Ghost Kitchens

Ghost Kitchens are professional commercial facilities typically used for preparing delivery-only meals. Although some ghost kitchens are now offering pick up or shared outdoor dining spaces, it is best to think of a ghost kitchen as a shared kitchen (typically commissary space) used by multiple brands. Picture a hotel; only instead of rooms, identical cooking suites are available to rent designed for restaurant brands looking to expand their off-premise sales without adding to their brick and mortar overhead with an outpost to extend their delivery reach.  Regional hot dog chain Dog Haus is planning to expand nationwide but it’s newest locations won’t have a dining room or bar.  Instead they are using ghost kitchens “devoted to off -premise sales without a dining area, to grow it’s delivery footprint.”  Through a partnership with Kitchen United, concepts from Chick-fil-A to Outback to Carrabba’s and Famous Dave’s are utilizing ghost kitchens as a “strategy for growing off-premise orders without burdening their already busy store locations” The Halal Guys and Canter’s Deli have spots at Kitchen United’s Pasadena, CA location.

Virtual Brands

A virtual brand is a delivery-only food concept sold exclusively online with no physical space for guests to interact with the brand. A single restaurant can have multiple virtual brands running out of their facility with all meals produced in their existing kitchen. This model allows operators an opportunity to lean in on food trends and leverage staff and facility capabilities to create a new branded experience that extends their audience reach beyond their core concept. Some estimate there are about 100,000 of these types of restaurants currently in operation, with more being launched every day.  Take “It’s Just Wings,” a wings and deep-fried Oreo brand on Doordash, which is coming to you from more than 1,000 Chili’s and Maggiano’s kitchens.

 

It’s Just Wings/ Facebook

 

Krispy Rice, an offshoot of Katsuya, a 13-unit sushi concept originally from Los Angeles has designed a $30 bento box designed to compete against higher-end sushi delivery like Sugarfish and is currently operating out of pre-existing Umami Burger and Katsuya locations.

Krispy Rice is a new delivery-only bento box brand spinoff of the Katsuya franchise. (Source: Krispy Rice)

 

Commonalities between the Ghost Kitchens and Virtual Brands

A virtual brand could be produced within a ghost kitchen. If a ghost kitchen, or shared kitchen space offered pickup of shared outdoor dining spaces, they wouldn’t be considered a “delivery-only” brand.  However, there are distinct differences between the two and varying sales tactics to drive delivery-only sales.

 

Sales Tactics for Delivery-Only Virtual Brands 

Target Market Evaluation

For delivery only brands, you are at the mercy of your delivery radius. The radius varies based on the marketplace (Doordash, UberEats, Postmates, Grubhub etc.), but the standard is 5-15 miles or estimated drive time. Understanding your market will help you build successful menus. For example, if there is demand for hot chicken in your area – and also a void in the market, this may be a virtual brand concept to explore.

Menu Optimization

To succeed as a virtual brand, you need to ensure your menu is optimized for each marketplace platform. Each marketplace will have a different strategy to ensure success. This strategy may include creating multiple virtual brands under your brand umbrella to ensure menu segmentation. Menus should be optimized to drive profitable sales, including copywriting, descriptions, allergens, tags & menu item names.

Photography

One of the most important aspects to a successful online-only, delivery-only brand is high quality, beautifully styled and appetite appealing photography.  We do not recommend including your packaging in these photos.

Packaging

Another critical component of any successful delivery only brand is the packaging. You need to ensure your items travel well. Hot food arrives hot, and cold food arrives cold. We have all heard the frustration with how to deliver crispy french fries or pesky items like burgers properly. This can be accomplished! Work closely with your packaging representatives and ensure you select packaging with proper ventilation. Always ensure your bags are sealed and tamper-resistant.

Pricing

One of the main reasons operators do not want to join a delivery-only marketplace is high commission rates. These rates can range anywhere from 12%-30%. Most menus were never built with these types of margins in the first place, let alone now adding packaging costs into the mix. We recommend you look closely at your menu mix and either eliminate items that are not profitable or create new menu items.  If you are creating a new virtual brand, always build in the highest possible commission rate.

Menu Cannibalization

It is good to note that you never have to offer your entire menu on a delivery marketplace. You can create a delivery specific menu for the platforms and have particular menu items only available if your guest orders direct. You can also include groceries, family meals, or special “date night” menu opportunities.

