Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: All right, well, we are back at the Shit yeah Show. Really, really excited. It's been. It's been like two months. Shit yeah. Shit yeah.
Restaurant business sucks sometimes and there's gaps and it's not the main priority, but it actually hasn't been because of really things that have been sucking. It's things that are awesome. We're in a enormous growth, you know, growth chapter of the business where we've got Jupiter location in Jupiter getting going that'll be open in the next two or three months. Soon we've got a franchise location in the Villages that'll be open. So gonna be bringing some energy down there. And then we have Jacksonville over in Brooklyn station. So the team is expanding. We've got incredible opportunities happening and excited to share with that with this episode of the Shit yeah show. So episode 23.
[00:00:58] Speaker B: Yes, almost. Almost at 26.
[00:01:00] Speaker A: I know.
[00:01:01] Speaker C: We're getting there.
[00:01:01] Speaker A: So you've seen Sam before.
Sam, restaurant business, wearing a lot of hats. What's your areas of responsibility now? It's been evolved from GM of downtown.
[00:01:12] Speaker B: To now to administration to retail sales, catering, you name it. I've probably got my toe in that pool somehow.
Private events. Private events, sauce, all of it.
[00:01:24] Speaker A: All the things doing in some incredible stuff for the business as we grow. It's, you know, in the beginning when you have your business, you've got people wearing a lot of hats. Now we're. We're starting to grow and expand and franchising is. Is. Is certainly expanding. And now everybody can kind of get into a little bit more defined area responsibility. But you're. You're one that kind of still wearing a lot of hats.
[00:01:43] Speaker B: Yeah, it's a lot of. I'm okay with it, though. It makes the days that go by quicker. When you have a lot to do.
[00:01:48] Speaker A: There is a lot to do.
[00:01:49] Speaker B: Yeah, you just got to be organized. That's the key. Organized. That's time planning, time management.
[00:01:55] Speaker A: And then. And so today our. Our guest coming from our Drayton street location.
[00:01:59] Speaker C: My name is Patton Janes. Hey, guys, how we doing?
[00:02:03] Speaker A: Living the dream, man.
[00:02:04] Speaker C: Living the dream.
[00:02:04] Speaker A: That's it. In the restaurant business.
So we are filming in our studio. Office. And office. Studio, whatever order that would be. So we have some people that may be coming in and out of UPS driver. That's just part of what we have going on. But really excited to have Patton here. Patton is a host at our Drayton street location, and we'll chat about his experience in the restaurant business.
The second business restaurant that you worked in. So we've got that. But yes, we'll try to keep IT standard within 26 minutes as the goal.
[00:02:36] Speaker B: That's the goal.
[00:02:36] Speaker A: The things we talk about are what sucks about the restaurant business, what do we love about the restaurant business and then what needs to change about the restaurant business. So what do you think we're doing? Well, certainly can talk about what we're not doing well in our business.
There's days that it sucks in every restaurant. That's why we call it the shit yeah show and, and the yeah, it's crossed out because at any moment it can turn into a shit show. This past weekend actually it was the water advisory where we had to boil water and deal with all of that. And I'm happy I'm not in day to day operations. Cause I remember when I was and that sucked. Yeah.
[00:03:10] Speaker B: Cause normally when there's one thing, there's another.
[00:03:12] Speaker A: It's just, it still falls into it and you know, it's really tough. It's tough on everybody. All six stakeholders. Our team has to deal with it. They aren't making money. It makes their job harder.
So there's death by a thousand cuts in this business. But so happy to have you on the team. Thank you. So how long have you been with us?
[00:03:29] Speaker C: I have been with y' all or been with Zunzies for 10 months. Two months now. Two months.
[00:03:35] Speaker B: It probably feels like 10 months.
[00:03:37] Speaker A: There is zinzi time.
[00:03:38] Speaker C: It feels great guys.
But yeah, I've been a host for two months, working up the server. Loving it so far. Love my co workers, love the team. Pretty fire. Pretty fire stuff.
