A New Restaurant

Let me clue you in on a little secret that many people in the business world seem to forget.

Life is supposed to be enjoyed!

OK.  It’s not really a secret, but so many people miss that point, I felt like I had to bring the subject up.  Sometimes we all need a little reminder of things that should be obvious.  The problem is, we often get to busy to be aware of the obvious.  We go-go-go, and do-do-do, and we miss out on the fun that life has to offer us.

If you’ve been in the restaurant business for more than a day or two you know how hard you have to work at it.  Especially for owners and managers, the hours are long, and customer and employee complaints can just wear you down.  The stress can sap the energy out of you.

So what can you do about it?  Sometimes it’s not possible to get away long enough to really relax, and when you do get away, you spend your time worrying about what’s going on at the restaurant while your not there.  Not so relaxing.

Do you exercise?  If not, you should.  Even if it’s taking some time to step out and walk for a mile or two.  Exercise is a great stress reliever, and as you get in better shape, your energy level increases and makes it easier for your body and mind to handle those long hours.  And as an added bonus, it helps you work off those burgers you’ve been eating for lunch.

Look at your staff.  Are they having fun?  With wages as low as they are in the restaurant business if your employees aren’t enjoying their work, they won’t be your employees for long.  The first time they get a better offer, they’ll leave for greener pastures.

Find a way to inject a little fun into the operation.

If you’re a yeller, stop yelling and start coaching.  Create an environment where fun is possible.  Allow your staff to enjoy themselves, and maybe even build a little comradery.

I once worked for a restaurant manager that didn’t allow his wait staff to talk to each other about anything that wasn’t related to the dining room operation.  Even during very slow periods the servers would have to spread out and not stand too close to anyone else.  When the dining room was hopping, that made perfect sense, but there were times that the manager should have lightened up a bit.

Needless to say, there was a constant turnover of servers, and customer service suffered because the servers didn’t stick around long enough to develop any relationships with returning customers.

Think about coming up with some contests or incentives that will encourage your workers to have a little fun.  Be creative.

Life can be fun.  If you’re not having fun, you need to take a close look at where you are and what you’re doing.  If you’re not enjoying your restaurant, your customers aren’t either.  It may be time to move on to something else. 

Grab life by the tail and hang on for the ride.