Page 5 - Running a Great Shift Learner Guide 1.1

Running a Great Shift Learner Guide

There are a handful of things to evaluate to get a clear picture of guest satisfaction. Remember to look for these cues
with guests that are seated, standing, standing, walking, or at the front door.

Positive Signs Negative Signs Inviting Action

Smiling Frowning
Approach the guest to find out what’s wrong so you can fix it
Leaning in (i.e. engaged) Leaning away (i.e. disengaged)
Approach the guest to find out what’s wrong so you can fix it
Plate of food is close to the guest Plate of food is pushed away
Approach the guest to find out what’s wrong with the food so you can fix it

Engaged in conversation Looking for service (or craning their neck)
This is a cry for help; approach the guest to find out what s/he needs
Appear to be comfortable Squinting into the light
Lower the blinds so the light isn’t in this guest’s eyes
Wearing a jacket
Gut-check the temperature:

If it’s too cold, adjust it
If it feels right, ask the guest if s/he finds it cold and react accordingly
Looking lost
This is likely a new guest looking for the washroom; offer to guide him/her
Looking impatiently at his/her watch
If you know why the guest is waiting (i.e. long wait for food or at the door),
update him/her of any progress and potentially offer an unexpected

surprise to ease his/her frustration
If you don’t know why the guest is waiting … ask! And then follow up in the
same manner as above
Looking unhappy
Approach the guest to find out what’s wrong so you can fit it

Any time that you see a negative sign, take immediate action to correct it. Once you’re positive that the guest is happy,
privately coach the team member that could have prevented the issue.

Consider your pace as you walk the floor. A common mistake is to power-walk through the restaurant, as this doesn’t
give you time to check for these signs. A fantastic way to maintain the right pace is to smile and make eye contact with 1
guest from each table that you pass. Try to do this with the “alpha” guest. This naturally slows you down and is a non-
verbal invitation for the guest to tell you if something is wrong.

Remember to take action for the guest first, and then coach the team member.

Every Table

This part of EFETET involves looking at the table (or items on the table) to track the guest’s experience and ensure that
it’s flowing smoothly. Try to remember these steps in order – it’s much easier that way. You don’t have to know the
status of every table in the restaurant at once. Rather, when you pass a table, you can see the status and ensure the
experience is pacing correctly (i.e. you walk by and see the guests have drinks; you can remember that when you walked
by 4 minutes ago they had coasters, so their experience is on track).

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