Training and Consistency

Kitchen operations and consistency will be the central focal point of your virtual brand or ghost kitchen. They will need essential training materials such as a safety program, packaging guidelines, a checklist for daily operations, gluten-free and allergen training, and menu item rollouts.

Guest Connection

Not having the ability to create a guest connection in the traditional sense can be another reason brands prefer not to be on a marketplace platform. You will need to find new ways to connect with your guests. This can include a handwritten note, swag, offers to order directly, a small dessert, or anything else to show your guest you value them and are grateful they have chosen to order from you.

3rd Party Tactics

In the beginning, it is imperative to drive as many orders as you can to ensure you stay high on the marketplace algorithm. Put together a marketing budget and plan to achieve 100 orders in the first few days. This budget can include offering free delivery, BOGO deals, or  X item with the purchase of another. You want to deliver a perfect experience each time to ensure you have all positive reviews as a few negative reviews will hinder your chance of success on each platform.

The National Restaurant Association released a bleak report last week confirming what many in the industry already knew: 2020 was the most challenging year restaurants have ever experienced thus far.

More than 110,000 businesses closed (at least temporarily), and 2.5 million restaurant jobs were lost since the start of the pandemic.

With these staggering facts in mind, it may be hard for some restaurant owners, managers, and employees to remain optimistic. That said, it has also been a time of incredible resilience, where restaurants found ways to pivot their business models in revolutionary ways. Some incredible innovations have become popular during the pandemic: everything from dining in heated igloos to food delivery robots.

As the COVID-19 situation is evolving, businesses have had to adapt to a moving target. That’s why now more than ever, restaurant training is essential for employees to stay in the game.

 

Taking Part in the Takeout Revolution

The COVID-19 pandemic has more than doubled business for mobile delivery apps, including GrubHub, UberEats, and DoorDash. Experts speculate that people are more willing to pay a delivery fee when they perceive their safety is at stake. That said, mobile apps take a large cut of the sale—anywhere from 15 to 30 percent on average. As a result, some restaurants are beginning to offer their own delivery apart from preexisting apps. A restaurant training program can help train delivery staff for their expanded duties, ensuring better results and happier customers.

 

Staying Sharp with Technology

With surging demand for contactless ordering, restaurants have had to integrate technology into their business models, whether that was part of their original concept or not. Many restaurants have installed self-serve kiosks or apps for patrons to order food. Beyond that, some restaurants are rolling out robotic sanitizing devices or even self-dispensing salad bar robots. Restaurant training programs can help keep staff knowledgeable about the ins and outs of changing technology. Continuing education and training can help staff learn how to troubleshoot common issues with these tech items.

 

Keeping Up with ABC Laws

Early in the pandemic, states had to make emergency adaptions to their ABC laws to keep alcohol-serving businesses operational. This included some states beginning to allow takeout and delivery of alcohol, among other changes. Now that more places are open for on-site or outdoor dining, additional changes have occurred. Some restaurants that previously only had indoor dining had to create outdoor spaces for food and alcohol consumption. With a training program, employees can stay up-to-date on the latest ABC laws and avoid fines or other issues that come with violations.

 

A Safe Return to Restaurants for Hungry Guests

Consumers are looking forward to getting back to restaurants when things return to normal. In an end of year survey conducted by IFIC, 27 percent of respondents said the one thing they most looked forward to was worrying less when dining out, and 23 percent shared they are excited to visit restaurants more often.

 

That said, most of the public isn’t ready to go “back to normal” yet. In Axios-Ipsos, around 62% of Americans ranked dining inside a restaurant as a moderate to high risk to their health. That number remained relatively steady from September to October, after being slightly higher in the pandemic’s earlier months. Only 9 percent of Americans ranked it “no risk at all.”

Nevertheless, some may consider inside dining much less risky once they have been vaccinated. This means that an activity that once produced anxiety to the majority of the population will be able to bring comfort and joy once again, and it may be safe to conclude that Americans will be eating out more than ever, making up for lost time.

When customers feel ready to return to restaurants, they will likely do so in droves. As empty tables become filled again, a subscription-based restaurant training program like Synergy Sync can help get your staff ready to maintain safety and professionalism as the number of restaurant patrons grows exponentially.

