Waiter Training Newsletter

Expeditors!

What can one say about expeditors?  They're absolutely necessary to a successful restaurant business - that's what I can say.  The difference between a smooth crazy-busy shift and a rocky crazy-busy shift is the expo - given that all other necessary positions are adequately filled, etc.  I'm convinced of it because of my experience and what I've observed.

Some restaurants choose to put a kitchen staff member on the expo line; others have established a routine whereby all the servers take turns being the expo.  I'm a fan of either; and I think that part of training of a new server should be a shift or more as an expo.  It's a great way to learn the food!

I've heard some managers and owners say they can't afford an expo.  If you establish a stellar expeditor routine, you may find that you can save money.  A good expo will catch dishes that are prepared incorrectly and prevent Server Bob from taking Server Sharon's special order of the pasta primavera.  Both situations will save money if those dishes aren't taken to the table.  The expo makes sure the right dish goes to the right guest by giving a wrong dish back to the line to be prepared correctly.  You can see the obvious savings of dollars here.

A quality expo also instills confidence and calm among all staff; Server Jill comes back to find her order ready to run and there are, in fact, no tomatoes on Mrs. Smith's salad, as requested.  The order for this particular table will go out in a timely fashion, thereby executing a quicker turn of a table in Jill's section.

You might also reduce the unfortunate friction between the front-of-house and back-of-house staffs.  The expo is the person who will address the line in the event of a wrong dish, whether it is incorrectly prepared or just simply looks unacceptable to be served to your guest.  The expo is like the mediator who translates and understands both sides and manages to make them both feel better about the other.

Could an expeditor really make things that much easier?  Could it be that simple?  Try it and find out!  Let me know what happens - I feel confident that an excellent expeditor will bring you more success.

Training and information is the key!  Contact Susie at Waiter Training, either by phone or email.  The business number is 720.203.4615, and email address is Susie@waiter-training.com.  Web address is http://www.waiter-training.com.

 

Excellence is an act won by training and habituation.
We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence,
but rather we have those because we have acted rightly.
We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.
                                                                                - Aristotle

 

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