book review setting the table danny meyer

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By Sara Dickerman

• Jan. 14, 2007

Four decades ago in The New Yorker, Joseph Wechsberg profiled Henri Soulé, the impeccable host and owner of two of the last century’s great society restaurants, Le Pavillon and La Côte Basque. A soft-spoken authoritarian, Soulé could deploy generosity like a weapon. When he waived the bill of one fuming customer, Wechsberg wrote, “the unexpected display of noblesse oblige so upset the angry customer that he insisted on paying the bill. He was permitted to do so, but it is doubtful that he will get a desirable table in the future.”

Wechsberg’s profile is a relative rarity: compared with the chef, who has inspired piles of confessionals and biographies, the great restaurant host is an underexamined creature. Perhaps that’s because discretion is a restaurateur’s asset — to dish untowardly would be bad for business. It’s too bad, though, because as much as we cooks hate to admit it, the work at the front of the house is complex, dramatic and critical to a restaurant’s well-being.

Danny Meyer, one of the country’s most successful restaurateurs, could surely write a great dining room tell-all, but he is far too prudent. Instead he has delivered a memoir-cum-business-manual that mixes common-sense object lessons in hospitality (hire people who are not only skilled but inherently upbeat and thoughtful; listen and respond to feedback from customers and reviewers) with diplomatic bits of autobiography.

Meyer is a New York restaurateur of a different sort from Soulé — a kinder one, to start. Nevertheless, he too knows the value of comped food, using kitchen freebies, heartfelt apologies and often a follow-up note, to turn inevitable restaurant snafus like soggy onion rings or an overly long wait into customer loyalty. This kind of generosity has become Meyer’s core business philosophy — the hospitality of the book’s title has the power of the potlatch: largesse brings power. In Meyer’s world, that means devoted customers of the influential sort. “Generosity,” he observes, “is clearly in our self-interest.”

Meyer grew up in St. Louis, the well-traveled child of Eurocentric parents from prominent Midwestern families. At 27, with less than a year of restaurant work under his belt, he opened the Union Square Cafe in a yet-to-be-up-and-coming quarter of Lower Manhattan. This neighborhood restaurant par excellence attracted loyalty for its wine list and eclectic menu (especially after Meyer hired Michael Romano as chef) — and, more significantly, perhaps, for its service. Meyer helped define a new ethos for restaurants in New York: fine dining without the elitist formality of Soulé’s (or Sirio Maccioni’s or André Soltner’s) starched linen palaces. Customers soon grew immensely fond of the easy-mannered professionalism and attentiveness of Meyer’s staff.

Meyer, for example, emphasizes the importance of taking notes on guests so that he or his staff might engineer serendipitous moments for them, like remembering a favorite table or introducing them to someone in their field. His formula carried on to other establishments, including the Zagat-guide-topping Gramercy Tavern, as well as Eleven Madison Park, Tabla, Blue Smoke, the upscale burger hut Shake Shack and — the triumph of this book — the Modern, his Alsatian-inflected restaurant at the rebuilt Museum of Modern Art.

Meyer writes vividly about characters who aren’t clients — his family members, for instance — and restaurant aficionados will be drawn to descriptions of operational details: his impeccable decisions about where to open restaurants, and where not to (that means you, Time Warner Center); how those who eat alone are of particular interest to him, “hoping that today’s solo diner will host tomorrow’s party of four”; or how he fine-tunes the noise level in each restaurant. “I hear noise the way a good chef tastes salt: too much is overbearing; too little can be stifling.”

But Meyer is not giving advice just to would-be restaurateurs: his book aims for a broader business audience. Whether his model of “hospitalitocracy” can expand beyond the service industry is hard to say, but Meyer certainly tries hard. This book wants to be a business parable of sorts — the kind populated by metaphorical parachutes, cheese and sharks.. Meyer apparently can’t resist the genre: he thinks of staff members “not as servers, but as surfers”; he imagines businesses as moth-attracting light bulbs; and he refers to the press, somewhat predictably, as a shark. (The particular shark Meyer has in mind, I suspect, is Frank Bruni, the Times critic, whose two-star reviews of Eleven Madison Park and the Modern disappointed him.)

Meyer is more persuasive and interesting, both as a storyteller and as a business adviser, when he sticks to concrete examples from his working life instead of spinning them into catchphrases that might work in a PowerPoint presentation. He has built his business not on food or service alone, but on the value of a colorful story — especially the ones that his clients tell to his future clients: the wallet lost in a cab and tracked down by Tabla’s manager; the personal call from Meyer before a big anniversary dinner; a superb frozen custard on a sunny day in Madison Square Park. When Meyer slips into generic business-speak, that all-important narrative gets lost.

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It Is Time to Rethink Danny Meyer's 'Setting the Table'

Just how enlightened is “Enlightened Hospitality,” really? 

The first time I heard the name Danny Meyer was from my mom. She was a New York native and avid diner who had just come from her first meal at The Modern, his fine-dining restaurant that had recently opened in the Museum of Modern Art. She had been sitting at the bar when Meyer, the founder of Union Square Hospitality Group, paused long enough to make eye contact. She recognized him, but before she realized who he was, the flutter of familiarity prompted her to blurt out an inappropriately familiar hello. He said hello right back. My mom described this as the kind of warm, but politely vague, hello someone gives a person who they know they should know, but can't bring themselves to register a name. My mom was so struck by how warmly he, one of the most legendarily successful restaurateurs of our time, treated her.

A few years later, after I had gotten bartending jobs at PDT and Momofuku Ssäm Bar, I read Meyer's canonical text, Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business, and it changed my life. I saw a lot of myself in this book: I am a white male child of wealthy parents who had countless chances to travel the world recreationally. Like Meyer, I blew off my LSATs because I had found such an emotionally fulfilling job working in the service industry. I loved the experience of making miracles happen for people: serving them the perfect cocktail and turning their day around. I loved getting the grumpy guest because it was an opportunity, a challenge.

