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7 Drivers of Better Customer Service

2016-10-28T10:26:00.004-05:00

Jim Sullivan

13 Mar, 2015

“Hospitality starts with the genuine enjoyment of doing something well for the purpose of bringing pleasure to other people. Whether that’s an attitude, a behavior, or an innate trait, it should become a primary motivation for coming to work every day.” –NYC Restaurateur Danny Meyer

Everyone touts the importance of service in the restaurant industry, but what does service really mean anymore? To some operators and customers, service is no longer even a priority. Quality, value and speed take precedence. To others, service is paramount to performance—they know that good service can save a bad meal, but a good meal cannot save bad service. And another set of foodservice operators believe that service is not transactional, and therefore can’t be “given”. They consider service to be a by-product of consistently executing other processes–like hiring right, training well, and practicing servant leadership. Wherever you stand on the issue, this much is certain: consistently great service is as unpredictable as an Spring forecast.

In my opinion, service is the key deliverable that distinguishes foodservice from retail operations. For instance, if you buy a laptop at an electronics store, you still have a laptop when you get home, no matter how you were treated by the employees. But when you go to a restaurant–other than leftovers—what do you have when you get home? Memories. It may be of quality, cleanliness, convenience, value, or service. But of all those things it’s service that makes those memories positive and drives more customer trial, recency and frequency. And while I can’t dictate your quality, value, convenience or cleanliness, I can share the seven drivers of customer satisfaction for your consideration:

Focus on ROG not ROI. Everyone is familiar with ROI, but a lesser-known and more critical metric is ROG: Return of Guest–a concept and philosophy pioneered by Boston-based chain Legal Sea Foods in its team development. Repeat business is the linchpin of profitability in any successful foodservice operation, big or small. That’s why Return of Guest (ROG) is such a prime and critical measurement. “Will you come back and would you tell you tell your friends to try us?” are the two most important questions relative to the customer experience. If the answer is yes to both, you’ve delivered on expectations and achieved ROG. If not, you haven’t. It’s that simple.
Hire power. Repeat business will always be dependent on the weakest person you allow on your team, since that will affect consistency of service and consistency of customer experience. Do the math: in medium-sized restaurant, a server with a six table section that turns twice nightly, working five shifts a week will directly impact the experience of nearly 13,000 guests each year. That’s a lot of positive or negative influence on your repeat business potential for one person. Make your customers happier by hiring and developing great people. When you hire great people, despite the cost, despite the effort, despite the commitment, great things happen. Compete first for talent, then customers.
The number one enemy of great service is inconsistency. When customer service problems re-occur, look first at system or process failures, before you blame your people. Bad service issues arise when: you hurry-hire the wrong person, or when an under-staffed or under-trained kitchen team fails to get entrées out in time, or bad scheduling causes servers to have two additional tables, or you’re missing an extra bartender during an evening rush. This makes customer-facing teams tense, swamped, and snippy, so they smile, serve and sell less. Habitually consistent service is the result of systems that foster a caring culture, make positivity and fun key business values, and develop teams daily to be guest-centric.
Model the way. It’s a proven fact that you serve better and sell more in a clean restaurant. So if you want your team to wipe down more tables, keep countertop or display areas consistently neat and dust-free, keep glass and brass polished, or routinely suggest appetizers, beverage or desserts, you get there by exhibiting that same behavior whenever or wherever you see the need. Great companies do what the boss does. Don’t walk past a problem or you’ve approved it.
Build capacity then fill capacity. A business generates more profit by increasing either 1) customer traffic or 2) the amount of money customers spend. Sync all hiring, training and marketing processes to support and exceed guest expectations and revenue targets. Nothing should be designed exclusively for the efficiency of the building or the menu or the team, except as it relates to the customer. Process and training builds capacity, marketing and service fills capacity. Align teams to a common purpose: servers must sell all that the kitchen can make and the kitchen must make all that the servers can sell.
Break the Big Thing into smaller things. Service goals should be budgeted every year along with sales goals. “Twenty percent fewer customer complaints,” “Five percent increase in customer traffic,” etc. And when you’re framing a target, whether it’s service or sales, remember that perspective is key. For instance, which goal sounds more attainable: “$60,000 more in gross sales this quarter,” or “$346 more each shift for the next three months”? They’re identical. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
Have a post-shift meeting with every team member. In this one minute de-brief before they clock out, thank each team member for their contribution, and highlight shift results compared to pre-shift goals. Tell them how their effort enhanced the customer’s experience, or what problems they solved, or how their job added value to the company. Keep energy high at the end of each shift by making work more meaningful for your teams.

I haven’t been to every restaurant in the world and I haven’t sampled every cuisine. Yet I share something unique with every diner on every continent and in every era: service. Every single day, we are the stewards of special moments in people’s lives, and our industry’s shared disposition to giving care to strangers and “regulars” alike as part of our business model is what sets us apart from retail and manufacturers. With service, the customer gets more than sustenance with their meal, they also receive food for the soul. I wouldn’t call our mission holy exactly, but I would say that maybe service is simply love in work clothes.

The 5 Best Ways to Lose Good Employees

2016-10-28T10:25:00.002-05:00

By Jim Sullivan, CEO, Copyright Sullivision.com

https://sullivision.com/the-5-best-ways-to-lose-good-employees/

Everyone talks about how to find and keep outstanding employees. But nobody ever talks about how to lose employees. It’s not that hard. You and I do it every day. Here’s my list of the Five Best Ways to Lose an Employee:

1. Don’t ask new hires what worked, and what didn’t.

They’re eager to be with you, so tap into that energetic feedback from new hires early on. After your “official” orientation, a good way to improve turnover is to overlook ever asking new employees for feedback on your recruiting system, your orientation, your onboarding training program, your leadership skills or your company goals. Find out what part of your recruiting process (or dumb luck) brought good employees to you. Now repeat it in the marketplace. What elements of your company’s recruiting or reputation were the most compelling, what mattered least, and what had no impact? You can use this feedback to redesign your job offers, eliminate the “dealbreakers” and reduce the numbers of rejections.

2. Ignore Tomorrow, Hire for Today.

“Next week” is tomorrow in Modern Time. Clearly define and understand what skills and knowledge your company needs today and in the future. Will you need fewer servers per section, more server assistants? Take a hard look at how the cultural gumbo of restaurant management (mixing generations, opinion, style and technology) is changing the very nature of our jobs. How will the preponderance of pre-prepped products affect the design, feel, and number of bodies in the kitchen in the next three years? What about the effects of technology, robotics, Big Data?

Turnover thrives on bad training programs and poor communication. Now that Baby Boomers have earned and aged into the Area Director/Senior VP ranks of our industry, and Generation X managers are running units staffed with Gen Y/Z team members–giving new insight to the term “Generation Gap”– shouldn’t we asking some serious questions about the current relevance of our communication and training materials? Are they aimed and designed for the right mindset? Are we talking down a few generations in tone, style and format? Unlike the 1960’s, the generation gap today means not a lifestyle difference but more of a technology disconnect between the age groups. Relative to cyber-skills, we have Digital Aliens training Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives. And while I agree that we must evolve from hi-fi to wi-fi, I still know one thing for certain: that no matter what, the restaurant business will always be more about the anthropology than the technology.

3. Don’t let your employees know where they stand—good or bad.

What’s the old saying? ”Never let either good work go un-praised (if you see it, say it) or poor work go unnoticed (make it private and positive).”

4. Don’t change with the times. Wait for the times to change you.

The meaning of service is always changing since the customer is always changing. And, therefore, the meaning of any restaurant job or position is always changing because that customer (internal) is always-changing too. So make sure that you stay in sync with but slightly ahead of your customers (both employees and guests). Invest in the technology that keeps your team’s jobs easier and more effective and also keeps abreast of customer lifestyles. As Norman Brinker said: “Major in timing. If you get too far ahead of your customers, you’ll confuse them. If you get too far behind them, you’ll lose them.”

