Q & A Sessions

Special Download Packet for New Subscribers

Table of Contents

• Local Charity Requests

• Competing on a Small Ad Budget

• Dealing with Side Work

• Grand Opening Ideas

• Handling Last Minute Guests

• Lowering Staff Turnover

• Lying About Reservations

• Pre-Shift Meetings

• Returning Half-Eaten Entrees

• Small Touches to Improve Service

 Question & Answer Session:

Local Charity Requests

Question:
Tell me how to behave. Every single day I hear from the Little League; the
Church; the Police; the Daughters of the American Revolution - you name it.
They want my support, which means they want a contribution. It's another gift
certificate, and it never ends.

I'm afraid to say no, and it's costing me - big time!

We are all under the same pressure, and I don't know where to turn. Please help
me because I'm falling.

Chef James

Answers:
Here's MY idea of a clever way to respond to these $$$ demands.

You might tell them that each year, you will select one (1) or two (2) from among
your most favorite causes - those whose work reflects your own beliefs and
values. You could then select another 1 or 2 more each subsequent year,
therefore spreading some $$$ around to the various recipients, while still giving
back to your community. It's doubtful that if you explain it this way, that anyone
will become offended.

If you felt even MORE creative, you might even consider using your
establishment to host some form of annual fund-raiser for a great community
cause. Pick ONE cause each year & maybe advertise it by running an ad in your
local community paper. Have a drawing for some fun, yet inexpensive prizes.
You'd be amazed at how many people might show up at your door, ready to
donate some cash, and... guess what else... EAT SOME OF YOUR GREAT
FOOD! Instant new business, while giving back to your local community!
Who knows...all this new-found recognition might even earn you a spot on your
local news! ...and... MORE NEW BUSINESS!

-MG

**Next Post

Fall is prime fund raising season, its the time groups and organizations get
organized and gather their funds for the upcoming budget spending.

At the Willow Tree Cafe we ask ourselves a few questions that determine our
giving. 1. Does the solicitor or the organization's stake holders eat in our
restaurant? 2. Is it a cause or organization that we believe in? 3. Is the event or
award process a good marketing opportunity? The goal is to maximize the ROI
return on investment.

Here is a recent example. Instead of giving a simple gift certificate for a silent
auction we created a "Dining Experience for Four" . A "Chef's Table" five course
dining experience. In exchange for this donation we asked that all 300 attendees
received our business card and flyer. Additionally we wanted to control how the
item was displayed at the auction table. By creating an eye-catching display we
generated a lot of discussion and interest which drove up the bidding and in turn
helped the fund raiser. This attendee group was in a geographic area we were
looking to attract and were of the age and income level appropriate to our target
market. The cost was much less than traditional advertising to this group. So far
we can attribute 14 new guests to this event and the certificate has not been
redeemed yet.

Try to look at it with a win-win attitude. "What my donation can do for you?" and
"What can you do for my restaurant?". If there is no "win" on the business side of
the equation decide weather or not if you want to personally support the group
and if so, do it with out regret. Last year I turned down a man soliciting for a
donation because he was not a regular guest. Not only has become a frequent
guest he makes a point of bring new people with him. He was gladly given a
donation for his group this year.

Linda Hollerbach, Chef Owner

Hollerbach's Willow Tree Cafe
Sanford, FL

**Next Post

James - You don’t have to be held hostage to non-profits looking for freebies.
Determine some parameters for charity gift certificates and donations. I first
consider if the beneficiary is one to which I would personally contribute and
second if making the donation would be advantageous for my business.

I tell everybody who solicits a donation on the phone or in person to hand me or

send me something on paper and that I will consider it. That’s really all anybody
asking for a donation can reasonably expect of you - that you give their pitch
some consideration before making your own decision.

Whatever your criteria, establish some and stick to them. I don’t play golf, and I
don’t contribute to golf tournaments. Sorry. I also consider geography.

Of course, my criteria are more flexible when I’m approached by someone I know
to be a good and regular customer. But there is no reason you can’t politely
decline to make any donation you don’t care to make with this explanation: "I’m
sorry but I’ve already exceeded my budget for this kind of donation. Good luck
with your (fund raiser) (auction) (golf tournament) though!"

Andy Ayers
Owner/Chef
Riddle’s Penultimate Cafe & Wine Bar
St. Louis, MO

**Next Post

It always amazes me that the general public thinks that restaurants can afford to
give away unlimited food. The most surprising requests of all, though, come from
other businesses who call and say "we want to reward our employees for doing a
great job all year long ... will you donate 10 dinners that we can give them as a
thank you from the management team?" Seems to me that any dinners I donate
would be from me, not from the management team.

That said, I recommend you create a reasonably small donation concept that you
can send to everyone who requests a donation. For us, it is dessert coupons with
the purchase of 2 entrees - limited to one dessert for very 2 guests. We give
anywhere from 5-10 dessert coupons for each request.

Additionally, I have learned the hard way that I must provide some insulation
between me and the requester. Too many people DEMAND donations and will
not take no for an answer without getting nasty and threatening...not to mention it
is really hard to say 'no' to so very many worthwhile causes. 'Not in the budget for
this year' doesn't work. Therefore, I have created an alias named Ruby. Ruby is
the person responsible for handling all donation requests. I ask that all
requesters fax information regarding their organization and the contact person to
Ruby. I explain that Ruby comes in every week to review all requests and she will
contact them to let them know our response. I then send our donation to the
contact person under the name of Ruby and request a confirmation of its receipt..

Sometimes the requester will call back to demand a larger donation but I just tell
them I have to speak with Ruby about it. It is so funny when they tell me that
Ruby was rude or promised them more than they received...at least it no longer
pushes my buttons and doesn't make me feel badly.

Ruby has become my greatest ally.

- M, Utah

**Next Post

One of the best ideas that I know of to deal with donation requests is to budget a
predetermined amount that you are willing to donate into your annual budget.
Break that down on a monthly or quarterly basis and then honor requests based
upon your allotted budget for that time period.

Once you have made that determination, make it a company policy that all
charitable request must be submitted at least 30 to 60 days prior to their event so
that you can then budget it in. Once your allotted budget has been reached,
respectfully deny any further requests for that time period explaining to them that
your allotted charitable allowance has been expended and that you're regrettably
not able to fulfill their request at this time. Then, encourage them to plan far
enough in advance for their next event so that you can have the opportunity to
support them in the future. This not only provides you with plausible deniability,
but, it also conveys to your customer your desire to support them in the future.

Using this process not only makes it more affordable and manageable to you,
but, also shows an ongoing willingness on your part to support local charitable
events throughout the year. Customers will respect and honor that.

Rock McNelly
Colorado Springs, CO

**Next Post

Only contribute to people who are contributing to your business. If you've never
seen someone before and they say they've rarely or never been in your
restaurant you're under no obligation to make a charitable contribution,
particularly something as personal as little league. On the other hand, in kind
contributions can be the cheapest and most effective way to advertise assuming
the event or charity is speaking to people you want to reach.

Tim
**Next Post

One thing you could do is have them send in a request on letterhead stating
objectivity and purpose. Tell them that you will put it in a barrel with all the other
requests and you draw our one donation monthly. You will find that most will not
take the time to do the paperwork.

- MS
 Question & Answer Session:

Competing On A Small Ad Budget

Question:
How can I compete with national chains ability to reach millions of people at very
low cost per restaurant unit? My ad budget is only 2% of my annual sales of
$500,000, that's only $833.00 per month.

Answer:
No single unit restaurant has the ability, from a financial standpoint, to compete
with an established national chain with regard to massive advertising campaigns.
Even if you had the funds, if you didn't have the capital to build additional units to
support the millions of people that you would reach in a saturated-fat campaign, it
would prove to be a waste of money because you can't handle millions of people
as a single unit. Independent operations, therefore, must be more creative and
focused with their advertising budgets.

The best advertising for any restaurant (chains included), is the referrals you
receive from satisfied customers who patronize your restaurant. By establishing
relationships with your own customer base and actively seeking ways to fulfill
their needs based upon existing patterns of business activity, you can capture a
greater immediate market share. As a single unit operation, you are uniquely
able to provide an often higher and more intimate level of specialized customer
service than most chain operators due to issues of flexibility.

You will need to do some regular advertising, however, and 2% sounds like a
number you ended up with after you established the rest of your operating costs.
(Advertising, however, can include everything from the design of your inside
display signs to tent cards and ads in all media -- so it depends on what you are
including.) A percentage of 5-7% is a more realistic percentage and this may
mean that you have to invest a portion of your own salary and/or reduce some of
your other expenses to bolster your advertising efforts to gain a greater return.
Additionally, it is important to develop a list of your objectives in terms of your
return on this investment:
1. Describe your primary and secondary "typical" customer profiles. Why do
these customers patronize your restaurant? Do you offer price and/or other
incentives for them to return?
2. What is your current average check/per guest? What is your goal for average
check/per guest based upon space, staff and other considerations?
3. How many customers do you serve per meal period? Can you increase the
number of guests you serve and/or increase your take-out business? Are you
capable of providing offsite catering?
4. Who are your competitors locally and regionally? What advertising
vehicles/strategies are they using? How are your competitors faring in your
marketplace?
5. What is your overall competitive edge?
6. What steps do you need to take to improve operations internally? Externally?

After you take into account the above considerations, you can begin to update
your own advertising/marketing/PR plan which should be planned in advance:

1. "Push Marketing" involves direct solicitation, telemarketing, and so forth and

can be employed carefully with a trained catering sales director or reservations
manager;
2. "Pull Marketing" includes the development of advertisements, PR, and various
promotions using all forms of media.

These kinds of marketing are based on projecting an appealing image, releasing

your publicity at the appropriate time, and displaying a targeted persuasive
message. And then there is "Relationship Marketing". This involves
demonstrating your overall consistent positive performance and image which is
customer-centered. This kind of marketing, if skillfully executed, can play the
greatest role in bringing you the continual referrals who give you the positive
marks that will lead to your continuing success. And the best part is, it costs you
no more than your hospitable environment, your existing positive reputation and
continued goodwill towards your patrons.

