and a strong bond of Family. You will find they will be needed for your Restaurant Success as well.

So...How to you break in to those other areas? May I suggest that you take your aptitude for sociability, love of food, and ability to control chaos and project yourself into areas that your family is most interested.

My ability to cook in a Kitchen has worked great for me in many church or school function. If you ever want to see people stare at you with amazement then act on your restaurant ability in a church kitchen. they will stare at you like you are Celebrity Chef while you simply chop an onion. It feels pretty cool. :)

My ability to inventory and order as well as operate a cash register serves me well in many arenas of my daughter's cheerleader fundraisers. The long days operating a concession stand at the NFL Football Stadium, NASCAR Race Track etc... are much easier on a person who is used to being on their feet for long hours slinging Beer and Nachos.

My ability to lead different groups of people of all ages and sizes has served me on weekend camping trips and mini mission trips with groups from church and school with my children. Again, watch that PTA parent look at you like the pied piper as you corral that group of elementary kids like a professional teacher.

Leadership cannot be denied in any arena. I have sat on Church Boards and Social Commitees and been a contributor into the building of buildings and held titles of all kinds for yearly terms. I have been a substitute Sunday School Teacher and also sat on planning committees.

The Demands on this job are many, but seeking out an opportunity to give back will help establish your balance and establish you as someone above the fray professionally. You should not act on an impulse or not be real about what you can and cannot do. Do not make a committment you cannot fulfill, but make sure to take a weekend and go camping with your children's boy scout group every now and then. (Offer to cook breakfast, It will be fun)

Balance can be your ticket to that next level of success in a restaurant career. Use your Restaurant Skill in more places than just in your restaurant and I Promise it will serve you well.

Consistency is key to Success in a Restaurant

I am a Restaurant Guy.

Over the years, I have worked directly with at least 200 managers. Of these managers, some were my superiors and some just associates. In store Staffs, Opening Teams, Focus Groups, you name it. The thing I had to learn quickly was that while Restaurant Guy or Gal is type in itself, they come in all shapes and sizes, genders, nationalities, and with several different personalities (some with more than one).

Those who fail at the Restaurant Profession will usually blame schedule, job demands and such. But today, I will contend that the reason for failure is a lack of consistency in actions.

Actions speak louder than words. Statistics say that over 60% of what you say is with your body language and not out of your mouth. Have you ever stood across the room watching an interaction with people that you don't know and reacted emotionally to it. You can't hear them, but you sure do not like the way that man is talking to that woman. Your servers, bartenders, cooks do the same to you. Managers say that they want to improve costs but do not ever do a check audit or even comment on large portions rolling out of the kitchen. When that happens you are really telling them you do not care about costs at all.

Restaurant people are in the service industry, and if they are any good it is because they are intuitive. Good Service is when they see and feel a customer's need without ever being told. They are watching you, too!

I once had a manager at another location complaining to me about their GM. "My GM is always yelling at the cooks. I worry that the cooks are all gonna walk out."  This mangers heart was in the right place. He cared about his people deeply and did not want them mistreated. However, before I passed judgement and joined in the GM Bashing that he wanted I asked a few questions.

So your GM only talks to the cooks that way?  "Well, no, he/she can be abrasive sometimes to everyone.

How long have your cooks been there? Most of them have been here for years. One has been there like 8 months.

How long has this been going on? It has been that way since before I got there.

The thing that stuck out to me most was that this condition; that was keeping him up at night, did not seem to bother anyone but him. These cooks weren't leaving. Where was the outrage? Why hadn't they started to boycott?

I have learned that Restaurant workers are used to working with all different types of people  and really do not seek other employment until one of three things happen.
1. The job cannot pay their bills. 2. There job is not fun to them. 3. They are asked to leave.

What these intuitive people need to know is who the manager is? Do you find it odd that no matter how consistent and successful a management team and unit is, someone will still call and ask "Which manager is closing tonight?" They want to be prepared to please the manager on duty. That is what they do. They are intuitive so they can meet needs. Even the managers needs.

It is okay to have eccentricities about you and be a restaurant manager. Some are great bean-counters, some are a-holes, Some are strict disciplinarians. (Put that cell phone, away!) Your staff is super adaptable and are adults. If they do not like your actions, they will seek other employment. The great thing about this is that there are several employees looking for a place that has a guy or gal like you.

