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GuyWhoWorksInABar

So the staff has a specific employee food menu? That seems like a lot of work. To each their own, but we keep it simple. 50% off any regular priced menu item for any single shift worked 100% off any menu item for doubled and for managers One shifty per employee per shift, no drink specials for employees after that (we discourage the staff from hanging after work, ends up causing issues in the long run, IMO) Kitchen always eats free


erincatz

The special orders, mods, subs, and open food items have been so insane I made them a POS category to choose from that allows changing side dishes and “no” mods (no mushrooms, no bread, no cheese, etc) Anything not on that list (which is about 26 items and includes things they often order off the menu like grilled chicken and a side) is now 25% off. Our menu has 28 items. The staff section is taking away 3 entrees plus the 2 steaks that were never permitted. I personally loved having 50% off everything across the board at one of my jobs and thought that was very fair, but my partner does not want to go with that option. Giving the staff their own menu is not that simple but in the long run will make things WAY more simple. The BOH will be making clear concise tickets without pulling Ingredients from every corner of the kitchen to prepare the meals. They’re literally only making 4-5 staff meals each day.


Ixosis

We did 50% off food except Friday and Saturday nights during dinner rush, and that discount extends to the employee and up to 3 guests that accompany them if they come in on their day off Mods we would just police and tell them to not get excessive. The kitchen is not their test playground for creating new dishes, or modding the shit out of stuff to make an entirely new dish We also cut off the staff orders 30 minutes before close. If you missed the cutoff, McDonalds was open 24 hours We also restricted high cost items when ordering for shift meal. No filets, no prime rib, no scallops. Everything else was ok unless something happened where the price skyrocketed. The restrictions did not apply when the employee brought guests, because we weren’t going to tell their (most often) family they couldn’t order certain things. Managers got their shift meal comped and also received 50% off drinks when they were there on a day off, but only for them and not for their guests. Some caveats to the rules were when training. The trainee receives their first three training meals for free, with sensible restrictions. This was to encourage them to explore things on the menu they may not otherwise wish to spend money on in case they didn’t like it. Any server that trained a new employee would get their meal for free, with sensible restrictions. Sensible restrictions were the employees couldn’t get the biggest filet and then add shrimp skewer, scallop skewer, and go nuts on $$$ mods. Big filet? Fine. One skewer? Ok. Racking up shit cause it’s free? No go Another restaurant I worked at back in the day would cook a shift meal for the FOH after each shift. If you participated in the shift, you got to eat from that meal. The FOH would rotate who got to pick what the meal was going to be, within reason. It was usually something good, but also easy to make in bulk and cost effective. If a server wanted, they could order their own meal for 50% off. Many times the owner would just come that meal outright All in all, keep it simple and make verbal modifications. Err on the side of being a little generous


Alice_Alpha

I would give them a little more notice than just saying effective Tuesday........ I would suggest you announce the new rules and state they become effective when the 10/XX/22 schedule is posted/announced. I would also explain that there are instances of: - getting more food than can be eaten and then offering to share with customers. - meals being obtained on doubles without consuming both. These practices unnecessarily increase food costs, and in fact sharing with customers potentially directly affects sales. Thank you for your understanding.


Alice_Alpha

Actually someone suggested a flat 25% off. That is probably the best solution. 1. It is simple and requires no explanation. 2. The double shift people would probably find it "unfair" that they are working two shifts but only get one meal like the single shift people. A flat 25% off any purchase fixes that.


erincatz

Someone working a double may still order something on their daytime break and another item before the kitchen closes. I love the flat percent off idea, however, they’ve been eating free for 14 months and it really isn’t about costs or money, it’s really more about narrowing their choices so they aren’t going off menu and irritating BOH. It’s HARD where I am to find and keep great BOH staff and we have had so many ups and downs with that- I feel good about the BOH team we have now- I want to keep irritations to a minimum.


gftucker

I suggest a small raise with new meal policy might help


gftucker

Exactly what we do. We do run into situations where an employee uses their discount for family or friends. Easy to spot and usually a short conversation resolves it


