[00:00:00] Whoever is telling you not to sell desserts is wrong. It's 100% bad advice. And I'm going to show you how to do it right. I'm going to show you why it works, how to make it work for your restaurant. All of that on today's episode of Restaurant Strategy.
[00:00:15] There's an old saying that goes something like this. You'll only find three kinds of people in the world. Those who see, those who will never see, and those who can see when shown. This is Restaurant Strategy, a podcast with answers for anyone who's looking.
[00:00:46] Hey everyone, thanks for tuning in. My name is Chip Close. This is the Restaurant Strategy Podcast. We are getting very close to 500 episodes. Are you as excited as I am? I hope so. For those of you who don't know me, I am a 25 year veteran of this industry. I run something called the P3 mastermind. I. I wrote a book called the Restaurant Marketing Mindset. I travel all over the world giving talks. I also run a membership site. It's called restaurant foundations. It's $97 a month and there is a ton of online content, resources, playbooks, strategies, all kinds of stuff in there to help you grow revenue, increase the profitability of your restaurants. You get access to it for 30 days absolutely free by using the link in the show notes. Again, Restaurant Foundations. That link is in the show notes. Go check that out. Now.
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[00:02:45] Okay, so I want to talk about the elephant in the room. I want to talk about desserts I have seen this come up over and over and over over the last few months. And I got to set the record straight. If someone is telling you not to sell desserts in your restaurant, they are 100% wrong. I'm happy to have a debate about this, but they gotta come to me. They gotta come to the conversation with data. They have to have a plan in place. Because.
[00:03:14] Because just turning tables is not enough. And that's what I hear over and over. I don't want to sell desserts because I'd rather. Instead of getting the $15 dessert on the table, I want to get another four people down on the table, which is 150 or $200. And. And the argument comes from this place of. Of that it's an either or.
[00:03:35] I want people to get desserts, and I want them to leave quickly so I can get the next table down. And I promise you, there is a way to do it. I say this after doing this for 25 years, specifically running teams, running the front doors of restaurants where I am desperate for the next table, the next table, the next table, so I can take the walk in, so I can take the last minute reservations that come in.
[00:03:55] I'm here to tell you, if the whole conversation we're having is based on table turn time, then you're already screwing it up.
[00:04:03] Tables turn in the first 15 minutes, not in the last 15 minutes. So if not selling a dessert for 15 minutes, if that's gonna kill you, if that's gonna make or break your profitability, you're already sunk. You're already screwing it up. You're already doing it wrong.
[00:04:20] Here's what you do instead.
[00:04:22] In order to focus on table turn time and decreasing table turn time right, getting away from these campers, you greet the table with authority, with confidence. You set the tone, and you set a rhythm for the meal. And this isn't about rushing people or pushing through people through the experience. It's merely having your servers show up to the table as the one in charge. Because guess what? They are the one in charge.
[00:04:47] They greet the table with authority. Hey, how's everyone doing? My name's Chip. I'll be taking care of you. I would love to start you off with a drink from the bar. Did anyone want a glass of champagne or a beer or a cocktail? Miss, what would you like?
[00:04:59] You greet the table with a plan in place. Not just showing up and say, hey, I'm the person you're going to boss around for the next two hours. And is there anything you need no, it's saying, my job is to show you the best possible way to experience this restaurant. The best possible way is to get you something from the bar because our cocktails are amazing. We have a terrific champagne by the glass. Whatever it is, whatever your concept, wherever you're located, there is a way to get the experience going on that first approach. So a great server understands that greeting with authority brings bringing confidence to the table and showing them that I'm in charge, that I am going to show you the best possible way to experience this restaurant. That's how you move a table. The way you conduct yourself in the first 15 minutes establishes the pace the table turn time for all of your tables. And I know this because I was very good back when I was a server. I was very good at increasing the check average of my guests. I almost, across the board, sold more than anyone else of the teams that I was on. And.
[00:06:02] And in the last restaurant I was there, I sold $18 in extra check average, meaning check average at this Fancy restaurant was 125. On average. I was between 142 and 143 per cover.
[00:06:15] And my table turn times were about 15 minutes shorter than the average, meaning I could sell more and I could turn the table faster. So this isn't coming out of nowhere. I know what I'm talking about.
[00:06:27] If we're talking about table turn times, which is the. The biggest argument I get as to why we shouldn't sell desserts, well, I don't want to sell a $15 dessert. I want to get a four top. The next four top set. I'm telling you, you did it wrong. There is a way to set the motion and set the tone and the pace of the meal very early on, right. From first approach, so that you never have people lingering or camping at the end, right? Because I told them I'm in charge. I'm showing you the best way to experience this. Best way to experience this is in an hour and 45 minutes, not 2:15.
[00:06:59] We're going to keep this going. I'm going to be in charge of the firing. I'm going to manicure the table. I'm going to make sure you have everything you need for the duration. What happens is, if we've properly set the tone and the pacing in the first 10 or 15 minutes, then I don't need to try and get them back and skip dessert at the end because back to my thing, right? A server should command authority. They are the ones in charge. You're in good hands when you're in my station because I'm going to show you the very best way to experience this restaurant.