Restaurant managers get in trouble by being inconsistent. They may handle the same situation differently on two separate occasions. They may seem calm and cool when slow but freak out when busy. They may seem in a good mood only one day out of three. When we show inconsistency the employees feel they can't please us and give up like most do when facing an impossible guest requests.

These managers are easily identified by employee feedback. You won't even have to seek it out. If someone walks out on a shift, then look deeper. It really doesn't matter what rules you want to enforce in a restaurant just enforce them everyday. Remember you hired and trained intuitive people now show them consistency and they will fight for you in the trenches.

How to Best Complete your Apple Texas Perfromance evaluation

I am a restaurant guy.

Filling out performance evaluations is not what I was born and raised to do. Paperwork at times seems contradictory to my calling of excellent shift runner. So here is what I have learned over the years about this particular performance evaluation process. Maybe it will help you too.


Please fill out all blanks on evaluation form.
***Spell your name correctly***
***Spell your Bosses name correctly***

Rating Scale:

EP-      Exceptional Performance

OE-     Occasionally Exceeds Expectations

ME-    Meets Expectations

OM-    Occasionally Misses Expectations

UP-      Unacceptable Performance

The Rating Scale must be understood or you will misrepresent yourself on categories. So we will go through them one by one.

The Standard

ME- Meets Expectations. This means you do your job. If your Job is to run the Kitchen and your food cost is good, that is your job. Even if everyone in your districts Food Cost is a point off of yours then it is still your job to run good food cost. If you rolled out a new menu on time then that is your job. Meets Expectation is the definition of doing your job well.

The Positives

OE- Occasionally Exceeds Expectations. This can describe your performance in certain circumstances but is more of "not only do you do your job but you teach and train others to do your job." If you impart your knowledge into the lives of other managers either direct reports or equals then you show growth and development. If your write one hell of a FOH Schedule but never teach it to someone else it will not be OE it will only be ME. Conversely, if you try to teach everyone your method but your schedule never has enough people on it or you just aren't very good at retaining associates it will not be OE and may not be ME. You will need success and teaching to get this qualification.

EP-Exceptional Performance. This is very hard to achieve. This describes a performance that is recognized by people outside of your store. Think of this as "someone calls YOU for information about this area or help in this area" If you create the line check for Apple Texas that could be considered EP. If you are a part of Company Food Roll out meetings that could be considered EP. If your home store achieves results in your area and you spread your knowledge in a global manner than consider it EP. If not do not use this category.

The Negatives

OM-Occasionally Misses Expectation. In a restaurant we all have our responsibilities and duties that are specific to our position or have been given to us in a responsibility list by our Upper Management. If you do not do these responsibilities 100% of the time than you Occasionally Miss. For Example, If your are a BOH manager and you passed the Food Safety part of your AOA but have failed a health inspection than that would be OM. If you are a FOH and you are responsible for FOH schedule and you fail to have it up before Friday every other week that could be OM. If you only write in manager log every 5th day than you could get an OM in Communication.

UP- Unacceptable Performance. This is probably used with about the same frequency as EP. If your performance is at this level than this will be no surprise to you on evaluation day. If you are on an action plan I would expect nothing more in your area of offense than a UP. If you have been demoted or moved because of an infraction than a UP is probably in order. For example, you have had a few calls about you to the SPEAK UP line than you may receive a UP in Building Teamwork & Employee Connection.


The Performance Portion has already been figured based on the results of your restaurants performance from January through September. An excel spread sheet has all information needed to complete the 1st portion of Evaluation. Please remember that Sales and Controllable Income are compared to budget not comp sales/profit numbers. Also NPS through September for Apple Texas is 61.0%

I will go through some individual competencies to give examples of how to approach each of them.

Individual Competencies

Planning, Organizing & Results Orientated: This is the most missed competency among Restaurant Mangers in general but specifically has been for the past few years in Apple Texas. Read Description carefully and ask yourself how you are at setting goals and action plans to achieve goals. Then ask yourself how many of those goals were actually achieved. Rate yourself accordingly.

Self Management: Can you come to work on time? Do you dress appropriately? Does your boss have to stay on top of you to get you to be productive? Can you mange yourself?

Decision Making/Problem Solving: Do you spend in accordance with your stores budget only? Do you seek the knowledge before making decisions? Do you make hasty decisions in heated moments? Do you get GSR's on your shift for manager ineffectiveness?


Communication: Manager Log? PowerShifts? Are you a positive communicator in Busy times? Do you treat Superiors and Associates with mutual respect? Do you have frequent miscommunication with vendors or guests?

