Restaurant Training 101: A Complete Guide to Training Your Restaurant Team

Restaurants are very busy places. There is a lot to do and a lot to learn. This is why catering employee training is essential to the success of your business. Not only does training your restaurant employees create a better work experience for them, it also improves the dining experience for your customers.

This guide will cover everything you need to know about catering training and help you create your own training program and manual. We will cover:

The Benefits of Training Your Restaurant Employees What topics should your catering training cover? The importance of integrating your team effectively Different training methods to help your employees learn How to create your restaurant training program

Let's get started.

What is catering training?

Restaurant training is the system you create for your restaurant that outlines the rules, regulations, and expectations your employees must follow.

There are a lot of moving parts in a restaurant, which means a solid restaurant training program can be quite robust. A restaurant training program should cover everything from etiquette and food handling to safety and compliance.

And while some industries may be able to take a “one and done” approach to training, the best restaurant training is ongoing. Whether it's your employee's first day on the job or they've worked in a restaurant for over a decade, they need to continually learn and train. An ongoing training process will help your staff make changes to your business, lead to greater productivity, and allow employees to grow.

Why is restaurant training so important?

There is no denying that setting up an effective restaurant training program takes a lot of time and energy. But the benefits of having a training program for your restaurant employees cannot be overstated.

Let's look at some benefits of a high quality training program that creates a high quality team.

You can expect consistent service and performance

When you train your employees using the same method, you can assume that you will form a team that works in the same way. Using a training program will help ensure that your employees deliver consistent service and performance.

Your employees will be prepared

A lot can happen in a restaurant. Whether it's running out of menu items or returning food, no two days will be the same for your employees. A solid training program will help your employees feel prepared to deal with a variety of situations when they arise. And they will feel confident in their abilities to solve problems when needed.

You will create a safer working environment for your employees

The safety of your employees and customers should always be a top priority. With the help of an effective restaurant training program, your employees will be trained and updated on all the latest workplace safety policies and procedures.

The service of your restaurant will be impeccable

When all your employees are trained through the same process, you create a team that knows how to work together. And a team that knows how to work together is an unstoppable force. Your customers will experience efficient service every time they dine with you, which you'll notice when those five-star reviews pile up.

Your employees will be happier

When an employee can walk into their job with confidence, you have an employee who is comfortable in their position, and it will show. When employees are satisfied with the level of catering training they receive, they are more likely to stay in their jobs. This results in lower turnover rates. And happy employees are 12% more productive in the workplace.

Your customers will be happier

Efficient and consistent service, a safe environment and happy team members? This is the recipe for customer satisfaction. And the icing on the cake? Growth.

Growth is the benefit of properly training your restaurant employees. When your