What to Know When You Date Someone in the Restaurant Industry

What to Know When You Date Someone in the Restaurant Industry

by | Nov 9, 2016 | IndiNews

Dating can be challenging, no matter what industries you both work in. The restaurant industry in particular can have specific challenges that can make it difficult to maintain a long-term relationship unless you know what you’re getting into. If you’re dating somebody who works in the restaurant industry, here are some things you should know.

Weekends aren’t weekends

When you work a normal 9-5 job, Friday night marks the beginning of your weekend. Saturdays and Sundays are lazy days, sometimes spent catching up on Netflix, shopping or just lounging around the house. Friday nights and Saturday nights are dedicated to going out.

In the restaurant industry, though, things get switched. Friday and Saturday nights are busy nights, and your partner probably prefers to work these nights since they tend to lead to bigger tips than, say, a Wednesday night orThursday afternoon.

In the restaurant industry, though, things get switched.

When dating someone in the industry, prepare yourself for going out during the week and not seeing your partner on weekends. This is just part of the deal. But, as an added bonus, you won’t be dealing with crowds when you go out on a Monday!

How you treat restaurant workers matters

When you do go out to eat, your partner is going to pay attention to how you treat the staff at the restaurant you are in, no matter what type of place it is.

Are you polite to the hostess, even if she doesn’t greet you right away? Are you patient with the waiter, who is clearly new at his job? How do you talk about the food? Perhaps most importantly, how do you tip?

If you tend to fall on the low end of the tipping scale, now’s the time to up the ante or think about whether you really want to date someone in the restaurant industry after all.

If you tend to fall on the low end of the tipping scale, now’s the time to up the ante.

Feet are the way to his/her heart

Nope, it’s not the stomach but the feet that can unlock the key to your partner’s heart. No matter what role they have in a restaurant, they are on their feet pretty much all day long.

Treating your partner to a nice long foot massage at the end of a hard day is pretty much the nicest thing you can do for him or her.

Going out to eat might not be fun anymore

But not for the reason you might think. This one depends on your partner, their role in the restaurant and how seriously they take their job. Some people are able to remove themselves from their work environment and enjoy dining at another restaurant whole heartedly.

Others may find themselves criticizing anything at the restaurant that is out of place.

Others, though, may find themselves criticizing anything at the restaurant that is out of place or not done to perfection. Know this going in. It might simplify your life to perfect your cooking skills and eat in most nights.

Get used to really late nights

Getting back to the whole working on Friday and Saturday nights deal, it’s good to know that restaurant workers’ evenings don’t usually end as soon as their shift does. Many workers head straight from the restaurant to the late night bar down the street to blow off steam and unwind after a grueling shift.

You’re going to need to be able to stay up late and meet them at their favorite late night bar.

If you want to see your beau, you’re going to need to be able to stay up late and meet them at their favorite late night bar. Bonus: this is a great way to get to know their friends, many of whom they probably work with.

Every industry arguably has quirks, but dating someone in the restaurant industry has special considerations. Knowing what you are getting yourself into can help you understand your partner and be supportive. 

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Hire and Retain Great Line Cooks for Your Restaurant

Hire and Retain Great Line Cooks for Your Restaurant

by | Nov 4, 2016 | Business Toolkit, Management

If you’re worried about hiring line cooks to work for your restaurant, you’re not alone, there’s a serious shortage in the industry. And, because of it, settling for the first person that walks in the door can be tempting. But, it can also be a trap. So, what to do? Here are a few tips that can help you not only hire the right people but also keep them around for the long haul.

Look for Work Ethic, Not Cooking Skills

In most cases, you can teach cooking skills. Chances are, any cook applying for a position at your restaurant has the ability to follow directions and put together a few basic dishes. What you need is a strong work ethic and willingness to give their best to your restaurant.

What you need is a strong work ethic and willingness to give their best.

