As restaurateurs prepare for busy patios and increased walk-ins, they are also navigating seasonal turnover and hot conditions, as they work to manage operations successfully. From equipment overload to staff turnover, operators have to plan ahead, stay organized, and be ready to pivot as issues arise throughout the summer.
Here are some of the summer issues restaurants typically face, ways to be proactive, and possible solutions when challenges arise:
Summer stats: Going in blind means reinventing the wheel each season, but there is valuable insight available if you know where to look. Get a handle on staffing, inventory, and by analyzing the data from previous years. Even if you don’t have a sophisticated system for analytics, look at your restaurant’s history of staffing, identify peak periods and highest revenues, highlight top selling dishes, monitor patio traffic, and more, to help predict and plan for your needs for this summer season to stay as prepared as possible.
Smart staffing: Seasonal staffing can be a big job but start with last year’s success stories. Re-hiring students and grads that worked with you previously puts you ahead of the game with hiring, operations, and culture. Similarly, asking your top team members for referrals can be a quick way to recruit similar candidates, and adding an incentive for existing staff can hep you smoothly build a winning summer team. Advertise your postings on popular job sites, on your website, and through social media, but be transparent with pay, hours, and timelines to simplify the process and attract like-minded candidates.
Scheduling strategy: Many operators are already understaffed so increased traffic, weather fluctuations, and vacation days can cause headaches for managers this summer. Create schedules well in advance to help with budgeting and to manage shift changes and requests. This can help decrease no-shows and shortages through the season. Also, schedule with 15-minute staggered start to save some overlap and costs. You can also build separate templates for open patio days and closed patio days so you can adjust with the weather without scrambling and leaving yourself overscheduled or short staffed. Cross-training employees – even seasonal staff – can help you address any shortages as they arise and add flexibility for busy shifts.
Working equipment: Equipment like ice machines, HVAC systems, and walk-in coolers really get a workout as the temperatures rise, and that can increase the risk of failure when you need them the most. Staying on top of regular maintenance and adding automation can help provide you with data to do your best to avoid any inconvenient and costly surprises, but it’s not foolproof. Add extra maintenance through the summer to reflect the increased use and upgrade equipment for higher efficiency. Adding technology like IoT can help predict and prevent equipment failure and provide instant alerts so that if there is an issue, you can address it immediately or even avoid it altogether.
Keeping cool: Hot kitchens can result in dehydration, delayed production, and accidents through the summer months. Take care of your employees with a focused plan to avoid heat stress with shorter shift times, proactive hydration practices, and policies that ensure staff can find relief when they need it. Also, equip your kitchen with any available cooling technology, including air conditioning, fans, evaporative coolers, air circulators, and local exhaust ventilation to keep the kitchen as cool as possible for your teams.
Food safety: Higher ambient temperatures increase the risk of food spoilage, waste, and increased pest activity for restaurants. Communicate and follow required safety guidelines, store inventory appropriately, limit access to walk-in coolers, reduce the amount of food that sits, and ensure rapid delivery for off-premise orders to help limit the risks. Tools like sensors and smart thermostats can also help regulate temperatures and reduce inflated colling costs. The limited produce freshness times can also help operators better manage inventory to cross utilize ingredients and reduce food waste.
Patio prep: Busy patios can present a challenge with new staff, weather uncertainty, and pests, so take steps to make your patio a positive experience for your guests. Ensure that the team is trained and ready for the rush, design the layout to simplify access for staff, deter slip and fall accidents by stocking up on wet floor signage, install umbrellas and cooling systems to beat the heat, and actively practice pest control for a successful patio season.
Summer is typically a very busy season for restaurant operators as they manage labour, inventory, increased traffic, and more. Work towards a successful season with a strategy that addresses as many concerns as you can before they even happen so you can be flexible when the unexpected happens.
