Restaurant Punk

We've all been there – it's a regular day at work, about 5:15pm rolls around, and Judy arrives with her husband for the Happy Hour Specials. She notices that on your menu, you have a fresh sangria infused with a variety of fresh seasonal fruit. She's allergic to strawberries, she says…can the bartender just leave those out? Try as you might to explain that they are literally soaking in the large batch of sangria, Judy just doesn't understand why this is an unreasonable request.

Customers ask dumb questions it's the name of the game – but it doesn't make it any less hilarious (or annoying). Yianni, Nikos, and Liz are joining us from an all-new set to discuss questions, including:

• What's the most ridiculous customer request/ menu modification you've ever received?
• Have you ever noticed that the guest always watches the server ask the Chef about their menu questions when there's an open kitchen?
• When people ask stupid questions, do you tell them it's dumb, or do you play it off like it's a totally normal thing to ask?
• Do you like an open kitchen in a restaurant? Does it matter if you're an employee or a guest?
• Have you watched the Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives episode when Guy Fieri visits George's Place?
• As a restaurant owner, have you ever invited a guest NOT to return?

Whether you’ve been trained at The Culinary Institute of America, in your grandma’s kitchen, or behind the line at a restaurant, using a canned product – either by preference or necessity – is a nearly universal experience. So, when it comes to eating at home and cooking for a crowd at your restaurant, where do you draw the line on pre-prepared foods? This episode explores questions including:

• How many times can Nikos use the word “moisture” in 19 minutes?
• Are canned vegetables more flavorful or is that just the mystery syrup that they come in?
• Does it make a difference to the quality of the product if it is “canned” or “jarred?”
• Are there any foods that you actually prefer canned over fresh?
• Do you know how to make your own tomato sauce?

In the wise words of Usher…you say you're searchin' for somebody that'll take you out and do you right. Our advice? Don't follow in the singer's footsteps by looking for that love in the club, restaurant, or bar where you work. Yianni, Leah, and George are all guilty of working with a significant other at one point or another, so they're here to tell you why to swipe left on dating a coworker/boss/employee. Join them as they answer questions, including:

• How do you feel as an owner when two of your employees start dating?
• Have you experienced a female boss dating a male employee?
• What happens if a restauranteur's wife/husband takes a liking to one of their employees?
• Would you be jealous if you saw your significant other innocently flirting with a customer for better tips?
• Does it make it easier or harder to work together when you're married or in a long-term relationship instead of just having a crush on a colleague?

#restaurant #hospitality #smallbusiness #businessowner #relationship #dating #waitress #server #waiter 

While many people may get the impression that Yianni only takes his own advice, it turns out that he has some guiding principles that have gained widespread credibility. From providing new hires with the tools they need to do their jobs well to looking at what everyone else is doing and doing the exact opposite, this episode dives into questions like:

• What do you do when the knowledge you provide isn’t deemed “important” enough to retain by your employee?
• What is the difference between a career and a job?
• Do you agree that 90% of restaurant workers consider it their job and not their career?
• How does new employee training vary in corporate restaurants compared to independent restaurants?
• Should it be the employee’s responsibility to get their uniform, particularly in high turnover roles?
• Do you know the Peter Principle? What about the Pareto Principle?
• How do you weed out the hyenas and cultivate a pride of lions?

Joe Mathis, a Kara Restaurant Group Chef, joins Yianni and George on this week’s episode as they hit on weed in the workplace. Along with some extremely outdated slang, you’ll enjoy the group’s answers to questions, including:

• Do you ever smoke before your shift? If so, how the hell do you function?
• How do you know if your coworker or employee is showing up to work high?
• Does being high make it harder to get your side work done?
• Have you ever eaten an edible? What was your experience?
• Have you ever met a dishwasher that isn’t on coke?