As a restaurant grows its brand, the reality of onboarding every new hire can become a daunting task. A restaurant training program improves this experience to ensure every employee receives an equitable educational experience, but at times, there are lingering questions after the training is over. Restaurant workers need a resource to consult in order to remind them of some of the finer points they might have forgotten from their training. For everything from company values to the dress code to the menu, this is where a restaurant handbook comes in. With a restaurant handbook at your employees’ fingertips, there can be no discrepancies between what a restaurant intends and what the employees provide in return.

 

Here are just a few things you can expect when you provide your employees with a handbook as a part of a restaurant training program:

 

Upholding of Company Values

A company handbook can provide new employees with helpful information about your restaurant’s history, and any major changes it has undergone over time. Beyond that, it helps set standards for your restaurant’s culture. Keeping your restaurant’s mission statement in mind can be helpful for a newcomer trying to get a feel for the ideal guest experience. Don’t have a mission statement yet? See these tips for crafting one.

 

 

A Unified Guest Experience

There are certain communication strategies all employees will need to know: how to greet guests, how to take their order, and how often to check in with them. A handbook can clearly outline these expectations. Beyond that, you can even give guidance for above-and-beyond services, like how to handle special occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries. Restaurants are more than just places to have a meal; they are places where couples and families and friends make memories for years to come. The atmosphere of a restaurant, as conveyed by its employees, can set a positive tone for human interaction. Danny Meyer, CEO of New York City’s Union Square Hospitality Group, speaks to this point in his book, Setting the Table: “In the end, what’s most meaningful is creating positive, uplifting outcomes for human experiences and human relationships.”

 

Better Working Knowledge of the Restaurant

One of the most exciting things about working at a restaurant is an ever-changing menu. From the cooks to the waitstaff, it is essential that all players in a restaurant know the menu inside and out, right down to each unique ingredient. A handbook is a perfect place for new employees to be able to study the menu and feel more confident informing guests about their culinary decisions. Celebrity chef Emeril Legasse once said, “My philosophy from day one is that I can sleep better at night if I can improve an individual’s knowledge about food and wine, and do it on a daily basis.” Spreading this valuable knowledge can provide motivation for employees to consult the handbook. Beyond the menu, the handbook is also a great place to show the restaurant layout and some of the technical ins and outs of the restaurant’s POS program.

 

Clearer Policies

With a handbook, there can be no question about the rules surrounding scheduling changes, time-off requests, and the dress code. A company handbook is also a proactive place to give the protocol for asking for a raise, which has the potential to prevent awkwardness if employees know the procedures ahead of time. When policies are written down, employers can ensure fair treatment and even avoid future complaints and lawsuits.

We are so thrilled to share with you Marlene’s experience with our SynergyU Restaurant Management Training Program. Read her review of our the program in her own words.

“Individuals are always stronger when they have their successes and strengths clearly in mind.” -Don Clifton

2020 was not the year I had anticipated. The year before, I had made a few significant changes in my life, including changing my whole career path, which was way overdue. It took years, if not decades, to finally buckle down and fully pursue my passion of becoming a chef and immersing myself in the restaurant industry, a field I had dreamed about my whole life.

 

March 2020 came along, and all the fear, hard work, anticipation, sleepless nights, early mornings suddenly seemed to just come to a halt, and I was left jobless. I knew the efforts I had put forth in changing my career were all worth it and would still be of benefit, but I was frustrated, at 33 years old, feeling like I had to start my entire career all over again.

 

I found myself re-training my brain on what I could do in a situation that I had no control over. I found myself looking for ways to advance my knowledge so that no matter what else happened in the coming days, weeks, and months I would be able to find a job of my choice. Additionally, gaining the necessary training and knowledge, I would need to move forward even if that meant not having hands-on training at that current time.

 

My boyfriend and I talked for months about executing a business plan for a restaurant of our own. We had an “Aha” moment and knew there was no better time than now. I started doing research on managerial classes and looking for consulting groups that could lend us a hand and help guide us to get to where we wanted to be. I came upon Synergy Restaurant Consultants while doing my research. I saw the extensive clientele Synergy had and that they had guided a few restaurants I had previously worked in and played a significant role in other restaurants I had looked up to and admired over the years because of their reputation, experience, and consistent execution.

