2. INTRODUCTION
RECRUITING
Attracting the best candidates
Getting to know your candidates
Hiring
BUILDING AND MAINTAINING WORKPLACE CULTURE
Training
Employee engagement
EVALUATION
Salaries and benefits
Promotions
Performance reviews
CONCLUSION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
03
04
18
23
27
2
3. The success of your restaurant depends on its employees. A good kitchen
staff dishes up the food your customers want, while an efficient front of the
house gives them the service they like.
Most restaurants know they need good employees but they’re having
trouble holding onto them. Staff turnover in restaurants and accommoda-
tion is at an eye-watering 63 percent, almost 50 percent higher than other
private-sector companies. So in any given year, you’re looking at losing
two out of three of your hospitality business employees.
Such loss of talent can really hurt your bottom line. Some experts estimate
a price tag of more than $4,900 (or € 4,600) to find, hire, and train just one
replacement minimum wage restaurant employee. “In this competitive
industry which has low profit margins, no costs are more destructive than
employee turnover,” says the same report.
Small restaurant owners — and there are over one million of them in the
US alone — often assume high turnover is just a fact of life. The truth is a
small business has a string of advantages over its larger competitors and
has no reason to live with excessively high staff turnover.
In this white paper, you’ll find out how you can recruit the best employees
for your restaurant, and keep them around. Learn industry best practices
on how to recruit, the most efficient screening and interviewing tech-
niques, tips on employee training and engagement, and proven
methods for evaluating employees.
INTRODUCTION
3
4. As a small restaurant owner or manager, you offer employees the chance
to be an essential element of the entire business. Unlike larger establish-
ments, you can engage your staff with a rich range of responsibilities, not
just one repetitive task. You may be surprised how important this is to
people.
Often restaurant managers hire the first person who shows up with a
resume and the right availability.
Resist the urge to do this. It might feel like a quick fix that lets you get
back to running your busy restaurant. But taking just a little time upfront
to focus on recruiting the best employee will save you wasting countless
hours down the road dealing with a difficult hire.
RECRUITING
4
5. Attracting the best candidates
Of course you are looking for different talents for the front of the house versus the kitchen, but you’ll want
to follow some of the same rules in both cases.
1. Understand your ideal candidate — their essential qualities plus desirable traits.
2. The front of house staff needs to appeal to your target customer. Time to move beyond just appearance.
Most of your customers are likely to be less than a ten-minute commute from your location, so think
about what qualities will appeal to them.
3. The back of house hire needs to fit into the culture of your kitchen — they will need to work seamlessly
as a unit with the rest of the team.
RECRUITING
“Inexperienced hiring managers tend to look for a person who can help right away, rather
than looking for indicators of long term success.”
— Monty Moran
Co-CEO Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.
5
6. Take time to write your ad
Most restaurants grossly underestimate the value of a good job description. A clear description that
emphasizes the benefits of your establishment captures more applicants, allowing you to select the very
best from a larger pool.
To create a good job description, identify your culture and your positive aspects. “Get rid of fake promises
and hype, and add testimonials, clearly stated benefits and photos,” says one industry expert. Most small
restaurants have many desirable traits that are undersold.
Here’s a typically dull job description:
Server/Bartender - Riverside
Acme Pizza - Riverside is currently accepting applications for servers with bartending experience. The
ideal candidate should have a minimum 15 months serving and bartending experience in a casual dining
restaurant.
Here’s how it could be improved:
Hey servers/bartenders! Riverside location
Acme Pizza - Riverside is looking for pizza lovers to join their team. We believe in a work-life balance: we
expect hard work, but not slave labor. Benefits, uniform provided. Experience preferred. Send us a CV
with a cover letter explaining why you think you’d fit in with us at …
RECRUITING 6
7. JOB DESCRIPTION CHECKLIST
In your job description, be sure to
include the following:
Your restaurant’s culture
What it’s like to work at your restaurant
Who they’ll be working for
Actual specific tasks they’ll be doing
The benefits of working at your restaurant
Contact info (email is usually better)
RECRUITING 7
8. Well-written job descriptions are so rare in the restaurant business that quality applicants are quick to jump
on them.
