As we know, Christmas time is a busy season for restaurants all around Canada. Since fewer restaurants are open during the holidays, there are chances of more customers coming in than usual. Do you know which problems Restaurants face during this busy season?
To deal with more customers coming in, restaurants need to be prepared to deal with many components to give the customers the promised quality of service and proceed with smooth operations.
Staff Planning – Top Tips for Managing Your Team!
Planning the staff rotation is essential since the staff is also looking forward to celebrating the holidays with their families. Due to this reason, many times there’s a shortage of staff during the holiday season that disrupts the operations flow.
The first thing that Restaurants can do to manage their staff duties is planning a rotation where each member of the staff gets a few extra hours off during the holidays. This will contribute to a healthy relationship and open ways of better initiatives from the staff in next year’s holiday season.
Secondly, Restaurants can offer the staff overtime bonuses to incentivise their extra efforts of working during the holidays. Additionally, they can be promised a generous Christmas bonus, if they work these extra hours making ways for a win-win situation during this time. This will help Restaurants be mindful of the fact that the staff has family back at home and its essential that they get to spend time with their loved ones as well.
Another possibility is to hire Interns from Hospitality schools to fill in during this time on freelance. There are many people who are looking for some extra experience and what better way to utilize the busy season than initiating a program where both parties benefit.
Inventory Management – How to Keep Your Must-Haves in Stock
During the holiday season, supply disruptions are a common occurrence. With many distributors/suppliers closed or on early closures, restaurants end up facing challenges to keep supplies in stock.
There are many categories to look at when planning Inventory & Supplies for the holiday season. Firstly, its essential to have staple food items ready that you will require during this season to fulfill demand. We recommend you stock up on high demand products like Bulk Pasta, different varieties of Cheese, Chicken, Meat, Fresh Vegetables, Bulk Napkins & many more food items as per demand at your Restaurant.
When looking where to shop during this season, A1 Cash & Carry will be open at special hours during the holidays. If time is a challenge, you can simply order online through our website or through Instacart for same day delivery. You can also book an In-store pickup from our Mississauga - Kennedy store.
Christmas Decorations – Why Ornaments Make All the Difference!
It wouldn’t do justice to Christmas if your ambiance doesn’t reflect the Christmas spirit. It’s essential that your restaurant has the right decorations and ornaments that give a welcoming feeling that keeps your customers right at the center of their holiday sentiments.
You would want to start by adding in a Christmas tree in a corner. The tree must fit the aesthetic of the restaurant in terms of size and look. Next, start with decorating the Christmas tree with different holiday ornaments. Make sure that you place a red/maroon mat around the tree, so your space looks utilized and gives off a festive feel to the customers.
If your restaurant has a fireplace, don’t forget to decorate it with more Christmas ornaments. You can either place decorative presents near the fireplace or keep a few items to give away to customers in competition.
Streamline Operations – Stay Ahead of the Chaos
The most important component of running a restaurant during the holiday season is to ensure a smooth flow of operations, especially when the restaurant gets crowded. There can be many unanticipated challenges during the holidays and with proper planning, the customers can have a pleasant experience as usual.
· Taking reservations in advance: This will help in differentiating between the booked tables & the tables to be left for walk-in customers. It helps in managing time slots to know when there will be a surge in customers.
· Setting a time limit to a table: This will help deal more customers as sometimes customers take more time than usual, resulting in a loss of business for the restaurant.
Holiday Music – Holiday Magic Starts with the Right Music
The music that plays in your restaurant plays an integral role in determining the overall mood of the restaurant in general. All restaurants have a separate playlist for the holiday season as the music, here are some must haves that will make your Holiday season playlist merrier than ever before:
- "All I Want For Christmas Is You," by Mariah Carey
- "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," by Brenda Lee
- "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!," by Dean Martin
- "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," by Andy Williams"
- "A Holly Jolly Christmas. A Holly Jolly Christmas," by Burl Ives
- "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," by Judy Garland
We sincerely hope you add these songs to your holiday playlist, and we would love it more if you call it “A1 Holiday Season Playlist”
Holiday Takeout Done Right
During holiday season, handling Delivery & Takeout orders can become a massive challenge as the walk-in customers are already utilizing the space and the resources of the restaurant.
It’s recommended to take orders for Delivery & Takeout in advance which will help in managing operations.
Another recommendation is to allocate a separate space for delivery/takeout pickups, so the restaurant doesn’t get too crowded for the staff to manage.
Conclusion
The holiday season is a great time for any restaurant to utilize and maximize on their sales. If managed properly, your business can earn you more money in this busy season than an entire month.
By taking notes of the shared ideas and pointers, you too can promise your customers a wholesome experience and offer a great service at a time when people are looking for great options to eat. Happy Holidays!
