Quote:
Originally Posted by Derek Sutton
If it is a sports bar, make sure the staff know the channels and are able to opertate the system which changes the channels. I use to get really pissed when I would go into the local place and and all the channels are on Cornation Street, and the staff couldn't firgue out how to put golf on one, football on another and the hockey game on two others, I just go behind the bar and change them myself now, I know how to work there system better then anyone who works there.
Any thing you could do to offer rides (shuttle/ chits) and or get cars home would be a huge plus.
Mentioned earlier but all the "hang arounders" be it off duty staff or friends really drive me nuts, I don't get it
Closing but serving freinds and regulars after hours, though very cool can really hurt your business. You will get more "freinds and regulars" as time goes on and they will want you to close earlier and earlier every weekend so they can drink for free..
Im also a fan of loyaty cards, buy nine jugs get your tenth free.
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I have managed restaurants for a number of years, and if you want any loyalty from your staff, as well as a somewhat engaged staff that doesn't resent its management, staff hanging out after shift and having a couple drinks isn't a bad thing. They often form good relationships with their co-workers which helps with less turnover. Major issues with restaurants is high turnover. Often employees have to pay for their drinks and food, they get a discount, but it's not as if they are eating for free.
Also if my friends want to come visit me at a bar I own/run then they are more than welcome to come, how else is the manager of a restaurant going to see their nine to five friends if they shouldn't come in and enjoy a couple beers.
I have never in a million years had any of my friends hassle me to close earlier, let alone regulars, if anything they are the ones I am shoving out the door so I can close the place down, nor have they ever expected anything for free. I would hope most friends understand that you are running a business.
I would recommend doing a lot of work before going into the restaurant industry. It is a 7 days a week non stop grind. You need good managers that believe in you that can manage personalities. Turnover is high so you will need a good training strategy. Atmosphere, Service, and Quality are you three pillars that drive any restaurant. Margins are extremely small so you need to have something that separates you somehow and is also profitable, for example I managed an oyster bar where we bought our oysters wholesale at 50 to 80 cents a piece and sold them at 2.50 to 3.50 a piece, and would often sell about 2000 a day. And yes a lot of the time your staff is trying to steal from you, which is why you need a good system of checks and balances for everything, and I mean everything. Everything costs money, straws, knives, toilet paper, shelves, plumbing, internet, do don't go into this thinking it will be cheap.