5 Simple Ways for Servers to Get Better Tips

5 Simple Ways for Servers to Get Better Tips

by | Oct 28, 2016 | Career

When you’re a server, you often live on your tips. Increasing them by a dollar or two per table can make a big difference over the course of a night. Of course, you can’t reduce yourself to begging your tables to tip better, so how do you increase those all-important tips? These simple tips will help you increase yours.

Introduce Yourself by Name

Did you know that offering your table your name–regardless of whether you’re male or female–can lead to an average of $2 more in tips per table?

Introducing yourself by name helps create a sense of connection between you and your customers.

Introducing yourself by name helps create a sense of connection between you and your customers. They’re more likely to identify with you as a person, decide that they like you, and therefore tip higher as a result.

Dress Up a Little

Perceptions matter, and servers who are perceived as being attractive are more likely to get higher tips than those who aren’t, before you go to work, take the time to clean up. If you’re female, do your makeup and fix your hair. If you’re a man, same goes!

Also, try to avoid stains on your uniform or apron, and if you need to, freshen up occasionally throughout the evening. You might be surprised by the results!

Get Closer

Making eye contact with your customers is a great way to encourage them to develop a connection with you and increase the amount of your tip. Crouch down by the table so that you’re looking at them at eye level, rather than staring down at them.

Watch your customers for cues; some would prefer that you keep your distance.

You can also try standing a little bit closer to your customers when they’re ordering. Watch your customers for cues; some would prefer that you keep your distance.

Encourage the Customer to Like You

When you repeat their food order back to them, you encourage customers to identify with you and think of you as “like them.” Letting the customer know that they made a good choice in their meal tells them that approve of them and that you like the same things they do.

You can also convince the customer that you’re on their side through the concept of reciprocity: convince the customer that you’ve done something for them, whether it’s writing “thank you!” on the back of their receipt, taking care of a minor inconvenience, or bringing them a little something extra like mints with the check.

Offer Great Service

At the heart of a great tip, is a great server – that is, one that provides a high-quality experience to every customer who comes to their tables. Strive to do this regardless of how your day is going, how you perceive the customer, or what they order.

At the heart of a great tip, is a great server.

There are some things that are beyond your control: the speed of the kitchen and whether or not they get the order exactly right, for example. Other things are well within your control. Make it a priority to keep drink glasses full, to bring food out as soon as it’s ready, and to be cheerful whenever you check on a table.

Learning to read your customers is one of the most critical parts of being a good server. Some tables are high-maintenance, but will pay well for it; others will pay for the privilege of discreet service and being left alone to enjoy their meals. As you learn to evaluate your customers’ needs from the moment they arrive at the table, you’ll discover that your tips start going up as a result of your improved service.

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How to Take Pictures of Food for Your Restaurant Portfolio

How to Take Pictures of Food for Your Restaurant Portfolio

by | Oct 14, 2016 | Business Toolkit, Management

There are four basic elements of a great food photo: lighting, composition, styling, and equipment. Once you’ve got a handle on these basics, drool-worthy food photos are a mere snap away! Let’s talk about how to take pictures of food for your restaurant portfolio.

Lighting 

Lighting will make or break your shot. It is the single most important photography element there is. But don’t worry if you don’t have a studio full of lighting equipment. Natural daylight can make your food look phenomenal when manipulated correctly.

Stay away from direct sunlight! It might seem like a good idea at the time, but it will be harsh, flattening, and can create shadows that distract from the food. Your goal is to shoot in a shady spot on a sunny day. This will allow the bright color to shine and texture will be more discernible in subtle shadows.

The prep work will enable you to find the best time and position to set up your actual food shoot.

Spend a few days looking at different locations in your restaurant throughout the day. Take a plate of food with you and look at it through your camera in different spots at different times of the day. This prep work will enable you to find the best time and position to set up your actual food shoot. Near a window is usually a good bet. (Tip: hang a white sheet over the sun-filled window to diffuse the light and create ‘shade.’)

