Did you ever hear the saying, “You are only as good as the company you keep?” In the restaurant business you are only as good as the employees you keep!
Your staff is a direct reflection of you and how you operate your business. When anyone talks about a restaurant, it’s always about the food and the service. When I talk about a restaurant if the food is mediocre and the service is great I will try the place again but I won't return if the service sucks.
If the staff does not know what is expected of them, then you have only yourself to blame when they don't live up to your expectations.
You must lead by example and give your staff the tools they need to give great service because your staff can be your best investment when it comes to making you money. And bad service can destroy your business.
Don't Under Estimate the Importance of Good Training
What would it do to your bottom line if you could net $0.50 per customer? 50 guest X $0.50 = $25.00 per day = $750.00 per month = $9000 per year
Training Your Wait-Staff To Sell
Your wait-staff is essentially you sales force. There main duties include greeting customers, assessing their needs, answering questions and offering guidance on their purchase. As a salesperson your wait staff must first, know the menu
Your staff can’t sell what they don’t know. Make sure they memorize and understand the menu. They should know ingredients: Does it have cream in it? Is it Gluten free? How is the dish prepared? Is it deep fried, grilled or sauteed. Does it come with a side?
They must also understand be able to make suggestions. There is no place in your restaurant for “order takers.” Your staff must be trained to help customers make choices, promote specials, suggest side dishes or cooking variations.
A waiter who goes up to a table and says, “Can I get you something to drink?” takes money out of your pocket. On the other, hand the waiter who says, “My bartender makes the most unbelievable Margarita’s, how many should I bring to the table?” is priceless.
Suggestive selling also includes the ability to verbally paint a picture of menu items that makes them irresistible. Write descriptive words on a chalkboard or a dry erase board in the kitchen. Change the words daily so that your staff doesn't sound like a broken record.
Your wait staff also needs to be passionate about the restaurant and the food they serve. When they are genuinely enthusiastic about the food your customers will be too. If they are not passionate about your restaurant and don't believe in what you are selling they don't belong working in your restaurant.
Successful Wait Staff Training:
Must be done consistently
Needs to be fun and interactive
Should promote a learning environment
Should encourage open discussion
Should stress the "do's" rather than the "don'ts"
Should show them how to put more cash in their pockets
After the meeting, YOU need to lead by example
What To Teach Your Wait Staff
How to politely address a table. – “Hey guys, how ya doing” may be okay at a pub venue but can come off as rude in a more upscale environment.
All components of the menu
How to “read” a table: Teach staff to look for cues about the needs of the customers. Your staff needs to be observant. A table out for a business meeting will have different needs then the same group dining after work. A barely touched plate of food could be a sign of someone who is not hungry or maybe that the food is not satisfactory.
How to handle customer complaints
How to encourage a return visit
Everyday your sales are directly affected by the service and when your service improves so will your sales. Good servers and bartenders have the skills to be friendly but not annoying. They are able to multi-task while giving customers the attention they need and they thrive on the fact that no two days are ever the same in the restaurant business. Not everyone can wait tables or tend bar. Make sure you are choosey when hiring.