Bun shop owner Eddie Huang differentiated himself in the highly competitive New York market by adding
hip-hop references to his job descriptions. His ads went viral, but only those who got the references got a
call for an interview:
BAOHAUS HIRING PEOPLE WHO LIKE PYREX AND
CAVALLI FURS (LOWER EAST SIDE)
WE AINT LOOKIN FOR MR. ME TOO… WE NEED PEOPLE WHO LIKE BREAKIN DOWN
BELLY INTO BUNS AND SELL EM LIKE GOBSTOPPERS. LINE COOKS, REGISTER PEOPLE,
IF YOU NEED WORK, WE GOT YOU. REPLY WITH YOUR RESUME IN THE BODY OF THE
EMAIL. NO ATTACHMENTS. RESEARCH BAOHAUS SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE
GETTING INTO.
Huang knows that applicants who get the references will be an immediate fit with the culture of
his establishments. For him, how his employees reflect his brand is more important than
experience or prior training.
RECRUITING 8
9. RECRUITING 9
Whether you’re a quick serve bun shop in New York City or a fine dining establishment in Bangkok, the same
principle applies. Award-winning restaurant and San Pellegrino’s 2014 Best New Entry Gaggan has this
description on their website:
WE ARE LOOKING FOR A PERSON WHO CHERISHES
OTHER PEOPLE AND ALL THE THINGS AROUND, AS
WELL AS ONE WHO CARES ABOUT NATURE AND
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
10. RECRUITING 10
WHERE TO GO
Use a combination of different channels when advertising for candidates.
Some of the most popular include:
• Newspaper ads
Work better for older candidates
• Jobs websites
Monster, Indeed, Eurojobs, Jobsite
• Online classifieds
Craigslist, Kijiji, Gumtree
• Social media
• Campus recruiting
• Your restaurant website
• Sign in window
• Word of mouth
• Recruitment agency
Referrals
One of the best ways to hire good staff is through referrals. “Good managers ask high-performing em-
ployees if they have any friends who would like to work there,” says Jerry Newman, quick serve restaurant
HR expert and author.
An employee who refers a friend usually knows the referral will reflect on them. There is a strong incentive
to recommend a great candidate. The friend can also give the prospective hire a ‘warts and all’ description
of the realities of life at your restaurant.
11. RECRUITING 11
Recruiting students
Recruiting students has been a longtime strategy for restaurants. But with the quick turnover associated
with younger employees, the strategy can sometimes become costly.
One proven strategy has been to recruit at university campuses where students are expected to stay at least
five years, including law, dentistry, and medical schools. With the right incentives, you can recruit these
bright young employees to your establishment for several years.
Selling the advantages of a small restaurant
You can compete with the bigger establishments by emphasizing the opportunities an employee has; within
smaller organizations, an employee can potentially take on a wide range of responsibilities.
Young employees who want to build their resumes may love the idea of more responsibilities,
which they can add to their core duties, including:
• Marketing the restaurant online and through social media
• Mentoring/overseeing junior staff
• Assisting with scheduling/report building
• Managing ordering
• Coordinating team building/social events
• Managing the restaurant (when appropriate)
• Menu development
12. RECRUITING 12
Better POS technology
As a small restaurant, you have the advantage of being able to change systems more easily than a large
hotel or restaurant. New, tableside ordering systems on iPads and iPhones have high appeal to your
younger staff, and make their job more enjoyable. These systems are very affordable and can make staff
more efficient.
When to advertise
Post your ad when potential candidates likely have time to look: usually earlier in the week, when most
candidates have days off.
13. RECRUITING 13
Getting to know your candidates
In today’s competitive restaurant environment, top candidates are snapped up in days. It’s vital you set up
an interview with good candidates as quickly as possible — don’t ignore emails and messages.
