Everything’s in place, the food business idea is set, the menu is decided, the location secured, and the staff well-trained. But even the best-laid plans can be laid to waste if you fail to factor in one of the most human and unpredictable elements of running a food service business — the queue.
Queues not only refer to literal queues outside your establishment. It can refer to a waitlist, where reservations have been in place and will be arriving soon. It can also apply to the kitchen, because no matter how well-trained and efficient staff may be, it still takes time for kitchen staff to prep and cook food. These days, matters can be complicated by having a food delivery service partner as well, which results in additional queues to manage.
Feeling overwhelmed? Not to worry — Ajinomoto Food Biz Partner got you covered! Here’s some tips we’d like to share with you on how to manage crowds at a restaurant:
Planning is crucial. As a wise man once said, plans cannot be upset if there are no plans to begin with. In other words, have a SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for the floor and kitchen to manage the situation, such as creating a to-do list for yourself, and checklists for the staff to follow during business hours. A consistent, effective plan will quickly become second nature and be ingrained in your staff even when things get hectic. You may also consider serving just the daily special alongside popular items on the menu during peak hours to reduce staff load.
Picture yourself as part of a sports team. Sports teams work in coordinated efficiency, and that is what you should be going for when selecting staff who will be working with you. The kitchen is notorious for being a high-pressure, high-paced environment — you not only need skills, but also vigilance to catch accidents, and also the ability to deliver with consistency. Floor staff should be prepared to handle crowds and sudden requests from seated customers in an orderly fashion. Above all, trust in your selection process and your staff to handle the situation. You don’t want to micromanage; have the confidence to delegate tasks to your staff.
Poor service is often attributed to delays and mismanaged expectations for wait times. When the customer is brimming with frustration, even delicious meals become tasteless and unappetising to them. Keep customers in the physical queue updated with wait times for seating, and at the table, make sure to note if a particular dish may take longer to prepare. If you are partnered with a food delivery service, temporarily disengaging the app can help lower the number of orders you need to fulfill during peak hours, relieving staff pressure.
Train waitstaff to be firm with customers in queue, such as equipping them with methods to manage queue-jumpers. Solutions such as number tickets may also help, or taking orders in advance while the table is cleared and prepped for them. If your restaurant has an outdoor queuing area, be prepared for unpredictable weather especially in the rainy season.
Listen to reviews and customer feedback on the service and wait times. Take these comments with an open mind and heart, and use it as an opportunity to improve yourself and the business. Get into the mindset of maintaining their current satisfaction with your service, which will go plenty far in them becoming a repeat customer. Any sort of feedback is more helpful than none at all!
Now that you have learned how to manage your queues efficiently, success is not far away! For more helpful tips, sign up as one of the members for Ajinomoto Food Biz Partners today.
Ajinomoto Food Biz Partner