5. Play by the Rules. Lots of them.

A sure way to turnover more people is to over-burden them with rules and regulations. A better philosophy? Strong culture, thin rulebook. And it’s helpful to also recognize the difference between rules and principles. Rules tell your people what they can do. Principles them what they cannot do. And as far as rules go, the bottom line is that only one thing matters anyway and Norman Brinker once again said it best: “Nothing is sacred other than that the guest returns.”

20 UPSELLING TACTICS THAT WORK

2015-10-27T09:44:00.000-05:00

No matter how great business is at your bar or restaurant, chances are you’d like to make more money. One of the easiest ways to do this is upselling, or convincing customers to upgrade their current purchase or buy more items. How can you use upselling tactics in your bar or restaurant? Read on for 20 upselling tactics that work.

Train your servers – Make sure all your servers know how important upselling is and how to do it. Routinely go over new information with them and make sure they know how upselling can help your restaurant.
Determine which items to upsell – Be sure your servers know which items they should focus on. For example, you might have a new dessert menu that you want to push, or you might want to focus on selling pricier drinks.
Determine what times to upsell – Certain items should be mentioned at certain times. For example, your servers want to mention your appetizers before customers order their entrees.
Try to help – Remember, you shouldn’t be forcing customers to order things they don’t want…you should be helping them make their dining experience even better.
Be knowledgeable – If you want to be able to upsell, you have to know the menu. Every server should know exactly what’s on your menu and be able to suggest what drinks, sides, etc. go with each entrée.
Make it sound irresistible – Part of upselling is convincing. Make whatever you’re upselling sound attractive and your customers will be far more likely to order it!
Don’t forget takeout – Takeout options can be a great way to upsell. Maybe your customers are too full to eat dessert right now, but they can order it and bring it home for later.
Play off what customer wants – Not every tactic will work on every customer. Treat each customer like an individual and focus on his/her specific needs and wants.
Don’t make it sound like a sales pitch – Customers came to your restaurant to have a nice time with their friends and family, not to get a sales pitch! Try to sound natural and conversational.
Be specific – ‘How about dessert?’ probably won’t help. However, saying “A slice of our delicious cheesecake would be a great end to your meal.” Is a lot more enticing.
Focus on hesitant customers – If customers don’t seem sure about what they’re going to order, you’re more likely to be able to upsell. Are they taking a long time to look at the menu or asking a lot of questions? These are good customers to focus on.
Ask about larger size – Let’s say your customers have the choice between ordering an 8 ounce or a 12 ounce steak. When they’re ordering, you might try asking “And did you want the 12 ounce?” Of course, any customer who is set on ordering the 8 ounce is welcome to say so, but many times customers will agree with what you asked.
Know parings – If you want to be able to suggest a certain beer or wine, you’ll need to know which beers or wines go with which entrees. Make sure all your servers are well-versed in pairings.
Try downselling – This doesn’t sound like a profitable idea, but it can be! Let’s say your customer doesn’t want to order a more expensive cocktail. You might try offering a less expensive cocktail in it’s place, and even explaining why the less expensive cocktail might be better. This way, although you couldn’t sell the more expensive drink you initially wanted to sell, you’re still adding a few dollars to the bill.
Focus on more profitable items – Your servers should know which items in your restaurant have a higher profit margin. For example, if a customer asks for a certain dessert, and you know you have another dessert with the same price but a higher profit margin, you might try suggesting it.
Keep it subtle – You don’t want your customer to know you’re upselling, so be subtle. Don’t try to upsell for every course.
Focus on your service – You can increase your likelihood of upselling if you provide great service. If you get orders wrong and barely meet your customers’ needs, are they going to want to order even more? Probably not.
Don’t be too pushy – No customer likes to feel pressured, and if you’re too pushy, you might offend the customer and lose his or her business.
Keep it simple – If a customer asks for recommendations, it’s more helpful to suggest a few things than to suggest a ton. For example, if a customer asks what beers would be good with their meal, they might be overwhelmed if you suggest every beer on your menu. Focus on a few.
Be patient – Sometimes customers might have a lot of questions before they decide to check out dessert or get a more expensive entrée. Be patient and answer every question they might have! Your great service will pay off.

By keeping these tips in mind, you can use upselling to increase sales and profits at your bar or restaurant

(Article provided by Buzztime)

TROUBLED WATERS

2015-04-07T09:30:00.002-05:00

TROUBLED WATERS

The importance of water as a natural resource can’t be understated. Wars and lesser skirmishes have been fought over water, and it’s been at the heart of numerous public utility projects and significant legislation at all levels of government.

In addition to being the world’s most popular beverage, clean water is crucial to restaurants, whether it’s used in the front or back of the house or even outside the facility.

The importance of H2O became particularly clear this year due to several major developments in different parts of the United States. As the ongoing drought in the West and Southwest takes its toll, land and crops—which are also impacted by the quality of water—are starving to death, leading to higher food prices and, ultimately, less food. Between the lack of rain and other disasters, such as the chemical spill that shut down the capital of West Virginia in January 2013, restaurants and municipalities are looking to conserve, filter, and even reuse water.

“All utilities are very important for us, but none is as essential as good water,” says Christian Fischer, executive chef and vice president of culinary innovations for Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services, based in Rye, New York. He says water is equitable to treasure at many of the 260 academic institutions for which the company manages foodservice operations. “Some of them refer to water as liquid gold.”

Extreme drought conditions hit central and northern California and western Nevada, and continue to impact many regions already suffering, like northern Texas and Oklahoma.

This has impacted crop production and cattle ranching, pushing food prices higher. The West has been in drought conditions for the past several years, but “the intensity is particularly great this year in California and the Southwest into Texas and Oklahoma,” says Liz Purchia, spokeswoman for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Restaurants should consider water conservation all the time, not just when there are crises, says Michael Oshman, founder and chief executive of the Green Restaurant Association, adding that the practice also saves money.

Energy Star dishwashers and ice machines conserve water in the back of the house, as do low-flow, pre-rinse spray valves and automatic on-and-off faucets. In the bathrooms, aerators on faucets, low-water toilets, and no-water urinals can save water.

At Atlanta’s Lure seafood restaurant, owner Fifth Group Restaurants constructed a system that not only harvests rainwater from the eatery’s roof and patio, but also melts water from icemakers and water condensation from air conditioning. The system stores up to 3,000 gallons of filtered water that is used for the bathrooms and to irrigate plants around the building.

“We’ve captured about 100,000 gallons each of the past two years, and haven’t had to use municipal water for flushing toilets or for irrigation,” says Steve Simon, one of Fifth Group’s partners. The main reason for making the expensive investment in the water recapturing system was environmental, but it has saved the restaurant thousands of dollars by not purchasing Atlanta municipal water, which Simon calls one of the most expensive water options in the nation.

When it comes to cooking, water’s properties also influence the taste of the food, and that is why a number of chefs work only with filtered water.

“It isn’t crucial when you’re braising a piece of meat, but it’s very important in baking and in delicate soups and sauces,” says Fischer, Chartwells’ executive chef. “If you have water with a strong chlorine taste, for instance, it will affect the final product. Other chemicals and metals can influence the flavor, too.”

A study in 2013 by The NPD Group found that 37 percent of restaurant customers choose water or no beverage with their meals. And bottled water is the choice of many guests, with 38 percent of restaurants offering it, according to Datassential MenuTrends.

But aqua is often taken for granted by customers, and the cost of water is rising. According to a study by Circle of Blue, a group of scientists and journalists concerned with natural resources, the average price of municipal water is up 6.2 percent in big American cities this year, and has jumped 33 percent since 2010.

