How to Improve Restaurant Customer Experience

Restaurant Owners: Staff your store for the sales you want to make. When you open, you only get ONE CHANCE to show customers what “great” looks like. Customers have too many options to give you second or third chances. And they’re too vocal when they’re upset. This means having enough great, trained staff to: • Greet guests • Educate them on the menu • Serve the food fast, (because speed = service) • Make the food delicious and consistent • Let them leave better than when they came; and • Keep the space clean and organized You know...give a damn. This also includes having a soft opening before the main grand opening. Make and correct all of your mistakes the dark. And let your workers build muscle memory, repetition, and confidence. By doing this, you'll reduce turnover (most workers leave early on because they are worn-out from being unsupported and unprepared for the rush). Over-invest once, and resist the urge to manage labor costs too soon. Over-invest once, and have patience from opening too soon. Or you’ll be over-paying repeatedly. Customers will reward you with repeat, increased, and referral sales. Most things can be fixed with high sales. But the reverse is also true - not much can be fixed with low sales. PICTURED: My 5th Halal Guys store, in the city of Glendale, California. We soft-opened for three weeks before game time.

Counter service isn't giving up on hospitality. It's getting smarter about it. Let me explain... Had a coaching session this week with a client who was struggling with her brunch service. Full-service staffing costs were eating profits, but she didn't want to sacrifice guest experience. Here's what we figured out: ✅ Counter service doesn't mean zero service ✅ A roaming server with handheld devices keeps connection alive ✅ QR codes for backup (not primary) reduce wait times ✅ Cross-trained staff can float between roles during peak times The breakthrough moment? Realizing that guests under 5-minute wait tolerance meant we needed to move faster, not necessarily serve differently. Her new model: One person takes orders, food runner delivers, coffee bartender stays focused, and a floating server checks on drinks and keeps tables clean. Result? Labor costs down, guest interaction up, and she's testing it during high-volume weekends to gather real feedback. Sometimes the best service innovation isn't about doing more... it's about doing what matters most more efficiently. What service model challenges are you facing in your operation? #RestaurantLeadership #ServiceInnovation #RestaurantOperations

“Cut the Hosts to Save Money.” Oh Really? Watch This. I’ve heard it before where someone says: 🗣️ “Cut the host—servers can seat themselves.” 🗣️ “Hosts don’t drive sales, they just stand there.” 🗣️ “Why pay extra labor when it doesn’t directly impact revenue?” And yet, we boosted sales without discounts, without gimmicks by doing the exact opposite. We invested in our hosts. Not just by hiring them, but by training them to be more than door greeters. Here’s How We Turned a ‘Non-Revenue’ Role Into a Sales Driver: 🔥 First Impressions Sell. We trained our hosts to greet every guest within seconds not just with a “hi,” but with energy that set the tone for their entire meal. 🔥 The Front Has to Look Like a Place You Want to Spend Money. A messy entrance? A dirty floor? That’s already hurting your sales. We trained our hosts to keep the front spotless because a clean restaurant sells more food. 🔥 Table Touches = More Sales. Slow shift? Our hosts weren’t just waiting at the stand. They were checking in on tables, chatting with guests, refilling drinks, and offering that extra coffee or dessert. 🔥 The Final Moment is What They Remember. We trained our hosts to be the last impression guests had. A warm ‘thank you,’ a genuine ‘hope to see you again soon’ because guests don’t come back for food alone. They come back for how they felt. And the result? Higher guest check averages. More repeat customers. And a restaurant that feels like an experience not just a place to eat. Cutting labor to save a few bucks? That’s short-term thinking. Training your team to be sales drivers, guest connectors, and culture setters? That’s how you win. So tell me—do you think hosts are just ‘extra labor’ or are they a secret weapon? Drop your take below. ⬇️ #RestaurantLeadership #SalesGrowth #TrainingMatters #ServiceExcellence #NotJustAHost