Respectfully,
Maren L. Hickton
Maren Inc.
Pittsburgh, PA

**Next Post

First of all, you have the benefit of being a local businessperson and individual
entrepreneurship is still highly valued.

Here are some starting ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
 • Approach a local paper about writing an article or a column discussing the
local restaurant and foodservice industry.
• Hand out business cards wherever you are and offer a certain percentage
off the receiver’s next meal.
• Use your employees to spread the word. Let employees give out business
cards, too. In fact, have them get their own cards designed and in turn
reward them with a free meal when someone comes in using their
business card. Involving employees also serves to increase morale.
• Contact local businesses to see if you can put valuable coupons in their
newsletters.
• Become involved with your local Chamber of Commerce if you haven’t
already. Offer to sponsor a dinner. Become an authority on serving the
dining and catering needs of businesses.

Two really good books for general promotion of small businesses are: Paul and
Sarah Edwards, Getting Business to Come to You, and any of Jay Conrad
Levinson’s guerrilla marketing books. Good luck and have fun!

Heather L. Koppes
Business Writer

**Next Post

How do you compete with national chains when you are a single unit operator
with small budgets? Use four walls marketing - your menu, your internal
customers (employees), data capture (get the names of every customer that
visits you and market to them - frequently) and POP. Your customers live within a
3-mile radius (smaller if you have a QSR) so why spend a nickel marketing to
anyone outside this area. Plus your existing customers already know you. The
most cost effective way to increase your sales is to get these customers to visit
more frequently or spend more while in your restaurant. Use bouncebacks, short
term frequency cards (punch cards), progressive discount cards, birthday
mailings, etc. etc. to get more visits from current customers and they'll also
spread the word for you assuming you are delivering great food and service.

Andrea Von Utter

President/COO
Tom Feltenstein's Neighborhood Marketing Institute

**Next Post

In-house advertising and marketing is probably your most effective and

economical tool for competing with the chains. Instead of fighting the chains for
the new customers out there, concentrate on retaining the ones you have and
strengthening their loyalty. These current customers can bring in a lot of business
for you.

When a regular customer comes in for dinner, comp them dinner (unexpectedly)
and also give them a form to fill out to send a friend of theirs, who have not been
at your restaurant, a "dinner for two" certificate. Your regular customer would fill
out the form at a later date and ask them to bring it back to you (which would
probably be a reason for them to visit your restaurant again to dine with you).
You would then send that certificate to their friends, giving the credit for the free
dinner to your regular customer. Your regular customer will be most appreciative
of receiving the unexpected free dinner; so much so that they will brag about
your restaurant to their friends, who have received the free dinner via your
current good customer. That "new customer" will enter your restaurant with a
very positive attitude, giving you an advantage over those chains that just solicit
new unknown customers with really have received no advanced word of mouth
"bragging rights." It's a win-win-win for your regular customer, for their friends
and your marketing dollars. It also gives you the flexibility to portion out these
marketing dollars on your schedule. You schedule the first free dinner in
accordance to your current budgets and you then budget the next free dinner a
month or so down the road, which spreads your marketing expense out. During
the time between the first free dinner and the second free dinner you are still
getting positive marketing from your current customer because they are still
anticipating the appreciation from their friends and still appreciating the
opportunity that you have given to them to give a gift to their friends.

Consider the cost" of those dinners...not the "lost sale"...budget for the cost of
that first lost sale from your regular customer...the next lost sale from the new
customer is really not a lost sale...its an opportunity to make a new customer
(that comes into to your restaurant with a positive message from your regular
customer) into another regular customer...that new customer will appreciate what
you do for their regular customers and will want to become one...think about
it...the chains that offer free dinners to anyone...those diners most likely will enter
that restaurant in a very skeptical mode...there is no such thing as a free
lunch...and they know that...but under the scenario that I have described
above...it is a gift from a regular customer that received the gift because of their
loyalty to a restaurant that they really like...so these "new customers" will not
enter your restaurant with such a critical and skeptical eye...inside marketing can
be very powerful and very economical...be creative with you current customer
base, which is, in itself a strong marketing tool.

Terry Jannott
TNT Restaurant Management Services

**Next Post
In regards to competing with the chains - give up now unless you are willing to
spend more than 2%. The chains spend anywhere from 4% to 10% on marketing
their business. Not only do they spend more on advertising than most
independents but they also spend more on locations and training!!!

I have a operation that would be considered "ma & pa" and we spend between
5%-7% depending on what we want to get done, what I mean by that is - any
good marketing idea that comes along, I look at it and measure it on its own
merits (will that ad or promotion pay for its self). Example - the yellow pages
comes and sells me on a new concept (a 4 color coupon on the front of 20,000
phone books) the concept cost $400.00 per month / $4800.00 year - I would
need a 3% response to break even - $5.00 off dinner for two coupon, grosses me
$20.00 per check - $5.00 = $15.00 per check x 600 responses = $9000.00 in
business @ 38% cost nets $5580.00 - $4800.00 ad cost = $780.00. The ad is in
its 4th month and will do a little better than 3% but are tracking about a 65% new
customers. My point is that you should not but a cap on your ad budget but
review each and every $$$ you spend to make sure 1st that it is paying for its
self, 2nd that it is bringing new customers. If you want to increase business do
some more smart advertising and tackle all the issues within the four walls of
your operation, ie... great food - great service and the customers will return.

I spent about 10% a year my 1st three years in business and then started to
decrease that number to my current 5%-7% and have dreams of lowering it to
2%-3% by year 10 but I know that I will need to spend the difference in increased
management wages. We are in year 5 and still tracking 8%-10% increases each
year (going to do over 1.3 million this year and by year 10 2.0+ million).

By the way unless I would get better than a 6% return on that coupon I will not
renew for the new year - I will just look for another new idea.

Best of luck,
Kris

**Next Post

As a one-time restaurateur, long-time newspaper, magazine and Dining Guide

publisher, Ad Sales rep, Ad agency owner and current Internet publisher,
perhaps I can help.

Don't try to compete with the Ad budgets of national chains; it's futile if you're an
independent operator in a single market. You must (and no doubt are able to),
move faster, think smarter and execute more efficiently than the chains. It would
help to know the market you serve; population, demographics, Etc. Fast food,
tablecloth?? Average check? Full bar service?
Experience indicates you're under spending on marketing. Consider 3.5 to 4% of
gross sales. Depending upon your market area, your major medium may be a
daily newspaper whose Ad Rates are almost prohibitive for independents. Look
for alternatives. Publish your own monthly newsletter directed to present
customers and shared with friends, relatives and business associates.

Publish an email newsletter and make it interesting, "newsy", conversational and

informative. Include "unadvertised" specials. Increase the visits of current
patrons. Develop contests and quizzes (use small Gift Certificates as prizes),
encourage email feedback. You'll be amazed at what you can learn from
customers enabled to contact you by email. No printing, postage, envelopes,
stuffing, mailing costs.

As one who published an email newsletter for a Sarasota, FL restaurant for 2

years, I learned how effective they are when done properly. There are many
alternatives affordable and effective ways to market your store other than
attempting to out-advertise chains. That's not only futile, but unwise.

Sorry if this is getting too long. You hit a nerve and I could go on indefinitely. My
point is: smart marketers can dance rings around the chains! Contact me if you'd
like to discuss this further; it's one of my favorite subjects!

Bob Gilbert
Tabletips
httyp://www.tabletips.com

**Next Post

For most restaurants the majority of your patrons either reside and/or work within
a small radius around your location (5 miles or 5 minutes). Even though big
advertising budgets are highly effective in maintaining top of mind awareness, a
great deal of those expenditures are wasted reaching consumers beyond each
restaurant's trade area.

Focus your marketing efforts within your restaurant's trade area with an eye
towards building frequency -- it's easier to get one more visit than one new
customer. Effective local marketing doesn't require a large budget; it requires a
strong commitment to being the best corporate citizen within your trade area. Get
involved in civic activities that are important to your patrons -- e.g., host youth
club meetings after school (your probably not busy between 3 & 5 pm anyway),
sponsor local activities/events, etc.

Doing good deeds is good business, and every community, regardless of how
many national chains it may have, supports those companies that demonstrate
genuine commitment to making the community a better place to live and work.
W.

**Next Post

Ah yes- the David versus Goliath story. I truly believe that the restaurant
business is one of the last places that can compete against the big guys and
come out ahead. Most chain advertising is boring, politically correct drivel. I have
a small independent restaurant in BC Canada and love the challenge of
advertising in my local community. My favorite events are when I can create
something that gets me advertising, the local papers a great story, and at the
same time benefits someone in the community. The best one yet is the free
Christmas dinner I held for single moms and their kids. The papers advertised
the meal for free for me, my suppliers gave me the food, the mom’s and kids had
a great dinner out along with some entertainment (a ventriloquist donated his
services) and we got a great write up about the whole event in the paper.
Everyone won with that event. Multi chain units do not have the time or creativity
to come up with stuff like this. They pull ads on radio, TV, etc. and expect people
to just show up. I am showing the people in my community that my small
business can do a lot more than the big guys. Give it a shot. Anyone can put an
ad in the local papers. What can you do to have an impact on your area?

Todd Pratt
The Frogstone Grill
 Question & Answer Session:

Dealing With Side Work

Question: Dealing With Side Work

Does anyone have any good ideas for dealing with waiters/waitresses on side
work issues? I keep getting the "I do that every week" but every time I check on
these things, they look like they have not been done. I have tried a schedule, but
then everyone's excuse was "I did it, but I forgot to initial it." or "I checked it but it
was already done". Any advice would be great!!!! Thanks!

Amy D.

Answers:

Money talks! For a certain number of great checks there is a bonus awarded! In
the form of food, beverage or cash. Let's face it, we expect an employee we pay
$3.00hr to do a job that pays $12.00hr. The customer has already helped you out
be paying their salary...at least you can do is pay them what they're worth.

