How To Maximize Restaurant Operating Efficiency

Posted on Sep 17 2013 - 12:09am by Samuel Ott

Restaurant

There are many factors that go into making a restaurant successful. Some of these factors include having great food, a friendly staff and managers and an experience that makes them want to back. Another factor that some may not come to mind though, is efficiency. Think about a time when you had to wait an extended period of time to get your food or drink. You were probably a little frustrated that it took longer than it would have if you had cooked the meal yourself. Getting timely service is something that no restaurant should overlook, so here are some ways that you can maximize your operating efficiency in your restaurant.

Listen To Customer Feedback 

What good is customer feedback if you don’t listen to it, and then set forth a plan of action after hearing it? Your customers are one of the most important factors of your business and you should be tailoring your company to what they want. Restaurants who fail to do this aren’t usually around very long. However, if the feedback is good, then chances are you are doing things right and most likely will not have to make many changes, if any at all.

Share Best Practices With Other Restaurant Owners 

Think of how many restaurants are in your town. Now think about how many restaurants are in this world. There are millions of them, and unless it’s a franchised establishment, none of them operate the same way as another. While everything works different or better for different restaurants, a great way to gather new insight is to simply connect with other owners. Reach out to local owners and restaurants but don’t limit yourself to just your town. The Internet is a great source for gathering new ideas on how your restaurant can operate better. The more knowledge that you have about how other restaurants operate, the more you can improve the way you operate yours.

Talk With Your Staff 

It’s amazing what you can learn by just talking to your staff. They are the ones who interact with customers the most and know all about what it takes to get things done in a timely manner. Encourage them to think of ways that could improve the efficiency of your workflows. When someone suggests a good idea, call a meeting for your team, and make sure that the majority of them agree that what’s being suggested is in fact a good idea. This will keep everyone on the same page as new ways are introduced to how you operate.

Well, there you have it! Just remember to utilize any resources possible to try to get more views on how to improve the way your restaurant operates. Make sure to always keep the customer in mind because they are the ones paying for the food. If a process could hinder the customer experience, reconsider putting it into your daily workflows. Poor efficiency can decrease the effectiveness of your staff, so make sure you have your workflow organized in a way that wont do that.

Photo Credit: Flickr/Uwe Hermann

About the Author

Sam Ott is a writer who loves to share his interest of food, travel, business and film. He currently pursues his interest in filmmaking and videography and has co-founded a small production company to help promote film in his community.