Composition

As chefs, you know the old adage, “you eat with your eyes.” Never has it been more true than with food photography. These pictures have no heavenly aroma, and the ambiance of your restaurant can’t help you. They have to tell the complete story for you. The composition is not just plating, though that’s a huge part of it. It includes everything in the shot including the backdrop, plate, utensils – everything. Even including just food on a white plate is a stylistic composition choice.

The composition is not just plating – it’s everything in the shot including the backdrop, plates and utensils.

The ‘rule of thirds’ is a helpful one here. Imagine your framed shot is divided into nine squares – like a tic-tac-toe grid or sudoku. Now the main subject of your photo should sit on one of the grid lines, not in the squares themselves. This gives the image a dynamic feel. The main subject could be many things, your chef, the meat on the plate, the cheese bubble on French onion soup, the sugar flower on a cake, or the plate on a tablescape. This works for things big and small. If your shot is Thanksgiving, the turkey would be on a grid line. If your shot is the turkey, the crispiest, most delicious piece of skin would be on the grid line.

Styling

The devil is in the details, but so is the fun! Now’s the time to think about plates, silverware, and tablecloths. Do you wrap sandwiches in wax paper? Serve pie with printed napkins? This is a way to tell the story of your restaurant and chefs along side the story of your food. Colorful food can benefit from simple or highly contrasting props. What fits best with your restaurant’s style? Very brown food (think stew or chili) benefits from patterned props, but be careful not to distract from the subject.

Active moments are a great way to break up a static photo gallery and inspire the viewer to imagine them holding that spoon.

Food sitting flat? Get a model! Maybe a scoop of mac and cheese on a silver spoon held aloft looks more appetizing than the bowl. Take a bit out of a sandwich and photograph a spoon cracking a crème brûlée. Active moments are a great way to break up a static photo gallery and inspire the viewer to imagine them holding that spoon!

Equipment

How much equipment do you really need? With the right lighting, an iPhone or similar phone can absolutely take a fantastic photo. And maybe that works for you right now. There’s nothing wrong with that! But, if you’re ready to step up to some real photography equipment, these are good places to start.

  • Clip Lights – found at most hardware stores. Can act as back-up to a main light source (“fill”) or be the sun for you on a rainy day. Hang up a white sheet to diffuse it or use a big piece of white poster board to reflect the light onto your subject.
  • Tripod – Manfrotto makes great tripods for those starting out. But for an even cheaper option, AmazonBasics offers a couple of different models.
  • Editing Software – Polish up your photos before you send them out in the world! Photoshop is an obvious choice. But there are more options out there. Canva is a great design platform for those who don’t like to spend too much time editing pictures but still want to have pretty images.

Hopefully, this has inspired you to step up your food photo game. Make sure to share them on social media as well as your website to get the most bang for your shot.

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How to Prevent Employee Theft at a Restaurant

How to Prevent Employee Theft at a Restaurant

by | Oct 10, 2016 | IndiTips

Employee theft is something that most restaurant owners encounter at one time or another. No matter how well you think you know your employees there is always a possibility of theft. Employee theft in restaurants takes many forms, including giving away free food and drinks to customers without authorization, stealing customer’s credit card information and stealing food or alcohol for themselves. If employees know you have a system in place to trace theft, then most will respect that and not try to steal. Here’s how to prevent employee thefts at your restaurant! 

Track all sales

As the restaurant owner, it is hard to be everywhere at once, therefore, it is important to have a good tracking system for food and beverage sales. Tracking food and drink orders through a POS system, you can cut down on the amount of “freebies” that staff might give out without your knowledge. Once an order is placed and sent to the kitchen or bar, the ticket cannot be changed without the manager/owner password. Of course, a POS system used for security purposes only works if the kitchen staff and bartender know not to give out orders without a ticket.