Setting the Table, a New York Times best-seller, is full of fantastic advice: hospitality applies to everyone , not just your paying customers; mistakes are opportunities; leadership requires "constant, gentle pressure"; patience is a virtue. The book helped the general public see that restaurant work was real, valuable work that required particular skills and a lot of sacrifices.

The book also helped to create a monster: the hyper-entitled guests with too much leverage. A lot has changed in the 14 years since this book's publication, and it's time to reconsider the message of this book as we start to plan for the restaurant industry's post-pandemic future.

One of the most central — and enduring — concepts in Setting the Table is "Enlightened Hospitality." It's a concept that claims to value employees over customers. Critical to this is the idea of the "51 percenter," which means you want to employ someone whose skills are 51 percent "emotional intelligence." The book offers a puzzling caveat: "It may seem implicit in the philosophy of enlightened hospitality that the employee is constantly setting aside personal needs and selflessly taking care of others. But the real secret of its success is to hire people to whom caring for others is, in fact, a selfish act." This might sound anodyne, but it's actually somewhat sinister.

It's time to reconsider the message of this book as we start to plan for the restaurant industry's post-pandemic future.

The true exemplars of hospitality are the ones who unquestioningly surrender themselves to their guests' desires — no matter how ridiculous the request is. This idea is something we need to think about leaving behind as the industry continues to reel from the ongoing pandemic that has destroyed businesses and put workers under enormous pressure and considerable personal risk — all in the name of the guest experience.

I wondered what Meyer might think of the book given the pandemic-induced reckonings of the past year, and he provided this statement via email:

" If I were to add anything new to Setting the Table — which I wrote in 2006 — it would be to more fully emphasize the imperative of building a diverse team and creating an atmosphere of understanding and belonging for those who have not always had a seat at the table.

What's not new is that we remain committed to 'finding the yes,' and it is understandable that without reading [ Setting the Table ], one might misinterpret our ethos to mean that we put the customer first, or that the 'customer is always right.' It's a roadmap that has always guided our culture and our decisions at USHG and one that has become ever more crucial in a year that revealed all the shortcomings of our industry's infrastructure to protect our most vulnerable."

In 2018, I co-founded the Restaurant Workers' Community Foundation, a nonprofit that raises money to support efforts to improve the quality of life for workers in the restaurant industry. Industry workers face considerable structural barriers to equitable treatment. As of January 2021, restaurant workers' median wage is $21,470; the practice of tipping is a legacy of slavery that exacerbates inequalities; paid sick leave is a relatively recent privilege. It's almost as if the last thing that we needed was a bestselling book extolling the virtues of infinitely gracious hospitality no matter the cost. To be clear, there is much more going on here than one book that came out 14 years ago.

"There is a culture in fine dining that says how good you are is based on how much abuse you can take with grace."

Jameson Brown, the Chief Experience Engineer of Me Sous, a grocery box delivery service, has worked in New York City fine-dining spots including Jean Georges, The Pool, and the Mark Hotel. "That book is what inspired me to transition from the kitchen to front of the house," he said. "It empowered me to know that I could use my personality and emotional intelligence in a way that was impactful to me. When dealing with guests, I would ask myself, 'What would Danny do?' But there is a culture in fine dining that says how good you are is based on how much abuse you can take with grace."

Jameson, who is Black, recalls a time in 2015 when a man at a table referred to him as "boy" throughout the meal. The guest eventually asked Jameson his name, but decided to call him Charlie instead. Upset, he brought this up to his manager, who said he could either put up with it, or go home.

Stories of outlandish guest expectations are a hallmark of the service industry. And yes, someone expecting to be allowed to abuse service staff is a request that restaurants have the option to oblige, and in many cases do. Dana Koteen, founder and CEO of MiseBox, a restaurant operations platform, who worked at the Union Square Hospitality Group's Maialino for four years, said, "We as an industry should be holding our guests accountable. It's our fault that we've created these monsters." Tara MacMullen, an industry veteran and former colleague of mine, added: "We've yes-ed ourselves into a corner. We've trained guests that it's our job to say yes in whatever way possible. There is this expectation that if your mind is not blown, something has gone wrong."

An anecdote in Setting the Table that's emblematic of the kind of unattainable standard set by the book is when Meyer regales the reader with the time when a guest at USHG's now-shuttered Tabla forgot their phone and wallet in a cab. A staff member consoled the distraught guests, while another called the woman's cell phone, reached the driver, and eventually retrieved the phone and wallet before the meal was over. Meyer marvels that the whole experience only cost $31, the price of the round-trip cab ride, but netted the restaurant much more in word-of-mouth PR. Meyer had told the staff to create a "legend" from the incident — something that the guest would never forget, and repeat to friends over and over. But the problem with legends is that eventually a lot of people hear about them, and then inevitably they become quotidian.

The worldview presented in Setting the Table represents a fantastic North Star, but like the star, it is unattainable as an actual destination, and it is unfair to act otherwise.

Looking closer at this cab anecdote, there is so much more to consider: what kind of personal risk was the staff member taking by agreeing to meet a cab driver at an unfamiliar location? What duties was that staff member neglecting while running that errand? Who had to cover for them? Did any guest experience suffer as a result and why was their experience less important? More importantly, what kind of precedent did that set? Yes, that person went on to become a devoted regular, but what did they tell their friends, that you now expect that if you leave your phone and wallet in a cab, the service staff at a slightly expensive restaurant will act as your personal valet?

The worldview presented in Setting the Table represents a fantastic North Star, but like the star, it is unattainable as an actual destination, and it is unfair to act otherwise. Since its release, it has been the go-to book for many people starting out in the restaurant industry. But for people looking to educate themselves on the realities of working in restaurants, it's important to look past the rosy picture Setting the Table paints and question the bend-over-backwards mentality it champions. It might be great for the customer, but it comes at a real cost to the employee — a cost that is too high.

