Well, let me tell you, running a restaurant ain’t easy. It’s like tending to a whole flock of chickens, but these chickens pay you money. Lots of things to keep in mind if you want your restaurant to be good, you know? Make that money.

Keep Things Clean, Keep Customers Happy
First thing’s first, gotta keep it clean. Nobody wants to eat in a dirty place, right? Like my kitchen back home, gotta scrub those tables, wash them dishes good. And the floors, gotta mop them so you can almost see your face in ’em.
- Wash your hands! Gotta wash them hands before you touch the food.
- Keep it clean. Like, really clean. Spit spot!
- Don’t let no flies in here. That ain’t good for nobody.
If the place is dirty, folks won’t come back. They’ll go to that fancy place down the street, with the white tablecloths and all. We ain’t got white tablecloths, but we got good food, and that’s what matters, right? Restaurant cleanliness, that’s the key. Gotta keep it tidy, like grandma’s Sunday best.
Food Safety, Don’t Make ‘Em Sick
Now, about the food. You gotta be careful with the food. Food safety is important! Can’t have folks getting sick from your cookin’. That’s bad for business, real bad. You know, like when Jimmy ate that bad potato salad at the church picnic? He was sick for a week! We don’t want that at our restaurant.
Keep the cold stuff cold, and the hot stuff hot. That’s what they always say. And don’t mix the raw chicken with the, well, with anything else really. Use different cutting boards, different knives, different everything. Like, you wouldn’t use the same spoon for the sugar and the salt, would you?
- Keep hot food hot.
- Keep cold food cold.
- Don’t let the food sit out too long.
You get inspected, too, you know. By the health people. They come in with their clipboards and their serious faces. They check everything. The food storage temperatures, make sure you ain’t got no mice running around. They are serious folks, those health inspectors. Gotta keep them happy. Happy inspectors is good, they keep your restaurant safe.

Be Nice, Even to Grumpy Customers
Then there’s the customers. Oh, the customers. Some of them are nice as pie, some of them, well, not so much. But you gotta be nice to all of them. Even the grumpy ones. Even when they complain that the soup is too cold, or the meatloaf is too dry. You just smile and say, “I’m so sorry, I’ll fix that right up for you.”
It is important to be nice to people, customer satisfaction you know? If they like you, they like the food, they come again. Good for business, good for money.
- Smile!
- Be polite. Even when you don’t want to be.
- Say “please” and “thank you.” It’s just good manners.
And you gotta train your staff to do the same. The waitresses, the cooks, the busboys, everyone. They all gotta be nice. It’s like a big family, a restaurant. And everyone in the family has to get along, right? It’s like keeping a restaurant sustainable, having people be nice to each other and the customers.
Dress Code, Lookin’ Good
And about how you look. It ain’t a barn dance, but you gotta look presentable. Clean clothes, nothing too fancy. You don’t want to scare folks off with some crazy outfit. Just nice and neat. Same for the waitresses. Nice, clean uniforms. Makes the place look good, makes the customers feel good. It is like a restaurant dress code thing, I think that’s what they call it.
Quality Control, Every Plate Perfect
Now, you gotta make sure the food is good, every time. Not just sometimes. Every single time someone orders something, it’s gotta be good. That’s called, uh, quality control, I think. Like, you gotta check every plate before it goes out. Make sure the fries ain’t cold, the gravy ain’t lumpy. It’s like when I bake my apple pie. Gotta make sure every slice is just right.

If folks know they’re gonna get a good meal every time, they’ll keep coming back. And they’ll tell their friends. That’s the best kind of advertising, you know? Word of mouth. Like when Mildred told everyone about my prize-winning rhubarb pie. Everyone wanted a slice after that!
Clear Rules, Keep Things Runnin’ Smooth
And you need some rules. Gotta have rules in a restaurant. Like, don’t be late for your shift. And don’t be on your phone all the time. And always wash your hands after you use the restroom. Just common sense stuff, really. But you gotta write it down, make it official, so these young people know what to do. These are the restaurant rules, you know, it is important that people know them and that they are clear, like operational guidelines and stuff.
It’s like having a recipe. You follow the recipe, you get a good cake. You follow the rules, you get a good restaurant. Simple as that.
So, yeah, running a restaurant ain’t easy. But it can be good, you know? Good food, good people, good money. Just gotta keep it clean, keep the food safe, and be nice to folks. That’s the secret, I reckon. Follow those restaurant maxims and you be good. And keep your hand clean, and your plates full. That’s all there is to it, really.