 

My time spent taking Synergy’s Management Course was something I am incredibly grateful to have found. Their Synergy U e-Learning Management Training Program felt like a breeze. The information was well delivered and adaptable to even an individual that might not have any restaurant experience. The video’s and information showcased and replayed the words communicated on the screen. I especially liked how the training platform was available not just on my iPad, desktop computer but mostly on my iPhone. It is so valuable to have easy access right in the palm of my hand that would be the same on any other platform type.

 

The management course focused on the front of the house and what it means to be a floor manager and showed and highlighted the importance of having a positive and open relationship with the kitchen. From my experience, a lot of front of house training doesn’t explore the unique bond between the back of the house staff. The e-Learning management course recognized the importance of communication with the Chef, line cooks, dishwashers, prep cooks, etc., and the value of learning more about them as humans, their drive, and their pride in the food they present. It creates a good rapport and allows an open communication line so that the front of the house feels just as competent to provide guests with that phenomenal experience, not only the first time but every time a guest comes in.

 

A well-run restaurant is composed of many different harmonious pieces; the front of the house staff, the back of the house staff, investors, customers, vendors, etc., are all part of making restaurants great. Synergy U Management Training program did a great job in relaying that and how all the different puzzle pieces of a restaurant come together, from the moment the guest walks in the door until when the kitchen closes up for the night.

 

In addition to the informational videos and bulleted notes shared in the Synergy Management Training platform, they also went above and beyond to provide a forms toolbox to utilize. They walk you through the form and give you an editable version that you can customize based on your establishment’s individual needs.

 

 

As an overly organized individual and acting General Manager, I like to have checklists, accountability sheets, service steps, manuals, etc., so when I train my staff, they know what our expectations are and are all held accountable. Synergy Management Training platform provided those tools and more, from inventory checklists to steps of service, how to complete a “restaurant loop” in 15 mins to learn how service is going, and so much more.

 

When my restaurant launches in mid-2021, I will have a sound foundation and footing on a well driven and oiled machine. I feel like I received way more than I had expected upon taking this course, and it makes me feel so much more confident in this new role now and prepared for what is to come my way. I’m genuinely even more excited to train my staff with all the incredible knowledge I’ve picked up and hope to share the Synergy Certified Manager Course with my employees and others looking to make strides and move ahead in the hospitality field. The Synergy U Management Training covers way more than you would expect. Not only do you receive a plethora of information, but you also have tools that will be forever accessible and adaptable as the restaurant industry grows and continues to expand.

 

I want to thank Mike Walls and his excellent team for publishing such a fantastic course and touching base with me throughout my progress, continuing to open their wide door of resources for myself and my team whenever I might need it.

 

Thank you so much for all you do!

With Love,

Marlene E. Spicer

 

 

 

For those of us who’ve been in the restaurant business for decades, the arrival of millennials to the workforce can be a bit of a challenge.

They are smarter, more outspoken, and less tolerant of poor workplace cultures than any generation before them. They have instant access to thousands of resources that tell them “how it should be,” and they’re not afraid to voice their opinion about what needs to change.

Whether you’re on-boarding them for their initial training or you want to provide on-going training, you need new methods and to handle things differently.

 

• Instead of the classic restaurant training that involves a lot of talk and paper, use online resources. Let your staff study and take exams online. They’re used to it, even if you’re not.
• Explain the reasons behind what you’re teaching. It’s not enough to say, “Greet a table within one minute.” You need to explain to them why it makes a difference to the customers.
• Give them buy-in to the restaurant’s success. Let them know how sales are doing and what everyone can do to increase them.
• Have a restaurant training program that’s detailed, complete, and engaging. Don’t simply talk to your new staff of Millennials, engage with them.
• Offer value beyond cash. A lot of restaurants can’t offer more pay, but there are other things they can offer. One great example is a lunch and dinner for the crew after their shift. Have the cooks make a family style meal out of whatever is starting to turn or something inexpensive. Invite everyone to sit and eat for free. It will cost you maybe $1.00 a meal, but will create massive loyalty.

 

Millennials are the new workforce. They’re smart and hard-working when their boss understands that they want to be a part of the system, not simply someone who shows up for a shift.

In her 2018 bestseller Dare To Lead, Brene Brown writes: “I define a leader as anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential.” When it comes to developing potential, all restaurant owners and operators can invest time in their managers and staff through a comprehensive training program.

