Imagine your cafe or restaurant is a person. The Value Statement is like that person’s heart – it makes them unique, kind and liked by everyone. It’s a promise your cafe or restaurant makes to be the best it can be. In this guide, we’ll show you how to create a Value Statement that’s as unique and brilliant as your business. A Mission Statement is different – it’s like a map that shows where the business is going. See >> How to Write a Great Mission Statement for Your Cafe or Restaurant.
A Value Statement is like a signpost that guides everything your cafe or restaurant does. It’s a list of the most essential things (values) that you and your team believe in. It helps you decide what kind of food you’ll serve, how you’ll treat your customers, and how your team will work together.
Think about a favourite sporting team. The players must work together, respect each other, and play fair to win matches. That’s what a Value Statement does for your business – it helps everyone on your team know how to behave to make your cafe or restaurant a winner.
For example, a well-known cafe might have a Value Statement that says, “We believe in serving the best coffee, being kind to everyone, and making our community a happier place.”
What Words are Used in a Value Statement?
Words in Value Statements often fall into four categories, to do with:
Quality of the food – describing the food you aim to create
Quality of the service – describing the service you want to provide
Quality of the atmosphere – the intended atmosphere or ‘vibe’ of the restaurant
Connection to the community – how you Interact with and support the local community
These words could include respect, teamwork, integrity, excellence, and innovation because they are qualities that good businesses strive for. Respect means treating everyone well. Teamwork means working together like a sports team. Integrity means being honest. Excellence means always trying to do your best. Innovation means coming up with new and fresh ideas. Other words like responsibility, diversity, sustainability, customer focus, quality, delicious, enjoyable, fresh, efficient, unique, community, and fun could also be included.
Involve Your Team in Creating the Value Statement
Your team plays a crucial role in shaping your Value Statement. After all, they interact with customers and each other every day, so they have a good sense of what values are essential.
Start by explaining a Value Statement and why you’re creating one. It’s like a team rulebook, helping everyone know what to aim for. Then, share the examples we discussed earlier to help them understand.
Next, invite everyone to share their ideas. You might hold a team meeting or ask people to write their thoughts. Make sure everyone feels comfortable speaking up – every opinion matters! For example, you could ask questions like, “What do you think makes our cafe special?” or “What should we always do when serving customers?”
Have a sheet of paper with these words on it:
Respect, teamwork, integrity, excellence, innovation, responsibility, diversity, sustainability, customer focus, quality, deliciousness, enjoyment, freshness, efficiency, uniqueness, community, speed and fun.
Ask people to brainstorm and see if they can add 10 or 12 more words – don’t judge; let the ideas flow.
This is a team effort, like preparing a big meal together. Everyone has a role, and every ingredient (or, in this case, word and idea) is important.
Finalising the Value Statement
Now, you have a collection of brilliant (and maybe a few crazy) words and ideas from your team; it’s time to sort through them and create your Value Statement.
First, look for common themes. Maybe several people mentioned “fresh ingredients” or “friendly service”. Group these similar ideas together.
Next, choose the ideas that best represent your cafe or restaurant. Not every idea will make the final cut, and that’s okay. You’re looking for the most critical values that everyone can agree on. Aim for, say, 5 or 6 words maximum – you want a statement that’s easy for people to remember and repeat.
Once you’ve selected the key ideas, it’s time to craft the Value Statement. This should be a clear, concise sentence or short paragraph with your primary values. For example, “At our cafe, we believe in serving delicious, fresh food in a friendly, welcoming environment.”
Before you make the Value Statement official, please share it with your team. Ask for their thoughts and make any necessary tweaks. The final Value Statement should be something everyone is proud of and willing to stand behind. After all, it’s the heart of your cafe or restaurant!
Remember, for some team members, this process may seem a bit strange – they’ve not worked in a place before that has a Value Statement, or maybe they come from a culture with very different ideas about teamwork, hierarchy and how staff contribute ideas.
Introducing the Value Statement to the Team
You’ve worked together to create the Value Statement; now it’s time to share it with everyone. Plan a team meeting where you can reveal your new statement. Explain each value and why it’s important so everyone understands it clearly. Take time to discuss each word, and ask people to give examples of what it means in action. Maximise the contribution from staff – this is the time for the boss to talk less and have everyone sharing.
Encourage your team to start applying these values in their everyday tasks. For example, if “friendly service” is part of your statement, discuss ways to make customers feel more welcome. Remember, the Value Statement isn’t just words on paper – it should guide how everyone behaves at work.
Sharing the Value Statement with Customers
This Value Statement isn’t just for the team – it’s also a promise to your customers. So think of creative ways to share it with them – you could display it on the menus, a poster, your website, and social media.
Customers who understand your values will appreciate your cafe or restaurant even more. They’ll know that every cup of coffee or plate of food is prepared with care, respect, and a commitment to quality.
Include the Value Statement in New Employee Onboarding
When new people join your team, immediately introduce them to the Value Statement. This helps them understand what’s expected and how to succeed. Then, during their training, explain the Value Statement and discuss what it means in practical terms. For example, if “sustainability” is one of your values, explain how you reduce waste or source local ingredients.
You could even create activities or role-playing exercises based on the Value Statement. This helps new employees understand and embody your values from day one. The Value Statement can even be helpful in a disciplinary interview: e.g. a person’s continued lateness for work undermines the cafe’s values of teamwork and integrity.
The Values Statement is a Living Document
Congratulations! You’ve now created a Value Statement that reflects the heart of your cafe or restaurant. This is a living document – it might evolve as your business grows and changes, and it’s always worth turning back to in times of uncertainty or change.
