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Newsletter Archives
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E-Mail Newsletter
**** Issue #176 **** May 23, 2005 In This Issue
* Question of the Week: Getting Started ****Please forward this issue to friends and
colleagues in the restaurant business**** ****You can appear in the next issue of the newsletter. Write in with comments/questions. Submit an article. Place an ad. Email us...****
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: GETTING STARTED I began bussing tables when I was old enough to get a job (the only female busser I've ever seen) and once I turned 18 I began serving tables. I've been doing it ever since which is hardly impressive as I am only 19. I want to be a good server. I'm polite, articulate, interesting, respectful, and committed, but there's no way of getting around the fact that I am a minor. I tried working at a college bar-type pizza place where they boasted their beer selection. I memorized as much as I could about the array, but it was obvious I didn't know from experience. I am now starting work at the Olive Garden. No local fine dining establishment will hire me after slinging pizzas for a few months, and I wanted a place that would actually train me. Our trainer talked to us about his passion for wine, and the two trainees (of nine) that were old enough began sampling them. I know I could memorize what he said, and probably deliver it similarly, but I hate faking it. I feel like they can tell, or that they will uncover me as a liar. I hate pretending to be an expert on something I'm not. What should I do? Is there any advice to the minor who wants to offer excellent service? - Zoe (Columbia, SC)
***** RESTAURANT SPACE FOR LEASE: SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco Historic North Beach District Restaurant Space For Lease. Prime Location. Unique space with old world character and charm. Great space. 4000 sq. ft. ground floor & 1100 sq. ft. finished basement. $7500 NNN Lease 5+5+5 yrs. term. 524 Union Street @ Grant & Columbus
Contact B. Smucha at soval@worldnet.att.net
EDITORIAL
Why Restaurants Go Out of Business Recently a chef wrote in to Restaurant Report wondering why so many restaurants go out of business and did anyone have any ideas. I answered that too many people open a restaurant because it's their dream. This article will enlarge upon that. A number of years ago I was walking along the street near my home and office. I came upon a brand new Continental-type restaurant down a few steps from the street, very atmospheric. Standing outside was the chef/owner with pride of ownership written all over him. We fell into conversation, I congratulated him, mentioned I was a publicist and he invited me in to talk. He explained that he was originally from New York, had spent the last decade or so working as a chef in Florida at some of the top restaurants there. His dream was to open his own place and he decided to do it in New York. His financial "backer," if you could call him that, was a friend in a completely unrelated field with very shallow pockets who had no idea opening and running a restaurant was such an expensive project. The owner/chef (we'll call him John) should have known better but thought he could open on a shoestring. A very short shoestring. He hired a waiter who agreed to work for tips and a Spanish-speaking (only Spanish-speaking--no English) busboy. John felt that since the place was so small, (no more than 12 tables or so), that was enough of a staff. I asked about someone to greet people at the door. John said that the kitchen door would be left open and he could run out when people walked in. I'm serious! He desperately needed a publicist, among other things; he said he'd scrounge up the money somewhere, and against my better judgment, I went to work. I tried his food and it was really wonderful. Unfortunately, while this man could certainly cook, he had no idea how to run the front of the house and didn't even have too firm a grasp of the economics of pricing his food. After less than two weeks, his one waiter disappeared so he was left with a busboy who couldn't speak any English trying to work as a greeter and a waiter. One evening during this time I called the restaurant and there was no answer. Wondering whether my client had gone out of business without telling me, I grabbed my coat and ran down to investigate. The place was dark and closed with no sign. As I walked away, two men walked up, planning to dine there. They saw it was closed and said, "I guess they went out of business." The next day I spoke to John and he said he hadn't gone out of business but there was some big sports event that night and he figured there wouldn't be much business so he might as well close for the night. I explained to him that you can't close without at least a sign and many people probably assumed he had closed for good. John admitted he never thought of that. I was able to drum up a fairly gratifying amount of business, critics' reviews (the New York Times reviewed it on radio) and a mention in one of the columns. After two months I could see he had no idea what to do so I quit and the following month so did John! He went out of business. This should give you some idea why restaurants close. Miriam Silverberg is founder and owner of Miriam Silverberg Associates, a publicity firm in New York City with extensive experience working with restaurants. She can be reached at silverbergm@mindspring.com.
*****
NEW @ RESTAURANT REPORT
When you have the opportunity to sit down for a couple of hours and actually speak with a restaurateur like a Bernard Ros, you understand what makes the restaurant business so intriguing. Restaurants just don’t show up by themselves – the real story is about the people who invent them and actually run them. During our conversation, he repeated one thought over and over again... "We have to teach young people how to love this business. If you don’t love what you do, you will never make it." It’s the real commitment that is the secret, and you meet a lot of very committed people in this business. Bernard Ros is right up there with the best of them. (Read more...)
We want WOW. When we find it we run in droves to indulge in its magnificent, silky perfection and spend a premium for the privilege. We don’t believe we’ll get it, because so much of our commercial relationships are rife with lies, disappointments and broken promises. But, that doesn’t stop us from wishing. Oh, the allure of WOW. (Read more...)
