# Kitchen contests/ incentives



## fletcherous (Jun 20, 2010)

Hey there, I am trying to develop a contest for the kitchen staff that ill help motivate haccp, punctuality, cleanliness etc etc anyone have a program or game that they have used successfully? or just let me know if you have any ideas on this? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/drinkbeer.gif


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## leeniek (Aug 21, 2009)

At our place the FOH has a "bingo" game going and whomever fills their card gets a $20 bonus on their tips that they don't have to claim to the tip pool.  Personally I have a problem with that as they should be doing those things anyway and a game should not be necessary as selling is their JOB.  But it keeps them doing it and that's what the owners and head office want.

BOH we have no games /programs to motivate them to follow what you are having problems with. 

With punctuality all of them have read and signed our punctuality policy and the ocassional late is tolerated as we all run late ... we either slept in, or traffic was a mess or the buses were messed up.. that stuff happens but we do keep track of lates and when we see a pattern we do talk to the employee in question and in some cases do a write up followed by a shift cut and they either figure it out  and pick up their socks or leave. 

Haccp and cleaniliness... no excuses it has to be done, period.  In our kitchen if you put an order away and do not rotate it, guess what... you will be back in the walk in or freezer rotating things properly.  If you do not store foods proberly in the walk in you will be sent back in there to do it properly.   We check everything and it only takes one redo of a frozen order for a cook to smarten up and do it properly the first time. 

Cleanliness.. all of us, even the KM and I are expected to clean up after ourselves.  Period.  No excuses.  If you leave before close of business you are expected to leave your station clean and stocked for whomever is taking over after you and if you don't and we happen to discover it after you log out... you are doing it on your own time and if you do not you are subject to disciplinary action as it was in the terms of employment document you signed when you were hired. 

Dirty uniforms... we have a washer and dryer on site and if you cannot wash your uniform at home before you come to work you can spend some unpaid time washing and drying your clothes.  Then you may start on the line.  

I know I sound like a hard a** and ask anyone on  here.. just a few months ago I was the nice one giving everyone the benefit of the doubt but I've learned the hard way that in this business that attitude doesn't always work.


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## gunnar (Apr 3, 2008)

you used to be so nice too...sniff......just don't start kicking puppies on your way to work and we can still be friends.

I have heard a few ideas over the years. A fat checklist and a nightly inspection by the KM and if whoever closed that night got it all done right...free dinner for two for that person, no alcohol. Who could afford that?

walk-in and freezer checks during middle of shifts, if good rotation and clean, hour off early with pay... this only works on the slow days when there is usually a overlap of shifts. wouldn't suggest it for a friday or saturday

most extreme I ever heard of...had friends that worked a very popular pizza place..the back prep room was always a mess by 2, flour thick on the floor, odd vege peelings in the corner and dishes piled around were they had no business. When corporate came by they were literally tossing 20 dollar bills under stuff as a reward for whoever actually cleaned under the prep table or storage rack and under fridges and such. You wouldn't see it till you got down there to clean. When I was getting free pizza and beer in the back I would occasionaly check, no lie,  there were 2 twenties under the main fridge with a layer of dust bunnies you wouldn't believe.


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## leeniek (Aug 21, 2009)

Oh Gunnar... I don't kick puppies, stomp on kittens and kill bunnies  and I'm still  nice.. aren't all knitters nice people??

I've hardened up in the kitchen  and am not tolerating being walked on by cooks anymore.   We're weeding out the fat one by one so my hard line seems to be working.  The KM is too nice and refuses to be the bad guy so I have just been doing it and the cooks get it.  I swear if he leaves and I become KM . I may be hiring for a full kitchen staff as he is far more tolerant than I could ever be. 

I've learned alot on here and I'm greatful for all I have learned from everyone... I was pretty green when I started out and this place has been a great help to me!


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## leeniek (Aug 21, 2009)

And Gunnar.. that flour story is scary!


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## fletcherous (Jun 20, 2010)

lol thanks for the reply, I completly agree on all your opinions, cooks jobs are well defined and I should not have to reward them for doing the expected job correctly, more for going above and beyond. Don't want to be too much of a hard @ss but is necessary somtimes, I have a large staff in a hotel where I have just taken over, and due to some of the inconsistant cleaning habits, corp wants incentive games......blah. I personaly am ready to close for a week and clean house, start with a fresh crew.


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## leeniek (Aug 21, 2009)

Maybe you should suggest to management that it would serve their business better if you closed for the week, cleaned up shop and opened up a fresh new kitchen.  I don't know much about your staff but I do know that people don't like change,  and it might be very hard for them to break their old habits.

I wish you luck and keep us posted as to how things are going.


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