With this mind, look for the individuals who will go the extra mile. Take the time to talk with candidates even if they may not have as much as experience as you’d like. Get a feel for their expectations of your restaurant, their attitude when they’re working, and their attitude toward previous jobs.

The more you know about a cook’s work ethic, the more you’ll know about whether or not they’ll be a good fit for your restaurant.

Check Work History

Before making any decisions, don’t just look over the provided work history, but contact previous employers to gain any insight they may have. There are plenty of good reasons for leaving a job, ranging from a schedule that didn’t fit the chef’s needs or a work environment that simply wasn’t a good fit.

You won’t know for sure until you get the facts.

Unfortunately, there are also a number of cooks who simply aren’t happy in any workplace. If you see a cook who has bounced from restaurant to restaurant, it could be a red flag that this individual may not be the type you’re looking for. However, you won’t know for sure until you get the facts.

Develop Relationships

From the first time you meet with a new cook to the day they quit, it’s your job to develop a relationship with them. Mutual respect will go a long way in keeping your cooks happy with your restaurant, and that means that they’re less likely to go hunting for another position.

Mutual respect will go a long way in keeping your cooks happy with your restaurant.

Treat your cooks with respect and address them by name. Show your understanding that they are professionals who are deserving of your time and attention. The more respect you give them, the greater the likelihood that they will respect you in turn.

Listen to Their Concerns

What is it that’s making your cooks unhappy? What can you do to change it? As part of the relationship you’re building with them, make it clear that their concerns matter.

Do your best to address those concerns and improve working conditions, whether that means purchasing better tools or providing an additional staff member to help handle specific high-demand times. This will show your cooks that you care about them as people, not just as staff, which can be hard to find in this industry and is a great reason to stick with a job.

This will show your cooks that you care about them as people, not just as staff.

Hiring and retaining talent is a challenge faced by most restaurant owners and managers. However, it can be done! By putting in the effort during the hiring process and continuing to do so afterward, you’ll be able to retain your great employees and keep hiring new ones, too.

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How to Interview Hospitality Candidates From Start to Hire

How to Interview Hospitality Candidates From Start to Hire

by | Oct 31, 2016 | Business Toolkit, IndiTips

Why did we hire that person? I’m sure that’s a question you’ve asked yourself in the past about a new hire. The truth is, hiring can often be a frustrating experience for the management team as a whole. So what can we do to ensure that the candidates we hire turn out to be the great employees we’d hope for? Use the interview as your final test, and make it one that can only be passed by those that have the skills and personality for which you’re looking.

Defining the Interview Process

In order for your interviews to be successful, a standard procedure must be in place. After all, we all know how easy it is to mismanage this integral step in the hiring process. From crossed lines of communication to scheduling mishaps, there are so many places to take a wrong turn. So, avoid the disorder and create an outline to be used each and every time your group needs to hire.

Here are a few things your procedure must address:

  • An accessible and universal interview schedule template (interviewing with who and when).
  • Effective interview questions that your management team can reference if necessary.
  • Access to current job postings so that everyone is on the same page as to job requirements, necessary qualifications and experience level.
  • The number of interview rounds required before a decision can be made.
  • The review process in which the management team communicates the pros and cons of each candidate

Once the process has been created, stick to it! Make revisions when necessary, but be consistent in following the guidelines. This will not only reduce stress but also lead to better hiring decisions in the end.

Time to Interview

Once you’ve decided on the standard operating procedure in terms of logistics, it’s time to get to the good stuff – the actual interview. Of course, asking the right questions is crucial.

While there will have to be some clear cut questions asked (about experience and such), the most revealing questions are those that are open-ended. Questions that require candidates to think through their answers will give you a broader understanding of who they are and what they can bring to the table.

It’s also imperative that different questions are asked in every interview round so that as much information about the candidate can be gathered. This is where communication between managers is necessary. Best practice is to have all managers involved in the decision-making process briefed following each interview.