Screening
If you’re dealing with an abundance of applications, consider a form with a few screening questions, such as
outlined here by HR expert Dr. John Sullivan. Some examples include:
• What job responsibilities do you excel at?
• What do you know about local food/our specialty/beverages?
• What are your strongest people, team, and leadership skills?
• Do you have any supplementary skills, knowledge areas or experiences that we should know about?
Always check local regulatory requirements to avoid discriminatory hiring practices.
To save time, screen applicants over the phone; you’ll be able to narrow down your search to a few candi-
dates who you’ll actually interview.
Have a few screening questions ready. These can cover the basics of the job, the deal-breakers for both
yourself and the candidate.
14. SCREENING QUESTIONS
CHECKLIST
What ideally are you looking for from
this job?
What salary/benefits are you looking
for?
Are you able to get to work easily?
Why did you leave your last two jobs?
Can you provide references from
your last two jobs?
RECRUITING 14
15. RECRUITING 15
“The majority of restaurants just review a resume and make a little small talk. At the end
of it, neither party understands anything about each other…. We prefer to find the right
person with a passion for what Brock and Husk are all about, and then investigate more
about their skills to best place them in a specific position.”
— David Howard
President, Neighborhood Dining Group
The interview
After you’ve selected the candidates you want to interview, it’s time to set up meetings. Most restaurant
managers don’t have much time to spare, so skip to the questions that give you a true picture of the
candidate.
For manager positions, behavioral interview techniques work best.
• Start questions with, “Tell me about a time…” For example, “tell me about a time when you had to deal
with a difficult line cook.” Or, “tell me about a time you received negative feedback from a customer.”
• Look for a demonstration of leadership: Ask specific questions about team dynamics. Get examples of
the roles they played within a team.
• These types of questions help get away from rehearsed answers, and give a better sense of how your
candidate handles different situations and personalities. In many cases, someone who shows excellent
judgment may trump someone with more experience.
For wait staff or kitchen staff, restaurant-specific, scenario-based questions work best.
• Start questions with, “tell me what steps you might take to…” For example, “tell me what steps you
might take to serve someone who has stated they’re picky about wine.” Or, “our restaurant specializes
in local cheeses and cured meats. What steps would you take to upsell these items to a diner?”
16. RECRUITING 16
• Look for evidence they’ve already done some research: have they checked your website? Read the
menu? Do they know your culture and values? This shows the candidate has initiative.
• This is your first interaction with them and sets the tone for your future working relationship. They’ll
get to know your managerial style, even before they’ve started the job. Those who don’t fit with your
style will know at the interview rather than you both making that unpleasant discovery once they have
accepted the job.
• Observe how well they:
• Respond to being given orders
• Think through tasks
• Respond truthfully about what they don’t know or understand
• Ask questions. They likely have not heard the term “upsell” before — see if they ask about it.
For a dishwasher, many agree it’s usually about hours and pay. But you can also find good staff by offering
them an opportunity to grow. Motivating someone to scrape bits of food off plates can be a tough sell, but
providing a realistic opportunity for promotion can bring in the right people.
Recruiting Disabled Persons
Consider recruiting disabled persons for positions around your restaurant. There are several advantages to
hiring disabled employees:
• Disabled employees have a lower turnover rate than non-disabled employees, with an average job
retention rate of 85 percent after one year of employment.
• Government subsidies. In the US, Workforce Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC), a Tax Deduction to
Remove Architectural and Transportation Barriers to People With Disabilities and Elderly Individuals,
and Small Business Tax Credit are available.
• More customer appeal. A recent survey showed 93 percent of customers would prefer to patronize a
hospitality business that hires people with disabilities.
17. RECRUITING 17
Hiring
Every employer wants the best candidate. To capture the top talent, don’t be shy to sell your business. Tell
them why they will be perfect for the job, and how you see them fitting in. Paint a picture of their life in your
restaurant.
