Restaurant Blog
Use Waitstaff Training to Boost Profits
The person who can have the greatest impact on your productivity is the person who just clocked in at four o’clock. Don’t look at her as the server. Look at her as a salesperson who is either maximizing the leads you’ve generated for her (customers who walk in the...
Featured Article
Use Waitstaff Training to Boost Profits
The person who can have the greatest impact on your productivity is the person who just clocked in at four o’clock. Don’t look at her as the server. Look at her as a salesperson who is either maximizing the leads you’ve generated for her (customers who walk in the...
Recent Articles
What Are Your Leadership Goals?
Who you are as a restaurant manager changes from day to day. (And if it doesn’t, you may not be doing it right.) Effective leaders are flexible, changing styles and strategies to meet the needs of their teams. Effective leaders know that in order for their teams to...
Four-Step Plan to Stay Out of the Weeds
It starts slowly. Unassuming. Quietly. Then, “The Rush” comes. And suddenly, no one is safe. Not your calmest manager or your newest waitress. It slices deep into waitstaff morale and cuts deeper into restaurant profits. It increases blood pressure, tempers, stress,...
10 Ways to Increase Check Averages
Increasing check averages means more profits for your restaurant and bigger tips for your staff. It really is that simple. Here are a few strategies to get you started. Offer meal deals. Today's consumers are looking for value and convenience. Many full-service...
Top Traits All Great Salespeople Have (And Where They’re Hiding in Your Operation)
It’s easy to recognize a salesperson, right? It’s that extrovert server who loves sales contests. Or, it’s that steady pro who comes in early to find out how the chef prepares the specials. Or, it might be the host who keeps asking for a chance. They're friendly, but...
How to Outrun the Competition
You’ve heard the story: Two hikers encounter an angry bear in the forest. One of them opens their backpack, pulls out their running shoes, and begins putting them on as fast as they can. The other watches and says incredulously, “You don’t think you’re going to outrun...
Types of Selling for Restaurant Servers
The basis of any restaurant training program aimed at increasing sales must first cover the basic types of selling. Take a look: Upselling is enhancing an item already ordered (such as “up-sizing” a value meal or a draft beer, or adding cheese and guacamole to a...
What Are the Safety Hazards in Your Restaurant?
Effective restaurant teams have members who look out for each others' safety. Teamwork is essential to maintaining a safe restaurant, and the opposite is also true. As a manager, the safety of your employees and guests is your responsibility. Ask yourself these...
Why Train?
Training your restaurant employees on service and sales is more important today than it's ever been. To survive and thrive going forward, you'll have to increase per-person check averages without drastic price hikes, all while delivering service that brings guests...
It’s Time to Manage the Wait
Time is the one thing we all need more of, right? That's true for our guests, too. Make sure your restaurant service training includes teaching your staff to serve guests' time needs. Keeping the meal going at a steady pace is what most guests are looking for, and...
Mentor Material? (Maybe Not)
Susan is your best employee. She’s friendly, she’s fast, she’s knowledgeable. She wins almost every sales contest and loyal guests ask for her by name. You want to clone her (and maybe you should), but don’t make her a mentor. Why not? The best mentor is not always...
Restaurant Incentives, Rewards & Contests
Performance is driven by behavior, and behavior is driven by four factors: communication, training, measurement, and rewards. Incentives and contests will do little to improve attitude, but they can work wonders to change or enhance behavior and therefore improve...
Responsible Beverage Service Training – What Does Your State Require?
On a federal level, laws related to alcohol beverage service are fairly straight forward. The 21st amendment to the constitution repealed prohibition and handed over control of alcohol sales and distribution to the states. The feds took some of that control back with...