Miss Janet

** Next Post

To Miss Janet,

Even though an employee only earns $3 per hour the hourly rate includes all tips
wages and other compensation they earn. As I told my former #1 server, every
penny that comes through that door I pay you. She did not agree with me. The
point is, her tax statement said she earned 46K last year for a fourty hour week,
with health insurance and meals! Do the math, a little more then $3 per hour.

I expect and demand the front of the house keep the retaurant in order and
spotless, every shift every day. That is the deal. If it's slow they need to keep
busy, there is always plenty to do and that tip pool needs to work for the
restaurant.

Steven Waxman
www.traxcafe.com

** Next Post

In regards to side work, I would assign sections to sidework, that way certain
sidework gets done early and certain things get done later. Sections are rotated
and written on schedule next to posted sidework. At the end of the night before
the money can be checked out, the MOD goes through the persons section and
goes over the sidework (you have opening and closing sidework) and they can
not be checked out until manager signs off that everything has been done to
satisfaction. At the end of the night, most want to get out early, if they have not
completed the sidework to satisfaction they go to the end of the line to be
checked out.

Susie Van Etten

Nashville TN

** Next Post

If you can fit it into your labor proforma it may be better to get away from server
side work all together. If you can afford for a busser or utility person to do those
duties and they can "specialize" in them even paying them a little more you may
at worst break even by getting your servers off the clock earlier each shift.
Chances are that is the department that has the most bodies. Let them specialize
in serving the guest versus "cleaning duties".

Phil

** Next Post

I find that a written 3 warning system works for me. If the job is not getting done
issue a written warning to the individuals that you believe are not getting the job
done stating the issue at hand. Let them know that three warnings constitutes
dismissal. If they value their job they will complete the task set for them. I find a
written contract at the beginning of their employment stating this helps
immensely (from a legal standpoint) or state it in your house policy. They agree
to it or they do not work for you.

Aaron
BJ's Nitespot

** Next Post
With many years as a multi-unit manager I have seen many attempts at ensuring
servers complete their sidework. The biggest mistake I've seen is that managers
tend to take a "hands-off" approach to direct involvement in following up on the
servers prior to their clocking out and going home. These managers open
themselves up to allowing non-compliance to sidework completion. One system
(and I do mean it was a complete system) that achieved the best results was as
follows:

* The servers contributed directly to the development of what

station/shift/schedule did what sidework.
* The servers collectively agreed on the sidework schedule.
* The server trainers broke down the sidework depending on
stations/shifts/schedules.
* The process was that at the beginning of each servers shift they were given a
sheet listing the sidework they were expected to accomplish before clocking out.
* The sidework list was to be handed to the manager on duty for them to
physically review and approve the server to clock out.
* If the server left without handing in their sidework list they were reprimanded
prior to beginning their next shift stating the fact they did not follow expected
procedures.

This is basically the process. Since the servers developed and distributed the
sidework there is no excuse about not knowing what or how it was to be done.
Handing the completed list to the manager on duty forced the manager to be
involved and demonstrated to the servers that they were going to be held
accountable. There might have to be rewards for those who consistently
complete their sidework without incident. Since there is "punishment" there
should also be "rewards". Let the servers contribute to what consequences
(positive and negative) they feel are fair and just. The hardest job is still each
manager's personal commitment to following the procedures outlined. When
manager's don't do what's expected of them, employee's don't feel obligated to
do their part. If you want more information feel free to contact me at
george.kile@gmail.com.

George Kile
The Cornerstone Advantage

** Next Post

We have a point system tip pool. One of the categories is side work. One can
add or subtract points according to whether or not the work gets done, and also
according to which of the staff who does it. Money talks.

Linda Fondulas
Hemingway's Restaurant
www.hemingwaysrestaurant.com
Killington, VT

** Next Post

I think the best thing is to have someone in charge of checking to see if the work
is done. Make it their responsibility to supervise the staff and that the work has
been completed. Maybe giving them a title -- i.e. shift supervisor and the staff will
have to report to them.

Good luck,
Ray

** Next Post

Well you could always check their sidework on a regular basis or a spot check. I
find that my staff came up to snuff pretty quick when I started checking every
night before service. Now I only have to spot check or let them know that I found
glasses or silver that needed some polishing.

We do tableside service at our restaurant and they always set that up properly
because their tip is dependent on how fast they can turn the table. Polishing
glass and silver doesn't seem to be on their radar screen when it comes to guest
experience.

Dave L.

** Next Post

1st thing you should have a daily permanent sidework list and it should be
posted. Each individual can be assigned to a particular duty. I am not sure how
you are set up, but if you have a Senior Server he or she should be assigned to
making sure that all side work is done. If you have a closer he or she should be
the one to check all servers sidework before leaving the restaurant.

Daniel Kuehn
Cardiff, CA

** Next Post

Each server should have sidework assigned by station, so they rotate( in theory).
Have the closing server or manager responsible for checking that the sidework
has been done, before they are signed off and tipped out. If it's not done, that
checker will be responsible for the work. After a few extended shifts, they will be
diligent in checking it and making sure it's done.
Chef17

** Next Post

For a restaurant that seats 120 people, have 2 wait staff persons come in 1-1/2
hours before the lunch shift starts. They can cut lettuce, cut lemon wedges,
vacuum, dust, clean the wait station, make sure the table settings are in place,
and any other prep that is not beyond their ability. The reason is this; you are in a
labor war in this business. Wait people make cash money on a daily basis. They
are earning a good living. You need to use this cheap labor to do work. Tip
earners get away with not paying the full amount of taxes that they really should.
Tip allocation is always in favor of the tip earner. They are allocated the amount
of tips that are taxed by a percentage of what they sell. The percentage is always
LESS than they make. Make them do side work. It is smart business and keeps
them in line.

Chef/Instructor Jerome Cangemi / Aims Culinary Academy

** Next Post

It's possible, since you are having a problem with it, that the distribution of
sidework itself is the problem. I have had some really good results by involving
my staff with the design and implementation of systems such as sidework. Some
of the best remedies are right in front of you if you just ask. I think you may be
pleasantly surprised how the involvement of your staff will be welcomed. And
YOU get to be the hero and that's always fun.

Have a great shift!

Steve
 Question & Answer Session:

Grand Opening Ideas

Question:
I am interested in ways of doing a grand opening or opening night and I need
some suggestions. What options do I have, I'm opening a Bistro type place in the
Detroit area.

Thank you,
Assaggi Bistro

Answer:
As one who has been in the event business most of my career, I found it
interesting that most of the restaurants and food and beverage establishments
seem to know "everything" and us pros are just hackers. It is nice to see
someone looking for the proper advice, after all, I would never tell a chef how to
prepare a meal for his clients.

In doing a grand opening I have found it useful to project what results you would
like to receive - of course you want exposure - but I am talking about down the
road. I have seen may restaurants have a big bang at the beginning only to fizzle
out too soon.

Budget has a lot to do with what you can accomplish. Also, enlisting the aid of a
good publicist is invaluable. With a modest budget they can get you decent
coverage in the local media which can go a long way to building clientele.

Teasing your opening by letting out info and press releases for a time before
hand can build public awareness very effectively and increases the chances of
having a full house when the day arrives - and long after.

Other factors to consider is your location. Are you in a strip mall? Stand alone
building? Busy downtown street? How large is the establishment - do you have
the room to stage an event - have a hot local band, maybe some up and coming
politicians - the mayor, city councilmen/women. With the primaries you may be
able to contact the local politicians to bring their forums to your place. Can you
decorate your exterior - signage - banners across a street etc.

Also - think about who your target clientele should be when doing this - is there a
radio/TV station with the proper demos you can co-op with - do a live broadcast
and promotion.

There are quite a number of ways to go about a grand opening - but remember
one thing - hit with with all you've got, and keep it going afterward. Unless you
are lucky enough to always be booked, and have a full house - promotion done
properly will always be one of your best investments.

SK

**Next Post

The least expensive, most productive method we've used for openings is
straightforward and builds a clientele.

Identify an efficient civic or charitable organization in your geographic area, with

supporters who fit your demography for guests. Be very careful to choose one
with good communications systems and active support. Offer an opening night to
them, free of any charges. The charity markets the event to their patrons for a
comfortable range of $35 to $50 per person. The restaurant provides an evening
of gala opening night excitement, and serves their menu items as passed hors
d'oeuvres and buffet style.

Obviously the benefit for the restaurant is the charity pushing the event and your
establishment through their newsletter, through public service announcements
and a special mailing if you can negotiate that also. You will want a disc of their
mailing list, negotiable, or at least a mailing list of those guests who accept the
offer.

The charity should have a socially active volunteer group who undertake this
project as a special mission.

KW

**Next Post

As a public relations professional in the hospitality/restaurant field, I would advise

Assagio Bistro to hire a PR consultant! A good professional knows how to reach
out to the food media in the area and maximize your exposure in newspapers,
magazines, TV. He/she will already have a media list and personal contacts with
the right editors/producers/journalists. A PR person will advise you what day of
week, what time of day/evening is the best for a grand opening, and watch out for
potentially conflicting events. He/she will prepare your invitations, make sure you
obtain quality images to hand out, and be on hand at the grand opening with the
right press materials. With a pr professional on your side, you can concentrate on
what you need to do -- making sure your product, ambiance and service are as
good as can be! And don't forget the customer -- nothing beats word-of-mouth. I
suggest you implement a program to reward satisfied customers so they will
return!

Judy Goldschmidt, Public Relations Manager

Peddler's Village -- Lahaska, PA

**Next Post

If you are a neighborhood place do a week of $10 three course dinner excluding
liquor for neighborhood only (they have to show some i.d. at the door.) This says
- I want you & I'm here for the neighborhood & I'm here to stay. Advertise it in the
window in a big nicely hand lettered sign for a week before opening.