Be careful not to shortcut your hiring process. To avoid potential disasters, resist the urge to hire on the
spot. It is essential in the restaurant business that you check references first. Call the place of work directly,
not a personal telephone number, when calling a reference. Double-check the number yourself to make
sure it is genuine.
18. Now that your great employees are hired, you need to keep them.
You may be surprised to hear it’s not always all about the cash. “At its core,
engagement is about a strong foundation of management practices that
empower workers and inspire them to excel,” says Neil Crawford, a partner
at consulting firm Aon Hewitt, which measures engagement levels among
firms. “You need to have an environment where people feel like there are
more opportunities to improve, that they’re constantly getting feedback
and feeling valued.”
Challenging and engaging employees, coupled with great training, helps
you hold onto the good ones.
BUILDING AND
MAINTAINING
WORKPLACE CULTURE
18
19. BUILDING AND MAINTAINING
WORKPLACE CULTURE
Training
Restaurant jobs can become repetitive and boring —provide regular training to everyone to prevent them
from becoming jaded.
Ken Burgin from profitablehospitality.com recommends training people regularly in 20-minute slots. It’s
virtually impossible to have all your staff present at the same time, so keep running sessions that are short
and sweet until everyone has been covered.
Your suppliers are an excellent resource for training. Contact your various suppliers to see if you can bring
your team on a tour: learn how to properly butcher beef, how to bake bread with a hard crust, how your
farmer cultivates heirloom variety vegetables, or how to pair a local wine with your food.
Consider cross-training all your staff, so that everyone knows how to do everyone else’s job. This is a
strategy used by The Keg, the highly successful 100+ restaurant chain, where 85% of its front-line workers
reported high satisfaction with their job, and turnover rates are well below industry average.
Another way to get your staff excited is by entering competitions and local community events, and bringing
the staff along with you. Whether you’re a fine dining establishment or a chicken and ribs joint, there are
plenty of opportunities for your team, such as fundraisers, challenges organized by local industry associa-
tions, or local sports leagues.
19
20. Kitchen staff
Filleting
Boning meat
Boning fish
Dicing, julienning, chifonnade
The chemistry behind marinades
How to cost a recipe
Wait staff
Training from local food vendors
Types of seafood
Vegetables
Meat and game
Information on origins
Food tastings (a spoonful is plenty): salamis, chocolates,
fermented veggies
Wine tastings
Bar staff
Mixology
Origins of beer, wine, and spirits
Major beer making regions and their styles
Local craft beer and spirit manufacturers
TRAINING CHECKLIST
Here are a few ideas for training sessions. Think about what you
can do in 20 minutes:
BUILDING AND MAINTAINING WORKPLACE CULTURE 20
21. BUILDING AND MAINTAINING WORKPLACE CULTURE 21
Employee engagement
As a manager you need to maintain regular communication with your staff, so small issues are dealt with
before they become major concerns. To keep employees engaged, stay open to feedback — feeling heard
and valued is a key part of their engagement.
One of the most important tools in engaging employees is the meeting. Managers should stay in touch with
When the waitress knows not to toss dirty forks in the rinse pit, the dishwasher feels more
respected and valued; when the bartender’s assistant understands why letting Polar Ice
stores run low might anger thirsty patrons, the bartender feels more supported. It’s a vir-
tuous cycle that makes everyone feel important.
22. “People talk to us about moving on when they’re feeling stagnant, not growing. Managers
can prevent this by meeting with them to discuss an employee’s strengths and where they
need to improve. Then take action with the right training development plan.”
— Geremy Glew
Professional recruiter for chefs and hospitality professionals
BUILDING AND MAINTAINING WORKPLACE CULTURE 22
The one-on-one meeting
• Check in regularly with each staff member, especially if they are wait staff who are underperforming
versus their peers.
• These meetings don’t have to be a formal affair in the back office — an informal coffee or quick break
outside works just as well, if not better.
• Ask what you can do to help them do their job better. Do they need more training on your products?
