Restaurant Operations Handbook: The Work

• Operations Handbook outlines six foundational areas, referred to as "The Work", necessary for running great restaurants, revised in January 2024.

The Work

• A practical approach to restaurant management by focusing on specific operational areas.
• Manager schedule, crew schedule, developing shift managers, developing department managers, maintenance program, and crew training program.

Implementing the Work

• Success achieved through consistent execution of foundational areas by the management team.
• Standards, routines, and processes are provided in the Operations Handbook to support understanding and implementation
• Content aligns with GJ Mac standards.

Planning and Leadership

• Planning is crucial and the Leadership Model for Success guides goal setting for sales and people development.
• Six foundational elements must be considered during the planning of restaurant operations.
• Quarter plans created with deployment, training, and RDM tasks in mind is the first step
• Next is a development phase that focuses on improving the team via training expectations, dates, and milestones.
• The execution phase permits managers to oversee assigned tasks, with superiors monitoring progress to ensure training objectives are achieved
• Continuous follow-up is essential for comparing plan execution with goals, enabling modifications and adjustments.

The Six Foundational Areas

Manager Schedule

• This a planning and Leadership Model that plans to observe all shifts to meet Quality, Service, and Cleanliness {QSC} standards.
• It focuses on planning for people development and building sales

Crew Schedule

• Proper planning yields a great restaurant through appropriate staffing to build sales, predictable shifts for crew & planned fixed hours

SMX Training

• Focus on utilizing the SMX Planner and personal investment in training
• This includes care culture, planning before a shift, and managing the shift effectively

DM Development

• Executing the systems, in particular RDM {Restaurant Development Manager} days, department planners, and personal investment is essential

Maintenance Program

• Focus on having a clean restaurant, with 2-3 trained maintenance personnel conducting cleanliness walk thrus.

Crew Training Program

• Retaining quality employees relies on having 4-6 verified crew trainers
• Regular monthly crew trainer meetings is vital

Manager Schedule Details

• Essential responsibility is a well-organized schedule completed by the 25th of the month and due on the 15th, outlining tasks, development, and routines to build sales
• Allocate 4-6 hours for creating schedule

Goals of well-made Manager Schedule

• Restaurant success achieved by setting up Floor Control shifts to build sales
• Planning is key for system tasks and observation
• Development of managers through effective scheduling is critical

Service Standard Expectations

• Achieve OEPE (Order End to Present End) at 120 seconds or less, ensure KVS times are under 55 seconds, R2P times under 90.
• Ensure customer complaints can be handled and Voice EPB2 is under 7%

Expectations for Management Team

Work-Life Balance

• Provides a balance
• Plan time with intent
• RDM - Schedule 2 times a month- Full Days
• Ensure at least one full manager meeting a month; include all hourly managers
• Ask managers for their days off requests before you start.
• RDM managers should receive one weekend off a month if operational goals are achieved.
• GM and PCM cannot have the same day off
• Supervisor and GM cannot have the same weekend off
• Every GM/PCM must work:
• 2 Sundays a month
• 2 late shifts, 2 early shifts twice a month
• Only two 9 am-6 pm shifts a week

Coverage

• Providing adequate shift coverage by promoting individuals with leadership skills capable of development enables great leaders and meets restaurant demands.

Management Team Minimums

• Four to five managers with open availability are needed
• Four to five managers with limited availability required
• Three to four managers that have overnight availability

Floor Control & Preparation

• Plan is essential in building sales and allows the crew to work their scheduled shifts.
• Ensuring the QSC (Quality, Service, Cleanliness) is in place ahead of time.
• The supervisors and GM (General Manager) should review the shift plan with the shift manager

Standards for Shift Coverage

• Ensure five shifts are assigned daily: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack/Dinner, Late Night, and Overnight.

QSC & Shift Leaders

• Every manager should understand all duties and responsibilities
• The Operations Manager approves any exceptions and provides development plans to ensure there are always two verified shift managers.

Scheduled Activities & Planning

• Activities include regular team meetings, schedule management by PCM {Production Control Manager}, and ongoing QC tasks by QCM {Quality Control Manager}.
• Crew training, feedback and coaching, and constant floor control are all vital activities

Manager's Schedule:

• Crucial for success and requires dedication to plan
• Set restaurant vision, goals, and standards
• Coordinate important dates & duties - People/Kitchen meetings, truck duties, and training

Crew Schedules

• Posted and approved in e-restaurant crew room, and Redbook Thursdays by 5pm, done, completed 2 weeks in advance to provide a predictable schedule
• Using FRED modules and Fundamentals of Scheduling and Labor on mcdtkit helps create suitable schedules
• Allocation of 4-6 hours for schedule planning is necessary

Goals of well-made Crew Schedule

• Correctly incorporate management schedule
• Incorporates GM and DM planning tasks
• VLH guidelines are met (+2) during peak periods
• Schedules enough crew ensure crew can receive breaks
• Ensures new hire training includes a crew trainer
• Ensures primary tasks receive appropriate hours

Service Standard Expectations

• Achieve OEPE (Order End to Present End) at 120 seconds or less, ensure KVS times are under 55 seconds, R2P times under 90.
• Ensure customer complaints can be handled and Voice EPB2 is under 7%
• 30 day crew turnover should ideally remain under 15 percent

Weekly Labor Tracking

• Sent by the General Manager to the supervisor for approval every Tuesday by 5pm to align with sales and labor Projections
• Review with P&L and use to ensure appropriate QSC standards are in place.

SMX Training Requirements

• Candidates must demonstrate potential as shift managers and meet restaurant´s availability needs.

Hiring & Training

• GM and Supervisor must complete the SMX Ticket and supervisor also writes Recommendation letter and sent to Ops manager with EON paperwork
• Human Resources processes the promotion, and the ICT is changed with the trainee verified. Trainee accesses training on FRED.

SMX Planner

• The SMX planner should be delivered to the candidate at the EOM along with the Shift Management Getting Started Module.
• The candidate must login to FRED before first class starts, and the targets and dates need to be confirmed

Successful SMX Trainee

• Complete SMX Training Class which include FRED Modules
• ServeSafe & OTPI Certified
• Leadership Training
• Complete GJ Handbooks one and two and watch all the FRED digital videos
• Verifications are 90% pass

Grill Manager Requirements

• Adhering to food safety guidelines, overseeing cabinet levels using e-production, and adhering to prep and pull thaw procedures.
• Must position and manage crew and continuously monitor food quality.

Hiring & Training

• The recommendation requires General and Super completes
• Candidates must use login for to see all required training module

Development Manager Requirements

• Department Managers lead work with a team aligned with restaurant goals.
• Must maintain excellent floor control by running high amount of shifts
• Must be a role model to People Care Culture

Maintaining a Maintenance Team

• GM must organize two team members so that at least one is able to work 7 days a week
• The team oversees the cleaning, upkeep, and overall organization of the restaurant and building

Maintenance Uniforms

• 5 Shirts, 3 Paints
• Reflective Beanie and Vest

Crew Trainer

• Crew leaders focus on the importance new and existing employees
• Focus on the importance being prepare for for the new employee, having a positive attitude, and a helpful training list