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.