You are in the business of serving customers, right? Well… sort of. While it’s true that your restaurant can’t be successful without delivering exceptional service, if that service doesn’t also generate sales, you’re not going to last long. If you want to increase your profits, try going back to the fundamental principle of restaurant profitability: to sell is to serve and to serve is to sell. Sales and service are categorically connected – you can’t have one without the other.
Restaurant Profitability Basics
To give your restaurant profitability a boost, return to these basics of restaurant service and sales.
Servers are salespeople. The amount of money they earn is directly linked to the price tag of what they deliver to guests. The more they sell, the more they make. Think of it like this: Service is the handle, sales is the pump. It takes both to keep the water running. Great service is what creates positive word of mouth and repeat visits for the restaurant, but it’s sales that keeps the restaurant open and servers employed.
Training is a process, not an event. Servers don’t usually walk into their role knowing how to sell. You have to train them. Waitstaff sales training encompasses skills such as product knowledge, using the right words, making helpful suggestions, and selling add-ons and extras. Use the basics of employee training to develop a program that has an impact on restaurant profitability in the long term.
It costs more to attract new guests than it does to sell to existing ones. Customer loyalty studies tell us that It costs six times more to attract a new guest than it does to keep an old one. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to gain new guests – you definitely should. Just be sure you’re not ignoring your regulars and when you do get new guests in the door, have a focused plan to get them to come back again, with their friends!
Online Waitstaff Sales Training
Need help training your servers to increase restaurant profitability? Our Service & Sales Excellence Waitstaff Training Series is based on the Service That Sells!, a restaurant training philosophy developed by restaurant owners for restaurant owners. Click here to learn more about our restaurant training program delivered on the powerful trainingGrid® learning management system.
