Behind the Counter with DeVita & Hancock

Welcome back to Behind the Counter Season 3.

This week's episode Christine & Keith talk about:

• Union Update: Our viewers need to stay vigilant
• Subway transfers franchises to franchisees
• Three post COVID challenges the industry is dealing with.
• McDonald’s is supersizing its quality
• Keith & Chrisine talk about: Outlaw the Industry Fraud

Welcome back to Behind the Counter Season 3.

This week's episode Christine & Keith talk about:

• Loyalty News Recap Last Show
• McDonalds goes value meal at their home office
• Effin Egg Opens in Morristown
• Friendly's, Christine's Old Home
• Starbucks Union Stuff
• Keith & Chrisine talk about: Don't Sink Your Ship Control Your Prices

Welcome back to Behind the Counter Season 3.

This week's episode Christine & Keith talk about:

• Darden CEO Dining & Economy
• Panera Partners with Amazon WTF
• Texas Roadhouse is on the Map
• Habit Burger New CEO
• Moe's Expansion
• Keith & Chrisine talk about Guest Engagement

Welcome back to Behind the Counter Season 3.

This week's episode Christine & Keith talk about:

• Chipotle Expansion
• Nine Breakout Brands
• NYC Churro Ladies
• Restaurants Taking Cash and Charging more to use your CC
• Harassment in the Work Place
• Christine & Keith discuss how you need to be more PC in the work place than years ago

Welcome back to Behind the Counter Season 3.

This week's episode Christine & Keith talk about:

• McDonalds Opens Fully Automated
• Bob Evans for Easter?
• Mighty Quinn's expanding Chain
• Fogo De Chao
• Thoughts on Chain Restaurants
• Christine & Keith discuss Restaurant Labor

Welcome back to Behind the Counter Season 3.

This week's episode Christine & Keith talk about:

• Chick -Fil-A's Data Breach
• Burnie Sanders & Starbucks
• Beyond Meat Profits Plumet
• Thursday is the new Friday Post COVID
• D&H's Hot Jobs for March

Today's Episode "A Token Beyond" Keith and I talk about: Chic Fil A Drive Thru Update, Starbucks & Howard Shultz, Restaurant Unions continue, and NFT Restaurants: What are they?

Today’s Episode “Extra-Extra Decisions and Indecision” Keith and I talk about DC increasing server pay by 2027, Employment in our industry where are the jobs? Have they grown? Sweet Green Shares Tumble, Chipotle Prices Raise and guest visits slip, and Inflation's Restaurant Deflation.

Todays Episode “Frost & Foliage” Keith and I talk about the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, Chili’s To Go Restaurants, Ghost kitchens, and Early Brands Franchising and Investing.

Christine & Keith freestyle this episode comparing the industry to when they were hourly employees and GM's to what it is now. 

What is was like then, now, and the future nostalgia to come.

Remember When…

• How did we first meet? Remember the moment lol?
• What did the hourly look like for us vs now? The movie waiting and still waiting
• What was a restaurant manager what is a restaurant manager now?
• Would you want to be a unit manager in today’s environment?
• When did this become job to career?
• We never thought we would be doing this. When we first me there were no podcasts we still had books and magazines.
• We matured as the industry has
• What is the catalyst of the change?

Christine & Keith talk about Lab-Grown Meat, Supply Chain updates, Restaurant Price Increases, and How to Hire and Retain Great People. This Episode is brought to you by Hospitality New Magazine! 

Listen to Behind the Counter on Spotify & Apple Podcast.

Where to find Christine & Keith

Christine & Keith kick off the second half of Season 2 with their Halloween Episode - "Witch way to the Boar". They discuss NYC COVID Restrictions, Starbucks and Unions, Chipotle & Chippy, and how to prepare your restaurant for Halloween. 

Listen to Behind the Counter on Spotify & Apple Podcast. 

Where to find Christine & Keith 

Just like Jesus’ age when he resurrected, today is Behind the Counter’s 33rdepisode and Christine and Keith discuss the boom of plant-based meat and planning your restaurants for the Easter holidays.

[00:27] Christine’s Experience at Outback
[03:51] Lab-Grown and Plant-Based Meat
[11:15] The Weekly Starbucks Article
[13:36] Selling a Dish That Loses Money
[15:19] Costing Out Your Menu
[17:01] Planning Restaurants During Easter
[27:21] BTC Announcement (and Keith’s #dadjoke)

Planning Easter Brunches

Easter is a big brunch day for restaurants and Keith gives tips on how to handle big groups during this time. First is to start managing reservations as soon as possible, second is to have buffet brunches and maybe a switchover to a special Easter dinner, and third is to plan activities for kids like egg-dyeing, coloring books, balloon-making activities, or photobooths. Lastly, Christine and Keith recommend have a special complimentary dish that hits the table as soon as the guests sit down.

Where to Find Them:

Labor can make or break you, and on this episode of Behind the Counter, Christine and Keith lay down their thoughts on labor in the restaurant in the industry and how the NYC Fair Workweek Law has evolved over the past few years.

