"I knew you were coming, So I baked a cake"

I'm a restaurant guy...

And I have been subject to several visits from supervisors, owners, dignitaries, etc... in my time. Some have been announced and others are not.

Today we will talk about the the two types of visits and expectations of both.

The Announced Visit:

This type of visit can be on your Supervisors schedule, Planned compliance inspections, Announced visits by higher ups in town with at least 2 days notice. These visits should be regular and treated with great attention to detail. I always think of a 1950's song every time I have an announced visit. It is titled "If I knew you were coming I'd 've baked a cake". If you are not familiar with the song then follow youtube link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=honSSKeXME8

We should in fact almost "roll out the red carpet" when these types of visits come. Some tips for getting ready:

• Clean ALL sides of ALL Surfaces
• Front Porch/Front Entries Detailed
• Thresholds
• Door Jambs
• Door Handles
• Host Stand
• Clean it, even if it is on tomorrow's cleaning list
• All products properly labeled and stored
• 100% of procedures followed
• Best employees in place
• Pictures, Artifacts, High Dusting
• Gum under tables, Table legs
• Uniform- actually means everyone wears the same thing. Back of house too!
• Bathrooms smell good and clean
• Everyone's hair in place, all shoes polished :)

This list is not all inclusive but you get the drift. Leave no stone unturned.

The announced visit comes with higher expectation. It actually should not be business as usual. The visitor/inspector can gather where you stand on cleanliness and operational standards when you take the time to showcase it on their visit. They can then know where to push the operation and expand your knowledge. This is just not a 'Dog and Pony' show but a way to communicate your standard and knowledge to your boss. This is an opportunity for your staff to be at their best with full support. If you can't do it when you know they coming then...what standard are you communicating?

The Unannounced Visit:

This type of visit is when they just stop by, maybe to do an interview or for a meeting or just to come see you. These are surprises. These type of visits do not leave time to 'bake a cake'. This type of frequent interaction from a supervisor will actually raise the standard of all your staff because inherently they want to do a good job and represent you well. This is how the Supervisor sets a daily expectation.

This visit will not be a 'Dog and Pony' sometimes you may not even have time to interact with them because you are taking care of business. The expectation is lower by the visitor/inspector. One of the great restaurant training minds I have encountered; Will Macintosh,  related this understanding in a way we should all embrace. He called it when "Shift Happens".
This is a great way to see what the customer gets when they visit your restaurant.(Which is what this is really all about)
Things that should be done daily to ensure no negative stops:

• Weekly/Daily Cleaning lists
• Deep Cleaning Schedule
• Temperature/Quality Food Checks
• Opening/Shift Change Checklists
• Server Check-in sheets
• Great Scheduling
• Great Hiring practices
• Great Training
• Customer focused service
• Active Management
• Critical Path (you may not know they are in your dining room)
• Always Return to Stasis as fast as possible. See "Return to Stasis" blog

Ultimately seeing where you can go (announced visit) and throwing it up against where you are (unannounced visit) is the only way to improve performance. These visits should not be viewed as failures or victories but a journey to grow into a consistently excellent restaurant. Be sure to not let the attitude of the supervisor/inspector or the attitude of the shift operator to get in the way of the learning experience. Talk about the visits with all members of the team and strive to close the gap.

One last tip: Be sure to have whatever the focus point was last time corrected before next visit.

Look at your month and put together an action plan to set the expectation on the next scheduled visit. Have a great visit!

Successful Servers run their own business

I'm a restaurant guy...

and I have hired, trained and parted ways with hundreds of servers in my career. there have been good ones, bad ones. Ones that were born for serving and ones who should have never even tried.

The successful ones I believe are the servers who do not work for restaurants or managers but work for themselves as business owners.

Servers like all business owners have to have return on their investment in order to make their life continue. They do not rely on an hourly wage but on the generosity and "perceptions" of good service of their customers.

