Safety is of paramount importance in a restaurant setting due to the potential risks associated with handling food, working with kitchen equipment, and serving customers. Maintaining a safe environment protects the well-being of staff and patrons and safeguards the restaurant’s reputation and financial stability.

While many restaurants prioritize safety, certain areas are commonly overlooked, leading to potential hazards for employees and customers.

Some of these overlooked safety areas include:

Food Safety:

While it’s a critical aspect, certain restaurants might overlook proper food safety practices, such as maintaining correct food temperatures, preventing cross-contamination, and ensuring the hygiene of food handlers. See our article about preventing a norovirus outbreak.

Slip and Trip Hazards:

Restaurants can be prone to spills and cluttered walkways. Failure to promptly clean up spills, maintain dry floors, or keep paths clear of obstacles inside and outside of the restaurant can lead to slip and trip accidents for staff and patrons. It’s essential to identify and control all risks.

Fire Safety:

Restaurants have multiple fire hazards, including open flames, hot cooking surfaces, and electrical equipment. Lack of proper fire safety measures, such as fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, and employee training, can escalate minor incidents into major emergencies.

Chemical Handling and Storage:

Improper training and handling of cleaning chemicals can result in accidents or health issues for employees. Poor storage practices can lead to chemical leaks or contamination.

Electrical Safety:

Overloading electrical outlets, using damaged cords or equipment, or neglecting regular electrical maintenance can result in electrical fires or shocks.

Ergonomics:

Repetitive tasks and poor ergonomic design in the kitchen or service areas can lead to injury or even musculoskeletal disorders for employees. Ignoring ergonomics can cause long-term health problems and decreased productivity.

Knife Safety:

Insufficient training in knife handling and improper maintenance of kitchen equipment can result in accidents and injuries.

Proper Equipment Use and Maintenance:

Neglecting regular maintenance of kitchen equipment can lead to malfunctioning appliances or, in extreme cases, fires or other accidents.

To ensure a safe environment, restaurants should regularly assess their operations, conduct safety training for employees, and promptly address any potential hazards. By being proactive about safety measures, restaurant owners can protect their staff and customers from avoidable accidents and promote a positive and secure dining experience.

Sources:

Nfpa.org
safeatworca.com
modernrestaurantmanagement.com
openai.com

Long lines, cut hours, overworked staff, some frustrated customers, and the sense that things can’t run as smoothly as pre-pandemic times are what the restaurant industry has been facing for the past few years. Since the lockdown, restaurants and hospitality services have been scrambling (and getting quite creative) to develop solutions for staff shortages. It may take some work; however, after years of disappearing staff, restaurants may find a little relief this year and in the future.

February Jobs Report

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the restaurant industry gained 70,000 employees in February alone, and the predictions are looking sunny, says Restaurant Dive. The employment rate for the food and drink industry is 2.4% below pre-pandemic times, which is even lower than the month before, at 3%, says Nation’s Restaurant News. Although food and drink service employment remains slow-moving, it’s “moving in the right direction,” says the article.

Restaurant Staffing: Still a Challenge

Staffing is still a challenge, reports Nation’s Restaurant News, with 89% of owners saying recruitment and retention is a significant issue, with 62% saying they can’t meet demands with their current number of staff members. Since 2020, an estimated 2.5 million people have died or retired, says the Washington Post, setting off a domino effect for the food industry. Low-wage workers had the opportunity to move into higher-paying and more “professional” positions. The jobs that remained empty, and still are, are the less desirable, low-paying ones. According to the Post, many previous restaurant employees have not returned or have found “better” jobs. They may pay less initially, but the benefits, flexibility, and stability may be better than currently booming jobs like finance, construction, transportation, and warehousing. Labor economists say that the downshift in employment in the service industry has altered the US work market so much, it may shape the industry long term, reported the Post.

In addition to finding good employees this year and moving forward, is the cost of labor. Although nearly all restaurant operators plan on hiring more employees, many think it will be a challenging to balance their expenses. With each year surpassing the last in terms of costs, restaurants’ annual sales have been and will be affected. A specific concern is a weakness in inflation-adjusted sales, says Restaurant Dive. The cost of food and increased menu prices are predicted to drive sales growth in 2023, with food and drink sales minimally surpassing pre-pandemic levels because of inflation. With food and labor costs, restaurants’ bottom lines are continuously evaluated.