First things first, where's George's shirt, and did he spend the day in the kitchen cooking that way? Besides that, we're talking about cell phones in the workplace. Ten, even 20 years ago, it wasn't unheard of for someone not to have a personal phone. If you wanted to talk to your mom while she was at work, you called the office/restaurant/bar phone number, and whoever answered put their hand over the receiver and yelled, "KAREENNNNNNNNNNNN. Your son is on the phone…sounds like he wants to go to Billy's house again. That ok?" Now, you'd probably have to pry the phone out of a busser's cold, dead hands to keep them from answering it in the middle of their shift. Yianni, George, and Nikos are asking (and answering) questions, including:

• How do you deal with employees using their phones during their shifts?
• Do you make exceptions for employees with kids?
• Do you find that staff keeps it on their person, or do they leave it at the server station?
• Is using their phones a habit or intentional disrespect?
• What's the most interesting answer you've ever gotten to "why are you on your phone?"
• Are there ever positives to staff having phones?       

George, Peter, and Noelle are having a threesome, and by that, we mean hosting the podcast together…And on that inappropriate note, let’s talk about human resources and hiring standards.

In the restaurant industry, particularly in seasonal economies like Cape May County, it can sometimes be challenging to find enough qualified help to staff your shifts fully. So, what do you do when faced with a lack of experienced applicants – hire a potentially harmful employee and max out your seating capacity, or limit your seating and keep only the best staff? Both options come with risks, so which one offers the greater reward? Hear our opinions and insights on related topics, including:

• What are the costs of hiring employees without a full grasp of the native language in front-of-house roles?
• Can work ethic outweigh lack of experience?
• Does front-of-house staff’s appearance impact business?
• Do tattoos even matter when it comes to hiring today?
• Will outdated (read: discriminatory) hiring practices continue forcing businesses to close?
• Are there times when you just need to hire someone with a heartbeat to fill the gap?

Eating out internationally is a different world. Just back from a vacation in Greece, Peter and Noelle raise the topic with George. George says the service in Ireland is incredible. As for Peter and Noelle's dining experiences in Greece, they were…not so great. This week's episode explores dining in different countries and questions, including:

• In terms of service, is international dining better or worse than in the United States?
• Does it matter whether there is a tipping standard or a salary structure for servers in the country that you're visiting?
• Would you be mad if you were served bread (without asking for it) before your meal, but then you were charged for it on your bill? Does it balance out if you get a free shot at the end of the meal, too?
• Have you ever visited a country where you had to throw your used toilet paper out in the trash can instead of the toilet? If so, how is your trauma counseling going?
• Do you have a better experience if you can speak the country's native language?
• Do you plan your vacations around food?

When it comes to a restaurant team, every member has a role. If they don’t know that role or don’t care enough to take care of their responsibilities, the whole operation can quickly fall apart, leaving you in the weeds. This week, Noelle, Liz, and George debate which role is more crucial to the overall operation: the host/hostess or busser. Both can impact turn time, but in Liz’s opinion, only the hostess can make or break the flow of the kitchen and dining room. George argues that bussers are the glue that holds everything together. The gang explores questions like:

• Who is more important, the host/hostess or the busser?
• Does the style and scale of dining make a difference in your answer to the above?
• What about the employee’s age/experience?
• Can two teenage friends work together and actually get anything done?
• Do large parties in the “prime” seating hours ruin the experience for other guests?
• Do you tip the host/hostess/busser extra to make sure they’re on your good side and willing to help?

 TL/DR: Don’t disrespect your f**king busser.

When you consider what a restaurant owner might be responsible for, you may think that “washing dishes” would only end up on their to-do list when hell freezes over. Well…pull out your parkas because winter is coming! On this week’s episode, we’re discussing what it means for the rest of the restaurant staff when an owner starts doing dirty work – think busing tables, scraping plates, and taking out the trash. Leah, Noelle, and Yianni discuss:

•  When it’s super busy and the restaurant owner or manager jumps in to help, does it annoy you, make you respect them more, or make you feel like you’re being micro-managed? 
• Does an owner or manager’s willingness to help their team in day-to-day tasks have a trickle-down effect that establishes more accountability?
• Do you think bar managers are less likely to jump behind the bar than a restaurant manager is to take an order or bus a table?
•  How does Yianni take his coffee, and what is the opposite of often?
• Would you give a coworker or employee a ride to work? What about home after work?