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3 Ways to Save Your Business Amid the Great Resignation

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restaurant worker

Have you found yourself a victim of the latest round of resignations?  It has been an uphill battle for businesses both large and small.  No company seems to be exempt from the “great resignation.”  When you started your company or took a promotion to manager you may have envisioned an environment where you would establish roots, build a career.  But having a revolving door of employees and customers has made it challenging to keep things afloat.  So how can restaurant operators protect their business amid the great resignation?  It starts by pinpointing problem areas. 

Here are three areas where things often go unchecked.

  1. Repetitive Tasks

Recent research by Zenput found that, on average, daily operational and safety tasks in restaurants, supermarkets, and convenience stores take anywhere from 11–14 minutes each to complete.  With tasks like cleaning being performed multiple times a day, the time adds up quickly.  Before you know it 7-9 hours a day are consumed with repetitive tasks.  And unfortunately, many operators are less than confident these tasks are being completed correctly, or on time.  Identify the tasks that are repetitive, mundane and take the energy out of your employees.  These tasks that are tedious and manual could possibly be done faster, more efficiently, or even eliminated.  Consider streamlining or automating these tasks.  Your employees will thank you for making their job easier and you will accomplish more with fewer people and less effort.

  1. Productivity Tools

It is vital to identify error-prone tasks.  These are often tasks completed with pen and paper.  Short-staffed or not, teams still have to maintain operations at the same quality of standards.  Consider providing your team the ability to be as productive as possible.  Consider integrating tools and apps to ease the workflow.   By having your employees use digital tools and apps to complete pen and paper tasks you can reduce the possibility of burnout while keeping operations running smoothly.  And at the same time, you are attracting a new generation of employees, who as digital natives will seamlessly ease into their new role.

  1. Customer Satisfaction

In an industry that is all about service, customer satisfaction must be factored into the equation.  When talking about doing more with less you need to start by asking: what tasks get set aside when the staff get busy?  It is important to know if tasks get delayed, not performed properly, or ignored completely.  Gain visibility into the operations of your business; get your hands dirty. Or maybe schedule a meeting with your boss; make known the tasks that are inhibiting the effectiveness of your job, and ultimately their business.  The goal is to focus on higher-value work, like interacting with customers. By understanding what services are suffering, you will more frequently meet or even surpass customer satisfaction.  You will be able to keep consistency within the service which will aid your employees and bring customers back through the doors time and time again.

5 Questions You Should Be Answering In An Upcoming Interview

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Two women having a technical chat

As you gear up to interview for a job in the restaurant or hospitality industry, preparing properly is vital for getting the job.  Knowing why a question is being asked and preparing answers for these 5 common restaurant interview questions will give you an edge over other applicants.  If you know what to expect when interviewing you can put your best foot forward. 

1. Tell Me About Yourself

This question always feels a bit awkward to answer.  But, relevance is key here.  When asked this question the interviewer is looking for your past work experience.  Avoid going into your life story or listing hobbies.  You can always include a few facts about yourself if they will help you stand out.  Stick to responses centered around training and work and education related information.  If you are not comfortable answering this simple question your interviewer may assume you would be uncomfortable conversing with guests.  Let your personality shine by sharing experiences that make you excited, happy and motivated.

2. Why Do You Want To Work in the Restaurant Industry?

You should be able to answer this question with confidence.  Your interviewer wants to make sure you understand the people-oriented industry you are entering.  You should state that you enjoy being around people, prefer a fast paced environment, and can handle accommodating customers.  You want to show that you are cut out for the job.

3. Do You Have Any Prior Experience in the Restaurant Industry?

You should be able to answer this question with confidence.  Your interviewer wants to make sure you understand the people-oriented industry you are entering.  You should state that you enjoy being around people, prefer a fast paced environment, and can handle accommodating customers.  You want to show that you are cut out for the job.

This is a standard interview question.  Often the interviewer is wanting to know how much training you will need before you start the role.  If you have experience, share it!  However, if you do not have any prior experience in the industry, be upfront and honest.  Then focus on related experiences you do have.  If you worked in a grocery store, you have experience with customer satisfaction and taking care of business property.  Though this may be your first restaurant position, you do not lack the skills to be successful.

4. Why Our Restaurant?

If you show excitement about working at a specific restaurant, you are more likely to be committed after you are hired.  With so much competition in hiring people to work in the restaurant industry, your interviewer is particularly interested in why you are applying to work for them.  This is an opportunity for you to show something you noticed or appreciate about their establishment.  Maybe you like the decor, or the variety on the menu.  Or when you have dined there the staff was very friendly.  If you are unfamiliar with the restaurant, spend time researching prior to your interview so you can successfully answer this question.

