Author: Andrus Hospitality

So we all know the COVID -19 pandemic has caused major issues in the hospitality industry from business closures to job loss and now constant changes in government oversight telling us how we should run our businesses. It’s bad!

But! I have started to find what I hope are some new habits and not just temporary changes that were brought about due to the pandemic. The guidelines and in some places mandates, I like focus on the single-use restaurant menus.

I have experienced a variety of offerings such as; a paper food menu but the cocktail menu was displayed on the bar in a leather cover, a black and white photocopy of the menu ( to keep the inspector guy happy I was told), and some places just handed me their menu in the plastic sleeves they have always used (which made me immediately use my hand sanitizer!). I’m pretty sure single-use menus is what we are striving for these days!

Those of us who have spent time in the front of the house know that menus are not cleaned as often as they should be. Heck, a menu could end up on the floor, the bathroom and even in the hands of a hundred other guests before they get wiped down again!

So why not embrace this one new hygiene habit?! Common folks! Use paper menus or find another innovative way to display your menus so no one has to even touch one. It doesn’t have to be a chalkboard either!

Let this pandemic be the catalyst for some amazing creative changes in the industry!

Stay well! ~Lisa

UPDATED!!! Free checklist at the end of this post!

Growing up my parents made sure we all sat down to eat together at the dining room table. The time was to be spent discussing everyone’s day and taking time to talk to each other since each of us had busy schedules.

Now, as our busy schedules have changed dramatically and many of us have more time with our loved ones. How has your meal time changed? Are you sitting down to a meal together more these days? What are you talking about at the dinner table? Are you experiencing more of a dining experience and not just eating on the fly?

When I conduct etiquette dinners the greatest challenge for the attendees is what to say at the dinner table. Ok, it might be number two to the ultimate question “which fork do I use” but it is a major cause of anxiety!

Here are some common questions the attendees have about dining in a professional environment: What do you talk about at the dinner table? What should I not talk about at the dinner table? How do you address the wait staff? And why can’t I use my cell phone at the table?

I recommend using this new found quality time in our lives to help our children learn how to have a conversation at the dinner table, without their devices, so they feel comfortable speaking to a perspective employer or someone who might impact their lives.

If you need help with where to start contact Lisa at andrushospitality@gmail.com.

At Home Meal Time Etiquette Checklist!

Ok, we have all heard that there will be a new “norm” going forward due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But as the hospitality industry is still trying to reopen and is in survival mode we still do not have firm guidance on what the new “norm” will look like for small restaurants and bars.

So why not define your own future with the things we do know?! We do know more take-out options and outdoor seating options would be beneficial in assisting with social distancing. What have you done to implement these types of options as a permanent solution not just during the phases recovery? Have you even thought about these options for the future of your business?

Are you thinking you can’t afford to implement something new? Can you afford not to try?

We recently had the honor of assisting Roff School Tavern in Meadville, Pa with such a project. A tradional craft beer pub that was closed for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic with no established take -out options when they had to shut down. Knowing they needed better options in case they had to close again we developed a new line of business for them, shaved ice and adult slushies to-go! We redesigned their already existing outside bar in their beer garden with a walk up window to the outside. Now families can visit inside or outside with a designated take out location.

Best of luck Roff School Tavern on your new adventure!!

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We are in holiday mode and it is time to travel. Traveling is one of the things we enjoy the most, whether it is a couple hour drive away or to a foreign country. When we travel to a different town, we enjoy visiting small businesses to see what new things we can learn from them. Most recently we visited a small restaurant that only sold craft burgers, beer, and homemade desserts. We sat at the kitchen table and watched two cooks and a chef owner prepare all the hot items in front of us on a custom designed grill/smoker and a set of double fryers. A small ledge off the bar where we were eating served as the expediting area. The bar was laid out in such a way that the walk-in cooler was directly on the other side of the wall from the tap handles. No need to run lines or lose a bartender for a half hour when a keg kicks. It was obvious that every inch of that space was considered during the design layout stage.

When was the last time you were in a different town and visited a business similar to yours? Do you avoid those places? Why? What is there to fear? Maybe they are doing something a little better or using a better product than you. Good! Use it to your advantage!

When we travel outside our comfort zones, we learn new things. What we learn might be good, it might be bad, or it could just be ugly. If you are unable or unwilling to leave your establishment to gather new information, consider sending your staff out as secret shoppers. You might want to even consider a friend or family member you can trust to do some investigating for you. Prepare them with a list of things you want to know, provide them with some spending money, and compensate them with a gift card to your establishment.

You have to remain relevant, you need new information, you need to learn new things. If what you have just read resonates with you, consider contacting us at andrushospitality@gmail.com to help strengthen your business.

Lisa Andrus, PhD