Align the Cherries
Turn your casino restaurants into progressive payoff machines | BY SETH MAKOWSKY
You ’ re all in . You ’ re invested heavily . And you ’ re committed to working it everyday . Now elevate your restaurant and bring guests back more often . To achieve that goal , begin with the end in mind and create special experiences that people love .
Each restaurant should be another reason why guests come back . Pull the right levers and pull away from your the competition … with one critical caveat . Just like hitting a progressive jackpot , you need complete payline alignment . One cherry on the wrong row is like having a zero multiplier in the equation , and you get nothing .
For example , a beautifully designed space with great food , but with a messy bathroom , may just kill all that work and disrupt the entire formula for success . Below are three key focus areas to design and line up . Done right , you ’ ll create a lollapalooza with fantastic emergent effects .
OPTIMAL DESIGN ou ’ ve got a great space , solid marketing and a unique product offering .
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Guests are lined up out the door . But can you deliver in a way that delights your customers 100 percent of the time ?
You ’ ve done so many things right . Now it ’ s about operational excellence and throughput focus . Visit Earl of Sandwich at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino . I know this one pretty well . It ’ s a machine . Running 24 hours . Service and ticket times are critical to handle those evergrowing long lines of hungry guests .
Now you ’ ve got to be continuously assessing . Can your equipment handle the long lines ? Are there contingency plans in place ? Is your design and flow smart and getting smarter to handle the increasing demand ? Can your employees not only handle but also continually improve ? Think like a manufacturer . Look for the bottleneck and figure out how to relieve the pressure points .
SUPERSTAR SERVICE hen was the last time you felt fantastic ? Now , close your eyes and
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Having superstar service is the equivalent of having an expert driver for a Ferrari . If you get the service and culture right you ' re going to win . And sales can double in the same concept and space .
imagine being at Spago . You ’ ve just been greeted wonderfully and gracefully served the most delicious food .
Then , from the kitchen , the chef comes out . It ’ s Wolfgang Puck himself . He comes to your table and with a smile introduces himself . To you ! Now open your eyes . And make reservations at one of his restaurants .
This well-orchestrated team effort happens regularly . It ’ s an experience to cherish and talk about . Having the right concept is important . But having superstar service is the equivalent of having an expert driver for a Ferrari . If you get the service and culture right you ' re going to win . And sales can double in the same concept and space . As leaders , it ’ s our job to unite the team and drive morale . The best way to do that ? Take good care of your employees , and in turn they ’ ll take good care of your guests . The best server is a happy , stable one . Treat your employees better than your competition . People who feel great about themselves and where they work are happy . They ’ re energized , and excited to serve others .
A team of thoughtful and committed people can accomplish remarkable results . Now it ’ s your job to design a system to create that . You ’ ve already taken on all the risk and made all the capital investment in the space . Now ignite it with a team of highly motivated A-players .
WORD OF MOUTH reat space . Great food . Great service .
G Check , check , check . Now it is about making a name for yourself through advertising . But not through expensive billboards or magazine ads . The best form of advertising is word of mouth , and it ’ s free .
Let ’ s take an off-the-Strip example to really highlight this point . Skinny Fats restaurant , located in a warehouse area , took over a failed generic cafeteria restaurant . The menu is delicious , comprised of both healthy and more decadent offerings . The design is very gritty and authentic . In fact , the walls are covered with two-by-fours that the owner and his team cut themselves . Guests really seem to love the food and experience . And they love talking to others about how much they crave the food — so much so that Skinny Fats was selected to handle food and beverage for the 2014 Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas . Exposure to over 100,000 people !
Can you imagine the word of mouth required to be selected for the event , and all the social media and shared stories after EDC ? The answer can be found at their new second location , which opened to long lines before the sign was even installed .
They have turned their leads into gold through great service , an authentic approach and diehard fans spreading the word . You can too . Look at the poor-performing sectors in your casino with fresh eyes . What Would Skinny Fats Do ? Do it right and give your customers another reason to visit and tell their friends .
By focusing on optimal service , superstar service and word of mouth , you may just find yourself with the makings of a landmark . Now it is your turn to line up the cherries and win big .
Seth Makowsky is CEO of the Makowsky Restaurant Group , a food-and-beverage management and consulting company that exists to drive world-class performance and create landmarks . For more information , visit makowskyrg . com or call 321-436-6925 .
16 CASINO DESIGN 2014