A Restaurant Buschel Full of Rules, Will it Lead to Indigestion

In any business, you need a framework.

Bad service in many places can be caused be bad pay or bad training or both.

After reading 100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do, Part 1 and 2 (NY Times, You're the Boss,  October 29 and November 5, 2009), I was left wondering if Mr. Buschel ever run a restaurant or worked in one.

Could the writing of long lists be a way to deal with pre-opening anxiety?

Will this restaurant buschel full of rules lead to indigestion?

Does he intend to break the rule book in small pieces to make the information manageable?

Is the book of rules to be followed to the letter or is there room for flexibility when needed?

Let me highlight a few examples:

#7 Do not announce your name. No jokes, no flirting, no cuteness.
There are as many approaches as there are types of customers or types of servers for that matter.
This is not Club Med but it should not be robotic

#8 Do not interrupt a conversation. For any reason. Especially not to recite specials. Wait for the right moment.
In our I Phone and Blackberry Age, it is not uncommon for a party of two to spend most of their meal on the phone, texting or whatever, unless he plans to ban smartphone use during meals, what is his solution besides interruption? Who happens to be rude in this case?

#14 When you ask, “How’s everything?” or “How was the meal?” listen to the answer and fix whatever is not right.
Many restaurateurs consider it bad manners to ask the "how's everything?" question? It might make it sound like you expect something to be wrong

17. Do not take an empty plate from one guest while others are still eating the same course. Wait, wait, wait
Some guests like to build a pyramid with all their plates regardless of whether the rest of their party is finished, should you let the mess sit there?

26. Never assume people want their white wine in an ice bucket. Inquire.
The ice bucket should be the exception.
A friend of mine who works in the trade for many years has a good rule regarding chilling white wine? Do it only if the wine is bad or very bad, no one will taste anything. Anyone with a bit of experience will know if the wine is cold enough when holding the bottle. On rare occasions customers will ask for an ice bucket, then bring it without being judgmental.

39. Do not call a woman “lady.”
Is there anything but respect in taking the women order first and asking what would the ladies like?
I agree with not using 'ma'am" or 'dude' or 'how are you guys doin' and the like.

50. Do not turn on the charm when it’s tip time. Be consistent throughout.
Mentioning charm, doesn't it contradict #42, #43, #46

57. Bring the pepper mill with the appetizer. Do not make people wait or beg for a condiment.
Most dishes are already seasoned properly and except for salads and pasta, chefs and most restaurants would disagree on the need for pepper. If the guest wants it, then do it.

68. Do not reach across one guest to serve another.
In some cases, say a party of four in a booth, you have to.

74. Let the guests know the restaurant is out of something before the guests read the menu and order the missing dish.
Fine rule as long as you know the item run out, sometimes you find out after taking the order. This is the nature of the restaurant business.
Somehow contradicts Rule 11: "Do not hustle the lobsters. That is, do not say, “We only have two lobsters left.” Even if there are only two lobsters left"

79- When someone orders a drink “straight up,” determine if he wants it
“neat” — right out of the bottle — or chilled. Up is up, but “straight
up” is debatable.
Straight up would be for a mar11. Do not hustle the lobsters. That is, do not say, “We only have two lobsters left.” Even if there are only two lobsters left.tini, a manhattan or that type of drink and is chilled (unless they want it on the rocks), Neat applies especially to single malts…never heard that 'right out of the bottle' mention.

91. If someone complains about the music, do something about it,
without upsetting the ambiance. (The music is not for the staff — it’s
for the customers.)
Do we need music in restaurants? Most of the times it is intrusive.

By my comments, I don't mean to say that all 100 Rules are wrong.

I do remember working in a place when it opened. There were 4 owners each with different opinions as to what the doe's and don't were and it could drive the staff nuts.

Having a good framework is fine.

Let's not forget that when you are in the people business, there are many variables. Mishaps occur.
Try to be consistent and when things don't go according to script, try to keep your cool and fix them.

Many years ago, a French gentleman who worked for Chimney Rock told me while trying a wine that this would not be the end of the world if he did not like it, he would try something else….

Learning is a constant process, it never stops and it is not a one way process.

There might be a middle ground between corset and chaos, method and compulsion, I thought while Currently) reading Tyler Cowen Create Your Own Economy: The Path to Prosperity in a Disordered World (Dutton).

At least, John Medina in Brain Rules limited his principles for surviving and thriving at work, home, school to 12.

On rules, orderliness and control for Monday Work Etiquette # 115

Previously: Passion Fuels Good Work and Brings Joy