[01:36] Starbucks and Unions
[07:44] No More Masks and Vaccine Mandates
[10:37] Rebuilding the Restaurant Industry
[14:14] Chipotle and Chippy the Robot
[18:17] Labor Shortage
[26:40] Closing Notes

Labor Shortage

The profit margin of the restaurant industry is paper-thin, and labor is the driving force behind what can make or break your business. Minimum wage has gone up and servers are essentially sub-contractors of the restaurants. This is where automated machines like Chippy of Chipotle come in as an option to streamline operations to make it more effective and not have too many hands in the pocket. NYC’s Fair Workweek Law started in 2017 and has evolved since then, offering more predictable scheduling for part-time employees and the privilege of not being cut from the team right away. In the end, it’s difficult to find that labor sweet spot: matching productivity aligned with sales to drive the right profitability.

Christine and Keith’s topic for today is centered around America’s billion-dollar fast-food industry. They start off by digging into the history of the fast-food industry, how some of the biggest brands came to be, and explain why fast foods will forever be a part of American culture.

[00:30] Current Events

[08:25] The Relationship Between Cross Training and Restaurant Success

[10:50] Why 70% of American Employees Don’t Want a Promotion

[17:43] Deep Fried Demand

[19:40] Fast Foods and the American Culture

[21:18] How Fast Food Chains Became a Core Part of the Food Industry

[24:27] Why You Need a Clear Vision For Your Restaurant

[28:00] How to Create a Successful Restaurant Concept

29:50] Parting Thoughts

Deep-Fried Demand

Running a fast food business is among the few businesses anyone can succeed in. Why? Because people love fast foods. No matter where you live in the US, you can expect to find a fast-food joint in the general vicinity of your location. Moreover, almost all the leading fast-food brands globally have roots in the US. So, why do fast food businesses stand out in the restaurant space, and why should you care? First, fast food restaurants are convenient and affordable, giving them a competitive advantage over other segments of the food services sector. Second, their marketing departments do a really good job of getting their brand out there. And lastly, the food is simply amazing. So, despite the blow experienced during the pandemic or the current inflation talks, the fast food industry does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

St. Patrick’s Day is coming up and our two hosts reminisce on pre-pandemic days and hope for post-pandemic festivities. Joining us on this episode as well is Darcell Taylor, a former Pret employee and now Director of People and Culture of Bread Alone Bakery. She shares her inspiration working in the service industry as well as the challenges she faces in hiring.

[00:19] Reminiscing St. Patrick’s Day and Pub Culture
[11:24] Maximizing Web Design
[12:58] Welcoming Darcell Taylor
[21:25] Getting to Know Darcell
[24:10] HR Challenges
[36:25] Closing Notes

HR Challenges According to Darcell

The biggest challenge that HR is facing is people. The climate of the world has change drastically, people are coming to work with a heavy burden, and HR is not equipped to handle issues such as depression, anxiety, work ethic, and ghosting. Trying to navigate people is the hardest challenge and striking the balance between empathy and accountability. The root of it are generational issues in hiring between Millennials and Gen Zers. Gen X-ers are driven by ego; through their title and money, while Gen Z’s and Millennials are more curious about the culture, work environment, and moving up the ladder quickly. There’s a complacency and the attractiveness of becoming instantaneously wealthy and attractive through social media and a watered-down career of their views on career and success.

Christine and Keith’s topics for today start off with President Joe Biden’s State of the Union and its effect, or lack thereof, on the restaurant industry. Despite what’s going on with the world with Ukraine and inflation, Keith shares the inspiring story of KFC’s very own Col. Sanders and the rise of fast food and automation in America.

[00:54] President Joe Biden’s State of the Union
[04:18] Antiviral Pill and Tourism
[09:44] Ukraine and Inflation
[18:54] Deep-Fry Demand and the Story of Col. Sanders
[24:13] Wendy’s Burgers and the American Culture of Fast Food
[26:17] Automats and McDonald’s Business Model

Deep-Fry Demand

Col. Sanders of KFC wasn’t always the Colonel we love and know now. He started off selling life insurance, starting failed businesses, and only experienced success when he turned 65. Nowadays, fast food is a business venture that can bring financial benefits and success to anyone who chooses it, with chains like Wendy’s with their unique square burgers and McDonald’s with their real estate investments behind their fast food business. America gave not just planes and light bulbs, but the ever-growing fast food that we all know and love all over the world.

Where to Find Them:

Halloween has arrived a little earlier in February as Christine and Keith talk about ghosting in not just the dating world, but also in recruitment. Christine also makes a bold statement: COVID is over and it’s time for the restaurant business to bounce back better than before.

[00:16] Rising Cost of Things
[05:44] “Ghosting”, Texting VS E-mail, and Catfishing
[16:06] Ghost Kitchens
[17:33] COVID is Over
[20:13] Young Adults and Socialization
[25:50] Hourly Employees
[27:33] NYC Opening Up

Ghosting

According to the ICIMS, “ghosting” is the scariest trend in recruiting now even post-pandemic. Once recruiters present a candidate to a client and the client passes, there is a 1% chance of that recruiter reaching back to the candidate to tell them they didn’t make it. Christine shares that the key piece is to keep lines of communication open. If the candidate isn’t the right fit for the client, they could be a fit for somebody else.

