Who is the Mayor?

Monday, July 29, 2024

Every restaurant needs a “mayor”. Not the political kind, but the small-town model of that individual that everyone knows. It's great if your staff develops a relationship with the customers in a way that they come back to see them specifically, but it’s best to have someone who everyone recognizes as the “personality” of the business. In some businesses, it’s the owner who is always on the floor greeting guests and treating everyone like an old friend.
Sometimes it’s the grandmother who is there to give hugs and talk about her secret recipes. A fabulous Maître D who remembers everyone’s name and what they ordered last time. Years ago, I had one who would say, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith, so good to see you again. I think it’s probably been two months since you were in last. I believe you both enjoyed the rockfish. Let me take you to your table”. Priceless! Now that’s not to say that an efficient host can’t get guests seated, but there is no replacement for having the Mayor there to add a personal touch to the guests' experience.

Additionally, the mayor should be the lead at charity events, on the website, and at special community events. When we would do a Holiday event, I was always there and got to greet guests from the restaurants who were out in the community. I am the mayor of several of the restaurants and am very active in the community. Because we are very visible in our town, I see all kinds of people who have a positive experience they relate to seeing me. It has created amazing business opportunities over the years because we know so many people on a personal level.

I was always meeting people and getting to know who they were, collecting their business cards, and finding out what connection we could create that might benefit us both. I love meeting people so being the Mayor comes naturally to me. Find that person in your organization who loves meeting and greeting and put them to work. We have a dear friend and competitor who is
the Mayor of his restaurants. Every evening that he is in the restaurant, he sits at the bar and chats with all of the guests who come in and want to say hi to Gilberto. It can go on for hours and he doesn’t do anything but smile and chat. That’s his job…he’s the Mayor.

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