Simple steps to elevate your meal experience

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Good morning.  Each and every day, I am inspired by you- the leaders that show up consistently and tirelessly to ensure our residents receive the care they need and their families the peace of mind they deserve.

On the Eve of Thanksgiving, I want to express my sincerest admiration and thanks for a job well done.

Shout out to ShiftMed for sponsoring today's newsletter.  Short-staffed heading into the holiday?  They can help.

Elevate your Operation

Our meal service is the most important program we design and execute for our residents daily.

Thursday marks the most memorable meal of the year for ourselves and our residents.  

Throughout my career, I've been part of some extraordinary restaurant-style meal experiences in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, and senior living. 

I've also been part of some terrible meal experiences.

Here are a few simple steps you can initiate as soon as today to immediately elevate your dining experience.

Treating meals like a program that we deliver

I don't know about you, but I look forward to eating.  As soon as I finish one meal, I usually think about the next one.

The first and most important step in elevating your game is changing how you and your team think about your meal service.

Is it a box that you check? 

Or is it an experience that you have the privilege to deliver?

Some of the best meal experiences have absolutely nothing to do with the food that's served or the way it's cooked.

Instead, it's all about the conversation that's had and the feelings that are provoked.

Pro tip:  Add a conversation topic or thought-provoking question to each meal.  Stick it on a sign at the entrance of your venue or on a table tent at each table.

When was the best Thanksgiving you've ever had?

Tell us about a time that you totally screwed up a recipe.

What was the best meal someone made for you?

Involve your team in coming up with topics and ask them to help start the conversation.

Slow down the process

Have you ever been to a restaurant where they open the doors and sit all 30 tables simultaneously?

Me either. 

That's because it would be impossible to cook, serve, and provide a good experience for that many people all at the same time.

Yet I see communities make this mistake all the time and bring in dozens of residents into the dining venue at the same time.

Pro tip: Slow down your seating process by implementing a host or hostess role.

If you want to provide a good experience, you must control the flow of people, so your team has the time and space to provide a good experience. 

The host/hostess can be any member of your team who can greet residents and seat them by the table.

A simple rule of thumb is to seat no more than 10 people per server every 10 minutes.  This flow will allow the server or designee to greet the diners and provide drinks before having new tables to tend to.

Start them off with something good

For most people, when you think of Olive Garden, you think of a basket of buttery breadsticks.

When you go to a diner, they offer you coffee right as your seated.

Pro tip: Preseat the table at each meal with bread or biscuits, or offer a warm beverage or cocktail/mocktail right away.

Everyone likes something to nibble on while they're hungry and our residents are no different.

Having a beverage or small treat to start off your meal will help to naturally slow down the dining process and encourages a forgiving atmosphere as your team works through the rest of the meal service.

What other best practices separate a great meal experience from a good one?

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Grab your coffee and make it a great day.  We appreciate you and your dedication to your team and residents. -Thank you!