Where to Find Them:

Christine and Keith welcome their first guest of the season, Kreskin J. Torres! Kreskin is a blogger, influencer, and owner of The Rideshare Foodie. In this episode, we get to know him, his love for food, and the best places to be in across all 50 states of the United States, all of which he’s already been to.

[00:30] Burger King and Chipotle’s Business Model
[10:48] Introducing Kreskin
[14:00] Food Places
[15:30] Organic Food
[17:24] Favorite Places
[20:26] Advice to Restaurant Owners and Local Standards
[24:58] Good Food, Bad Service
[27:49] Opening Up a Restaurant
[29:04] Next State and Plans
[32:32] Favorite Dish and Restaurant
[34:10] Great Customer Service

Kreskin’s Advice to Restaurant Owners

When Kreskin gets six different burger places, his automatic question is, “Do they have something unique?” and “What have they done with their burger or dish versus someone else’s?” He recommends having a unique dish that someone else doesn’t have and owners should have something that separates them from everyone else’s. He also believes that customer service should be a standard across all the globe and the best places in the US that offer this is the South or the Midwest.

Menu inflation is at an all-time-high and Christine and Keith give tips on how to deal with this crisis. They also share their thoughts on the mask mandates and outdoor dining sheds as NYC nears the end of the pandemic.

[00:38] Bill de Blasio
[02:40] Mask Mandates
[09:03] Joe Biden’s State of the Union
[10:42] Restaurant Inflation
[16:21] How to Deal with Inflation Costs
[24:25] NYC Getting Rid of Outdoor Dining Sheds

How to Deal with Inflation

Christine and Keith are back with Season 2 of Behind the Counter. They talk about Valentine’s Day and how restaurants can bounce back and make the most out of this holiday. - Christine and Keith's Unexpected Delights to Help your Restaurant for Valentines Day

[01:25] Recap of Season 1
[02:45] The American Culinary Federation and Hospitality News
[10:38] Valentine’s Day
[16:42] Tips and Ideas for Restaurants Opening Up
[23:21] Non-Couple Deals for Valentine’s Day
[25:59] Christine and Keith on Valentine’s
[28:07] Cost, Commercialization, and Inflation
[29:58] What to Look Forward to in Season 2

Be Kind or Leave

Christine is back with Keith on the season finale of Behind the Counter. They talk about the boomerang effect in the industry, how to get ready for the Thanksgiving and Christmas peak, and what they really think about deep-fried turkey.

[01:35] The Boomerang Effect
[10:19] The Customer is (not) always right
[15:49] Fighting Back Regulations
[18:02] How Can Restaurants Get Ready for the Holidays
[24:23] Opening on Holidays
[26:32] Wednesday Before Thanksgiving Pop-Up
[28:29] Holiday Plans
[35:51] Last COV-Hole of the Year

Be Kind or Leave

Keith is reading about restaurants and hotels pushing back against customer tantrums and COV-Holes. As an industry that has not skipped a beat and made sure people had food to eat, they’re totally on board with restaurants putting up signs that say “Be Kind or Leave”. If you have no patience, either fill out a form and jump on board or just simply don’t go out and stay at home.

How Restaurants Should Get Ready for the Holidays

For Keith, the first thing he prepares for the upcoming holiday surge are sales projections. Secondly, he looks at his current staffing and how he can maximize throughput with what he has. Lastly, and definitely not the least, what his menu’s going to look like for the holiday season. Christine on the other hand would limit herself to what she would be capable of doing for that day by basing her sales off her schedule, the staff she would be needing, and then work out a reservation program which would save her from poor guest experience and disgruntled employees.

Where to Find Them:

Keith is flying solo on this episode but is in good company with guest Jess Chuang, owner and operator of Ichiban To-Go alongside her father who first started the business in the 80’s. She shares how she runs things, how she keeps her staff loyal, and how she adapted Ichiban’s business model throughout of the pandemic.

[00:52] Introducing Jess
[02:18] How Jess’ Dad Started Ichiban
[09:11] How Jess Would Run Things
[13:31] Full-Service of Ichiban
[15:29] Jess’ Tactic of Recruiting
[21:10] Jess’ Long-Term Vision
[24:38] The Biggest Lesson from COVID-19
[28:22] Biggest Gamble
[29:13] Jess’ COV-Hole of the Week

How Jess is Recruiting, Retaining, and Motivating Staff

Jess used to work in events and she understands the struggle of people thinking you’re just a cog in a machine. Her secret to having employees stay for over a year is that she treats them like family; she doesn’t under-pay and she acknowledges that every employee has a life and that they’re all working in a high-stress industry.

Adapting to the COVID Era

The most important lesson Jess picked-up from the pandemic was to listen and collaborate with the people around you. During the first few months of the pandemic, Jess decided to do some research and hear out her head chef who suggested doing take-out to adapt to the times. From then on, she stands by three things: doing your research, knowing your market, and most importantly, immersing yourself in your community and giving them what they want (like Pumpkin Spice Lattes).

Where to Find Them:

Should we bring in robots or drones to serve our food? Christine and Keith discuss the future of automation in the industry. The two hosts also share valuable tips on how to stay consistent with your dining experience and the things that you might think customers don’t notice but actually do.

