Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D.

Articles by
Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D.

Page 5
Workforce

Do I have a say in where I get food safety certified?

The short answer is yes, says Advice Guy, though you will want to check with your local health department first.

Workforce

I’ve done everything I can think of to retain cooks. Why am I still having issues?

Advice Guy: Labor challenges in restaurants are not going away. It might be time to think about ways to streamline your operation with a smaller team.

Advice Guy: By bowing to a few loud guests, you may end up alienating many more.

Advice Guy: Restaurant guests feel very loyal to operations—and that’s great. But part of that loyalty is that there may be a backlash to any little change.

Fringe benefits represent the costs of an employee beyond their wages, which might include Medicare tax, paid sick days and healthcare, says Advice Guy.

Advice Guy: Since so many operations are seeking cooks, talented ones can practically choose their gig and may look for better circumstances elsewhere. But a few straightforward strategies can help restaurants keep the cooks they have.

Advice Guy: Ensuring your training, documentation and policies are clear to staff is a good place to start.

Advice Guy: Yes, operators in some states are able to take payments from Electronic Benefit Transfer cards.

Advice Guy: As prices for just about everything increase, the processing fees from credit cards is looking more onerous. Should a restaurant owner charge those customers extra?

Advice Guy: While you may be justified in disciplining your employees, their overzealous comping could point to bigger problems in your systems, management and oversight.

Advice Guy: As restaurants struggle with staffing, some servers might not receive hospitality training, resulting in insensitive or annoying language that can also inhibit sales.

Advice Guy: Earned wage access isn’t right for every operation. However, if the idea is appealing to your current and prospective employees, it's worth exploring.

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