I had the esteemed and unexpected pleasure of meeting fellow New Mexican and Restaurant Coach, Donald Burns, at the Western Foodservice and Hospitality Expo in downtown Los Angeles a few weeks ago. While LA has been my adopted stomping grounds for the last ten years, my heart immediately softened when I discovered that Donald was attending the conference as a speaker and restaurant consultant from my native city of Albuquerque.
Donald's new book Your Restaurant Sucks! is a catchy, provocative exploration into what really makes restaurants rise to the top. The essence of his message is: Risk everything to be OUTSTANDING and resist every urge toward mediocrity. Some of my favorite quotes from the book are, "Hope is not a strategy, stop thinking and start doing!" and "Expecting guests to come to your restaurant because you're good is like expecting a bull not to charge at you because you're a vegetarian".
What I like about what he brings to the table (pun intended) is not just his fired up approach, but also his definitive, clear calls to action. We all need a kick in the pants sometimes! We need to remember that excellence is a choice, and it takes consistent leadership and vision to make sure that excellence trickles all the way through an organization. As Donald states, "Without clear directions, your team will make their own." Your Restaurant Sucks! is a literal handbook for crystalizing a vision, leading a team, and galvanizing the energy to manifest greatness ... for your customers, for your employees, and for your life!
Provocative AND proactive, the book has a powerful message that I can get behind. Leave it to The Restaurant Coach to recognize something outstanding when he sees it, Donald saw the impact that Dining Elevated's Flatware Rests will most certainly make in the industry. His consulting clients nationwide will soon have the edge on their competition with elevated design, service, and food safety by using Uplifts on their tabletops. Living the TRC mantra of "Become Outstanding", I'm proud to offer restaurants everywhere something that resonates as so essential for diners while being so affordable for owners.
Go get 'em Donald! Let's elevate the world together!