[00:43] Current Events
[03:21] Unions in the Industry
[06:46] Automation
[15:12] Drone Delivery
[17:00] The Devil is in the Details
[28:57] The Bigger Picture
[33:19] Inconsistency
[35:48] COV-Hole of the Week

Automation

A number of chain restaurants are automating their labor, and both aren’t feeling too hot about the idea— Keith thinks burger “flippies” could work in stadiums and airports but not on the frontlines and a human body still needs to facilitate orders for cafes like Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. Christine isn’t a fan of the whole “robots replacing humans” idea, which takes out the personal relationship out of the restaurant. The upside however is that robots eliminate errors, ensure portion control, reduce food waste as well as sick days of hourly employees. Having robots is still a novelty in the industry which is good for PR and can bring in increased foot traffic.

Putting on a Show, All Theater

Putting up a restaurant is all about creating the image, the guest experience, manufacturing, serving, and consuming the product in the same four walls. From bathrooms to parking lots, how wobbly the tables are and kind of toilet paper you use; what the guests see and how they see it should be very important to operators and even director-level roles.

Where to Find Them:

Christine and Keith share their thoughts on proper communication in the industry and how easily you can get misconstrued through text. They exchange funny and cringe-worthy experiences about employees who are a little too noisy through both text and social media.

[00:29] Restaurants Closing Early

[03:31] Flipping on the Switch Right Away

[07:06] Proper Training and Proper Communication

[14:41] Communicating to New Hires

[17:23] The Effectiveness of Texting

[19:26] Lines You Should Not Cross

[24:10] Social Media Trickling Down the Work Force

[29:17] COV-Hole of the Week

Proper Training and Proper Communication

Keith and Christine have experienced miscommunication from managers and employees and still find it weird when managers message their staff. 15 years ago, things were entirely different; phones weren’t allowed and they didn’t even know each other’s phone numbers. Now, Christine sees employees sharing screenshots of their bosses’ misconstrued and inappropriate texts all over Tiktok, but on a more positive note, texting for restaurants has led to increased sales, streamlined seating, pick-up and delivery, while boosting employee productivity and engagement.

Lines You Shouldn’t Cross

Christine cringes at the thought that employees have their managers phone numbers. Keith reads out a timeless, rather charming message from an unhappy employee. They also advise to not make your social media public, especially if you’re a controversial person. Make it private, don’t announce where you work and what you do for a living, keep it within your safe space, and don’t let it trickle down to your work force.

Where to Find Them:

The dynamic duo of DeVita and Hancock is back with some industry news and their thoughts on the evolution of gig work. They exchange stories on their experiences with growing multi-unit brands in New York, franchisers, and the right to open a restaurant.

[01:21] Industry News
[03:06] Gig Work
[07:04] Supply Chain
[09:40] Selling in Bulk and Hoarding
[10:52] Growing a Multi-Unit Brand
[13:44] Pret’s “Eat With Your Eyes”
[15:59] New Brands and Scumbag Franchisers
[20:01] Christine’s Experience with a New Brand
[22:16] The Restaurant Field of Dreams
[25:12] First Consulting Gig
[28:13] Right People with the Right Vision
[30:38] When Did the CEOs Get to Play Fake Doctors?
[34:36] COV-Hole of the Week

Growing a Multi-Unit Brand

Back in the 90’s, growing a chain was taboo. People went into the industry for their passion, and everyone thought that working in the restaurant business was like being a celebrity with the rise of the Food Network until they realized it was nothing like that at all. Now, it seems that people who want to get into the business just want to be rich and have the next big McDonald’s instead of turning away from it. Keith gives some advice: to grow a multi-unit brand, get people to fall in love and gain emotional attachment with the brand.

Standing in the Middle of Times Square

Just because you build it, and there’s a hundred thousand people outside, doesn’t mean they will come: this is Keith’s advice to people who want to open a restaurant. Christine recalls being a barista at TGI Friday’s and feeling ready to become a manager until she was told that there’s more to being one than handling inventory and weekend shifts. They can’t emphasize this enough—if you’re not and have never worked in the restaurant business, just because you’re sitting on a mountain of cash, doesn’t mean you have the right to open a restaurant.

Where to Find Them:

In this episode, Christine and Keith welcome their two friends on the show: Anthony Azzara, Corporate IT Manager from The One Group and Jack Copus, a Hospitality Accounting Executive from SpotOn and Behind the Counter’s first ever guest from Episode 2. They reminisce the old days from Pret, the changes and vulnerability they experienced due to the pandemic, and how the restaurant industry will soon change.

[00:32] Reminiscing with Anthony and Jack
[07:52] Anthony Working in the Pandemic
[09:41] Changing Infrastructure
[11:41] Feeling Vulnerability and Finding Workarounds
[14:14] Culinary is an Art or Standardization
[16:43] The Executive Chef Role and The Grind
[20:29] The Series D Funding of SpotOn
[22:01] Anthony and Jack on The Vaccine Mandate
[30:39] Forest Fires and Silver Linings
[35:19] Anthony’s Future Predictions
[44:36] Jack’s Future Predictions
[50:21] Mom & Pop VS Technology
[51:57] COV-Hole of the Week

Changing Infrastructure and Adapting

Because of the pandemic, Anthony and Jack share their experiences with adapting on a global health crisis. Anthony has always dabbled into partnering up with third-party delivery services and POS to streamline their services but was eventually forced to take it seriously when COVID hit. Jack felt vulnerable for the first time after the 2007 financial crisis and how even back then, he felt assured that he was always going to be employed as someone who works in the food industry.