Track food inventory

Stealing food can be as simple as eating a forbidden piece of dessert while on break or it can be more serious, such as taking cases of food right off the delivery truck. Prevent food theft by closely monitoring orders, usage, and waste. Set up a system where at the end of each shift, inventory is taken and waste should always be written down. If the kitchen staff knows they are accountable for the food inventory, they will be careful to keep track of it.

Tracking food and drink orders through a POS system, you can cut down on the amount of “freebies” that staff might give out without your knowledge

Keep all alcohol under lock and key

Alcohol will vanish like magic if left unattended, so the best way to keep employees from stealing alcohol is to keep it locked up. Only the restaurant owner, manager and perhaps bartender, have access to the supply. Like food, you should keep a running inventory of alcohol and check your POS system if a certain type of alcohol is consistently running low. If there are no sales to account for the alcohol use, you can assume that employees are helping themselves to it.

Update your PCI for handling customer credit and debit cards

PCI stands for Payment card industry data security standards. It means the rules that any business, including restaurants, agree to follow if they accept credit cards. PCI standards are administered through banks that handle credit card transactions. A major liability of using a POS system as a credit card processor is that transactions are via the Internet and could be hacked and your customer’s credit card information stolen. It is important to make sure all your computer firewalls and other safety precautions are periodically updated.

You should keep a running inventory of alcohol and check your POS system if a certain type of alcohol is consistently running low.

Limit access to cash drawers and the safe

Only the restaurant owner, manager or head server during their shift should have access to the cash drawer, register or safe. In some instances, only the owner knows the combination to the safe. The fewer hands that touch the cash, the less chance of it being stolen.

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7 Common Mistakes When Hiring and Managing Employees

7 Common Mistakes When Hiring and Managing Employees

by | Oct 5, 2016 | Business Toolkit, Management

Restaurant owners have a lot of responsibilities. Consequently, important aspects of hiring and managing employees often get lost in the shuffle. However, anyone working in hospitality can tell you that their business relies on employees who enjoy their work and provide excellent customer service. In the process of recruiting and directing workers, there are some common mistakes owners make that will sabotage even the most well-managed restaurants.

Unclear job descriptions

When businesses need to hire new employees, it can be difficult to pinpoint the specifics of every role. At the same time, not giving a clear job description will hinder employee success because there’s no way to reach a positive outcome. Every job description needs to clearly state the position, responsibilities, goals, processes, and specific tasks. It also should explain how the role contributes to the overall well-being of the restaurant.

Overpromising

Though rewarding, restaurant work is not always appealing. Owners may be tempted to hype up the role description in order to attract potential workers. But in reality, this does more harm than good. Transparency is needed regarding the physical requirements and difficult hours. Instead of intentionally misleading potential new hires, discuss their concerns during the interview and place an emphasis on career development.

Transparency is needed regarding the physical requirements and difficult hours.

Insufficient compensation

All restaurant employees are hourly or salaried workers, regardless of who relies on tips and who doesn’t. Employers need to offer at least market-rate compensation in order to stay competitive. Failure to do this will result in high turnover when employees leave for better-paying jobs. Investing a little more in worker salaries will decrease that turnover and attract the best hires.

Lack of internal promotions

External candidates are usually considered for management positions instead of regular employees. However, promoting someone from within the business can have unexpected benefits. It gives the employer firsthand knowledge of the person’s job performance before committing to the promotion, and it offers insight on how they will do in the management role. This kind of recognition also encourages loyalty from the staff.

This kind of recognition also encourages loyalty from the staff.

Improper onboarding of new hires

Training is just as important, if not more so, than the hiring and interview processes. Without that training, workers can’t to do their jobs properly and contribute to the success of the restaurant. After the initial training period, it’s important to provide regular feedback on employee performance, set aside additional training days, and require job shadowing for new recruits. This will help improve employee performance as well as decrease worker anxiety.