Where are they feeling challenged? Perhaps their talents could be better used in another department,
such as being a hostess or behind the bar? Make this a two-way conversation.
Team meetings
• Even if you are a small restaurant, with just one or two employees, start the day with a team meeting. It
establishes the day’s objectives, and sets the right tone for the rest of the day.
• Whether your meeting is two minutes or 15, have a clear objective.
• Use the opportunity to highlight individual and restaurant goals. Keep it brief: issues you’ve noticed,
today’s special, trends in food or with service, new products, etc.
• This is also your opportunity to get employee feedback. Is there a better way to organize the bar? Are
certain customers causing problems for staff? Make sure they know that their views matter.
• The team meeting is the ideal place to call out people for outstanding performance. Employees who
feel valued are better engaged, and less likely to seek jobs elsewhere.
• Finally, team meetings let your staff know that you’re there for them.
23. EVALUATION
Managing employees is about managing expectations. You’ll keep your
best staff around for longer when you make clear what you expect and let
them know how they’re doing on meeting those expectations.
Hard data is essential to establishing and following-up on those expec-
tations — numbers don’t lie. On the other hand, the restaurant business
requires a wide skill set, so they shouldn’t be the only aspect you consider.
Evaluate soft skills, on top of the hard numbers, when assessing your
employee performance.
23
24. Metrics to track
Numbers you should monitor weekly, monthly, and yearly include:
Total sales:
• Measure by individual and by team
• This figure lets you know how well staff members are performing during their shifts
Sales per transaction:
• Shows how well wait staff upsell customers
Staff turnover:
• Indicates how frequently staff is replaced in your establishment
Presence/absences or tardiness:
• An important sign of their commitment. High absenteeism is cause for concern and should be further
investigated
Health and safety work accidents:
• Check your local association to find out what you need to track by law — if there are none, be sure to
track accidents that cause lost time, at a minimum
Waste: bar and kitchen:
• Lets you keep tabs on how staff are managing food and drink supplies
EVALUATION
24
“For employees to feel engaged, they need to feel like they’re a meaningful part
of your organization. They will work that much harder for you when they do.”
— Anne Mezei, HR Executive and Former
VP HR at St-Hubert BBQ Ltd
25. EVALUATION 25
Salaries and benefits
To attract and keep the best staff, you want to keep salaries and benefits in line with or higher than industry
standards in your region.
When thinking about wages, consider them as part of a larger package. High wages will attract good candi-
dates, but other factors are important too. A survey of over 17,000 employees ranked “Fair pay” as the fourth
most important reason for staying at their jobs. The top ranked reason was “Exciting work/challenge”.
Tip sharing/pooling/credits
To share or not to share your tips . . . generally a non-issue in Europe, but a sore spot for many North Amer-
ican establishments and a legal minefield across the US.
Practices have become so complex that several prominent lawsuits have been brought forward in the US.
Starbucks has found itself in and out of court for over five years over tip sharing practices in California, New
York, and Massachusetts.
In general, there are two important things to keep in mind, according to tip compliance software developer
John Marshall:
1. Never include any supervisor or staff member with supervisory responsibilities in any pool or sharing
arrangement.
2. Make sure all policies regarding tips, tip pooling and tip sharing are “recommended” and not mandatory
unless specifically approved by your state.
26. EVALUATION 26
The US National Restaurant Association provides advice on tipping regulations as well as free suggested
notice forms. Note that if you are claiming tip credits (any amount an employer reduces an employee’s
minimum wage due to tips), you are obligated by law to inform your employees.
If you want to keep staff loyal, be transparent and consistent about your tipping policies. Some will com-
plain about having to share tips. Whatever you decide, it’s important that you maintain an open dialogue
while staying true to your philosophy.
Promotions
Make sure you promote people with good leadership abilities. Good servers and cooks don’t automatically
make good managers. Skills such as initiative and good communications, along with how much pride and
ownership they show in the restaurant, are integral to management.
