It doesn't matter what venue you work in. You must know your customers. Know who likes to be greeted as if you have never seen them before and know who likes their drink awaiting them on the table when they sit down. Know who likes what level of familiarity... and when. The "Hey John" in your section might be "Mr. Doe" to whoever he is sitting with. Never assume anything. SMILE. Know that however nice your patrons are to you and whoever they are to you outside, they are not here for you. You are here for them.
When it comes down to brass tacks, what you look like in your booby shirt or a turtleneck doesn't matter when your possibly best tipping customer is craving a steak or wants another drink when his is getting empty.. (1/2 empty, people, never 1/2 full.)
I disagree with this statement. Despite being ravenous or parched with thirst, how the employee is presented will be remembered and affect future visits.
Do not be resentful when they can't remember your name, do not be too flattered when they do. We are creating an alternate reality that our customers (hopefully) want to escape to for awhile when they are seeking their "happy place". Let each night you work your section be a night out for you. Be consistent. Be consistently happy. When asked, you are ALWAYS doing well.
No. Matter. What. ...and MEAN IT.
I have had customers who have asked me for over ten years how I can always be doing well and I tap my head and say "perspective" and they walk away wishing they could be me...
and they tip...and they are mine when there is a recession... and they are mine when their kids graduate...and they are mine when their anniversary comes around...and they are mine when the paper asks "Who is the best?"
Take pride in being able to provide a little time of escapism.
Know who you can crouch by the table with and with which couple you must speak to Mr. or Mrs. first. Always meet the eye of whoever you are speaking to.
Always be a leader with large tables. Only you can dictate how organized a group experience is going to be. Do not be afraid to take charge. Only you will be disorganized if you allow a group to one by one take your shift apart. You will be thanked for the leadership.
All in all, it IS about knowing your customers. Whether it is one individual who will write about their experience in a blog that anyone globally can see, or a company Christmas party that is worth potential thousands to the establishment, through patronage and referrals.
If you can make these people feel that they want to come back and do this again, then you are winning.
-Hospitality Veteran in Ft St John
I love the courage and experience of HV in writing to me. He/she had much to offer in terms of insight and expertise and longevity. I want HV to take care of my next dining party-small or large.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
From the Tip Jar
================================================================
From RestaurantOwner.com - January 26, 2010
================================================================
How to Be a More Effective Restaurant Owner in 2010
One of the biggest occupational hazards in the restaurant
business is the risk of getting so bogged down in the
daily details of running the restaurant that you lose sight
of what you REALLY should be doing.
Owners are particularly vulnerable to this as on any given
day they have loads of tasks and things to accomplish.
However, are YOU the best person to be doing all those
things? Are there items on the list that perhaps are more
important to the success of your business than others?
Here's a good question from management guru Peter Drucker
that would be good to ask yourself at least once daily -
"What can I and only I do, that if done well, will make a
real difference in my business?"
Asking this question should do two things. First, it
should make it evident if there's anything on your list
that perhaps someone else could do so could work on
something more important.
Second, it would highlight those tasks that SHOULD be YOUR
highest priorities because they would lead to more benefits
or higher returns to your business.
The start of a new year is the perfect time to begin
asking yourself this question until you come up with
specific, clear answers and then get to work on them
one at a time until each one is completed.
Identifying and focusing on those tasks and activities
that only you can do and that will yield the greatest
returns will make you a much more effective owner and
will give you a better shot at a more successful 2010.
Monday, January 4, 2010
J.D. Fitzgerald's
This place is a looker. I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for red tones and I wanted to go inside just because of the outside. Yes. I did judge the book by its cover. It was a great cover, okay?
The interior did not disappoint. We entered from the hotel lobby and if you remember White Spot's claim of the space.......well, they didn't claim the way JD's people have.
There is an entry hallway leading to what I call the Library Dining Room. There is some great attention to detail along the wall. Check it out.
However, although about 20+ people can be seated here, that's apparently where the creativity and money stopped flowing. Put up a few half-wall dividers in there so people can still experience coziness without having to go to the pub side. Please.
