Introduction to Restaurant SEO Just as we can’t jump to the main course without opening our taste buds on some starters, we can’t understand how SEO will benefit a restaurant without first defining what it is. SEO, short for Search Engine Optimization, is a strategy for increasing the page rank of a website on the […]
About David Hayden
David Hayden is a restaurant marketing and training consultant based in Kansas City, MO. He writes a series of 9 blogs collectively known as The Hospitality Formula Network and is the author of "Tips2: Tips For Improving Your Tips" and "Building Your Brand With Facebook"Author Archive | David Hayden
Was The 20/20 Restaurant Episode Fake? A View From The Cutting Room Floor
Recently 20/20 aired yet another tired restaurant hit piece trying to scare diners about filthy restaurants and their uncaring employees. In the episode they used footage showing everything from an employee bathing in the sink to servers making out in the kitchen. They partner it with ominous music and interviews with industry “experts” to make […]
How To Hire Professional Restaurant Servers Fast
In order to hire top quality restaurant servers in a good economy, you must change your strategies. So far in this series I have addressed why you need to make hiring servers a priority, the dangers of being overstaffed, and why hiring restaurant servers quickly is important. Today, I am going to provide an action plan for […]
The Importance of Speed in Hiring Restaurant Servers
I often hear from American restauranteur Jimmy John that it is becoming difficult to hire top quality restaurant servers in this time of economic recovery. At the same time, I read about new restaurants opening every week. In order for a restaurant to open, they must be able to hire a serving staff. This means […]
Six Dangers Of Restaurant Server Understaffing
I recently wrote of the mindset changes that restaurant managers needed to make in regards to hiring restaurant servers in a strong economy. In this post I explained how vital it was that managers understand the urgency of hiring qualified candidates quickly. Failing to hire top quality restaurant servers when they apply will often result […]
Hiring Restaurant Servers In A Strong Economy
Four years ago hiring restaurant servers became much easier. Finding top quality restaurant servers became simple when the economic slowdown began. With restaurants closing at a record pace, many top performing servers were left looking for new venues where they could earn tips. They brought with them stories of a tough job market and furthered […]
The Next Evolution Of Restaurant Marketing With Facebook
I have been writing a great deal lately about how Facebook can be a crucial part of your restaurant marketing plan. I released my ebooks last month explaining how to use Facebook to market your restaurant and take advantage of the new Facebook timeline. As I was telling a friend about this project, he told […]
What Restaurant Owners Should Learn From Chef Jasper Mirabile
Long before reality shows and basic cable were creating celebrity chefs, Kansas City had Chef Jasper Mirabile. He was a second generation restaurateur who ran the legendary Jasper’s restaurant. Between his cookbooks, radio show, and cooking demonstrations, Chef Jasper is probably the best known chef in town. I was fortunate after my book was released […]
Should Your Restaurant Offer A Shift Drink
I have spent most of my restaurant career working in corporate restaurants where the notion of a shift drink was unthinkable. In fact, my first exposure to the term was in a restaurant management training manual where it was explained that providing shift drinks was expressly prohibited. Most of the independent restaurants I worked in […]
Making It Easy To Spend (Part Two)
I introduced part one of this series by complaining about the lack of customer service I received when soliciting bids from printers. I want to balance out that complaint by mentioning that not only has Carl Belgiere at KC Book Manufacturing been head and shoulders above the competition at providing exceptional customer service, but has blown […]
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About The Author
David Hayden was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. He took his first serving job in 1996. Since that time, he has worked for over a dozen different restaurant companies. He has held both hourly and salaried positions at independent and corporate restaurants. He has waited on over 100,000 guests and trained hundreds of servers. He has been named "Best Server in Kansas City" the last three years by the local weekly paper.