Servers have customers.
Their customers like in any other business are not all the same. They have different demeanor's and require tack and professionalism when dealing with them. Servers as business owners have to be the PR and Customer Service Agent of their business. They have to market themselves "Come back and see me next time" They have to handle face to face inquiries and comments on how they do their job. They are the only face of their organization. They can ill afford to be rude or crass even when the customer is rude or crass with them. Their gamble for them is not that they may have to comp an item or give a discount, No most of the time it is a total loss if customers leave unhappy. Servers who are skilled in the art of the constant smile and kind words make the most because they understand the tip is usually ALL or NOTHING and their time is precious.

Successful Servers play with kids, have photos of their kids in their server books, learn names quickly, ensure accuracy in order taking like they take phone orders for catalogs. They smile often, enjoy doing the job and make their tables laugh. Face time is how they make money so they spend time near or around their tables. They say "Thank You" a lot. They can recognize the level of service needed quickly and come to a non-verbal agreement with guest on level of service quickly. They are not the same to each guest. They tailor service to the customer who is in front of them.

Servers have Suppliers.
Being a middle man or woman has never been fun. But that is how business runs. Servers have to get supplies from Kitchens, Bars, Hosts, and Managers. Sometimes they are responsible for maintaining their own supplies like side work during shift. When business owners work with suppliers they Place orders, Ensure order accuracy, Deal with returns and quality issues and most importantly deal with the people who supply the items. When dealing with suppliers you first want to speak the same language. You may think you are ordering one thing  and really be ordering another. You must have product knowledge and know the ins and outs so that you do not over or under order. The people who are the suppliers can be temperamental or busy running their own business as well, So you must find the right ways to communicate.

Successful servers have great menu knowledge, ask the questions before they become mistakes, review orders before sending to kitchen. They have good relationships with cooks and bartenders so that their orders are fulfilled happily. Some even buy treats or say a lot of "Thank You's" to co-workers. I have seen some who even know all the cooks names.They communicate with Hosts and Mangers when the business is overwhelming and express concerns when supplies are low or poor quality. They treat others with the respect they want to be treated.

Servers have Business Climates.
Doing business in different climates requires we act differently. Business climates can mean different traffic patterns, schedules and availability of work, technical support, external marketing, strengths and opportunities of surrounding area.

Successful servers open their availability and show their cooperation to work themselves into prime shifts and schedules. They do not try to mandate their schedule but show how beneficial they are so that they have opportunity. Successful servers find themselves in the building when the customers are. They quickly know which manager can provide quick assistance and which ones are just not available. They know how to stock computer printers and where things in the restaurant are that others don't. Successful servers do not rely on who they are working with but rather know how to work with anyone. Successful servers are brand ambassadors. If they are not happy with their product they should probably sell something different.

Similarly to renting a chair in a salon for a hair dresser is how Successful Servers view their job. They have space in a place where customers are coming or can be driven to but they must still operate as business owners dealing with the salon owner and marketing themselves to people who will come and get their service.They have to ensure that their service is better than the salon next door or the hair dresser who has the chair beside them. It is about point of view.

Non-Successful servers view things in a take, take, take mentality and consequently never maximize their business to its full potential.

Running your own business always carries Risk/Reward. But it is very fulfilling and profitable if done right.

Advice for Kitchen Managers

I'm a restaurant guy...

and I understand that some things in my (the restaurant) world seem like common sense when you are in it but if you are new to it, ideas and actions can seem foreign.

Today I want to share some insight for Kitchen managers all over the world.

First let me tell you that kitchen managers are not judged by Food Cost or Food Quality. See it seems a little foreign. Food Cost and Food Quality should be innate. Kitchen Managers are actually judged by their ability to organize and keep a clean kitchen.

What is the area I define as kitchen?
Anything behind the swinging doors. This includes drink stations, expo lines, carry out areas, line, prep and storage areas, if applicable office and break room. All of these areas fall in the term "Kitchen" when we talk about clean and organized.

Rule #1: Everything works
Never leave equipment inoperable, missing pieces or unusable. In this economy especially many kitchen managers are focused on profitability so sometimes we just wait to repair or decide that piece of equipment is not necessary. Whenever we make these decisions we put unnecessary stress on our people or other pieces of equipment. which usually leads to accidents or even more needed repair and maintenance due to excessive wear and tear on the equipment that is still working. Even a broken timer can lead to overcooked and wasted product. Helpful hint: If it requires duct tape to use...throw it away and buy a new one.

Rule #2: Everything clean
I often say "If everything we saw with our eyes, came out of our mouths how much more would we get done?" Silent approval is the number one cause for a dirty kitchen. The kitchen endures a daily build up of grease and trash. Weekly cleaning lists can catch most but regardless of day, if it is in need of scrubbing then  it needs to be scrubbed today. The kitchen manager is the leader of the cleaning brigade and follow up king. The kitchen staff hates to work in a dirty kitchen but loves to work in a clean one. Instill the pride in them and give them the tools to keep it up. I have always been a big "elbow grease" guy, but some guys prefer a power wash regiment. Work with your kitchen to find how they like to clean and keep those supplies handy.

Rule #3: Grocery Store Shelves
Ever work in a grocery store? I have for a minute. You would be amazed at the amount of time and money is invested to make the shelves look full and stocked. Daily people re-face all cans so you can read labels, they hire companies to re-align shelves and re-zone product for easy access and functionality. This is what gives you a nice looking aisles when you are shopping. We should take the same approach in our dry storage, cooler and freezer areas. They should always give the appearance of adequate stocking and be well maintained. This requires that you actually spend time in each room daily replacing and rearranging items to give a crisp appearance. A kitchen manager should touch each product daily and gauge pars and stock levels to usage. Functionality is key; if you cooks can get to it or if they can rotate it properly then it has great impact on cost and cleanliness. When you can't find a product you cannot use it or will order too much of it. Think about the impact on organization it would have on your kitchen if we took a grocery store approach.

Rule#4: Well lit areas.
Is every light in your kitchen working? Over the years lighting products have greatly improved. They make brighter and whiter lights for every type of socket and light fixture. The brighter a kitchen is the better. If you kitchen is as dark as a dungeon it is probably as dirty as one. I support investing in brighter lights for kitchen areas so that we can see where to clean and it just makes it a brighter place. Light well all storage rooms too. It seems simple but it is one thing you can do that can have immediate impact in appearance.

These rules are simple and will go a long way in ensuring a great reputation of being a top-notch kitchen manager. Remember that if you are doing things well in the food quality and cost areas then eventually someone is actually going to come look at what you are doing. Follow these guidelines and give them the organization and cleanliness they expect to see from your establishment. If you are suffering in food quality and food cost these rules will also make impact into both those areas. Don't believe it? Try me.

Labor in this Economy

I'm a restaurant guy...

And while food is the main thing restaurants are known for, Operations is what we are seemingly judged on the most. Having a great plate of food is good; however, If you do not have a food-safe facility or the right people to provide service  by cooking or waiting on the customer you can set yourself up quickly for disaster.

There has never been a more important time in my restaurant history to have the right amount of employees in a restaurant at the right time. Due to the state of the economy many people are very particular about where they are going to spend their money. If we cannot provide the desired service for the dollar the customer has in mind then we can set ourselves up for complaints, bad press, and a lot of negative feedback.

The battle between having the proper amount of staff and the right dollar amount of labor is every restaurateurs reoccurring nightmare. (it actually happens every night). We have been fighting labor since 2008 when economy went south. Some of our brothers and sisters did not survive. The ones that did had to endure a lot of change to labor practices and employee incentives in order to maintain operations.

We all know and have felt the problem...the purpose of today is to talk about a few points that can help us get through:

1. Don't hire under qualified people--The economy has forced many employees out of their jobs. The Restaurant worker is no longer on the bottom end of employment. Several of those office workers put themselves through school waiting tables. Interview hard and explain job fully but if a highly qualified individual fits your restaurant bring them on. As a matter of fact, Stop hiring those who are not high caliber. Why would you hire someone who has never waited a table to wait tables when there are a million people unemployed?

2. Reduce average wage--Just like customers, employers must demand value for their dollar. Some companies have reset bartender/server wages to minimum or eliminated busser positions. Some now run a 4 man line instead of 5 by combining stations. Be prudent about who and what you pay for. The day of a guaranteed raise is over. Award performance as your business allows.  Eliminate Over Time immediately. Reset hiring wages to what is being offered in your surrounding areas. Make calls to local smaller and larger chains to find out what they are paying.

3. Use technology--Review data for sales trends and wasted hours. There are several companies out there that specialize in this type of analysis. But most importantly remember that we do not have to do things the way we did them 20 years ago. Computers changed things most especially in the ways of accounting for dollars. Be prudent, use all your tools and run the right labor at the right time.

4. Change your mind--we used to train customers when they could eat at our places by writing our schedules. We were staffed and ready on Weekends but maybe we weren't ready for a Tuesday lunch. ("We always run 5 on Tuesday") Maximize day parts when people are trying to eat at your restaurant. Have enough people to provide service and watch those day parts grow. Some guidelines we can use to operate are: 1 cook for every 2 servers, 1 host for every 3 servers, 1 server for every $100-$150/hr in sales. Also have the right amount of managers for your business.

5. Get more sales---Maybe this should be #1? Market your business as value for customers. Make sure you are gaining profitable sales. Do not give the farm away, stay within food cost guidelines just make it good. Several places have extended hours that they are open. By adding a lunch you may be able to save your mortgage. Being open for an extra hour at night might let your bar business take off. Do not compromise your morals but do something or you become a spectator watching you business fail.

6. Review all non-operational labor expenses--Employee vacations, yearly bonuses, Training costs, Workers Comp costs (do you know if you pay unemployment that the employee could be payed for a year or more?), Employee insurance costs, etc... I am all about being a quality employer but remember it is hard to be an employer if you do not have a business. Please reward employees daily but negotiate everything to reduce unnecessary expenses.

It is crucial that we control labor costs in order to survive this economy. I believe education is the answer be honest and upfront with associates and management and encourage their participation in solution. Most importantly I want us all to know we are in the same boat. Do not run off business by cutting labor. Run the right labor for the business at all times.

The Corporal Phi Factor

I'm a restaurant guy...

and I am emotionally attached to the success or failure of my restaurant. This type of passion is the corner stone of our business and in my opinion is absolutely paramount to success.

This means I ride high when things are going well and enter into a small depression when things don't turn around or the results do not reflect the enormous effort I and my team put in.

The thing that helps me get through the down time is a part of my experience in the U.S. Army.

When I entered the army my passion for what I did showed. My uniform was pressed perfectly, my boots were the shiniest, my brass was the brass-iest. I was first in line, a squad leader, aced all tests, volunteered for all work. I was dedicated and involved from day one. I went to training with several other guys who went on to serve with me at my first post. One of them was Private Phi. While in training and early on, Phi actually acted like he had zero interest in being in the Army. He must have gotten into two fights in the first week. His uniform looked like he pulled it out from under his bunk. Phi was late to every formation and incredibly difficult to manage.

Private Phi remained minimally changed by the time we made it to Germany. Phi continued to be a screw up and I strived to be platoon leader. One of our Sergeants was tasked to work with Phi and see what could be done. Within a span of 3 months Private Phi changed little by little and improved his soldering to a level that was exemplary. It was nice to work alongside him on several tasks, everyone had seen the change.

When we reached our evaluation time we were reviewed for promotion. There were two types of E-4 promotions given. One was to Specialist and one was to a non-commissioned officer rank of Corporal. I received the lesser of Specialist and Phi was given the rank of Corporal. Everyone had seen the change and growth. His stock was up my stock was steady.

Whenever my results fall to less than stellar, I usually feel like a failure. Right after that, I realize I have nowhere to go but up. I  then seek advice and apply learning to effect change. I usually hope everyone knows about my screw up or short fall. Because when I come back then everyone will see the change. It is necessary to fail in order to truly succeed.

Growth is what people look for. Can you take lemons and make lemonade? Can you dust yourself off and stand back up again? Hitting the mark every time is admirable but can go unseen without a reason to look. So when you fall see it as an opportunity to show your come back.

Do not seek failure, but you can be assured that it is going to happen. Be encouraged as I am by the Corporal Phi Factor. It is all about the comeback, baby!

Return to Stasis

I'm a restaurant guy...

And my job mostly involves controlling chaos. There are absolutely too many moving parts to allow me to be a control freak. There are often moments when I must rely solely on what training we have given our staff and know that it has to be enough.

My years of exposure to this environment have instilled in me a motto that I repeat to myself often:

"Return to Stasis"

Stasis n.-a. a state of balance or equilibrium.
              b. a state or period of stability during which little or no change occurs.


The word "Stasis" is one that is used in medical terms or in evolutionary states and represents a state of calm normality in what is usually a tumultuous environment. I was most likely exposed to this term while functioning as a medic in the US Army. Some how I adopted it to my own career and is still a part of what makes me successful.

In our business there will be times when we are all pushed beyond our limits. Challenging times can bring out the best and worse in people. But as quickly as possible we must get things back to normal in our restaurant. I cannot express the importance of finishing a rush. We have to stock plates, refill ice bins, get all tables clean, sweep all floors. Each of our restaurants has a resting place that we and our associates feel comfortable in our own skins. Returning the restaurant to "stasis" happens everyday at close and is evident every morning right before we open the doors. The challenge we have today is to find it at shift change. And find it again between the dinner rush and the late night crowd.

This "stasis" can be achieved in a relatively short time and will reload and re-energize a staff as they once again see the calm that is represented in things being in their proper place and time. This is a great culture to establish in our businesses and will take leadership to lead the charge to implement.

So I urge you dont take that smoke break just yet, look around and start to identify what "stasis" looks like to you. Teach your people to restock the line, catch up the dish pit and restock the dishes. While we are at it...tuck in your shirt, wipe down all counters, and take out the trash. Finishing the stressful time with "stasis" means your ready for more customers and ready to make more money.

4 Squares of Development

I'm a Restaurant Guy...

and I understand that my number one job according to the public is FOOD. But as an operator with a desire for long term success I need to be just as good at people as I am with Food.

Understanding where your associates and managers are in their development can help you schedule them, give them position and even promote. I put this together for operators who really need a solid direction to go with their associates.

Please spend the bulk of your time developing the bulk of your associates. I hope this helps.

		B	60%			20%	A
	HIGH
			Find Position
			Develop/Train  Position			Reward/Promote
Company Standards
			Progressive Discipline			Develop/Train Standards
	LOW
		C	20%			60%	B
			LOW			HIGH
				Job Skill/Ability

A's--(20% of Associates) demonstrate Both Ability and high level of skill in their current position and uphold the Highest in Company Standards. ** These associates we want to Reward and potentially develop and promote further. B's--(60%) These Associates either favor Ability OR company standards (not both). Some may always be on time but not your best cook. Others may be a good server but cannot seem to get his/her uniform together before coming to work. **This is where the bulk of Employee management is done. We should seek out a position that fits their skill level better or  begin having conversations about  steering  them into company ideals. C's--(20%) These associates in my opinion do not contribute to overall success of the restaurant. This is an opportunity to use Progressive Discipline/Encouragement  to cause associates to take stock  in their current role. **If this group is to develop you will need to have a hand in it. This job aid is also helpful in interviewing and selection of new hires. We should ask ourselves questions like, What box are they in currently? Where can this Associate go in our organization? When Associate Ability and availability meet company standards then long term success is inevitable.