Water grows the country’s crops, keeps the farms in the farm-to-table movement solvent, filters America’s beloved soft drinks, is critical for food prep, and cleans restaurants, keeping them functional. How restaurants and society treat water now will impact the world’s most precious resource for generations to come.

(Taken from RSR Ideas and Insights for Full-Service Restaurants | March 30, 2015)

What's Hot in 2015? Discover new menu trends

2015-04-07T09:29:00.001-05:00

What's Hot in 2015? Discover new menu trends

December 3, 2014

Local sourcing, environmental sustainability and healthful kids' meals keep gaining steam as the top trends on restaurant menus in 2015, according to the National Restaurant Association's annual What’s Hot culinary forecast.

The NRA surveyed nearly 1,300 professional chefs – members of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) – to find which foods, cuisines, beverages and culinary themes will be hot trends on restaurant menus in 2015.

“As consumers today increasingly incorporate restaurants into their daily lives, they want to be able to follow their personal preferences and philosophies no matter where or how they choose to dine,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research for the National Restaurant Association. “So, it’s only natural that culinary themes like local sourcing, sustainability and nutrition top our list of menu trends for 2015. Those concepts are wider lifestyle choices for many Americans in other aspects of their lives that also translate into the food space.”

“Chefs are committed to supporting their communities and helping make responsible food choices,” said Thomas Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, national president of the American Culinary Federation. “I am pleased that members of the American Culinary Federation continue to support local sourcing and sustainable food practices as an annual trend and are paving the way for these values to become part of everyday American cooking.”

In addition, the What’s Hot in 2015 survey found that the top five alcohol and cocktail trends will be micro-distilled/artisan spirits, locally produced beer/wine/spirits, onsite barrel-aged drinks, regional signature cocktails, and culinary cocktails.

Items that gained most in trendiness since last year in the annual survey included underutilized fish, doughnuts, ethnic condiments, grass-fed beef, brown/wild rice, and grilled vegetables. Items with the largest drop in “hot trend” rating included bruschetta, kale salads, nose-to-tail cooking, hybrid desserts, and house-made soft drinks.

When asked which current food trend will be the hottest menu trends 10 years from now, environmental sustainability topped the list, followed by local sourcing, nutrition and ethnic cuisines and flavors.

The chefs were also asked how they feel about customers taking photos of their food and posting on social media during their meals. Nearly three in five chefs said it's free advertising and should be encouraged, and about a third said it's fine as long as they're discrete. Only one in 10 chefs said it's disruptive and should be discouraged.

An industry health check and 3 surprising business drivers

2015-04-07T09:27:00.001-05:00

March 25th, 2015

An industry health check and 3 surprising business drivers

Published in Restaurant Business Daily

Peter Romeo, Director of Digital Content

Attendees of the Restaurant Leadership Conference are presented with no fewer than four detailed reports on the health of the industry and what trends are contributing to or detracting from it. The consensus was that sales are accelerating, albeit moderately, because underlying macro factors like employment and general economic activity are improving. Declining gas prices were hailed as having a particularly positive effect on restaurant prices.

Bad weather temporarily chilled the economy in the first quarter, noted GE Capital’s Todd Jones, but the more persistent problem is income stagnation. About three of every four jobs lost during the Great Recession were middle or high-paying positions. Only 56 percent of the jobs that have been created since then fall in those income brackets, Jones said.

Traffic remains a challenge. Jones noted that customer counts for full-service restaurants are finally increasing, but TKn2K’s Victor Fernandez noted that overall industry traffic is still 11 percent below the pre-2008 level.

The statistics reeled off by the sales and traffic handicappers were leavened by the mention of some unexpected trends that could change the numbers. Among the new currents they noted:

1. DIY restaurant food

In a validation of restaurants’ addition of butcher shops, food markets and other sources of raw groceries, the National Restaurant Association’s Hudson Riehle noted that 48 percent of consumers say they would buy food from a restaurant to cook at home. The interest in what he called DIY food was particularly high (64 percent) among patrons aged 18 to 34.

2. Summertime blues

The optimal weather conditions for the industry’s busiest season are cooler-than-normal temperatures, said Riehle. But the forecast for this summer calls for higher-than-usual temperatures along the coast.

3. Exceptional spiciness is the new normal

For the first time since Technomic started collecting data, a majority (54 percent) of consumers prefer spicy foods. “It will be a really important part of menu innovation for years to come,” said the research company’s Darren Tristano.

Advocates Want Restaurants to Stop Catering to Young Diners with Kids’ Menus

2015-04-07T09:26:00.000-05:00

From The Washington Post: By Maura Judkis, October 30, 2014

All that was left of Julia Washington’s seared-scallop entree were the baby artichokes. The 10-year-old speared one with a fork, eyeing it with curiosity and contempt.

“I don’t know about new things. I don’t know how they taste,” the fifth-grader from Upper Marlboro said at the restaurant Equinox. “It looks like a mushroom. I don’t like mushrooms.”

Julia is a typical child. She loves mac and cheese, fried shrimp, ice cream. But she couldn’t order from the kids’ menu that night, because Equinox has no kids’ menu. The restaurant’s chef, Todd Gray, does not believe in kid food.

“With the right encouragement, kids will eat anything,” Gray said.

Most restaurants don’t give children many choices: chicken fingers. Tater tots. Or bland, cheese-laden pizza, accompanied by a cup of limp fruit salad. And some parents are getting tired of it.

“The idea that there is different food for children drives me nuts,” said Lynn Fredericks, founder of Family Cook Productions, an organization that teaches healthful family eating. She recently launched the Kids Food Reboot, a campaign to get restaurants to adapt their kids’ menus to rely less on frozen french fries and other beige fried foods and more on healthful, fresh and — most important — interesting choices for young diners. Given the chance to eat, say, spaghetti squash or broccoli rabe, children will rise to the occasion, Fredericks says.

“Children will eat other foods. They will,” she said. “It’s just about how you present it.”

She has enlisted several chefs across the country — among them such TV personalities as Mary Sue Milliken of “Top Chef Masters” and Arlington’s David Guas of the Travel Channel’s “American Grilled” — to adapt dishes on their regular menus to be more suitable in portion size, spice level and nutritional content for kids. She also asks them to add a “touch of whimsy” in the form of, for example, a sesame-seed face on a hard-cooked egg or a rainbow of vegetables with cauliflower clouds: Eating vegetables, she says, should be just as much fun as eating chicken nuggets. It’s starting out small, but Fredericks and the chefs involved plan to recruit others to the cause.

“To have a hamburger is not bad. To have mac and cheese is not bad,” Fredericks said. “The problem, inherently, is not what each of those things is. It’s perpetuating the separateness of what kids eat.”

Kids’ menus began in the era of Prohibition, when restaurants were eager to recoup lost liquor revenue by tapping a new demographic. The Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York was among the first to have one, and, like other kids’ menus it inspired, it was laden with healthful but bland foods. By the 1970s, when processed foods took hold, kids’ menus of fried chicken and french fries, now ubiquitous, began their ascent — at least in the United States. In much of the rest of the world, kids eat the same food as adults.

“Kids are infamous for loving ketchup and pasta and other foods that they will gravitate towards if you allow them to,” said Guas, chef -owner of Bayou Bakery in Arlington. “You have to remember to be creative when preparing foods for kids, or else you’ll lose their interest.”

He knows: Like the other chefs who are helping launch this campaign, Guas is a parent. Although his two sons might possess more sophisticated palates than the average child’s, they still have their likes and dislikes.

For Bayou Bakery’s “little yat’s” menu, he has adapted his turkey-meatball dish into a smaller portion served atop spaghetti squash. Other options include turkey sandwiches, a veggie-laden mac and cheese of the day and, yes, a hot dog.

