Honest Hospitality/ Service with Heart and Soul

Host / Greeter

The host is the first person and the last person your guest will encounter. But it’s not just the host – Everyone who is in the path of the guest arriving and departing should make eye contact and say hello, welcome, and goodbye and thank you, we appreciate you, etc.

The Host is so much more than just a person that seats and greets and takes reservations.

The Host should be friendly, outgoing, personable, and caring. Going above and beyond makes each guest feel welcomed and appreciated. This person should have great communication skills and handle high stress situations and think quick on their feet. Communication is always key especially when on a wait. Let’s face it when people are Hangry, it gets Harry. But if the host continues to keep the guest in the know, they will appreciate that and stay calm. If we misquoted or are having problems getting them down on time, communicate, apologize, offer them an appetizer while they wait or get them an appetizer when sat and thank them for their patience.

If the lobby is full, have the kitchen do a crowd pleaser/ appetizer. Have a server / bartender offer guests alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.

The host should also offer complimentary beverages to those who are waiting.

The person answering the phone should do so with a smile and with gratitude and enthusiasm. The phone should never ring more than twice. We have lots of employees who all should be trained on answering the phone and assist on taking to go orders when needed. Managers should have one of the cordless on them during slow times or when we are shorthanded.

When seating guests, we need to coach to be sensitive, flexible, and accommodating. We should not ever seat a single guest in a corner in a private room EVER. Our booths are small, we should be size sensitive. Autistic people shouldn’t be sat where it’s loud and crowded when possible. People with children should be given special attention. Sometimes to save a guest, we have to bump a guest – if someone is older or has little ones and someone else is patient and says things like we are in no hurry, then get the others down first. This is an art and the skill set of knowing how to read our guests, our rooms, and situations. Kind of like being in an ER and when they assess a patient. Sometimes we just have to bend the rules and have an open mind.

Call aheads and why they are more important than one might think – people are coming from a hospital where they were visiting a sick friend or relative. People had to pay a babysitter for a last-minute date night opportunity. Some people just aren’t planners but really want to be here. There are so many reasons and so many more ways to get butts in seats.

Bartender

The bartender is more than just someone who should be able to make a great cocktail and pour a cold beer. The bartender is the person a guest wants to chat with, share a joke or stories. A bartender should be outgoing, personable and a good listener. When busy we still need to slow down, look around, breathe, and smile. We can talk and work and clean at the same time.

Mis En Place – Everything has its place. A clean bar is a happy bar. When the bartenders give off positive vibes, people feel it and in return the bar is a good vibes environment. RCB’s bar was created to welcome our guests like family, a place where everybody knows your name. A place where nobody feels like a stranger. The bartender needs to stay calm, composed, and friendly always. The bartender is “on show” and all eyes are always on them. The RCB bartender cares about our guests and our teams. Greed can be a funny thing, be careful as it too is written all over your faces. If all the bartender cares about is how much their sales are they will never make their full potential. Bartenders should be careful not to judge a book by its cover, not to assume and be short and snappy. If you provide good service, if you make eye contact, make recommendations, take time with your guests, listen to your guest, are timely, proficient, and efficient, the money will come, and the guests will come back. Bartenders should not throw things, clang things, slam things down, etc. Bartenders should always be looking towards your guests, no backs to guests except when having to use register and get something from shelf or waiting on outside bar area. RCB’s bar was built in the center of the dining room, it was created to be the heart/ center of the restaurant and create a safe place for our community. We card, we create, we care. Integrity – all drinks need to be rang in immediately and accounted for, Honesty – be honest, when you forget something, make a mistake, break something, etc. Honesty gets rewarded over hiding things.

Do the right thing, do good things, do better things. Be accountable, Be dependable, Be reliable, Be consistent, Be professional, Be a team player, Be a good person, Be a person you would want your person to be. Respecting our things – things cost money, without things, you can’t do things, make things, have things. Be the bartender who people talk about – RCB bartenders make amazing and creative things. RCB bartenders get people talking. Let’s make sure they are talking you up in a good way.

Servers

RCB servers care and it’s written all over their faces. We aren’t order takers; we are wow makers. Greeting your guests should be within two minutes tops, but if you are in your section, take the minutes to let them know you see them, you care and you will be right with them. Make eye contact, listen, write your order down and repeat it back to them. Knowledge is power, if you shy away from things like wine and bourbon, you will only reach your minimum potential. Know what products we have and offer upsells and add ons. Steady your wine and cocktail menu. An RCB server cares and is exciting celebrating occasions and first timers. It’s a big deal and if you make it a big deal, they will remember you. Know the specials, make recommendations, not always the same recommendations as we have a large menu of incredible things. Invite your families in, see if you can help them make their next reservation, answer the phones, help take to go order and seat our guests. Cocktail the lobby if you have time, more sales, more opportunities. Read your table, help your guests, get the kids fruit or crackers while they are waiting, surprise them with a complimentary bread or add on side, just make sure a manager knows what you want to do. If we are on waits or it’s late, they are hungry, don’t make them wait on you. Keep their table clean and welcoming, wipe down their table with a folded linen onto a plate. Never drop a check on a dirty table and without making sure they don’t want dessert or an after-dinner drink or coffee. Never make our guests feel rushed or ignored.

Food Runner and SA’s

Don’t just drop the food off, talk to the table, let people know what’s in your hand on your way to another table when they are looking. Follow the check/ pivot point, please don’t auction of their food. Place the plates down softly, announcing what you are delivering. Be enthusiastic and caring. If you see something you can remove or refill or get do so. Observe the table for appetizer plates, condiments, steak knives, soup spoons, forks, etc. If you don’t see them, get them and stop and see if there’s anything they need to enjoy their food. Pre bus the tables around you, get out there with pitchers and refill their beverages. If you notice a table with no drinks on them stop by to see if their server has been to them yet, if not ask if you can bring them some water or tea to get them started. If a guest asks you where the restroom is, walk them to the restroom, don’t just point. Guests have the right of way – always stop and let them pass. If you see a guest drop their linen, bring them a folded new one. There are so many ways for you to wow our Guests and make a difference. When cleaning the table, use a tray, please don’t claw the glasses. Please wipe crumbs/ particles onto the tray, not the floor. Please wipe the table and chairs down as well as the sides of salt and pepper shakers and candle holders. If there’s a highchair, please wipe it down thoroughly and take it back to where it goes. Please sweep the floors and under the tables. Get out there, use your charisma and charm and have fun, it will be noticed.