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Setting the Table

The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business

Danny Meyer | 4.35 | 4,651 ratings and reviews

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Reviews and Recommendations

We've comprehensively compiled reviews of Setting the Table from the world's leading experts.

Chip Conley One of the best books on hospitality ever written. (Source)

Noah Kagan Founder/Sumo A few months ago, I was drinking a Noah’s Mill whiskey (cute) with my good buddy Brian Balfour and talking about life... During the conversation, we got on the topic of books that changed our lives. I want to share them with you. I judge a book's success if a year later I'm still using at least 1 thing from the book. (Source)

Julie Rice We did a lot of reading [this book] at SoulCycle. (Source)

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• #30 in Business Biography
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Gregg Borodaty

Software developer by day baker, writer, software developer by night.

Book review: Setting the Table

I received the recommendation from a customer I started working with last year, who I would now consider a good friend. When we started working on a project together, he suggested that I read the book. My first thought was, “a book by a guy who runs restaurants, how could it possibly apply to my technology business?”

Turns out, the book is very applicable to my business. In fact, anyone running a business that deals with customers, meaning every business owner, can benefit from the lessons and experiences Danny Meyer’s shares.

I generally dislike autobiographical business books, but Setting the Table was different. Autobiographies typically start strong, but at some point turn into a self-congratulatory victory lap with the author patting themselves on the back (or defending questionable business practices). I get that only the successful entrepreneurs are going to write the popular books, but that doesn’t mean you have to talk about how great you are over and over.

Meyer does a great job staying impartial and telling the story like it is. He doesn’t brag about his success. He doesn’t embellish. You get more from his story because he shares more than just his success stories. He shares his failures, what he learned from them, and how he used those lessons to strengthen his resolve to succeed. He shares his foibles and the mistakes he made along the way. He shares the advice told to him by his mentors and others who helped him. In other words, the tone of the book is genuine. It feels like you are having a dinner conversation with Danny about the history of Union Square Hospitality Group at one of his restaurants.

I took quite a few notes while reading Setting the Table – too many to list all them in this review. So instead of trying to list them all, here are the four that resonated most with me:

Ultimately, the most successful business is not the one that eliminates the most problems. It’s the one that becomes most expert at finding imaginative solutions to address those problems.

I also learned to manage expectation – and to plan for success, not just for failure. Too often, we’ve made mistakes by not anticipating what the consequences would be if we were to win.

The only way a company can grow, stay true to its soul, and remain consistently successful is to attract, hire, and keep great people.

There are five primary stakeholders to whom we express our most caring hospitality, and in whom we take the greatest interest. Prioritizing those people in the following order is the guiding principal for practically every decision we make, and it has made the single gratest contribution to the ongoing success of our company: Our employees Our guests Our community Our suppliers Our investors

As a business book, Setting the Table is a Must Read . It applies to all businesses, whether you are in the hospitality sector or not, whether your business is big or small, or whether you are just starting out or established. The lessons and guidance are universal truths in business, and ones that I hope to incorporate into the fabric of my own company.

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Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business

About this ebook.

Seventy-five percent of all new restaurant ventures fail, and of those that do stick around, only a few become icons. Danny Meyer started Union Square Cafe when he was 27, with a good idea and hopeful investors. He is now the co-owner of a restaurant empire. How did he do it? How did he beat the odds in one of the toughest trades around? In this landmark book, Danny shares the lessons he learned developing the dynamic philosophy he calls Enlightened Hospitality. The tenets of that philosophy, which emphasize strong in-house relationships as well as customer satisfaction, are applicable to anyone who works in any business. Whether you are a manager, an executive, or a waiter, Danny’s story and philosophy will help you become more effective and productive, while deepening your understanding and appreciation of a job well done. 

Setting the Table is landmark a motivational work from one of our era’s most gifted and insightful business leaders.

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About the author

Danny Meyer, a native of St. Louis, opened his first restaurant, Union Square Cafe, in 1985 when he was twenty-seven, and went on to found the Union Square Hospitality Group, which includes some of New York City's most acclaimed restaurants: Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, The Modern, Maialino, North End Grill, Blue Smoke, and Shake Shack, as well as Jazz Standard, Union Square Events, and Hospitality Quotient. Danny, his restaurants, and his chefs have earned an unprecedented twenty-five James Beard Awards. Danny's groundbreaking business book, Setting the Table, was a New York Times bestseller, and he has coauthored two cookbooks with his business partner, Chef Michael Romano. Danny lives in New York with his wife and children.Michael Romano joined Union Square Cafe in 1988, preparing his unique style of American cuisine with an Italian soul. In 1993, Michael became Danny Meyer's partner. Under Michael's leadership, Union Square Cafe has been ranked Most Popular in New York City Zagat surveys for a record seven years. The restaurant also received the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant of the Year. Michael has coauthored two cookbooks with Danny Meyer, The Union Square Cafe Cookbook and Second Helpings. He is the recipient of numerous nominations and awards, including the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef in New York City in 2001, and in 2000, he was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America.

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Setting the Table By Danny Meyer

Last updated on November 1st, 2021 at 05:23 am

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Setting the Table – Summary

Setting the Table : This book did a terrific job highlighting some of the paradigms shifts that made Danny Meyer so successful as a restauranteur (e.g. “moving the salt shaker back to the center”). He also talked a lot about the tactics that he used to execute so well across his many restaurants (Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Blue Smoke, Shake Shake, etc.)

For example, during Restaurant Week he gave more value and also gave them gift certificates afterward.

However, all the stories are told through a rosy prism and so, therefore, it feels like you never really got to know the man much better. Unlike, for example, Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential, where you feel like you got a real behind the scenes look at the restaurant scene in NYC.

Still, if you work in the restaurant industry or aspire to work in the restaurant industry, this is an important read.

How Danny Views Hospitality

I’ve learned how crucially important it is to put hospitality to work, first for the people who work for me and subsequently for all the other people and stakeholders who are in any way affected by our business—in descending order, our guests, community, suppliers, and investors.