At the more upscale Equinox, Gray has long offered half- portions of kid-friendly dishes such as house-made pappardelle pasta or roast chicken. When dealing with a child diner, servers can rattle off kid-friendly options — like the grilled polenta over fall ratatouille that he created for the Kids Food Reboot. But often, Gray will improvise something based on what the child requests.

“Sometimes it makes us a little crazy, because they start putting steak on top of noodles. We never say no,” he said. “The pickiest stuff is that they don’t want stuff ‘touching.’ ” He also tempers the spice level: “You don’t want to blow some child over with tons of garlic and rosemary. You’ll find that kids don’t want scallions and mint put on fish. I like to serve everything on the side, just to be safe.”

Not all children are afraid to eat their vegetables. Recently, food-oriented Web sites have been inspired by the idea of children eating like adults and have sent them to fancy restaurants to capture their viral-video-ready reactions. They don’t always love what they’re served. The Bold Italic, a San Francisco online magazine, sent a child to the renowned French Laundry (“It looks really not good” was a 4-year-old girl’s assessment of caviar), and the New York Times recently made a video of second-graders reviewing the $220 seven-course tasting menu at Daniel. After they complained about Daniel’s squash ravioli (“This looks like soap”), chef-restaurateur Daniel Boulud told the kids, “Next time, we’ll do macaroni and cheese,” and they all cheered.

8 Tips for Safe Food Storage in Your Restaurant

2014-11-03T08:34:00.002-06:00

Author: Jason Rahm

Food safety is a primary concern for every area of the commercial kitchen, including in the storage area. Here are eight ways food service operators can assure that food is stored safely:

Follow the First In, First Out (FIFO) rule. The FIFO rule protects both food safety and food quality. Whenever new shipments of food arrive, the newer food is placed behind the older food so the older food is used first; this applies for both cold and dry storage. It also helps to label all food with the date it was received and a "use by" date to assure proper food safety and freshness.
Place meat as low as possible. Even if it is in a sealed container, meat or meat dishes should be stored below other items so meat juices cannot drip down and contaminate those food items.
Store food in air-tight containers. Once air contacts food, the food starts to spoil. In order to increase shelf life and maintain food safety and quality, food should be stored in air-tight containers. Use food pans (with lids), ingredient bins and food storage boxes to keep your kitchen organized and safe from infestations and bacteria.
Store all food off the floor. The 2009 FDA Food Code states that all food must be stored at least six inches above the floor.1 This is to prevent water, dust or other contaminants from soaking through bags or otherwise contaminating the food. A lot of local health codes go a step further and make the minimum height 12 inches.
Temperature control still applies. Refrigerators are essential to food safety, but only when they are at the right temperature. Every refrigeration unit should have a refrigerator thermometer so staff can check and make sure food is below the temperature danger zone.
Do not overload refrigeration units. If there are too many items stacked in a refrigerator, the unit will have to work too hard to maintain the proper temperature. This could create hot spots in which certain areas of the cabinet are not cold enough. The refrigeration unit may even stop working altogether. Blocking the internal and external air vents will also cause the refrigerator to bog down and can result in unsafe storage conditions.
Keep shelves and floors clean and organized. Use wall shelving and shelving units to keep your kitchen organized. Anywhere there is dirt or food spills, bacteria can grow, so keeping floors and shelves clean are a must for maintaining proper food safety in the kitchen. Organized shelves with the items clearly labeled also decreases the amount of time employees have to hold the door open and locate items.
When in doubt, throw it out. The bottom line for all safe food handling and storage practices is that when product safety is in doubt, err on the side of caution and throw the food away. Saying, "It should be fine" usually leads to a case of food poisoning.

Taken from:

http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/education/product-safety-public-health/8-tips-for-safe-food-storage-in-your-restaurant-/c28162.aspx

Digital wallets: The new ‘interface’ of mobile payments

2014-11-03T08:31:00.000-06:00

October 8, 2014

Seth Priebatch, founder, CEO and “chief ninja” at mobile pay company LevelUp, discusses technological advancements that could change how restaurants and other retail establishments do business. Priebatch, a speaker at the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Innovation Summit, Oct. 28 and 29 in Atlanta, shares his projections below on how mobile payment could affect your business.

Get ready for a shift in mobile payments that will rival the cash-to-card shift already in place. While doing nothing in the short term won’t hurt your operation, indifference over the long haul could carry some hazards, given the latest advances that are sure to change the technological landscape. Those changes include Apple Pay, Apple’s new digital wallet, which launched with the new iPhone 6.

Why should operators embrace new mobile payment options? One reason is to stay current and keep younger, millennial customers satisfied. Here are more reasons you should care:

The shift to mobile payment might not happen overnight, but it may seem like it. Look at smart phone adoption over the past five years. Today, 90 percent of customers carry them. Unlike the credit-card shift, which took more than 15 years, the mobile payment transition could take as few as three years.

Apple Pay probably will be a game changer for every business that takes credit cards. The safe bet is to assume that Apple's move will ignite the mobile payments space, just as they've ignited so many others. Fifteen years ago, 90 percent of restaurant transactions were in cash; more than 80 percent at full-service restaurants today are with plastic. The same could happen for mobile payments.

Payment processing rates will go up. Apple Pay, like many other digital wallets, will be tied to credit cards and their omnipresent and costly exchange fees. Apple plans to add to processing rates by tacking on a 0.25 percent fee. Issuing banks are paying that fee for now, but eventually they’ll pass that on to merchants.

If you don’t do anything, your business will be forced to pay that nominal increase. But if you shift to mobile payments, you will have an opportunity to compete with the big credit card companies for customer mindshare. The payment is the focal point of customer interaction, and whoever controls that interaction attracts the customer.

Forward-looking restaurant brands will leap at the chance to own customers’ payment. They’ll be able to gather analytics and data about customers’ transactional behavior. They could save on processing costs; entice consumers with special offers and loyalty campaigns; and control the receipts that show up. And they can use that data to engage guests through customized advertising. American Express, MasterCard and Visa are on to that, which is why they’re keen on mobile wallets.

The bottom line: Act now to open an ever-evolving world of next-generation payment opportunities. Now is the time to devise strategies to embrace the shift to mobile. It’s coming, and sooner than you think.

(Taken from www.restaurant.org/news and research )

Customers service is still key for new restaurant owners

2014-11-03T08:29:00.003-06:00

By Virginia Bridges

vbridges@newsobserver.comOctober 20, 2014

Recently, some friends and I decided to check out a new restaurant near our Durham neighborhood. I was a little worried that we wouldn’t be able to get in on a Saturday night. That worry turned to concern when we arrived, and the place was almost empty.

While the evening started out with a friendly bartender introducing us to new beers and a sparkling cider, the service and general experience declined after we moved to a table, had a closer look at the menu and related portions, and waited for what felt like hours to get more drinks and our check.

The night got me thinking about best practices new restaurateurs should use to build a customer base in the competitive Triangle restaurant market, before those start-up struggles spiral out of control.

Scott Howell owns Nana’s and Nanotaco in Durham, has two new concepts in the works and has been involved in about six other eateries. He said that some of these younger, “hipper” restaurateurs don’t focus on basics, such as customer service.

“They are arrogant in opening a restaurant, thinking it is a privilege (for customer to be able to eat and get a drink there), but they are lacking in attentive, nice congenial service,” Howell said. “If you don’t have that, you might as well not open a restaurant.”

Howard Cannon, founder of Birmingham, Ala.-based Restaurant Consultants of America, said the complacency of the owners is often the source in failing to give customers what they have wanted for years: hospitality, quality, service, cleanliness and accuracy.

“If you look at restaurants that fail, usually what they are missing is the intensity by the person who’s in charge to drive speed of services, to drive product quality higher, to drive customer and employee satisfaction higher,” Cannon said.

