Affiliate, Restaurant Scheduling Tips To Improve Dining Room Service

Hi Affiliate,

Below is an article I've recently written,
and will soon be posting to my articles pages:
http://topserveconsulting.com/articles.html

Restaurant Scheduling Tips To Improve Dining Room Service

Restaurant service staff scheduling is crucial and closely tied to
excellent restaurant customer service.

In every way, a balance must be achieved by matching the dining
room service labor needs to forecasted business, and I'd like to
offer 2 concepts that can improve restaurant dining room service
immensely.

The first concept is the "on call waiter" who can be scheduled for
any shift necessary. The "on call waiter" function is to call the
restaurant about 1/2 - 1 hr. before the work shift commences food
service to see if he/she is needed to come in and work that
particular shift.

The "on call" function is useful in many ways as in the case of
outdoor dining where business literally depends on the weather. If
the weather is right for outdoor seating, the "on call waiter" will
be asked to come in to work. If it's raining, then the "on call
waiter" will not be needed, though the phone call to the restaurant
should still be made. Basically, if the staff is sufficient for
that restaurant shift, then the "on call waiter" will not be needed.

Another useful function for the "on call waiter" is when there is
an extremely important event scheduled, and there can be positively
no staff shortages for that event. Simply by communicating properly
and timely over the telephone, the dining room will be covered
saving the service staff time and the restaurant wasted payroll.

This system is flexible, and should be used with common sense, not
haphazardly. Depending on the situation, there can even be more
than one "on call waiter" for a shift, and by the same token, you
may not even use an "on call waiter" for many of the work shifts.
Every restaurant must figure out what system works best for them,
and make the adjustment.

The second restaurant service staff scheduling concept is the
"maintenance runner" which works best when there is more than one
food runner working per shift.
Once again, this concept will prove how proper staff scheduling is
directly tied to improving dining room service.

In a small restaurant, there may be only one food runner needed for
the shift taking food from the kitchen areas to the dining areas.
He/she is responsible for keeping those dining areas and floor
areas clean, since it is be part of the sidework.

If this sidework doesn't get done, it is obvious where the blame
lies. (Technically it's everyone's job to keep the restaurant
clean, but it's ultimately the food runner's job to keep the
service/ kitchen areas, waiter food prep areas, and floor areas
clean.)

Now, on the other hand, a large restaurant that uses 3 runners per
shift is definitely bringing a higher volume of food from the
kitchen areas to the dining areas. So, things will get a bit
messier because of the added food traffic. To compound the problem,
with more than one runner, things will get confusing as to whose
responsibility it is to keep the above restaurant areas clean.

The simple solution to this headache lies within the restaurant
service staff scheduling. Simply put "maintenance runner" on a
pre-designated schedule spot, and rotate fairly. For easy labeling
on the schedule, a simple MR abbreviation next to the name or
shift--- and it's good to go for each needed shift.

The "maintenance runner" will ultimately be responsible for the
sweep up and wipe-up jobs-especially before and after each shift.
Cleanliness, especially floors, will also lessen the risk of bodily
injury such as slippage from an unclean floor.

These simple dining room service scheduling tips will help ensure
that the restaurant is properly staffed while maintaining safety
and sanitation.

Read some more great Restaurant and Food/ Drink articles at:
http://topserveconsulting.com/articles.html

Best Regards,
Richard Saporito, CEO
Topserve Restaurant Consulting
www.topserveconsulting.com
(888)276-4808

.

Topserve Consulting, 147- 45 Beech Ave., Flushing, NY 11355, USA

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Affiliate, Service Equals Performance Eqauals Service

Hi Affiliate,

In all businesses, particularly restaurants:
"Service Equals Performance Equals Service"

That just happens to be the title of this article I wrote awhile back.
http://www.topserveconsulting.com/articles.html
(excerpt below)

Great Service Performance is especially applicable in today's tough times,
and will set you apart from your competitors.

Service can be described as a "performance" of some kind involving
two parties, whereby one party is the benefactor and the other
party is the performing party receiving some type of monetary
payment. The value of the Service depends on the personal
experience of the benefactor. When I looked it up in Webster's,
there it was at #11 out of 31 definitions. The payment part was not
included, but the key word mentioned was "performance."