[00:03:49] Speaker A: Yeah. Well you've been there during a transition. So our GM from Tybee, Brad, who many of you know, just an awesome guy, you know, just wanted to take that next step in regards to being able to grow with the company and personally and professionally. It was the right time. So has moved to that location and is doing great things. And Brian, who's our manager downtown has gone to Tybee and we're just seeing the both of them thrive in the locations.
[00:04:13] Speaker B: They're loving it. It was a great.
[00:04:16] Speaker A: It was a great swap. We talk about not wanting to play people checkers as a cultural thing, but that was more of a people chess where I think it was the right time and the right place and it seems like that's been good. So you're a host training for server. Yes. How do you get into the restaurant business?
[00:04:31] Speaker C: Originally when I was living in San Diego a couple years ago, I was just looking for a job and I saw Chipotle on the road. And I was like, let's go there. And so I applied, got the job during the interview, which should have been like a slight red flag because they didn't really talk to me that much. They were just like, great, you can start tomorrow. I was like, okay.
[00:04:50] Speaker A: And so that was when. That was last year.
[00:04:52] Speaker C: That was 2023.
[00:04:53] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:04:53] Speaker C: That was two years ago.
[00:04:54] Speaker A: So that was. Chipotle has changed a lot as people, as some of our listeners know. I have studied Chipotle.
I used to go there all of the time, Man. One of the best company cultures that I think has gone in the wrong direction.
Got a great CEO now. But in my opinion, under the last, it was all about profits. It was all about being a public company and driving shareholder value. Which is, which is certainly important. But the restaurant business is a very fragile business. There's no business that takes more people to operate and honestly generate less sales per man hour than the restaurant business. If there's one. I haven't heard of it yet. And I think that's why it's so. It's so complicated. But they used to have one of the best cultures.
I'm not sure if they still have the 13 on the hat, but they, they used to where it was 13 characteristics that you had to have in order to be hired. I'm gonna pull them up and we can chat about them.
[00:05:50] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:05:50] Speaker A: But yeah, go ahead and kind of chat about. So that you were hired within.
[00:05:54] Speaker C: Basically just within about five minutes.
[00:05:56] Speaker A: So you had a pulse.
[00:05:57] Speaker C: Oh, yeah.
And I got in there, didn't get much training and was thrown into the. The prep world of cooking. So I'd get there around 6am every day, stay till around 2:33. And it's mostly just for me, it was the.
For at least the prep cooks. It was the same exact thing every day, no exceptions. So start off lettuce.
[00:06:18] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:06:18] Speaker C: Guac, pico marinate steak. It's all that. But it's the same order. I don't remember it as much because.
[00:06:23] Speaker A: Right.
[00:06:23] Speaker C: Two years ago. But it was, it was monotonous. But I did have good co workers. Yeah.
[00:06:29] Speaker A: So I really got a system in place. You know, I think there's, there's no doubt about it.
[00:06:33] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:06:33] Speaker A: You know, that this business is all about the people of the business.
And, you know, here we go. We're probably gonna be at 26 plus minutes in regards to this. We start talking about this.
[00:06:44] Speaker B: Well, Chipotle was the restaurant to beat like they were. So they were the forefront of fast Casual because I remember Tex Mex in my old. At Zoe's kitchen. Like that's where you wanted to build your model was after the Chipotle model because they had it, they had it all. It seemed like they had it all figured out and they really did.
[00:07:00] Speaker A: It was. It really started with the passion of Steve Ells the founder and then they had really what I would say if you look at the book Rocket Fuel under EOS operating system where it's. You have a visionary founder and then you have the integrator. That's how we operate our business with Kevin, our COO and myself. So I can just download to him and then he can disperse it out. They had a great relationship with that and most companies do when you have that type of founder, that's there. But he was CIA trained, you know, so very, you know, the Culinary Institute of America so very much driven on that very purpose. Driven. Wanted to change the, you know, the restaurant industry with a burrito. So the supply chain for farmers, that was a big part of it. But he knew the key was the people and to it. And so they narrowed it down to 13 characteristics where if you didn't have all 13, they wouldn't hire you. So you had to be conscientious, had to be respectful, hospitable. Actually I'll just go through because a conscientious, wishing to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly Respectful. Treating others as you would like to be treated. Hospitable. Being friendly and welcoming to guests and coworkers. High energy. Maintaining a lively and positive atmosphere. Infectiously enthusiastic, which is a huge one in the industry. Sales is a transfer of energy.
