How to Keep the Restaurant’s Concept Casual, But Deliver a Fine Dining Experience
In the restaurant world, there will always be room for casual dining. However, “being a casual establishment does not mean the brand must sacrifice quality,” says Katerina Coumbaros, owner of Taverna Opa Orlando, a casual eatery in Orlando, FL. How can you make sure the casual concept doesn’t creep into a casual approach to the customer experience? Here are six tips for running a successful restaurant.
1. Hire and train well. “Good management keeps the staff from being too lackadaisical,” Coumbaros notes. “Make sure you put the right people in the right place so you have a strong structure to work with, should you not be available at all times. Working with a strong management team is crucial because they translate your vision and values to the customer through one-on-one interaction, and help train other staff members to uphold the same values.”
Action item: An apathetic staff is one reason customers don’t return. Take complaints and reviews seriously, using this input to provide additional training.
2. Dress the part. A few food stains on the apron of a kitchen staffer is no big deal, but front-of-house staff need to be neat and tidy at all times, according to restaurant consultant Alison Price Becker of Alison Eighteen in New York. Use uniforms to establish a professional appearance, if your budget allows. Otherwise, establish and enforce a dress code.
Action item: Keep a few clean units, or branded shirts and aprons, on hand in case catastrophic spills occur.
3. Keep it Clean. From the front door to the bathroom, nothing screams “we don’t care” like a sloppy environment. “When a guest first walks into any establishment, the environment should be clean and fresh,” Becker notes. That means nicely painted walls, clean floors and windows. “Showing that the establishment cares about its guests by taking care of the environs makes customers feel secure.”
Action items: Instruct staff to clear and wipe down tables and counters quickly, and establish a schedule for cleaning the bathroom and entryway every hour at a minimum, every 30 minutes during busy periods. Make sure cleaning supplies are fully stocked.
4. Invest in lighting. That blue light put off by fluorescent tubes doesn’t cast your restaurant or your food in a good light. “Lighting has a huge, positive impact,” says Clark Wolf, president of Clark Wolf Consulting in New York. Small table lamps or wall sconces above emit a warm glow that takes the edge off the cool light emitted by tubes.
Action item: Meet with your electrician and your landlord to discuss light bulbs, fixtures and other improvements.
5. Buy quality service items. Casual shouldn’t mean cheap. Buy the best dining room supplies, glassware and serveware you can — even disposables. Take it a step further and purchase a few unique items. “At Taverna Opa Orlando, we offer hummus to all customers,” Coumbaros says. “We add value to the cost-effective dish by mixing it tableside with a mortar and pestle so that the customer becomes part of the experience.”
Action item: Inspect dishes, flatware and glasses carefully, and replace chipped or damaged items. If you use disposables, serve and eat a meal with the products yourself to make sure they hold up to standard use and don’t leak or break.
6. Use fresh ingredients. Industrial-grade ingredients taste, well, industrial. “Using good, fresh food keeps your offerings from tasting like bad airport fare,” Wolf quips.
Action items: Instigate relationships with local farmers’ markets or fresh-food purveyors. Make sure your kitchen staff knows how properly prepared and seasoned dishes should taste, and remind them to taste everything before it leaves the kitchen.
While a relaxed and low-key atmosphere is at the core of the casual concept, some operators and employees interpret that to mean they don’t have to try as hard. “In fact, you have to try even harder,” Becker says, or diners will quickly find another eatery to patronize. “Instilling pride and care in the staff filters down into all areas: service, quality of the food and the overall attention to detail.”
Margot Carmichael Lester is a freelance journalist and the owner of The Word Factory, a creative agency in Carrboro, NC. Raised in her parents’ gourmet grocery, she’s written about food, beverages and the restaurant business for several in-flight magazines, Playboy, CitySearch.com and Monster.com. Follow Margot on Google+.