This example section should help give you a guideline of how to attack each section.

I recommend that you write something to back up each Rating with at least a full sentence in box provided. Please write something in every box.

After Rating each competency place at least 2 (no more than 3) of your highest rated Competencies into the Strengths box directly under the Performance Matrix Boxes. Then take at least the 2 (no more than 3) lowest rated and place them in the box for Opportunities.

Then the last box left is the Overall Performance Box.
This is often an interesting read. I recommend that you treat this box as your voice and final summation. In a professional manner express how your year has been as if you were speaking directly to the Director of Operations of Apple Texas. Because you are. Again, please be professional.

I hope this helps you complete your employee portion of the Apple Texas Performance Evaluation. Self Reflection is not usually the strength of most people. Please relate your rating to performance numbers and or specific accomplishments whenever possible. Numbers and specific actions are easier to rate and be congruent with your evaluator as well.

I again caution against using this opportunity as a sounding board to express frustration or dissatisfaction.

Have a fun time and remember to get these back to your GM by the 28th. I recommend sending them to his home email box, not the work one.

Have a great eval process!!

There are about 4 things you really must be good at in a Restaurant

I'm a restaurant guy.

When I go to restaurants I am a constant observer. My eyes flow from baseboards to ceiling. I observe people and attitudes. I am probably a little critical of my server. I love good food and usually try something new to me. I definitely look for a manager. A ship is defined by her captain. I also enjoy the phenomenon of Restaurant TV.

When I was younger these were not available. I would have watched them the way I watched Saturday Morning Cartoons. My personal Favorite is Kitchen Nightmares by Gordan Ramsey. If you have not watched any yet I suggest you go to Hulu.com and waste an afternoon on completely engrossing television.

The thing about Gordan is that there are only about 4 things you have to be good at to run a successful restaurant and Gordan is a master of them all.

People- Restaurants are defined by the people who operate them. The attitudes and emotions of every employee or manager can effect any shift on any day. As Leaders, we must quickly identify cancers in our collective bodies and eradicate or change them quickly. It does not take a lot to re-ignite the passion of the people who will ultimately help your business. Fit is incredibly important in a restaurant. You cannot fit square pegs in round holes no matter what you do. With 100% turnover we rarely have the time to complete an attitude change on a square peg. First infuse Passion into the workplace. Make the calls quickly and move on. You will save yourself a lot of trouble.

Facilities- Daily inspect every inch of your business. From front door to bathroom to chef line. When you find something wrong make a plan to get it fixed. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Several customers never return due to the cleanliness of you restrooms or table tops. Keep equipment working and replace broken equipment. Putting your employees in positions where they must work around a POS computer or even cook all the food in one fryer is contradictory to what the job of Restaurant Operator is. We should strive to be a resource provider to our team. If they need more bar glasses buy them, if the walk-in is down fix it. If you can deliver for them they will deliver for you. Set them up for success and make it easy to be busy.


Food- Great food is imperative. We are a restaurant, therefore we offer food. They offer Service at Best Buy but do not call themselves a restaurant. If you cannot deliver a quality food product you will not be in business very long. Continue to evaluate  your menu and make sure it is relevant to your community. Food Safety is the highest priority we have. You cannot disrespect food temperature guidelines and cleanliness standards of food storage areas and be successful. An outbreak would kill your establishment. In the computer era most of your health department inspection reports can be accessed with the click of a mouse.  Restaurant means we have to be known for Food.


Marketing- Defining what your restaurant is about and being able to sell it to the community is highly important. Customers must pass other Restaurants to get to yours. So, You have to have a plan to reach people. Whether you are part of a big company with a large TV marketing budget or have no potential to even be on any media, you have to reach your surrounding community and get them to come to your door.Once you have them there, you must Wow them with your internal marketers of hosts, servers, busboy, and managers. Aggressive 4-wall marketing can increase your traffic through word of mouth. Grass Roots efforts involving local schools and chambers can result in good exposure. I would caution that you should be confident in your 4-wall marketing plan before you get too aggressive in community advertising. Bottom Line is that if you and your customers are not selling your business than it will ultimately fail.


You probably noted that I said "about" 4 things that you must be good at. that is because there is more and each of the four I presented are multi-faceted. You must continually take the pulse of the business and be sure you are moving ahead into a future. Quality, Service and Cleanliness never die. Please make sure you serve great food in your restaurant today.

