Tuesday PM 2.21.17

Written By: Elizabeth

LY Dinner Sales: $4760
Projected Sales : $5116
TY Dinner Sales:$5573
+/- : +17% LY and +$457 PS
Dinner Covers: 204
Avg PPA: $27.32

Weather:Beautiful and sunny. High 70s

Special events?:Day after 3 day weekend...clearly didn't stop anyone! Usually these day afters are pretty ghostly.

Who worked:
Kelly, Lindsey, Krystin, Liam, Clair CL. Tori/Leigh Host, Emily SA, Hiroe FR

Flow of Business, Cuts and Ticket Times:
Steady from the start. We were 3/4 full by 5:15 and went on a wait shortly after 6pm. Everyone had a solid night and seemed to be helping each other out throughout the shift. No major issues until the end of the night and all in Clair's section: First, the sushi bar printer jammed- is it a common occurrence or is it just me?, Clair reprinted some checks to make sure they got everything, and they did, but I feel like this has happened before. Second, she had a solo diner "create his own roll" only for it to come out and he sent it back, saying "I asked for the jalapeno to be on top of the roll, not in it!" He basically wanted a Cali roll, no Avo, topped with Salmon and Jalapeno, but he wasn't specific. In any case we got him what he wanted without any further issue. Then S8 got their tofu steak and before even having one bite said it was cold. I did see them taking pictures of it so that might have been why. We heated them up a new one and they were happy. Everyone left very happy tonight, and many were arriving in a good mood. Perhaps it's the Spring like weather.

Around 9:20 it smelled like a fish stink bomb went off in the restaurant. Some guests actually got up and had to go outside for a moment, while I had others complaining to their server. I smelled it immediately and went over to the sushi bar to find out what it was. Kazu and Toshi said it was the foil from the toaster oven, but it smelled as though we were in a fish market, so I wasn't convinced it was that. Neither of them knew what I was talking about otherwise, so the smell remained  a mystery. It dissipated after a few minutes, but guests were definitely aware.

For shift notes or even for the all staff meeting, Clair mentioned to me that something we might need to reiterate to the servers is not to take advantage of the SA. She said she's seen people slack off at the end of the night because we still have an SA on and the SA gets the bulk of the remaining tables, when servers have checked out and are eating. She also mentioned that she sees servers asking the SA to take out the trash before they leave at the end of the night, and it's simply not their sidework. She said she likes to lead by example. She's come a long way, I tell you. Really taking ownership of her role her.e

Specials:
Chefs Nigiri Trio: Snow Crab, Yojinbo, Seared Sake Toro. At first I didn't print special sheets since it was only one, but Kazu asked that I do, so I made a second specials sheet for when we only have one Special. I titled it the Chefs Nigiri Trio. So in the case that's all we have, at least it doesn't look silly all by itself for the nightly specials. It's saved to the desktop.

3 Staff members that stood out (why/how):
-Emily struggled with the business tonight. She moved as fast as she probably felt comfortable at (I know she's still new at SA-ing so it's to be expected) But she just needs to be a little more deliberate with her actions. Remembering to wipe and set tables before leaving them, and if she is going to another table nearby, to take her dirty tray with her. At one point A5, B2, B3 & A8 all got up at the same time. She kept her tray on A5 while it was wiped and set, while she bussed B2 & B3. She would also grab the soy sauces to refill, but then forget them in the service station. Twice tonight I found two soy sauce containers sitting next to the hot sake machine. Lindsey said she noticed about 7 occurrences when it happened in her section. I mentioned both of those things to Emily though the shift. She seemed pretty beat by the end of the night, and was knocking glasses over towards the end, breaking one in the party room. When I asked if she was okay, she said yes, but you could definitely tell she was tired. We chatted after her shift and talked about everything I mentioned above. I told her she did a great job, considering it was her 3rd shift, and we did 204 covers on a Tuesday.

-Leigh was super supportive as the second host and on her game tonight helping Emily SA and set tables. She was very active tonight. So whatever she was lacking yesterday, she definitely made up for today!

-I saw Liam leveling out A3 (after they left) then saw him walk away from it, relatively empty handed (had a check presenter and china marker), I asked him that next time he leave with full hands, since the table only had two water glasses left on it, and two napkins. He said that he had fully prebussed it, but I reminded him that if he's walking by it, he can bus it, there's no harm in that. He seemed a bit peeved about me addressing it with him, but there were no further issues. He also started limping at the end of the night. I asked if he was okay, and he said it's from the Austin Marathon he ran on Sunday. Just a residual pain.

Any VIP's in?
Old Lunch regular, Marsha, she remembered me, I had NO IDEA who she was. Apparently it's been a few years since she's been in, and her and her husband have a 2 and a half year old now. They were out on a date so I sent them some Shumai (that was my go to send out tonight for some reason) and when I went to check on them she was overjoyed with the gift and told me it was their anniversary tonight, so it made it even more special. If I can quote from my Starbucks training days, "Surprise and Delight". That's what we're here to do some days. Glad I could do that for them today.

Old John was in right at open.
Shawn Cirkiels wife, kids and some other friends were in.

Comps& Void Detail:
FNF Shumai for Cirkeils, and Marsha
Birthday Camembert
Open $$ $12 off A5. He ordered Blue Fin. Lindsey repeated it back, he ate it, but when he got the bill he accused Lindsey of scamming him because he didn't order Blue Fin he just ordered Tuna. I didn't want to argue so I took off the different.  Odd because from the looks of him, he looked like he knew what he would order.

R&M needs:

86'd items/ need more:
I ordered Crayons, they should be here by Thursday.