For the days when the standard menu just won’t do, here are a few secret menu items at your go-to spots that your taste buds may find a bit more inspiring.
Chipotle
Burritodilla: The best of both worlds with about half of a regular Chipotle burrito’s fillings sandwiched between lots of cheese, then grilled like a standard quesadilla. This secret menu option may be so secret that servers may not be aware that it exists, but they’ll still make it if explain the recipe!
Nachos: Yes, Chipotle does offer this classic. Just order a burrito bowl and ask for chips instead of rice at the bottom.
Fresh Cilantro: Ask for a bit of this fresh herb to liven up your meal, and it’s free!
Five Guys
Cheese Fries: Ask for melted cheese atop your regular Five Guys fries to get at this secret item.
Double Grilled-Cheese Burgers: This behemoth includes the standard beef patties plus toppings sandwiched between two grilled cheese sandwiches.
Panera Bread
Power Steak Lettuce Wraps: This healthy meal option comes with seared top sirloin, lettuce for making the wraps, sliced cucumbers, diced onions & tomatoes, and then it’s all topped with both lemon juice and basil pesto. And it’s available at all locations.
Power Chicken Hummus Bowl: Loaded with all-natural, antibiotic-free chicken, creamy cilantro jalapeno hummus, baby spinach, cucumber slices, diced tomatoes & red onions, and topped with some fresh-squeezed lemon and chopped cilantro, this option is one of Panera’s healthiest dishes.
Starbucks
Liquid Cocaine: 4 shots espresso + 4 pumps white chocolate syrup + milk and ice to fill in a Grande cup= sugar high and caffeine boost that will be sure to get you up and at ‘em.
Nutella Drink: In addition to the standard Caffe Misto, ask for an extra pump of chocolate syrup, hazelnut syrup, and a caramel drizzle for a deliciously sweet drink that tastes just like Nutella.
Dirty Chai: This concoction involves the addition of one shot of Espresso into a Chai Latte. It’s still extremely tasty while giving you a little boost of caffeine.
Thanks to #HackTheMenu for the inside information.
Don’t get caught with your pants down; the top 10 oddball interview questions for 2015 plus the intention behind each according to Glassdoor and their associate director of corporate communications, Scott Dobroski.
“What would you do if you were the one survivor in a plane crash?” –This question was asked of an Airbnb trust and safety investigator job candidate.
As with all the oddball questions, interviewees should relate their answers back to the workplace. In this case, a potential response could include how to ensure the survivor’s safety, as well as checking the rest of the plane to make sure there were no other survivors. Asking about nearby resources, such as radio or cell phone towers, could also help show the interviewer that the applicant can think ahead and plan for emergencies.
“What’s your favorite ’90s jam?” — A Squarespace customer care job candidate.
While this might seem goofy, this open-ended question is a way for a candidate to show off their positive qualities. These can be very short responses, as long as you relate it back to the workplace.
“If you woke up and had 2,000 unread emails and could only answer 300 of them, how would you choose which ones to answer?” — Dropbox rotation program job candidate.
This is the type of situation that almost everyone deals with today, but it also allows the candidate to show how he or she would prioritize in a potentially stressful situation. Candidates could note that they’d search for names of people and subject line terms that would need attention first, for example.
“If you had a machine that produced $100 dollars for life, what would you be willing to pay for it today?” — Aksia research analyst job candidate.
Candidates could ask the interviewer for more information, such as whether there is only one of these machines available or if there’s a glut. Asking about whether there is risk involved — such as whether the owner could be targeted by criminals — could also help show analytic skills, Dobroski noted.
“What did you have for breakfast?” – Banana Republic sales associate job candidate.
This sounds like small talk, but it allows the interviewer to gauge whether the candidate is an upbeat person and can relate to other people. Sales associates are asked questions all day long by customers, and keeping upbeat energy is important.
“Describe the color yellow to somebody who’s blind.” — Spirit Airlines flight attendant job candidate.
This question tests a candidate’s sensitivity and how they gather information. Before giving a final answer, he or she could ask whether the person is partially blind and when they became blind, helping to formulate the best possible explanation given the situation.
“If you were asked to unload a 747 full of jellybeans, what would you do?” – Bose IT support manager job candidate.
Unloading a plane full of jellybeans is no small task, so this allows a candidate to show off their project management skills. An interviewee could ask what the budget is, when the deadline is for unloading the plane, and whether they have machinery or staff to work with. That will help demonstrate the candidate’s ability to think through all the possible dimensions of the challenge.
“How many people flew out of Chicago last year?” — Redbox software engineer II job candidate.
This question for an entry-level engineering job is, not surprisingly, geared toward assessing a candidate’s analytic skills. The interviewee could walk through their thinking, such as how many flights go in and out of Chicago each day, how traffic surges at the holidays, and come up with an answer. The interviewer isn’t interested in the correct answer, rather the thought process used to arrive at his or her conclusion.
“What’s your favorite Disney Princess?” — Coldstone Creamery crew member job candidate.
