ARTICLES/BLOGS
Legal Consults for Your Restaurant
Need help with a legal question? Don't know the next steps to take? Wonder if you have to escalate a matter? NMRA is proud to announce our partnership with Mariposa Padilla Sivage of Sutin, Thayer, and Browne. New Mexico Restaurant Association members have a lawyer...
Tools Of Customer Service
by: John SelfLike every facet of life, problems exist. But like a bad western when the hero comes rushing in to save the fair damsel, tools exist to help gun down those problems. Customer service is no exception. Some customer service tools that may have been...
Greg McAllister – Algodones Distillery – Algodones, NM
At Algodones Distillery they honor that philosophy and hand craft spirits that reflect their time and place. Using traditional pot stills, artesian well water and our bosque location for aging,theye source and distill local ingredients from blue corn to juniper,...
Eyes Wide Shut
by: John Self Put yourself in your customer’s shoes for one minute. They’re having a wonderful dinner; the background music is playing nicely and they’re obviously enjoying themselves. Just as one of them is about to put a bite of steak in their mouth, the...
Customer Service the Wrong Way
By John Self Most restaurant managers love to eat out and when we do, we often like to tell the manager on duty about the great service we had from one of their employees. It never ceases to amaze me that most of the times that I’ve asked my server to get a manager to...
Scott Feuille – Taylor Garrett Spirits – Albuquerque
Taylor Garrett Spirits was borne out of an aviator’s vision to produce a unique line of spirits using breakthrough aging technology while honoring the traditions of the world’s great Master Distillers. Taylor Garrett is a veteran-owned company located in Albuquerque,...
Want to be fully staffed? One suggestion
By John Self What do you think when an older adult comes in to apply? Answer truthfully.“Loser?” Why is this person applying for an entry-level job?Must not be able to make it in the real worldMust not want any responsibilityI wonder what’s wrong? Those are typical...
Using your Buyer’s Guide
If you are a restaurant vendor or supplier, you know how valuable it is to get your information in the hands of the owners and operators. Our guide has a statewide distribution of 4,500 and is mailed directly to restaurants all across the state. Contact us to be...
NMRA Buyer’s Guide
NMRA has over 1,500 members statewide. We take pride in providing our members, and all foodservice providers, with the best resources around. We direct mail this guide to restaurants all over the state, members or not. It's also distributed at trade shows, events,...
‘Closed’: The Story Behind the Sign
by: John Self, The Service Doc We’ve all seen “closed” signs hanging in the windows of empty restaurants, especially since COVID tore into our industry and lives. We probably just glanced at the signs but didn’t really see them. Closed signs are such a common sight...
Women’s Leadership Course
We have designed an approach for women managers/leaders considering their challenges, workplace variables, and differing ambitions. Through our extensive work with women, we know there are unique strengths that get buried or compromised. We want to deliver leadership...
Trends: What Will Happen & What Might Happen
by: John Self, The Service Doc Labor shortage It’s here and it’s changing the restaurant industry. Normally, employees just looked at other restaurants to see if there were better jobs, but today, they’re comparing their restaurant job’s pay and benefits with entirely...
Is Everything (Your Restaurant) Okay?
By: John SelfIs your company trying to be OK? Of course not. But it happens every day in most restaurants in America. It is a pet peeve of mine when a manager comes to my table and asks, "Is everything OK?" "Everything." And "OK." What's wrong with this picture? Not...
The Service Doc – John Self
I have had 16 years of restaurant management experience in several chains (Chili's, Steak and Ale, Brown Derby, for three) ranging from manager trainee to vice president of operations of a regional chain. I have owned 3 independent restaurants and a comedy club. My...
Connect to the Best to Run Your Restaurant
One of the best benefits of being a member of NMRA is your connection to other people and businesses in our industry. As an association, we talk a lot about "strength in numbers". This is vital to our advocacy efforts to protect and strengthen the restaurant...
2022 ProStart Competition
Congratulations to the winners from the 19th Annual New Mexico ProStart Invitational. Carlsbad High School Culinary Team and Chaparral High School Management Team will be on their way to Nationals, May 6-8 in Washington, D.C.. The teams will compete against other...
Staff Training, Recycling & Taking the Food Waste Challenge
For the final week in our sustainability series, we tackle staff training , recyling and how to take the food waste challenge. Training Staff and Ensuring Smooth Collections Locate collection containers (a 5-gallon bucket, “Slim Jim” container or 64-gallon cart) and...
Diverting Food Waste for Composting
Continuing in our sustainabilty series, this week we explore diverting food for composting and what it could bring to the table for your restaurant. Once all appropriate food has been donated, a food-generating facility can set aside food wastes for compost. The...
Donating Excess Food Waste to Serve the Hungry
In a study conducted in 2010 by the NM Association of Food Banks entitled “Hunger in New Mexico”, it was found to be a myth that the only people seeking food assistance are without work or homeless. The study found that 32% of households seeking emergency food...
Food Diversion and Environmental Health Safety Practices
For week 2 of our sustainability series, we cover multiple ways to divert food waste that not only help impact your bottom line but also help serve your community. No matter if your business is collecting food waste for donation for human use, feeding animals, or for...