In the world of new norms, our restaurant experience has changed quite a bit for owners, operators, staff, and customers alike. After the reflective time during lockdown, the values, pay, flexibility, and work quality demanded by employees have taken shape. They are now beginning to shift the way our job market functions. Although predictions look optimistic, albeit slow-moving, the restaurant industry is still playing catch-up or changing the game to move along with the trends.

Related Posts:

You may be interested in our article; It’s Not Only About Hiring…It’s About Retaining Employees

While the concept of a four-day workweek has been gaining popularity in recent years, its adoption in the restaurant industry has been relatively limited.

One reason for this is the nature of the restaurant business, which often requires employees to work long hours on weekends and holidays to accommodate customer demand. The demanding schedule makes implementing a consistent four-day workweek schedule challenging without compromising operational efficiency.

However, some restaurants have successfully implemented a four-day workweek or experimented with reduced hours. For instance, some restaurants have shifted to shorter work shifts or staggered schedules to give employees more time off without disrupting operations.

In addition, some restaurant chains have piloted four-day workweeks for their corporate office staff or implemented flexible schedules and remote work options. While these initiatives may not directly affect restaurant employees, they demonstrate a willingness to explore alternative work arrangements and may pave the way for more widespread adoption in the future.

Here are some of the potential benefits and challenges to consider if exploring the idea of a four-day workweek:

Benefits:

1. Improved work-life balance: Working fewer days per week could allow employees more time for personal activities, such as spending time with family and friends or pursuing hobbies.
2. Increased job satisfaction: A four-day workweek could lead to greater job satisfaction among employees, who may feel less stressed and more fulfilled by their work.
3. Better recruitment and retention: Offering a four-day workweek could make restaurant jobs more attractive to potential employees and improve retention rates among current staff.
4. Reduced labor costs: Implementing a four-day workweek could potentially reduce labor costs for restaurants by cutting down on overtime pay and reducing the need for additional staff.

Challenges:

1. Operational challenges: Restaurants may face operational challenges in implementing a four-day workweek, such as scheduling and staffing issues. They may need to adjust their staffing models to ensure enough employees work each day to meet demand.
2. Customer demand: Restaurants may also need to consider how a four-day workweek could impact customer demand. They may need to adjust their operating hours or other business aspects to accommodate the new schedule.
3. Financial considerations: Restaurants may need to consider the economic impact of a four-day workweek, including the cost of hiring additional staff to cover the extra day off.
4. Reduced productivity: There is some concern that a shorter workweek could lead to reduced productivity among employees, as they may need to adjust to a new schedule and work longer hours on their working days.

While four-day workweeks are yet to be commonplace in the restaurant industry, they are being explored and implemented by some forward-thinking restaurants and chains. As more business experiment with alternative work arrangements and prioritize work-life balance, it’s possible that we may see more widespread adoption of four-day workweeks in the restaurant industry in the coming years.

A good manager has the skills and knowledge to streamline operations, manage employees, and increase profits. Restaurant owners must have strategies to attract and retain top managers, and here are a few best practices to ensure your top managers stay engaged and motivated.

Offer Competitive Pay & Benefits

Compensation is a significant factor in attracting and retaining great managers for your restaurant. Offering competitive pay rates help attract talented people and shows current staff members that their efforts are valued and appreciated.

In addition, offering benefits such as vacation time, health insurance, and flexible work hours can help keep your team motivated over the long term.

Read our article, How to Develop A Restaurant Management Bonus Program and Keep Your Great Managers.

Encourage Professional Growth & Development

One of the best ways to engage your top managers is by investing in their professional growth and development. This investment could include allowing them to attend conferences or workshops related to their field or providing training opportunities within your establishment–like classes on customer service and cooking techniques.

Investing in employee development shows that you value their growth and the future of your business.

Devise a plan that uses your team’s skills, and be a good coach by asking more questions than giving instructions. Being a good coach to your management staff will help you track the number of wins your team enjoys rather than measuring the number of problems you may identify.

Encourage Teamwork

A positive team dynamic is essential for keeping great restaurant managers around in the long run. Encourage collaboration between staff members by having regular team meetings where everyone can contribute ideas and feedback on improving the organization.

Show appreciation for each individual’s contributions by recognizing their efforts through awards or thank-you notes. Your added effort will foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable working towards common goals, making it more likely that your top talent will stay with you for the long haul.