The pub side. Much more exciting. More more money on this side. Every surface has been looked after. The ceilings are my favorite. I felt like I could have been eating somewhere underground in Europe....but, like, a clean version. There was also a (very small) spot for the live music that night. Still cool.
The staff we dealt with were nice. But really, what is with the trend of boobs and legs all over the place? Didn't know we accidentally arrived in Hooters or Earl's. Yuck. Unappetizing. And where are the equal rights in that dress code?! For once (or twice) I want to be served by a male server in short shorts. Leggy hair and all.
See my point?
Onto the food (seeing as how our appetites have been thoroughly whetted) and the menu. Short and concise. Not too many things to choose from. The restaurants with a menu BOOK already have a problem. Too many menu items= too much inventory, too many flavours overlapping, too much overhead, too many things to micro manage, problems with quality control. Not to mention that a chef (I use that term very loosely around FSJ) probably CAN'T produce excellence with too many menu items.
That being said, we decided to be part of the entire experience and order from the JDF's "favourites" section. None of the dishes had been experienced previous. Order up for Bangers and Mash, and Yorkies. We also tried an Asian chicken appetizer. Pretty spicy for the average person, but delicioso still the same--a nice touch with the shaved green onion.
Side note: Sometimes I like to ask the server questions like, "What's the best thing on the menu?" or "What is the most ordered?" or my favorite: "What would you suggest?" Open-ended questions will tell me how much training and knowledge the server has. The response I have the most disdain for is, "I've never had that, so I don't know."
Dear Management, How in the world do you expect to sell lots of product with uneducated staff? Inform them, let them taste samples-especially the big ticket items and popular items. Wait staff should be able to describe the dish and answer questions about it. This really annoys me as a consumer. ~~Upset in FSJ
Nothing sells better than knowledge and confidence. It would greatly help if it tastes excellent, too.
Back to the Bangers and Mash. That's 'fancy' for sausage and mashed potatoes served with a side of beans. The dish was mediocre, the sausage being the spotlight of the entree. The beans were so shameful.....I would bet my first born they opened a 'No Name Tomato and Bean' can and squirted a bit of BBQ sauce in it. I didn't know The Wholesale Club offered Restaurant In A Can.
Not off to a great start.
Every item on the plate is part of the presentation and must taste incredible on its own.
Next in the line up was the overdone Yorkshire pudding with a tablespoon of Shepard's Pie within each of the three breads. Quite possibly the most expensive beef I have ever purchased. A girlfriend of mine makes a knock out Yorkshire pudding. Recruit her immediately, JDF's.
I really, really wanted this experience to be awesome. I wanted a favorite place in FSJ that did everything wonderfully and I could brag about to my friends.
GRADE: C. Did JDF's run out of money for menu development? The place looks great, but so far, the food isn't so hot. However, because the decor is so rockin', I'll probably give it another shot in the future...but not too soon.
J.D. Fitzgerald's
9830-100th Avenue
250.787.0521
The interior did not disappoint. We entered from the hotel lobby and if you remember White Spot's claim of the space.......well, they didn't claim the way JD's people have.There is an entry hallway leading to what I call the Library Dining Room. There is some great attention to detail along the wall. Check it out.
However, although about 20+ people can be seated here, that's apparently where the creativity and money stopped flowing. Put up a few half-wall dividers in there so people can still experience coziness without having to go to the pub side. Please.
The pub side. Much more exciting. More more money on this side. Every surface has been looked after. The ceilings are my favorite. I felt like I could have been eating somewhere underground in Europe....but, like, a clean version. There was also a (very small) spot for the live music that night. Still cool.
The staff we dealt with were nice. But really, what is with the trend of boobs and legs all over the place? Didn't know we accidentally arrived in Hooters or Earl's. Yuck. Unappetizing. And where are the equal rights in that dress code?! For once (or twice) I want to be served by a male server in short shorts. Leggy hair and all.See my point?
Onto the food (seeing as how our appetites have been thoroughly whetted) and the menu. Short and concise. Not too many things to choose from. The restaurants with a menu BOOK already have a problem. Too many menu items= too much inventory, too many flavours overlapping, too much overhead, too many things to micro manage, problems with quality control. Not to mention that a chef (I use that term very loosely around FSJ) probably CAN'T produce excellence with too many menu items.
