Staff Training, Retention Among Top Challenges for Restaurateurs

Nearly 60 percent of restaurateurs indicate that hiring, training and retaining staff are among the top areas of opportunity for the industry, according to a survey of 800 restaurants unveiled by Toast.

The “Restaurant Success in 2018” Industry Report results also suggest optimizing speed and efficiency, as well as attracting and retaining customers, are the second and third most crucial challenges, respectively, for restaurateurs in 2018.

Key Drivers for Success
While attracting and retaining talent remains the highest priority for restaurants, Toast's research into the key drivers of restaurant success found that top restaurateurs are often more focused than their peers on optimizing their business for performance.

Additional key findings include:

• 89% of restaurateurs say they are optimistic for their restaurant's sales in 2018;
• 63% of restaurateurs advertise on social media, dropping from 75 percent in 2017;
• 47% admit to scheduling employees to work fewer hours each week; and,
• 11% say reservations are crucial for their POS, despite surging guest demand.

“Having great food and service is not enough in 2018,” says Donald Burns, restaurant consultant. “Some [restaurants] are going to have a hard time if they continue doing the same things they have been doing. Innovation and bringing fresh ideas to the table are key to staying out in front of your market."

To access the full report, visit Restaurant Success in 2018 Industry Report.

Founded in 2013, Toast is a technology platform that combines restaurant POS, front of house, back of house and guest-facing technology with a diverse marketplace of third-party applications.