"Taste is only one of our senses. Restaurant patrons want an authentic experience in an environment that speaks to them and their needs," says San Francisco restaurant designer/architect Shawn Alexander. Restaurateurs contemplating a new design or renovation should consider Alexander’s eight tips for design...
(Read more...)
In today’s high-tech society, younger workers learn in a drastically different way than Baby Boomers and even Generation Xers. Jeff hits on a variety of training methods that effectively impact these technologically savvy young people. (Read more...)
READER FEEDBACK: BEER INVENTORY In response to a last week's question of the week... I would offer the following: 1. Do you have an inventory tracking POS system? If not invest in one. Lose the tickets if manual and the log the sale on the ticket theory – must go thru POS system. 2. Install security cameras at bar, rear door and POS cash drawer areas that can provide real time playback. They can recall digital transactions per POS transactions. 3. Have meeting with bar staff about enforcement policies for giving beer away, what the cameras can show and the link to the POS transaction. Further, I would hold one person per shift accountable for beer inventory – start of shift they have to count inventory, end of shift they have to count – run POS beer inventory report prior to shift and after shift. If differences exist, review with accountable person and take necessary actions. By being honest with all bar staff up front, you will earn the trust, those who continue to violate the system and offer free beers would soon surface and be approachable with evidence of claim. This policy will put employees against employees, they talk between themselves and this can be made into a positive for you. They can work with you or against you – you must earn the trust of the good employee’s, the bad employee’s will move on to another place that they can start a repeat performance of two for one beer to enhance the tip pool. 4. Create employee bonus plan(s) for bar/beer sales that are based on true profit and properly managed inventory systems. Please make sure you have the same for the kitchen staff, again, based on true food cost and profit. In theory, you reward them for their honestly and that should give you piece of mind when away from your restaurant. 5. You can also have your cameras available for viewing from a remote location (your home PC) thru a web site that your POS vendor can set up for you. This will allow you to see everything going on in real time when you are not there.
Good Luck! ** Next Post Probably the simplest method of control would be to have the staff count the beer when they arrive and leave their shifts. The total beer sold must match with the cash register record and any shortages are paid for by the staff on that shift. Breakage/spoilage must be signed off by you at the time of occurrence or discovery, not at the end of shift. You must go in and verify the counts in the early morning or late night. Excess inventory should be secured and only released by you. Receipt of beer shipments should be done by you. All staff MUST be aware that you are paying very close attention to this or they will continue to rob you blind. None of the above will have any effect on the relationship with your customers as this control is all in the background. Beer out the back door? All staff (including yourself) must be aware of your state/provincial liquor regulations. Any violations could put your business in jeopardy.
Good luck, ** Next Post Have the snoop bartend switch to a cash and carry system for the servers. That way the servers have to pay for each round and now you just have to watch one bartender and count your beer inventory nightly to keep you bartender honest. Most states will let you charge bartenders for shortages but not servers. Gene Fuller
***** READER FEEDBACK: COMING TO AMERICA In response to a last week's editorial article... I've been having this debate about Mexican and other foreign help for a long time. I don't think that Americans "refuse" to do any job that they're fairly compensated to do. After all, this Mexican immigration flood is a rather recent phenomenon. Who did all of these jobs before the Mexicans started arriving in droves? The logical scenario if the borders are closed is a simple market-driven reality:
1. Borders close The public can then respond by continuing to patronize the remaining, more expensive restaurants - or lobby for changes in the immigration laws back to the way they were. It's simple market-driven economics really. -Scott
***** READER FEEDBACK: OBESITY & RESTAURANTS In response to Cat's post last week... Dear Cat, I completely agree. I absolutely love food, am in good shape (5'9" 145 size 8) and would take steak over cake anytime. We try not to eat processed foods. I serve lots of salads with bacon, avocado, cheese, homemade bagel croutons, broccoli, romaine, tomato, cucumber and ranch dressing. We eat our big salad before dinner (the smell of the bacon or oven roasted garlic croutons makes them even hungrier) and then they have so much salad in them, they tend to eat lighter. I add lettuce, tomato, cucumber or any vegetable I can to their sandwiches. No "just meat and cheese" in this house. Fresh food, Farmer's Markets, lots of veggies and some good wine for the Chef :-).
Pamela Saunders - Restaurant Consultant ** Next Post I agree with this chef. As the owner and chef of my own catering company I see people eating with their eyes all the time. They also over eat. And now a 750 Calorie Breakfast sandwich by one of the fast food joints. It's disgusting. Americans are lazy and spoiled. Amen M.S.
*****
BULLETIN BOARD **Next Post - Re: Labor Cost Can anyone tell me what the industry averages are for line cooks, dishwashers, hosts, and servers labor cost. I would like to know for each position what the percent should be if you divide their labor cost by the food sales. I am running my labor under budget, but I was just wondering if my budget is too easy because we are not realizing the profits that we should.
Thanks,
Where is the best place to get a layman's definition and procedure of the tip reporting law for businesses?
Items such as pre-packaged plastic utensils, to-go boxes, etc., should they be figured in the cost of sales figure, or as a supplies expense?
WAYS TO SUPPORT & CONTRIBUTE TO RESTAURANT REPORT If you find RR helpful and believe in our mission of building a helpful resource for the independent restaurant community we would appreciate your help...
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