This question is all about getting a candidate to show their personality. Companies want to hire those that will be a good fit in terms of work style, company culture, and professional values.
Interviewers know when they’re asking unexpected questions, so it’s alright to take a few seconds to consider the question, ask a few of your own, and talk through your reasoning before arriving at a conclusion. Just remember to stay calm, definitely don’t laugh or scoff, and stay away from one word or expected answers.
Restaurants are often targets for online critics, so if you’ve gotten zinged by an unfavorable post or two on Yelp or another review site, you’re not alone. Some things can’t be helped, but how you handle the negativity isn’t one of them.
Here’s a game plan for dealing with online critics:
Call a full staff meeting.
Come prepared with a few negative (and positive) Yelp posts that are credible and can offer teachable moments to your staff.
Constructively review the feedback as a group and talk about strategies for improvement.
Solicit comments from both the front and back of the house to get the whole story.
Reinforce the mantra that either “we all succeed together, or we all fail together.” Invested employees are more likely to be committed to the success of the business.
Make sure everyone on staff understands the protocol for handling a customer service issue and has the autonomy to correct a problem in the moment.
Be sure to address positive reviews, too. It’s important to keep morale up by talking about what’s being done well and giving praise.
Claim your restaurant’s Yelp listing so that you can manage your profile and make posts on behalf of your business.
Implement a policy of responding to both negative and positive reviews. Keep replies sincere and gracious: “Your feedback is important to us. We hope you’ll consider giving us another try.”
Depending on the nature and legitimacy of the review, you could invite the guest to continue the conversation offline, and discuss options for correcting the situation.
While none of these steps can undo a negative customer experience, they can be used constructively to fix a problem area and reduce the likelihood of a repeat occurrence. More importantly, addressing customer feedback and learning from mistakes sets you and your business on the path to long-term success.
Deciding whether or not it’s time to find a new job can be confusing. It’s difficult cutting ties when you’re unsure how far the fall is, however if one or two of these six signs ring true for you, it may be time to take that leap of faith and start searching for new opportunities.
You Aren’t Improving. Your career should be moving forward in at least one direction. For some, that means promotions or raises. For others, that means learning new skills or sharpening old ones. No matter what keeps you motivated, you should be experiencing some kind of forward momentum. If you aren’t, it’s a sign that your career has become stagnant.
Ask yourself this critical question: If you stay with this job another year, how will you progress? If you don’t have an answer or don’t like the one you came up with, it’s that time.
Your Company’s Future Isn’t So Bright. All companies experience ups and downs, so if your company is in one of those downs, try not to worry. However, if it looks like the unpleasant situation is bound to grow worse in the coming years, getting out early is advisable.
Are there more layoffs each year than the year before it? Is your company in a dying industry and doing nothing to differentiate itself? If any of these is the case, your company won’t be around for much longer, so move on to the bigger and better.
You Don’t Respect Your Boss. Jobs involve more than just the work; they involve people as well. As such, what would be the perfect job can be ruined by bad leaders. Your boss should be someone who inspires you, motivates you, and helps you learn new things throughout your career. If your boss is unsupportive, or incompetent, or some terrible mix of the two, don’t let yourself suffer any longer. Good bosses are hard to find, but it’s worth your effort to try and find them—or start your own business and become your own boss.
You’re Severely Undervalued. Your boss and co-workers should see you as an integral part of the team and recognize you when you’ve done exceptional work, whether it is with money or a simple “nicely done”. When your accomplishments aren’t acknowledged or your ongoing work isn’t appreciated, maintaining a high level of performance is challenging not to mention feeling satisfied with your job.
If this is the case more often than not, you owe it to yourself to look for a position where you’re not only valued, but where you feel valued.
You Aren’t Passionate About the Work. You’ll never have a job where you’re excited to go to work every day. That’s a fact. However, passion isn’t always about excitement or happiness; it’s about thriving in your environment and being motivated to continue.
So ask yourself this: Even if you’re stressed or angry about a problem at work, are you invested in solving that problem?
If so, then you should still consider yourself passionate. If you have no real interest in your work and you’re just going through the motions, it’s time to find a different calling.
You Don’t Fit the Culture. Company culture can make or break your work experience. When you fit in with the tone, the dress, the attitudes, and the behaviors of your workplace, the actual work is your focus. If your own work preferences are at odds with the culture, you’ll be preoccupied with just that instead of your job and you’ll never be able to reach your potential. In this case, unless you have the influence to actively change the culture of your workplace, the best path forward is to quit and look for a job closer to your ideal environment.
Obviously, one factor may not be enough reason for you to quit your job. Honestly, no matter how much you like a job, there will always be something that makes it difficult or unpleasant at times, and even bad jobs have their good sides. So don’t use this list as the be-all and end-all.
Instead, let it guide you in understanding your current situation and how you feel about it. Think mindfully but critically, try to separate your needs from your wants, and go with the decision that makes the most sense for you.
Last but not least. Remember that there’s no harm in exploring your options, and Sirvo is here to help! Sign up now to kick-start your job search.
