Comments for O'Dell Restaurant Consulting Blog http://blog.bodellconsulting.com Articles, conversations and Q&As for current and future restaurant owners and food service professionals. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:40:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on Pricing food - Why you’re doing it wrong and how to fix it by Dave C. http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/2008/06/26/pricing-food-why-youre-doing-it-wrong-and-how-to-fix-it/#comment-190 Dave C. Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:35:17 +0000 http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/?p=58#comment-190 Great advice all...as a management consultant with many restaurant clients in the U.S. and Canada, too few owners want to take the time to do plate costing and portion controls let alone waste/inventory controls...and one constant fault they make is thinking cost mark up is done by multiplying the food cost by the % vs. dividing by the reciprocal...you leave money on the table the first way! Great advice all…as a management consultant with many restaurant clients in the U.S. and Canada, too few owners want to take the time to do plate costing and portion controls let alone waste/inventory controls…and one constant fault they make is thinking cost mark up is done by multiplying the food cost by the % vs. dividing by the reciprocal…you leave money on the table the first way!

]]> Comment on Quick tips - Update your menu often by admin http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/2008/10/30/quick-tips-update-your-menu-often/#comment-188 admin Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:35:26 +0000 http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/?p=66#comment-188 It's both, assuming you are already at a breakeven or better. There are no additional expenses in the second scenario, so every additional dollar goes to profit. It’s both, assuming you are already at a breakeven or better.

There are no additional expenses in the second scenario, so every additional dollar goes to profit.

]]> Comment on Quick tips - Update your menu often by Jerry http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/2008/10/30/quick-tips-update-your-menu-often/#comment-187 Jerry Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:08:44 +0000 http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/?p=66#comment-187 Is that $1609 profit or an increase in revenue? Is that $1609 profit or an increase in revenue?

]]> Comment on Do’s and don’ts for startup restaurants - vol. 3 by MasterChef Consulting http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/2008/03/23/dos-and-donts-for-startup-restaurants-vol-3/#comment-186 MasterChef Consulting Fri, 12 Dec 2008 08:09:12 +0000 http://bodellconsulting.wordpress.com/2008/03/23/dos-and-donts-for-startup-restaurants-vol-3/#comment-186 So many great thoughts here. One in particular...take a weekly inventory...is so very important. If there are any cost issuses related to food I want to know as soon as possible. Doing only a month end inventory means that by the time the month end financials are complete we are 1-3 days into the next month. If there is a problem that arises in the first week of the month and I do not have complete paper work relating to food inventory and cost until the first week of the next month then the problem has had 4 weeks to grow and cost the operation money. Not doing weekly inventory means that I am not being accountable and responsible in my job. Unemployment benefits is another area of concern. I also have experience with what is required by the Compass/Chartwells Group and other companies that layout guide lines to handle this. There is a very good reason for keeping accurate records of disciplinary actions and how they are handled. They best run operations....all of them...use a bidding process as you describe. Most vendors, if asked, can also give you a decending dollar report. Some may not be very happy to do so becasue this gives an item by item total of where your money is going starting with whatever you spend the most on. I could not in anyway say that as a Chef I was being responsible and accountable for the owner if I was not using a bidding process. I do agree with bodellconsulting that in the real world restaurants must have in place systems that eliminate the need to trust the salespersons. Day in and day out, as stated here, most purveyors do not have my best interest in mind, especially if they have reason to believe that I am not paying attention and being responsible. And yes....find a way to reward your staff. Keep them interested and show them you care. Give them a reason to come to work besides that pay check. I am responsible for setting up a work place that not only our guests look forward to having dinner in, but that employees want to be part of. I find that when my staff is rewarded and/or recognized and appreciated then I have a restaurant where people want to come to work and be part of our team. I have seen several studies that list the number one reason guests, ladies in particular, will not return to a restaurant is dirty restrooms. And yes, a clean or dirty restroom is an indication about how you keep the rest of you building. So many great thoughts here. One in particular…take a weekly inventory…is so very important. If there are any cost issuses related to food I want to know as soon as possible. Doing only a month end inventory means that by the time the month end financials are complete we are 1-3 days into the next month. If there is a problem that arises in the first week of the month and I do not have complete paper work relating to food inventory and cost until the first week of the next month then the problem has had 4 weeks to grow and cost the operation money. Not doing weekly inventory means that I am not being accountable and responsible in my job.

Unemployment benefits is another area of concern. I also have experience with what is required by the Compass/Chartwells Group and other companies that layout guide lines to handle this. There is a very good reason for keeping accurate records of disciplinary actions and how they are handled.

They best run operations….all of them…use a bidding process as you describe. Most vendors, if asked, can also give you a decending dollar report. Some may not be very happy to do so becasue this gives an item by item total of where your money is going starting with whatever you spend the most on. I could not in anyway say that as a Chef I was being responsible and accountable for the owner if I was not using a bidding process. I do agree with bodellconsulting that in the real world restaurants must have in place systems that eliminate the need to trust the salespersons. Day in and day out, as stated here, most purveyors do not have my best interest in mind, especially if they have reason to believe that I am not paying attention and being responsible.

And yes….find a way to reward your staff. Keep them interested and show them you care. Give them a reason to come to work besides that pay check. I am responsible for setting up a work place that not only our guests look forward to having dinner in, but that employees want to be part of. I find that when my staff is rewarded and/or recognized and appreciated then I have a restaurant where people want to come to work and be part of our team.

I have seen several studies that list the number one reason guests, ladies in particular, will not return to a restaurant is dirty restrooms. And yes, a clean or dirty restroom is an indication about how you keep the rest of you building.