Create a Positive Work Environment

Your restaurant must have a positive work environment where employees feel respected, supported, and appreciated for their hard work. Make sure that management treats all employees with respect regardless of role or experience level; this will help foster an environment of trust throughout the organization, which is crucial for keeping great managers on board for years to come.

These are just a few best practices for retaining top restaurant managers. Owners have countless other strategies that they can use depending on the size of their organization and its specific needs.

No matter what strategy you choose, focus on creating an environment where employees feel valued and appreciated for their contributions—this will go a long way toward keeping great talent around!

Taking these steps now will help ensure that you continue to get the most out of every employee while also positioning yourself as an employer of choice in the industry.

One million signatures stopped a new law affecting fast food workers starting January 1 in California. The Fast Act, or Assembly Bill 257, is a law that was signed on Labor Day by the governor of California, Gavin Newsom. The idea behind the Fast Act is to give fast-food employees more input regarding how they work, when they work, and for how much. The act constructed a council of 10 individuals to decide important work conditions such as hourly wages, benefits, working hours, and more.

What is The Fast Act?

The AB 257 bill aims to support the rights of fast food workers in California. It “was designed to give fast-food employees a seat at the table.” The council can change the minimum wage, raising it from the current $15 per hour wage to $22 in California. Restaurants defined as quick-service, with a minimum of 100 or more locations are the only ones directly affected by the Fast Act. Besides determining how much quick-service workers will be paid in California, the council decides on the work hours, and the environment they will work in.

Why is There Opposition To The Fast Act?

Support for the Fast Act law is widespread, as shown by the petition signed by 1 million fast food workers and business owners. However, the concern of those who don’t support implementing the Fast Act is fear that the raised wages will increase inflation even higher. California has already seen higher food costs and the rising wages will increase the costs further.

San Francisco saw a 10 percent rise in food costs, with a 9 percent increase for food away from home. Save Local Restaurants said any more added costs on food would majorly affect individuals already fighting against inflation costs resulting from the pandemic.

Who Are Save Local Restaurants Group?

Save Local Restaurants consists of individuals from “small and family-owned businesses, minority-rights groups, workers, consumers, your favorite restaurants, taxpayers and community-based organizations” who are against passing The Fast Food Bill. Group members organized what they call on their website a coalition focused on redirecting the decision of Assembly Bill 257 to give the California voters the right to decide. Save Local Restaurants includes a compilation of three groups; the National Restaurant Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the International Franchise Association.

The Projected Future

Due to a last-minute decision by the courts on Friday, December 30, a hold of the Fast Recovery Act has been issued to determine if the signatures signed in opposition against the assembly bill 257, or The Fast Act are valid, which, if they are found to be, would let the issue become a voters decision. It would move forward, going on the 2024 ballot.

It is expected that the signatures from the petition will be verified, putting the issue at a standstill until 2024, which is exactly what Save Local Restaurants wanted when first filing the referendum. The petition is said to have well over the required 600,000 amount of signatures needed, topping out at one million.

So you want to build your own restaurant startup? Who could you blame you – the restaurant and food industry is exciting and highly rewarding.

Starting a restaurant is a dream for many, especially for those coming from a culinary background. For the dream to become a reality, there are often significant hurdles to overcome, and merely having culinary knowledge isn’t enough. But let’s say you’ve got the business plan completed, business capital gets secured, you’ve got your supply partners in place and your location is being remodeled– things are starting to take shape, right?

During the restaurant opening, you’ll need more staff, since many will drop out or be asked to leave. With that in mind, management needs to consider how many team members will be required to open the restaurant and what the ideal number of staff will be needed to run it once it normalizes efficiently. They need to keep these two numbers in mind when hiring. The restaurant staffing needs would be calculated based on the restaurant normalizing 3-4 weeks after opening.

Let’s take a look at a concrete example. If you believe you need 60 or more front of house and back of house staff members to cover all shifts, then you need to host a hiring fair and hire 160 people. Why 160 and not just 60? The reality is that 12% to 15% never show up for orientation, while 10% will attend orientation and decide the job isn’t for them. We find that 10% drop out during training, and another 10% will prove not to be a good fit for the job.