The Vaccine Mandate

Christine, Keith, Anthony, and Jack are all vaccinated and they’re all on the same page: they’re doing it for other people. Anthony goes candid and thinks that it would have been much better if they weren’t forced to take it or forced to jam the vaccine in there dry. Jack also sees it as a health and hygiene issue because of an experience with a restaurant chain in St. Louis. They all wish it wasn’t so politicized so that they wouldn’t have to deal with adult customers fighting 15-year-old hostesses about vaccine cards, which is what the government requires them to do.

Future Predictions

Anthony predicts that things will soon go back to normal—2019 normal, rather. Jack also thinks that everything will soon change, and that technology will lead the way because of a shift in dining habits among customers. The pandemic forced the hands of the industry and Jack advises to be more conscious of being profitable and evolve with time. Will there be an Elon Musk for restaurants out there that’s going to come out with something crazy?

Where to Find Them:

In this episode, Christine and Keith welcome back fellow DeVita Hancock teammate Richard Teaar. They discuss time management, how they married the restaurant industry and the never-ending battle with the vaccine mandate.

[00:54] Richard’s Time Management
[04:39] Navigating the Restaurant World
[09:23] Divorce Rates and Marrying the Restaurant Industry
[11:47] The Restaurant Business is a Lifestyle
[17:11] Being Crazy as Being Passionate
[21:12] Baby Boomer-Raised
[23:22] Christine, The Newspaper Girl
[25:56] Richard’s Early Working Memories
[27:37] When Keith and Christine Caught the (Working) Bug
[29:27] Reminiscing Joker Poker Machines and the Soccer Club
[31:33] Richard Reminiscing Dino and a New Generation of Workers
[33:16] Mobile Vaccine Clinics in New York and the Media Instilling Fear
[38:20] Rewarding Manpower and Backing Restaurants
[43:46] Healthy Disagreements
[45:51] True Friends and the Government

Marrying the Restaurant Industry and When They First Caught the Bug

The restaurant industry has one of the highest rates of divorce and depression given the long work hours and almost little to no free time among its employees. Despite knowing this, Keith, Christine, and Richard have all chosen to dedicate their time to building their careers in this industry which they compare to a “disease”. The trio reminisce when they first caught the working bug and how different the younger generations entering the industry are now.

The Media Instilling Fear

Keith and Christine continue to stay firm with their stance against the vaccine mandate and how it remains an anti-restaurant industry. Richard joins in and sees how politicized the pandemic response has become, instilling fear among civilians and forcing vaccines to those who refuse to take it.

Where to Find Them:

In this episode, Christine and Keith share restaurant pet peeves and more tips on how new restaurant owners can maximize their throughput.

[02:22] How the Delta Variant Affected McDonald’s
[04:19] Pet Peeves on Ordering and Tik-Tok
[10:34] To Insure Proper Service
[15:06] Picky Eaters
[19:26] Freeloaders
[23:53] Large Parties and Maximizing Throughput
[30:54] Indecisive Ordering
[33:40] COV-Hole of the Week

Christine and Keith’s Pet Peeves

Running a restaurant is never not a challenge, so Christine and Keith share some of their top restaurant pet peeves throughout their career. On top of pet peeves, they also suggest customers to be more decisive with their orders and additional requests to avoid servers from going back and forth from the tables to the kitchen and for large groups of people (usually more than 6) to make a reservation ahead of time. They also share their experiences of picky eaters, freeloaders, and those who commit the biggest sin of all: non-tippers.

Six Steps to Maximizing Throughput

1. Use the throughput formula to measure how many customers can be served in an hour

2. Have a system at your front door for your hosts

3. Sequence of service is very important

4. Kitchen operations are the key to your restaurant’s success

5. Management presence and effect in the dining room

6. Track your results

Where to Find Them:

In this episode, Christine and Keith share the importance and give tips on social media marketing for restaurants and owners alike.

[02:11] Recouping Money and Mandates
[06:07] Ghost Kitchens
[08:51] Becoming a Social Media Junkie
[15:26] 11 Social Media Marketing Tips for Restaurants
[17:03] Brand Ambassadors
[23:59] Birthday Marketing
[33:20] Importance of Social Media for Restaurants
[35:09] COV-Hole of the Week

11 Social Media Marketing Tips for Restaurants

1. Show off what’s behind the scenes or behind the counter.
2. Create a consistent voice. Be consistent with your branding on social media.
3. Respond to online reviews. It lets your customers know that you’re hearing what they’re saying whether it’s good or bad.
4. Use social media to drive e-mail sign-ups and incentivize it.
5. User-generated content is a restaurant’s best friend: photos, tweets, other forms of social media made by guests that show your brand in a positive light.
6. Spotlight your employees. If you have an employee that’s doing a great job, put them up on social media and let your customers know that you care about your staff.
7. Ask questions and engage followers to improve engagement on social media.
8. Capitalize on trending topics. Jumping on topics that are already trending on social media is a great way to increase exposure for your posts, especially if you have a clever take on a topic.
9. Host social media contests. Team up with whoever you can around your area or community and offer up some free stuff: gift cards, swag, what have you.
10. Spotlight your vendors. Showcase your vendors or partners who provide ingredients that make your food so amazing.
11. Always tell your customers the best way to support you.

