Where Did Summer Go? Time to Get Back Into the Routine

Where did summer go?

It feels like we were just getting ready for Memorial Day weekend, talking about summer staffing, getting ready for patio season, and trying to figure out how we were going to get everyone through another busy summer. Now, somehow, we're already in September and the kids are back in school, vacations are winding down, and we're starting to see the holiday season sitting there on the horizon.

If you've spent any amount of time in the restaurant business, you know how quickly summer can get away from you. Between employees taking vacations, constantly changing schedules, call-outs, busy weekends, outdoor dining, and everything else that comes with running a restaurant, sometimes you're simply focused on getting through the day and making it to the next one.

And that's okay. That's part of the business.

But now that summer is winding down, I think this is one of the best times of the year to take a step back, catch your breath, and get back into a routine.

September Is a Great Time for a Reset

One thing I've learned after spending countless years in the restaurant business is how easy it is to get caught up in the day-to-day. You're dealing with staffing issues, ordering, guest concerns, sales, labor, maintenance, and a hundred other things that seem to come up throughout the week. Before you know it, you're spending all of your time putting out fires instead of working on the things that can actually make the restaurant better.

That's why I like this time of year. September gives us an opportunity to reset and take a fresh look at the operation. It's a good time to ask ourselves what's working, what's not working, and what we've been putting off because we were simply too busy to get to it.

Maybe your manager meetings haven't been as consistent as you'd like. Maybe some of your checklists have fallen by the wayside, training has taken a back seat, or you haven't been reviewing your labor and food costs as closely as you normally would. Maybe there is a project you've been saying, "We'll get to that after summer."

Well, summer is here and gone.

It's time to get to it.

Getting Back to the Basics

Getting back into a routine doesn't mean you need to completely change the way you operate your restaurant. In fact, sometimes the biggest improvements come from getting back to the basics and making sure the things you already have in place are actually being followed consistently.

Take some time with your management team and review your daily and weekly routines. Are opening and closing procedures being completed properly? Are managers communicating with each other? Are pre-shift meetings happening? Are employees being held accountable for side work and cleaning? Are you reviewing labor throughout the week instead of waiting until the end of the week to see what happened?

These things might not be the most exciting parts of running a restaurant, but they are the foundation of a successful operation. When the basics are done well and consistently, everything else becomes a little easier.

And Then There's the Holidays...

I know it may seem a little early to start talking about the holidays, but if you've been in this business long enough, you know how quickly they sneak up on you.

One minute you're talking about summer business, and the next you're trying to figure out Thanksgiving staffing, holiday parties, Christmas specials, New Year's Eve plans, and everything else that comes with the busiest time of the year.

That's why now is the time to start thinking about it.

Take a look at your staffing and figure out where the gaps are going to be. Think about who on your team has really stepped up this year and who might be ready for additional responsibility. If you know you are going to need to hire, start looking now rather than waiting until November when everyone else is looking for the same employees.

The same goes for your holiday menu and specials. Start thinking about what you want to offer, what worked last year, and what didn't. Maybe there are popular seasonal dishes you want to bring back, or perhaps there is an opportunity to introduce a new cocktail, special menu, or holiday promotion. You don't need to have everything finalized right now, but having the conversations early gives you time to make thoughtful decisions instead of making decisions because you're running out of time.

Don't Forget About Your Numbers

September is also a great time to sit down and really look at the financial side of the business. Sales are important, but they don't tell the entire story.

Take a look at your labor, food cost, average check, guest counts, and menu mix. Look at the items that are selling well and the ones that aren't. Are your most popular items also some of your most profitable? Are you scheduling based on your actual sales patterns, or are you simply scheduling the way you've always done it?

Most importantly, ask yourself whether the restaurant is actually making the money it should be making.

Sometimes the answer is yes, and that's great. Other times, you might find a few areas that need some attention. The good news is that you still have time to make adjustments before the end of the year.

A Chance to Reset

I think we sometimes put too much emphasis on January 1st. We tell ourselves that January is when we're going to make changes, set new goals, create a new budget, improve our systems, and start fresh.

But why wait?

There are still several months left in the year, and there is plenty of time to make a meaningful impact on your restaurant. You can improve your team's performance, tighten up your systems, improve the guest experience, reduce unnecessary costs, and put yourself in a much better position heading into the new year.

The work you do now can also make January a lot easier. Instead of spending the first few weeks of the new year trying to figure out what went wrong, you can start the year with a plan already in place.

At Plate & Prosper, we believe that improving a restaurant doesn't always mean reinventing the wheel. Sometimes it means taking a step back, identifying the opportunities that are right in front of you, and getting your team focused on doing the right things consistently.

As we head into the final few months of the year, this is a great time to reset, get organized, and start looking ahead. The holidays will be here before we know it, and the restaurants that take the time to prepare now will be in a much better position when the busy season arrives.

Smart Strategy. Sweet Results.