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We've all experienced it - asking a waiter or waitress a simple question about the menu, only for them to reply, "I don't know, I'll go and check." Although they are seeking a solution, it can be frustrating, can't it?
Ensuring your team know your menu inside out is key to delivering a quality service. It demonstrates professionalism, it speeds up processes and helps with guest engagement. If your staff have learned every dish, they can answer guest questions at the table instead of rushing to the kitchen. It also enables them to make personal recommendations and spot errors with dishes. For instance, if a chef forgets to garnish a dish with a side salad, that dish can be put right before reaching the diner's table.
There are a few tricks you can use to help your team memorise the menu, including:
Keep it simple - Keep your menu short and sweet, as it will make it much easier for your staff to learn.
Print copies of your menu - Print photocopies of the menu for your team to take home, learn and make notes on.
Taste - Recommendations will be difficult for your team to make if they haven't tried any of the food. So, as part of their training, organise a day when your team get to sample each dish and encourage them to make notes on their photocopies.
Type it out - If some members of your team are really struggling to remember the dishes, typing out the short and long description of each dish can really help.
Quiz - Test your team's knowledge of your menu by organising a small quiz. Just don't forget a prize for the winner!
