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Want to build a highly successful restaurant ? Then develop and sharpen your Hospitality Quotient .

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto

Whether you are planning to open your own restaurant or you are an existing restaurant owner, your dream is to make your restaurant a highly successful restaurant and a favorite destination for food lovers.

Restaurant business is one of the hardest business in the world , because it has all kinds of moving parts that make it particularly challenging. And going into the restaurant business or owning the restaurant business requires certain skill , certain mindset.

Although many factors play their role making the restaurant a highly successful restaurant , Good Hospitality is the key factor and director of the making he restaurant highly successful restaurant.

A good hospitality not only creates memorable experience it also leaves a lasting positive impression on guests.And this makes the guests fall in love with the restaurant and thus becomes their most favored dining and socializing destination.

The guests not only become repeat customers of the restaurant , they also become the influencers of word of mouth publicity and indirectly influence the success of the restaurant.

Good Hospitality is the outcome of good hospitality culture of the restaurant. And good hospitality culture is the collective outcome of the Hospitality Quotient of all the individual persons working in the restaurant , from the restaurant owner to the each and every staff ,the waiter, the chef,the staff at the billing counter , the restaurant manager, almost everyone.

Now , the question is what is Hospitality Quotient and how to develop Hospitality Quotient in each individual involved in running the restaurant.

The Hospitality Quotient (HQ) is a concept developed by Danny Meyer, a renowned restaurateur and hospitality expert. HQ is a framework that measures and evaluates the level of hospitality in an organization or individual. It focuses on the emotional and relational aspects of creating exceptional guest experiences.

The Hospitality Quotient consists of four key elements:

Kindness: Kindness refers to the genuine care and consideration shown towards guests. It involves empathy, compassion, and a willingness to go the extra mile to ensure the well-being and satisfaction of customers. Kindness creates a welcoming and nurturing environment that fosters trust and connection.

Optimized Service: Optimized service means delivering efficient and effective service that meets and exceeds guest expectations. It involves anticipating needs, being proactive, and consistently providing a seamless and personalized experience. Optimized service ensures that guests feel valued and that their needs are consistently met.

Intelligence: Intelligence in the context of HQ refers to the ability to understand and adapt to the unique preferences and requirements of guests. It involves actively listening, observing, and collecting information to gain insights into individual preferences, allowing for a more personalized and tailored experience. Intelligence helps create a sense of anticipation and delight for guests.

Empowerment: Empowerment refers to giving employees the autonomy and authority to make decisions and take ownership of guest interactions. Empowered employees are confident, knowledgeable, and able to respond effectively to guest needs and requests. By empowering their team members, organizations create an environment where employees feel empowered to provide exceptional service.

The Hospitality Quotient framework recognizes that while technical skills and efficiency are important, it is the emotional and relational aspects of hospitality that truly differentiate an exceptional experience from a merely satisfactory one. By prioritizing kindness, optimized service, intelligence, and empowerment, individuals and organizations can create a culture of hospitality that consistently exceeds expectations and leaves a lasting positive impression on guests.

To understand and appreciate how much important Hospitality is in the restaurant business , in his book “Setting the Table:Transforming Hospitality Business” Danny Meyers says :

My appreciation of the power of hospitality and my desire to harness it have been the greatest contributors to whatever success my restaurants and businesses have had. I’ve learned how crucially important it is to put hospitality to work, first for the people who work for me and subsequently for all the other people and stakeholders who are in any way affected by our business—in descending order, our guests, community, suppliers, and investors. I call this way of setting priorities “enlightened hospitality.” It stands some more traditional business approaches on their head, but it’s the foundation of every business decision and every success we’ve had.

Danny Meyer

It’s important to note that while the HQ concept was initially developed for the hospitality industry, its principles can be applied to any service-oriented industry or even in personal interactions to enhance relationships and create memorable experiences.

We hope you enjoyed reading the article . If you want to have deeper understanding about importance of hospitality in restaurant business , then the book “Setting the Table:Transforming Hospitality Business” by Danny Meyer is worth reading.

History Of Origin & Evolution of Restaurants

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You go to restaurant or cafe to spend memorable & pleasurable moments with your family and socialize with your friends, and you might have wondered and pondered that how and when the restaurants originated and how they evolved into the present day sophisticated restaurants.

The history of eating out and the development of restaurants is quite fascinating. The concept of public dining establishments has a long and diverse history that dates back to ancient civilizations.

While it is difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of the first restaurant, We will try to provide you with a general overview of the evolution of dining establishments throughout history.

Eating out has a long history. Taverns existed as early as 1700 B.C.E.

Ancient Egypt Civilization :

The record of a public dining place in Ancient Egypt in 512 b.c.e. shows a limited menu— only one dish was served, consisting of cereal, wild fowl, and onion. Be that as it may, the ancient Egyptians had a fair selection of foods to choose from: peas, lentils, watermelons, artichokes, lettuce, endive, radishes, onions, garlic, leeks, fats (both vegetable and animal), beef, honey, dates, and dairy products, including milk, cheese, and butter.

