Take advantage of downtime in your restaurant
Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2024 9:12 am
Peaks and downs are part of the natural cycle of a restaurant. During busy times, your staff is running around, while during down times you might see bored employees polishing the same glass over and over again.
In fact, there should be no downtime in your restaurant. You should always be preparing for the next customers or the next rush .
Optimizing your restaurant operations
Looking to optimize your restaurant operations and activities? Lightspeed Resturant POS system can help. Our experts will be happy to advise you and present the software solutions available to achieve your goals.
Talk to an expert
Plan effectively
Start by planning your teams’ schedules properly. Normally, the quieter telegram free number philippines the period, the fewer employees you should have working, this seems logical. These quiet periods should be pretty much the same day after day. Since your teams’ schedules are planned in advance, this can often be overlooked.
During quieter times, your staff should be performing the most useful functions possible. Remember that having more bussers can increase table turnover, and having too many servers can hurt productivity if there aren't enough tables to serve.
Bored teams
Employees standing around doing nothing, chatting with colleagues or playing on their cell phones does not appeal to customers or management. It is crucial to maintain a high energy level. A dynamic atmosphere will stand out to your customers and will motivate and delight your staff. Work hard to promote a proactive attitude within your team and recognize the good work of your employees to make them feel noticed and valued.
Start by setting an example
Every management team should be willing to get their hands dirty in their restaurant. Show your teams that you are willing to work as hard as they do, if not harder! Don’t be afraid to wash dirty dishes and polish utensils, instead of asking someone else to do it for you. It’s always more encouraging and motivating for employees to see that managers are willing to do anything.
Make a to-do list
Quiet periods should be managed and paced based on tasks and priorities. A list of tasks that need to be completed in the restaurant should be accessible to all employees, whether it’s cleaning dishes, cleaning and sorting menus, maintaining the ice machine, realigning tables, etc. Tasks will depend on your type of establishment, but your teams should always be busy and prepared for the next wave of customers.
Train your teams
Remember that you can empower your teams by providing them with more in-depth training. Take advantage of slow times to show them a new technology your restaurant is using or adopt a rotational training approach. More in-depth training will increase the value of each employee within your restaurant. Additionally, rotational training increases each employee’s level of appreciation for the work of their coworkers. In fact, the server who realizes the magnitude of the bartender’s work will be less likely to argue with the bartender. The same goes for the cook who spent time cleaning dishes.
Discover other tips to improve your operations
It’s a good idea to turn off some software and computer components if you anticipate a slowdown. Also, if you can quickly restart your stoves and ovens at the desired temperature, turn them off to save energy. The same logic applies to energy in the restaurant; turn down the heat before the next rush and turn off some lights, if possible. The planet and your accountant will thank you for it!
If you plan your schedule effectively, there are several ways to take advantage of downtime in your restaurant, cafe or bar. You and your staff should always try to improve workflow and make the next customer's experience as memorable as possible. Here is a short guide that may be helpful.
In fact, there should be no downtime in your restaurant. You should always be preparing for the next customers or the next rush .
Optimizing your restaurant operations
Looking to optimize your restaurant operations and activities? Lightspeed Resturant POS system can help. Our experts will be happy to advise you and present the software solutions available to achieve your goals.
Talk to an expert
Plan effectively
Start by planning your teams’ schedules properly. Normally, the quieter telegram free number philippines the period, the fewer employees you should have working, this seems logical. These quiet periods should be pretty much the same day after day. Since your teams’ schedules are planned in advance, this can often be overlooked.
During quieter times, your staff should be performing the most useful functions possible. Remember that having more bussers can increase table turnover, and having too many servers can hurt productivity if there aren't enough tables to serve.
Bored teams
Employees standing around doing nothing, chatting with colleagues or playing on their cell phones does not appeal to customers or management. It is crucial to maintain a high energy level. A dynamic atmosphere will stand out to your customers and will motivate and delight your staff. Work hard to promote a proactive attitude within your team and recognize the good work of your employees to make them feel noticed and valued.
Start by setting an example
Every management team should be willing to get their hands dirty in their restaurant. Show your teams that you are willing to work as hard as they do, if not harder! Don’t be afraid to wash dirty dishes and polish utensils, instead of asking someone else to do it for you. It’s always more encouraging and motivating for employees to see that managers are willing to do anything.
Make a to-do list
Quiet periods should be managed and paced based on tasks and priorities. A list of tasks that need to be completed in the restaurant should be accessible to all employees, whether it’s cleaning dishes, cleaning and sorting menus, maintaining the ice machine, realigning tables, etc. Tasks will depend on your type of establishment, but your teams should always be busy and prepared for the next wave of customers.
Train your teams
Remember that you can empower your teams by providing them with more in-depth training. Take advantage of slow times to show them a new technology your restaurant is using or adopt a rotational training approach. More in-depth training will increase the value of each employee within your restaurant. Additionally, rotational training increases each employee’s level of appreciation for the work of their coworkers. In fact, the server who realizes the magnitude of the bartender’s work will be less likely to argue with the bartender. The same goes for the cook who spent time cleaning dishes.
Discover other tips to improve your operations
It’s a good idea to turn off some software and computer components if you anticipate a slowdown. Also, if you can quickly restart your stoves and ovens at the desired temperature, turn them off to save energy. The same logic applies to energy in the restaurant; turn down the heat before the next rush and turn off some lights, if possible. The planet and your accountant will thank you for it!
If you plan your schedule effectively, there are several ways to take advantage of downtime in your restaurant, cafe or bar. You and your staff should always try to improve workflow and make the next customer's experience as memorable as possible. Here is a short guide that may be helpful.