Restaurant owners and managers?

Question

What training issues do you have with front of the house and back of the house employees do you most frequently face?

I am working on some training manuals and would like imput with different aspects of restaurant/hotel industry management.

What would be the most critical training/safety features you would like to see implemented in your facility?

Do you see training as a valuable and necessary tool, for creating long term employees?

Thanks so much~

Answer 1

THE BIGGEST challenges [“problems”] are #1: the safety and happiness of the customers. This includes clean restrooms.

When you keep the customers happy with good food and drink at the right prices, they will return. NOTHING wrecks a business more than a few bad experiences from a lot of people at a restaurant and/or bar. Managers should be extraverts - to the point where they interact with the customers. Managers should not be confined to an office or the kitchen - “in the back of the house.”

#2: NO MATTER how the money is collected - by the servers - OR by a cashier collecting money from the servers OR a cashier at the or near the front door: DO NOT accept any excuses for “a short drawer”. If the shift’s receipts are supposed to be $1,500.52 cents - there better be $1,500.52 in the drawer. NO SHORTAGES of any kind for any reason at any time by any person. Someone MUST be held responsible for the shortages! That person is the cashier AND the servers AND the Manager[s] on-duty.

#3: Food and/or beverages “walking”. Another word is “shrinkage”. In either event its theft! Plain and simple - its stealing! Fire people on the spot AND prosecute! Don’t forget to post signs. If you have the budget for a closed circuit TV surveillance system, do it! No matter how much you pay them, employees ALWAYS steal. Not all of them. Just a few make it bad for the rest.

#4: Dining rooms and bar areas must be kept clean and inviting. Don’t let the neighborhood riff-raff come in and take over the bar. If there is a disturbance, immediately call the police and permanently ban that individual or thosee people.

Once in a while pop-in and do a spot check on what’s going on. Check ALL refrigerators! Check the dumpsters and trash cans for food and bottles. If I could I would tell you a lot more! I THINK I’m pretty restricted as far as space on Y! A is concerned.

Thank you for asking your question. I enjoyed taking the time to answer it. You did a great job - not only for your information, but for every other person interested in reading my answer. Thanks to everyone for reading my answer.

VTY,
Ron Berue
Yes, that is my real last name

Answer 2

First of all, one would think that training is a valuable and necessary too, and it really is and you must always try...but having said that, you do not own your staff and in this business it attracts a transient group...in otherwords, as you know, you will only keep such a small percentage of those you worked hard to train (and often so called 'hurt' their feelings in the process) that it seems like so much work for nothing, but it has to be done.

One of the most important training features would be total attentiveness to the customer and knowing how to handle them to keep them coming back...that is critical, but there again, everything has to be together for that to happen. I have come to realize, though, that clean, neat, tidy and a nice smile and attitude have it all over cute, skinny, sexy, etc....someone who looks like they take there job seriously and are there to make sure there stay is the best is key. Training manuels work for your 'system' but 'common sense' is something that cannot be trained, but only learned through example. Good staff or management 'teaching' the new ones override any manual, but you must have a handbook or manual on hand as a guide which would take them from the start of the day to the finish of the shift and include all liquor regulations, safety and health regulations as well as regulations personal to your business. Use the experience and thoughts of only those with your best interest at heart.
The back of the house would include safety, health, cleanliness, prep, quality and quantity control, common sense in terms of plating, portioning, and having an eye to see if something could be wrong, etc before serving. But, having little contact with the public, they should be clean, neat, etc but you don't have to worry so much about 1st impressions, but insist anyhow on the expertise of the job as opposed to how to react to a customer....
anyhow....there is so much that is common sense, but common sense gets lost (and even your customers know it, but won't accept it because they are in control because they are PAYING for a service) so, it is a total daily battle that I have not won yet, and it isn't for a lack of trying day in, day out. You are at their MERCY~~~~

Answer 3

For training in front of house employee for a restaurant, it is a constant reminder of customer relations. I find a lot of today's youth don't have the social manners anymore, and tend to be more interested in their own social status, than the customers perception of the service. Teaching and on going training of Customer relations, what to do and not do while on floor or in view of the customers. Body language, and facial expressions also kill me.. A training manual need to of course teach all the basics of the job, but a good training manual also facilitates role playing in the training, visually enabling a trainer to show different scenarios, and resolutions is very helpful. Training is a must for retention of employee's, have a well trained staff helps reduce friction between staff memebrs, reduces stress during the shift, and of course benefits the customers experience.

Answer 4

No matter how trained you are to handle a staff you will have headaches from all the personal drama that they bring into this relationship. Owners and managers have to be parent counselor and boss to this staff whether they want to or not. Though this has nothing to do with an employee manual it is a primary concern in every food service institution I've been associated with, from the mom and pop shop to the corporate franchise. The balance is difficult.

Answer 5

I guess it starts with a failure on implementing the basic procedures, usually a sheet of facts, organigram, organization background, standard procedures and rules that are given to all-level employees. A meeting with all the staff would be the first friendly start, and being very clear with the rules. I had similar experiences with cooks and trainees not following standard hygiene, and safety procedures, as well as the standarised recipes. For the hygiene, we shut down the kitchen for one day and cleaned it to death. That day, new procedures were implemented and notices were left on the premises to remind the employees. However, it has also much to do with the relation boss-employee. A good relationship will lead to a better performance. Create activities on a day off, staff parties, rewards and bonuses etc. And over all, always point out any bad attitude, but congratulate any good behaviour and improvement

Answer 6

Most critical training and safety would be serv/safe training. Yes training properly is vital for creating long term employees and reinforce with periodic updates or meetings. everyone needs to attend and refresh on proper procedures etc. and let them contribute to the discussions. also a question and answer box instead of a suggestion box for those too shy to raise their hand and then address all their concerns without naming anyone.

Answer 7

rhats