Too many numbskulls do my job!!

I am a restaurant guy.

I come from Restaurant people.

My earliest memories contain waiting for my Mother to get off of her 7-3 shift at Denny's. I remember sitting in a booth contemplating eating mixed berry jelly packets. I also remember visiting my Father at the Straw Hat Pizzeria that he managed. My brother and sister and I rode the penny mechanical horse and watched Heckel and Jeckel movies while he took care of patrons. 

My Grandparents owned and operated several restaurants where my grandmothers Home Made pies and my Grandpa Jim's chicken fried steak were the best there was to offer. However, they made their money selling burgers at lunch. My other Grandfather worked his way from busboy to Chef at a high class Dallas restaurant and brought fine dining alive in our home kitchen.

If there is a restaurant DNA I come by it naturally. It wasn't my first career choice, however. As a matter of fact in the beginning I actually fought the notion. The main reason was (although we ate well) we never really were exactly rich. My grandparents restaurants would fail, my mother while raising 8 children being a waitress did all she could but it was what it was.

When I finally entered into the Restaurant Industry as management which I took to like a duck in water. Success came quickly. My restaurant aptitude and savvy propelled me up the ranks quickly and  I rose swiftly in position and money. In the early 90's restaurant managers were seen in a new light and pay scales rose by from $14,000 to $26,000 for entry level positions. It was a good time.

Many of the good managers I work with or speak to look across the employment aisle and wonder how people who do the same Job or less than them in other companies or fields make more money, sometimes even double what they get paid. The draw is then to seek out these other management positions. Running a large office or being a project manager cannot be more difficult than what a restaurant managers daily tasks are, right? This is where we have to make a simple admission about our business.

"Too many Numbskulls do my job!!!!"

Somewhere in America there is a 19 year old kid running a Pizza Shack that is owned by a single owner and has 6 employees and He holds the title of General Manager. When he puts together a resume and goes on interviews in a couple of years he is going to talk to all of your future employers and dilute the effectiveness of the title and position of restaurant General Manager.

Let's face it, the reason the good ones rise quickly in your company is because of the vast amount bad ones. You know them...the guy that should have been fired years ago, but instead was moved into a position of minimal authority. The girl who has worked in 4 stores in the past year trying to find where she fits. The dynamic of Restaurants allows one strong person to work with several weak or average people and be successful.

With this admission, we have to use this to our advantage and no longer count it as a negative about our career. The things we can do is continue to perform at an accelerated rate, grow into leaders not just shift runners. We should  take pride in the development and training of the newest promote from within, or new manager to your unit. I can assure the next level at your job can be more attainable and profitable in your present company if you can manage managers and not just employees.

I'm a Restaurant Guy

In the many years of Restaurant Operation, I have taken the greatest satisfaction in growing an developing Managers and employees.
      
I call myself a Restaurant Guy because I believe that just as in any field or expertise there are people who have the make up to be successful and those who do not. For example, my limited knowledge of Chemistry will undoubtedly be linked to food operation. I know that NaCl is table salt. I also know, Pectin in hot water will spread out and disperse among liquid but when cooled will re-bond making Jello. I cannot think molecularly about the world. I am just not that interested in the periodic table or other aspects of the science. Several people love it and God bless them for it. I am sure I benefit from their knowledge daily, unknowingly.

The same applies to the Restaurant/Hospitality industry. What it actually takes to make a dining experience happen flawlessly would surprise the average diner. I however, spend my days and nights trying to pin down a way to make it better. I work tirelessly with a staff of people to hire, train and develop the right cook and server, host, etc... to pull it off. I work on their craft every day with these individuals in a competitive market of other restaurants, other employers, education, continuing education, family emergencies and such. These distractions of pure focus call to these associates daily and result in an industry average of 100% turnover or worse! I personally cannot imagine it is more difficult to chemically make a diamond.

The true test is passion. If you are passionate about restaurants, you are at the right place.

The first question you must answer in order to be a successful Restaurant Operator is:

 Is restaurant operations what you desire to do?

 I speak with managers daily who are involved in internal struggles of whether they made the right career choice when they chose Restaurants. If that is your question then I will advise you to leave. I can mentor and advise a person to success but I cannot create the will to come to work everyday.

This question cannot be asked and answered in minutes in my experience with all those I have mentored.

This blog will serve as my input and opinion into the Restaurant Industry and Leadership. If you come back we can truly begin the conversation.