Get Organized: Details will Make or Break Your Startup

A reasonable timeline is for management to organize a job fair 6 to 7 weeks before opening. To attract enough people, be sure to have a lot of exciting things to talk about, such as employee benefits, financial compensation, growth opportunities, work culture, and other employee perks (free food?!). Get organized first: find a venue, assemble your restaurant team, prepare your interview questions for each role needed, and spread the word about the job fair through social media and other news outlets (radio, television, print ads). Plan on hiring at least hiring 2 to 3 times the people you need!

Don’t forget that successful staffing doesn’t end at hiring. You must have training processes in place as well as the critical employee handbook –  crafted by the founders, partners, and management team of your restaurant startup. The employee handbook at your restaurant startup should cover everything from the food label system to restaurant management systems to the tablet pos platforms (point of sale platform) used at your restaurant. When employees quit, you should conduct exit interviews to understand their choice and to uncover any issues that may be causing employee dissatisfaction within your restaurant or restaurants.

Speaking of training – this is a major pitfall for both veteran restaurants and startups. Many restaurant training systems throughout the country do not embrace new tech, instead opting for outdated software and platform learning systems. As a result, employees and management at these restaurants lose interest and are often only equipped with reactive information, not proactive. Training tech and learning management software have rapidly evolved in the past 5 years – so why not take advantage? Your restaurant startup can make your training more engaging and accessible by converting your handbook to the virtual and mobile space. You can even utilize software that will turn the training information into a game among employees at your restaurant. Friendly competition at restaurants and startups encourages an culture of fun and growth. At Synergy Restaurant Consultants, we can help you develop and implement top of the line training systems – whether you are looking to build your startup or already operate multiple restaurants. We even offer a newly minted, virtual restaurant management course – Synergy U – that provides you with all the tools and information you’ll need to handle these manpower issues with complete confidence.

Quick Note: Don’t forget about restaurant laws!

It’s important not to overlook the laws and regulations of your country and locality while you are assembling all these pieces of the restaurant pie. As the owner of a restaurant startup in the US, you are subject to a variety of federal and state laws; federal restaurant labor laws originate in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). These laws are designed to protect restaurant employees’ rights in the food service industry. They address several topics, including:

• Minimum revenue for subjection
• Minimum wage requirement
• Deductions and minimum wage
• Tips and minimum wage
• Overtime
• Overtime and tips
• Youths and minimum wage

Restaurant owners and management also need to be aware of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA) and laws enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

In addition to these federal laws, you will need a variety of permits and licenses to startup a restaurant. Depending on which state your restaurant or restaurants operate in, you may need:

• Business license
• Food service license
• Liquor license
• Food handlers permit
• Certificate of occupancy
• Sign permit
• Music and entertainment licenses
• Valet parking permit
• Seller’s permit
• Resale Permit

Check the website of the state and county your restaurant or restaurants are located in to view their resources for the permit approval process.  While it can sometimes be a headache keeping track of all these laws, failing to follow one or more of them can cost your restaurant startup big time! If you need any help taking care of the legal side of starting a restaurant, multi-unit franchise, or chain – please reach out to us. Our team features experts with decades of experience in every single facet of restaurant ownership and management.

As you can see, adequately staffing your restaurant is no easy feat; however, with proper planning and the right information, it can be done! The growth of your restaurant startup depends on it!

How did you decide to become a restaurant consultant?

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and working at Windows on the World Restaurant in the North Tower of the original World Trade Center, I had the opportunity to meet and ultimately work for Joseph Baum, who at the time was the most prominent and renowned restaurant consultant in the world who created many iconic New York restaurants.

My exposure to Joe and his team of industry giants who traveled the world helping organizations create new and exciting restaurants and unique dining experiences that changed how people used restaurants was my inspiration.  I thought Joe had the ultimate career and I hoped that someday I would have the opportunity to leverage my knowledge and experiences to help others and become a restaurant consultant.

What was your best memory while attending the CIA? 

My education at CIA was an incredible experience, and the Chef’s and instructors were fantastic.  What made it memorable was the ability to take classroom education and skills and then apply them on weekends while working at Windows On The World Restaurant. For the first two months I was pitting olives in the Garde Manager Kitchen, and then one evening, there was a kitchen altercation, and the next thing I knew, I was making soufflés and decorating cakes in the pastry kitchen. Being avid skiers, The Chef and I hit it off immediately. As a result, he moved me around many parts of the kitchen, and I got an amazing education working in the busiest restaurant in the world. 

