I know you’re busy. Every day brings new challenges to face, unexpected curve balls that throw you off balance. But you might want to stop now and again and reflect on a time, not too long ago. Think back to March of 2020. Do you remember what it was like? In January of that year, we started to talk about a virus that was spreading from China, but in March it reared up its ugly head in the U.S. Do you remember the shock, the panic, the reality of something so unknown, so out of control, so scary that everything and everyone was caught off guard?

We knew it was bad but had little idea of how bad it would become. Suddenly, nothing else mattered and the world came to a halt. What is the end game here? Is this the end of days, the apocalypse? Did you already forget that feeling, the fear, the thoughts of helplessness? Suddenly, people curled up in their homes, bought air filters, wore masks until the ears started to bleed, and avoided anyone who wasn’t immediate family. Businesses shut down and those that were open pushed for remote relationships with their staff. Schools closed as students tried to navigate learning by ZOOM. Grocery stores had empty shelves, and doom and gloom filled the airwaves as the media tried to balance telling it like it is with keeping some level of calm.

Restaurants didn’t know how to react. “How can we stay in business when customers have no interest in leaving their homes?” Well, after a few months, we started to figure things out. With the help of the federal government (without their help I can’t imagine any business surviving let alone the average citizen), restaurants began to experiment with delivery, remote pick-up, using technology to minimize employee interaction, and later – ghost kitchens that saved the day for some, but changed our industry entirely. We offered tables in air-controlled domes, sophisticated negative ion air cleaners, waiter-less counter pick-up, even QR Code menus to eliminate touching menus that had been handled by others. Eventually we figured it out (to some degree) but in the process lost an enormous number of restaurants from 2020 – 2023. Do you remember this? Do you remember how hard it was and how helpless you felt? Do you remember how challenging it was (and continues to be) to attract employees and customers once the pandemic seemed to settle down?

So, I asked you to think about this now because everyone tends to forget chaotic challenges once the worst is over. We seek to get back to normal as quickly as we can and push aside the memories of times that seem better forgotten. However, if you stop to really think it through, the question of the hour is: “What did you learn?”

For the moment we may be okay, but here’s the wake-up call: SOMETHING ELSE WILL HAPPEN WHEN WE LEAST EXPECT IT. This is a given! Whether an economic crisis (like the ones that seem to happen like clockwork every 10 years or so), another pandemic (ask the CDC and they will tell you that it is never a question of if, but rather when), political unrest (something we read about every day), or dramatic acts of God (extreme weather, fires, earthquakes, etc.) that are occurring regularly as our climate evolves. Dramatic change lives right around the corner and sure as we can breathe in and out, something else will happen to shake our existence. So, what did you learn from the pandemic and what have you done to prepare for the next challenge?

Hmmm…now I’ve got you thinking. If this thought process scares you – it should. Here are some takeaways that should be part of your everyday planning process.

• People no longer view dining out as a necessity to support their lifestyle. With this understanding, how will you adjust to economic downturns that can disrupt business?
• The cost of goods will rarely go down. Are you developing menu concepts that shy away from typically high-cost ingredients and ones that are sensitive to market fluctuation?
• Labor cost will continue to escalate and finding good employees will remain a problem whether we are in a crisis or not. By now you should have a way to compensate for this through in-service training of less qualified hires, bonuses for exceptional employees, profit sharing, non-traditional recruiting methods, or even the use of technology and automation.
• The supply chain is fragile and now with imposed tariffs this may become an even greater concern. Do you follow commodity challenges driven by supply chain issues? Are you planning to buy from within a shorter market reach?
• Saving for a rainy day has never been a strong suit for restaurants so just as many employees live paycheck to paycheck, private restaurants exist under the same conditions. This is the time to put aside some rainy-day funds, negotiate a short-term line of credit plan with your bank, identify silent investors, or a more fluid lease model with your landlord. You can buy that new car or combi-oven once some reserves are in place.
• Takeout and delivery were the salvation of many restaurants during the pandemic. What is your takeout strategy if needed again? What is your menu strategy for crisis situations? Will you work with expensive third-party services like Uber Eats or staff your own delivery service? How will you create a “delivery or takeout experience” rather than just a bag or box without the ability to maintain temperature or quality?
• How often do you sit down with your key employees and participate in scenario planning? It pays to put your minds together and ask: “What if?” Challenges only become problems when they can’t be solved. They can’t be solved when you fail to plan.

When things are moving along well you have the time and a clear mind to think ahead and make sure you are ready for what may come your way. Mise en Place applies to planning as well as station preparedness.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

“Work Hard and be Kind” – Dick Cattani

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

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