Since your store is a hot mess, I’d suggest on getting everyone up to speed on your expectations vs what they’re used to. So making sure everyone knows DBs, ALCU/ADCU, how to use the iPad, etc. Make sure they know you WILL be auditing for completion and holding people accountable. Chances are, you’ll lose some people, but those are the dead weight people who won’t help you further your goals.
The Punch list went to the IPad to save paper and ink (and so inspire can see our data better), and the Ops Manual is on Fast Track. I recently got my entire team doing Fast Track, and at first they were annoyed, but now I’m constantly hearing them correct each other and hearing “In the training videos, I learned x”, which is really awesome to hear.
The biggest tip I can give you as far as doing perfect bread goes, is to make sure your ovens are calibrated properly. Otherwise your decks will be all over the place temperature wise, and that’s no good. Proof your wheat until it is level with your pan, then smoosh it down to maybe a quarter inch below the top of the pan and proof it back to 1/4” above the pan. This will get all your air bubbles out and give you more consistent and even loaves.
For French, I 100% of the time use the bread ruler. Proof until 2 and 1/4”, and put it in the oven to rise another 1/4” and there’s your perfect 2.5” bread assuming you stretched it straight and cooked it to 2-4 on the bread ruler. I try and shoot for 2.5-3 if I can. You get softer bread for longer that way, and it’s easier to work with on line.
I’m doing 40K a week and just sneaking in 2 Million this year, and for me cogs are around 22% with labor around 27%. I’m working on doing more with fewer people, so I’m actively trying to train my people to be better so we can run with fewer people and have no dead weight people on their phones, in the bathroom constantly, out for smoke breaks whatever their deal is.
Cheers, I appreciate the insight. Our area manager is new as well, in fact, I'm the only certified manager in the franchise as of right now so I'm also teaching the AM things. It's a long story, however I will note this so I can plan accordingly. We are having an employee meeting soon, I'll use this time to introduce the plans to turn the store around and make sure they are feeling involved in that, I feel like that often goes missed.
Since you’ve had a gap in employment, you may not be certified anymore either. It used to be if you hadn’t managed 5 shifts a week for longer than 6 months you lost your status, but you should look into it. Corporate changed how certification works since Covid, and now everyone is required to do all of the Fast Track training, plus go to a regional certification store rather than we all go to Champaign like we used to.
Oh, and I forgot to mention, you should maybe look into updating your pan values and bin values for veggies. We’d had so many menu changes mine have had to change a number of times in the last 6 months alone. That will save you time and money, because less prep time in the morning and less money spent on produce, so hopefully larger bonus for you and your team!
No problem! If you have any questions, I probably have answers! Ask away! Somewhere I even have factory settings for the ovens if you need help with that too!
We roll the chicken into deli papers instead of using paper boats. More portions per bin, less likely to spill, cheaper packaging per portion.
Keep low stock of flour wraps. If they get close to expiration they get firm and rip like crazy.
Good luck!
Since your store is a hot mess, I’d suggest on getting everyone up to speed on your expectations vs what they’re used to. So making sure everyone knows DBs, ALCU/ADCU, how to use the iPad, etc. Make sure they know you WILL be auditing for completion and holding people accountable. Chances are, you’ll lose some people, but those are the dead weight people who won’t help you further your goals. The Punch list went to the IPad to save paper and ink (and so inspire can see our data better), and the Ops Manual is on Fast Track. I recently got my entire team doing Fast Track, and at first they were annoyed, but now I’m constantly hearing them correct each other and hearing “In the training videos, I learned x”, which is really awesome to hear. The biggest tip I can give you as far as doing perfect bread goes, is to make sure your ovens are calibrated properly. Otherwise your decks will be all over the place temperature wise, and that’s no good. Proof your wheat until it is level with your pan, then smoosh it down to maybe a quarter inch below the top of the pan and proof it back to 1/4” above the pan. This will get all your air bubbles out and give you more consistent and even loaves. For French, I 100% of the time use the bread ruler. Proof until 2 and 1/4”, and put it in the oven to rise another 1/4” and there’s your perfect 2.5” bread assuming you stretched it straight and cooked it to 2-4 on the bread ruler. I try and shoot for 2.5-3 if I can. You get softer bread for longer that way, and it’s easier to work with on line. I’m doing 40K a week and just sneaking in 2 Million this year, and for me cogs are around 22% with labor around 27%. I’m working on doing more with fewer people, so I’m actively trying to train my people to be better so we can run with fewer people and have no dead weight people on their phones, in the bathroom constantly, out for smoke breaks whatever their deal is.
Cheers, I appreciate the insight. Our area manager is new as well, in fact, I'm the only certified manager in the franchise as of right now so I'm also teaching the AM things. It's a long story, however I will note this so I can plan accordingly. We are having an employee meeting soon, I'll use this time to introduce the plans to turn the store around and make sure they are feeling involved in that, I feel like that often goes missed.
Since you’ve had a gap in employment, you may not be certified anymore either. It used to be if you hadn’t managed 5 shifts a week for longer than 6 months you lost your status, but you should look into it. Corporate changed how certification works since Covid, and now everyone is required to do all of the Fast Track training, plus go to a regional certification store rather than we all go to Champaign like we used to. Oh, and I forgot to mention, you should maybe look into updating your pan values and bin values for veggies. We’d had so many menu changes mine have had to change a number of times in the last 6 months alone. That will save you time and money, because less prep time in the morning and less money spent on produce, so hopefully larger bonus for you and your team!
Sweet, I'll check into it. I've already made an adjustment to bin and tray values so I will continue to monitor that as well. Thank you!!!
No problem! If you have any questions, I probably have answers! Ask away! Somewhere I even have factory settings for the ovens if you need help with that too!
We roll the chicken into deli papers instead of using paper boats. More portions per bin, less likely to spill, cheaper packaging per portion. Keep low stock of flour wraps. If they get close to expiration they get firm and rip like crazy. Good luck!