So showing intense and eager enjoyment or approval. Happy being positive or pleasant. You're a pretty happy guy, you can tell.
Presentable, appearing well groomed and put together.
Smart, having intuition and common sense to make the workplace safe and efficient.
Polite, motivated, ambitious, curious and honest. So you look at that and it's very well rounded on that list. And it was tough to meet those standards. And the best restaurants were very selective. But because of that selectivity it allowed you once you had that in place, then you maintain because it was all aligned. And so I saw as the CEO who's now he's the CEO of Starbucks when he came on he was the chief marketing officer at Taco Bell. He came on and took over chipotle and then 13 characteristics out the window, focused on mobile ordering.
All of this change. Great marketing of real food.
There was that piece of it.
But I think the People there was less focus on that. And you know, it's just fascinating to see how quickly culture can change.
And it is a big ship to steer when you look at that. And you know, why they, I wonder, you know, just kind of wonder why they got rid of something that was such a core pillar of their success.
[00:09:37] Speaker B: It probably wasn't really too sustainable. I mean, if you look at that like those characteristics build for an amazing team employee model. If you can imagine if every employee had those characteristics, you have a goldmine. I mean they're very similar to how, how Chick Fil A hires their employees as well.
[00:09:53] Speaker A: So if you look at that though, I always say we don't need 10,000 people to open a restaurant. If we can't find in a full service restaurant 50 or 60 people that check the box, then we're on the wrong business.
Right. And so our goal is to be the employer of choice. And really by doing that, it's by giving to grow the relationships. Some really fun stuff that we have. Coming up with service industry with our service industry night we've been doing for a long time, half off service industry, seven days a week, just with our, our purpose of serving the service industry as our main stakeholder, our team number one and then everybody else in it because they're the engine of our business. But fascinating. With Chipotle. So what let's go ahead and say. So that's how you got into the business. Been with us two months.
What did you like working, you know, love about Chipotle?
[00:10:44] Speaker C: I liked how quick we were. Yeah, we, I, I learned how to be very fast on my feet for long hours or just eight hour shifts, regular hours. Um, but yeah, consistency was a big part of it.
[00:10:58] Speaker A: Like they're processed out. They're system, system, systems. How was their training?
[00:11:03] Speaker C: Little to none.
[00:11:04] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:11:05] Speaker C: I didn't really get trained. So my training was basically just watch and learn.
[00:11:09] Speaker A: Right. So it was what we call shoulder to shoulder where there all was there online training or anything like that.
[00:11:15] Speaker C: We had a few videos. Y videos like on the, on the iPad they give us.
That was, that was. My training was just watching those videos and then getting in there and getting hands on. And so it was, it was a big adjustment because I've never really. I hadn't had a job like that before. I just worked mostly retail and so getting into a kitchen and seeing like how chaotic it can be.
[00:11:38] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:11:39] Speaker C: While also like keeping an order was tough to maintain. But I enjoyed it for a couple months. But I left after three, so gotcha.
[00:11:46] Speaker A: Okay, so what sucked about it?
[00:11:51] Speaker C: Early hours. I'm not, I'm not. Yeah, I mean that was just, that's a personal thing though.
[00:11:55] Speaker A: Early.
[00:11:56] Speaker C: I think it up at 5 every day. Pretty much. Yeah.
And then it was, it was hot back there in the kitchen, so we were sweating with pants on. We had to wear pants.
[00:12:08] Speaker B: Sounds about right.
[00:12:09] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:12:09] Speaker A: So yeah.
[00:12:10] Speaker C: Yeah.
And then my manager was very mean to all of us, like passive aggressive, I'm not going to name drop, but very passive aggressive. And so it didn't really help with like our team because we were like, we were, you know, we were on a system. We were go, go, go. And if we didn't do things a second ahead of time it would be on us and we would have to catch up a lot. So.