Where to Find Them:

In this episode, Christine and Keith discuss the importance of culture and people management in the restaurant and hospitality industry.

[00:26] The Restaurant Industry Like Showbiz and Politics
[02:08] Living Your Truth
[04:47] Being Fair and Consistent
[08:20] A Leader’s Personality
[12:19] Importance of Culture
[14:27] Managers VS Leaders
[18:59] Treating the Staff Like Guests
[21:06] Finding the Right People
[24:11] The Regulars
[29:03] Bad Culture
[32:59] Changing and Implementing a Restaurant’s Culture

Importance of Culture

Christine and Keith believe that the reason why 60% of restaurants that open during their first year fail is because of poor culture. They emphasize the importance of reinforcing a culture inside of any business because it’s what drives the workforce and what makes people excited about going to work. They encourage managers to be leaders, more than just someone to check boxes but someone to oversee the restaurant and the needs of their people.

Advice on Steps to Improve Restaurant Culture

DeVita and Hancock has six steps in implementing and improving restaurant culture which is to find the right culture, hire the right crew, drive change within the current staff, be fair and consistent with coaching, address and implement a “What’s in it for me?” for staff, and reinforce your culture on a consistent basis. Keith advises to think about how you want to be remembered and what you gave that person because for a lot of the people that want to be hired, it could be their first job and are most likely going to remember the staff and how they were treated.

Where to Find Them:

Christine and Keith are back to talk about state of staffing and how it’s not “New York” as they continue to weigh in on Mayor DeBlasio’s vaccine mandate.

[00:30] Where Are All the Employees?
[04:09] The Art of What Restaurants Do
[05:47] Issues That Will Arise and the Vaccine Passport
[10:50] Restaurants and Anti-Vaccination Fees
[15:29] The Staffing of Chain Restaurants
[17:15] Difference Between Sitting in a Restaurant and a Duane Reade
[18:00] Wearing Masks and What’s Going to Happen Next

Issues and the Vaccine Passport

New York is known for its tourism industry and Christine and Keith question how restaurants are going to check tourists’ proof of vaccine and how the mandate could potentially kill that revenue base. This could bring about rising labor costs because of extra workers and shifts, rising overtime rates because of unvaccinated employees who can no longer work, and on top of that, some confusion with the vaccine passports and how to use it.

Business-Owners and Anti-Vaccination Fees

Christine reached out to a family-run business owner she discovered in the New York Post who put up a sign on her bakery saying that they do not discriminate particularly towards unvaccinated customers. Christine and Keith support this movement however, it might become another source of revenue for the city government. The city does not have any answers for any loopholes in the mandate and it is all just for the headline and the clout— get it up on the news now and we’ll figure out all the particulars later.

Where to Find Them:

On Part 2 of Big Bird DeBlasio & His Vaccine Mandate, Christine and Keith share the feedback they got from listeners on their stance on the vaccine mandate, how this can further effect the restaurant business, and why you should take your anger out on the Mayor and not the restaurant.

[00:56] Feedback from People and Business Owners
[04:42] We’re Back to 2020
[06:20] The Reality of Mandates
[11:02] Complain to the Mayor, Not the Restaurant
[14:56] Christine and Keith on the Politics in Medicine and Vaccines
[20:25] Feedback from Episode 7
[23:11] Christine and Keith on Vaccines
[27:19] Not a Little Issue

Feedback from Business Owners

The biggest point of contention among restaurant business owners on the vaccine mandate is the chaos that will ensue among customers— bullying, arguing, anger, and how the hourly employees are going to deal with these restrictions. They foresee that around 30-50% of staffing will be diminished because of hesitations with getting vaccinated.

The Reality of Mandates

Back in 2020, business also struggled with the mask mandate as customers took out their anger on business owners. Aside from diminishing staff, Christine and Keith can already foresee people and customers taking out their anger on the vaccine mandates on restaurant staff and businesses. They disapprove of this and recommend people complaining to the mayor instead of business owners who are simply abiding by the law

Where to Find Them:

On this special episode of Behind the Counter, Christine and Keith discuss the mandated vaccine rollout of the Mayor of New York for all Restaurant Workers and Customers to Dine-in and how it will affect the industry.