To start, Howell said, in foodie markets such as Durham, good food has to be given, but it also needs to be priced right. With all the options in Durham, making entrees a couple of dollars more than they should be raises the expectations of diners and pits those newer spaces against chefs and owners with established reputations.

He’s right. After we paid for dinner and drinks, our thinking was that we could have eaten at a number of better, more established places for that same price.

Jason Smith, owner of three Raleigh eateries including 18 Seaboard, Cantina 18 and Harvest 18, said owners should seek out customers who are coming back again and again, and ask why and what they are enjoying.

Smith also said owners should avoid making significant knee-jerk changes, but should apply a “constant, gentle pressure” to build and improve the business subtly.

Wendy Dimitri, owner of the Charlotte-based restaurant consultancy The CRB Group and executive director for the American Culinary Federation North Carolina Chapter, said one way to build trust is by going table to table and asking for sincere feedback.

By seeking feedback, owners can make guests feel a part of a space’s success, she said

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/10/20/4245898/customers-service-is-still-key.html#storylink=cpy

Managing Your Liquor Liability Exposures

2014-04-22T08:44:00.002-05:00

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2012, over 10,000 vehicle-related fatalities involved a drunk driver. Not only were these people liable for their actions, the establishments where they were drinking are also susceptible to punishment for over-serving clientele who then injure a third party.

These types of lawsuits are not cheap, either. Well-known liquor liability cases include the Outback Steakhouse, which was ordered to pay $39 million by an Indiana jury after a patron of the restaurant chain struck the plaintiff with his car, and T.G.I. Friday’s, which was ordered to pay $1 million to the parents of two 16-year-old teenagers who were killed after being involved in an accident with a drunk driver. Witnesses in the case claimed that the patron at T.G.I. Friday’s was drinking for eight hours at the establishment before the accident occurred.

These cases are not isolated incidents—victims and their families file suits against restaurants or bars every day for their role in serving a customer who is then involved in an alcohol-related accident. To help protect your establishment, employees and patrons, establishing a liquor liability prevention policy, training workers and transferring risk are critical to minimizing your liquor liability.

Prevention through Education

The most important defense against being liable for drunken driving accidents is prevention through education. It is imperative that you design a liquor liability training program for staff members who will serve alcoholic beverages to customers. In these training sessions, employees will learn important information such as how to determine if someone has had too much to drink, how to deny a patron service and how to identify valid forms of identification to prevent serving alcohol to minors. Once an employee has completed the training, he or she should sign an agreement form outlining that they comply with and understand the policies set forth by the establishment.

Specifically, training should include the following:

Signs of Intoxication
Monitoring Consumption
Offering Continued Service
Denying Service
Reporting Incidents
Employee Legal Consequences

As part of your initiative to lessen risks, educate employees on how drunken patrons may affect their lives. Employees must understand how serving to minors who use fake IDs will result in large fines or how dram shop laws are stricter than ever and breaking them may pose serious consequences. Remind employees that they are liable and could a face a number of consequences for not cutting off patrons before they’ve had too much to drink. Types of employee liability include:

Criminal Liability: Employees can be found criminally liable for serving to minors with a fake ID or serving to a patron who appears intoxicated. The employee can face monetary fines, probation or jail time depending on state laws. In addition, your establishment can lose its liquor license and is susceptible to fines as well as higher insurance premiums.

Civil Liability: If employees are found guilty of civil liability for a patron’s injury, that employee, the owner and the establishment face large monetary fines. At times, these fines are so large that they cause bankruptcy.

Dram Shop Laws: These laws allow establishments, owners and employees to be sued by an individual after they’ve been injured by a patron served at the establishment.

Transferring Your Risks

To protect your business, it is wise to obtain a liquor liability policy either as standalone coverage or as part of a restaurant and bar package policy. Contact Naught-Naught Agency at 573-634-2727 for more information about these effective coverage options. We understand carrier requirements and the state’s dram laws to design a policy that suits you best.

OSHA’S MOST FREQUENTLY CITED STANDARDS - 2013

2014-04-22T08:37:00.002-05:00

These were the most frequently cited OSHA standards for the food services and drinking places industry last year:

Hazard communication – Properly transmitting information on chemical hazards through a comprehensive program, container labeling, SDS and training.

General Personal Protective Equipment Requirements – Selecting the correct PPE, providing instruction, monitoring its use and maintaining the PPE to standards.

Wiring Methods, Components and Equipment for General Use – Using proper wiring techniques and equipment to ensure safe electrical continuity.

General Electrical Requirements – Ensuring electric equipment is free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serous physical harm to employees.

General Requirements for Walking/Working Surfaces – Housekeeping guidelines.

Maintenance, Safeguards and Operational Features for Exit Routes - Exit routes must be kept free of explosive or highly flammable furnishings or other decorations.

Portable Fire Extinguishers - Placement, use, maintenance and testing of portable fire extinguishers provided for the use of employees.

Medical Services and First Aid - Ensuring the ready availability of medical personnel and first aid supplies on-site.

Guarding Floor and Wall Openings and Holes - Ensuring every stairway floor opening has proper railings and other protection.

General Requirements for All Machines - Providing proper machine guarding to protect the operator and other employees from hazards.

Security Protects Against Business Interruption

2014-04-22T08:35:00.000-05:00

Restaurants can be easy targets for thieves. Dim lighting, high traffic and a fast-paced environment mean restaurant workers have trouble detecting and preventing theft. Fortunately, there are ways to improve security at your restaurant and avoid potential business interruptions.

Building Exterior Security

Keeping your restaurant safe begins on the outside. Consider the following measures to keep your building secure.

Lighting – It may seem simple, but lighting can have a big effect on building security, as criminals prefer to target places where their actions can easily be concealed by darkness. Make sure entrance ways, walking paths and parking lots are adequately lit. Motion-detecting lights are also helpful by doors that are not often used.

Locks – Again, a simple security measure that is also essential. Front doors should always be locked during non-business hours. Any back doors that are used for emptying garbage or employee breaks should remain locked at all times. If a back door is used frequently, install a key card entry system on the door. With this method, lock the door and turn the system off after business hours to further increase security.After locks are installed, they must be checked regularly to ensure they stay in working order. Also, keep an eye on the condition of doors. If they fall into disrepair, their effectiveness as a method of protection will be weakened.

Landscaping – A well-landscaped property can improve security at your restaurant in several ways. First, a well-maintained property gives the impression that the premise is under the supervision of attentive management, so show your presence by keeping the grounds well groomed. Second, just like poor lighting, an overgrowth of bushes and trees may create blind spots that can be used to conceal criminal activity. When choosing plants to be placed around windows and doors, pick ones that will remain relatively short, and trim them regularly.

Security cameras or on-site security personnel – Deciding to employ security guards or install security cameras depends on the individual situation. Often,, such measures are not needed on the building’s exterior to provide the reasonable amount of security required of restaurant owners, but they can be beneficial in situations where a specific security concern may need extra attention. If the property is located in a high-crime area, security cameras or on-site personnel may be necessary.

Steel bars/bulletproof glass – Steel bars and bulletproof glass can be important security additions to your restaurant’s windows, and are helpful if your restaurant has a drive-thru.

Building Interior Security

If a thief gains entry to the restaurant despite the exterior security measures, there are ways to deter the person once he or she is inside.

