The grand opening of your brand-new restaurant is coming up quickly. So, it’s about time to prepare your staff for what to expect. They likely already have experience at other dining establishments, but every restaurant has its own policies. Training your staff adequately helps your grand opening go off without a hitch. You can make sure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to service standards, dress code, and knowledge of the menu. It’s also a great time to go over any emergency safety protocols. The lead-up to your grand opening will likely involve a lot of chaos, but keep in mind that it takes time to work out the kinks and really nail a streamlined work process. Here’s how you can prepare your new restaurant staff for the grand opening.
Ensure that all employees are well trained when it comes to kitchen equipment.
Running a commercial kitchen requires ample knowledge. If you want your staff to provide the best service, you’ll want to make sure that everyone knows how to operate the restaurant equipment safely and knows where to find all necessary kitchen supplies. This is especially necessary if you’re using new equipment in the kitchen. If you are looking for the best choice for restaurant equipment Tacoma has to offer, check out The Restaurant Warehouse. Whether you need a commercial refrigerator, freezer, oven, or prep table, you’ll find it all at The Restaurant Warehouse. Make sure that all of your employees are familiar with the equipment and know the best ways to operate it all safely and efficiently.
Go over the employee handbook and basic policies.
It’s important to go over the employee handbook and any basic policies before the grand opening. While you may have been practicing these throughout the weeks leading up to it as well as during the soft opening, it’s important to make sure that all of your employees are on the same page. It never hurts to refresh the policies. For example, your restaurant employees likely need to follow a dress code. Plenty of restaurants require employees to wear black jeans. Blue denim might seem a bit too casual depending on your restaurant, but black denim is a good medium. Make sure to go over whether certain accessories can be worn. Casual restaurants may not need these rules, but upscale restaurants might provide accessories as part of the uniform. This step also involves briefly going over policies like paid time off, attendance, phone usage, worker’s comp, or medical leave.
Talk about safety and proper food handling.
Before the grand opening of your new restaurant, it’s important to discuss injuries, worker’s comp, fire safety, first aid, and navigating emergencies in general. There should be specific protocols in place for handling safety and injuries in the kitchen as well as the dining room. Make sure that everyone knows the location of the nearest fire extinguisher as well as the nearest exit.
Discuss front-end and customer-facing tasks.
Running your restaurant will also require your employees to handle any customer-facing tasks. This is a great time to quickly go over any other POS training and product knowledge. Your waitstaff should be familiar with the menu from front to back and learn how to make suggestions for dietary restrictions or allergies. You can detail any policies regarding customer service as well to ensure that your restaurant staff knows how to handle any situation. Make sure you let them know that you’re there to support them throughout what will be an overwhelming night.
The restaurant industry can be difficult to work in at times, but you can help your staff prepare for the grand opening of your restaurant through these simple steps.
