It’s been months of traveling for us at INSIDE F&B. We’ve been bouncing around the globe searching out f&b stories for you – we’ve been to Mexico, New Orleans and more. And the one thing we’ve seen is that service standards are so variable. Some places good, some, well…not so much. And not necessarily where you’d expect it to be good or bad (though kudos to Echo in Palm Beach, Florida – www.echopalmbeach.com – where everything was absolutely on point but of course, given who’s running the show there, we expected nothing but excellence. And they delivered.).

So, it got us to thinking that there’s a whole lot of opportunity out there for you as hospitality industry professionals to punch up your game and really impress your guests and, dare we say it, even see more revenue because of it. Yup, treat your guests with the utmost attention and expect that your staff is knowledgeable and articulate and you’ll benefit. Ignore the little things (e.g., telling a guest that you don’t use sour mix in your cocktails as you’re putting a gimlet in front of them rather than having that discussion before you make it, or ensuring that there aren’t any allergic people at the dinner table before you bring out an amuse bouche) and it impacts your bottom line in a negative way. Pay attention to details and you may see bigger checks, bigger tips, and have in one fell swoop created a committed ambassador who goes about and spreads the good word about your establishment.

In an effort to shake up the cocktail establishment just a little bit and open some eyes to what’s happening on the retail side of things, John Henry of Pipeline presents his street report on what’s keeping the cash registers ringing – http://insidefandb.com/2010/08/front-line-report-from-the-cash-register/.

The music that’s ringing in your ears night after night, shift after shift may grate on your nerves since you’ve
heard that tune over and over again. But how’s it impacting your guests? Are they getting into the groove, understanding the concept and embracing your menu all thanks to the soundtrack playing in your bar or restaurant? Pat O’Neill explores the importance of creating the right aural ambiance in his piece insidefandb.com/2010/08/meal-music.

Nature’s created some of the best fruit we could possibly want to put in our desserts and planted them right in our backyards. So why buy something that’s out of season and possibly flavorless? Don’t! That’s what pastry chef Ryan Butler of Double Crown says in insidefandb.com/2010/08/the-seasons-of-cooking.

These are just some of the stories we hope you’ll enjoy in this month’s issue of INSIDE F&B’s newsletter. Of course we hope you’re checking in every day or so to see what else we’re talking about.

And, we want to hear from you. What’s on your mind? What’s happening in your kitchen and behind your bar and in your dining room? What’s making you happy? What could you do without? What equipment do you plan to buy, or will you just fix the stuff you have and make do? And where are you going next?

Let us know. And thanks for being with us at INSIDE F&B,

Francine