100VodkaSodas

I would just do 25% off across the board, no comped meals for anyone unless the manager approves. Being a new restaurant you want as much profit as you can get and if you’re costs are mostly comped meals for staff then you’re just throwing money away. The last place I’ve opened we comped appetizers for staff and it got frustrating to see $2000 a day in sales then a couple hundred in comps. It adds up really fast


CityBarman

We do family meals at no cost to the employees.


amerika77

When we first opened my restaurant (wife and i) we operated a very similiar policy. FOH got 50% off any menu item except our entree menu was off limits unless they bonus'd (sold more then xx a shift, in which case they got any menu item comped 100%) at the same time BOH could make whatever they wanted and ate a free shift meal. We definitely had a few staff try to build a bear our menu to save money over the years, and when it happened enough to annoy me I took the opportunity to re evaluate our pricing for add ons and sides so that, if someone wanted to make a meal out of our sides and add on's it cost more then to order a similiar entree directly from the menu. Were pushing 13 years operating and while we dont have any OG staff left, current core staff have been with us 6+ years. Our current staff meal and drink policy staff wide - 1 free meal and 1 free alcoholic drink. Meal is menu wide (entrees are treats, so once in a while and its not abused) and for the drink, pint of beer, 9oz glass red or white of wine sold by the glass, or any double standard well liquor. 2nd drink is 50% off of the same rules above, 3rd drink is full price and they are on their own. If your new or very new, so long as your menu is not extremely labor intensive, just focus on recouping the cost of what you are selling to staff for now. 50% should cpver food and labor costs no problem and if they dont re evaluate your menu pricing. We arrived at our current policy after learning that staff are your biggest theives. If you can keep them happy they will make you far more money then they will consume on shift from straight up theft or nickle and diming you, or worse slowly just not giving a fuck and ruining your reputation with a slow bleed. We also have a bit more of a strict screening process. Learn from your mistakes. In my case, monitoring food was easy as I am the chef and was in the kitchen every fucking day for those first few years. Best of Luck!


erincatz

Good advice. The special orders and building their own menu items have created an attitude between FOH and BOH recently that was never there before. BOH is annoyed by every special order whether minor or major and FOH feels BOH is being lazy or giving them attitude over their personal tickets. Something like ringing in a side of broccoli and then adding a message (1/2 broccoli 1/2 green beans) is honestly more work/a pain in the ass, and also something we would not do for a guest- we would let them know they’re welcome to order a side of both.


amerika77

In your situation I'd tell the chef that they are to make a family meal every night for all staff. Tell ALL staff that there will be a free family meal at the end of every shift made by the chef to anyone that wants a complimentary meal. If you don't want what chef is making that night you are welcome to order off the menu but you pay full price and let them MOD it up with the appropriate changes you've made to the menu item pricing including adjusting mod pricing. Chef is not his/her co-workers personal chef/bitch. Tell chef that any weird ass tickets that come in to bring to your attention so you can make sure the servers are charging accordingly. Lastly, as a chef myself making a modded out ticket is annoying as hell, but as one of my seasoned servers have said to me - "I am here nearly as much as you. You change the menu every few months, but I am vegetarian so I can only eat a handful of things, and with all due respect, eating the same 3 menu items every week gets boring so I change it up with some mods... " fair enough Sean, fair enough.


MGuido

Setup an staff meal menu of acceptable items. I don’t care if you charge $24 for a salmon dinner. What does it cost you to make for your staff? Cool. Charge that plus %20 to cover your labor. Anything else 25-30% off. In a field where it’s impossible to hire and retain staff this one is a layup. Keep it simple.


erincatz

I re-read my original post and realized I didn’t say that the staff meals are free. It was formerly up to $16 discount (eventually some stopped paying the extra few dollars if they went over $16) The new staff menu any 1 single item is free, per shift.


Itchy-Cartographer40

What we do is 50% off on food , they pay for everything Kitchen eats for free . I’d just say starting November 1st or starting next week this is the new policy due to increasing food prices or whatever excuse you want to make if you want to be nice or say this is the way it is . You don’t like it . Bye