[00:01:52] Mayor Deblasio’s Press Conference
[00:03:47] The Mandate’s Effect on the Restaurant Industry
[00:07:57] “Welcome to the End of this Industry”
[00:12:34] The Repercussions of Requiring Vaccinations
[00:15:19] Christine and Keith on Mayor Deblasio and Governor Cuomo
[00:19:10] The Crime Rate in NYC
[00:20:44] Your Body, Your Choice

The Key to NYC Pass

Christine and Keith don’t agree with Mayor Deblasio’s mandate of requiring NYC residents to get vaccinated to gain access to all places and services because they find that a lot of people don’t find vaccines safe, and some are not yet FDA-approved and are only for emergency use. Christine doesn’t approve of anybody being forced to do something they don’t believe in or are afraid of, whether they belong in the industry or not.

The Repercussions of Requiring Vaccinations

The mandate will be fully enforced on September 13 and Christine foresees that people will be fined and will protest, small businesses will have to go online again, and the involvement of the different government agencies will lead to a huge mess. Requiring vaccinations for hourly employees will again see a decrease in hourly employees and will greatly affect the restaurants.

Where to Find Them:

In this episode, Keith and Christine discuss the ongoing staffing issue in the restaurant industry, minimum wage in the US, and how they deal with unhappy customers. This time around, they turn the tables and tell us what they really think of Yelp.

[00:00:47] People Planning: State of Staffing in the Hospitality Industry
[00:06:34] The Trickle-Down Effect of Poaching Talent
[00:13:42] The Resiliency of the Restaurant and Hospitality Industry
[00:14:47] You Get What You Pay For
[00:18:32] Get Yelp: How They Affect Industries
[00:22:36] No Guest Leaves Unhappy: What Customers Should Do with Bad Reviews
[00:25:45] “The Bitchy Waiter” as The Voice of Servers
[00:26:48] How Restaurants Learn From Bad Reviews
[00:29:15] Putting on a Show Every Single Night
[00:34:08] Keith and Christine Thank the Dine-In Customers
[00:35:31] The Delta Variant and The New Normal
[00:39:30] Final Notes on the Upcoming Episodes

Where are all the employees?

People have left the industry for several reasons: some are still staying at home while others have gotten other jobs in other fields. However, the biggest reason for people leaving the industry is how the hospitality industry treats their teams: long hours, late nights, no breaks, and low wages most especially, have contributed to the record-breaking attrition rates. 

The Trickle-Down Effect of Poaching Talent and Importance of Training and Development

Christine recounts one of her experiences in her previous company wherein talent was being poached. Employees were being promoted with no training just to fill holes in management. Eventually, these employees struggled and left to seek better training and development opportunities in other companies. This eventually led to demoralized employees and the company having to hire a recruiting agency to fix their roster of employees. Given her experience, Christine highly recommends for recruiters to work with what they have and find the right people to fill vacancies to help the company move forward.

Minimum Wage in the US and Getting What You Pay For

The minimum wage has gone up over the years, but Christine firmly believes that the current rate of $15/hour in the US is still not a livable wage. The restaurant industry continues to face staffing issues due to the fact that people are earning more staying at home than they would if they went back to work. To get “cream of the crop” employees, affluent business owners must pay hourly and daily workers, who take a beating from the public, their worth.

Call for Yelp: What They Really Think of the App and What You Should Do Instead

As business owners, Christine and Keith despise Yelp and believe it has done more harm than good to business owners, big and small. Instead of keyboard-smashing at home after a horrible night out, giving honest feedback while you’re still at the restaurant is a much better way for establishments to take in your feedback and give you a much better dine-in experience.

Where to Find Them:

In this episode, Keith and Christine bring in their guest, fellow Devita & Hancock partner, and Regional Executive Recruiter Richard “Cutlets of Fury” Teear. He is an experienced restaurant operator with over 30 years of experience running full-service, casual, and fine dining establishments. Initially, he worked at construction and ran his own business for over 15 years. They exchange Olive Garden stories, Richard’s hurdles in recruitment, and their thoughts on incentivizing new hires and the vaccine rollout.

[00:00:30] Introducing “Cutlets of Fury” Richard Teear
[00:03:07] Richard and Keith’s Olive Garden Stories
[00:08:42] Richard’s Biggest Hurdle in Recruiting and Getting the Right People
[00:12:15] Now’s the Time to Get Your Dream Job (with a Signing Bonus)
[00:15:45] Incentivizing People to Get Back to Work
[00:16:38] Glorification of the Restaurant and Culinary World
[00:19:53] Vaccination as a Personal and Political Decision
[00:30:32] Richard’s Broken Mugs
[00:33:52] Final Notes

Richard’s Biggest Hurdle in Recruiting and Getting the Right People

From the client end, Richard sees how people still want to do the recruiting themselves. But from the candidate standpoint, especially during the pandemic, potential hires are opting out of jobs with good pay and benefits outside of the four walls of the office to reconnect and spend more time with their families.

Passion in the Restaurant and QSR Industry

Keith shares how there’s almost a glorification of the culinary industry as more younger people sign up for culinary school. But the reality of the industry could not be further from what people see on The Food Network. People in the industry must do the nitty-gritty stuff: wash dishes despite having a four-year degree, work 6-7 days a week including holidays and weekends, and barely have time to see family. Despite being in the industry, Keith and Christine often discourage their peers to enter the world of culinary and restaurant management. However, their passion and fulfillment in their line of work is what has kept them afloat and satisfied throughout the years of their career.