]]> Comment on Are you overloading your kitchen stations? by admin http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/2008/05/30/are-you-overloading-your-kitchen-stations/#comment-185 admin Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:16:19 +0000 http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/?p=56#comment-185 I appreciate the compliments and the positive feedback Chef. Feel free to add your own experiences or anything else to any post you feel would enrich the conversation. The more conversation we inspire, the better for everyone. I appreciate the compliments and the positive feedback Chef. Feel free to add your own experiences or anything else to any post you feel would enrich the conversation. The more conversation we inspire, the better for everyone.

]]> Comment on How can I make my employees accountable? by MasterChef Consulting http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/2008/05/03/how-can-i-make-my-employees-accountable/#comment-184 MasterChef Consulting Fri, 12 Dec 2008 06:56:41 +0000 http://bodellconsulting.wordpress.com/?p=48#comment-184 Right on the money. As a chef/owner I must set the expectations and then follow up. That lack of accountability in some operations, as noted by Inez, is a huge problem. It is imperative that we establish the expectations and as you state, treat everyone as equal in regard to what is expexted and being accountable. And yes, there are times that I have to make a move and release someone....but to do or say nothing will undermind everything that we are trying to accomplish. If I do or say nothing when there is a problem, then I am as good as saying that there is no problem and that not being accountable and responsible is ok. Right on the money. As a chef/owner I must set the expectations and then follow up. That lack of accountability in some operations, as noted by Inez, is a huge problem. It is imperative that we establish the expectations and as you state, treat everyone as equal in regard to what is expexted and being accountable. And yes, there are times that I have to make a move and release someone….but to do or say nothing will undermind everything that we are trying to accomplish. If I do or say nothing when there is a problem, then I am as good as saying that there is no problem and that not being accountable and responsible is ok.

]]> Comment on Pricing food - Why you’re doing it wrong and how to fix it by MasterChef Consulting http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/2008/06/26/pricing-food-why-youre-doing-it-wrong-and-how-to-fix-it/#comment-183 MasterChef Consulting Fri, 12 Dec 2008 06:34:05 +0000 http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/?p=58#comment-183 Great Stuff....So many owners/chefs that I meet do not know exactly what their food cost is...let alone what their gross profit is on a specific menu item. Tools that we use such as accurate recipe costing sheets and standard recipe sheets for the cooks do not exist in many operations. The answer that is often heard is that "I do not have time". I also use Excel based spread sheets and Excel based recipe cost sheets to keep on top of menu pricing. A very large percentage of recipe costing sheets that I am shown are not current. I am responsible for the success of my operation and learned a long time ago that it was not always ok to do something a certain way because "that's the way it was always done". Sometimes I wonder how much time is spent in school on the importantence of maintaining accurate records of recipes and menu item cost. Great article. Great Stuff….So many owners/chefs that I meet do not know exactly what their food cost is…let alone what their gross profit is on a specific menu item. Tools that we use such as accurate recipe costing sheets and standard recipe sheets for the cooks do not exist in many operations. The answer that is often heard is that “I do not have time”. I also use Excel based spread sheets and Excel based recipe cost sheets
to keep on top of menu pricing. A very large percentage of recipe costing sheets that I am shown are not current. I am responsible for the success of my operation and learned a long time ago that it was not always ok to do something a certain way because “that’s the way it was always done”. Sometimes I wonder how much time is spent in school on the importantence of maintaining accurate records of recipes and menu item cost. Great article.

]]> Comment on Do’s and don’ts for startup restaurants - vol. 2 by MasterChef Consulting http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/2008/03/19/dos-and-donts-for-startup-restaurants-vol-2/#comment-182 MasterChef Consulting Fri, 12 Dec 2008 05:24:08 +0000 http://bodellconsulting.wordpress.com/?p=29#comment-182 Brandon, You undersatnd so well how difficult it is to get a chef/owner to take an item off the menu that has not been selling well and how important it is to keep a menu right sized. As you stated, we cannot and should not try to be everything for everyone. Bigger is not always better. Thanks, MasterChef Brandon,

You undersatnd so well how difficult it is to get a chef/owner to take an item off the menu that has not been selling well and how important it is to keep a menu right sized. As you stated, we cannot and should not try to be everything for everyone. Bigger is not always better.

Thanks,

MasterChef

]]> Comment on Are you overloading your kitchen stations? by MasterChef Consulting http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/2008/05/30/are-you-overloading-your-kitchen-stations/#comment-181 MasterChef Consulting Fri, 12 Dec 2008 05:05:16 +0000 http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/?p=56#comment-181 Brandon, Your articles on manageable menus, overloading kitchen stations and pricing for gross profit are some of the best I have seen. Many restaurants/bars that are having financial issuses would do well to read and apply what you have written. Thanks, MasterChef Brandon,
Your articles on manageable menus, overloading kitchen stations and pricing for gross profit are some of the best I have seen. Many restaurants/bars that are having financial issuses would do well to read and apply what you have written.

Thanks,

MasterChef

]]> Comment on The biggest mistakes restaurants make, and why they have a high failure rate by Ria http://blog.bodellconsulting.com/2008/03/29/the-biggest-mistakes-restaurants-make-and-why-they-have-a-high-failure-rate/#comment-179 Ria Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:13:07 +0000 http://bodellconsulting.wordpress.com/?p=34#comment-179 Hi, great read. Just preparing a feasibility study for a (hotel) restaurant and some of this was sort of known, however this makes things clear. Seems so logical afterwards. Knowing potential is there is different to proving to investors though. Hi, great read. Just preparing a feasibility study for a (hotel) restaurant and some of this was sort of known, however this makes things clear. Seems so logical afterwards. Knowing potential is there is different to proving to investors though.

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