7
Overheard a line cook say 'we just need to get it out' about a late order
I was grabbing a late lunch at a spot on Melrose yesterday and heard the kitchen call out. The expeditor told a cook to push a ticket that was sitting for 22 minutes, and the cook just shrugged and said, 'It's fine, we just need to get it out.' The food looked rough when it went to the pass. It made me think about how often that pressure to turn tables wins over quality. That's a quick way to lose repeat customers. Has anyone else seen this kind of corner-cutting become normal in their kitchens?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
tessa1772mo ago
Yeah that "just get it out" line is a red flag. I've seen it happen when the rush hits and everyone gets stuck in that short term mindset. The problem is once you let that slide, it becomes the new normal and your whole kitchen's standards drop. You gotta shut that talk down hard, make it clear that sending out bad food is worse than a ticket taking a few extra minutes. It's a tough balance but letting quality go is how you end up with empty tables.
5
skylerc862mo ago
Is it really that big a deal though? Sometimes you just have to move the food and a late ticket can mess up the whole flow.
5
simonw416d ago
Yeah @tessa177 nailed it with "once you let that slide, it becomes the new normal." That's exactly what happens. I've seen kitchens where that attitude spreads like wildfire. One guy starts slinging half-assed plates and nobody calls him out, next thing you know the whole line is phoning it in. You gotta have a head chef or KM who actually walks the pass and sends stuff back when it's shit, or the standards just rot.
2