What is The Most important Thing in a Restaurant?

I'm a restaurant guy....

and often I ask people, "What is the the Most Important Thing in a restaurant?"

The answers usually consist of
1. Guest Service or the Cusotmer/Guest
2. Food Safety or the Food

While I agree whole-heartedly with this assessment I often challenge them with a new list of Priorities that will help them achieve these desired results.

My list looks a little like this:

#1 Most important Thing in a Restaurant--Whatever your Boss asked you to do last.

If you do not like your Boss/Owner this may be a harder pill to swallow.
The fact is that Operating a Restaurant is Operating a business. In Business and this millenium we are able to track everything. With this type of tracking our supervisors or owners are inundated with numbers and information every day about how to improve or re-shape our industry. Someone, somewhere, is doing market research within a 3 mile radius of your establishment right now, then a Brain Trust of people you value are evaluating that information and coming up with the next thing that will make your current establishment successful. Use your resources and get on-board with current programs to stimulate and keep business. If your leadership team wants everyone on-board with a new initiative then make your team the first to achieve.
Afterall is said and done, The one who implements the program will speak from a wealth of knowledge about the successes and failures of the program and the guy who was obstinate to change, well frankly, no one cares what he has to say.

During Shift I cannot tell you how improtant following instructions can be. Restaurants offer a challenge a minute and require a Captain of a shift. When things begin to unravel; in the way we are accustomed to, there a things that can be done to right the shift as fast as possible. Your participation will determine how fast things can return to normal operation. We are all busy working on our own initiatives whether it is cooking, serving, etc... (we may even be overwhelmed) but keeping the reputation of the establishment will keep guests coming back more than any employee they felt bad for and made excuses for.
Guests may tip you well or give compliments to you on how you handled having too many tables, a dirty entrance or floor, or how their food took to long. But when they begin to think about where they want to go for their next meal the establishment and your supervisors will be to blame. They will make different choices. Always remember the bigger picture when working.Who's Job is it to run the whole operation? Oh Yeah , Your boss.

You are stronger as a team than alone.

#2 Most important thing in a Restaurant-Cleanliness

The day of the Dives is coming to an abrupt end. A Dive is by definition a restaurant that has good food and outstanding atmosphere but Has challenges in appearance, ususally cleanliness, maybe even service. Dives are quaint and speak to the personality of the individual although you probably would not make them a first date or grandma's birthday destination. Usually they are where the guys hang out or meet.

As operaters today we cannot afford to have a cluttered dirty look to our establishments. Most people are put off by the appearance in general. I often think of words in this millenium like "man-scape"or "metro" and think about how narcissistic we are as a society. I look in the mirror everyday and apply hair products to my balding head (so no hair is out of place) and shave and ensure I am leaving the house well put together. I do this so that others see me as I want them to see me. You may do some of the same. I would even venture to say we are critical of "dirty" things in America. So when one walks into a place to eat, What do you think they see? Is everthing crisp? Is it new or delapitated? Are they attracted to it. Look at things from the guest perspective and do not use you adjusted vision.

Paying attention to details is more improtant now than ever. Everything from vents in the dining room to salt and pepper shakers speaks to the quality of establishment. The Guests are picky. Several will not stay if you allow smoking or will not eat if there is even a small piece of paper on the bathroom floor. They do not want to smell dirty carpets or have their order taken from a server with a dirty apron. It puts them off and they form a perceprtion of your store and your leadership and company. Cleanliness is the ticket in for many guests.

I respectfully submit that if your Restaurant does not show "Over-Cleanliness" to the guest then you can expect a downward trend in sales.

I started this blog by saying I agree with the Two priorities above. I am gonna list them as #3a and #3b

#3a-If you cannot treat people right, you will never succeed
#3b-If you do not serve good-tasting food no one will eat it. If you do not practice food safety, people will get sick and this will cost a lot in sales, traffic and legal fees.

Not to over-simplify but If they won't purchase a ticket to the carnival it does not matter how big the Ferris Wheel is. They will just look at it from a distance.