“Your pad and pen are as important as your shoes! In fact, I WOULD SOONER SEE YOU RUN THE FLOOR OF MY RESTAURANT BAREFOOT THAN WITHOUT THE PAD AND PEN!!”

This was the scolding I received as a young restaurant manager from my GM after arriving to work without my back pocket pad and pen. The public reprimand stung… but it stuck.

In fact, it changed my life.

My team was trained not only to jot down “To Do’s”, but also to record valuable observations on the fly, all shift long. Typically a 10-hour shift would yield 20-50 bullet points.

Finalizing a shift ALWAYS meant transferring this info to the management log book (today an online version). This info was the basis of our weekly management meeting. Every manager/supervisor contributed.

To each bullet scribbled we applied the “3D Principle”: Do, Delegate or Delete.

PATTERN RECOGNITION allowed us to understand the past and predict the future.

Ask Yourself?

• Does every member of my management team RECORD VALUABLE INTEL EVERY SHIFT?

• Is that INFORMATION CONSOLIDATED AND CENTRALIZED?

• Do we MEET WEEKLY to discuss and ACT on that data?

If the answer to ANY of the above questions is “NO”, your bar/restaurant is underperforming.

Be brilliant at the basics,

Somewhere between beating the seemingly insurmountable odds of opening your bar/restaurant and today, your team fell into the trap of thinking small and playing it safe.

And sure, “the economy is tough right now” but let me tell you – I am working with clients that have swung for the fences and are up HUGE this year despite the economy!

These businesses continue to do two things the businesses that are “stuck” do not:

They THINK BIG and ask the RIGHT QUESTIONS!

HOW COULD WE…

… DOUBLE PROFITS at our store?
… Earn a 50% PAY RAISE?
…Increase Monday average revenue from $3,000 to $10,000?
… Win “Restaurant of the Year” in our city?
…Raise $100,000 for homeless children?

Set aside an hour with your entire management team, turn off your cell phones, write the RIGHT QUESTIONS on a whiteboard and BRAINSTORM…

…it will be the start of something great… something BIG!

Onward and upward,

Last weekend I decided to check out a new venue. After perusing their extensive drink list (about 30 cocktails), I ordered a margarita.

The bartender seemed skeptical when smelling the lime mixer and then proceeded to hang a dehydrated lime wheel shamefully on my glass! At that point I noticed how sticky the bar top was and decided against ordering food.

I was shocked when I tasted the drink! It was overpoweringly sour and so strong that I struggled to swallow the small sip I had taken.

I immediately let him know to which he unapologetically replied “Well, have another look at our list and pick another one or just tell me your favorite and I will mix that up!”

I ordered a bottle of beer.

Firstly, if your bartenders cannot make a margarita they should not be standing behind a list of 30 drinks.

Secondly, if your team hasn’t perfected the drinks advertised on YOUR LIST, please don’t let them attempt to make a drink off the top of MY HEAD!

In less than 5 minutes my impression of that business was formed. It’s unlikely that I will ever return, nor will my neighbors, who asked me about my visit.

I took the time to write the owner to let him know that both the cocktail and the experience left a bad taste in my mouth. Most customers simply vote with their feet!

To putting our best foot forward,

How long has it been since YOU spent a full shift working the floor alongside your young team? An expo shift in the kitchen or 5 hours behind the bar?

Many of you are thinking “I don’t have time for that!” but it might surprise you to find out that doing so is part of the monthly repertoire of some of our industry’s top operators.

Recently a client took on his first shift in years working the floor at one of his 4 busy restaurants. He called me immediately afterwards and described the experience as “eye opening, extremely productive and long overdue.” During the shift, he drafted a list of issues to address with his management team and came up with several ideas about how to improve operations that would not have surfaced in a boardroom meeting.

There is no better way to transfer knowledge, passion and etiquette “from the root to the fruit.” The occasional shift with your team goes a long way to close the gap between front line staff and senior management (not to mention the invaluable direct contact with your customers).

I encourage you to roll up your sleeves and jump into the trenches with your team for a shift. You will be glad you did!

Onward and upward,