How Do You Train Your Staff on Menu Knowledge?

[HearthpizzeriaB]

When it comes to training staff on menu knowledge, I take a hands-on approach. On their first shift, I walk new hires through the menu and point out the key items they need to learn right away. I also give them a full menu with ingredient descriptions, plus allergen guides and a glossary of kitchen terms they can refer to during training.

We don’t go over the entire menu regularly, but we do short pre-shift reviews that focus on different items each day. One of my team members even made flash cards for everyone, which has been a great help. I’m currently working on adding pairing charts and creating multi-level quizzes so we can track progress as staff get more comfortable with the menu.

One little trick that’s been super useful: we’ve added the ingredients for every menu item into Toast. For new team members, I show them how to hit the “details” button on any item so the full description pops up—this way, they can quickly read it to a guest if needed. It’s a great safety net while they’re still learning.

I also make sure the team knows their limits—especially when it comes to allergies. If they’re unsure, they know to grab a manager. And when it comes to making recommendations, I always tell them to be honest. If you love something, say so! Guests appreciate that kind of honesty and excitement.

After each quiz, I go over what they did well and where they can improve. Honestly, the hardest part at first was just getting everyone to care about the quizzes. There was some pushback in the beginning, but over time they started to see how being knowledgeable makes service smoother and helps them feel more confident.

What tools or tricks have you used to make learning the menu easier or more fun for your team?

[JTX-BBQ]

This is REALLY impressive. As a former management member for an international cafe chain you probably know well, learning the menu was crucial for onboarding success. Anything that helps new team members is going to lead to your success. 

We're still quite small in terms of staff, but one of the things I find helpful is getting each new team member some time to at least observe in the kitchen -- seeing how we create orders, how they plated or packed, and definitely getting to taste everything they're able to eat. None of my employees pay for staff meals or snacks -- it's important to me that (a) they aren't worried about where their meals are coming from, and (b) they know our food. They don't have to love it, but they can be creative about it, make suggestions to guests, and show natural enthusiasm when they interact with the menu as more than a list. 
Nice point about the allergies -- I don't know about MA, but in IL, we are being directed to note every allergen for every single offering (even things like packaged sodas and beer, which I find curious) -- on our printed and online menus. I have family members with really dangerous food allergies, so I take guests' allergies seriously, and let employees know that theirs are just as important. 
Thanks for reminding me that I need to put them in Toast!!

[HearthpizzeriaB]

That is a great point about having team members see what is going on in the kitchen. We are an open kitchen concept so they get to see everything prepped along the way. I agree that giving staff meals for free is a great way for your team to gain menu knowledge beyond just explaining what is in an item. With some of my team we have them make their own staff meals.

[Penguin_Meg1]

Thanks for the "details" tip! I never clicked on that before and we've had toast for 4 years! That is an excellent help for new hires learning what comes on each item!

Our training process with FOH staff is all about taking thing one step at a time, each day of training builds on the last day. We try to have each day focus on certain parts on of information so they aren't flooded with everything all at once since it's a lot to know. The feedback from trainees that we have heard the most is how they appreciate the structure behind the training. They don't feel in the way and someone always has them under their wing. We make sure they know what each training shift will look like and what they'll focus on before they come in for that shift. This little bit of information gives them more confidence and less anxiety which helps the learning process.