2 things I learned from Walt

Once upon a time I worked as a restaurant manger for Walt Disney. It was great job and I loved it.

I eventually got tired of working so many weekends and went to Orange County Public Schools as a training manager.

I took a lot of what I had learned from Disney and adapted it to the school district.

Here are two keys to increased participation I learned while at Walt Disney.

Atmosphere is important: If you’ve ever been to Disney you know that atmosphere and environment is front and center.

That’s because if customers are enjoying the atmosphere they are much more likely to stay longer – and spend money.

In your cafeteria if the atmosphere is institutional, or bland, students tend to stay away or leave as soon as they can. – meaning less participation and revenue.

To see how to create an atmosphere that students love, go here.

Hospitality goes a long way: At Disney every staff member is expected to extend hospitality to the “guests".

This is everything from flashing a smile at guests to saying a kind word. It’s amazing how something as simple as “come back and see us" makes people feel special.

The school foodservice programs I have helped are serving a lot students and don’t have much time to get it accomplished. This typically causes the staff to feel rushed and the students to feel the same way.

There are many things that can be done to help students feel welcome and want to come back and dine with you that don’t take anymore of your time. Like smiling or telling students, “I’ll see you tomorrow".

 Go here to discover how to create hospitality and customer service in your foodservice.

Sincerely,

Kern Halls

Chief Innovator

Ingenious Culinary Concepts

1-888-994-3476

www.ingeniouscc.com

P.S. With the right atmosphere and customer service anything is possible. Check out our full suite of services here.