| This concept occurred to me after a restaurant | | | | may be concerning the customer's needs. |
| service consulting session with the owner of a | | | | The crew on a naval ship must be in excellent |
| catering operation. His restaurant was in perfect | | | | physical condition (as waiters must be) to perform |
| order, incredibly neat and clean, better than I | | | | the heavy duties necessary to keep the ship |
| have seen in quite awhile. | | | | afloat -- somewhat similar to the heavy duties |
| In conversation, when I learned he was in the | | | | required for keeping a restaurant afloat. More |
| Navy for 4 years, it dawned on me that | | | | importantly, there is a mindset that all tasks are |
| restaurant service procedure is very similar to | | | | performed while keeping the ship and crew |
| naval ship service procedure -- without the danger | | | | members in mind as a unit. In other words, |
| elements that exist on a ship, of course. | | | | "playing as a team." or "service for the good of |
| For example, on a ship, there are tight, crammed | | | | the ship" (same as in a restaurant). |
| spaces that crew members have to quickly and | | | | Even the phrases used by a ship's crew while |
| orderly work through (same as in a restaurant). It | | | | moving amongst the tight spaces and each other |
| is very important that the crew keeps the ship | | | | are the exact same as the phrases used in a |
| safe and sanitary (same as in a restaurant). Being | | | | restaurant such as: "coming thru", "behind you," |
| on the frontline, the crew must have the ability to | | | | "make a path." Use of these phrases will prevent |
| respectfully give orders and take orders (same as | | | | accidents. |
| in a restaurant). | | | | There is also the story that it's bad luck to whistle |
| In a restaurant, the waiter takes beverage and | | | | on a ship which is the same as in a restaurant |
| food orders from the customers, and sends | | | | kitchen. On a ship, the human whistle can get |
| these orders to the bar and kitchen. The waiter | | | | confused with the ship's whistle which sounds out |
| may also give orders to the busboys, runners, | | | | important messages to the crew at different |
| and even the host to help coordinate dining room | | | | times of the day. |
| service. (And vice versa). At times, the waiter | | | | The more you think about the similarities between |
| may have to receive orders or instructions from | | | | restaurant service procedure and naval ship |
| other staff and management. In this case, the | | | | service procedure, the more concepts you can |
| waiter must be listening attentively because it | | | | discover! |