The Demand
Tomorrow, identify one moment where a Guest currently has to advocate for themselves to get basic care in your operation — asking twice for a fork, flagging someone for a refill, wondering if the kitchen will accommodate a simple ask. Fix that moment at the standard level, not as a one-off apology. Then look at your current cast incentives: are you rewarding behaviors or only outcomes? Decide which one you are actually building a culture around.
The Work
The moment where a Guest currently has to negotiate or advocate for basic care in your building:
Whose problem was this really — the Guest’s, or an internal staffing issue the Guest should never have felt:
Do you currently run any contests that reward a single top performer — name them:
Contest 1:
What behavior does it actually train the cast to do:
Contest 2 (if applicable):
What behavior does it actually train the cast to do:
Are you rewarding behaviors — genuine engagement, remembering a name, anticipating a need — or only outcomes like sales numbers:
The one contest or policy you will kill, change, or replace this week to reward hospitality instead of transactions:
44 years. 200+ independent operators coached. 34 restaurants opened from scratch.
I work with restaurant operators who know something is wrong and are ready to find out what it actually is — and with leaders who are ready to build something that lasts.
The complete framework is in my new book: The Operator’s Playbook
Call or text: +1-817-797-2929 Email: Jeffrey@JeffreySummers.com