5. Why Should We Hire You?

With this straightforward question an interviewer is simply looking for your opinion; why would you excel in this position.  Answer with confidence and clarity.  This is a great opportunity to reiterate your strengths and past experience.  Wrap up the interview by authentically sharing why you want to work for the establishment.

Job: Restaurant General Manager

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We’re Pacific Coast Hospitality…we recruit the best, most qualified leadership talent for top hospitality organizations across the western U.S. and British Columbia.

Market  Seattle, WA (Kitsap Peninsula a.k.a. “the Kitsap”)

Job Description 

Pacific Coast Hospitality has been retained to search for an entrepreneurial and dynamic Restaurant General Manager for our client, a new and very unique concept coming to Silverdale Washington. A full-service restaurant, marketplace, distillery and event space opening early summer this year, that includes a 400-seat restaurant with interior and exterior dining, a test kitchen for cooking classes and a market offering “grab-and-go” items. This property will host summer concerts, weddings and a farmer’s market, and feature a “large pedestrian plaza” for events.

Requirements Ideal candidate will have the following:

  • 5 years’ experience working as Manager in a high volume, action packed environment
  • BUSY environment, candidate must have the energy and mental toughness to succeed
  • Proven ability to manage multiple revenue streams a must
  • Integrity, dependability, cooperation and attention to detail are key traits required
  • Experience in product ordering and team member scheduling
  • Passion for developing and mentoring a team
  • Track record of achieving financial results
  • NRO experience a big plus!

Salary Range & Benefits

  • Salary – $70k – $100k (starting, based on experience level)
  • Custom designed Performance Bonus Program
  • Medical and Dental Health Insurance
  • Annual Performance and Salary Review
  • 401k Program

Job Category Restaurant General Manager

Job Type Full Time

If this position seems like you – please click on this link to submit your resume and cover letter. https://www.pacificcoasthospitality.com/careers-in-hospitality/  We will contact you via telephone or email for an initial interview.

Job: Restaurant Dining Room Manager

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We’re Pacific Coast Hospitality…we recruit the best, most qualified leadership talent for top hospitality organizations across the western U.S. and British Columbia.

photo: San Francisco —Pacific Coast Hospitality. Restaurant Recruitment for San Francisco, CAMarket San Francisco, CA (San Mateo, CA)

Job Description 

We are seeking a talented Restaurant Dining Room Manager candidate who will be responsible for managing the daily operations of this high-volume, upscale yet casual fresh seafood concept located on the waterfront in beautiful San Mateo, California.

We are looking for a leader with strong wine knowledge and demonstrated group sales experience. In addition to the traditional responsibilities of overseeing guest satisfaction and profitability, this position also entails developing new and improved service standards and developing the unit’s group sales strategies and programs.

We need a high caliber, experienced individual to join this organization. If your skills and talents are a match for these needs, we can open the door to this great career opportunity.

Requirements Ideal candidate will have the following:

  • A minimum of 1-2 years’ experience in a leadership position in an upscale casual dining environment.
  • Proactive guest issue prevention/guest relations skills.
  • Strong understanding of cost and labor systems that lead to restaurant profitability.
  • Extensive wine knowledge is a must.
  • Ability to develop and implement a group sales program.
  • BUSY environment, candidate must have the energy and mental toughness to succeed.
  • Desire to command a shift with a total focus on guest satisfaction.
  • Must be committed to our mission of Uncompromising Quality!

Salary Range & Benefits

  • Starting salary $55k – $70k based on past experience
  • Quarterly Bonus Program
  • 401k Program w/Company Match
  • Excellent Medical, Dental and Life Insurance
  • This is a new position; the winning candidate will have leeway to design both the mix of work and the career path for it!

Job Category Restaurant Dining Room Manager

Job Type Full Time

If this position seems like you – please click on this link to submit your resume and cover letter. https://www.pacificcoasthospitality.com/careers-in-hospitality/  We will contact you via telephone or email for an initial interview.

Job: Restaurant General Manager

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We’re Pacific Coast Hospitality…we recruit the best, most qualified leadership talent for top hospitality organizations across the western U.S. and British Columbia.

photo: Seattle, WA — Pacific Coast Hospitality hospitality recruitmentMarket Seattle, WA

Job Description 

We’ve received another exciting new search for the Seattle market! Our client, a local, privately-owned and operated company is searching for a top caliber, experienced Restaurant General Manager to lead their high-volume dining location that showcases casual, yet upscale Italian cuisine using only the finest local ingredients for their innovative high-quality food and beverage programs.

The General Manager is responsible for managing the daily operations and profitability of the entire restaurant.  This includes the training and development of both front and back of house management staff, scheduling, as well as meeting or exceeding budgeted sales and cost goals. In addition, the General Manager ensures excellence in guest satisfaction through effective training of staff and a commitment to a do whatever it takes attitude.

Requirements Ideal candidate will have the following:

  • 2 years of high volume, casual theme or above restaurant General Manager experience
  • Proven ability to lead a staff of 30 plus team members
  • Good working understanding of industry financials (building sales, product costs, labor management, etc.)
  • Excellent people and communication skills
  • Strong guest-oriented philosophy
  • Passion for developing and mentoring a team

Salary Range & Benefits

  • $65,000 – $75,000/yr. based on experience
  • Obtainable monthly bonus program (paid out 75% of time in 2017!)
  • Comprehensive benefits package including medical insurance
  • Annual Performance and Salary Review
  • Paid Vacation and sick time benefits
  • Flexible schedule, typically a five-day work week with two consecutive days off
  • Industry LOW turnover rate!
  • Good growth opportunities with local company

Job Category Restaurant General Manager

Job Type Full Time

If this position seems like you – please click on this link to submit your resume and cover letter. https://www.pacificcoasthospitality.com/careers-in-hospitality/  We will contact you via telephone or email for an initial interview.

Restaurants Have Felt the Pressure

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With Labor Day come and gone, restaurant operators continue to wrestle with a tight market for employees, especially for back-of-house positions, a recent survey indicates.
More than two-thirds, or about 67 percent, of operators cited increased competition for workers as a key driver in rising costs in a recent survey.
The U.S. unemployment rate slipped to 3.9 percent in July and has hovered between 3.8 percent and 4.1 percent during the first seven months of the year.
Restaurants have felt the pressure.
Respondents of the survey, which represented all major restaurant segments, ranged in size from one unit to more than 500, and had employee bases ranging from fewer than 100 workers to more than 15,000.
Key findings of the survey included:
Turnover rates: Nearly half of the surveyed operators, or 46 percent, said turnover increased either “significantly” or “somewhat” over the past year. Nearly the same amount, 43 percent, said their turnover rates remained the same. Only 10 percent said turnover decreased somewhat or significantly.
Recruitment and retention challenges: Back-of-the-house workers were especially difficult to find, surveyed operators said, with 59 percent of respondents saying kitchen staff was the primary recruitment and retention challenge. Front-of-the-house roles were a distant second, with 28 percent of operators citing filling those as a difficulty.
Kitchen hiring challenges: Respondents reported the most difficulty finding line cook candidates (72 percent), followed by prep cooks (36 percent) and dishwashers (33 percent).
Dining room hiring challenges: In the front-of-the-house, servers proved most challenging to find, with 54 percent of respondents citing that position, followed by unit managers at 37 percent. “Respondents also commented on other jobs not on the list,” the survey noted. “These write-in jobs included bartender, cashier and, presumably because of the delivery phenomenon, phone operators that handle carryout and delivery orders.”
Worker motivation: “The vast majority of respondents, or 70 percent, said wages provide the most influential factor in motivating employees,” the survey found. “What does not motivate employees is the ability to get ahead in the company.” Only 11 percent of surveyed operators cited the potential for advancement as a motivational factor.
Promotions: Asked what percentage of their workers are promoted to larger roles within the company, nearly half, or 46 percent, said they promote up to a quarter of their current employees. Only 32 percent said they promote 26 percent to 50 percent of their employees, and 22 percent said they promote more than half their employees.
Time for training and onboarding: Half of the respondents said they spend more than 16 hours in training and onboarding of new employees, with another 30 percent investing eight to 16 hours.
Written harassment policies: Ninety percent of respondents reported their operations have a written policy on workplace harassment, and an additional 6 percent said they would soon have a policy.
Tipping: Two-thirds, or 66 percent, of surveyed operators, said they would not consider a no-tipping or service-included model.

Restaurants Have Felt the Pressure

by

With Labor Day come and gone, restaurant operators continue to wrestle with a tight market for employees, especially for back-of-house positions, a recent survey indicates.
More than two-thirds, or about 67 percent, of operators cited increased competition for workers as a key driver in rising costs in a recent survey.
The U.S. unemployment rate slipped to 3.9 percent in July and has hovered between 3.8 percent and 4.1 percent during the first seven months of the year.
Restaurants have felt the pressure.
Respondents of the survey, which represented all major restaurant segments, ranged in size from one unit to more than 500, and had employee bases ranging from fewer than 100 workers to more than 15,000.
Key findings of the survey included:
Turnover rates: Nearly half of the surveyed operators, or 46 percent, said turnover increased either “significantly” or “somewhat” over the past year. Nearly the same amount, 43 percent, said their turnover rates remained the same. Only 10 percent said turnover decreased somewhat or significantly.
Recruitment and retention challenges: Back-of-the-house workers were especially difficult to find, surveyed operators said, with 59 percent of respondents saying kitchen staff was the primary recruitment and retention challenge. Front-of-the-house roles were a distant second, with 28 percent of operators citing filling those as a difficulty.
Kitchen hiring challenges: Respondents reported the most difficulty finding line cook candidates (72 percent), followed by prep cooks (36 percent) and dishwashers (33 percent).
Dining room hiring challenges: In the front-of-the-house, servers proved most challenging to find, with 54 percent of respondents citing that position, followed by unit managers at 37 percent. “Respondents also commented on other jobs not on the list,” the survey noted. “These write-in jobs included bartender, cashier and, presumably because of the delivery phenomenon, phone operators that handle carryout and delivery orders.”
Worker motivation: “The vast majority of respondents, or 70 percent, said wages provide the most influential factor in motivating employees,” the survey found. “What does not motivate employees is the ability to get ahead in the company.” Only 11 percent of surveyed operators cited the potential for advancement as a motivational factor.
Promotions: Asked what percentage of their workers are promoted to larger roles within the company, nearly half, or 46 percent, said they promote up to a quarter of their current employees. Only 32 percent said they promote 26 percent to 50 percent of their employees, and 22 percent said they promote more than half their employees.
Time for training and onboarding: Half of the respondents said they spend more than 16 hours in training and onboarding of new employees, with another 30 percent investing eight to 16 hours.
Written harassment policies: Ninety percent of respondents reported their operations have a written policy on workplace harassment, and an additional 6 percent said they would soon have a policy.
Tipping: Two-thirds, or 66 percent, of surveyed operators, said they would not consider a no-tipping or service-included model.

Job: Restaurant General Manager

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We’re Pacific Coast Hospitality…we recruit the best, most qualified leadership talent for top hospitality organizations across the western U.S. and British Columbia.

Market Portland, OR (Vancouver, WA)

Job Description 

Pacific Coast Hospitality has been retained to search for a Restaurant General Manager for our client, a high volume, and award-winning seafood concept that is casual, comfortable and affordable with a keen sense of Northwest style serving authentic, high quality and flavor-rich foods from Northwest waters, fields and ranches.

Whenever possible our Executive Chef uses local, regional, organic, free range, wild, and sustainable ingredients including locally farmed produce, Washington and Oregon poultry and beef, wild Northwest seafood, local artisan bread, and local microbrews.

A “Can Do, Guest Driven” service philosophy combined with Management and crew that have complete ownership for their results are the cornerstones of our business. In addition, we are active community members and deeply committed to are large, yet selective group of local charities, organizations and non-profits.

Requirements Ideal candidate will have the following:

  • Minimum of 10+ years’ experience managing a high volume, high service level venue with specific understanding of restaurant operations and financials.
  • A top line, guest focused mentality is a must!
  • Experience in managing a large management structure and employee base is required.
  • Strong culinary and craft cocktail experience a plus.
  • Ability to lead a team, assess strengths and develop individuals to succeed in their roles.
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing unparalleled guest and personal services.
  • Up to date with trends in the hospitability business specifically restaurants.
  • Ability to manage, anticipate and strategize on results.
  • Manages deadlines, communicates timely and effectively.

Salary Range & Benefits

  • Salary – $70k – $90k (starting, based on experience level)
  • Generous and Obtainable Performance Bonus Program (First year guaranteed!)
  • Medical, Dental and Life Insurance
  • 401k Program
  • Annual Performance and Salary Review (6% wage increase possible)

Job Category Restaurant General Manager

Job Type Full Time

If this position seems like you – please click on this link to submit your resume and cover letter. https://www.pacificcoasthospitality.com/careers-in-hospitality/  We will contact you via telephone or email for an initial interview.