A very close CIA friend managed to land a part-time job working on the Rockefeller estate in Tarrytown NY, on weekends.  Because all of the exclusive parties and events at the estate he needed a Co-Chef to assist in all of the food preparation and service.  It was often a laid back event allowing us to get to know many of the guests as they were always excited to hang out in the kitchen and watch us prepare the food. From those experiences we got to know many political leaders and foreign dignitaries like Dr. Henry Kissinger and his wife who were regular guests. 

What did you do after you graduated from the CIA?

After three years at Windows On The World, I decided I wanted to learn more about Dining Room Management, so when a new opportunity presented itself as a Maître D at a highly regarded restaurant in Theater District, I decided to make a career move. It was an old school restaurant with excellent table service and lots of tableside cooking.  I was given the challenge to learn the business from another perspective and hone my dining room hospitality skills and improve the guest experience through elevated table service.

In the late ’70s, I decided to move back to Aspen Colorado and try and open a food service business with my close friend from the CIA. After carefully surveying the market we determined that the two big voids in the marketplace were catering and a need for a great bakery to service the local restaurants.  Given the lack of real competition and affluence in the market, we believed we could be successful if we could raise enough capital to launch the business. We found a great location and obtained a small loan, which allowed us to purchase used restaurant equipment at an auction. We leveraged our education and work experiences and began catering private events and baking European style breads and desserts.  As young entrepreneurs we made everything from classic charcuterie, croissants and wedding cakes to ice carvings and sold them to restaurants and hotels. The catering portion of the business began to get a lot of traction and we picked up many private parties from wealthy business people and celebrities like the Bee Gees, Diana Ross, Lucille Ball, the Kennedy’s and several international political figures who had private aircraft and always wanted the best, so catering was always an over the top event. 

In the late ‘80s, I was recruited by El Torito Restaurants, the largest Mexican dinner house chain in the world, to run all food service for a 220-unit organization with twelve restaurant brands and $420M in sales annually. Working for a national brand that was in a huge growth and acquisition mode and working with fantastic restaurant operators was a unique opportunity. My responsibilities were broad and included menu innovation for domestic and international restaurants, quality assurance, kitchen operations, training, and supply chain.  This exposure to food, beverage and how to run highly efficient operations gave me the confidence and skillsets that I believed would be extremely useful as a consultant to small to mid-sized companies. 

How did you make that transition to restaurant consultant work?

I realized that I had obtained a lot of knowledge working for El Torito, and I had a great gift of helping restaurant managers be successful. As an entrepreneur I wanted to do more with my education and experiences so given the contacts that I had made in the restaurant industry I decided this timing was right to make a career move. I wanted to create a small restaurant consulting company that would focus on helping restaurant operators optimize their financial performance through menu innovation and restaurant operating efficiencies.

In 1988 I launched Synergy Restaurant Consultants. I was very fortunate (and lucky) to land several large accounts that occupied all my time. I knew it was time to expand, so I reached out to my close friend Danny Bendas and former business colleague who also happens to be a CIA graduate and industry professional, to join me on this new journey. Since then we had the pleasure of working with over 270 domestic and international chains and over 1,600 independent operators. Over the years our team has grown with talent from around the US and globally. I am so thankful for my business partner and the incredible team we have built. Their contributions have genuinely made Synergy a leader in the industry and a better company.

What is your biggest accomplishment as a restaurant business consultant?

I wouldn’t say building a highly regarded national brand with an impeccable reputation and being recognized as industry leaders and subject matter experts in all areas of the restaurant business. Instead, I would like to believe that Danny and I, along with the rest of our team, make a positive difference in people’s lives. That is what brings me the most happiness and fulfillment.

FAQs

Thanks to our founder Dean for that illuminating discussion on his experience through the restaurant and hospitality industry to become a renowned consultant. We hope this inspires your journey and gives you a better understanding of what it takes to become a restaurant consultant. In case you have a few additional questions about becoming a restaurant consultant, we have added a few more sections designated to help answer the most common FAQs about this fascinating career path.

What skills do restaurant consultants need?

The number of different skills a restaurant consultant will need to be successful is vast. First, you will need to know the restaurant and hospitality industry inside and out. Consultants typically have a work background of several restaurant jobs and years of management experience in restaurants or adjacent industries. Thus, a restaurant consultant would be expected to have work experience in at least one of the following areas: food and menu innovation, operations optimization, sales optimization, team development, concept development, brand design, and marketing. 