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Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park, Tabla, Blue Smoke, Jazz Standard, Shake Shack, The Modern, Cafe 2, and Terrace 5 (our cafés for visitors within the Museum of Modern Art), plus Hudson Yards Catering—were

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Sometimes, we’ve moved in the other direction, beginning with the casual atmosphere of a barbecue joint or a shakes-and-burgers stand, and then attempting to exceed expectations by employing a caring staff and using the finest ingredients. Our formula is a lot tougher to achieve than it sounds, but it can be applied successfully to virtually any business you can name.

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Hospitality is the foundation of my business philosophy. Virtually nothing else is as important as how one is made to feel in any business transaction .

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Danny’s Early History In Business

But this success wasn’t enough for my father. Having failed to learn some critical lessons from his earlier business failures in the 1960s and 1970s, he gambled the fortunes of his entire business on another new one, involving risky and questionable real estate and hotel deals back in St. Louis.

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I soon became Checkpoint’s top salesman, covering the New York metropolitan area and earning nearly $100,000 in commissions. I quickly got to know every branch of every family tree of every New York retailing family that owned drugstores, clothing stores, grocery stores, coat stores, and shoe stores. I was making cold calls, meeting people, and getting to know every obscure corner of New York. As I had learned during Anderson’s campaign, I was reaching out and building a constituency. This was another indispensable lesson that would serve me well as a restaurateur.

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I loved art and went to the Museum of Modern Art as often as possible taking advantage of my grandfather’s annual gift to me of a membership there. By attending opening parties at the museum, I also learned that New York’s social life consisted of more than Upper East Side bars. The joy I was experiencing each day by setting my own personal and professional agenda made it increasingly clear to me that I would never go to work for someone else.

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( I had learned from Pesca that a vibrant lunch service could help a restaurant to meet fixed costs, and furthermore that the kind of business clientele attracted by lunch could give the place an added identity. )

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It’s Not Just “Location”

Despite all the uninspiring spaces I was seeing, I continued to reject the prevailing maxim: “Location, location, location.” This is the idea that you somehow need an upscale address to be considered a great restaurant. But to afford an acceptably swank location, restaurants had to pass on their huge overhead to the guests, charging way too much money for lunch and dinner. Back then, an excellent restaurant was too often confused with an expensive restaurant.

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if I handicapped the location correctly, and could successfully play a role in transforming the neighborhood, my restaurant, with its long-term lease locked in at a low rent, could offer excellence and value.

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Training The Staff In Hospitality

Understanding the distinction between service and hospitality has been at the foundation of our success. Service is the technical delivery of a product. Hospitality is how the delivery of that product makes its recipient feel. Ser vice is a monologue—we decide how we want to do things and set our own standards for service. Hospitality, on the other hand, is a dialogue

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I don’t tell the staff precisely what to do or say in every scenario, though I do have some pet peeves that I don’t ever want to hear in our dining rooms.

I cringe when a waiter asks, “How is everything?” That’s an empty question that will get an empty response.

Also, I can’t stand the use of we to mean you, as in, “How are we doing so far?” I abhor the question, “Are you still working on the lamb?” If the guest has been working on the lamb, it probably wasn’t very tender or very good in the first place.

And if a guest says “Thank you” for something, the waiter should not answer, “No problem.” Since when is it necessary to deny that delivering excellent service is a “problem”? A genuine “You’re welcome” is always the appropriate response.

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The best way to do this is to first gather as much information as I can about our guests. I call this collecting dots. In fact, I urge our managers to ABCD—always be collecting dots.

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We also make sure to enter into “customer notes” any previous mistakes we made (“overcooked salmon on 7/16, spilled wine on purse 5/12”). We also indicate all “special requests” (“likes table 42; bring hot sauce with food; loves corner table;

NOTE: how come our restaurants don’t do this

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Context Is Everything

Context is everything. What has guided me most as an entrepreneur is the confluence of passion and opportunity (and sometimes serendipity) that leads to the right context for the right idea at the right time in the right place and for the right value. I have never relied on or been interested in market analysis to create a new business model. I am my own test market. I am far more intuitive than analytical. If I sense an opportunity to reframe something I’m passionately interested in, I give it my absolute best shot.

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I do not want to see a dish like tuna tartare (which became ubiquitous in New York during the 1990s) on any of our menus unless our chefs are doing something singularly excellent with it. That challenge led us to come up with an impressive signature dish for Eleven Madison Park: tuna tartare seared on one side. Served with sliced avocado and a radish salad, it looks and tastes different from any other version I’ve had in town, and—most important—it’s addictively delicious. “What makes ours different and special?” is the question we ask and try to answer every day, and not just with food.

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Danny’s Expansion

DESPITE THE CONTINUED SUCCESS of Union Square Cafe, for almost nine years I was firmly against opening a second restaurant. Owing, in large part, to my experience of my father’s tumultuous career and his two bankruptcies, I always thought of expansion as dancing on the edge of failure. It wasn’t until after my father died that I began to give myself the freedom to expand my business. It was almost as if my fear of repeating his defeats was softened by the fact that he wouldn’t be around to see the outcome. Another factor was that for years I had protected myself from the perils of growth by establishing three prerequisites that I knew would be almost impossible to meet. First, any new restaurant would have to be as excellent within its niche as Union Square Cafe. (In my mind, the success of Union Square Cafe had been a fluke, and I was fairly certain I’d never have a hit like that again.) Second, the opening of the new restaurant could in no way compromise or diminish the excellence of Union Square Cafe. (Restaurant sequels can diminish the original, perhaps because the management’s focus and capacity may be spread too thin.) Third, I would open another restaurant only when I was sure that I would also achieve more time for myself and Audrey. (That seemed unlikely, as I was already working up to fourteen hours a day.)