Alarm system – Install an alarm system that is monitored by a licensed security company. If there is a break-in, they will be notified and can dispatch the police to the restaurant to investigate. Make sure it is loud when triggered and is located where a thief can easily spot it.
Safes – Frequently deposit cash into a damage-resistant safe during hours of operation. Keep the safe out of sight and ensure only high-level employees know its location. Never leave the keys or code for the safe lying around. Safes that can only be opened at certain times add extra security.
Varying banking procedures – Thieves pay close attention to the routines of workers, so it’s important to change up how the restaurant does sensitive tasks such as banking and other cash handling activities. In this case, not having a routine is a positive thing.
Physical inventories – Either hire an outside company to perform physical inventories regularly or perform them in-house. If thieves see you physically counting merchandise, they are less likely to steal it.
Data security – Identity theft is a growing trend in restaurants. Thieves can place credit card skimming devices on point-of-sale (POS) terminals and collect a customer’s credit card information when the card is swiped by an employee. Employees that handle customer credit cards should be trained to detect any abnormal devices in and around POS terminals.
Never opening or closing alone – Make sure there is always more than one person opening or closing the restaurant. Before closing, check bathrooms and other areas where a person could hide to ensure thieves aren’t staying behind after hours.
CCTV – Install a closed circuit television (CCTV) system that is easily visible for both employees and customers. If thieves know they’re being watched, they are unlikely to steal from the restaurant. Make sure the video equipment is locked safely in a room at all times.

Don’t Take Anything for Granted

It doesn’t matter if your restaurant is big or small—thieves will take advantage if you have lax security measures. In addition to these various security measures, training employees on how to spot potential thieves will go a long way to maintaining a successful restaurant.

Working with Cash

2014-04-22T08:30:00.001-05:00

Helpful tips for handling money on the job

Having cash on hand creates a significant risk for any business, and it’s important for you to understand how to safely handle cash that you are responsible for.

Cash Drawers

When using a cash drawer:

· Open it only when making a transaction.

· Close the drawer before you package merchandise the customer may have purchased.

· Leave the bills the customer gave you on top of the drawer until after making change to keep a record of what the customer paid in case of dispute.

· Never leave an open cash drawer unattended for any length of time.

· Notify your supervisor when you build up excess cash in your drawer so it can be moved to a more secure location.

· Never count cash drawers in front of customers. Always count the contents of the drawer in a secure, private area.

· Always lock the cash drawer and remove the key when it is not in use.

· If the premises will be unattended overnight, empty the cash drawer and leave it open to deter damage in the event of a break-in.

Bank Drops

There may be a time when you will have to bring cash to the bank on behalf of . Remember these tips while moving cash:

· Never establish a routine for deposits. Vary the time and the route you take as much as possible.

· Always try to take someone with you. Go by yourself only as a last resort.

· Alert someone that you are leaving with the deposit and also tell them when you should be returning.

· Transport cash in something that doesn’t draw attention to you. If you are using a bank bag or similar container, always put it in something unidentifiable.

· Do not use public transportation.

· If taking a taxi, use a reputable company, and always call for it by phone instead of flagging one down once you’ve reached the street.

· If walking, choose busy streets that will keep you close by people.

· Do not make other stops before the deposit.

Hold-Ups

Even when employees take all the proper precautions, there is still chance for a robbery. If such a robbery occurs while you are at work, remember:

· Try to remain as calm as possible.

· Comply with the robber’s instructions.

· Give them any money or goods that they ask for.

· Make mental notes about the robber’s appearance so you can inform police.

· Never attempt to physically stop an armed robber.

Remember that no amount of money is worth a life.

Developing a Small Business Disaster Recovery Plan

2013-09-12T08:22:00.001-05:00

Article from www.iii.org website

Businesses that are forced to close down following a disaster run the risk of never being able to open their doors again. While there’s no way to lower the risk of a natural disaster like a hurricane, there are critical measures that can be taken to protect your company’s bottom line from nature’s fury. A disaster plan and adequate insurance are keys to recovery.

Develop a Disaster Recovery Plan

No matter how small or large a business, a business impact analysis should be developed to identify what an operation must do to protect itself in the face of a natural disaster. Large corporations often hire risk managers to handle this task and some companies hire consultants with expertise in disaster planning and recovery to assist them with their plans. But small businesses can do the analysis and planning on their own.

STEPS FOR DEVELOPING A BUSINESS RECOVERY PLAN

Set up an emergency response plan and train employees how to carry it out. Make sure employees know whom to notify about the disaster and what measures to take to preserve life and limit property losses.
Write out each step of the plan and assign responsibilities to employees in clear and simple language. Practice the procedures set out in the emergency response plan with regular, scheduled drills.
Compile a list of important phone numbers and addresses.Make sure you can get in touch with key people after the disaster. The list should include local and state emergency management agencies, major clients, contractors, suppliers, realtors, financial institutions, insurance agents and insurance company claim representatives.
Decide on a communications strategy to prevent loss of customers. Post notices outside your premises; contact clients by phone, email or regular mail; place a notice in local newspapers.
Consider the things you may need initially during the emergency. Do you need a back-up source of power? Do you have a back-up communications system?
Human Resources. Protect employees and customers from injury on the premises. Consider the possible impact a disaster will have on your employees’ ability to return to work and how customers can return to your shop or receive goods or services.
Physical Resources. Inspect your business’ plant(s) and assess the impact a disaster would have on facilities. Make sure your plans conform to local building code requirements.
Business Community. Even if your business escapes a disaster, there is still a risk that it could suffer significant losses due to the inability of suppliers to deliver goods or services or a reduction in customers. Businesses should communicate with their suppliers and markets (especially if they are selling to a business as a supplier) about their disaster preparedness and recovery plans, so that everyone is prepared.
Protect Your Building. If you own the structure that houses your business, integrate disaster protection for the building as well as the contents into your plan. Consider the financial impact if your business shuts down as a result of a disaster. What would be the impact for a day, a week or an entire revenue period?
Keep Duplicate Records. Back-up computerized data files regularly and store them off-premises. Keep copies of important records and documents in a safe deposit box and make sure they’re up-to-date.
Identify critical business activities and the resources needed to support them. If you cannot afford to shut down your operations, even temporarily, determine what you require to run the business at another location.
Find alternative facilities, equipment and supplies, and locate qualified contractors. Consider a reciprocity agreement with another business. Try to get an advance commitment from at least one contractor to respond to your needs.
Protect computer systems and data. Data storage firms offer offsite backups of computer data that can be updated regularly via high-speed modem or through the Internet.

REVIEW YOUR INSURANCE PLAN

Make sure you have sufficient coverage to pay for the indirect costs of the disaster—the disruption to your business—as well as the cost of repair or rebuilding. Most policies do not cover flood or earthquake damage and you may need to buy separate insurance for these perils. Be sure you understand your policy deductibles and limits.

New additions or improvements should also be reflected in your policy. This includes construction improvement to a property and the addition...

5 ways to prepare your business for tornado season

2013-04-12T07:43:00.002-05:00

Thursday, April 04, 2013 via Secura Insurance

Peak tornado season runs from mid-spring through early summer and, if a tornado strikes near your business, you need to react quickly. That’s why it’s crucial to develop a severe weather plan and safe areas for your employees. Follow these steps to get your company and employees ready for storm season:

1. Determine how much space you’ll require. You should have enough safe areas to fit all employees and any guests who may be in the building at the time of a tornado. Use the following guidelines from FEMA for how much space you need:

• Occupants (standing and seated): 5 square feet per person
• Wheelchair users: 10 square feet per person

2. Walk through your building to identify the safest areas. The basement typically is best. If your building doesn’t have a basement, select an area on the lowest level. Ideally, this space should be a small interior room or corridor. Avoid areas with windows and rooms with high ceilings or outside walls — these are more likely to be damaged during a storm.

3. Assess the exterior of the building. Look for trees, poles, and other items that could fall or hit the building. Don’t choose safe areas near these hazards.

4. Hold tornado drills often. Employees in all parts of the building should know where to go and practice the paths to get there.

5. Monitor the weather. A tornado watch means conditions are right for a tornado and there is a high probability of one in the surrounding area. A tornado warning means a tornado has been sighted in your county, or one is moving toward your area. It also could signify that weather radar indicates a high probability of a tornado.