Inflexible schedules

One of the biggest hurdles faced by restaurant employees is the way scheduling is handled. Inflexible schedules make it tough for employees to achieve a healthy work-life balance, a necessity for any successful staff member. This can lead to employee burnout and dissatisfaction, which may ultimately lead them to find a job with more agreeable hours.

 This can lead to employee burnout and dissatisfaction.

While it will be impossible to accommodate all scheduling needs, it’s important that every employee’s requests are at the very least taken into consideration, and granted when possible.

Lack of staff appreciation

Employee appreciation is a must, regardless of the work environment. The hospitality industry is seeing a rise in turnover rates, so it’s more important than ever that employers show their gratitude towards their staff. A simple thank you can go a long way in decreasing turnover and improving employee morale.

It’s inevitable that as a manager or owner, mistakes will be made. But, by taking into account the hardships faced by employees as well as the benefits that can make a positive impact on their work experiences, these mistakes will be fewer and further between.

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Minimizing Food Costs for Your Restaurant

Minimizing Food Costs for Your Restaurant

by | Sep 30, 2016 | Business Toolkit, Management

Whether you’re a brand new restaurant that’s just getting started or an established restaurant with a long history of success, controlling food costs is one of your top priorities. You don’t want to deliver anything less than the quality your customers have come to expect. On the other hand, you don’t want to overspend, either! Try some of these tips for minimizing food costs while still providing the excellent quality that every customer expects from your restaurant.

Know What Your Menu Items Cost

Have you ever taken the time to evaluate what each item on your menu actually costs you to create? Check out the individual cost of the ingredients and add them up in order to determine how much you’re really spending on each dish. Some of those premium dishes may end up costing you more than you think! Knowing how much you’re spending on each item will help you determine how you need to change your restaurant spending.

There are some things that are worth offering discounts on, even if the restaurant makes little or nothing on them.

Check Out the Menu

Do you have items on your menu that simply aren’t selling? Are there ingredients that you must purchase on a regular basis, but which often go bad before anyone orders meals that contain them? If so, it’s definitely time to change your menu.

You should also take food costs into account when developing your menu. Are there dishes that are above the regular price point for your restaurant? There are some things that are worth offering discounts on, even if the restaurant makes little or nothing on them, but you should be sure to evaluate the actual use of each of these menu items.

Evaluate Portion Sizes

Portion sizes can have a huge impact on the cost of each dish. If your dish is designed to have four ounces of meat, but the chef often tosses six ounces in arbitrarily, you’re wasting food. Make sure that you have a standard portion size for each dish. It won’t just help slice food costs; it will also help customers know what to expect every time they order their favorite menu item.

You should think outside the box and find ways to use as much of the food you’ve ordered as you can.

Control Your Inventory

Ordering food that ultimately goes bad is one of the biggest wastes of your restaurant’s food budget. Keep an eye on what’s coming in and what’s actually going out. Don’t let yourself run out of key ingredients, which could cause a problem for customers, but don’t over-order, either! Instead, create an inventory system that keeps the right amount of food coming in for your restaurant.

Watch the Waste

There’s a lot of potential for waste in many restaurant kitchens. From careless prep work that results in perfectly good food being thrown away to dishes that use only a portion of a meat or vegetable, then fail to recycle it for later use, you can find yourself throwing food away quickly – and throwing money away along with it. Look for creative ways to use as much of every piece of food as possible.

That doesn’t mean that you should attempt to use things that aren’t typically edible, but it does mean you should think outside the box and find ways to use as much of the food you’ve ordered as you can. Monitor the employees performing prep work to make sure they understand how to use the food properly.

Reducing food waste, controlling your inventory, and changing your menu to reflect the desires of customers and the needs of the restaurant will all help keep your restaurant running smoothly on a lower budget. The more attention you pay to the way you prepare your food, the lower your food costs will be. Often, that means that you can charge less for key dishes, keeping your customers happier, too!

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