Restaurants have their own battle rhythm. There are busy seasons when the whole business points towards service excellence. The phone rings off the hook. Managers deftly cover callouts. Line cooks crush dinner service. Everyone prioritizes the guests in front of them. And then…there are slower seasons, too. Atlanta’s summer can be a challenge. Scorching heat, scattered school schedules, family vacations and scarce convention business interrupt your restaurant’s regular pattern. Patio-driven restaurants know that when the heat index hits 95+, no one—guests or staff—wants to be outside, no matter how many fans or cooling units you buy. But slower seasons also offer something rare in our business: breathing room. It’s a mistake to treat this time as merely something to endure....  Continue Reading