What does a restaurant coach do? There seem to be a lot of restaurant coaches popping up these days. How are they different from a restaurant consultant? To me, the distinction is simple.
A restaurant consultant comes in for the short term to identify the problem, recommend solutions and then leaves. Usually what happens in the restaurant is the consultant tends to be somebody who comes in and does the work for you. Although they should be teaching you the solutions like a restaurant coach, all too often, they come in, identify the issues, do the work for you, get everything up and running and then leave.
During that process, the consultant doesn’t bring anyone in on how to do it after the consultant is gone. No one has buy-in on the processes. No one believes it can be done without the consultant, all that money is wasted and the whole thing ends up ditched. Everyone just goes back to doing it the way they were doing it before. I usually recommend a consultant to restaurant owners who have money to burn and want something fixed immediately.
So, when is a restaurant coach the right solution?
- A restaurant coach is a longer-term engagement.
- A restaurant coach is going to teach you the same systems the chains use with great success. You still get to be you, the independent restaurant owner, but you are going to make money doing it.
- A coach is going to push you to get more done. Whether as an owner, a manager, a server or a line cook, a restaurant coach pushes you to do more and get more out of your restaurant.
- A coach is going to keep you and your team on the path – on target with your goals. Your path might be to stay on budget, stay true to your core values, stay true to your concept, whatever it is you want to achieve to grow your business.
- A coach is going to get more out of you. A coach is over your shoulder directing you back to the path, reminding you what you need to do step by step to be successful.
The world’s top athletes have coaches and wouldn’t attempt to do it on their own. In the case of restaurant owners, you’re the athlete in this analogy. You know how to run a restaurant, but the coach has an outside perspective and looks in to keep you on your path or to give you a different way to look at things. They push you to be better and do better.
A restaurant coach helps you take your business to the next level, cost effectively, supporting you and encouraging you over the long term.
