Your Journey & Your Customers Journey

Jay Ashton, Canada's Restaurant Guy

Your Journey & Your Customer's Journey

The best careers don’t just happen—they are built with intention, strategy, and evolution. The same applies to a restaurant’s customer journey. Yet, while professionals obsess over networking, skill development, and career milestones, many restaurant owners overlook the fact that their guests are on a similar path—one that needs structure, engagement, and momentum to turn a one-time visit into a lifelong relationship. What if we stopped thinking about customers as transactions and instead treated them like rising stars in a company, guiding them through a journey of discovery, value, and investment in the brand?

Imagine your restaurant as a training ground, where guests go through levels of engagement much like an employee climbing the corporate ladder. The first experience is like a job trial—if it’s clunky, confusing, or underwhelming, they won’t return. A powerful first impression is not just about food quality but about storytelling, environment, and emotional triggers. The job of your menu isn’t just to list items—it’s a recruitment tool that convinces guests why they should be part of this journey. Does your menu spark curiosity, ignite conversation, and create a sense of belonging? Or does it feel like an impersonal stack of choices with no emotional pull?

In career growth, mentorship plays a crucial role. In restaurants, staff are the mentors that shape customer behavior. The best businesses design service models that guide guests seamlessly from newcomers to insiders. This isn’t just about good service—it’s about educating guests in a way that builds deeper brand attachment. Do your servers introduce regulars to new menu innovations, share the story behind a dish, or recognize repeat guests in a way that feels authentic? Just like in a career, when people feel personally invested, they stay.

One of the biggest gaps in restaurant strategy is the failure to create a clear path for customer advancement. In a career, there’s a ladder—promotions, raises, increased responsibilities. In restaurants, loyalty programs too often default to basic discounts rather than experiences that elevate the relationship. What if, instead