Outside of restaurant industry-specific skills, you will also need experience and expertise in communication, creative thinking, problem solving, fees, time management, emotional intelligence, and project delivery. As the consulting and restaurants worlds are constantly in flux, you will also need adaptability, credibility, and curiosity to maintain a successful career as a restaurant consultant. 

What does a restaurant consultant salary look like?

According to ZipRecruiter, the national industry average for the yearly salary of a restaurant consultant is $75,008. According to Glassdoor, the average yearly salary for a consultant in the restaurant industry is $78,403. Years of experience also factors heavily into these numbers, For instance, the average salary for consultants with over 3 years of restaurant industry experience jumps to over $90,000. 

It’s important to note that these numbers only represent averages. If you go into the restaurant industry and end up owning your consulting business, the amount of money you make per year can be significantly higher.

Are there restaurant consultant trends I need to be aware of?

As a restaurant consultant, you will need to be up-to-date on issues not just affecting the restaurant and hospitality industries at large, but what’s happening in the various local markets you want to work in. You can only get that local knowledge through hands-on experience with clients. In terms of national and worldwide trends of 2022, you will want to be knowledgeable about:

• Inflation
• Supply Chain Issues
• Labor Shortages
• Unionization
• Restaurant Laws & Regulations

Post-COVID lockdown, restaurants are building popularity and once again becoming a place of relaxation and fun. To build the business to previous levels, restaurants are trying new menus, phone apps, and customer incentives. However, what they’re missing is the staff. They’ve survived waves of COVID surge, periods of lockdowns, and political turmoil, but restaurant workers are scarce and in serious demand. After losing their jobs during the first wave, many restaurant workers relocated, changed positions, or left the industry altogether. With the restrictions lifted, staffing has become the number one priority for restaurants across the country, said CNN.

Looking to Gen Z

Both local and chain restaurants have made it their mission to staff their establishments adequately. It’s been a challenge, but some new ideas have proven to be effective. Restaurants must be creative when hiring new staff, especially with the influx of Gen Z workers hitting the job market.

According to Forbes, Gen Z values jobs with higher wages, flexibility, equality, similar core values, and mental health resources. It’s no surprise this generation is looking for meaning in their work (as is, likely, most generations), and businesses are tailoring their hiring process to entice them to come on board and stay on board.

One Connecticut restaurant hired high school students through a program called Scholars Making Dollars, said Business Insider. The students get mentorship through the program while holding a part-time job within the restaurant. The same restaurant also hires employees from neighboring states and provides them weekend housing while working. Family members of the restaurant drive the employees in on Thursday and back on Monday. This helps the restaurant and the workers in New York who may have been having trouble finding jobs, said Insider, since many more restaurants closed in New York than in Connecticut.

Entice Potential Hires

Another way to entice employees is to incentivize them with bonuses. According to the Spokane Journal, a Washington state-based restaurant has been recruiting new employees through referral bonuses for existing employees. Anyone who brings in an employee, whether a friend, family member, or former worker, the restaurant will dole out $200 should the candidate get hired and stay for 30 days. If they stay 90 days, the referring employee receives another $200.

In Miami, a coffee shop got creative by starting to hire current customers, reported the New York Times. Since they already like the business and they’ve seen it in action, owner Camila Ramos has hired employees who were day traders and a former real estate agent. Discovering different pools of professionals might help gain employees for your business who are looking for new experiences and have unique skills to bring to the table. Ramos has, in the past, unflinchingly required three years of experience for her coffee shop but has now shifted expectations to hire valuable workers who may need more training.

Not a last-ditch-effort idea, but certainly a creative one is throwing a hiring party, which is exactly what Taco Bell did in 2019. The parties offered free food, on-the-spot interviews, and employee tuition discounts. They gathered close to 75 in-person applicants and over 300 online applicants just in their Indianapolis location, said CNN.

The workforce has changed dramatically since the pandemic and may continue. Workers are looking for jobs with more meaning and a healthy work/life balance. Restaurant owners can ride the wave with them, keep up with trends and offer the same sort of treatment, wages, and care that they would want from a job.

TikTok is becoming the fastest-growing media app with no signs of decreasing in popularity anytime soon. While some brands didn’t take it seriously at first due to its light-hearted origins, more food establishments have embraced it since the beginning of quarantine as an opportunity for an advertising and PR presence. In 2020, Dunkin Donuts announced a partnership with TikTok star Charli D’Amelio and added a new menu item called “The Charli.” For Super Bowl 55 in 2021, Chipotle used TikTok  (this article is from 2020 not 2021, so would be Superbowl LIV use roman numerals rather than regular numbers) in a never-before-seen way to interrupt traditional forms of advertising and reach its users throughout the game.

