| Proper staff scheduling is extremely crucial for | | | | when there is more than one food runner working per |
| providing excellent restaurant dining room service. | | | | shift. Once again, this concept will prove how proper |
| There are 2 basic concepts that can improve | | | | staff scheduling is directly tied to improving dining room |
| restaurant service immensely. In every way, a balance | | | | service. |
| must be achieved by matching labor needs to the | | | | In a small restaurant, there may be only one food |
| forecasted business. | | | | runner needed for the shift delivering food from the |
| The first concept is the "on call waiter" who can be | | | | kitchen areas to the dining room areas. The runner is |
| scheduled for any shift necessary. The "on call waiter" | | | | responsible for keeping those dining room areas and |
| function is to call the restaurant about 1/2 - 1 hr. before | | | | floor areas clean, since it is usually part of the |
| the work shift commences food service to see if he | | | | sidework. |
| she is needed to come in and work that particular shift. | | | | If this sidework doesn't get done, it is obvious where |
| The "on call" function is useful in many ways in the | | | | the blame lies. (Technically it's everyone's job to keep |
| case of outdoor dining where business literally depends | | | | the restaurant clean, but it ultimately should be the food |
| on the weather. If the weather is right for outdoor | | | | runner's job to keep the service/ kitchen areas, waiter |
| seating, the "on call waiter" will be asked to come in to | | | | food prep areas, and floor areas clean.) |
| work. If it's raining, then the "on call waiter" will not be | | | | Now, on the other hand, a large restaurant that uses 3 |
| asked to report to work -- though the phone call to the | | | | runners per shift is definitely transporting a higher |
| restaurant should still be made. Basically, if the staff is | | | | volume of food from the kitchen areas to the dining |
| sufficient for that particular restaurant shift, then the | | | | areas. Therefore, things will get a bit messier because |
| "on call waiter" will not be needed. | | | | of the added food traffic. To compound the problem, |
| Another useful function for the "on call waiter" is when | | | | with more than one runner, things will get confusing as |
| there is an extremely important event scheduled. In this | | | | to whose responsibility it is to keep the above |
| case, there can be absolutely no staff shortages for | | | | restaurant areas clean. |
| that event. Simply by communicating properly and | | | | The solution to this headache lies within the restaurant |
| timely over the telephone, the dining room will be | | | | service staff scheduling. Simply place "maintenance |
| covered completely saving the service staff time and | | | | runner" on a pre-designated schedule spot, and rotate |
| the restaurant wasted payroll. | | | | fairly. For easy labeling on the schedule, a simple MR |
| This system is flexible, and should be used with | | | | abbreviation next to the name or shift--- and it's good |
| common sense, not haphazardly. Depending on the | | | | to go for each needed shift. The "maintenance runner" |
| situation, there can even be more than one "on call | | | | will ultimately be responsible for the sweep up and |
| waiter" for a shift. By the same token, you may not | | | | wipe-up jobs-especially before and after each shift. |
| even use an "on call waiter" for many of the slower | | | | Cleanliness, especially floors, will also lessen the risk of |
| work shifts. Every restaurant must figure out what | | | | bodily injury such as slippage from an unclean floor. |
| system works best for them, and make the | | | | These simple dining room service scheduling concepts |
| adjustment. | | | | will help ensure that the restaurant is properly staffed |
| The second restaurant service staff scheduling | | | | and maintained with regards to safety and sanitary |
| concept is the "maintenance runner" which works best | | | | guidelines. |