Investment Upfront Can Save Money in the Long Run

Darden, the parent company of Olive Garden, spends 40 million a year on training new employees. This training entails 40-80 hours of hands-on and video instruction. As employees rise through the ranks and become promoted to General Managers, they must work through a 10-12 week management training program. It may seem excessive, but consider the costs of replacing a General Manager, which they place at around $14,000 when factoring in separation and rehiring costs. The average General Manager at a Darden restaurant stays for about 13 years, which shows that time and money invested upfront pays off in the end.

Developing Trust

A shocking study out of Harvard Business Review revealed that more people would put their trust in strangers before trusting their boss. This shows that the root of the problem in many workplaces surrounds relationships and trust. By investing time and energy to build smart, empathetic leaders, restaurants can turn a distrustful climate into one of complete faith.

Preventing HR Issues

According to the Enterprise Center at Salem State University, one of the top ways to avoid HR issues down the line is through proper onboarding at every level. This can give employees time to adapt to company culture, receive the most up-to-date compliance training, and be a part of a  mentorship program. Companies with no training or inadequate training often end up with more HR issues later on.

 

 

Positive Company Culture

Starbucks tops multiple Forbes lists as a positive place to work. It was even ranked 94th in the top places to work in the US last year. Their training programs, including retail management training programs for Assistant Managers and above, are thorough and extensive. Furthermore, the culture created through this training is one of equality, friendliness, and warmth. Employees are referred to as partners, and managers are taught to ask those under them to “do them a favor” rather than barking orders. When Starbucks’ positive culture was publicly questioned after a racially charged incident in Philadelphia in 2018, Starbucks took a brave step forward. It closed all stores for one afternoon for mandatory racial bias training for all employees. This move was monumental in Starbucks’ ability to remain a company that leads by example, emphasizing that education, not only for managers but for all employees, was an ongoing process that sometimes requires a course correction.

 

Managers Today, Company Leaders Tomorrow?

Middle class ($45-75K a year) jobs in the restaurant industry grew by 84% from 2010 to 2018. Entry-level workers see the service industry as a place where they can work their way up the ranks and succeed, first as a manager and possibly even as an owner. Nine out of 10 restaurant managers and eight out of 10 restaurant owners began in entry-level positions. This shows that with the right training and mentorship, the restaurant industry is a field where workers can realize their potential and thrive.

 

As you can see, there is a real reason to implement a strong management training platform at your restaurant. We know it’s not always easy to find the time and the specific knowledge needed to roll out methodical, effective training. That’s why we created Synergy Sync – a restaurant management training platform you can use for your entire team. Your staff can train anywhere, at any time. Synergy Sync is your one-stop eLearning management, checklist accountability, and process management system built by restaurant leaders for restaurant leaders. To learn more about Synergy Sync, please contact us at 888-861-9212.

A person doesn’t stay in shape by exercising and eating right just sometimes. You don’t play a Beethoven piece with ease if you’ve only practiced piano once every other week for a month. And a restaurant certainly can’t run smoothly when procedures aren’t executed with consistency! Restaurants are complex–multiple facets need to work together in harmony to execute with efficiency. From the back-of-house to the front-of-house, each system process can ultimately add-up to either a poor guest experience or an excellent one. In the end, this will have a significant impact on your ROI. Let’s go over why consistency in execution will lead to success in your foodservice operation.

 

In the Kitchen

Isn’t it annoying (and extremely disappointing) when you visit a restaurant to order your favorite new appetizer — a decadent garlic lemon and parmesan roasted Brussels Sprouts topped with bacon dish — and it just didn’t taste the same as the firs time you remembered? Today the sprouts are less tender and the once sumptuous garlicky flavor is now tame and there are barely any bacon bits, to boot. Have you ever noticed that a restaurant’s take-out portions just seem a little on the slim side versus their dine-in plate? The last time you ordered something off the menu, it took 15 minutes but this time the same dish arrived 25 minutes later. It sounds obvious, but shouldn’t each and every dish taste and look the same? Yes, consistency in execution is paramount in the kitchen. Recipes must be easy-to-follow and exact. Chefs should be properly trained to deliver a dish without problem–they should feel confident and calm. If there aren’t enough ingredients to complete a dish correctly, there should be protocols to provide a guest with an alternative choice. Do you have proper prep work done well ahead of time to help your cooks? Is the kitchen outfitted with dedicated workstations and organized inventory to avoid confusion and delays? Do you have clear instructions on how to take care of takeout and curbside orders (especially relevant today). Take care of these issues and you can assure better overall patron satisfaction. Ignore efficiency in workflow and execution and don’t be surprised for negative reviews and higher employee turnover.