Last but not least, don’t forget that the interview is not one-sided. Candidates are also interviewing us, so just as they have to prepare, we do too. Ensure that the management team is ready to answer any questions that candidates may ask and that the rest of the staff is aware that an interview is taking place.

Decisions, Decisions

Now that the interviews are completed, it’s time to hire. Ideally, before any decisions are made, the pros and cons of each candidate should be discussed at management meetings so that everyone who took part in the interview process can give their input.

However, this may not always be an option, so then it’s up to the owners, chefs or GM’s to collect the information and communicate with the rest of the team. If that person is you, consider every piece of information you’re given and don’t be hasty in deciding who to hire because it will do more harm than good.

The main takeaways here are that a consistent and organized hiring process is essential to making the right additions to your staff. Take the necessary steps throughout this vetting process even if that means committing more time to this stage because, in the end, the interview really should be a test that only the best employees pass.

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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 Prep Your Restaurant for the Holiday Season

How to Prep Your Restaurant for the Holiday Season

by | Oct 26, 2016 | Business Toolkit, Management

This time of year everybody’s thinking about how to hire restaurant staff in time to be ready for the holiday season. While you are getting your hiring program in gear, there other steps to take now to satisfy holiday demand spikes.

Encourage early bookings

Market your special services early, and provide incentives to clients to get their orders in as soon as possible. Tell everybody that you are ready to take early orders and will offer coupons with serious discounts for comfortably early bookings. If your catering program racks up extra reservations, you have time to staff properly.

Earlier catering orders from your customers will allow strategic moves such as staffing additions, schedule changes and supply sourcing.

Promote early using the social media tools that your community prefers. (Thinking of expanding into another social platform? Do that early, too!) Mention that you offer 10% off on early reservations for holiday party catering on your printed menus and add the pitch to your recorded phone messages, too.

Use annual trends to plan ahead

Yes, you must hire enough people and give them enough time to learn your systems. When restaurant guests wait for long stretches to place an order because you provide only one waiter on a shopping weekend, there’s a possibility that they’ll never come return to your establishment. Understaffed restaurants do significant damage to their brands.

Having those year to year records to compare makes your judgment call much easier. If you know from annual trends that you will need a certain level of help for the holiday season, you can line up quality seasonal staff by starting outreach early.

Understaffed restaurants do significant damage to their brands.

If you have been in business for under a year, or have been open at a particular location for less than a year, be bold and invest in generous holiday season customer service. You can cut back next year, but you may not be able to make up for the diminished reputation that a bad holiday experience can engender.

Start hiring earlier rather than later

Now that you’ve started planning for the holiday season, you should have a better idea of how much additional staff you’ll need and when you’ll need it, so don’t wait until the last minute to actually get the word out.

Also, decide what channels you’ll be using to hire. Online hiring platforms, like Sirvo, are great because they’re easy to use and can increase your reach to potential candidates. Not to mention, having a talent library to search through can help you, the employer, be proactive during the process.

Prevent your staff from getting in the weeds

During heavy demand, your staff will walk a tightrope, having to balance providing great service with turning tables quickly. Conflicting impulses and tired shoppers can create stress and alienation among your servers.

For exceptionally busy times, consider offering a shorter holiday menu to make decisions easier

You can help prevent holiday burnout and even address slowed service during a rush with just a few suggestions to your staff. For example, encourage servers to make compelling verbal suggestions when or even before a menu is presented. For exceptionally busy times, consider offering a shorter holiday menu to make decisions easier.

Keep the kitchen stocked

Running out of advertised dishes is never the mark of a solid restaurant operation, but it is much worse at the time of special splurges and meaningful holiday meals.

Keep a healthy inventory, and don’t run out of your signature dishes. Ordering what you need for increased demand will instill confidence and show that you take the season seriously.

Your employees want to make a good living in a good restaurant. Providing them what they need to keep your holiday diners smiling will help everybody win.

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