Restaurant ownership is hectic around the clock. From planning to open up your first small business to actually handling the day-to-day demands of the venture, you know how time-consuming, fast-paced and volatile the restaurant industry is. You’ve got a lot on your plate, and you need to make constant, quick decisions about what deserves your attention the most.
At the top of the chain of command, there’s no need to sweat the small stuff. Part of your job is knowing where your attention belongs. Don’t take on jobs like inventory, clearing tables or running the bar: All of that should be delegated to junior employees.
Understanding the delicate ins and outs of your business means learning how to do every job in the restaurant (and what value each position contributes) even though you won’t actually perform these tasks on a day-to-day basis. Supervisors need to know what to look for so they can monitor employees’ progress and make informed decisions regarding workforce management, budgeting and more. Hire more competent candidates who you can trust to handle the restaurant in your absence, so you can focus on the priorities that require an owner’s touch.
An Owner’s Duties
If you’re not working the floor, back in the kitchens or training your managers, what should you be doing? Now you know how not to spend your time, and that’s because there are plenty of jobs that only the head of the chain of command can address. For example:
Budgeting. You need to stay on top of your books to know how the business is doing and make appropriate changes depending on what you see. That means learning not just to read numbers, but analyze them too. Invest in superior technology like the Point of Sale powered by eatOS and get automatic reporting features that run sales data for you, so you can quickly and easily address areas of the business that need improvement as well as recognize what’s going well.
Establish goals and how to reach them. Set out expectations to give everyone guidelines to follow and reach their collective potential. This is especially useful for restaurateurs seeking to scale eventually, as they can see their own progress and determine if they’re prepared for the financial and mental strain of a second venue. eatOS technologies streamline operations, cut expenses and improve sales so you have a bigger safety net to experiment with a new concept, menu or marketing strategy.
Lead by example. Show your management team how to hold the reigns when you’re not around or otherwise occupied. If they approach your junior staff with the same open communication and mentor-like relationship as you show management, workplace morale will naturally grow as your team evolves more and more into a tight-knit unit all focused on the restaurant’s success.
The Many Hats of Restaurant Ownership
When you delegate lesser tasks to junior employees where they belong, you free up your own time to focus on the restaurant’s branding, long-term direction, reputation and overall profitability. Taking time to plot out where you want your restaurant to grow gives you some clarity when making day to day decisions. Checkpoints can also be motivation in and of themselves: You’ll know you’re headed in the right direction when you’re making a certain amount of money each quarter, so when the day comes when you’re steadily profitable, celebrate with a special dinner promotion or by solidifying a plan to scale the business.
When you draw clear distinctions between each role, you strengthen the authority of the whole chain of command. This guarantees greater productivity and guides your ultimate success. Establishing each role’s duties can coexist with a mentor-like management style and reciprocal respect; these aren’t mutually exclusive concepts. Improve long-term profits with a clearer idea of your role as an owner and where everyone stands in the business.
The long-term direction of your restaurant relies on your clear understanding of what’s going on on the floor, how the business is doing overall and what trends are currently affecting the industry as a whole. Strengthen your role as an owner and watch your business naturally flourish as a result. Learn how advanced technology can help your restaurant rise to greatness with better communication, cutting-edge analytical software and more when you book a demo with eatOS.
