No, not cheaper prices – that’s easy to find and not always great. What people want is faster restaurant service – and the same applies for cafes, bars and takeaway food.
Not rushed, or shortcuts that reduce quality. But efficient, quick, no time wasting – so they can spend more time doing important things instead of unnecessary waiting. Get this right, and it opens up extra opportunities for your business, and really pushes along the word-of-mouth marketing. When it’s missing, everyone complains!
What can you change to create faster restaurant service?
Faster order taking. The server is ready as soon as I need them, and there are enough staff to process orders quickly. Time to look again at hand-held devices – so much cheaper now. Or another terminal, and update the key layout for faster entry.
Alert staff who move quickly. You know the ones, and the others that don’t have it. It’s not about running, but being snappy and watchful. Is it time to have a ‘big talk’ with some of the slow-movers – if they’re unlikely to change, move them on to another job.
Simplify the menu and beverage list. We love that huge tapas and cocktail range, but do they slow everything down? You have your own version of this – check POS reports and delete 10% of the items – no one will notice.
Kitchen equipment that cooks faster. Faster recovery times and automation where possible. Or rearrange benches, get more powerpoints, a new speed oven, a second stick blender and more large pots. See How to Increase Productivity in a Restaurant Kitchen.
Enough capacity to serve large numbers quickly. When the crowd arrives it’s time to make money, not have a kitchen meltdown or a crazy pile of drink orders. The chefs and bar staff have plenty of suggestions about improving their work space – sometimes it just needs a handyman, not new equipment.
Explore kiosk options – will you be the first in your street to let people order like the kiosks at McDonalds? They’re now a common add-on for POS systems. This is especially popular with a younger demographic – no issues about it being ‘impersonal’.
Let people find all the information they need online. I don’t want to wait for tomorrow or when someone calls back – let me read the menus, party options, and all the Frequently Asked Questions I might have.
Easy to Google on a phone. Up to 70% of your web traffic comes from mobile phones – how does your site look? Google gives priority to sites that are mobile-optimised – do you come up on page 1 of the tiny screen? If not, this can be changed by upgrading your Google Business Profile and putting work into the site content.
Fast phone answering and responses. Customers ring any time they want – even in the middle of lunch! What’s your standby system – someone in the office, or consider a phone service like OfficeHQ. If messages go to voicemail, make sure you respond to them within the hour.
Fast email replies. Set up an auto-response saying, ‘Received your email and we will be in touch shortly,’ and then get back to them within 2 hours. What has to change to make this possible? Your email should be accessible from any device at any time.
Staff also want faster service for their own needs…
Decisive management. Don’t keep saying ‘we’ll do it soon’ and 6 months later they’re still waiting. Be a speedy and efficient boss – repairing equipment, buying essential supplies, trying new products, filling vacancies. Staff notice and are impressed (or depressed) – it’s up to you!
Fast roster advice and pay processing – that means not having to come in to get pay slips, phone up or check the schedule. Staff love the ease of online rostering; you’ll love the control.
Faster communication with staff. Bad news travels super fast, but what about essential information like shift changes, menu updates, booking policies and good news about staff? Set up a number of different channels so everyone has the news on the same day. SMS is an essential part of this mix.
Suppliers? They love their bills paid faster too – if you want better negotiation muscle, take this issue off the table. Quick, reliable payments open up a new line of positive communication.
Want to get some 1 on 1 help with reducing wage costs? Talk to one of our coaches
Want the Action Sheet ? Click Here
No, not cheaper prices – that’s easy to find and not always great. What people want is faster restaurant service – and the same applies for cafes, bars and takeaway food.
Not rushed, or shortcuts that reduce quality. But efficient, quick, no time wasting – so they can spend more time doing important things instead of unnecessary waiting. Get this right, and it opens up extra opportunities for your business, and really pushes along the word-of-mouth marketing. When it’s missing, everyone complains!
What can you change to create faster restaurant service?
Faster order taking. The server is ready as soon as I need them, and there are enough staff to process orders quickly. Time to look again at hand-held devices – so much cheaper now. Or another terminal, and update the key layout for faster entry.
Alert staff who move quickly. You know the ones, and the others that don’t have it. It’s not about running, but being snappy and watchful. Is it time to have a ‘big talk’ with some of the slow-movers – if they’re unlikely to change, move them on to another job.
Simplify the menu and beverage list. We love that huge tapas and cocktail range, but do they slow everything down? You have your own version of this – check POS reports and delete 10% of the items – no one will notice.
Kitchen equipment that cooks faster. Faster recovery times and automation where possible. Or rearrange benches, get more powerpoints, a new speed oven, a second stick blender and more large pots. See How to Increase Productivity in a Restaurant Kitchen.
Enough capacity to serve large numbers quickly. When the crowd arrives it’s time to make money, not have a kitchen meltdown or a crazy pile of drink orders. The chefs and bar staff have plenty of suggestions about improving their work space – sometimes it just needs a handyman, not new equipment.
Explore kiosk options – will you be the first in your street to let people order like the kiosks at McDonalds? They’re now a common add-on for POS systems. This is especially popular with a younger demographic – no issues about it being ‘impersonal’.
Let people find all the information they need online. I don’t want to wait for tomorrow or when someone calls back – let me read the menus, party options, and all the Frequently Asked Questions I might have.
Easy to Google on a phone. Up to 70% of your web traffic comes from mobile phones – how does your site look? Google gives priority to sites that are mobile-optimised – do you come up on page 1 of the tiny screen? If not, this can be changed by upgrading your Google Business Profile and putting work into the site content.
Fast phone answering and responses. Customers ring any time they want – even in the middle of lunch! What’s your standby system – someone in the office, or consider a phone service like OfficeHQ. If messages go to voicemail, make sure you respond to them within the hour.
Fast email replies. Set up an auto-response saying, ‘Received your email and we will be in touch shortly,’ and then get back to them within 2 hours. What has to change to make this possible? Your email should be accessible from any device at any time.
Staff also want faster service for their own needs…
Decisive management. Don’t keep saying ‘we’ll do it soon’ and 6 months later they’re still waiting. Be a speedy and efficient boss – repairing equipment, buying essential supplies, trying new products, filling vacancies. Staff notice and are impressed (or depressed) – it’s up to you!
Fast roster advice and pay processing – that means not having to come in to get pay slips, phone up or check the schedule. Staff love the ease of online rostering; you’ll love the control.
Faster communication with staff. Bad news travels super fast, but what about essential information like shift changes, menu updates, booking policies and good news about staff? Set up a number of different channels so everyone has the news on the same day. SMS is an essential part of this mix.
Suppliers? They love their bills paid faster too – if you want better negotiation muscle, take this issue off the table. Quick, reliable payments open up a new line of positive communication.
Want to get some 1 on 1 help with reducing wage costs? Talk to one of our coaches