That being said, we decided to be part of the entire experience and order from the JDF's "favourites" section. None of the dishes had been experienced previous. Order up for Bangers and Mash, and Yorkies. We also tried an Asian chicken appetizer. Pretty spicy for the average person, but delicioso still the same--a nice touch with the shaved green onion.
Side note: Sometimes I like to ask the server questions like, "What's the best thing on the menu?" or "What is the most ordered?" or my favorite: "What would you suggest?" Open-ended questions will tell me how much training and knowledge the server has. The response I have the most disdain for is, "I've never had that, so I don't know."
Dear Management, How in the world do you expect to sell lots of product with uneducated staff? Inform them, let them taste samples-especially the big ticket items and popular items. Wait staff should be able to describe the dish and answer questions about it. This really annoys me as a consumer. ~~Upset in FSJ
Nothing sells better than knowledge and confidence. It would greatly help if it tastes excellent, too.
Back to the Bangers and Mash. That's 'fancy' for sausage and mashed potatoes served with a side of beans. The dish was mediocre, the sausage being the spotlight of the entree. The beans were so shameful.....I would bet my first born they opened a 'No Name Tomato and Bean' can and squirted a bit of BBQ sauce in it. I didn't know The Wholesale Club offered Restaurant In A Can.
Not off to a great start.
Every item on the plate is part of the presentation and must taste incredible on its own.
Next in the line up was the overdone Yorkshire pudding with a tablespoon of Shepard's Pie within each of the three breads. Quite possibly the most expensive beef I have ever purchased. A girlfriend of mine makes a knock out Yorkshire pudding. Recruit her immediately, JDF's.
I really, really wanted this experience to be awesome. I wanted a favorite place in FSJ that did everything wonderfully and I could brag about to my friends.
GRADE: C. Did JDF's run out of money for menu development? The place looks great, but so far, the food isn't so hot. However, because the decor is so rockin', I'll probably give it another shot in the future...but not too soon.
J.D. Fitzgerald's
9830-100th Avenue
250.787.0521
The Curry Fix, Edmonton
Need a recommendation for your stay in Edmonton? If you're in the West End, The Curry Fix is worth the effort. So much so that you'll be bringing your friends for firsts while you enjoy seconds.This. Place. Rocks.
From the outside, you might miss it because of the location.....it is one of dozens packed into the classic strip mall scenario.
As you approach you'll find a menu greeting you through the glass. I love this idea--and many restaurants do this. As a potential patron, one can grasp the overall feel of a dining establishment without actually having to go through the hassle of being seated only to find you'd rather be someplace else.
You walk in and find open seating and warm welcomes from the staff and/or owner. The place smells wonderful. All sorts of East Indian spices waft through the air awaiting your palate. The decor is simple, fresh, modern and splashes of eye-catching photography dot the warm-coloured walls.
Try the Butter Chicken and Naan Bread. And order up a side of Basmati Rice, too. (This dish is like me telling you to order the Chicken Fettucine Alfredo and Breadsticks at a knock out Italian place.) It's a signature dish and done well. A creamy, rich balance of savory and spice.The Samosas (wrapped mashed potato and veggie with Tamarind sauce) and Aloo Gobi (Marinated cauliflower and potato chunks with cilantro) are tasty, too. Quite strong, yet appropriately balanced.
For dessert, let the creamy, mango rice satisfy your sweet craving. Not too strong and very different.
And there's even the option for a lunch buffet, around $12, during the week! A great way to try 10+ dishes and bring you back for that romantic evening for two.
A more-than-enough meal for two will run around $30--that's about HALF what you'd expect to pay at a full scale restaurant like New Asian Village. Don't get me wrong, I love NAV, too. But Curry Fix strikes the right balance between price, experience and tasty goodness.
GRADE: A- Check it out and rave about the awesomeness!
TIP: Find a different place to store the extra chairs......it's quite an unsightly thing to greet customers in the space that looks like its meant for a hostess stand.