Someone in your building should have access to a weather radio to listen for severe weather alerts. They also should monitor local radar information if a watch or warning has been issued and provide alerts and/or directions to employees.

For more information, visit www.disastersafety.org/tornado/protecting-employees or www.ready.gov/tornadoes.

Labels: Protect your business, Safety tips

Restaurant Self-‐assessment Tool for Employing Youth

2013-03-27T11:22:00.000-05:00

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has established special rules for employing minors. The following self-assessment is designed to identify some of the most common problems encountered in the food service industry regarding young workers. If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, you are likely not in compliance with federal regulations.

Do any workers under age 18 do the following?

Operate or clean power-driven meat slicers or other meat processing machines? Minors under age 18 may not set up, operate or assist to operate, clean, oil, adjust, or repair, power driven meat processing equipment. This includes meat slicers, meat grinders, patty forming machines, meat and bone cutting saws, and food processors when used to process meats. Such minors may not hand wash any parts of power-driven meat processing machines, but they may run a rack of the disassembled parts through an automatic dishwasher if they do not touch the parts.
Operate or clean any power-driven dough mixer or other bakery machines? Minors under 18 generally may not set up, operate or assist to operate, clean, oil, adjust, or repair power driven bakery machines. This includes horizontal and vertical dough mixers, battermixers, bread dividing, rounding, or molding machines, dough brakes, dough sheeters, cookie and cracker machines, and cake cutting bandsaws. There are limited exemptions that allow 16- and 17-year-olds to operate certain small, portable, counter top mixers and pizza dough rollers. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds may hand wash the disassembled parts of power-driven bakery equipment.
Operate, load, or unload any balers or compactors? Minors under 18 generally may not load, operate or unload any power-driven balers and compactors. There is a limited exemption that allows 16 and 17-year-olds to load, but not operate or unload, certain scrap paper balers and paper box compactors if the equipment meets certain safety standards, there is a posting to this effect on the machine, the on-off switch of the machine has a key-lock or other type of lock-out system, and the equipment is inoperable while it is being loaded.

To see all of the 22 items please click the link here to download the article.

8 Essential Elements of Payment Card Processing Costs

2013-03-27T10:58:00.002-05:00

Most Americans rely on credit, debit, and gift cards for restaurant purchases, so it is critical that you understand how you are being charged each time you accept a card for payment. To help educate you and others in the restaurant industry, the National Restaurant

Association offers our “8 Essential Elements of Payment Card Processing Costs.” Use this information to navigate the tricky waters of card processing. Be informed. Know your rights. Keep every penny you deserve. And help your business grow.

Click the image below to open the 8 Essential Elements of Payment Card Processing Costs.

Information provided by National Restaurant Association.

Click here for more information

Good server interaction is better for business

2013-03-27T10:28:00.004-05:00

This article is presented courtesy of restaurant.org a source of operational and business resources for independent restaurant operators.

It starts with, "Hi, my name is Jordan, and I'll be your server tonight." When your customer asks, "What's good here?" the server replies, "Everything." After the food arrives, the server asks, "How's everything?"

All of the above are clichés that customers hear over and over again. Those expressions reduce the chances that any meaningful, relationship-building conversation will take place between your servers and their guests, and that can be bad for your business.

When servers initiate personalized, intelligent conversation, many powerful things start to happen. Brains become engaged, meaningful dialogue starts to happen, servers connect with their guests, and guests have a better time and feel appreciated and cared for.

How does that affect your business? Satisfied guests usually tip better, and they're inclined to come back to your restaurant more often. Use your pre-shift meetings to discuss ways your servers can improve their interactions with your guests. Discuss antidotes to typical server sayings, such as:

"Hi, my name is..." Truth is most people don't care what the server's name is. Try a greeting such as, "Hi, welcome to The Crab House. I'm so glad you decided to join us tonight." This puts the focus where it should be, on the guest rather than on the server. Have your staff practice their table greetings with a bright smile and direct eye contact, and you'll be miles ahead of most of your competition.

"What's good here?" Coach your staff to describe two or three popular items that you do really well or better yet, have them recommend what they like.

"How's everything?" After the food is served, have your servers practice specific, intelligent questions that pertain to what your guests have ordered. "Is your tuna cooked the way you like it?" "Does anyone need more barbecue sauce?" "Have you tasted the lobster bisque yet?"

When there is meaningful conversation, human connections are made and guests feel valued and appreciated. Added bonus: they'll want to know their server's name so they can ask for them on their next visit! Want to stake out a competitive advantage? Start by creating the most welcoming, sociable and conversational service staff around.

Click here for the original article

To control food costs, start at the cook line

2013-03-27T10:19:00.000-05:00

The cook line is, perhaps, the most volatile area for controlling food cost. Whereas theft can occur anywhere, and vendor prices and proper preparation practices certainly can have an equally negative effect on food cost, it usually is on the cook line that many restaurants lose their profits. Common issues include incorrect portioning, waste and overcooked or cold food resulting from the kitchen getting slammed with orders, items being prepared without a food ticket, or unrecorded sales, and communication failures between kitchen and service staff that can result in incorrect orders.

Review these proven tips to control your food costs:

No ticket, no food. This is perhaps the singularly most effective policy for controlling food and beverage costs. By employing a policy that all orders must be rung up on the point-of-sale system or cash register before they can be made, you eliminate the possibility of unrecorded sales. If your POS or cash register doesn't have the ability to print orders to the kitchen and bar ‑ often called requisition printing ‑ then you may want to start shopping for one that does. It is common knowledge among POS vendors that restaurants using requisition printers typically enjoy as much as 5% or more in cost savings than those that don't.
Keep a waste log. Every restaurant experiences some degree of waste, but it is a controllable expense. Create systems to both minimize and record wasted product, such as meals returned by the customer, kitchen mistakes and spoilage. Keeping an accurate accounting of the value of wasted product can help to account for variances between ideal and actual food cos
Portion control tools. Poor portion control is one of the leading causes of food cost variances. Consider that your ideal food cost is based on the premise of exact portioning for each menu item, including the portioning of each ingredient within a menu item. If your prep and line cooks have gotten in the habit of "eyeballing" measurements rather than sticking to the exact recipes, chances are your food cost variance could be as much as 5% or more. Proven portion control strategies include the use of portioning scoops, scales and measuring spoons and cups. Pre-portioning can be effective in controlling costs by using portion baggies and a scale to pre-weigh product before stocking the cook line.
Recipe quick-reference charts. The fast-paced environment at most restaurant kitchens makes it impractical to use the recipe manual for every menu item. Characteristically, cooks are required to memorize the proper portions and steps for preparing each item on their station. The recipe "quick reference" is used as the name implies ‑ providing the cook with an at-a-glance list of ingredients, portion size and proper portioning utensil for each preparation step. Optionally, recipe references can be accompanied by photos of the finished product. Proper portioning and adherence to recipes, along with a visual reference of the properly prepared menu item help to ensure consistency in both taste and presentation.

This article is presented courtesy of RestaurantOwner.com, a source of operational and business resources for independent restaurant operators. For more information, visit www.RestaurantOwner.com.

Why Your Business Needs Business Insurance

2013-03-27T10:16:00.003-05:00

Three Common Myths About Liability and Understanding the Value of Insurance

From Gregory Boop, former About.com Guide

The first question often asked by the business owner is: Do I need business insurance?

The answer is, “yes!”

In ten years as an attorney, I have always advised my business clients to obtain insurance for the risks and potential risks facing their business. In that time I have heard every rationale for why a business owner believes they do not need insurance. And, before we go on, I want to address the most common myths that lead some business owners to choose not to secure insurance.

· Myth #1: Nobody will sue me, my business does not make a lot of money, and you “can’t squeeze blood from a turnip.” My business is not collectible.