[00:12:36] Speaker B: And that just shows just hearing you speak about why a lot of people leave the restaurant industry. And one of the two main factors why people leave restaurant, one is lack of TR and they feel like they're not doing their job appropriately and then leadership. So like that's probably why you left after three months. Two of the biggest things that caused people to leave were factored into your job there.
[00:12:55] Speaker A: And it's so easy to say it's those two things, right.
I say the restaurant business is simple but it's not easy. Right Is you can break these things down into very simple things of just, you know, have, have good leaders and managers and then make sure you have good training before somebody start to have ongoing training. But the restaurant business is so volatile. There's going to be call outs, there can be boil advisories, you know, there's, you know, menu changes, ltos, all these, all of these different things snow in.
[00:13:26] Speaker B: A city that shouldn't have snow.
[00:13:27] Speaker A: And so that's why our, our marketing, you know, our first pillar of marketing is execution trumps everything. That's the first thing is unless you're you know, crushing five star reviews. And if you have a mystery shop program which we've got rolling out with our 26x cards, check out 26xcard.com the key to our business is that we want to value relationships more than anything else. And so starting with our team. But it's a way that you can give us feedback about our business. So we want to get that feedback right and then hustle harder is our second pillar. But it's like, you know, so much marketing gets done and then all of a sudden it's not good when you get there and so it's just not, it's not an easy business. That you just got to every single day be very disciplined and then really, I think just be a good steward of the people that you already have.
And so let's talk about in our experience at Zinzibar. So this is. I think I met you before at the restaurant very briefly. We haven't had. This is. You know, I really thoroughly enjoy getting to spend this. This time talking about the business. But it's cool because in general, when I talk to our team, it's like it's actually running better than I was at the helm.
So switching from founder led to leader led. But just kind of talk about your experience with us.
[00:14:42] Speaker C: Yeah, so I started about two months ago that I remember. Like, I had eaten there several times before, so I had an incentive to go. I was like, the food's really good and everybody's so nice to me every time. So I was like, maybe. Maybe I could see if they're hiring. And then I walked in and. And yeah, they were. So I got the job started.
[00:15:02] Speaker A: How was that process?
[00:15:03] Speaker C: It was. It was good. I liked how I had, like, an interview and then an orientation, like, later, because in my other restaurant experience, it just wasn't that. So it was a nice change of pace. Yeah.
And then, I mean, I'm a pretty. I'm. I'm very, like, energetic and outgoing most of the time.
[00:15:24] Speaker A: Yeah, you just have that natural.
[00:15:26] Speaker C: I just got that. That pizzazz, got the riz.
[00:15:29] Speaker B: The riz. That's what all the kids are saying now.
[00:15:32] Speaker C: So full of riz.
[00:15:33] Speaker A: Oh, is that. Is that for charisma?
[00:15:34] Speaker C: Yeah, charisma. Yeah. Isn't that funny?
[00:15:36] Speaker B: I found that.
[00:15:37] Speaker A: So when people call me, yeah, welcome to 40s.
[00:15:44] Speaker C: But, yeah, the charisma is on point. So I knew, like, I applied as a server, but I hadn't really worked. I've never been a server before, so I'm starting out as a host and I love it. But. And so every time someone comes to the door, it gives me an opportunity to talk to someone, which is like kind of my. Kind of my thing, you know? So Zanzibar gives me the opportunity to do that, like socialize and then meet new people, I. E. Coworkers and management. And also the food is banging. Like, the wings, I get them every time, so.
[00:16:16] Speaker B: And I love that you applied it as a server, but they decided, because I've always. I've always found, even when I was in the store level, that when I. When a person would come over in a serving experience, I would always recommend host because I've always Found that when you start at that position, some of the best servers start as a host because you already learned all the process that a lot of servers don't know, but before you hit the floor. So I think if that's the road, the path that you're going, I think you're probably going to be an amazing surgeon, sir.
[00:16:44] Speaker C: All good?