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But with each year of Union Square Cafe’s progress as a prominent restaurant, I found myself working harder and longer to exceed increasingly ratcheted expectations—the public’s and my own. We were intent on having kids, all the more so because each of us had lost a parent. I did a lot of soul-searching, asking myself whether taking on more business and more stress would be wise for me or my marriage, or even for my business. To her credit, Audrey left the decision to me.

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Invest in your community. A business that understands how powerful it is to create wealth for the community stands a much higher chance of creating wealth for its own investors. I have yet to see a house lose any of its value when a garden is planted in its front yard. And each time one householder plants a garden, chances are the neighbors will follow suit. In mid-1996, I attended my first

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He was concerned about whether it could be a safe financial bet for his own future. He didn’t see how the restaurant would ever be able to pay off its debt or its investors, and that made him nervous. When construction delays arose, he grew increasingly impatient and ill at ease. With just six weeks to go before opening Eleven Madison Park, we parted ways.

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We abandoned the box lunch program very quickly and ended up with a costly inventory of 3,000 unused boxes. The experience was a vitally important illustration of inappropriate brand extension, wrongheaded priorities, and inadequate focus on a core product. Fortunately, by working on the basics, our lunch business doubled within six months.

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leaders. We searched high and low for the rare employees who love teaching, know how to set priorities, work with a sense of urgency, and—most important—are comfortable with holding people accountable to high standards while letting them hold onto their own dignity.

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The 51% Solution

(something we have never administered), his or her potential for technical excellence would count for 49 percent, and innate emotional skills for hospitality would count for 51 percent. I first learned this concept of “51 percent” from the dynamic restaurateur Rich Melman of Chicago, when I visited him in the late 1980s.

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No one can possibly be upbeat and happy all the time. But personal mastery demands that team members be aware of their moods and keep them in check. If a staff member is having personal trouble, and wakes up angry, nervous, depressed, or anxious, he or she needs to recognize and deal with the mood. It does not serve anyone’s purposes to project that mind-set into the work environment or onto one’s colleagues.

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It’s the “whelming” candidate you must avoid at all costs, because that’s the one who can and will do your organization the most long-lasting harm. Overwhelmers earn you raves. Underwhelmers either leave on their own or are terminated. Whelmers, sadly, are like a stubborn stain you can’t get out of the carpet. They infuse an organization and its staff with mediocrity; they’re comfortable, and so they never leave; and, frustratingly, they never do anything that rises to the level of getting them promoted or sinks to the level of getting them fired.

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Opening of Blue Smoke

turned pale as I saw the headline, “Smoke Blows It.” The critic declared, “I know barbecue and this ain’t it.” There wasn’t much in that criticism we could use to improve our performance. I could only feel bad, and I did.

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Blue Smoke, the article noted, had already attracted more than sixty postings on one site, many of them scathing. A barrage of negative, often hostile reviews followed, creating the impression that by its very existence, Blue Smoke was committing a capital offense—and that it would probably not survive. The subtext of a lot of the press was: “Who the hell is Danny Meyer to be opening a barbecue restaurant? What could he know about it? See? Aha! Blue Smoke will be his Waterloo!”

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“People will say a lot of great things about your business, and a lot of nasty things as well. Just remember: you’re never as good as the best things they’ll say, and never as bad as the negative ones. Just keep centered, know what you stand for, strive for new goals, and always be decent.

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Your Job Is To Move Things Back To Center

I slid it back. Then he explained his point. “Listen, luvah. Your staff and your guests are always moving your saltshaker off center. That’s their job. It is the job of life. It’s the law of entropy! Until you understand that, you’re going to get pissed off every time someone moves the saltshaker off center. It is not your job to get upset. You just need to understand: that’s what they do.

Your job is just to move the shaker back each time and let them know exactly what you stand for. Let them know what excellence looks like to you. And if you’re ever willing to let them decide where the center is, then I want you to give them the keys to the store. Just give away the fuckin’ restaurant!”

Wherever your center lies, know it, name it, stick to it, and believe in it. Everyone who works with you will know what matters to you and will respect and appreciate your unwavering values. Your inner beliefs about business will guide you through the tough times.

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Every time that happens, I’m going to move everything right back to the way it should be. And so should you! That’s the constant aspect. I’ll never recenter the saltshaker in a way that denies you your dignity. That’s the gentle aspect. But standards are standards, and I’m constantly watching every table and pushing back on every saltshaker that’s moved, because excellent performance is paramount. That’s the pressure.

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We asked him a lot of questions about how he managed his time with so many businesses to run, how he delegated, and to whom. After sharing a number of valuable insights, he said, “There are some things I could learn from you guys as well.

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with context as it does content. That’s called setting the table. Understanding who needs to know what, when people need to know it, and why, and then presenting that information in an entirely comprehensible way is a sine qua non of great leadership. Clear, timely communication is the key to applying constant, gentle pressure. To illustrate the point, I teach our managers about the “lily pad” theory.

LOCATION: 2905

our undeniable business growth had at last butted

LOCATION: 3039

up against my skittishness and inertia. Standing in place had become unacceptable and risky. I had to figure out some way to have both smart restaurants and a smart organization. Finally, I listened to my partners, and bit the bullet. Taking the lead, David Swinghamer persuaded me to join him in searching our neighborhood for office space. We looked throughout a long, hot summer, and eventually we found a bare-basics office overlooking Union Square, which had been vacated by a failed dot.com.

Human resources—making sure we get the best (and right) people on our team, training them to succeed, and ensuring the kind of healthy culture and environment in which they can thrive. Operations—making sure that people and things work as excellently as possible and that we are executing to our fullest potential. Accounting and finance—making sure we have a constant stream of timely, accurate information that reflects our past performance, and helping us make good, informed choices about our future through a culture of planning, budgeting, and analysis. Public relations and marketing—making sure we are telling the stories about our business and its employees that will keep our restaurants on the tip of people’s tongues, whether they be journalists, prospective guests, or employees; and building relationships with other like-minded companies with whom we can forge the kind of business partnerships where 1+1=3. Information technology (IT)—making sure we have the most effective software and hardware to allow us to communicate internally and externally, and to assess and improve our performance as a company. Business development—making sure we’re not leaving money on the table with existing businesses, and analyzing and negotiating potential new business ideas to keep our employees and company vital and moving forward. Community investment—making sure our company and its employees are finding and taking ample opportunities to play an active role in helping our communities fulfill their greatest potential.