Yes, there will we freeloaders who come once for the deal but I did it 3 times and
it's worth it.

Then official opening night just have a party with everyone you and your staff
know that flows out the door and shows buzzzzzzzzzz.

PH

**Next Post

One of my favorite Grand Openings (actually it also took place in Detroit) is to

hook up with a local charity and donate the proceeds of your opening night (or
any early night) to them.

It gives your staff an eager crowd to serve, gives you a lot of free publicity, and
usually gives you and your staff a fairly understanding audience as you work out
some of the opening jitters and mishaps that are bound to happen

Good luck,
Jeff Lowe
NYC

**Next Post

I work on the other side of the table - as a daily newspaper food/dining-out writer.
Maybe I should not directly talk to restaurants. And, of course, since I don't
operate a business and have never met a payroll, my comments are worth less
than a cup of coffee. Still, I read with interest the Restaurant Report each week
and remain fascinated with the issues, the concerns and comments. I am at once
amazed at the depth of knowledge and stunned at the lack of it.

So, let me take a risk, add my two cents about the latest issue and suggest that
grand opening nights mean nothing to me as a writer. They offer such a unique
experience that I've often found that items on offer may not even be served on
the regular menu. As well, the restaurant is putting on a performance which may
not be at all indicative of the usual experience.

That said, the opening can be both a marketing and instructive tool. Certainly, it's
an obvious way to schmooze the suppliers and other helpers who helped open
the place - that is, if they're even invited. I also think it's a pretty groovy and
effective way to ingratiate the restaurant with its own staff. I know of restaurants
that have opened with two big nights: one for the business' customers, another
for the families of staff. It's a way to show off the restaurant and draw some
respect and possibly business from people who directly know of the place: the
moms and dads of the helpers, the brothers, sisters and significant others. Also,
it's a way to get a so-called soft-opening - to try the restaurant out on your own
best audience - people with a direct stake, people who will tell you what's
missing, what works.

I once did a column on places where people in the food service industry actually
go to impress dates and clients. You'd be surprised at their comments - off-the-
record, of course for fear of annoying other places.

In my experience, independent restaurant operators do so little research

business or marketing or other related work, that even something so simple as a
grand opening would be better than nothing.

Just don't expect me to come for the free food. I'll take the notice that a new
place is open and add it to my list of possible places.

Kindest regards,
Ted Whipp
Windsor, ON CANADA

**Next Post

I've read a lot of good advice in this column from hospitality professionals and PR
people alike regarding the grand opening process of a new restaurant. One point
not covered is the idea of promoting yourself to the concierge community within
your region (that is, if you are located in an area that indeed has one).
As you plan your opening, consider obtaining a list of the local concierge
association through the group itself or local convention and visitors bureau.
Clueing these industry professionals into your site can only benefit your operation
and help forge relationships. Don't forget though, it's the 00's, meaning that the
term "concierge" implies more than just "hotel", with corporate, residential and
retail service representatives proliferating the marketplace.

As one who has been to a fair amount of grand openings, I offer this bit of
commentary - Keep your opening venue small, maybe even have two or three
parties that are not as greatly populated as one large soiree'. Too many times
have I attended an opening, only to get caught up in the swirling maelstrom of
other attendees, all fighting feverishly for a nibble of crudite and a drink. The idea
of the opening is to impress; making the perspective guest's visit akin to the
everyday experience customers will garner - with a few more bells and whistles
of course.

Final advice is continuing advice: Wow 'em at the grand opening - keep the fervor
up indefinitely. There are too many restaurants that put on a dog and pony show
at the onset and then let the excitement trickle away. As is sometimes said, "Out
of sight is out of mind."

Good luck!
Ken Alan
Corporate Concierge - Equity Office Properties
Restaurant Reviewer - Philadelphia Style Magazine

**Next Post

The best thing to do would be to have an on the house party inviting the Elite of
your city, the Mayor etc and club it with some entertainment. I feel you should
offer a sample of the food, ambience and the entertainment on the house to the
elite or the target market. I strongly feel that no advertising is better than the word
of mouth, and believe me if you can give your invites something good to talk
about the word shall spread like a wild fire.

The other good suggestion was charity, which someone has talked about. Check
out the social issues in your city which are bothering people and you can use that
as a theme for the evening with proceeds going for that cause. This certainly
attracts a lot of attention, but nevertheless you must invite the target audience
and the affluent of your city through a direct mailer.

All the best,

Rajeev Khanna
 Question & Answer Session:

Handling Last Minute Guests

Question:
How do you feel about guests who come in at the last minute, at say five or even
two minutes 'til closing? Should they be given the full treatment, should they be
sat at all, should the fact that the restaurant is closing even be mentioned to
them?

I am very interested to hear what others in the industry feel about this situation.

Thanks,
M. O'Toole

Answer:
Yes, treat them like royalty. If you want to go early close your doors earlier, don't
say your open to a certain time if you don't want to serve the customer half an
hour before that time. Don' rush them, they are there to spend money, and that is
the point.

We run a number of restaurants and if a customer comes in Two seconds before

official closing we stay and serve, after all we are in a 'Service Industry'. We
would even serve a late customer who arrived after the 'official' Close time, if the
till was still open. The only concession I would make to this rule is that a late
customer, (one that arrived after close time), would be made aware that we were
officially closed and so all the menu may not be available.

Paul Nesbitt

**Next Post

This is really simple. I am open until 9 PM weekdays, 10 PM on Friday and

Saturday. We take orders until 9 PM weekdays, 10 PM on Friday and Saturday.
When and if I ever feel compelled to exit the building at these times, I will alter
the "closing" times.

When a restaurant begins to push the time of closing too close to the employee's
clocking out, you're really telling the customer to either come early or don't come
at all. Worse, you're leaving the impression with both cooks and servers, that at
nine o'clock they should be expecting to get off work. They, like us, will begin
"looking forward" to the hour, and will (consciously or not) behave accordingly
towards late-arriving customers. At my restaurant, there are no visible signs of
closing allowed while customers are in the dining room.

I can't be the only one who has arrived at a grocery store 20 minutes before
closing and have the floor-machine jockey whiz by with the gas-powered
machine. I don't appreciate it, and neither do my customers.

So, I think either I should be open for business with a welcoming attitude toward
my customers or I should close at an earlier time if that is what I so desire.

Ray S.
Restaurant Owner, Arkansas

**Next Post

I would like to weigh in on the topic of how to treat customers who come in at
closing time. As a manager and now an owner of casual Italian restaurants, I
have to say this question comes up time and time again with employees and
managers. My feeling always has been and always will be that every customer
who comes in your door should be treated equally whether they come in at the
beginning of the day or the end.

I am always thankful that customers choose my restaurants over the hundreds of

others out there and would never want to make them feel uncomfortable by
coming in at closing time. I have been to restaurants where at the end of the
night the service was bad and the food was below average and have NEVER
gone back there again.

I always train my employees to be respectful of all customers not just those who
come during the "right" hours. We do not tell them it is close to closing time; we
just wait on them like everyone else. However, another problem can come up at
the end of the night which gives us problems all the time. What do you say or do
with customers who obviously know the restaurant has closed long ago but
continue to hang around even after paying their check? That is were a real
customer service issue comes up. We always try to treat our customers with the
utmost respect but what happens when this happens; are the customers
returning that respect?
D. Melchiorre

**Next Post

I manage a restaurant just south of the silicon valley, and I've noticed that many
commuters don't get back into town until 9:00. Our hours posted are from 11 am
to 9 pm, but I keep the kitchen open until 9:15 or 9:30 to accommodate those
customers. The kitchen will be pre-closed, but I still accept customers after 9:00.
I've noticed that more and more restaurants in the bay area and silicon valley are
staying open later (11 pm or so) to accommodate this same clientele. These
customers quickly become regulars, and frequently bring their clients here now.
They feel special when they know that our restaurant should be closed, but we
can sneak them in for a late dinner. I feel that it has helped us build a stronger
group of regulars, who don't mind spending a little more to get that special
hometown treatment.

Ariana Ward
General Manager
The Vault Restaurant
Hollister, California

**Next Post

As a food writer and restaurant consultant, I advocate for consumers and

business owners and this is always a touchy issue. How exactly is a customer to
know what your policies are? There really are no industry standards. We all know
if we go into K-Mart five minutes before it closes, we need to be in the check-out
lane promptly and not linger around the store. But restaurants are generally
meant for lingering.

If your sign says "Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m." then when is a customer too late? Can
I enter at 9 and be served? If not, is 8:30 or 8:45 early enough? What's the
cutoff? Is it arbitrary and not posted? I've seen it vary widely from place to place.

If you are not clear and precise in your signs and advertising, then you are
obligated to graciously serve those customers who arrive right before closing
because they aren't mind readers and may patronize places that wait to close
their kitchen until 15 minutes after "closing" time.

One way to alleviate this problem is to clearly sign and advertise what your policy
is. For example: "Open 11 a.m.; kitchen open until 9 p.m.; bar, coffee and light
dessert service until 10."

If customers enter at 8:58 p.m., it's unlikely they will be able to place an order by
9 p.m., but your sign has covered your tail and they will understand that they
have to arrive a little earlier next time. If they wanted dinner, the host/hostess
should inform them of the policy, apologize, give them a gift certificate for a free
dessert on their next visit and send them on their way.

With the knowledge that bar, coffee and dessert service are available until 10,
diners who arrive at 8:50 and place their order before 9 will also know that the
house closes down at 10 p.m. Period. Seventy minutes for dinner should be
sufficient for them and will give your staff the comfort of knowing that they aren't
going to be "put on the grill" because everyone knows precisely when the door is
locked and customers are expected to be out of there. Waitstaff and bartender
may even give customers a "last call" at 9:50 so last minute orders can be
placed.

Just my two cents worth. I'm all in favor of precise communication and customers
should not be short changed when they don't have a chance to know the house
rules.