Incentivizing People to Get Back to Work

One of the biggest issues that restaurant owners are currently facing during the pandemic is manpower and labor. They have now resorted to offering signing bonuses ranging from $500-$1000 and even giving out Apple iPhones to attract potential hires and get people back to work.

Vaccinations: Your Body, Your Choice

Keith, Christine, and Richard are on the same page when it comes to vaccines: your body, your choice. They believe business owners incentivizing and requiring vaccines among employees in order to be branded as “fully-vaccinated” simply adds to the politicization of it all. 

Where to find them:

Keith Hancock and Christine DeVita are partners and chief executives of DeVita and Hancock Hospitality, a full-service consulting and recruiting firm specializing in restaurant, QSR and retail consulting. Christine is the President and CEO with over 25 years of experience in business development and operations while Keith serves as the Vice President and COO with over 15 years in sales, mentorship, and restaurant management. Keith and Christine talk about “ghosting” in the hiring process, what candidates look for in a company (being the right company as well), and how Chipotle is now on TikTok too.

[00:02:25] “Ghosting”: Changes and Challenges in Recruiting
[00:09:22] Protecting the Brand, Client, and Our Candidates
[00:11:23] Easing the Frustrations of Recruiting
[00:15:22] Candidates Looking for The Right Fit and the Salary
[00:18:29] Companies that Value their Employees and Those Who Don’t
[00:21:20] Treating Your Staff with the Hospitality You Want Them to Treat Your Guests
[00:26:39] Everybody’s on TikTok and so is Chipotle
[00:29:28] Job-Hopping and Why Do Resumes Still Exist?
[00:32:49] Staying Too Long and Hitting a Ceiling in a Company
[00:35:22] “You’re Only as Good as Your Last Day”
[00:38:24] Governor Cuomo Extending the Outdoor Dining Program in New York
[00:41:37] Final Notes

“Ghosting” in the Recruitment Process

Ghosting in recruitment processes is a two-way street: sometimes interviewees get ghosted by hiring managers while applicants never get back to their applications. However, it is Christine and Keith’s goal for their company to avoid this altogether. They believe it’s recruiters’ jobs to communicate effectively to all their candidates on whether they’ll be moving forward with their applications or not, while also providing a Plan B for their applicants with their roster of clients.

Finding People that Fit the Personality of the Company

Christine takes pride in the recruitment process of DeVita and Hancock despite being a lengthy one. She sees how clients and restaurant owners pour their heart and soul into their businesses, therefore believing that recruiters taking out all the “white noise” in the recruitment stage helps her find the right fit for her clients’ needs. 

Chipotle Hiring New Employees through TikTok Resumes

Christine’s on TikTok and so is Chipotle. She recently discovered how the restaurant chain has now branched out its hiring process through so-called “TikTok Resumes” where prospective applicants can “showcase their authenticity and true passions in unique ways outside of our traditional resumes and sit-down interviews”.

The Relevance of Resumes and the Prevalence of Job-Hopping

Keith is shocked that resumes still exist— he hardly goes through them and Christine looks at it for less than five minutes. Instead, they’re more focused on the backstory behind the employee and why job-hopping is prevalent with applicants jumping from 2-3 restaurants in a span of two years. 

Where to find them:

Keith Hancock and Christine DeVita are partners and chief executives of DeVita and Hancock Hospitality, a full-service consulting and recruiting firm specializing in restaurant, QSR and retail consulting. Christine is the President and CEO with over 25 years of experience in business development and operations while Keith serves as the Vice President and COO with over 15 years in sales, mentorship, and restaurant management. In this episode, they talk about issues they faced in the restaurant industry due to the pandemic: supply chain, labor, remote work, and an increase in prices of chicken wings.

[00:00:25] Supply Chain, Labor, and Unemployment Issues During the Pandemic
[00:03:54] Hiring People and Building the Industry Back
[00:09:02] Remote Working or Getting Back on the Train?
[00:12:14] Christine and Keith’s Call to Get Back to Work
[00:15:28] Vendor and Distribution Scenario
[00:16:51] Chicken Wings and the Increase in Prices in the Restaurant Industry
[00:23:20] Regular or Premium Packaging?
[00:27:06] Digital as the New Marketing in the Restaurant and Hospitality Industry
[00:30:20] Owning a Company as an Everyday Learning Process
[00:31:34] Final Notes

Getting Back to Work

Now that the US is slowly recovering from the pandemic and restaurants are opening their doors to the public, Christine urges those in need of jobs to start applying before a surge in applications arrive in September. As veterans in the restaurant and hospitality industry, Keith and Christine are also firm believers in face-to-face working environments to keep their businesses running.

Increases in Pricing

Christine recounts her experience with price increases through two scenarios: buying gas for her car and buying chicken wings from her supplier. While she has no choice but to pay for gas given the fixed prices in gas stations, global food prices have risen for the 12th month in a row last May and she is shocked with how the price of chicken wings have increased by $50. Given this predicament, business owners are forced to increase prices of their services as well.

Going Digital in the Restaurant Industry

Keith and Christine believe that print marketing is done and over within their industry and going 110% digital is the way to go as they promote their upcoming marketing and web design business.

Where to find them: