One way to improve service, food, procedures and get pointed feedback is to ask your servers and other employees what can be done better. Encourage anonymous responses to pointed questions. Examples may include:

• What is the food item most wasted on return plates?
• What do we get requests for that is not on the menu?
• What is the weakest item on the menu in terms of quality?
• How can we serve the guest faster?
• What procedures would you most like to see changed?
• How can we help you earn more tips?
• What would you change in the kitchen?
• How can we sell more beverages?
• If you were owner or General Manager, what would you change?

Your operation may have additional focus with the questions. Only use this about three or four times a year to be effective and not a regular bitch session. Give each employee an envelope that makes the responses private.

Finally, publish the results eliminating any personal names. Follow up with additional questions if some of the responses are unclear. These semi-annual forms have produced marketing ideas, menu changes and cost saving procedural changes many times in our operations. The ultimate beneficiary is the customer.

Larry Edger, Author
The Restaurant Ebook