Jane Berkowitz
Food Writer, Kansas City MO
CHOWTOWN - All the news that's fit to eat

**Next Post

First rule: If operations don't want to seat people at 9:58 pm, close at 9:pm

Second rule: If guests ARE seated at 9:58pm, they are entitled to the same
courteous and complete service that the guest at 6pm receives.

Perhaps the 80/20 rule might come in handy here. 80% of the satisfied guests
only tell 20% of their friends and associates about a good dining experience. The
20% of less-than-satisfied or just satisfied guests tell 80% of their friends and
associates about THEIR experience.

L.M. Edmonds, FMP

CEO - CFBE Training and Development - www.cfbe.org

**Next Post

Even though I work in the industry and hate when this happens, everyone should
be given the same treatment if they come in 1 minute after you open to 1 minute
before you close. Just because you or your employees want to go home does not
give them cause to give worse service. This only compounds the problem. If this
is a guests favorite restaurant and they rave about it to everyone and just one
time they show up just before closing time and get horrible or rude service or bad
food I can guarantee that they will tell everyone they know not to go there.
Joseph Wohlscheid
F & B Manager
Kiawah Island Club

**Next Post

This is just one opinion, but I feel very strongly about the customers at closing
issue. To me, a restaurant that posts its designated closing /opening time should
give the same service at 5 minutes to close as they did 5 minutes after opening.

If the restaurant posts its hours and then chooses to close (for whatever reason)
5 minutes early, then that's acceptable. However, if the customer is allowed in
then he/she/they should be sat and served with the same service as is always
expected at that restaurant.

Many restaurants seem to fail to remember, that it is the customers that makes
their business success the reason for them to stay in business. Quite often we in
the restaurant business forget that without customers there is NO business.

But that is just one restauranteurs opinion.

Thanks,
Paul Deveny

**Next Post

For the past ten years I have been the COO of three Italian restaurants in
Topeka and Lawrence KS and in December of 99 I bought one of the three.
About six years ago we started a policy at all three restaurants that our "REAL"
closing time is 15 min. past the posted time. Our philosophy on this was very
simple 1. Not everyone's watch is the same. 2. The staff knowing that we don't
officially close until 15 min past keeps staff from frowning on the five or two til
clients. I feel that if you close at 10:00pm then you should seat clients until
10:00pm if you really don't want to seat clients after 9:55pm then make that your
closing time. We expect that a store or bank that says they close at 5:00pm will
still let us in at 4:55pm, why should our industry be any different. In closing, it has
been my experience that the last table sat is rarely the last one to leave and
when you boil it all down it's just good business.

Anyway those are my thoughts,

Paul A. Manzanares
Owner/Operator
"GRAZIE" Italian-American Pizzeria & Bar
**Next Post

M. O'Toole has brought out a very common situation. We address this situation
with adjustments in shift schedules.

1. There are a couple of waitstaff assigned to stay until the very last guest
leaves.
2. Our closing time at the door is 10 PM. Our kitchen and bar actually can take
orders until 10:30. The waitstaff (in #1) end their shift at 11:00.
3. Our cashier's shift ends at 11:00.

When guests do come in a few minutes before closing, they are advised right
away about the closing times of the bar and kitchen, so they know what to expect
if they decide to stay on. They are also requested to settle their checks at a
certain time. But we never, never ask them to leave.

Nevertheless, they are treated no different than "normal" guests. Normally, if they
know what's in store for them, there is a certain mutual respect.

Lito Benitez

**Next Post

As a customer myself, I presume the hours posted that you are open means,
oddly enough, the hours that you are open to accept customers.

If a place is open from Noon until 10 p.m., that presupposes to me that those are
the hours during which you will accept new customers.

If that is the hour at which the restaurateur wishes to close shop and go home, I
would suggest an earlier closing hour be posted or something along the lines of
"We regret we are no longer seating customers this evening", be posted at the
entrance when you think you have gotten close enough to when you want to start
wrapping it up for the night.

It is unfair to a customer and to your business to accept the customer and then
try to rush them out because you decided seat them at the last minute. If you
accept their trade, you should treat them properly and let them have your best
possible dining experience.

If you arrange things so your staff understands that the time you close the front
door is NOT the time they can expect to go home, I think you will also have less
of a problem.
Now as for the customer's side, we do rather owe it to others to not linger
unnecessarily when it is obvious the restaurant is trying to close. Though if we
are seated and they take our order, we do have the right to expect to eat our
meal without having the cleaners hovering about buffing the floor, hosing out the
facilities and some such.

James Penrose

**Next Post

I can appreciate the fact that some people simply cannot make it to a restaurant
until the last minute. I also agree with many of the other submissions that stress
the importance of these guests being taken care of in the same manner as the
earlier diners. However, it has been my experience that a great majority of the
customers that arrive late to a restaurant, stay well past their welcome! These
same people would not walk into a department store at five minutes to close and
shop for three hours, would they? The fact is that most service employees
welcome the late-comers business, but many, including myself have been made
to stay with one lone table for hours after closing.

It is extremely frustrating to seat a table shortly before closing, and watch them
chat for an hour after they are finished dining. After the sixth coffee refill, one
begins to wonder if they are ever going to leave! I have no problem with late night
diners, but if you are going to arrive late, please be considerate of the people
who stay late to give you a great dining experience. Thank you.

Evan G. Spiegler
L'Etoile
Madison, WI

**Next Post

We live in the Silicon Valley which Ariana Ward of Hollister refers to in her
comments and I think she's right about the late commutes. My husband gets
home sometime between 8:30 and 9:30 PM and it is hard to find a "real"
restaurant which is still open by the time we get there. Please don't surprise me
with an unofficial closing time of 8:45 or 8:50 PM if the sign on your door says
9:00! We've finally found five or six places which will allow us to scoot in at the
last minute - sometimes even after "closing" - and we return again and again.

It would be nice if more restaurant managers would look at the commute patterns
in an area before deciding on hours of operation. Locally, few restaurants are full
at 5:30 or 6:00 PM but if we arrive at 8:30 we might have to wait for a table - yet
most still close at 9:00 on a week night. Many people are just beginning to arrive
home at that time. That's frustrating.
Kathleen Owen
Los Altos Hills, CA

**Next Post

The great majority of replies I read seemed to be aimed at the wait staff being
annoyed at customers coming in a few minutes before closing and staying late.
This was not my experience, the wait staff was very glad to be "hung-up", this
was maybe because of the extra tip or their work ethnic, The problem I found
was with the kitchen staff they wanted to clean up and go home, and as
everyone knows the kitchen staff especially the chef or sou-chef packs more
weight than a waitress.

-EB

**Next Post

I personally feel this is a no-brainer. You treat the customer who comes in one
minute before closing with the same respect and courteous treatment you should
be giving to ALL customers.

The cook or wait person who does not understand this concept is in the wrong
business. No mention, I repeat NO MENTION should ever be made to the client.
when they are in your establishment to the effect: "You know we're closing in a
few minutes" I have unfortunately heard this from servers and floor mgrs. Of
course, in some area there are legal hours, when you cannot serve alcoholic
beverages. These naturally must be respected. I have also observed a similar
type problem at the restaurant opening. You cannot tolerate servers or others
making comments like "We're not ready" or "someone will be with you in a few
minutes" If your sign say OPEN AT 4:00 PM. At that hour if your staff and
managers are not prepared, something is very wrong. What I have stated goes
equally for ALL retail establishments. If you are open from 9 to 9. Then you are
open from 9 to 9. If not find another source of employment.

Ron

**Next Post

I think that this issue isn't as cut and dry as some people are making it out to be.
Yes, we work in the service industry and our customers make or break our
business, but I think that a line needs to be drawn when it comes to the issue of
people showing up at the last possible minute (among other things). I don't think
mutual respect and human consideration needs to be abandoned just because
we're in the service industry. If a customer knows the hours of operation and
comes in at the last minute anyways, I don't feel like that is respectful. As a
professional chef AND as a customer, if I know/come to realize that a restaurant I
had planned on going to closes in even *15* minutes, I find somewhere else to
go because I understand how aggravating it is to have everything close to being
done for the evening, only to have to mess it up again to serve a couple of
people. I know some people have real reasons why they can't make it to a
restaurant at a reasonable hour (working late hours, etc), but I'd be willing to bet
that the majority of people who insist on going into places right when they close
have a sense of customer superiority and quite possibly get a kick out of knowing
that they're screwing some people over. Sometimes it's just a consideration
issue.

I work a couple of nights a week at a small-ish diner type restaurant and on

Wednesdays we have a man who intentionally waits in his car in our parking lot
for anywhere from 5-10 minutes only to come in at exactly 8:59. And instead of
taking his food and leaving, he and his son sit in our lobby and make a big of a
mess as possible, never say thank you, never say sorry, they just grin like
Cheshire cats because they know we have to serve them. And this is all because
we once told him that we'd be more than happy to have food ready for him at 9,
but that we'd appreciate it if he could simply phone in his order 5 or 10 minutes
before closing so that we get a head start and aren't forced to mess up the
grill/fryers/countertops after they've been cleaned spotless.

Is this fair? It's because of restaurant managers not putting their foot down in
*appropriate* situations and treating everyone like "royalty" that customers think
they're entitled to this kind of behavior.

I know I have great customer service skills despite this issue, but there is a time
to speak up and stand your ground.

Kristin
 Question & Answer Session:

Lowering Staff Turnover

Question:
Can anyone offer some tips/advice on lowering staff turnover?

Answer:
Tips for Recruiting Employees:

--Ask your own employees for names of people they loved working with at their
previous jobs. Then find out if those people want to work for you.

--Start apprentice programs with students enrolled in hospitality programs at your

local tech schools. Even though these programs can take awhile to set up, the
participants are energetic and eager to learn because they want a career in your
industry.

--When you shop in your own neighborhood, also shop for new employees who
are friendly and helpful. Temporary workers who are hired over the holidays or
during the summer might want to eventually work for you.

--Keep in touch with your former employees. They know people who would mesh
well with the culture of your business.

