7 Shifts

MARCH 25, 2022

They had streamlined menus, more digital presence than their full-service counterparts, and dining rooms weren't an integral part of the fast casual experience. Coming out of 2020, few restaurant types were better prepared for the new normal than quick service and fast casual. Table of Contents. QSR Sales are trending upwards.

Fast Casual 370

Fast Casual Casual Front of House Point of Sale 370

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 17, 2020

The front of the house is typically separated into those who interface with guests directly and walk them through the ordering process to those who set the stage and support the work of the primary server. It is this dichotomy of experiences that draws people into a career behind the range and keeps them there for decades.

Seasonal Menu 527

Seasonal Menu Back of House Customer Service Front of House 527

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 8, 2023

The dining room opens in 15 minutes and the adrenaline is starting to churn. At 5:30 the dining room doors open, and early bird diners begin to arrive. Cooks are now bouncing from foot-to-foot waiting for the chime of the printer as orders in the dining room are being taken by servers who put on a show face that projects calm.

Fine Dining 474

Fine Dining Back of House Front of House Food Order 474

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 22, 2022

There were eighteen or twenty seats (mostly deuces) and in better weather maybe two more tables on the street or alleyway in front or beside these tastes of a chef. There were eighteen or twenty seats (mostly deuces) and in better weather maybe two more tables on the street or alleyway in front or beside these tastes of a chef.

Seating 452

Seating Front of House Back of House Cash Management 452

Culinary Cues

MAY 28, 2022

Those who spend their days in the kitchen, or the dining room do so sometimes out of necessity, but oftentimes because it is what they love to do – to create and bring a little joy to other’s lives. The dining room staff face some different marks in time that establish them as “prepared”.

Front of House 330

Front of House Back of House Small Business Employee Relations 330

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 23, 2021

In the restaurant business there are really only two ways to view profit: a very small amount of profit balanced by very significant volume, or a significant amount of profit on far less volume. How you approach the design of your restaurant in this regard will determine nearly everything else. So what is contribution margin? SP = $5.25 /.30.

Point of Sale 450

Point of Sale Front of House Back of House Customer Experience 450

7 Shifts

OCTOBER 1, 2024

60% of guests who have a positive experience are likely to dine at a restaurant more frequently. High-quality food not only satisfies hunger but also creates memorable dining experiences that customers will want to repeat. Moreover, the menu sets expectations for the dining experience.

Customer Experience 397

Customer Experience 2024 Customer Service Online Ordering 397

Culinary Cues

MARCH 21, 2022

In the dining room, the same attention to organization must be prevalent. From first-in, first-out in the walk-in cooler to how you fold side towels and where your knives are placed – it is organization that allows a kitchen to run efficiently and keeps the mood and pace of the restaurant in sync.

Front of House 367

Front of House Back of House Point of Sale Food Order 367

7 Shifts

JANUARY 11, 2021

The traditional division of labor between the front of the house and back of the house is no more, and restaurant employees have taken up responsibilities this year that they never imagined. With indoor dining closed as per Governor Cuomo until further notice, outdoor dining has become a staple of dining out in New York City.

Guest Recovery 358

Guest Recovery Online Ordering Outdoor Front of House 358

7 Shifts

SEPTEMBER 26, 2022

What those technologies are completely depends on the role, but here are a few of the more popular examples: Servers and front-of-house roles tend to familiarize themselves with point-of-sale (POS) technology, scheduling software , online ordering integrations, and perhaps even reservation software. Table of Contents. Undercooking.

Front of House 370

Front of House Back of House Kitchen Safety Food Safety 370

Culinary Cues

JULY 4, 2021

On top of this – restaurants are offering wages that were unheard of pre-pandemic and still employees are not inclined to return to kitchens and dining rooms. On top of this – restaurants are offering wages that were unheard of pre-pandemic and still employees are not inclined to return to kitchens and dining rooms.

2021 501

2021 Food Supply Seasonal Menu Supplies 501

Culinary Cues

JUNE 23, 2024

Those operations that resemble the caldrons of hell filled with arrogance, bullying, unprofessional behavior, and a lack of respect for people, product, and process is the same as categorizing musicians, athletes, business leaders, and politicians under a unified profile. Not all kitchens are alike. Not all chefs are the same.

Uniforms 388

Uniforms Front of House Back of House Food Supply 388

Culinary Cues

MAY 27, 2023

Employees can always catch up on their phones during breaks but during production and service their focus must be on the job in front of them. [] BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER: One of the “bad and ugly” aspects to technology, especially social media, is that people are pulled into their silos and fail to interact and share with others.

Technology 361

Technology Front of House Social Media Back of House 361

7 Shifts

JULY 12, 2023

She met her now husband and business partner, chef Michael Reed when he worked at Poppy + Rose in downtown LA. She now co-owns Poppy + Rose, Poppy & Seed , and Root of all Food , an LA-based catering company. She joined us on The Pre-Shift Podcast to discuss her philosophy on managing a team, including how she coaches managers.

Front of House 370

Front of House Back of House Take-out Book 370

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 22, 2021

There are numerous multi-billion dollar chains along with countless mom and pop operations that do a great job on this front. This was (is) the design of classic coffee houses, speakeasys, and corner cafes for generations. I know what you are thinking – WHAT!!!! At least the real bad news is out of the way.

2022 386

2022 Food Truck Point of Sale Front of House 386

7 Shifts

OCTOBER 12, 2022

Full-service restaurant, fine dining. There's no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to distributing tips among restaurant staff, but there are a few different methods that are commonly used. Find the full guide to restaurant tip outs here. Servers, sometimes other FOH staff. Incentivizes servers. Even tip splitting. All eligible staff.

Tip Distribution 365

Tip Distribution FOH Fast Casual BOH 365

7 Shifts

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

At some point when you were dining in a restaurant, you may have heard the BOH staff shout “86” and the name of a menu item to the waiters. Or, if you've worked in a restaurant as a chef, line cook, or as part of the FOH (front-of-house), you may have used this hospitality term yourself. Table of Contents. What does 86 mean?

Definition 360

Definition BOH FOH Front of House 360

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 16, 2021

I know how much time, energy, money, and heart goes into that first day when a proud operator and/or chef looks up at the front door sign that proclaims they are open for business. I know how heartbreaking it is when the dining room is nearly empty, and how invigorating it is when it is full.

Fine Dining 440

Fine Dining Employee Relations Front of House Small Business 440

7 Shifts

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

Inventory management software is one great resource to help cut down on food waste, food cost and ensure that everything in your back-of-house is streamlined for transparency and profitability. It’s a necessity for building a modern and future-proof restaurant. That’s where a cloud-based inventory management system comes in. Partender 3.

Social Media 370

Social Media Front of House Back of House Point of Sale 370

7 Shifts

SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

Your POS system reduces ordering errors, increases front-of-house and back-of-house efficiency, and helps you control inventory. It's a necessity for building a modern and future-proof restaurant. The first technologies that restaurants often invest in are the cloud-based point of sale (POS) systems and payroll processing.

Technology 370

Technology Front of House Social Media Back of House 370

Culinary Cues

JULY 16, 2022

Whenever I visited New York City with students, or with family, Dick helped arrange for us to meet well known chefs and restaurateurs, visit, tour and dine in incredible benchmark restaurants, tour flagship hotels, and in some cases find kitchen space for our student culinary teams to prepare for competitions.

Front of House 380

Front of House Back of House Education Leadership 380

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 26, 2020

Your employees know that this is not the best way to start a dining experience. They can see the concern in your eyes over the certainty of failure when a full dining room is not allowed. We all know the challenges facing restaurants right now – there is little benefit in reiterating the problems. Ask your staff!

Kitchen Safety 344

Kitchen Safety Back of House Front of House Customer Experience 344

Culinary Cues

OCTOBER 24, 2020

These aspects include: décor, skill level of staff, style of service, pricing, profit, type of vendors selected, kitchen layout, equipment selection, marketing and advertising, pay scales, dining room seating, type of china, glassware and flatware, even the location and color scheme for the exterior of the restaurant.

Menu 401

Menu Seasonal Menu Front of House Reference 401

7 Shifts

MAY 25, 2020

There’s no right or wrong answer ( although we would recommend promoting your sanitization techniques on social media ), but ensuring that your restaurant is safe for both your customers and staff is an absolute must—especially as dining areas begin to reopen. Here are some guidelines to consider implementing before your next shift.

FOH 338

FOH BOH Kitchen Safety Cash Management 338

7 Shifts

AUGUST 16, 2021

But it's the good shifts, when the front of house and back of house are flowing like a symphony, when customers are delighted, and the restaurant atmosphere feels effortless—that's the best part about restaurants. Whether it's in the kitchen or a private dining room, keep it the same every time. Things to avoid.

Front of House 397

Front of House Back of House Customer Service Coaching 397

Culinary Cues

OCTOBER 30, 2023

Yes, it’s true – when the Michelin Guide decided to recognize some exceptional street food vendors with Michelin Stars, they broke the barrier of snobbery noting that excellence can happen outside of traditional fine dining. If fine dining is your objective, then make the commitment knowing what’s involved.

Fine Dining 367

Fine Dining Front of House Dine-in 2016 367

7 Shifts

JANUARY 31, 2024

A better description might be a balancing act that presents new and unique challenges every day. Managers are responsible for nearly every aspect of the restaurant and have to cover a variety of duties. This wide-ranging responsibility is a lot, and it often leads to burnout. This part of the job is arguably the most multi-faceted.

Management 397

Management Management Kitchen Safety Front of House 397

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022

Unfortunately, dining out and finding the right place to work is oftentimes a wishful roll of the dice. Unfortunately, dining out and finding the right place to work is oftentimes a wishful roll of the dice. Ironically, there is always room to be great and there is plenty of room to be mediocre. I wonder why this is the case.

Fine Dining 405

Fine Dining Front of House Customer Service Customer Experience 405

The Eat Restaurant

NOVEMBER 11, 2024

Discover the importance of the Front of House (FOH) in restaurants and its key roles in creating exceptional dining experiences.

Front of House 78

Front of House FOH Dine-in Management 78

7 Shifts

DECEMBER 8, 2020

Have a cocktail or menu competition The next time you are changing up your menu, open up a slot for an item that will be created by a member of your kitchen or front of house staff. Engaged employees are also less likely to turnover. With an average cost of $3,500 when an employee leaves, it’s something restaurateurs can’t afford.

Front of House 370

Front of House Social Media Employee Relations Back of House 370

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

I came across an old quote from Phylicia Rashad (for those my age – the lead actress in the series “Fame” from many years back) that gave me another opportunity to think about the cooks that I know and have known over the past five (nearly six) decades and why I chose to stand in front of a range. Art is the basis of human expression.”

Food 341

Food Front of House Point of Sale Back of House 341

Culinary Cues

MAY 15, 2021

Even through the most challenging and tragic experiences, when the lessons are quite vivid – we quickly push aside the need to change in favor of a return to what is considered “normal”. The restaurant industry continues to be devastated – not just as a result of the pandemic but because the pandemic brought underlying issues to the surface.

Customer Experience 400

Customer Experience Cash Management Customer Service Front of House 400

Culinary Cues

MAY 20, 2024

It’s been 89 years since Escoffier stood in front of a range for the last time, yet his presence is still felt by professional cooks and chefs. In every office where I sat over the past 30 some odd years, has hung this picture of the master craftsman, leader, and ambassador of proper cooking and kitchen organization.

Hotels 282

Hotels Front of House Fine Dining Back of House 282

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 18, 2020

: MRM Restaurant Survival Guide Updates , COVID-19 Resources for Restaurants , PPP Part Two and More News Restaurants Need to Know Now and Restaurant Reopening Resources. The form and instructions inform borrowers how to apply for forgiveness of their PPP loans, consistent with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

Front of House 208

Front of House Back of House Online Ordering Kitchen Safety 208

Culinary Cues

APRIL 1, 2024

Outside people went about their day, never giving mind to the effort, dichotomy of characters, hustle, stress, and complexity of what takes place in the “back of the house” at a twelve hundred room hotel. Chefs are often nostalgic. So here is an example of a story build mostly on fact with I’m sure a touch of embellishment over the years.

Back of House 329

Back of House Kitchen Safety Hotels Front of House 329

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 26, 2021

Dining rooms are open, and tables are at 100 percent capacity in most states. These conditions present an evolving challenge for restaurants when it comes to providing a safe dining experience for customers and employees, especially when it’s often unknown whether patrons are vaccinated or not. An Uncomfortable Position.

Technology 227

Technology Ordering Front of House Customer Experience 227

Culinary Cues

MARCH 26, 2022

These are the restaurateurs who call me up and ask: “My dining room is full, why am I not making any money?”. [] NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW TO PLAN EFFECTIVE MENUS. You are not alone if the thought of putting your name on a restaurant awning has crossed your mind. One of the most tempting forays into entrepreneurship is the restaurant business.

Cash Management 379

Cash Management Social Media Restaurant Law Communication 379