The Curry Fix
616 Riverbend Square
Edmonton, AB
780.438.1008
Marble Slab, Grande Prairie
Generally speaking, this place has been on my favorite list for years. There are so many flavours to choose from, dozens of ways to mix in toppings, a handful of various cones and a fun, bright atmosphere. Love the creative display of candy. I can't even begin to list the top combos, but let's just say that Cake Batter is good. Really good. Sans raw eggs!
Things to fix (every location:)
The punch card scenario. It's really irritating as a repeat consumer to be limited to one location to redeem a free ice cream. Not only that, but to put an unreasonable expiry date on the card. Really, who is going to buy SIX giant ice cream combinations in a few months. Sort of silly.
South Common: Unkempt teenage/adult employees. Remember the days when combed hair, non-denim wearing, clean shaven, and smiles were basic standards for selling a product? To be honest, I was sort of grossed out to have these type of people scooping up my potential food item.
It gets better.
The floor is dirty. Not the type of dirty that just happens from a little foot traffic. VERY dirty, as in hasn't-been-mopped-all-day DIRTY. Kind of makes me want to eat some ice cream. Yum.
One of three teenagers plops himself in front of the cashier till/computer and commences internet perusing. Yes. Where I could see and also while we were enjoying our recently purchased product. Of course the other unkempt teenagers couldn't keep away from such an exciting event and so they gathered together.
The whole South Common experience was quite ridiculous and I won't be going back to that location. Too bad Mr/Mrs Franchisee. If this is how that location is run, you'll be out of business soon.
GRADE: A- I'll stick to my Grande Prairie or Whyte Ave locations, thank you very much.
Sticker price: around $8-$10 for the works.
Royal Oaks (on the Bypass, across from Joey's Only)
10416-116 Avenue
Grande Prairie, AB
780.532.4140
Things to fix (every location:)The punch card scenario. It's really irritating as a repeat consumer to be limited to one location to redeem a free ice cream. Not only that, but to put an unreasonable expiry date on the card. Really, who is going to buy SIX giant ice cream combinations in a few months. Sort of silly.
South Common: Unkempt teenage/adult employees. Remember the days when combed hair, non-denim wearing, clean shaven, and smiles were basic standards for selling a product? To be honest, I was sort of grossed out to have these type of people scooping up my potential food item.
It gets better.
The floor is dirty. Not the type of dirty that just happens from a little foot traffic. VERY dirty, as in hasn't-been-mopped-all-day DIRTY. Kind of makes me want to eat some ice cream. Yum.
One of three teenagers plops himself in front of the cashier till/computer and commences internet perusing. Yes. Where I could see and also while we were enjoying our recently purchased product. Of course the other unkempt teenagers couldn't keep away from such an exciting event and so they gathered together.
The whole South Common experience was quite ridiculous and I won't be going back to that location. Too bad Mr/Mrs Franchisee. If this is how that location is run, you'll be out of business soon.
GRADE: A- I'll stick to my Grande Prairie or Whyte Ave locations, thank you very much.Sticker price: around $8-$10 for the works.
Royal Oaks (on the Bypass, across from Joey's Only)
10416-116 Avenue
Grande Prairie, AB
780.532.4140
Wok Box, Grande Prairie
This place is fun.
Lots of red in their tasteful decor, variable seating options, open kitchen, menu diversity. I really can't say enough good things about Wok Box. And they even have the classic, fun "Chinese" takeout boxes, complete with chopsticks. Like I said, fun.
What's extra great about Wok Box's food is the fresh factor. You can actually watch the fresh vegetables being tossed around in the giant wok.
Some of my personal faves:
Mongolian Beef and Broccoli with the skinny noodle (its on the spicy side)
Butter Chicken--very creamy, but skimpy on the chicken.
Make sure to grab some fresh lime wedges to bathe your noodley goodness in. You'll thank me.
I usually grab some takeout on my way back from Grande Prairie. Forget Subway. Actually, they were forgotten years ago in my book. But anyway. Head over to Wok Box next time you're in GP and think of me, your FSJ Food Critic.GRADE: A- This place can be on the pricey side. Quite honestly, for a few dollars less per box, I would be a very happy Wox Boxer.
Sticker Price: without extras--around $24 for you and a date.
Wok Box
104-10915 104A Avenue
Grande Prairie, AB
780.532.9269
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)