Trustworthiness is also a major factor. If promoting someone means they will handle the keys to your
restaurant, a slipup on their part could spell disaster.
Performance reviews
Regular meetings and good communication throughout the year means that annual formal performance
reviews should not bring up any surprises for your employees.
Document the reviews. Address all training points, expectations, and employee performance issues. This
is a great time to think about milestones. Were targets met? What concrete steps can be taken for future
improvement?
27. A high staff turnover rate is hard — hard on you, hard on your staff, and
hard on your bottom line. While employee turnover is an inevitable part
of the restaurant world, it doesn’t have to be a major burden. Use these
best practices to hire the right employees, and keep them engaged and
motivated. Not only will you free up more time for yourself, you’ll see
bigger profits, too.
CONCLUSION
27
28. At Lightspeed, we build end-to-end commerce solutions that restaurateurs
can use to build, manage and grow their businesses. Lightspeed is an
all-in-one point of sale, table management, and analytics platform for
restaurants of any size. With the right technology, restaurateurs can make
their customers happier, and make the world a more delicious place. More
than 22,000 businesses use Lightspeed’s tools to sell over $9 billion a year.
ABOUT LIGHTSPEED
Start your free trial.
Questions? Call us at 1-866-932-1801 or +32 9 221 22 20
28
29. 1. Bruce Grindy. “Economist’s Notebook: Hospitality employee turnover rose slightly in 2013,” National Restaurant
Association. March 20, 2014.
2. J Perez, and J Mirabella. “The Relationship Between Leadership Practices And Restaurant Employee Turnover,”
International Journal of Accounting Information Science & Leadership. Vol. 6: 18. Sep. 1, 2013.
3. Max Nisen. “How Chipotle transformed itself by upending its approach to management,” Quartz. Mar. 20, 2014.
4. Ken Burgin. “8 Ways to Improve Staff Management in 2014”. Weekly Newsletter. Profitablehospitality.com
5. Jasmin Sun. “How to Hire an Awesome Restaurant Staff, by Eddie Huang,” Food & Wine. January 28, 2013.
6. Jennifer Gregory. “Can’t We All Just Get Along?” QSR Magazine. February 2013.
7. Chris Chamberlain. “The Opening Of Husk Nashville: How To Hire A Staff That Gets It Right From Day 1,” foodrepublic.
com. April 3, 2013.
8. Janine Rowe. “Recruiting Students with Disabilities.” Rochester Institute of Technology. www.rit.edu/emcs/oce/
employer/recruiting-students-disabilities
9. Jeffrey Joseph and Kelly Donnelly. “Disability Employment in the Hospitality Industry: Human Resources Consider-
ations,” Cornell HR Review. Mar. 31, 2012.
10. Mai Nguyen. “Canada’s Best Employers 2015: How The Keg keeps its sizzle,” Canadian Business. Nov. 10, 2014.
11. Ken Burgin. “How to Run Affordable ‘20 Minute Training’ Sessions” Profitablehospitality.com
12. Mai Nguyen. “Canada’s Best Employers 2015: How The Keg keeps its sizzle,” Canadian Business. Nov. 10, 2014.
13. Geremy Glew. “How to Be More Successful with Kitchen Staff Recruitment,” Webinar replay. 2012.
14. Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans. “What Matters Most? A White Paper About Organizational Stay Factors,”
White Paper. Career Systems International & Jordan Evans Group. October 2012.
15. Caroline Fairchild. “Starbucks Workers Tips Suit Scores $14 Million Win Against Coffee Giant,” Huffington Post.
November 13, 2012.
16. John Marshall. “Tip Pooling Pros and Cons.” TipCompliance.com
SOURCES 29
30. OTHER RETAIL RESOURCES
The Most Advanced (and 100% Free) Restaurant
Marketing Guide Available on the Web
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Nine Reasons Why a Mobile Point of Sale is
Better for Your Restaurant
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Seven Tips for Crafting a Menu that Will
Help you Drive Sales
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