Restaurant Operator (1946)

your life [Music] work everybody likes to eat of course each may have his own individual preference but no matter whether it's a hot dog at the county fair or a full course dinner at the rits there's no denying that people like to eat food is the high spot in our daily lives whether it's aboard a speeding train or in our favorite lunchroom around the corner for man must eat and therein lies the secret of the growth and popularity of one of our biggest industries the restaurant here is a business employing over 2 million persons and doing over $2 billion worth of business annually all because people have to eat like to eat and don't like the work of fixing their own food but not all people like the same food served in the same way and at the same price therefore we have different types of restaurants offering different types of service to meet varying tastes first is the the table service type this group provides waiter or waitress service it offers a more dignified atmosphere and extensive menu than that found in other type restaurants appointments and service in this group are generally of a standard comparable to those in a good well-regulated home A variation of this group is the coffee shop here the tables are generally left uncovered and the method of service is more informal also in this class is the t- room this provides waitress service and emphasizes Choice Foods daily prepared and served in attractive surroundings the second type of restaurant is the self-service group best known among these is the cafeteria here the customers furnish their own service by making their selection from Foods displayed at a serving counter and carrying it themselves to convenient tables this style of restaurant offers the distinct advantage of speed and economy the third type includes counter service foremost among these is the corner drugstore this type of service is an outgrowth from the serving of ice cream here the customer may secure various sandwiches or lunch and snacks quickly and economically also included in this group is the lunchonette this is a style patterned after the drugstore soda fountain but with a somewhat more extensive menu and better appointments here too speed and economy Prevail the fourth and most recently developed type is the drive-in or curb service type here the customer need not even leave his car to enjoy the tempting varieties offered by this type service this is a restaurant soda fountain and picnic all rolled into one its location is determined mined by the flow of automobile traffic to provide a constant source of business but regardless of the style or type of restaurant they all have one thing in common and that is the serving of food this must be prepared on the premises so a restaurant is a factory as well as a retail and service institution here in its kitchen or Workshop must be manufactured all the goods sold to its customers this is its production line hurrying to keep Pace with a hungry world but this is no ordinary business of assembly for here we are dealing with perishables many raw materials must be obtained daily and kept under Refrigeration until used furthermore it must be handled under the strictest sanitary requirements for here rests a great public responsibility and a private reputation this is a department for skilled careful workers for on their ability depends much of the success and future of the organization but there is more than food and service needed for Success behind the smooth efficient running restaurant is the manager on his shoulders rests the responsibility of the success or failure of the business if the restaurant is large his duties are only supervisory if the restaurant is small he may be the the manager cook and waiter allinone but large or small he must have a working knowledge gained only by experience with each and every job over which he has control he must have perception to gauge his customers desires and know when their wants are being satisfied he must have knowledge of food in order to plan menus and understand what constitutes efficient buying he must have bookkeeping ability to know where he stands in his accounts he must be a man of tact and diplomacy to handle Petty disputes and grievances that often arise within an organization he must have all these attributes and more if he is to be truly successful for the urge behind the daily flow of customers to his establishment is produced by his foresight his planning and his initiative managing a restaurant takes more than just being good in some one phase of it take for instance Aunt Martha all her friends told her she was the best cook they knew she made the best pies she made the best puddings and her muffins [Music] M well anyway Aunt Martha decided to go into the restaurant business so she rented a vacant store the first one she found got busy and cleaned it up got new furniture and spent plenty of money decorating the place and soon Aunt Martha was ready for business ah but business wasn't ready for Aunt Martha the fact that the store happened to be on a quiet side street hadn't occurred to her and neither had the fact that she didn't know how to plan her meals economically all in all poor Aunt Martha wasn't making a go of it and the worst of it was she didn't even know why the fact was Aunt Martha was no manager even if she was the best cook in town and the sad truth is that her experience is typical of 50% of the people who start their own restaurants think of it that so many failures should occur all because too many Aunt Martha rush in with no real preparation for the job successful management takes a lot more than just knowing how to cook it takes the knowledge and forethought of a businessman coupled with a thorough understanding of each of the many phases that go to make up the operation of the restaurant business this all takes training lots of training training that cannot be acquired by the hit and mispress of unguided experience but where can one get the necessary help to fit him for the work nearly a 100 vocational schools located throughout the country offer specialized training in the field in addition special restaurant Administration programs have been inaugurated at leading universities some of these programs even lead to a master's degree in Business Administration but perhaps you're saying you're not interested in managerial work perhaps it is someone specialized field like cooking or dietetics that hold your interest here again training is just as important as it is in an executive capacity the knowledge of foods and their preparation is a science in itself and only by a thorough understanding of what constitutes a balanced meal can one hope to realize the better jobs offered by our eating places special courses in high schools vocational schools and colleges are offered to help one in securing and and maintaining better positions in large restaurants hotels and hospitals these courses include not only the preparation of food but its economical purchase as well this does not mean buying provisions of poor quality it means buying the right quantities at the right prices the buyer for any large restaurant is a key person whose services are in demand for much of the success of his establishment is due to his judgment then there's the job of being a Hostess or a head waiter this too requires careful training such persons are the restaurant's direct contact with its patrons it is through them that the customers form their opinions their importance is never underestimated by a successful restaurant their jobs are good ones but it has taken training and personality to get them and keep them but no matter what one individual preference may be as to the type of restaurant work he wants to do he should first have a genuine liking for food and people for this is the very Foundation of his aptitude if you have this natural inclination plus the proper training and willingness to work the restaurant business offers many opportunities and a promising future as your life work h