In part one of this interview, expert server Christopher Stark shared thoughts on training staff he’s developed over 17 years as a fine dining establishment server at California Grill in Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. In part two of this generous and candid interview, Christopher now details his experience serving guests, the process
Inside the Mind of a Restaurant Server: Training for Success
Christopher Stark knows a thing or two about how to be a successful server. Having moved through various parts of the restaurant industry, only to spend the last 17 years as a fine dining establishment server at California Grill in Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, he has possibly one of the best pedigrees
Holy Shift! 6 Tips for a Successful Restaurant Shift Change
For the most successful restaurants, shift changes run like clockwork. But for many establishments, they can be a nightmare. It’s during shift changes that prep work gets completed, the majority of cleaning takes place, and the scheduling and cash register counts get handled. If all goes smoothly, your next shift’s staff will have everything they
4 Questions Every Restaurant Server Should Know How to Answer
Guests have questions. Whether they’re frequent diners or are visiting your restaurant for the first time. Whether they have a regular standing order or want to try something new. It’s inevitable that questions about your menu will come up during service. After all, a server isn’t just there to write down orders. Their work is
Attracting Talent: Recruiting New Chefs to Your Restaurant
Finding cooks for your restaurant can be tough. Finding a head chef to lead your restaurant can be even tougher. Having a competent, experienced head chef in charge of your back of the house staff is a major key to success in the restaurant industry. Ideally, head chefs train and supervise line cooks so that
Customer Service: It’s a Team Effort
A few weeks ago, I went to a restaurant with a group of friends. It was a busy Saturday night, and there were lots of servers — all dressed in the same black uniform — running around. After a while, we were ready to order drinks and, to save time, just asked the first server whose
Restaurant Inventory Management: Keep Your Business Healthy
Managing a restaurant offers numerous challenges and something is always going to pop up to demand your attention, so it is important to have as many policies and procedures in place as possible. With your slim margins, controlling cost is a key to success. As food and labor are typically your largest expense, it is
Building Your Business with the Better Business Bureau
FYI. ASAP. LOL. We live in a world full of acronyms, but there’s one in particular that small business owners should become better acquainted with: BBB, the Better Business Bureau. Most of us are familiar with the BBB as a nonprofit dedicated to building marketplace trust by handling consumer complaints and notifying the public of
Do You Trust Your Vendors Too Much?
Watching your business requires diligence in all areas, even with your vendors. According to a report from the University of Florida, 5.96% of shrink can be contributed to vendor theft. I had a hard lesson during my first days as a manager at TGIFriday’s regarding vendor theft. I have never forgotten what my mentor Ken
Three Ways to Increase Customer Spend in Your Restaurant
Once a customer makes the decision to dine at your restaurant, you probably depend on your food, service, cleanliness and overall experience to bring them back. But what are you doing to increase their spend while they are still there? 3 Ways to Increase Customer Spend: 1. Sweeten your dessert sales. Simply asking a customer
