Does Your Restaurant Manager Fit Your Restaurant’s Culture?

With about 13 million people, the restaurant industry employs one of the largest workforces in the United States. And there’s an abundance of good talent out there. The key is finding the right person for your restaurant management position – and that means securing a good cultural fit. Start by Defining Your Culture Your culture… Read more »

Restaurant Manager Salaries: What Do You Deserve?

The starting salary of a restaurant manager can cover a wide range, based on a candidate’s experience, industry and choice of location. In the United States, the median salary for a restaurant manager is approximately $48,500, with those in the lowest 10 percent on the scale earning about $30,000 and those in the upper 10… Read more »

Understanding the Truth about your Restaurant Managers

A recent Harvard University study reported that 80 percent of job turnover is due to hiring mistakes. And the U.S. Department of Labor has noted that the average cost of a bad hire is 30 percent of a new employee’s first-year salary. You can avoid being part of these discouraging statistics by conducting effective background… Read more »

How to Successfully Interview an Executive Chef

It goes without saying that your executive chef must be a master at running an efficient kitchen. But what really separates a chef from a cook is the ability to help turn your restaurant into a strong brand that makes a consistent profit. When interviewing executive chef candidates, start by evaluating their culinary skills, then… Read more »

Hiring for Attitude

When you’re making the decision on whom to hire- how much weight do you put on “attitude” vs. skill or experience? The importance of “attitude” in a service-oriented environment: As you look to hire and train your new employees, your overall goal is to prepare them to have a positive impact on the customer experience… Read more »

Why Hospitality HR Professionals Need to Participate in Social Media

Still on the fence about using social media?  Consider these statistics from the recent Cone Business in Social Media Study: 93 percent of Americans believe that a company should have a presence on social media sites. 85 percent believe that these companies should use social media to interact with consumers. 60 percent of Americans regularly… Read more »

Sustainability Poses Multiple Challenges for Hospitality Operations

Despite contradictions involving finances, operations and marketing, today’s hotel and restaurant operators are making huge strides toward sustainable operations. This was one of the key findings of the Cornell Hospitality Sustainability Roundtable, held in New York City this past November.  Participants, led by Associate Professor Alex Susskind, examined the critical issues in sustainability – namely,… Read more »

National Restaurant Association Predicts 2011 U.S. Restaurant Rebound

According to the NRA, after three years of negative real sales, America’s restaurant industry is poised for a comeback.  In its “2011 Restaurant Industry Forecast,” the NRA predicts a record $604 billion in annual sales this year – an aggregate sales increase of 3.6% over 2010 (1.1% in inflation-adjusted terms). Here are a few key… Read more »

Effective Employee Onboarding Tips for Hospitality Employers

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” When you hear this saying, you may envision a nervous job seeker, compulsively straightening his suit and repeating his 30-second “personal sales pitch” before an interview.  But quite honestly, the saying is just as relevant for hospitality hiring companies.  Why? When you mainstream and… Read more »