[00:16:45] Speaker A: All good.
No, it's so good. So just very happy to hear about that. We're, you know. No, no business is perfect. There's no perfect person. And it's. This business is imperfect people serving imperfect people in it. And it just. We're moving in the right direction. What it sounds like. Good to hear. Orientation and onboarding and that's. That's going well. So what. I guess what. What sucks about it just, you know, the things that.
That suck about operating in our business because it's important. That's. That's my goal of this, is to just know what's good. That's why we have the 26x text club. So we want to get that feedback that comes directly to me and some other people, part of the 26x family. More to come on that.
[00:17:32] Speaker C: So I, as a person, I always like having something to do. Like, I like being on my feet.
And so when we are on the slow days and I'm a host and I'm just up there, that's what sucks for me.
[00:17:44] Speaker A: Just hot.
[00:17:45] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:17:46] Speaker B: And it's hot. I'm gonna say it's hot.
[00:17:48] Speaker C: And the umbrella at the host end isn't always reliable, you know, because, like, the sun will beam down. Like, dude, what the.
So that's one part. If, If I had to pick another, it might be like, I think, like, I think the bar production's really solid, but I mean, like, all things, there's room for improvement.
[00:18:11] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:18:12] Speaker C: And just like, I've just heard like, certain people talk about, like. Like servers talk about how the bar isn't like, when it's. When it's slow. Ish. And they don't have a drink on time. It gets frustrating for the servers, you know, that's what I've heard.
I don't really have that many gripes, though. Yeah. I mean, this is a Zunzies podcast. I'm being honest. I just don't have that much wrong with it. That's why.
[00:18:38] Speaker A: Yeah, no, that's. That's good. I mean, like I said, we haven't prepped for this. There was, you know, we've got so many, so many great people just preparing for the growth and so I would, I would hope that that's where we're going at that with our flagship location.
We do have the new bar. So for those listeners who haven't been there. Yes, new bar.
[00:18:55] Speaker B: Come check it out for sure.
[00:18:56] Speaker A: About six months ago, but it's really transformed and it's being elevated. New website, so you can kind of give a direction. Lounge area, Zuns bar, seafood and surf bar. Lounge area. That's going to get some more sprucing and all about moving in the direction we want to go with the updated brand. So I think a big thing too is Zunzies and Zunzibar are completely different brands.
[00:19:16] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:19:17] Speaker A: There's. There's a takeout model and then there's a full service seafood surf bar.
[00:19:21] Speaker C: We've got that club kind of deal. Yeah, I'm liking how we're developing. And I saw the lounge, I was.
[00:19:26] Speaker A: Like, yo, yeah, for real.
[00:19:29] Speaker B: We're going to keep on going.
[00:19:30] Speaker A: Direction and, and, and it's fun. Amazing new menu updates that we're going to start.
[00:19:34] Speaker B: That's what I'm probably the most excited.
[00:19:36] Speaker C: I better come back. Like, Brad mentioned to me a couple of them and I'm like, all right.
[00:19:40] Speaker A: Yeah. So they're going hard in the seafood and, you know, just it's. It's exciting there, especially with our new chef.
[00:19:45] Speaker B: Chef Ed.
[00:19:46] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:19:46] Speaker B: So that's exciting.
[00:19:47] Speaker A: So making some changes there.
All things to make you say. Yeah, yeah. So let's talk about, you know, just overall in the restaurant business that, you know, what do you see that you feel like is something that needs to change in general, you're a customer going out to places. Right. What do you think that we may do as well that you think is. Is good or that we need to change? Just overall change. I think that's the key change in the industry is that.
[00:20:14] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. I mean, my. I love how the first thought that came to mind was like, in. In fine dining, because I've had. I've had a few friends that work at, like, fine. Fine dining in Savannah. And it's aggressive, you know, it's really intense. And a lot of people quit very soon. And I don't. I just don't know. I get the intensity of it because it is a very, like, cutthroat industry sometimes with fine dining. But I think, like, if we can just dumb it down a little bit, I think people would stay around a little more. And maybe there's some truth to that, maybe not, but that's just how I feel about it.
