Restaurant Customer Service

The Sun, Not the Wind: Why Warmth Outperforms Force in Restaurant Leadership and Service

Yelling gets the ticket fixed tonight. It doesn't get you a team that stays, or a guest who comes back. A 2,500-year-old fable, applied to your floor and your front door.

By Jaime Oikle

/ 17 Aug 2026

The Sun, Not the Wind: Why Warmth Outperforms Force in Restaurant Leadership and Service

Lessons on Leadership, Growth and the Exit: Darren Spicer of 110 Ventures

RunningRestaurants.com founder and podcast host Jaime Oikle interviews Darren Spicer, founder of Clutch Coffee Bar and 110 Ventures. Darren shares his journey from working at Dutch Bros at 18

By Jaime Oikle

/ 12 Aug 2026

Lessons on Leadership, Growth and the Exit: Darren Spicer of 110 Ventures

What Restaurant Employees Really Want in 2026

We welcome back Jordan Boesch, CEO of 7Shifts, to discuss their 2026 report "What Restaurant Employees Want". Key findings reveal that understaffing remains the top employee stressor, great

By Jaime Oikle

/ 6 Aug 2026

What Restaurant Employees Really Want in 2026

7 Ways Your Staff Could Sell More Without Being Pushy

Your servers don't need a harder sell, they need a better one. This article breaks down seven specific tactics, from sensory descriptions to timing checkpoints, that help staff suggest more without ever feeling pushy. Includes an operator checklist you can roll out at your next pre-shift meeting.

By Jaime Oikle

/ 27 Jul 2026

7 Ways Your Staff Could Sell More Without Being Pushy

The Power of a Guest's Name: A Simple Hospitality Habit That Can Set a Restaurant Apart

I'm a big Dale Carnegie fan and I believe wholeheartedly in this one. People's names are important! This is a great under the radar tactic for your restaurant.

By Jaime Oikle

/ 21 Jul 2026

The Power of a Guest's Name: A Simple Hospitality Habit That Can Set a Restaurant Apart

Webinar: The 30-Day Restaurant Profit Reset

Many operators are caught in the day to day working “In” their restaurants not “On” the restaurant! They put out daily fires and get the job done, but they’re

By Jaime Oikle and Roger Beaudoin

/ 10 Jun 2026

Webinar: The 30-Day Restaurant Profit Reset

The First 10 Seconds: How Better Greetings Improve Restaurant Service

The greeting is one of the smallest moments in a restaurant experience, but it carries outsized importance. Guests make fast judgments. Here's tips on getting it right. (Read time @ 4 mins)

By Jaime Oikle

/ 4 Jun 2026

The First 10 Seconds: How Better Greetings Improve Restaurant Service

9 Restaurant Lessons from London and Paris: What U.S. Operators Can Learn from Dining Abroad

A recent visit to London and Paris offered a useful reminder for U.S.-based restaurant operators: some of the best lessons are hiding in plain sight. We look at nine possible areas of improvement. (Read time @ 8 mins)

By Jaime Oikle

/ 2 Jun 2026

9 Restaurant Lessons from London and Paris: What U.S. Operators Can Learn from Dining Abroad

12 Example Scripts for Waitstaff to Increase Sales, Engagement, and Return Visits

The words your team uses can directly influence average check, guest satisfaction, loyalty signups, catering leads, return visits and more. Good scripts give the team confidence so don't leave these opportunities to chance. Here are 12 examples you can use right away. (Read time @ 8 mins)

By Jaime Oikle

/ 7 May 2026

12 Example Scripts for Waitstaff to Increase Sales, Engagement, and Return Visits

10 Service Tips for Your Restaurant This Weekend

Weekend shifts can make or break restaurants. That is why weekends deserve a plan. We cover ten service tips you can implement quickly and use this weekend. Included at the end is a simple weekend service plan. (Read time @ 6 mins)

By Jaime Oikle

/ 30 Apr 2026

10 Service Tips for Your Restaurant This Weekend

A Key to Winning Repeat Restaurant Customers

Darren & Jaime discuss actionable strategies for restaurateurs who want to move beyond mediocrity and consistently deliver exceptional value.

By Jaime Oikle and Darren Denington

/ 9 Apr 2026

A Key to Winning Repeat Restaurant Customers

Upselling Without Being Pushy: How Restaurants Can Increase Sales Through Better Service

We cover a lot here including: Why upselling matters more than many operators realize; Ten practical upsell ideas that can increase sales; How to train staff to upsell better (plus techniques and tools to use); How to recruit and hire better front of house staff, and more. (Read time @ 8 mins)

By Jaime Oikle

/ 2 Apr 2026

Upselling Without Being Pushy: How Restaurants Can Increase Sales Through Better Service