Meatball Mangia

Offer spaghetti and meatballs? If you’re not making a meatball sub or using your meatballs on pizza, you could be missing out on profi ts. Consider using French or Italian bread. Sliced lengthwise, add the meatballs, layer with marinara and add a liberal dose of Romano or Parmesan cheese. On pizza, simply slice the meatballs and distribute evenly to ensure each slice gets its fair share. Although sizes may vary, consider using a walnut-sized meatball for easier enjoyment.

Sick Policies

With the H1N1 virus running rampant throughout the country, do you have a sick policy in place? Your employees handle food and can spread germs quickly. Establish a back-up plan in case an employee can’t make it in and don’t be afraid to send a sick employee home. Cross-training is critical in this regard. Make sure your employees are able to man more than one station –– even if it’s not their forte, they need to be able to make it through a service or two if needed.

Employee Theft

Are you keeping track of your employees? The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates that 75 percent of employees steal from the workplace and that most do so repeatedly. While it may not be as bold as a 20 slipped into a pocket, freebies given away to friends and family without your consent are taking cash out of your pocket. Set a policy regarding freebies and follow through. Train your managers to keep an eye on what’s going out the door and into the dining room.

Salt Substitution

To decrease the amount of salt in your dough in order to make it heart healthier, substitute with onion or garlic powder to increase the fl avor profi le. Dough Doctor Tom Lehmann advises reducing the yeast level by 25 to 33 percent because salt has a direct impact on the control of fermentation. Don’t hold reduced-salt dough for more than 24 hours in the cooler. Its performance is better when used sooner!