 

 

 

 

Customer Facing

Here one day, gone the other? We all know restaurants typically like to offer limited-time offers (LTOs) or seasonal menu items. But when you don’t provide a consistent menu — especially of customer favorites — you’re welcoming a slew of confusion and disappointment from guests. Do you have a habit of raising menu prices right when food prices increase or when things get a little slow? You need to strategically delve into your menu’s detail and look at the food costs and contribution margins to remove any unprofitable menu items. Making changes to your menu should be done thoughtfully and strategically, instead of doing it on a whim or a hunch!

When your customers come into your establishment, are they greeted with a warm hello every time? Are the daily specials always in clear sight and mentioned to the guest? Are the tables thoroughly sanitized and set? If you have multiple locations, is the interior layout like where the cutlery and sauce stations similar to every other locale? We are creatures of habit. We need consistency for easy decision-making, like where to fill up or beverages and pick up our to-go orders. Every interaction with a guest is as important as the last!

 

While we touched on a few points of the importance of consistent execution, there are undoubtedly many more areas of restaurant operations that require this level of attention. If you would like to learn more about improving operational efficiencies or benefit from a free virtual tour of our new online restaurant eLearning training platform, Synergy Sync, please contact us at 1-888-861-9212.

With the restaurant turnover rate at an estimated 75%, what can restaurant owners and managers do to combat this staggering statistic? One critical solution is to prioritize onboarding and training.

 

According to Investopedia, hiring an hourly employee can cost close to $3500 when factoring in the entire hiring process. So throwing a new employee into a job with the expectation that they will learn as they go isn’t going to cut it.  There are higher expectations for training and, if implemented consistently, a greater return on your hiring investment.

 

With Millennials making up a large percentage of those working in the restaurant industry, it’s essential to identify what they want out of their jobs. 55% seek workplaces that value staff development through training and mentoring. An article from Toast outlined the importance of providing your restaurant staff with consistent, skills-based training to help them grow as people and professionals.

 

With a heavy influence on technology, Millennials have grown up with and have seen how it can support their development and growth. Traditional book or paper-based training alone may seem outdated since many Millennials are used to online or app-based learning. However, according to Toasts’ 2019 Restaurant Success Report, only 19% of restaurant employers offer online training to new hires. YouTube and Google are where Millennials often look for information, so it’s important to incorporate video into your restaurant training to keep it more interesting. We all know how tied to our phones we are, so instead of forbidding phone usage completely, consider app-based training for learning on the go that can be done on a phone or tablet. If you’re not using online or app-based training, you are missing an opportunity for more quality engagement and a deeper understanding of your restaurant.

 

Many obstacles prevent restaurant operators from implementing robust training programs, including time, money, and resources, plus the added challenges of keeping your training program accessible and engaging for your team. However, a well-trained workforce saves your restaurant time and money, and it also increases profitability in several ways, including:

 

• Increased Retention: with a focus on quality training, employees often feel valued and likely will be more loyal to your restaurant.
• Enhanced Customer Service: with comprehensive training, your employees are better equipped to upsell effectively and deliver consistent customer service which is critical to retaining your customers.
• Team-Building: training creates accountability, ownership and a sense of responsibility among your staff. This can lead to greater respect among employees. Cross-training also helps to build a dedicated team of well-rounded staff who will be ready to take up any tasks when needed.
• Overall Operations Improvements: when everyone is well trained and understands your processes thoroughly, the entire operation is streamlined. Restaurant training ensures that everyone is on the same page and eliminates confusion and mistakes.

 

 

If you are looking to maintain your company standards with an affordable front and back of the house learning management system, tap into Synergy Sync’s on-demand eLearning training solution to make your employees excited about clocking in…and sticking around! Synergy Sync is your one-stop learning management, checklist accountability, and process management training system built by restaurant leaders for restaurant leaders. It will take your operations training to the next level! Contact us today for a virtual tour!

After more than 30 years in the restaurant consulting business, we’ve helped thousands of clients launch new concepts, revive old ones, and set the bar for menu innovation. Though every client and project are different, certain pieces of advice never grow old. Below are a few of our partners’ timeless recommendations, redefined for today’s foodservice operators.