Keep it front of mind, and encourage your team to do the same. When everyone understands and lives by your Value Statement, your cafe or restaurant will shine brightly, generate great results, and inspire others.
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Imagine your cafe or restaurant is a person. The Value Statement is like that person’s heart – it makes them unique, kind and liked by everyone. It’s a promise your cafe or restaurant makes to be the best it can be. In this guide, we’ll show you how to create a Value Statement that’s as unique and brilliant as your business. A Mission Statement is different – it’s like a map that shows where the business is going. See >> How to Write a Great Mission Statement for Your Cafe or Restaurant.
A Value Statement is like a signpost that guides everything your cafe or restaurant does. It’s a list of the most essential things (values) that you and your team believe in. It helps you decide what kind of food you’ll serve, how you’ll treat your customers, and how your team will work together.
Think about a favourite sporting team. The players must work together, respect each other, and play fair to win matches. That’s what a Value Statement does for your business – it helps everyone on your team know how to behave to make your cafe or restaurant a winner.
For example, a well-known cafe might have a Value Statement that says, “We believe in serving the best coffee, being kind to everyone, and making our community a happier place.”
What Words are Used in a Value Statement?
Words in Value Statements often fall into four categories, to do with:
These words could include respect, teamwork, integrity, excellence, and innovation because they are qualities that good businesses strive for. Respect means treating everyone well. Teamwork means working together like a sports team. Integrity means being honest. Excellence means always trying to do your best. Innovation means coming up with new and fresh ideas. Other words like responsibility, diversity, sustainability, customer focus, quality, delicious, enjoyable, fresh, efficient, unique, community, and fun could also be included.
Involve Your Team in Creating the Value Statement
Your team plays a crucial role in shaping your Value Statement. After all, they interact with customers and each other every day, so they have a good sense of what values are essential. Start by explaining a Value Statement and why you’re creating one. It’s like a team rulebook, helping everyone know what to aim for. Then, share the examples we discussed earlier to help them understand.
Next, invite everyone to share their ideas. You might hold a team meeting or ask people to write their thoughts. Make sure everyone feels comfortable speaking up – every opinion matters! For example, you could ask questions like, “What do you think makes our cafe special?” or “What should we always do when serving customers?”
Have a sheet of paper with these words on it:
Respect, teamwork, integrity, excellence, innovation, responsibility, diversity, sustainability, customer focus, quality, deliciousness, enjoyment, freshness, efficiency, uniqueness, community, speed and fun.
Ask people to brainstorm and see if they can add 10 or 12 more words – don’t judge; let the ideas flow.
This is a team effort, like preparing a big meal together. Everyone has a role, and every ingredient (or, in this case, word and idea) is important.
Finalising the Value Statement
Now, you have a collection of brilliant (and maybe a few crazy) words and ideas from your team; it’s time to sort through them and create your Value Statement.
First, look for common themes. Maybe several people mentioned “fresh ingredients” or “friendly service”. Group these similar ideas together.
Next, choose the ideas that best represent your cafe or restaurant. Not every idea will make the final cut, and that’s okay. You’re looking for the most critical values that everyone can agree on. Aim for, say, 5 or 6 words maximum – you want a statement that’s easy for people to remember and repeat.
Once you’ve selected the key ideas, it’s time to craft the Value Statement. This should be a clear, concise sentence or short paragraph with your primary values. For example, “At our cafe, we believe in serving delicious, fresh food in a friendly, welcoming environment.”
Before you make the Value Statement official, please share it with your team. Ask for their thoughts and make any necessary tweaks. The final Value Statement should be something everyone is proud of and willing to stand behind. After all, it’s the heart of your cafe or restaurant!
Remember, for some team members, this process may seem a bit strange – they’ve not worked in a place before that has a Value Statement, or maybe they come from a culture with very different ideas about teamwork, hierarchy and how staff contribute ideas.
Introducing the Value Statement to the Team
You’ve worked together to create the Value Statement; now it’s time to share it with everyone. Plan a team meeting where you can reveal your new statement. Explain each value and why it’s important so everyone understands it clearly. Take time to discuss each word, and ask people to give examples of what it means in action. Maximise the contribution from staff – this is the time for the boss to talk less and have everyone sharing.
Encourage your team to start applying these values in their everyday tasks. For example, if “friendly service” is part of your statement, discuss ways to make customers feel more welcome. Remember, the Value Statement isn’t just words on paper – it should guide how everyone behaves at work.
Sharing the Value Statement with Customers
This Value Statement isn’t just for the team – it’s also a promise to your customers. So think of creative ways to share it with them – you could display it on the menus, a poster, your website, and social media.
Customers who understand your values will appreciate your cafe or restaurant even more. They’ll know that every cup of coffee or plate of food is prepared with care, respect, and a commitment to quality.
Include the Value Statement in New Employee Onboarding
When new people join your team, immediately introduce them to the Value Statement. This helps them understand what’s expected and how to succeed. Then, during their training, explain the Value Statement and discuss what it means in practical terms. For example, if “sustainability” is one of your values, explain how you reduce waste or source local ingredients.
You could even create activities or role-playing exercises based on the Value Statement. This helps new employees understand and embody your values from day one. The Value Statement can even be helpful in a disciplinary interview: e.g. a person’s continued lateness for work undermines the cafe’s values of teamwork and integrity.
The Values Statement is a Living Document
Congratulations! You’ve now created a Value Statement that reflects the heart of your cafe or restaurant. This is a living document – it might evolve as your business grows and changes, and it’s always worth turning back to in times of uncertainty or change. Keep it front of mind, and encourage your team to do the same. When everyone understands and lives by your Value Statement, your cafe or restaurant will shine brightly, generate great results, and inspire others.
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