While TikTok is great for promoting hype, it’s also an easy way for negative posts about a brand to spiral out of control. Recently, Starbucks fired an employee after making viral TikToks about dealing with demanding customers. Similarly, a recent TikTok trend encourages fast-food workers to expose bad practices in the industry. What should the owners and managers do when a restaurant is called out in a negative TikTok?

Do Not Respond Publicly

Unless you have a PR team working with you full-time, it’s not wise to get into a public debate. This could quickly turn into a flame war. While it can be challenging to resist, do your best to respond to negative TikToks with radio silence.

Reach Out Personally

Reach out to the person who posted the content in person. See if you can work with them to have them remove it. Be careful about responding to them online, as screenshots could be used against you.  Listen to their concerns. Sometimes employees air grievances over a public channel because they want to feel like their concerns are being validated. Go over social media guidelines for your place of employment and determine if they violated them. If so, consider whether you want to give them a warning or terminate them, but also keep in mind that this could create even more online negativity for your brand.

Create a Positive TikTok Presence for Your Brand

Now more than ever, restaurants and other brands embrace the platform and create their own TikTok presence. Combat some of the negativity with positive buzz about your brand. If you create an authentic following and engage with your audience, you will be more likely to have an online community that will go to bat for you if negative rumors emerge.

Consider Protecting Your Brand By Editing Commenting Settings

Though many brands have been unsure of how to deal with TikTok’s commenting feature, there are certainly options to be aware of. Consider disabling commenting on specific posts or requiring approval of comments before allowing them to be posted. While some may criticize this as inauthentic, it’s helpful to know in a crisis.

Prevent the Problem Through Employee Training

More businesses are developing a social media contract for employers to sign while onboarding. By signing this contract, the workers are made aware of the consequences of posting negative comments about a brand. If they go against this agreement, they should know what to expect. Beyond the fine print, be sure to reinforce these policies in a restaurant training program. This training will make all social media policies and expectations clear to your entire team.

By Mike Walls – Operations Consultant & Beverage Certified Cicerone

Ideas are a wonderful thing to have, but it’s the implementation that leads to success.

Sometimes it goes like this:

You’re getting great ideas from this newsletter and thinking about how they would work in your business. Then the phone rings, an email comes in, or there’s a knock on the door to your office. And just like that, you get swallowed up by the day and the idea that you know would help grow your business, improve your life, and build up your team, goes straight to the idea graveyard, never to be heard from again.

The good news is that this happens to everyone, and it’s not your fault. You simply haven’t discovered the right framework to create action from great ideas and continuously improve your restaurant.

We have some principles for dealing with situations like these and some frameworks that will help you make operational realities out of your big ideas through the power of implementation.

To start, we use the Sync Proven Process:

The sequence is as follows:

1. We introduce a system for project management that makes working on your business a scheduled and natural part of your daily flow.
2. We create a simplified picture of the business by creating distinct buckets for each department, their responsibilities, and the teams responsible for carrying them out.
3. We use an alignment tool to help everyone understand that we’re all here to create outstanding guest experiences and make money while giving excellent service.
4. We use the meeting and project management tool to plan, the simplified picture of the business to focus, and the power of alignment to help the team understand why we’re making changes and how it benefits them, the restaurant, and the guest. Then we add technology, policy, or system to the business.
5. Now that we have built some momentum, we clearly define leadership roles and responsibilities and define our short, mid, and long-term goals with greater precision.
6. We then create a business scorecard of 5-15 key metrics or “leading indicators” that will help us understand the health of the business and the impact of our changes at a glance, and proactively, before the numbers hit the P&L (which is a “trailing indicator”).
7. Finally, we end in the Continuous Improvement Cycle which looks like this:

Using the foundation of the Sync Proven Process and the six simple tools represented by each tile in the diagram above, we firmly plant the business in a cycle of continuous improvement that revolves around setting goals, implementing changes, measuring and celebrating success, and repeating in specific intervals.

We teach our clients how to do this using Synergy U, our eLearning platform, and 1:1 coaching sessions.

If you’d like to learn more, reach out to mike@synergyconsultants.com today!