9 Restaurant Management Tips to Increase Efficiency

restaurant management tips increase efficiency

As a restaurant owner or manager, you already know that running the shop is no walk in the park. As such, it'll probably come as no surprise to you that the employee turnover rate is 75% in the industry.

A busy restaurant can be exciting, but also stressful and exhausting. However, if things aren't running smoothly, it can be a complete nightmare. 

That's why running an efficient operation is key to any successful restaurant. The entire team, including management, waiters/waitresses, hosts, and cooks all need to be on the same page. 

Keep reading for our top restaurant management tips to help your restaurant run as smoothly as possible, blowing the competition out of the water. 


Restaurant Management Tips to Increase Efficiency

It's not enough to be a hardworking owner or manager unless you plan on doing all the work yourself. A lot goes into making a restaurant run efficiently. It's all about the employees and the work environment you create together. 

Take a look at these tips to increase efficiency, which in turn, boosts employee morale and sales.


1. Set a Good Example

As a manager or restaurant owner, you must set the example. If you want your employees to perform a certain way, you need to show them how. They won't respect you or your wishes if you're constantly harping on them to work while sitting on your phone scrolling through Facebook.

Additionally, one of the best restaurant management tips revolves around the Golden Rule. Treat your employees not only how you want to be treated, but also how you want them to treat each other. 

Your employees will not work efficiently if you are prone to blowing up and losing your cool. The more you remain calm during busy and stressful times, the more your employees will follow suit.


2. Maintain a Positive Environment

It's also important for you to create a positive work environment. When employees are happy, they tend to work more efficiently. They will also weather the hardships of working in the food industry better.

However, creating and maintaining a positive work environment takes effort and forethought. It's something you have to build up with your employees, not something you can just demand. 

First, you need to make sure everyone is on the same page. All of your employees need to know what is expected of them, both with their work ethic and their attitude. 

Part of maintaining a positive environment falls on you. If you are constantly coming down on employees, micromanaging them, and being overly-critical, don't expect to have a good atmosphere. 

People should want to impress you because they respect you, not because they're afraid of you.


3. Streamline Your Point of Sales

One of the best restaurant management tips for efficiency concerns streamlining your point-of-sales process.

If you're using an outdated or malfunctioning system that can't keep up with you during rush hours, it's time to upgrade. A slow system could significantly slow you down, potentially leading to unhappy customers and lower sales. 

To get an idea of what you need, there are some top-of-the-line sales systems you can see from other restaurants and food service companies.


4. Learn How to Schedule and Hire Employees for Efficiency

Finding the right employees is one of the most important things you can do as a restaurant owner or manager. Who you hire will directly affect how your restaurant operates. 

Additionally, over time, you need to learn which employees work best together. Whether they get along too well or not at all, this could affect work efficiency.

Take your time when hiring your staff and don't be afraid to hurt an applicant's feelings if they aren't a good fit.


5. Be Creative

Learning to be a creative problem solver is one of the best restaurant management tips for any owner or manager. 

First, it helps you think fast. If an employee doesn't show up for work, you may have to jumble everyone's job that night. Alternatively, if an oven goes down, you'll have to find a way to keep things rolling.

Be creative and think outside of the box for maximum efficiency. Your plans may not always work out, but it's a learning curve.


6. Give Incentives 

Another fantastic way to increase efficiency is by rewarding your employees for good work. 

Studies have shown that positive reinforcement, rather than negative reinforcement is much more effective for keeping employees happy and working hard. As we said before, as a leader, it's better to be loved than feared.

Appropriate incentives could be small bonuses after a week of high numbers and efficient work, ice cream parties, longer breaks during the slow times, etc. How you want to reward your employees for solid work is up to you, but don't skimp out. 


7. Delegate

A good business owner or manager also knows how to delegate, which is one of the most important restaurant management tips. 

A manager who can't delegate runs around trying to do everything by themselves. Whether they don't trust others to do it properly or haven't taken the time to train them up, this can lead to extreme stress.

You need to work hard, yes. But you shouldn't be trying to do everything on your own. The more tasks your employees are capable of, the more efficiently your restaurant will run.


8. Learn How to Resolve Conflict

Regardless of how good of a boss you are or where you work, people are going to have a conflict with one another. It's inevitable. 

However, instead of looking at it as a huge thorn in your side, view it as a way for you to grow as a leader. A leader capable of conflict resolution is one worth following. Learn how to solve problems in a way that serves everyone's best interests.

A boss whose answer to conflict is "figure it out yourselves" will not gain any respect. As a boss, conflict resolution is your responsibility.


9. Focus on the Customer

Finally, focusing on your customers is one of the most important restaurant management tips to keep things running efficiently. If your main priority is customer satisfaction based on the quality of your food and timely service, efficiency will come naturally.

Put the majority of your effort into making your customers happy and your business will flourish. Happy customers tip. Tips make the team happy. Quality service is a win/win for everyone involved. 


Start Making Changes Today

With these restaurant management tips, you're ready to start perfecting your business. Remember, it rests on you to get your employees working at optimal efficiency by being a good boss and providing a positive work environment. 

It will take some work, but you can do this as a rockstar restaurateur. We have faith in you and your restaurant management skills.

And if you are looking for any more work, management, or financial advice, be sure to check out the rest of our blog!

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