There are lots of smart and simple ideas for cutting costs, saving money, increasing sales and most importantly of all improving your bottom line. Here are 9 simple ones that you can start today!
1. Increase Awareness
The number one way to improve the performance in your restaurant is awareness. Are you in the office all day, stuck in paperwork, trying to understand what is wrong with your operation, asking yourself “What am I doing wrong?”.Well maybe that’s the problem: “get out of the office” and get back to the floor.
2. A Cordless Phone
Do you find yourself constantly being called back into the office to answer the phone? Invest in a cordless phone. This will it save you time in your daily activities and money. Free yourself from the office.
3. Get Out There
Walk the service counters every 15 mins to check portion control, recipe usage, that standards are met, staff are working to their full potential etc
4. Understand Every Area
Get a full understanding of the potential and also the problems in your restaurant.Lead by example and learn more about your business. Work on the till one day, work on the sandwich bar the next.
5. Ownership
Install a sense of ownership among your staff, most importantly among your kitchen staff. You need to include them in loop. This means keeping them aware of the current food costs, areas where we need to improve and what our goals are for the next period.
6. Listen to your staff
Have a “best suggestion” competition every month. Have a prize for the best cost control idea generated.
7. Weekly Meetings
Do you have weekly managers/chefs/supervisors meetings? Are they held at an agreed time and place every week? Is there a time limit put on the meeting? Are minutes kept?
8. Cut Costs Every Week
Identify 2 or 3 cost cutting efforts every week. This way your staff will feel that it’s an achievable even fun project rather than a massive undertaking.
9. Get Another Perspective
It’s often easy to fail to see your restaurant in the same way as others see it. There could be a lot going on that you wouldn’t agree with right under your nose, but how do you step back and get an outsider’s viewpoint. Visit another site in your region and invite their manager to visit yours. Discuss and share best practice. Identify “the good, the bad and the ugly”. Remember it really helps to look at your site objectively through someone else eyes.