 

You make money with your hands, not your feet

The next time you’re in your restaurant kitchen, stop and watch the team go about their work. Do they rush from the walk-in to their station to grab ingredients? Do they have to walk down the cook’s line to drop off their finished plates at the expo station? Are they running around the kitchen to access the equipment they need to make specific menu items? If you add up the amount of time that your kitchen team is moving around the kitchen and multiply that total by the average amount you pay for labor each minute, you’ll be shocked at how much you’re paying for people to walk around the kitchen.

Efficient kitchen, cook’s line, and station design reduces roving to a minimum and keeps team members at their stations so they can prep, cook, and assemble plates as quickly as possible. Once cooks set up their station, they should have all of the ingredients, tools, and equipment they need at their fingertips, or at most in a few steps with minimal cross-over. While labor efficiency is an evergreen goal, it’s more important now with fewer bodies in the kitchen.

 

Lunch is about speed, value, and convenience

With so many restaurants today looking to expand sales, it’s critical to have a lunch strategy build on these three tenets. In today’s environment, we highly recommend that operators adopt this strategy to all day parts.

 

Many diners are eager to get out and enjoy a sit-down meal at their favorite restaurant, while a significant portion of the dining population still feels apprehensive. As infection rates rise in a majority of states, dining room closures could crop up again in the coming weeks. All of this uncertainty points to a continued commitment to speed, value, and convenience across the board. These are not just sales-boosting strategies — in the eyes of your customer, they have risen to critical needs. Foodservice establishments that can flex with changing constraints and deliver on guests’ evolving needs are poised for greater success in this challenging business environment.

 

Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves

Monitoring your business expenses has never been more crucial than now. Profit margins in foodservice are notoriously slim, and with lower sales and higher commodity prices taking their toll, operators must focus on watching every penny that goes out the door.

 

Shoring up expenses on cleaning supplies, paper goods, and utilities certainly help, but your most significant savings opportunities lie in managing prime costs — namely, labor, food, and beverage expenses. Take a look at your P&L and calculate what percentage of gross sales is being offset by the costs. Ideally, prime costs should fall around 65% of sales. If they’re much higher, you have an opportunity to reorient your costs against the reality of today’s volume as a starting point.

 

Where restaurants often miss the mark is calculating their food and beverage costs. Most operators subtract purchases from sales and call it a day. While this method is quick and easy, it only reveals substantial shifts in the expense numbers, not everyday trends that over time add up to significant added food cost, like over-portioning, excessive waste, and petty theft. By determining accurate per-recipe and per-plate costs, managers and owners can gain greater visibility into their highest variable costs and identify opportunities to fine-tune their operations for greater savings.

 

However…

 

You can’t save your way to prosperity

Cutting costs is essential operating procedure these days, but penny-pinching alone won’t get you to continued profitability. There comes a point when further cost reductions begin to negatively impact food and service quality, a consequence that no one can afford.

 

Generating more sales is always the answer, and one of the most impactful ways of doing so is through upselling. Increase your check average by bundling value-added items together and promoting family-focused meal solutions. Offer special deals and discounts to your loyalty program members to increase purchase frequency. Most importantly, educate your front-of-house staff on encouraging guests to try new items or add on to their order in a helpful and not a sales-y manner.

 

If you’re not talking, you’re not training

A quality training program for every restaurant position is an absolute requirement for success, but many establishments rely on shadowing or simple checklists. Over and over again, the best training involves thoughtful and detailed communication between trainer and trainee. Some of the most impactful lessons happen on the spot when managers can observe and correct in the moment. This “walking around” training is much more likely to affect real change.

Good training corrects mistakes, but great training involves catching team members doing something right. By pointing out a team member’s success in front of their co-workers, you elevate their attitude along with those of the staff around them.

 

The devil is in the details

Getting the details right not only increases guest satisfaction, it also elevates your brand in the eyes of your customers who are watching even more closely. These days, keeping the promises you make to your guests is critical. If you’ve committed to sanitizing tables after every use, it must be done without fail. If you’ve designated specific trays for silverware and others for bussing dirty dishes, you cannot mix them up. If you’ve developed a specific policy for solving guest issues, execute it the same way every time.

 

With all of the added stress, anxiety, and health concerns swirling around, every guest touchpoint must be executed flawlessly. No detail is too small for a guest to notice.

 

What do you want to be known for?

