Multiple Personalities: The Evolution of Restaurant Industry Attitudes

Multiple Personalities: The Evolution of Restaurant Industry Attitudes

Author: Kara Restaurant Group April 26, 2023 Duration: 15:13

As we get older and gain life experience, almost everyone becomes at least a little jaded. Unfortunately, for those in the restaurant and hospitality industry, the things you see – and how people treat you – can cause this attitude shift to happen exponentially faster. Liz raises the topic of how a peppy 18-year-old hostess can quickly become a disillusioned industry veteran by 25, as she, Nikos, and George explore questions, including:

  • Do you know anyone whose attitude has actually improved after working in a restaurant?
  • If servers wore body cams, would customers be kinder to restaurant staff?
  • Is George’s sweatshirt blurred for copyright reasons or because the Cowboys suck?
  • Do people stop being rude and/or complaining if you ignore their bad behavior?
  • You can only choose one to fire – do you keep the incredible employee who complains all the time or the one who never complains but has no work ethic?

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
Rules of Thumb: How To Present Plates While Serving [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:19
Perhaps one of the greatest advantages of being a human is having opposable thumbs that make it easier to grasp and manipulate objects firmly, but when you’re serving tables, the standard is only to use them for stabiliz…
Working For Free: What It Really Takes To Build Your Dream Business [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:18
They say it takes money to make money, but does making money in the long run also require free labor in the short term? Noelle, Yianni, and Liz are discussing their experiences working for free and how its shaped their c…
Wining & Dining: Drinking With Customers While On The Clock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:33
When you own a BYOB restaurant, it’s a pretty common occurrence for tables to offer you a glass of whatever you’re drinking. So, should you accept or decline, and are there any standard rules of engagement? Yianni, Noell…
Restaurant Repeaters: How To Create Repeat Customers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:03
Sometimes, you return to a restaurant for the food, while other times, it’s just something about the atmosphere that makes you feel at home. From knowing the owner and having inside jokes with half the staff to being con…
Breaking The Budget With Bread: Customer Complaints For Up-Charging [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:36
From the outside looking in, it often seems like restaurant owners are raking in cash, so it can feel off-putting when establishments charge for things like bread, soda refills, and extra sides of sauce. Any business own…
Initiative vs. Insubordination: Trust And The “I” In Team [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:05
As a business owner, it can be awesome to see your employees taking the initiative to go the extra mile at work, but at what point does their desire to do better turn into insubordination? Nick, Yianni, and Liz are talki…
Helping People You Hate: How To Be A Team Player At Work [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:10
Unless you’re the most easygoing person in the world, you’re bound to encounter someone you don’t love in the workplace – especially in the hospitality industry. Some people may ignore or avoid assisting the person they…