[00:20:49] Speaker A: Fine dining is a fascinating Thing the restaurant business, like many is. Is an art and a science. And then when you get to that level of fine dining, you know, you get so insane about.
It's so particular. And there's some great places, common threads, doing awesome stuff. There's some great fine dining. New ones coming in.
[00:21:08] Speaker B: Yeah. Fine dining servers are a totally different breed of service.
[00:21:11] Speaker C: Oh, my God. Yeah.
[00:21:12] Speaker B: Completely different.
[00:21:12] Speaker C: I've heard some of the rules that my friend works at this restaurant here, and. And she was telling me about, like, how you have to serve a certain drink from the right side of the person instead of the left. Because, like, it's just all about proper serving.
[00:21:27] Speaker B: Like, serving from the left, busting from the.
I dabbled a little bit in fine dining, and it was definitely not my cup of tea whatsoever.
[00:21:37] Speaker A: Runs the gamut of everything from, you know, robot restaurants to fine dining. I think in the end, there's an expectation that you have going into every business, and when you go and you're spending $200 a head for this crazy fine dining experience, you expect to have all of you there. And so I agree that we talk about is just this is. We try to set the tone of what we are, and then we just want to exceed that expectation in regards to it. But I think that's the goal is just provide more value to the customer, more value to our team than what they expect, and then we will be good in business. But fine dining is something maybe down the road, it's something I can dabble in more as a passion project as we grow and multiple concepts and do that.
But, yeah, the fine dining, the things that I've heard, I think one of the biggest things is that it's just there's a lot of ego a lot of times.
[00:22:26] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:22:27] Speaker A: Yeah. And, you know, and your ego gets in your way.
And we say, you know, one of our things is your ego is not your amigo with that. And a lot of times that's. That's our biggest thing personally and professionally, and we want to keep that out of the business as much as possible and try to stay humble and let. Let good things happen and just receive them so well. Man. Thank you so much.
Extreme blessing to have you on the team. Your energy. Come see him as a host, a server, patent.
[00:22:56] Speaker B: Yeah, man.
[00:22:58] Speaker A: I love that customers are seeing you when they walk in. They walk in as a customer and leave as a fan.
[00:23:03] Speaker C: Just give a little wave.
[00:23:04] Speaker A: Yeah, there you go. Well, yeah. Thank you. Well, one of the parts of this is we all take a swig of a sauce.
[00:23:11] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:23:11] Speaker A: And we cheers. And take a. Take a shot of sauce. So pick your.
[00:23:15] Speaker B: Pick your poison.
[00:23:16] Speaker C: Mustafa curry today.
[00:23:17] Speaker A: Mustafa curry.
[00:23:19] Speaker C: I really like it on the wings.
[00:23:20] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:23:22] Speaker C: Is there like a. I last open.
[00:23:24] Speaker B: It the last time.
[00:23:25] Speaker C: Oh, really?
[00:23:26] Speaker B: Last one I did hottest and that was not probably the best.
[00:23:30] Speaker A: I'm taking the. Yeah, you took too long. If I can't shake to activate, we don't put any preservatives in it, so that's why it separates.
[00:23:38] Speaker B: For anybody who thinks it's actually healthy, there's some vitamin C and D in there with our new recipe. So get your daily vitamins by drinking maybe taking a shot of this every morning.
[00:23:47] Speaker A: I got a little consistency.
All right.
[00:23:52] Speaker C: Sounds like a smoothie. It's not.
[00:23:53] Speaker A: All right.
[00:23:54] Speaker B: It's definitely not a smoothie.
Mix it up.
[00:23:59] Speaker A: All right.
Good to go.
[00:24:02] Speaker C: Cheers.
[00:24:02] Speaker B: All right. Cheers.
[00:24:04] Speaker A: Cheers.
Quality control again.
[00:24:10] Speaker C: Quality control.
It tastes good.
[00:24:12] Speaker B: It does taste good. Drizzle's probably my new favorite.
[00:24:15] Speaker A: Episode 23.
Yeah.