This is (sometimes literally) the $600,000 question. Though the pandemic has caused many restaurants to shut their doors for good, there’s still plenty of competition for stomach share. It’s just not enough to sell good food and offer good service — being exceptional at something is essential. Are you known for that over-the-top signature item that everyone Instagrams? Do you offer a take-out meal for two that delivers a creative dining experience? Have you elevated a common item to new and craveable heights?

 

Distinctive and memorable restaurant brands who continue to innovate while responding to guests’ needs, wants, and expectations will win the day, regardless of market conditions or the amount of local competition.

Handling difficult customers is an ever-present challenge in restaurants. But, like everything else in our post-COVID world, this too has become more complex. In recent weeks, restaurants have scrambled to reopen by reconfiguring their dining rooms for social distancing and equipping team members with masks, digital thermometers, and disposable menus. Dine-in restaurants are attempting to serve customers with a pent-up need to get out of the house and restart some semblance of normal. Some of these patrons comply with social distancing and mask use, but others are defiantly ignoring these guidelines. This leaves restaurants — specifically, front-of-house employees — tasked with managing customer compliance on top of trying to provide great customer service.

To balance these varied levels of customer cooperation with protecting the health and safety of everyone in the restaurant, team member training is critical. As reopening guidelines and guest attitudes change and evolve, restaurants must continuously monitor what’s happening both inside and outside their four walls so they can train team members to handle guest challenges and update training based on the shifting service environment.

Below is a step-by-step plan for quickly creating and adapting your team member training program in response to COVID-19 guidelines and customer demands:

1. Train team members on scenarios as well as tools. Most team member training programs focus on tools and procedures, like how to use a digital thermometer to take a customer’s temperature, or how to sanitize guest tables. These protocols are obviously important, but what about when a guest refuses to wear a mask? Create a list of possible guest challenges and conduct role-playing sessions so team members are equipped to handle touchy situations, especially those that put other guests and team members at risk, and when to involve a manager. It’s also crucial to remind team members why following their training is essential — not just to them but to guests and the larger community.

2. Review federal, state, and local guidelines every week. Assign one of your managers or your Safety Officer with staying on top of restaurant operating guidelines. By having one person in charge of monitoring these mandates, it places the responsibility on one person and eliminates the need for all managers to keep up with this information.

3. Conduct regular safety and compliance walk-throughs. During each shift, the manager on duty must walk the dining room to make sure team members and guests are complying with all service and safety guidelines. This helps take some of the enforcement pressure off of team members and demonstrates your restaurant’s commitment to the health and safety of all.

 

4. Use pre-shift meetings as a key communications tool. Take a few minutes before each shift to gather all team members and discuss how the restaurant is adhering to COVID guidelines. Make it a point to cover a different topic each time, like hand washing, sanitizing, and mask use, to keep team members engaged. If someone on the team has done an exceptional job, recognize and praise them in front of their colleagues. Pre-shift meetings are a great opportunity to answer questions and alert team members to any new training requirements.

5. Conduct weekly management meetings. Gather all managers once a week to review any new guidelines or requirements identified by your designated manager or Safety Officer that might require new training. In addition, each manager presents what they’ve observed during their shifts — success stories, new challenges, and recommended changes to existing procedures.

6. Provide team members access to the latest information, tools, and training. Team members are more likely to carry out what they’ve been trained to do when you make compliance as easy as possible. Make Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), FAQs, and training information readily available through employee bulletin boards or go digital with restaurant operations software.

7. Deliver ongoing team member support. As part of their shift walks, managers should identify team members who may need additional compliance and guideline training. The goal is not to punish but to provide additional support to help those team members be successful. Support can take the form of on-the-spot coaching, an offline conversation, or retraining on specific procedures or scenarios. Providing this level of oversight and development makes it clear to team members that compliance is an ongoing priority.

8. Lather, rinse, repeat. This process of presenting a training plan, administering the training, and supporting the training with oversight and coaching, is critical to making your COVID compliance efforts successful. In fact, this process can be used for any restaurant training program, including the introduction of new menu items, upselling, and food safety.

 

As restaurants continue to feel their way through a complex and confusing path to normalcy, training all team members should be a constant goal. Team member training is not a “set it and forget it” effort. With the rapid pace of change in today’s hospitality environment, safeguarding the health and safety of your team members and guests is your most important endeavor.