As a restaurant owner, there are many behind-the-scenes challenges – and opportunities – that our guests don’t always hear about. In today’s blog post, I will reveal some of the challenges that come with owning a popular restaurant, and how Leyla and I address these challenges and use them to find opportunities to better serve our guests.
Challenge 1: The Menu
There are many challenges that come with planning out the menu of a restaurant. As the restaurant owners, Leyla and I need to ensure that our offerings are in keeping with what our customers want, that the number of items we offer is large enough to have broad appeal and contained enough to be manageable to execute on a day-to-day basis.
At Cafe 21, we’re committed to creating delicious and fresh menu items. We use only locally grown, organic, and gluten-free ingredients, and offer a socially conscious farm-to-table dining experience. Our hormone-free meats and yeast-free bread allow us to accommodate all dietary restrictions.
Our menus include a variety of staples, seasonal items, and Azeri food from our home country of Azerbaijan. Whether you’re seeking to stick with what you love or branch out in foodie exploration, Cafe 21 is the place to go!
Challenge 2: Staffing
Restaurants don’t have standard 9-to-5 weekday hours, and many staff members are part-time. We want to have enough staff members to offer prompt and delightful service, while not overstaffing our restaurants, which can reduce our employees’ earnings.
At Cafe 21, we focus on hiring the best staff members, training them effectively, and ensuring that the entire team offers exceptional customer service at all times. Our culture keeps our employees engaged, and everyone is focused on making sure that our guests experience outstanding service. Both of our locations have 4-star reviews on Yelp, and many recommendations across a variety of review platforms.
Challenge 3: Leveraging Technology
Like most industries, in the restaurant industry, new technologies are constantly evolving. Whether it’s a new point of service system, an online reservation system, or optimizing our online and social media presence, technology has an important role to play.
At Cafe 21, we offer online reservations directly through our website. We recently updated our website to make it easier for guests to use and navigate through, and we are very active on social media! You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
There are many challenges that come with owning a restaurant. With a positive attitude and some thoughtful planning, we embrace these challenges and turn them into opportunities for our restaurants to thrive.