--Contact moving companies. They are often aware of trailing spouses looking for
work.

--Give your business card to friendly, helpful people who you would like to work
for you. Include a short note on the back inviting them to call you. Place your
business card next to the tip you leave for the wait staff, hair stylist or other
service professional.

Tips for Keeping Employees:

--Let new employees determine how much they can do. It might be more than
you think they can handle, but they might surprise you and perform beyond
expectations.

--If you hire high school students, let them schedule their work hours around
extra-curricular activities.

--Offer paid vacations to part-timers.

--Pay a monthly stipend to employee who commute by public transportation.

--Give employees who have new babies an embroidered baby blanket with the
baby's name and date of birth and the name of your restaurant. This keepsake
will be cherished forever.

--Conduct annual or semi-annual surveys of employees. Ask these questions:

Why do you like to work here? What can we do better? What are the most
important factors in your job satisfaction?

--Say thank-you and say it often, especially if you're the boss.

You'll find more recruitment and retention tips at my website at

http://www.publicityhound.com.

Joan Stewart
Media relations speaker, trainer, consultant
Publisher of The Publicity Hound newsletter
Author of the booklets:
"113 Tips for Recruiting Valuable Employees"
"107 Tips for Keeping Valuable Employees"

**Next Post

I am the owner of a restaurant in Atlanta with casual dining and I have enjoyed
the comments of other readers. Our restaurant is 12 years old and we have
experienced all of the problems that everyone else has mentioned. I have
changed my style and the style of our managers by trying to understand the
changes that we need to make in order to succeed.

Our staff has very little turnover. We do a very very detailed job of screening and
training Our high school applicants are interviewed at least 3 times by 3 different
managers and we speak with their parents and siblings before we hire them.
They are coached rather than supervised. They are carefully monitored until they
have it "right". It takes more time and expense to do this but it has a big payoff.
We find that many of our employees work part time in high school, full time
during vacations and holidays, and then for summers and vacations once they
are in college.

Our training emphasizes teamwork and any time that there is a lack of teamwork
we re-train, meet and counsel and call parents etc. We are a family. There are
frequent meetings for motivation and to deal with general problems. Any owner
who feels that all servers are no good or lazy or lack motivation is really telling
you that he or she is not willing to invest the time and ingenuity to solve problems
on their staff.

Sure, we get complaints from diners. But our staff has been empowered to go to
a pre-approved limit to please the customer and know that calling over a
manager will not endanger their position. The customer is not always right but
he/she is always the customer.

Good luck,
Stanley Sackin

**Next Post

While many of your ideas are good and well meaning, I really think you are taking
it way too far to interview prospective servers' parents & siblings. Are you running
a restaurant or a kindergarten? By all means check references, something very
few restaurants seem to bother to do, but your approach smacks strongly of "big
brother" and I feel that if other companies were to follow your advice, it would be
a serious encroachment on people's privacy.

You do not seem to allow for the fact that there are many different facets to
people's personalities, and the one we show at work is unlikely to be the one we
show at home. One can express one's individuality without dragging the baggage
of parent & siblings around at the work place; that is where we all get a chance to
create another individual part of ourselves.

You should allow your prospective employees to be whoever they want to be at

work and take the time to find out if that suits your establishment instead of
creating a preconceived niche for them, which may be exactly what they are
trying to grow (up) away from.

What about young people who have no family in the area? I consider your
approach to hiring employees is insultingly paternal and frankly it has no place in
the modern work place.

Josephine Mackenzie

**Next Post
In reference to Stan Stackin's philosophy on hiring/training practices, I agree with
him wholeheartedly regarding his idea, save one issue: I don't believe it is our job
as restaurant professionals to get involved with the personal lives of our teenage
employees, namely speaking with parents/siblings. That is one area where we, in
my opinion, should stay out of. If you want to get a good idea of how someone is
going to work out for you, contact their friends and possibly a school counselor.

Joshua Warner

**Next Post

I could not agree more with your point of view. You can have the most
extraordinary concept in the world, but if you do not invest the needed time and
effort in selecting and well training your staff, as well as provide them with the
right direction as coach, you will be lost in neverland, and for sure you will fail.
For example you can look at concepts like Planet Hollywood or Official All Star
where the concept made the Guest, but after one visit, people are gone. They put
all the effort in making and marketing the owners and place so good, they forgot
how important the staff and quality of the product were (food & merchandise), so
they fall down.

If a Manager thinks he is surrounded by incompetent people, he should stop and

look at a mirror. A manager is measured by results and a manager, I do not care
how good he or she is, can not do the job by themselves.

The main focus has to be in being involved with your staff but not being naive,
the staff will push you as far as they can, remember, we are dealing with the X's,
and they question everything, we need to take the time to listen and explain or
we will be confronted with dissatisfied people working with us.

So, yes, I am a true believer that staff makes you or breaks you in any business
where service is sold.

Gabriel Marquez de la Torre

**Next Post

This method of training and giving everyone in a business an amount to clear

problems up with is great. This is also being done at the Ritz where every
employee has the power to cover up to 2000 dollars which is what the best
rooms go for.

Antoine C. Seailles
**Next Post

You know what, I am sick and tired of listening to all of this complaining! "It's the
managers fault, it's the employees fault, it's societies fault", my goodness, is
there no end? The simple fact of the manner is that a great number of restaurant
professionals do not know how to deal with this so-called "labor drain". And what
do we do when we don't know what to do? We point fingers and blame.

You are all right though, employees are aware of the labor shortage, and they do
take advantage of it. Good for them! Do you mean to tell me that employers do
"not" take advantage of labor surpluses? So we are agreed, employees will jump
from job to job if they are not treated well, and they are more prone to do it now
than ever because of this labor shortage. I have an idea, why don't we all treat
our employees well! Don't you all like to be treated well? Won't you do a better
job for someone who gives you respect and thinks of you as an equal?

That is my solution, and guess what, it works? It has been for two years now, and
the customers at the restaurant that I manage tell me that the current staff is the
best ever! Mind you, this restaurant has been in existence since 1925. Good
enough results for you?

Evan G. Spiegler
Club 26 - Fort Atkinson, WI

**Next Post

One way we keep low turn over is hire college students. You are going to keep
them for 2-4 years. You need to be flexible with their schedule and hire others
accordingly. They all end up being best of friends if you hire people that go with
the flow of others working there and what you want at your place. Rely on that
first 2 minute gut instinct on meeting the person you interview if you have to think
about hiring them then do not they will not work out.

Christina
 Question & Answer Session:

Lying About Reservations

Question: Lying About Reservations

Inevitably we get a customer who arrives at the restaurant at the busiest time and
insists that they called ahead and made a reservation. Our reservation system is
traditional (Big Black Book) that is used by all staff to enter a reservation, and it
has worked great. In these cases my intuition tells me that they want to sneak
into a table (usually on Valentine's Day, Mothers Day, or New Years Eve), but I'm
hesitant to call them on it...I don't want them making a scene, but at the same
time I don't want to inconvenience customers who play by the rules.

Any suggestions?

Answers:
There is most definitely a problem with the 'liars' of the restaurant industry. What
I try to do is a multi- step process.

1.First, ask if the customers are willing to wait for the next table. Make sure to
give them an accurate estimate on the time it will take for them to receive a table.
Also make sure the suggestion is not too preposterous. (Don't ask them to wait 4
hours.)

2. Second, always have a place where they can sit and wait for their table. If you
are able to, offer them a drink and a glass of water. In mid-scale restaurants this
is the major advantage of having a counter where customers are able to sit.

3. If you are unable to find them a spot that evening, try to offer a free dessert or
dinner for the next time they come into your restaurant.

4. Never inconvenience a customer who does play by the rules. This is plain bad
policy. If you know someone plays by the rules, and you know another who your
pretty sure plays by the rules, who are you going to pick? The one you know
plays by the rules.
5. Use discretion and comp the customer a dessert, drink, appetizer, or if
desperate a meal.

6. If a scene does occur, retrieve the highest ranked manager available

immediately and have them personally apologize to each and every customer
that witnesses the spectacle.

7. Always apologize, and if you think the person is lying (and are pretty sure of it)
offer very little. A free drink, dessert, maybe, use discretion. You don't want
people to come into your restaurant trying to cheat you anyway. If it is a regular,
go as far as you can to make amends. Be reasonable, and sincere.

8. Never accuse a customer of foul play. The service industry is one of the most
humble professions.

9. In the end discretion must be used for every situation, but remember never
inconvenience a customer that you know plays by the rules and never accuse a
customer of foul play.

Edwin C. Burke

Next Post

Confirm all reservations a day ahead. Even use email, its a great way of building
a database as well. For groups of 8 or more ask a deposit or a charge card
number when taking the reservation. As far as making a scene, keep smiling,
offer them a seat at the bar, get them away from the front door and do the best
you can to get them in as quickly as you can. Learning to juggle helps.

-M

Next Post

Great question that many of us had to deal with.

More & more people use email for their reservation in our restaurant. Only with a
confirmation from us is the reservation valid. When noted down in our "Big Black
Book" via telephone, we take down complete name ( ask them to spell it if
necessary) how many in the party, what time, their mobile or telephone number,
time and date of call Of course smoking or non, hey, this is Europe.

When trying to lie their way in: ask them when they made the call, under what
name and/or number while handing them your business card. Smiling and
explaining that you have not been taking reservations for this date for
days/weeks whatever and that it's best to call in advance.
With this Valentine weekend we've been full house Friday, Saturday and Sunday
for weeks. I do mention that we still have some seats available on Monday.

We've even sent customers away with a reservation that casually decided to
come an hour late, without calling due to delay.

Harlequino bvba
Belgium
http://www.harlequino.be

Next Post

My first thought was to number or otherwise code the reservations in the Big
Black Book. Then, when a customer calls for a reservation, after filling out the
name, etc. in the BBB, give that customer his/her unique number/code and ask
them to keep it with them. That way, you both know that the reservation has been
recorded and anyone who tries to get in without reservations won't have a
number and you'll know that they are lying. If this occurs, I'd think you would
have to tell the people that you have no open tables. As you stated, you shouldn't
inconvenience the people who played by the rules!