FALSE. Everybody and every business can be sued. Everybody and every business, once a money judgment is rendered against them, can have that judgment collected. Judgment liens do not “go away”. Judgment liens can be renewed. Wages can be garnished. Equipment can be seized and sold. Bank accounts and assets can be seized to pay the judgment. Everybody is collectible at the hands of a persistent attorney.

· Myth #2: My business is a corporation. The corporate format protects me from liability, so I don’t need insurance.

FALSE. The corporate format does nothing but protect individual investors, owners, and officers from personal liability for the actions and debts of the corporation for corporate purposes. But, under the laws of all states, the “corporate veil” of protection can be removed – or, “pierced” – under some circumstances. When that occurs, the owner may be liable personally and must answer a judgment with personal assets: your house, your car or, maybe, your life savings. When this occurs varies by state. But, a simple rule of thumb is that the smaller you are the more likely this will be.

· Myth #3: If I die or become disabled, my family and my business partners are friends and they’ll just work it out.

FALSE. Most small businesses do not survive the death or disability of a principal member. Most children do not follow parents into the family business. Most businesses do not have the cash flow necessary to pay the estate of a deceased member for its interest in the business and the business may be dissolved. Finally, in my experience, remaining family members and business partners rarely work things out after the death or disability of a member.

Once you understand that these myths are simply false, you will be more secure in your decision to purchase insurance and value insurance as an investment in your business.

There are other myths that I have run into over the years; but, to summarize, I have yet to find a business owner with a cognizable reason for not having insurance. Your business needs to be insured.

Click here for more information from the original article.

Reduce Work Comp costs with a proactive approach to treating injuries

2013-01-31T09:49:00.001-06:00

Thursday, January 31, 2013 from Secura Insurance

When injuries happen on the job, they can turn into expensive claims, ultimately driving an employer’s Work Comp insurance premiums higher. There are, however, ways to keep costs in check. The key is taking action before non-emergency work injuries become insurance claims.

Value-added features offered by select insurance companies, such as SECURA’s Nurse Hotline, connect employees hurt on the job with registered nurses via a 24-hour phone line. The goal of the service is to provide workers with immediate answers to the best way to treat their non-emergency injuries. These minor strains, sprains, and such respond well to simple treatments. That means no visit to the ER or a battery of expensive diagnostic tests.

The rewards of Nurse Hotline extend to both employers and employees.

Benefits to the employer

• Reduced claims. Many injuries reported to the hotline can be
treated simply with self-care methods. That translates into no
hospital visit and no claim.
• Reduced costs. When claims are reduced in both number and
size, premiums typically follow.
• Reduced lost time. When injuries are treated immediately, workers stay at work or return to work sooner.
• Expert guidance. Highly skilled medical professionals are providing answers. No more supervisor judgment
calls or overtreating injuries.

Benefits to the employee

• Instant care. Injured employees get sound medical guidance immediately.
• No stress. A skilled independent medical professional advises employees on treatment.
• A true benefit. Employees will see such a hotline as an extension of the benefits package a company offers.

A proactive approach focusing on early assessment of work injuries can have a significant impact on reducing a company’s insurance claims. However, in order to reap the benefits, organizations must be partnered with insurance providers that offer them access to these value-added features, and employees must use them.

For more information about the benefits of Nurse Hotline, view a short video.

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Tips to make sure your bird is fully cooked

2012-11-21T07:20:00.002-06:00

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

“My mother is such a lousy cook that Thanksgiving at her house is a time of sorrow.” – Comedian, Rita Rudner

Yup, the pressure is truly on for cooks of a Thanksgiving feast. Guests might overlook the poorly executed sweet potatoes. They might even hold off on panning the over-seasoned, soggy stuffing.

But cook that bird wrong and your dinner table will deflate faster than the Snoopy balloon after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. However, with some careful planning and following of the tips below, you’ll ensure your bird is safely roasted.

• First things first. Make sure your turkey is thawed before cooking. If thawing in a refrigerator, allow 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds. That means a 12- to 16-pound bird will need three to four days to completely thaw.

• Heat it up. Set your oven temperature for 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

• 165 is the target. Use a meat thermometer to remove any guesswork. The turkey needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees, which means a cook time of roughly three to four hours for a 12- to 16-pound bird.

• Leave it unstuffed. While many stuff their birds, it’s recommended that stuffing be cooked in a separate casserole dish. If you do stuff the turkey, it will require additional cooking time.

• Know your variables. Among the variables that can impact cook times are the accuracy of the oven; whether the bird is stuffed or not; if the cook pan is dark or shiny (dark roasting pans cook faster). An oven-cooking bag also can accelerate the cook time.

For additional safety tips about cooking your Thanksgiving turkey, download a PDF from the U.S. Department of Agriculture here.

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NSC 2012: Preventing Serious Injuries and Fatalities

2012-10-26T08:40:00.003-05:00

If occupational injury rates are on a downward trend, that’s good news, right? Well, yes and no – while minor and less severe injuries may be on the decline, serious and fatal injuries are not following suit. According to Colin Duncan, CEO of BST, a company that helps organizations improve their workplace safety performance, EHS professionals must start looking at fatalities and serious injuries differently.

“When we see a statistic that workplace fatalities are not going down at the rate that injuries are, we need to understand why,” Duncan said during the Oct. 23 occupational keynote at the National Safety Council (NSC) Congress and Expo in Orlando, Fla. “We need to accept that the things that lead to serious injuries and fatalities are not necessarily the same things we’ll see for non-serious injuries and fatalities.”

Last year, BST released a white paper suggesting that reducing minor injuries and illnesses may not translate to a reduced potential for fatalities or serious injuries. Duncan followed up on that research during his presentation at NSC, where he encouraged EHS professionals to focus the underlying causes and influencing factors that specifically surround serious incidents and fatalities.

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Restaurant Crime

2012-09-28T09:37:00.000-05:00

Be ready for the unexpected

Think Twice

Always do as the intruder commands, and never attempt heroics. He or she could be carrying a weapon. The consequences of you attacking the intruder can cause you life-threatening injury, legal trouble and even the loss of your job.

Restaurants are particularly vulnerable to robbery, burglary and theft. As restaurants typically accumulate a large amount of cash, it makes them attractive targets of criminal activity. A criminal also looks for establishments with late-night hours and easy entry or escape.

If you are working in a restaurant, you need to be prepared to deal with restaurant crime. That’s why it is important for you to prepare now so that in the event that the unexpected happens, you will be able to stay calm and react quickly.

Preventing Theft

The best way to deal with the threat of theft is prevention. Some ways to discourage thieves from attempting their crime are as follows:

· Greet and make eye contact with every person that enters.

· If you see suspicious behavior in any area, courteously ask the person if they need assistance.

· Always show that you are alert and aware of all customer activity by actively moving around the area.

· During daily operations, cash registers should be inspected regularly to prevent cash buildup above the minimum amount needed.

· The rear door leading to the trash or waste containers should never be propped open. Always keep back doors locked.

· Be aware of and report any strange behavior to your shift manager, such as someone loitering on the premises.

General Guidelines

· If you witness someone attempting to steal something, do not run after the person or try to intervene. Attacking the person could mean harm to you.

· In the event of a robbery, do as the intruder commands. Speak slowly and calmly to intruders, and don’t make sudden or unexpected moves.

· Study the suspect carefully, noting facial features, height, clothing, etc.

· Do not follow the thief outside. The possibility of causing harm to innocent bystanders escalates in this situation.

· Call the police and notify your manager of the situation as soon as possible.

· If an intruder threatens you, comply with all of his or her demands. Your well-being is much more important than anything that [C_Officialname] might lose.

Know Who to Contact

· The phone numbers of local authorities are listed near all phones on the premises for quick access.

· Call the police as soon as possible, preserving any evidence left at the scene by the suspects, such as robbery note, objects handled, etc.

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