As I relate this to restaurants, it's so easy to see why dining
room service is excellent training for actors, since they're
performing all of the time. There might be days when their energy
level is low, yet they are still expected to perform in the show on
stage at night. It is not much different for dining room service
staff whose livelihood depends quite a bit on how they look and act
before many people on any night. The word "performance" makes a lot
of sense when relating it to other Service fields such as medical,
legal, financial, and armed; even in religion they have prayer
services.

You can read the full article above:
http://www.topserveconsulting.com/articles/service_equals_performance.html

Please note: Most of the Google links on the sides of the articles
will bring you to websites related to the theme of that article.

Best Regards,
Richard Saporito, CEO
Topserve Restaurant Consulting
www.topserveconsulting.com
(888)276-4808

Topserve Consulting, 147- 45 Beech Ave., Flushing, NY 11355, USA

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Re: Message discount !!

Affiliate, Excellent Wine Products and Wine Service Can Do Wonders For Your Restaurant

Hi Affiliate,

Excellent Wine and Wine Service Can Do Wonders For Your Restaurant.

Not only does excellent Wine and Wine Service add class and
sophistication to a restaurant, but it also adds to the food experience,
increases the bottom line, etc., etc., etc.

Below is a great article from a Wine expert, Jennie Willis.
[The Basic Wine Essentials]

This article is almost a crash course for the Wine beginner, and
actually a great, quick education for waitstaff, especially the
White and Red varietal characteristics.

Read more of these great articles at:
http://topserveconsulting.com/articles.html

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The Basic Wine Essentials

Whether you are serving it to your guests while entertaining, using
it to create luscious dishes, or simply enjoying its' company,
whatever the occasion, this libation reigns the kingdom of fine
indulgence and has been doing so for centuries. The conception of
wine has been dated as far back as 8000-4000BC in Mesopotamia.
Having thousands of years to further perfect the wine making
process, this sexy beverage is a palate pleaser like no other
providing a continuous adventure for pleasure seekers in this arena
where no bottle is quite like the other. Each and every wine has
its' tale to tell, so indulge and listen carefully, for this
libation is quite capable of taking you to places you have most
likely never been before!

Wine is an enormous subject that is constantly evolving which can
often lead to intimidation. Where do you begin? The important thing
is that you do! The enormity of wine is not justification for not
trying any, but it is reason to be shy about it. So let's get down
to the basics and get you on your way to a life happily filled with
wine!

Creation

Wine is created through the fermentation process of crushed grapes.
Grapes are pressed to release their juices which are combined with
yeast to initiate the fermentation process. This process converts
sugar into alcohol and concludes once the alcohol reaches such a
level as to kill the remaining yeast. This yeast is naturally
occurring in the skin of grapes but is rarely used in today's wine
making process as isolated yeast strains now exist that can not
only act as a fermentation catalyst but contribute a unique style
to the wine as well.

What's in a name?

Every wine is derived from either a single grape or from several.
These grapes are also referred to as "varietals". Each varietal has
a unique name which in turn represents certain characteristics. A
wine characteristic refers to anything that reflects a resemblance
to a scent, taste, or flavor and also includes mouth feel such as
the weight of the wine when on the palate. Let's use the chardonnay
grape as an example. Chardonnay classically presents
characteristics of citrus, pear, and pineapple to fig, honey,
vanilla and butter. This wine can also be characterized as being
full and rich, or simple and crisp. This variance in
characteristics is what makes wine so mind-blowing and
mind-boggling!

There are several factors that contribute to the final result of a
wine. Geographic location of where the vines are planted, the
weather of that region, the vines themselves, soil conditions and
of course the actual wine making process. With all of these factors
considered it is understandable why someone who may enjoy one
chardonnay, may not enjoy the next. All the more reason to not give
up and keep on trying!!

All varietals exude certain characteristics which can aid in
determining one wine from another. This differentiation also
contributes to your own approval and disapproval of certain wines.
Some are light bodied and fruity, others are full bodied and
earthy, whatever your style, there is bound to be a grape varietal
that will satisfy.

Our chart below is an excellent tool to use when purchasing and/or
tasting wine. The left column represents several popular wine
varietals while the right column displays typical characteristics
of that particular varietal.

