October 15, 2015

Danny Meyer Eliminates Tipping from USHG's Restaurants

October 15, 2015/ Christie

On Wednesday, October 14th, Danny Meyer revealed that he would be eliminating tipping from his Union Square Hospitality Group restaurants. This huge announcement created shockwaves throughout the restaurant and hospitality industry.

The blank tip line will be gone, and patrons will just see one total. Meyer explained that service charges will already be accounted for in the menu prices.

The policy would first be instated at The Modern, which is housed inside the Museum of Modern Art, in November. The chef, Abram Bissell, had previously pushed for the change because it meant a rise in salaries for his employees, an increase from $11.75 to an expected $15.25. Higher wages would attract more qualified culinary professionals too. Meyer agreed and mentioned, "If cooks' wages do not keep pace with the cost of living, it's not going to be sustainable to attract the culinary talent that the city needs to keep its edge."

Meyer has been a part of the restaurant scene for 30 years now, and he, too, realized that the wage gap between front-of-house and back-of-house members have dramatically changed since he first started. He stated, "The kitchen income has gone up no more than 25 percent. Meanwhile, dining room pay has gone up 200 percent."

He plans to roll out the gratuity-free practice in the other restaurants within his empire, including Gramercy Tavern, Union Square Cafe and 11 more, by the end of 2016.

Meyer is not the first successful restauranteur to do away with tipping. Last month, Top Chef judge and fellow restaurant owner, Tom Colicchio, decided to stop taking tips during lunch service at his Flatiron flagship, Craft. It seems that both the customers and staff have been taking the new system pretty well. Colicchio said, "None of the waiters has quit yet, so that's a good sign."

(via NY Times)

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October 09, 2015

How to Write an Effective Job Description

October 09, 2015/ Christie

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In order to attract the attention of top talents, as an employer, you have to write an effective job description. As it is the initial starting point of the recruitment process, it needs to be authentic and captivating; so much to the point where candidates feel that they cannot miss out on such a job opportunity. But what are the necessary components to a job description you ask? Here are important elements you must include:

#1: Background Information

This portion needs to be short and to the point. Keep the length to a maximum of two paragraphs. It should include your history, what you do and your mission. You may also recognize your achievements and defining moments. Don't forget to mention other significant details that the candidate for that particular role would care about.

#2: Role Overview

Start the paragraph off with a compelling job title. Provide a summary of the position by listing the main tasks and goals, and name the supervisor/team leader that the candidate needs to report to.

#3: Job Details

For this section, in one to two paragraphs, provide more specific information about the role. Go into detail what the candidate would be doing day-to-day and job responsibilities. Use words to that indicate movement or measurable action, such as "leading", "supervising", "managing", etc.

#4: Qualifications

List ideal traits that you are looking for in candidates, such as, years of experience, certifications and knowledge.

#5: Compensation

Money matters always brings up debate, however, candidates surely would like to see a range of the expected salary, especially those applying for top-level positions. For senior/executive titles, include the salary, benefits and other perks. If you still prefer to not disclose the compensation, let candidates know that it will be discussed privately during the interview itself.

With these five components, your job description is set. Post and share it through your job networks, and prospective candidates will reach out to you in no time.

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October 06, 2015

Changes in Payment and Tipping with New Credit Cards

October 06, 2015/ Christie

On October 1st, major credit card companies like Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express, rolled out new card designs. Credit cards are now embedded with a small microchip, which makes it harder for hackers to access and duplicate.

James Issokson, a spokesperson from MasterCard said, "The industry is looking to provide safer ways for consumers to make payments and moving to a chip card is a safer way for consumers to make purchases at the register."

With the redesign, retail merchants are encouraged to replace their existing credit card readers to chip card terminals. If not, they may be held responsible for credit card fraud. As for those in the hospitality industry, restaurants will have to make modifications to their payment and tipping processes.

To complete a transaction, users will have to insert their cards into the machines, rather than swipe through a magnetic card reader. Also, with the new change, patrons will no longer be able to pay for their bill at the table.

Chris Biros, a restaurant manager at Olympos Diner, explained, "No longer is a customer going to be able to hand anybody their credit card anymore. They would have to go to the register, the card would have to be (dipped) by the employee and then the patron would have to enter their PIN number and with their PIN number it will come up with their check and then they will have to enter their tip."

However, Issokson refuted that establishments can choose to upgrade to portable payment terminals, which can be brought to a table, where customers can easily pay from their seats.

Biros argued that the new protocols will make the payment process more complicated. He stated, "It ends up being more work for the customer than the employee."

Amy Bracket, owner of Center Street Luncheonette, recently updated her restaurant's payment systems, but she doesn't seem to think that the new cards would make much of a difference. She said, "We're a pretty casual restaurant and sometimes folks will just come up to the counter and pay there."

She presumed that only after some time, she'll actually see if big changes need to be made. She exclaimed, "It's hard to say how it's going to affect us until it happens. This business is very fast and things happen on the fly and sometimes you just have to go with it."

(via My Record Journal)