Maybe it’s me, but I can see, taste, feel, and smell it. It permeates the air and clings to operations from the parking lot to the table. It’s a deep, dark feeling of despair and submission that I know leads to that awful, depressing sign on the front door – OUT OF BUSINESS. Whenever I see those words, my heart sinks. Those words signify defeat in a very personal way for the owner and the chef. That sign causes my shoulders to slump, my heart to skip a beat or two, and my head to hurt – all in sympathy for the people who likely gave everything they had to this business – all their money, all their energy, all their positivity – their family history and traditions, their life experiences, their brilliant ideas and every ounce of their talent summed up in three words. It’s crushing.

         What is even more depressing is that this doesn’t happen overnight. Defeat happens over time, and its signs are a self-fulfilling prophecy. Little problems grow into angst and anxiety as business starts to drift downward, good staff members begin to exit, bills are pushed aside and left unpaid, quality plummets, attitudes wane, the details are no longer viewed as important, profit evaporates, the media takes nasty stabs at the operation, and social media targets every moment of this spiral. The restaurant isn’t as clean as it should be, portions are getting smaller, flavors are off, items are out of stock, service slows and smiles have turned into frowns. Look around, the signs are there. It’s only a matter of time before the decision is made or made for them. So, the question is – what came first – failure or the attitude of failure?

         These are certainly challenging times for restaurants. The labor shortage is real and not improving, concerns over the economy and inflation are giving customers pause, the price of raw materials has made many common menu items unsustainable, rents are absurd, pay scales continue to rise as restaurateurs attempt to attract and retain employees – but it hasn’t been working, the industry that just a few years ago was viewed as exciting and ideal has lost its glimmer, younger people are shying away from alcoholic beverages, and the value experience that became entertainment is less appealing than it might have been before the pandemic. Tough times, yet some restaurants are still flourishing, the American lifestyle is more appealing when restaurants are involved, food is still a common denominator for bringing people together, and even though families build bigger kitchens at home and insist on buying the latest gadgets to equip them, they still find it appealing to order through Door Dash and pay a delivery fee. So, there is opportunity and there are ways out of the decay.

         The first step is to decide that you will rise above despair, invest the time to discover what customers want, show a willingness to change and address their needs (rather than just your own), push mediocrity off the table and stay focused on excellence no matter your concept or price point, connect with your customers and celebrate your good employees. Life has demonstrated that people want to align with a winner. They thrive on positivity and choose to avoid the opposite. Customers want to trust you but are not forgiving if you violate that trust. So, be consistent, don’t sacrifice quality – EVER, and stay on top of the details. Get rid of those warning signs – failure is NOT inevitable; it preys on discontent.

         OUT OF BUSINESS does happen but don’t let it mean – WE GAVE UP. Missteps happen, mistakes are part of learning, mis-directions are part of launching a business, and all the challenges that you face have possible solutions – you just need to listen, observe, interact, research, and change when necessary. If you live as if you are going to fail, you will. Tear that OUT OF BUSINESS sign down and open the windows – let in some fresh air, give sunshine a chance, clean and polish and please make sure that everyone who walks through your door senses your desire to win.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

www.harvestamericacues.com – BLOG

visit my author’s website at: https://paulsorgulebooks.com