White Varietal Characteristics

Riesling-Light; Sweet/dry. Tangy, fruity. Citrus, apple, pear,
melon, nectarine, peach, apricot. Gewurztraminer-Light; Sweet, dry.
Grapefruit, lychee, apple, nectarine, nutmeg, clove, ginger, spice,
floral. Semillon-Med-Full; Often rich. Lemon, lime, honey, butter.
Chenin Blanc-Light; Off dry. Peach, pear, quince, melon, herbal
tea, mineral. Viognier-Light-med; Floral, honey, apricots, pear.
Sauvignon Blanc-Light-Med; Citrus, gooseberry, lemon, melon,
herbal, bell pepper, grassy. Pinot Blanc-Light-Med; Dry, crisp.
Citrus, apple, pear, melon, sweet pea. Pinot Gris/Grigio-Light;
Fruitier and soft. Citrus, apple, pear, peach, melon, honey,
vanilla. Grigio; Crisper, more citrusy. Chardonnay-Med-full; Dry,
rich. Citrus, apple, tropical fruit, fig, honey, hazelnut,
butterscotch, butter, popcorn.

Red Varietal Characteristics

Gamay-Light; Tangy, fruity, cranberry. Pinot Noir-Light-Med;
Cherry, strawberry, clove, mint, truffle, cloves, smoke, sage.
Sangiovese-Med; Sweet and sour, dark cherry, tobacco, earthy,
almond, herbs, tea. Barbera-Med-Full; Ripe red fruit, currant,
cherry, herbal. Cabernet Franc-Med; Dry, berry, fruity, herbal,
smoky. Grenache-Med; Black fruit, anise, smoky, herbal. Cabernet
Sauvignon-Med-Full; Cherry, plum, currant, pepper, bell pepper,
cedar, vanilla, mint, chocolate, tea, tobacco. Shiraz/Syrah-Full;
Raspberry, spice, black pepper, blackberry, plum, tar.
Zinfandel-Full; Juicy, robust, jammy, berry flavors, spices.

Red vs. White

So what's the deal with color? We all know wine to be red, white,
and rose, or blush as some call it, but the juice is really all the
same! Have you ever looked at the flesh of a red grape before? It
is the same as a green grape, therefore if wine exists in a variety
of hues then the color must come from....of course, the skin! Often
white wine is made from red grapes, in fact, most great champagne
would not exist without, so don't be fooled, pink grapes do not
exist! Yes, red and white grapes appear the same in juice form but
when their skin is added to the wine making picture a whole other
story begins!

The many gorgeous hues of red evident in red wine is a result of
allowing red grapes to ferment with their skins, however color is
not the only thing affected by the skin of a grape. I am sure you
have tasted a wine, a red wine in particular that makes your mouth
pucker; an astringent sensation on the palate if you will. What you
experienced is known as "tannin".

Tannin is a natural substance found in the skins, stems, and seeds
of grapes. You can experience this sensation in young whites
however it is more commonly found in red wines. Allowing the juice
to ferment with skins will in turn generate a higher level of
tannin to exist in the resulting wine. It is no secret that many
people have a preference for either white or red wine. A very
tannic wine is often a reason for dislike especially if you are new
to wine. There are several varieties associated with being quite
tannic, Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Syrah, Petite Syrah,
Zinfandel, are to name a few however in the game of wine you will
not know until you try!

Every wine will possess its own unique color. A wine's color can
reveal its story, and to experienced blind tasters, provide
necessary clues in pinpointing a correct assumption. Each grape
variety generally exudes a certain range of hues however age and
wood barrel aging will also have an affect on color. So evidently
there is much more to color than just red and white!

Wine is an endless educational journey even for those most
experienced in this subject so it is vital to explore and try new
and exciting wines as often as your time allows!

So get out there, get tasting, and have fun!

Jennie Wills has been a hospitality expert for 10 years leading to
the successful launch of www.thesexykitchen.com.
END

************************************************************

Read more of these great articles at:
http://topserveconsulting.com/articles.html

Please note: Most of the Google links on the sides of the articles
will bring you to websites related to the theme of that article.

Best Regards,
Richard Saporito, CEO
Topserve Restaurant Consulting
www.topserveconsulting.com
(888)276-4808

.

Topserve Consulting, 147- 45 Beech Ave., Flushing, NY 11355, USA

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit:
http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?LJzsHAyctCxMbIxMzCxMtGa0zEzMDKyM7A==