At this point, you and your staff have turned the corner and are ready to finish off the year strong once the holidays hit. This time of the year will always bring in more customers and preparing your team with the right tools will help make this year a success. Here are a few suggestions to help you finish the year out on a high note.
Limit Your Menu
Having a full dining room can create unforeseen problems you may not be prepared for. Making sure plates are getting out to your customers in a timely manner can be one of them. Limit your menu in December while featuring cold weather centric dishes for those who are eager for seasonal foods. Less options will give your diners less to look over, leading to quicker decision-making, and allows your kitchen to easily prepare meals at a faster rate. If you need help with menu ideas,our Culinary Resource Team can easily help with your menu and its marketability.
Lengthen Your Hours
The holiday season will have customers running around in order to prepare for their upcoming holiday gatherings. If you’ve been shopping during this time, you know that your stores will have specialized hours to accommodate this schedule. Why not do the same at your restaurant? Pick up those diners who are eating late this time of year and keep the kitchen open later by an hour or two. Consider this move early, as you may want to move your shifts a couple of hours later than normal.
Up Your Sweets
This time of year calls for plenty of desserts before the New Years Resolutions get in the way! Add a seasonal dessert to your menu to get that add on in December. A nice warm pecan cobbler from our Ellington Farms premade cobbler line is an excellent sweet with homemade taste without the extra hours needed to create it.
Set Your Staff Up for Success
Your staff is a pivotal piece during the busiest time of the year. Give them the proper tools to help alleviate the amount of work needed to keep the customers happy. Look into our HOST Solutions on unique new POV software that can help put in orders. For the kitchen, labor saving products are a must. Markon’s Ready-Set-Serve line is designed for that in mind. By stocking these products, you will eliminate labor time for prepping, giving your team more time to invest into other parts of the food prep process.
The winter months are considered the most wonderful time of the year. Implementing a few of these simple changes can help make that come true for your restaurant as well. For more ideas on creating a winning environment for the holidays, contact your Ben E. Keith sales representative.