LOCATION: 3051

Some restaurants, unfortunately, offer inexpensive fare and propose very limited menu options as a way to manage costs and do a bit better than break even on a three-course meal. We take the opposite approach. I am convinced that if you’re going to offer a gift, it’s important to give it graciously. We approach Restaurant Week by offering a generous number of choices for the appetizer, main course, and dessert, representing considerably more than $20 worth of food and quality. The point is to make people feel a sense of abundance and value. In several of our restaurants, we go a step further. As the already-low check is dropped, each guest at the table is presented with a thank-you note as well as a gift certificate to welcome him or her back for lunch at another time. (In 2005, for example, we presented each guest with a “come back” lunch certificate for $20.05.) At this point, guests are thinking, “They’ve already offered an outstanding lunch for $20.05, and now they’re giving me a $20.05 gift certificate to return!” And return they do.

LOCATION: 3178

Stanley set his martini down, looked me in the eye, and said, “So you made a mistake. You need to understand something important. And listen to me carefully: The road to success is paved with mistakes well handled.”

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3. Always write a great last chapter. People love to share stories of adversity.

LOCATION: 3398

Are you in it for keeps? It’s almost always worth bearing a higher short-term cost if you want to win in the long run. I’m convinced that you get what you give, and you get more by first giving more. Generosity of spirit and a gracious approach to problem solving are, with few exceptions, the most effective way I know to earn lasting goodwill for your business.

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n every business, there are employees who are the first point of contact with the customers (attendants at airport gates, receptionists at doctors’ offices, bank tellers, executive assistants). Those people can come across either as agents or as gatekeepers. An agent makes things happen for others. A gatekeeper sets up barriers to keep people out. We’re looking for agents, and our staff members are responsible for monitoring their own performance: In

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It is in any company’s self-interest to take what it does best and apply that core strength to an appropriate form of outreach beyond its own four walls. For those of us who make a living by nourishing and nurturing guests in our restaurants, there’s a logical connection to feeding people in our community who don’t have enough.

LOCATION: 3773

Every Tuesday and Wednesday night, one of our restaurants prepares about twenty dinners for the hospice unit, and volunteers from that restaurant’s staff bring the food to Beth Israel, serving the meals to the hospice patients and their families as well as to the unit’s nurses and attendants.

LOCATION: 3784

Whenever our employees take a leadership role and collect pledges from colleagues in order to participate in an event like the Avon Breast Cancer Walk or the Northeast AIDS Ride, their restaurant matches the money they’ve collected from their colleagues.

LOCATION: 3790

I suppose if I had all the money in the world, I might choose to own 100 percent of the risk and the financial returns. But I’ve learned over time that while the child in me may want the pie all to myself, the wisest thing I can do in my own self-interest is to share pieces of that pie with others. By selling or even giving away some pieces, I’ve never given up having control in preparing the recipe, but I have always ended up with a bigger, better-tasting pie. For that reason, in each of my businesses I have chosen

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There is much to learn by understanding what goes into a “no” decision, and there’s an art to analyzing the deals you don’t make.

LOCATION: 4083

When To Say Yes to New Ventures

THE “YES” CRITERIA FOR NEW VENTURES The opportunity fits and enhances our company’s overall strategic goals and objectives. The opportunity represents a chance to create a business venture that is perceived as groundbreaking, trailblazing, and fresh. The timing is right for our company’s capacity to grow with excellence, especially in terms of our having enough key employees who are themselves interested and ready to grow. We believe we have the capacity to be category leaders within whatever niche we are pursuing. We believe our existing businesses will benefit and improve by virtue of or notwithstanding our pursuing this new opportunity. We feel excited and passionate about this idea. Pursuing it will be an opportunity to learn, grow, and have fun! We are excited about doing business in this community. The context is the right fit. Our restaurant and our style of doing business will be in harmony with its location. An in-depth pro forma analysis convinces us that it is a wise and safe investment.

LOCATION: 4098

“yes.” For instance, the underlying premise of Las Vegas—the world’s most successful marketer of illusion and fantasy—makes it an improbable context for an authentic restaurant possessing soul. Since we have built our company’s long-term success in New York on a foundation of a genuine sense of place, rather than by selling illusion, those options didn’t feel like the proper context. This has been particularly true of our restaurants named and created explicitly for their locations. Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, and Eleven Madison Park are not concepts. They are restaurants of, by, and for their communities. It’s important for me to understand that and act accordingly.

LOCATION: 4127

I meet with this “kitchen cabinet” for ninety minutes every Tuesday morning to discuss and debate the strategic direction of our company. We also include our chief adviser and “wisdom keeper,” Richard Goldberg, a penetrating thinker and brilliant teacher who assumed that role for us after his retirement as a partner at the law firm Pros-kauer Rose.

LOCATION: 4158

Even after all the business aspects of a prospective new deal are discussed, dissected, and examined, I always call on Audrey, who, as my “secretary of life balance,” generally has an opinion as to whether a presumably good business decision is or isn’t a good thing for me and our family. Audrey is the first to notice when I’m out of balance, and call me on it. She knows that I tend to approach a new opportunity the way mountain climbers assess another mountain.