Next Post

You can't subsidize this kind of behavior. And you can't behead them either. I
counsel my clients to give the guest options and let them decide what to do.

• I can put your name on the list now and you will be seated in
approximately __ minutes.
• I can call to see if I can get you a reservation at another restaurant.
• You can wait to see if we have a no-show, at which point I will give you
their opening. (Here you can also offer to call them if this happens so they
won't wait grumpily in the waiting area.)

Jeffrey Summers

Next Post

Fit them in if you can. If they are not on the seating chart - try to get them in. Get
creative, who cares if they lied. Maybe they made a reservation at your
competitors and came to your restaurant by mistake. Take their money if you
can...it happens all the time.

Steven Waxman
www.traxcafe.com
 Question & Answer Session:

Pre-Shift Meetings

Question: Pre-Shift Meetings

I have been tasked to conduct pre-shift meetings in the restaurant where I work. I
would like to have (as much as possible) some ideas about the points that can be
discussed with the staff in these briefings. Plus, I would like to have some ideas
about the way to keep the staff active in these sessions. I would be grateful for
any help.

Thank you,
Charbel C.

Answers:

Start meetings off with a list of anything you are out of, any menu substitutions
and the specials. It is nice if the chef can come out and explain the dish or give
the servers a taste. Have no more than 3 or 4 points to make and start or finish
with the most important point. Don't make it a complaint session, keep it brief and
keep it as positive as you can. Touch on side work and health department issues.
Have contests and use the meetings to keep tabs on who is winning. Invite a
salesman to stop by and give tips on how to better sell the products. Have new or
inexperienced servers practice opening wine for the bartender. Allow questions
and group discussion but keep it short. End on a good note.

Susie in Nashville

** Next Post

I usually try to keep it at 2 minutes. I pick an area of opportunity that we all need
to work on like food running to talk about and then I go around the staff and goal
set with each one. I try to get a commitment of how many feature drinks they are
going to sell for the shift. If I have a contest for the evening I go over that as well.
As far as involving the staff a great way is to do a quick roleplay with 1 or 2 of
them that usually involves how they are going to sell a specific drink or entree we
are featuring. That way servers who may not be as successful with suggestive
selling can see how others do it.

Ashley Norcross
Clearwater, FL

** Next Post

Things to go over during meeting.

- Sections for the waiters, bus boys, and runners
- Specials of the day
- Schedule specifically for upcoming parties etc.
- Any rules that need to be reinforced

Every meeting ask one staff member to describe how a specific dish is prepared,
and about all its contents (this helps people become more familiar with the details
of every dish).

** Next Post

I used to work for a large Brewery chain "Brew-raunt," if you will, and we always
had a pre-shift meeting to set the tone for the day. As a manager, it was up to us
to lead the meeting and keep it fun and exciting. Of course you want to handle
things like section assignments, reservations, 86'd items, etc. I liked to make the
meetings fun by doing versions of gameshows, like jeopardy, or team trivial
pursuit. Make a list of questions, or categories (The Asiago cheese dip has
scallions, mayonnaise, asiago and....What are sundried tomatoes Alex?) Winners
got a free beer at the end of their shift, and we were constantly pounding
knowledge about the food, the beer, and owners, where the rest of our
restaurants/breweries were located, what other venues were owned by the
company, etc. An educated server that can accurately answer a guest's
question, makes them look good, as well as reflects positively on the
restaurant. i.e.: happy guest, return customer, bigger tip.

Best of luck to all in the industry!

Eric Christiansen

** Next Post

We do 2 shift meetings on Fridays. The rest of our corporate stores that are in
right to work states do then 2x a day. We provide a small snack and inform
employees of the business to look forward to, and up coming events, shifts
needed covered, if any, or new employees for the summer. We also talk about
our goals as a store and team. Sometimes we may play a motivating game.
These meetings should be aprox 15 min motivational, informational and fun.

Christina

** Next Post

We at "The Schools for the Service Arts" have a Flip-chart Program the covers
"The 'Feel' Part of Service" (All the physical procedures and techniques that will
make the Server's job more efficient and just plain easier & correct). There are
the 26 weekly topics in our Pre-shift Flip-chart & Quiz presentation. For more info
on the 26-week Pre-shift Flip Chart & Quiz Program contact us at
www.schoolfortheservicearts.com.

Ian Maksik

** Next Post

Don't be at all intimidated about the idea of pre-shift meetings. All they mean is
information that might have changed from day to day...and to spotlight new stuff
about today. Your job is just to relay info that may/or may not be new. Today's
specials - new specials or special events - a taste and explanation from the
kitchen about menu items or specials - and most importantly, a rally of the troops
- to get everyone on the same page - here we are - now - and what this shift
looks like. It might include staffing issues, the bus full of tourists that's rolling in -
in fifteen minutes. It needs to include all the news that was NOT told to those
folks who didn't work for the last few days...

Marv Hunt
www.marvhunt.com
 Question & Answer Session:

Returning Half Eaten Entrees

Question: Returning Half Eaten Entrees

This happens to us every once in a while and we are always left with an
uncomfortable situation. A customer orders something and it is properly prepared
and served. After a little while, the customer figures they could get a little freebie
and complains that they didn't like it. That wouldn't be a problem if they hadn't
eaten over half of the meal without saying anything. We've been put in the teeth
clenching spot of having to comp the entree, to prevent an incident...but it still
burns a little bit. We are a mid size, mid to upscale family place with a great
reputation in the community. What would you do?

Arthur L.

Answers:

The right thing is a hard issue. The book, in my opinion says, always do what the
guest wants. Hopefully this means preparing a different entree and charging for
that, thus only losing the cost on one entree and not all sales are lost. If the guest
does not want another item, comp it. If they are nice. If you feel that they are out
to get something for free, charge them for the entree, but bring them a dessert on
the house, which costs considerably less then the entree.

TS

** Next Post

Comp it and move on. This will invariably happen to everyone in the biz and the
proper thing to do is let them have their cake and eat it too, literally!

Carmen

** Next Post
You do have a problem but you seem to be handling it properly. What else really
can you do? If you refuse to replace the dish for something else, you'll never see
that customer again. Give them the benefit of the doubt and if it happens again,
remind the customer it happened twice before or how many times and you
cannot replace the dish.

Miriam Silverberg - silverbergm@iopener.net

President Miriam Silverberg Associates New York City

** Next Post

Don't comp their meal. Instead of comping their meal, give them a gift certificate
in the amount of the entree. That way they will have to return and will most likely
bring at least one other person with them. Not only have you taken care of the
problem, but you are also bringing in potentially new business when they return.

Gina
Maggio's

** Next Post

In this day & age, I feel that if you want to WOW your guest you have to comp
the meal they didn’t like & offer to have them order something else.

I hate to do it myself, but I feel that a happy customer is my goal & if they leave
feeling that they did not enjoy their dining experience they probably won't return
& worse yet they'll be telling others about the dish they didn't like. I figure it's
worth the few bucks to maintain a positive reputation.

Your servers should be very knowledgeable about every menu item so that if a
customer has any questions or reservations about a dish their server will be able
to steer them into ordering something they'd probably end up liking, and this
would help to reduce the "I don’t care for this" scenario.

RR

** Next Post

All I can recommend is for you to comp the meal. Yes, it is a significant business
expense, but one of the worst reputations a restaurateur can have is a penny
pincher. Be a little generous even if they are taking advantage of you.
Statistically, 3% of complaints are to deliberately cheat the business owner for a
freebie. If you would like to continue your reputation continuing comping in a
friendly manner. Also, consider other options like comping desserts, drinks, etc.
The customer must feel like they are always right, whether they are or not.
Good Luck
Edwin C. Burke

** Next Post

Sometimes it happens the same with us. There are some customers who learn to
eat free this way. Once, with a first time guest in our pub I told him we accept his
claim, but I can see that there was no problem with the food because half of it
was eaten. I told him because I did not want to make a big deal, but I did want
him to realize that we knew what he was doing. We never saw him again.

The situation is different if it happens with a regular customer. I accepted his

claim and I invited him for a drink. I also told him we are very sorry and I hope he
will not take very serious this mistake after being with us for years. He is still our
customer.

Best regards,
Richard,
Hungary
www.golfbox.hu

** Next Post

Do like we do in Australia. Tell them to get nicked and stop being cheep
moochers. You're there to ultimately make money and living. Giving into a petty
grievance after some one has devoured 3/4 of the meal is unacceptable in my
books. Make them pay I say.

Cheers,
Aaron
BJ's Nitespot

** Next Post

I've seen this happen time and time again in my 30 years of owning and
managing restaurants. First of all, it doesn't take a customer to eat half of a meal
to decide if he or she likes it or not. It takes two bites maybe three. I train my wait
staff to go back to the table 5 minutes after they serve. They are instructed to
politely ask how everything is. "Are you enjoying everything Mam, Sir." Right then
and there the server knows if everyone is enjoying the food. Now if there is a
complaint, I teach my servers to ask if they would like to see the menu and order
something else. This eliminates the free-be. If they do not want anything else,
then of course do not charge them. If they order something else, you have saved
your customer and you cannot be scammed by the dishonest patron/customer.

Chef/Instructor Jerome Cangemi / Aims Culinary Academy

** Next Post

If you don't comp it your screwed, if you do comp it your screwed $$.

It happens to often, people are unhappy and like the attention.

We check after a dinner goes out and if there is a probelm we ask if there is
anything we can make right away to try and save the check. Even if you do
everything right the result is not always good, maybe alcohol, who knows, the
more you serve the more things like this you deal with, even if you are really
good.

If they eat some of it and say it was no good send dessert, if they send it back try
to get them to order another entree but try not to make the same thing again!

It's been my experience that when I go out to the table and the person is
unreasonable, try to move on and keep smiling.

