Being Spoon-Fed on How to Become More Efficient

Mar 2018

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well”^1.

Well said Virginia Wolff, well said.

Food, drinks and the experience of dining are a ritual in my family; and thus, are equally important for Andrew and me. I’ve worked in the food & beverage industry as a busser, waitress, hostess and finished up my stellar career starring in my favorite role as a bartender; behind the bar slinging cocktails like a badass. With this wealth of experience, I now approach dining with a lot more appreciation and tolerance, especially when my dirty martini comes a little too dirty. Further, the business person/nerd in me looks at it a little differently and wonders how restaurants can eliminate waste by being more efficient and turning over all their glassware, flatware and tableware in the most efficient way possible.

So, as I enjoy delicious cocktails and culinary works of art (which is particularly easy to do in South Florida) I observe this production from a different lens than the average Miamian. Today’s lesson is courtesy of an experience that Andrew and I recently had at a local deli and bagel shop in Coral Gables that we occasionally frequent on weekends. Think less of the traditional Miami brunch where the girls show more skin than the cover models of Maxim and instead picture a wait staff that has been there for decades! Where the décor consists of a collection of mismatched coffee cups, ripped leather seats and all of the vintage and new University of Miami sports memorabilia you can imagine; including a Turnover Chain – Go ‘Canes!

Sitting in our usual booth, with our usual server, we order our usual breakfasts, and of course our usual cups of coffee. For me, coffee is critical… I’m less picky about the brand or style just as long as it’s hot and there’s cream available, I’m good. Speaking of eliminating waste, coffee is what jump-starts me if you catch my drift.

Anyhoo, enough about me and on to the business principle this restaurant put into action that you too can use in your life. Simply put, they figured out how to eliminate waste by only using the amount they needed.

Let me explain…

Prior to last week’s breakfast visit, this restaurant placed a fork, a knife and a small coffee spoon in every table setting.

However, this time there was only a fork and a knife placed in front of me. “But where was your coffee spoon” you ask? Well there it was, right in my freaking coffee cup, ready and willing to mix in my cream. I know my mind was blown – Andrew’s? Not so much!

Here is the point. Most times people don’t use the spoon, so think about how much waste that causes in terms of placing it on the table, picking it up once the patrons leave and then having to wash it – even though it wasn’t used!

By only putting it in cups that have coffee, you are only using coffee spoons when needed.

Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Yup, that’s a whole lot of waste eliminated in this teeny tiny process that most wouldn’t even blink an eye at.

Use it Or Lose It:

Now this is a small but very cool and tangible example of figuring out how to only use the amount needed and to be more efficient. In your personal life you too can apply the below steps to different areas to use only the amount needed. Here’s how:

Identify an area where you are using more than the amount needed (in this example, it was the wasted time and effort into placing, retrieving and washing of spoons).

Brainstorm potential alternative ways of completing the process, in this case, the restaurant figured out how to only use the amount needed (and to be more efficient) by placing a spoon directly in the coffee cups, thus only distributing coffee spoons to those that were going to use it for its intended purpose.

Some of you wise asses might ask, “what if the drinker doesn’t take cream or sugar? Isn’t that still a wasted spoon?” Truthfully, yes, golden cigar for you! The server could have avoided any waste by asking if the customer was going to take the coffee black or with cream and/or sugar. More times than not though, coffee drinkers take some type of cream, sugar or both! Recent studies show that only roughly a quarter of people (24%) take their coffee black. So even with the worst case, the restaurant is saving time and effort and reducing waste about 76% of the time with this one little change!

Put your changes into action (deploy your plans to only put coffee spoons in the cups of hot delicious coffee, thereby eliminating waste )

Realize your savings (reduced expense and improved efficiency for staff)

When to Use It:

Only using the amount needed can be applicable in many situations. To name a few:

When you are buying stuff around the house – how much money do you waste and how much space is in your house is occupied by buying too much of whatever or buying stuff you do not need? By spending a small amount of time thinking about and studying what you buy, what you use and how much you actually use, how much you throw away – you can save a lot of money, reduce waste, and be kinder to the environment.

Buying groceries we don’t need because we are hungry – try to shop when you aren’t hungry

Buying too many of a specific item – i.e. almonds, toilet paper etc. Like do you really need those 10 coffee mugs? Do you need 25 forks? Go through your fridge, your pantry, your garage – how much stuff do you really use? What can you get away with not purchasing next time?

Only take what you’re going to use – ever pack for a vacation and wear the same 4 tops and 2 pairs of pants but wash everything in your suitcase? Me too, me too…

Discuss:

What areas of your life do you have more than the amount needed? Would love to hear about it, perhaps over coffee?

Well I guess it’s time for this overly observant, retired sultry barkeep to go do a little spooning with her fiancée. 😉

Until next time…keep priming that pump!

Xoxo Bri

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Sources: A Room of Ones Own, by Virginia Woolf, www.goodreads.com/quotes/1860-one-cannot-think-well-love-well-sleep-well-if-one.

Being Spoon-Fed on How to Become More Efficient

Use it Or Lose It:

When to Use It:

Discuss:

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