LOCATION: 4166

For example, JetBlue Airways approached us to get into the business of airport food kiosks. It was worth listening just for the opportunity to learn more about an engaging company whose culture of excellence and employees-first hospitality seemed so closely aligned with ours. The JetBlue officials explained that the opportunity had enormous growth potential, given the significant amount of “dwell time” travelers now spend in airports because of the increased security after 9/11, and because the airline does not serve passenger meals. The sales potential appeared quite large. “We love your restaurants,” their people told us. “We love the way you do business. It feels consistent with our culture. We want to be on the cutting edge of this business and we’d like to talk to you about it.

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Timing is everything. There is an important art not only to determining whether one should or should not go into a deal, but to knowing whether one might want to go into such a deal somewhere down the road.

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Context, context, context! For years I had heard the business mantra, “Location, location, location”—an ironclad principle that the key to the success for any retail establishment was picking the right address to set up shop. My own experience indicates that a far more significant contributor to success is context. A powerful example is Tiffany’s famous blue box.

LOCATION: 4337

(For several nights leading up to the opening, I had uncomfortable visions of museum trustees and executives peering at us with disapproval, wondering

LOCATION: 4370

The courage to grow demands the courage to let go. Whenever you expand in business—not just the restaurant business—the process is incredibly challenging, especially for leaders who first rose to the top because of their tendency to want to control all the details. You have to let go. You have to surround yourself with ambassadors—people who know how to accomplish goals and make decisions, while treating people the way you would.

LOCATION: 4385

This project was so huge and so far beyond any fantasies I may have had about actually being in control that it forced me let go. It made me do what I’d always known I needed to do—surround myself with very talented people; give them clear direction, goals, and feedback; and not try to be everywhere at once.

LOCATION: 4672

“Setting the Table”

Steffen Buenau

Book review: setting the table: the transforming power of hospitality in business by danny meyer..

As usual, this book review is more for myself to make sure at least something sticks. I have now written a checklist of how to do these reviews and I am stopping the time to write each one to see if this is worthwhile. 

I read Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business by Danny Meyer on kindle. I learned about the book on twitter. I believe from somebody at Union Square Ventures, the VC firm. Like most people I am interested in food and the restaurant business - if you have not read stuff like “kitchen confidential” and are interested in food, that is a good starting point. 

This book is an autobiography by and about Danny Meyer, the founder of Shake Shack and a major restaurant group. I am aware that “by and about” is redundant because I already said it is an autobiography but I am not sure how to do the sentence otherwise. 

Recommended or not and why?

Highly recommended because it is an easy and entertaining read but still highly informative.

What was interesting on a technical/science/business level?

Another example of somebody starting in business early and just slugging it out until eventual success. Danny Meyer was fat and average in school. Studied politics and organised a senator campaign, while his parents divorced and his father succeeded and failed in businesses. So, this is all pretty average. 

Than, at age 26, he quits his sales manager job where he had saved money to do a cooking course and starts working in low positions in a restaurants. He drops a 125k annual salary to 12k salary to do what we wants. 

From this point onwards he just consistently works on making the first restaurant successful. What is interesting here is that according to his figures, lunch should be about 40% regulars and dinner 25% - higher than I would have expected. 

Note also that finding the space for the first restaurant was done the following way: he walked around to places that he liked and asked the owners to take his card whenever they thought about selling. Simple as.

Noteworthy is his focus on mistakes and slip-ups: essentially the argument is that all good stuff is long term. Therefore, in the short term after a mistake you can spend as much as you’d like because you are building an asset. So, drastic focus on making everything good for the guests - removing food that was not eaten from the bill.

A lot about hiring - attitude is given a 51% importance over technical skill. Interesting. 

What was interesting on a personal level?

The most interesting and sad part is the short but intense description of early birth and shortly following death of two twin babies. It especially impressive as Danny is clearly points out that this challenged their lives and marriages and that both would most certainly have fallen apart - had he not “resolved to use every form of therapy available - and in my case additional intense work with a men’s group. 

Time taken to write this: 40 minutes.  

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Setting the Table: Lessons and inspirations from one of the worlds leading entrepreneurs Paperback – 15 Feb. 2010

• Print length 336 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Marshall Cavendish
• Publication date 15 Feb. 2010
• Dimensions 14.1 x 2.5 x 21.6 cm
• ISBN-10 0462099253
• ISBN-13 978-0462099255
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Marshall Cavendish (15 Feb. 2010)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0462099253
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0462099255
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 14.1 x 2.5 x 21.6 cm
• 1,110 in Food & Travel Writing
• 12,131 in Business, Finance & Law
• 29,230 in Science, Nature & Maths

About the author

Danny meyer.

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setting the table by danny meyer (summary)

When I was hired as the Director of Customer Ops at Animalz, Walter Chen (founder and former CEO) sent me two books:

Trusted Advisor

Setting the Table

I devoured Trusted Advisor, picking up the book that seemed like the most natural way to level up my customer success skills shifting from SaaS into professional services. Setting the Table collected dust but I returned to it this spring when working with our now Director of Customer Ops to codify the first principles of customer management at Animalz.

While the book was wordy for me (the first chapters flowed like an intro to Chef’s Table and I was lost on some of the details shared about some ingredients/meals) the key principles around creating a best in class customer experience resonated. I feel like I read this at the exact right time, as I am less involved in the day to day business and have to think about becoming a better teacher, facilitator and people leader.

I recapped key ideas (sans in depth food stories) mostly for myself, but would to connect with anyone who has incorporated these principles into their business (or read any other great books about customer experience!)

About the author

Danny Meyer is the Founder & CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group. He’s opened restaurants including Grammercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Square, The Modern and Shake Shack. He created the Enlightened Hospitality philosophy that puts employees first so that they can put customers first, knowing that the benefits trickle down to investors, vendors and the community.

As a child, Danny watched his father aggressively pursue entrepreneurial opportunities and fail, which helped him create principles for vetting new ventures. His family and his extensive culinary led travels informed his business philosophy. Danny traveled all over the world taking notes about the best places he ate and stayed and how he felt treated at each of those places. He modeled his initial restaurant after California, Paris and Rome:

Danny saw California as a great example of a place where “passionate people work together, breaking rules, boundaries and traditions.”