Steven Waxman
www.traxcafe.com
 Question & Answer Session:

Small Touches to Improve Service

Question: Small Touches

We are looking for some ideas for "small touches" to improve our customer
service like black linens for guests or walking guests out with umbrellas on rainy
nights. I'd love to get some feedback from people that are going the extra mile.

Sincerely,
Sara S.

Answers:

You've got the right idea about the small touches. We have been walking people
out to their cars with umbrellas for years. Better yet, we give them the umbrella!
You must have a bunch of them taking up space in you Lost and Found. Use
them, if they have gone unclaimed for 3 months. Or buy some at CVS. You can
also have a staff member keep an eye out for incoming guests and run an
umbrella out to them.

How about asking if the guest would like a cool or hot beverage for the road (not
alcoholic). On the house. It puts a smile on a face and is remembered. Or how
about teaching staff to recognize recurring guests and call them by their name,
using Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. etc., to avoid over familiarity. Or, how about creating some
small, yet original and well plated mini desserts, and just give them to every table
once every few days. Or, if you haven't already upgraded the bread appetizer, try
using some combinations of flat breads along with some mini loaves of
multigrain/corn/blueberry etc. Better yet, give them a mini loaf to take with them.
They will remember the thought the next morning when they have it for breakfast.

Or probably more important, stop having the servers introduce themselves with
the passe expression "Hi, my name is Sara. I'll be your server today." It's worn
out, over done, and blatantly obvious. Try having the servers mention their name
after the order is taken, yet before they leave the table. And stop telling the
guests "I'll put your order in right now." Duh. Don't let the server stop by the table
every few minutes and say " your order will be right out." The order will be
delivered when it is ready, and if there is a problem in the kitchen, then the guest
should be informed of a small delay.

Gus Brown

Next Post

I like to start with our phone bookings. We ask if the guest is celebrating
anything. This gives us a heads up on their anniversary, birthday etc. we then
ask for their fist names. When they arrive there is a hand written card for their
birthday, anniversary etc. signed by me. The staff then know their names
throughout the night as well as their celebration and we finish this off with a gift of
a bottle of the house wine with the relevant label on it – Happy birthday from Tim
and the staff at The Courthouse. This is given to them as they leave and there
are hugs and kisses all round. Very feel good stuff.

Tim O'Brien
The Courthouse Restaurant
http://www.courthouse.com.au/index.htm

Next Post

One thing we do, especially in the extreme weather, is when the server presents
the check, we offer to have their car pulled up for them (if they used the valet).
It's a nice touch at the very end, and it doesn't hurt the servers making this
gesture at the time that the customer is deciding on the gratuity.

Michael Danahy
The Blue Grotto Restaurant
Providence, RI
www.bluegrottorestaurant.com

Next Post

Those are some really good ideas. My place is very casual but here are some
things that we do to make our guests feel special:

Whenever possible, refer to the guest by name, i.e. look at their credit card and
when they leave and the next time they come in, call them by name, believe me,
they love it.

If you are the owner, visit every single table during the course of service. People
love to know the owner is in the house and really love meeting him or her.
Every employee in my restaurant must speak to our guests. Example, cook goes
through restaurant to get to rest room, he or she must stop by a table and inquire
about their visit. Busboys must engage at least 3 tables a shift, even my
dishwasher has to speak with our guests. Again, people love the attention,
especially from someone other than the server.

The last and maybe most obvious thing we do is with our hostesses, when we
are on a wait, they must engage the guest in conversation. We have given them
some lead ins to start things up, like: how did you hear about us, is this your first
visit, what do you think you might eat tonight.... Of course we train our hostesses
not to intrude on other conversations or act insincerely.

I have been in the business nearly 20 years and the one thing that I have come
to know without exception is this: people can get a meal equal to or better than
the one I give them, but they will be hard pressed to get better or friendlier
service anywhere.

P.S. I do absolutely no advertising, we are a word of mouth establishment and

business is very good.

Jason
Jason Newsom Big Daddy's Grill
Fairhope, AL
www.bigdaddysgrill.net

Next Post

1. Lit magnifiers for those of us who now have trouble reading menus in darker
restaurants

2. The other night, our server commented when she introduced herself to us how
long ago we had made our reservation and several of my guests mentioned that
attention to detail when we spoke the next day.

Roslyn Stone
Corporate Wellness, Inc.
www.corporatewellness.com

Next Post

The answer lies with what kind of operation you are now. We are a mom-and-pop
store so the small touches are knowing people by name, asking and getting their
favorite drink or appetizer as they settle in, offering mints or hot towels after
dinner, etc. The small touches here is making them feel comfortable and
attending their needs even before they know they need it. Some places may be
warm bread, offering substitutions for items, and fixing food the way they want it
instead of being rigid in your menu preparation. It could mean spending extra
time with fussy guests or holding a baby so "mom" could eat. These are things
we have done at our restaurant to make our guests feel at home.

Ray Tejada
Matador Restaurant
Taylor, Michigan

Next Post

Give your customers the best service and attention they can get and they will
most certainly return! Small touches like remembering their name(s) and that
they dine at your establishment frequently. Helping them feel comfortable at all
times -- your staff must be attentive, smiling, likable and leave their personal
problems at home. With people holding onto their money these days and when
they decide to have a dinner out, there's nothing nicer than great food, great
service and great staff.

Melanie Seibold
Naples, Florida

Next Post

Small touches - do all possible to accommodate guests.

* One or two squished in a tiny booth - offer more comfortable seating if

available.

* Reading material - current newspapers available

* Children present - child's menu, crayons & coloring sheets, enthusiastic

attention, praise and acknowledgment of manners displayed. High chairs or
booster seats offered

* Read your tables - some customers want to order right now! and others are
content to take their time

* Information/suggestions - daily specials; / popular dishes, substitutions and

alternatives available

* Anticipate needs/wants - as a server, it's almost like 20 questions

* Nothing is perfect - but try and get it right the first time!

* Look alive out there!!! - circulate, refill beverages, bring food orders out
promptly, clear unnecessary debris from tables and SMILE
* Make sure that the guests are satisfied! - orders correct, happy with meals,

* Gravy? - when offered, 7 out of 10 will take you on it!

* Desserts - who has room? - care to share or split? - offer to pack one or more
to go (some don't think of this - never miss an opportunity to sell)

* Bill prep - inquire as to separate, split bill, or one single

* Say "Cheese!" - offer to be the official photographer if a group is taking photos

so the whole gang can be included

* Always welcome back and offer to make reservations for lunch or dinner - keep
them coming back!

Most of the above is standard. It's pretty evident when businesses appreciate
your business.

Isabel: Server
Coast Hotel and Resorts
Kaien Island (Prince Rupert) BC Canada

Next Post

Have you considered sending guests home with a small gift wrapped package of
mints or a tiny whole cake that is a signature of the restaurant? What about
sending birthday and anniversary cards?

Miriam Silverberg
President Miriam Silverberg Associates Publicity
silverbergm@mindspring.com

Next Post

There are literally hundreds -- here's a few...

1. Learn customers names and use them on their return visits.

2. Give special attention to women, elderly, & children for quick attention.
3. Meet your neighbors, go and visit.
4. Follow up on a large party, thanking them for visiting you.
5. Allow substitutions for vegetables with cole slaw or cottage cheese for fries; be
flexible.
6. Reward staff for special work.
7. Have disposable cameras available for sale for large and special parties.
8. Have taxi number readily available when required.
9. Have a needle and thread available at host stand.
10. Know your city or town, directions and phone numbers.

M.G.

Next Post

One important item here which most restaurant customers appreciate is this:
Once their meal and desert are completed they hate wasting valuable time
waiting around for their bill. This problem is being corrected by new technology
called PAY AT THE TABLE. This program is faster more secure and is a plus for
everyone: The customer, owner/management and wait staff.

Regards,
John Gallagher

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Complimentary items served with the main food is always a nice thing. A small
and traditional piece of dark chocolate served when you present the check is a
plus for your customers.

Marysol Betancur

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I am a restaurant manager. We have a large group of regulars that come in often.

I make it a habit to pick up their bills every once in a while. These are the guest
who keep our place open. They love it when I do this. It keeps them coming
back.

A.M.

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I think looking for ways to go the extra mile will definitely pay off. It's a fact that
people will spend money, even pay more, where they are treated well. The two
things you mentioned are both excellent ideas. I especially like the black linens.
Another idea might be a small nicely wrapped mint chocolate for each guest at
the end of a meal. I'd love to hear what you decide and how it worked.

Carolyn C. Finney
CCF Consulting Services, Inc.
www.ccfconsultingservices.com

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The list could go on and on and on, really, because there is ALWAYS more you
can do to improve the dining experience.

You really have to walk yourself through the entire experience from start to finish.
What do they see/feel/hear when they walk in the door? How does your staff
interact and relate to and with them? What kind of food do you serve? How well-
kept is your restaurant in terms of style and design and is it clean and tidy? Do
you see dirty dishes around you? Is your wait staff
friendly/professional/knowledgeable. What is the wine list like? Do you have
nightly specials? Candles at the tables? Do you offer happy hour? Do you do
theme nights? Does the waiter fold your napkin when you get up and go to the
rest room?

EVERYTHING matters and sometimes you can miss the forest for the trees...

Not sure how helpful I've been but you sure have got me to thinking!

Regards,
Donna Perreault
CVA Consultants
www.cvaconsultants.us

P.S. I'd absolutely love to give you feedback so if you want to get in touch with
me directly please let me know.

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Most important:
Smile when you look at your customers.
Smile when you talk to your customers.
Smile and they'll smile back - inside and out.
Only Isabel Isabel: Server, from Coast Hotel and Resorts Kaien Island (Prince
Rupert) BC Canada
Even mentioned SMILE

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I serve small children first, and I have a large wood wine case full of toys and
coloring books (cards for the bigger kids). That way, the kids are not hungry, they
are busy playing and the adults can talk and eat in peace :)