Calling All Employees: Cellphones in the Workplace

Calling All Employees: Cellphones in the Workplace

Author: Kara Restaurant Group February 23, 2023 Duration: 14:23

First things first, where's George's shirt, and did he spend the day in the kitchen cooking that way? Besides that, we're talking about cell phones in the workplace. Ten, even 20 years ago, it wasn't unheard of for someone not to have a personal phone. If you wanted to talk to your mom while she was at work, you called the office/restaurant/bar phone number, and whoever answered put their hand over the receiver and yelled, "KAREENNNNNNNNNNNN. Your son is on the phone…sounds like he wants to go to Billy's house again. That ok?" Now, you'd probably have to pry the phone out of a busser's cold, dead hands to keep them from answering it in the middle of their shift. Yianni, George, and Nikos are asking (and answering) questions, including:

  • How do you deal with employees using their phones during their shifts?
  • Do you make exceptions for employees with kids?
  • Do you find that staff keeps it on their person, or do they leave it at the server station?
  • Is using their phones a habit or intentional disrespect?
  • What's the most interesting answer you've ever gotten to "why are you on your phone?"
  • Are there ever positives to staff having phones?       

Behind every great meal is a story that’s often messy, chaotic, and surprisingly funny. Restaurant Punk is that story, told straight from the trenches by the team behind Kara Restaurant Group. This isn't a polished, corporate guide. It's the raw, unfiltered conversation that happens after hours, where decades of hard-won experience collide with the absurd reality of running restaurants. You'll hear the kind of hilarious, cringe-worthy anecdotes that only come from a life spent in hospitality, paired with genuinely humbling advice on building a business that actually treats people well-staff and guests alike. Each episode feels like pulling up a stool next to veterans who have seen it all, offering a necessary release valve for the industry's daily pressures and a spark of inspiration for entrepreneurs brave enough to try it themselves. It’s a blend of business savvy, artistic struggle, and comedic relief, all served up without the pretense. Tune into this podcast for a unique mix of lessons learned the hard way and the unvarnished truth about creating a place where people want to be, all delivered with the kind of energy that keeps the kitchen-and the conversation-moving.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 219

Restaurant Punk
Podcast Episodes
Restaurant Etiquette: Is Name Dropping the Owner Ever Okay? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:14
What does it really mean when a guest says, “I know the owner”?In this episode of Restaurant Punk, the crew breaks down the unspoken etiquette of name-dropping in restaurants and why it often does more harm than good. Dr…
Tossing Salads: What Restaurants Get Wrong About “Healthy” Menus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:43
In this episode of Restaurant Punk, the crew takes on a deceptively simple question: Should restaurants up their salad game?What follows is a candid, often hilarious debate about menu strategy, customer expectations, and…
Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should: High-End Catering Truths [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:32
“Money is no object” doesn’t mean execution is realistic.In this episode of Restaurant Punk, we explore why certain dishes—like fresh pasta or Beef Wellington—don’t scale easily, even at luxury price points. We talk stic…
Catering or Restaurants: How Do Chefs Make More Money? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:32
If catering makes more money with less overhead, why doesn’t everyone do it?In this episode of Restaurant Punk, we dig into the business realities behind catering: profit margins, staffing, communication challenges, ghos…
I Don’t Bake, I Cook: The Dessert Debate Every Restaurant Has [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:13
Should desserts be made in-house, or are they secretly breaking your restaurant?This episode dives into the dessert dilemma from a chef and operator perspective: baking vs cooking, profit vs pride, and why tiramisu might…