[00:07:26] Dessert, right, is the final downbeat, is the final beat of the meal. That is the best way to experience because you've had very savory things all throughout the meal. And it's time for a little something sweet. A little bit of sugar actually brightens the palate, leaves you feeling less full. Actually, it's a better way to experience it. And here's the thing, and here's the most important thing that I want you to take away from this conversation.
[00:07:53] I do not care about the $10 dessert, the $12 dessert, the $15 dessert. I don't.
[00:08:00] I am getting the $12 dessert on the table so I can get the three $53.50 espresso, the $5.50 cappuccinos, the $18 glass of dessert wine or scotch.
[00:08:14] So the extra 15 minutes there, let's make it so it is worth it. If they're going to order a dessert, then I'm going to make sure they order something else. It's not one dessert in the middle of the table for four people to have a bite of. Forget that. Screw that. I agree with you. So if you're doing it right, and if you've established, you've set the tone of the beginning and you've showed the people that you're in charge, that you are going to show them the best way to experience, by the time you have earned all this trust and you get to the end of the meal and you say, okay, great. Now listen, there's only one way to go here, right? There's. There's two desserts that we're famous for. What I always recommend is just put those two in the middle so you. Everybody can try a little bit. But I'm also happy to bring the dessert menu to you. If you want to look at everything we offer, right? When you get those two desserts ordered, say, perfect. Now, who'd like a coffee, cappuccino, tea, or dessert wine? Or can I bring the scotch list or our bourbon list?
[00:09:09] I am getting them excited for that. And I'm gonna hold the fire on the dessert so that I can make sure to get the drink orders, and I can get drinks on the table before the dessert comes. Because if the dessert comes flying out and they're already, like, you know, going through, they're like, ah, no, we'll just take the check. Fine. And I don't need that $12 dessert. I do need the $18 scotch and the two cappuccinos that add up to 11 and the espresso for 350.
[00:09:36] You do the math there.
[00:09:38] That's $12 plus 18, plus 11 plus 13 plus 3.
[00:09:44] That is worth doing.
[00:09:46] So, no, I don't want another $12. I do want another 40 or $50 on a 4 top, because that is meaningful. If I add another $40 to the check at the end of the meal on a four top, that's. I've increased the check average by $10, $10 per person.
[00:10:02] Anybody who says the skip dessert is an idiot and they don't know what they're talking about, they're wrong.
[00:10:08] Turning the table is not worthwhile. Now, let me talk to you about the playbook. Let me make this strategic. Let me make this tactical.
[00:10:15] When you go to clear entrees, you say, is everyone finished here? Matt Clear that you're out of your way. They say, oh, yeah, yeah, we're totally stuffed. You say, perfect, no worries. Start clearing and say, hey, listen, I know you said you're stuffed, but we're famous for two desserts that you really can't leave without these two. What I always recommend is just throwing one of each in the center of the table. That way you can have a little bit of taste. Dessert. It's really a great way to finish the meal.
[00:10:38] Then they're like, oh, yeah, okay, okay, fine. Just. Just those two in the middle of the table. Nine times out of ten, they will say, fine, just bring those and put them in the middle of the table.
[00:10:46] Then what happens is you finish clearing, you come back, you mark them, you clear, you get rid of, like, any crumbs or whatever, and you say, great. Kitchen's working on the desserts. They're not yet. I haven't put them in yet. Say, kitchen's working on the desserts. Who'd like a coffee or cappuccino or espresso or maybe a dessert wine or an after dinner drink or a bourbon? What can I get for you?
[00:11:06] Then you get the extra 30 or $40 in sales. So the $12 dessert plus the 30 or $40, you've increased the check average, right? By 40. You've increased the check by 40 or $50. That's $10 minimum in PPA per person average.
[00:11:22] And I want to do that on every single table. And if you follow me, we've cut out the moment where you clear the stuff, come back, crumb them, drop the dessert menus, and then let them think about it for five or 10 minutes and then take an order. I've condensed all of that. I've taken that five or ten minute consideration time and taken it away and just gotten them going. And I've gotten stuff on the table. You're not gonna linger here forever. And I'm keeping it going.
[00:11:46] That's how you do it. Whoever says not to sell desserts is an idiot. They don't know what they're talking about. And they've never done it right. They've never trained a team to do it right. This is how you do it. I call this the turnaround. The turnaround from entrees to desserts. When you get really good at it, you will get more desserts on the table. Therefore, you will get more coffees, cappuccinos, teas, after dinner drinks, bourbons, dessert wines. That's the sales I'm after. And since we've tightened up the beginning of the meal, we are still going to turn tables faster than the average server. That's what we need to do. Again, guys, these things, this thing I'm talking about is actually part of the server playbook, which is housed within the Restaurant Foundations membership site. Restaurant foundations is $97 a month, but you get it for free for the first 30 days to try out. So go check it out. If you don't like it, cancel anytime you want. Cancel before the first $97 charge. Go.
[00:12:33] But what I hope, what I think will happen is you'll get in there, you'll see the value of it. You'll see that it's worth hanging around for a long time. That link is in the show notes again. As always, I appreciate you guys being here. Thank you very much and I will see you next time.
[00:13:05] Sa Sam.