Ancient Roman Civilization :

The ancient Romans were great eaters out. In ancient Rome, a type of eating establishment called “thermopolia” emerged. These were small, street-side stalls that sold ready-to-eat food and beverages.

Evidence can be seen even today in Herculaneum, a Roman town near Naples that in 70 a.d. was buried under some 65 feet of mud and lava by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.Along its streets were a number of snack bars vending bread, cheese, wine, nuts, dates, figs, and hot foods.

The counters were faced with marble fragments. Wine jugs were imbedded in them, kept fresh by the cold stone. Mulled and spiced wines were served, often sweetened with honey.

A number of the snack bars were identical or nearly so giving the impression that they were part of a group under single ownership.

Bakeries were nearby, where grain was milled in the courtyard, the mill turned by blindfolded asses. Some bakeries specialized in cakes. One of them had 25 bronze baking pans of various sizes, from about 4 inches to about 1.5 feet in diameter.

After the fall of Rome, eating out usually took place in an inn or tavern, but by 1200 there were cooking houses in London, Paris, and elsewhere in Europe, where cooked food could be purchased but seating wasn’t available. Medieval travelers dined at inns, taverns, hostelries, and monasteries.

Medieval Europe:

During the Middle Ages, the concept of public dining began to take shape. In Europe, taverns and inns served as gathering places where travelers and locals could eat and drink. These establishments often offered simple fare, such as soups, stews, and bread.

The first café was established in then Constantinople in 1550. It was a coffeehouse, hence the word café, the French word for coffee . 6 (Both café, usually described as a small restaurant and bar, and cafeteria, fi nd their roots here.) The coffeehouse, which appeared in Oxford in 1650 and seven years later in London, was a forerunner of the restaurant today. Coffee at the time was considered a cure-all. As one advertisement in 1657 had it:

“Coffee closes the orifices of the stomach, fortifies the heat within, and helpeth digesting. . . is good against eyesores, coughs, or colds”

Lloyd ’s of London, the international insurance company, was founded as Lloyd ’s Coffee House. By the eighteenth century, there were about 3,000 coffeehouses in London. Coffeehouses were also popular in Colonial America. Boston had many of them, as did Virginia and New York.

Guilds and Cookshops:

In the 12th century, guilds began to emerge in Europe, consisting of skilled artisans and tradespeople. Some guilds, like the Cooks’ Guild in France, established cookshops that catered to members and the public. These cookshops marked an important transition towards specialized establishments focusing on food preparation and service.

Restoratives and Public Dining Houses:

In the 18th century, a new type of dining establishment called a “restorative” appeared in Paris. These establishments, also known as “bouillons,” offered affordable and nourishing soups to the general public. They gained popularity and laid the groundwork for the modern restaurant.

The Birth of the Restaurant:

The term “restaurant” originated in France in the 18th century. The first modern-style restaurant is often credited to a man named A. Boulanger. In 1765, Boulanger opened a shop in Paris, serving restorative meat-based broths. He called his establishment “La Grande Taverne de Londres,” which eventually became known as a restaurant.

In the eighteenth century, with the exception of inns that were primarily for travelers, food away from home could be purchased in places where alcoholic beverages were sold. Such places were equipped to serve simple, inexpensive dishes either cooked on the premises or ordered from a nearby inn or food shop. Tavern-restaurants existed in much of Europe, including France and Germany, which had Winestuben serving wine, Delicatessen (delicious food), sauerkraut, and cheese.In Spain bodegas served tapas. Greek taverns served various foods with olive oil.

The French Revolution and Culinary Influence:

The French Revolution in the late 18th century played a significant role in shaping the restaurant culture we know today. As aristocratic households were dismantled, many chefs and cooks lost their positions and turned to opening their own restaurants. These establishments began to offer diverse menus, showcasing the culinary skills and creativity of chefs.

Industrialization and Global Spread:

The 19th and 20th centuries witnessed significant advancements in transportation, industrialization, and urbanization. These changes led to the growth of restaurants worldwide. From elegant fine dining establishments to casual cafes and fast-food chains, the restaurant industry expanded to cater to a wide range of tastes and budgets.

Today, restaurants are an integral part of our social fabric, serving as gathering places for celebrations, business meetings, and everyday meals. They reflect the cultural diversity and culinary traditions of different regions and continue to evolve to meet the changing demands and preferences of consumers.

It’s important to note that the history of restaurants is a complex and multifaceted topic, and there may be variations and regional differences in the development of dining establishments.

Bibliography : The Restaurant : From Concept to Operation by John R Walker

Source : The Restaurant : From Concept to Operation by John R Walker