big days at BR

We must be growing in our ability to handle the numbers - yesterday over 100 between breakfast & lunch and same today. This used to be the cause for huge sigh of relief that we made it through - from kitchen and front of house. Now the process in kitchen works well and everyone is served in good time. The waitstaff and bussers are well able to keep the dining room working smoothly for all customers.

The "hot button" for me now is to be sure we deliver the check to all tables in a timely manner - that means, just when they want it or a minute or two before they need it, with the language; "I'll be happy to take that when you are ready" - no pressure and with an appreciation that this is the #1 issue within the service arena of a restaurant -- people who are forced to wait for the bill and the completion of the bill paying process find this anywhere from mildly distressing to enough to turn the feeling of the entire event from positive to negative.

So, we need to do this very well and are not there yet. A 2010 objective.

We are seeing so many new visitors, on a regular basis - continuing to find us through our NJN sponsorship, their friends, family, neighbors or one of our many reviews.

It is also great to be able to say we have 'regulars' - there are great folks who visit us 2, 3, 4 times a week - now that we do dinner, the options for when to come are wide and I had a regular tell me this week that their party had had all 3 meals with us within the week!

Age range still fab - from the babes in arms through toddlers, children, young adults and the full spectrum of adults. This to me is great because we have kept ourselves open and welcoming to all groups. I hope this is so, it seems it by the visitors I see each day.

That each day is still a bug - I've been in the shop for full days the last 8+ days, and I need to be out of there at least a day a week - so goal this week is day off or at least out!

The sense of biz right now is that we are moving along with some great opportunities to grow in 2010 and the things that were major "OMG" in 2008 and into 2009 now for the most part are in our kit as working skills. Learning OTJ is one thing as a worker and entirely another as a small biz owner -- lots we didn't know at all, now we are rookies and making some things work well and others just bouncing along.

This is much to much a stream of....

perhaps organization of the blog will come along early this year -