How to Master Your Restaurant Pre-Shift [Free Checklist]

Expecting the unexpected is a prerequisite for running a restaurant: a server calls out last minute, a popular dish is 86’d, a VIP endures bad service or the ice machine breaks. There are 100 things that could go wrong, but restaurants that plan ahead can avoid that hair-pulling, mind-bending, what-do-we-do-now kind of chaos we’ve all experienced once (or twice) before.

Pre-shift, or pre-service briefing, is one of the most important yet understated components of running a successful restaurant. Consistent pre-shifts can help improve operational efficiencies, mitigate potential risks and boost restaurant sales. 

Find out exactly what it takes to run a successful pre-shift and use our free, downloadable checklist to ensure you never miss a detail. 

Why Your Restaurant Needs a Daily Pre-Shift

A coach wouldn’t send their players into the field without a pregame huddle — and as a restaurant manager, your role is no different. Every shift is like gameday for your staff. It’s your job to ensure everyone is prepped, aligned and equipped to perform. If you’re on the fence about adding a daily pre-shift to your schedule, check out some of the benefits below. 

Gets Everyone on the Same Page

Pre-shifts help align your staff members so they know what to expect from the shift ahead. These meetings should cover everything from housekeeping details, reservation notes, cover flows, menu updates, sales opportunities and more.

Pro Tip: Don’t limit your pre-shift meetings to your FOH team; invite your BOH staff as well to ensure everyone is in sync. Aligning the front and back of house builds greater restaurant awareness that everyone benefits from, including the customer. 

Praises, Inspires and Motivates

While daily pre-shift meetings are informative, they can also inspire your team members to uplevel their service. Create fun contests, celebrate victories and recognize and award top performers. Make it a point to call out at least one success per shift. 

These staff meetings can also promote team building and open communication. Encourage your employees to ask questions, provide feedback and share ideas. One great way to get your team involved is to mix up the pre-shift presenters and incorporate different voices throughout the meeting. Involving your staff can make them feel more connected to the team and the business. 

Increases Sales 

When teams are organized, informed and motivated they sell more. Pre-shift gives you an opportunity to align on goals and past performance as well as identify upsell opportunities to drive sales.  

Ingredients for a Successful Pre-Shift

Below are the most common and important elements to help you prepare for a successful shift. 

Business Updates and Announcements

Sharing both internal and external news informs your staff about important restaurant updates as well as circumstances that may have an impact on business.

Review Your Floor Plan and Layout

Reviewing your floor plan before an upcoming shift ensures everyone knows exactly where they’re supposed to be and what they’re responsible for. This is especially important if you’re switching up your floor plan to accommodate larger parties or holidays like Valentine’s Day that might require more 2-tops than usual. 

In addition to the floor plan, you should also review:

You can print out an updated version of your floor plan for your staff to review from your reservation system or create one manually. 

Anticipated Guest Count and Cover Flow

It’s important to review your reservations before a shift to gauge the total guest count and cover flow. Both the FOH and BOH should be aware of the rush and your hosts ready to manage potential waitlists if there’s any increase in foot traffic. 

This is particularly important for the kitchen staff to know so they can prepare beforehand. 

To get more tips on how to more efficiently manage your cover flow and streamline operations, check out our Revenue Management Guide.

Reservation and Guest Details

Delivering an exceptional guest experience requires attention to detail. Review your reservation system to call out reservation notes, special guests, allergies and accommodations. Below are some typical guest details to include.

FYI: You may need to visit multiple sources to retrieve this information for pre-shift. But with an integrated restaurant CRM like SevenRooms, this type of information is automatically collected and stored in individual guest profiles. Learn more. 

Menu Updates and Education

Pre-shift is an excellent opportunity to announce menu changes and educate your staff. 

Invite your chef to give an overview and offer a tasting of new menu items. This is a great opportunity for staff to learn how the dish is made or get special facts they can relay to guests. Similarly, your sommelier or beverage director can give a quick wine-tasting or cocktail demo to introduce a new addition to your beverage menu. 

This allows staff to ask questions about new dishes and get recommendations on how to explain or pronounce certain ingredients. If you’ve had to increase your menu prices, your staff will be better equipped to explain the reasons for the change. The more knowledgeable your staff is, the better the guest experience and contribution to the bottom line. 

Upsell Opportunities and Contests

Every shift should have a sales goal, whether it’s selling gift cards, upselling appetizers and desserts or promoting a wine and dish pairing. Educate and motivate your team to drive sales. After all, if your staff relies on tips, a higher check average benefits them just as equally.  

Running a contest can be a fun way to gamify and incentivize upselling. Reward your staff with incentives they’ll love like a free bottle of wine, free meals or no side work for a week. 

A good pre-shift requires preparation. Not only does it help you organize but it shows your staff professionalism and respect. Their time before a shift is just as valuable as yours; don’t waste it by being unprepared.