ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - July 11, 2003

Summer in Seattle ... what a treat! I realize that I am supposed to tell you that it rains all the time and not to move here(!), but the past week has just been delicious -- upper 70's to low 80's, clear skies, flowers blooming, big trees, boat traffic, Mt. Rainier, out-of-town family in for a visit -- it has all been working. Next week I start traveling a bit, but this week is for enjoying the reason that I do it.

SPEED UP THE TURN
Depending on the market you serve, summer is either an unusually slow time or an unusually busy one. If it is your busy season and you would like to turn your tables faster without having to rush your guests, here are a few suggestions on how to do that:

1. Give them the menu (and the wine list) while they are waiting. It takes awhile for most people to decide what they want to eat. Moving this "pondering period" to the wait means that they can order that much faster when they are finally seated ... and they have something to do while they are waiting beside looking at their watches!

2. Have enough staff to provide the standard of service that you have set for your operation. It is not about "do the best you can," it is about "do what you must do to be successful." You should be able to deliver the same quality of dining experience even when you are slammed as you do during off-peak times. This may mean smaller stations during your busiest meal periods and perhaps a few extra bussers or kitchen staff. Busy is good ... but only if you can provide a memorable dining experience. Which comes first, the service or the sales?

3. Work on what my colleague Joel Cohen calls the "two minute drill." People may hang on the table for hours, but when they want to leave, they want to leave NOW, particularly if they have children with them. The faster you can process the payment, the sooner you get the table back and the happier your guests are. The folks waiting are happier, too!

WHO GETS WHAT?
I'm sorry, folks. It's our job to know who gets what. That means table numbers and seat numbers, every check, every time. Anyone in the place ought to be able to take an order to the table and know who gets what. When you can't do that, you end up with a food auction. "I've got a club sandwich here. OK, club sandwich in the back ..." (Worse yet, "OK, who's the club sandwich?")

I have seen the spell broken on many good meals by runners (or worse yet, the server who took the order in the first place) who did not know which order went to which person. Does it take a little more work to avoid the food auction? Perhaps ... but all it takes is wanting to do it enough to create a system. Do the work.

SUPER SUMMIT 2003
“Attending the Super Summit was one of the best things I have done. I thought it was a gamble at first but the timing was right and I went with my gut feeling. June 2003 was 70% ahead of June 2002 and I don't intend to stop climbing anytime soon. The investment was well worth it and using THE BEST CONSULTANTS works. The Super Summit gave me the kick start I needed. As they say "the rest is history". Now if only I could get all the ideas implemented ...” – Patrick Griswold, Pizzi Café

What will you be saying a year from now? Click here to get more information on the Super Summit.

THE PERPETUAL QUESTION
What did you learn from your staff today?

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