Parisian perspective on refined excellence, where everyone is accountable to precision and hospitality.

In Rome, great restaurants were built around family.

Danny cares a lot about growing businesses in emerging neighborhoods and doing something new with boldness and innovation. In addition to focusing on core business functions like HR, Finance, Business Development and IT, Danny focused on Community Investment to “make sure our company and its employees are finding and taking opportunities to play an active role in helping our communities fulfill their greatest potential.” Danny takes a lot of his ethos around community from Share our Strength founder Billy Shore’s notion that “creating community wealth is the most effective way to achieve lasting social change.”

Enlightened hospitality is designed to provide a delightful experience for every customer with SOUL. Good service is the right food delivered to the right person at the right table at the right time at the right temperature. Hospitality is all of the things that people at the restaurant do to make you feel that they are on your side; the host remembering you and welcoming you back, everyone is made to feel included (the big tables and tables of 1), and the people who work there approach every interaction with guests as a dialogue, not a monologue. No stiff “how is everything” empty questions or “no problem” responses. Employees are genuinely engaging and thoughtful to make sure that everyone has a great time at every restaurant and all team members are focused on the details that make experiences great. Great restaurants leave guests feeling “satisfyingly hugged.” That’s how you get people to tell a story about your business.

Enlightened hospitality also requires caring for your staff first and communicating context well: “who needs to know what, when people need to know it, and why.” Everything goes more smoothly when others are looped in and brought into the decision making process. “Ideas at their best happen for people. At their worst they happen to people.” Danny believes in servant leadership as taught by Robert Greenleaf.

“Have fun taking service seriously”: bring excellent dining down to Earth

“Invest in your community and the rising tide will lift all boats”

An expensive restaurant is not necessarily an excellent restaurant. Danny focused on offering exceptional value in all restaurants, wary of anyone accusing them of overcharging. Value was a way to distinguish themselves from the competition.

Don’t try to replicate existing ideas, go after things that are new

People need a mental model for how to think about a new concept. When he first tried to open 11 Madison Park, he wanted to be a lot of different things. A good friend of his said that when people go out to eat they say they’re in a mood for a specific cuisine “no one says they’re going out for eclectic.”

Finding great people

Interview questions

How has your sense of humor been useful to you in your service career?

What was so wrong about your last job?

Do you prefer Hellman’s or Miracle Whip? Why?

The better Danny got about being precise about hires and communicating expectations the more he was able to realize his vision for enlightened hospitality.

Know what you need in a hire: eg a bbq pitmaster is very different than a chef. They don’t need creativity as much as commitment and consistency, a love of repetition that allows them to find joy in doing the same things repeatedly day in and day out.

Danny looks for strong emotional (hospitality) and technical skills. He tries to hire people who are 51% the former and 49% the latter because connection with guests is central to everything they do. He knows that a flawless restaurant can have fewer fans than a lower star restaurant with soul. Hiring 51% people means less time and money on training later; technical skills can be trained for, people skills less so.

Danny looks for “the excellence reflex” in all hires with 5 core emotional skills:

optimistic warmth

intelligence: open minded, curios, excited to learn and strive for excellence

work ethic: people who care enough to take great care and pride in setting the table beautifully each time

self awareness and integrity

What Danny looks for when hiring managers, who might be 15% of his staff at any given time

infectious attitude

self awareness

charitable assumption: assumes positive intent

long term view of success: put employees first, guests second, community third, suppliers fourth, investors fifth.

Don’t just think in terms of today dollars, think about tomorrow dollars. Ideally you get both but focusing on the long game creates a bigger upside.

sense of abundance

trust (us as a team, together and united) over fear (them against us)

approving patience and tough love

not feeling threatened by others

Prospective employees go through 4-6 paid test “trails” before being hired to make sure they are a good fit. Candidates may repeat the same trail multiple times, they will not advance until an employee signs off.

Danny hires based on team consensus, taking candidates through thought experiments and getting reactions from his team. He is always seeking to find the best of the best or those who could be the best of the best. He refuses to hire “just ok” people who can erode organizational values and be tough to remove if they don’t work out.

The best customers are attracted and retained by the best employees.

Danny gets guests involved in hiring, asking for their recommendations and buying them dinner if they refer someone successfully.

Getting listed in the Zagat survey has been a powerful recruiting tool (by extension, reputable best of lists)

If Danny finds a candidate that they love that they don’t have a req for he will create one for them, knowing that good people are really hard to find.

Tends to stay away from people who put themselves before the org.

Don’t allow new hires to change the menu/restaurant flow until they get to know it. Specials menu = a space to experiment but the main focus should be improving the existing menu/service before trying new things.

Leading by example is important but at scale, you have to “lead by teaching, setting priorities and holding people accountable.”

Danny meets with new hires every 4 weeks, striving to, like a champagne house “produce a vintage that tastes virtually the same each year”

Danny had a restaurant staffed with more junior people that became a farm system for talent. They’d hire 51%ers who needed help with technical skills.

Don’t make people wait!!! When you prioritize volume over hospitality you start to lose.

In the early days of a restaurant

It will take 6+ months for a restaurant to start to come into it’s own, for the staff and menu to really gel. Early days may require trimming the menu down, slowing down reservations. Big numbers create logjams. By getting really specific about the details

how long it takes to cook and transport each dish

the average number of courses per table

the turn time per table etc

Every “vote” counts. In the early days especially, it’s important not to take any votes for granted. Caring about every single person that comes in is how you develop a core group of regulars. The first visit to a restaurant in particular has to be amazing. Danny knows this and has designed his hospitality experience to earn 70%+ repeat business. 40% of lunch business and 25% of dinner business go to his restaurants 6-12x/year, which is representative of a great restaurant experience.

Restaurants keep detailed notes on guests to remember mistakes they’ve made and special requests they’ve gotten to continuously personalize their dining experience.

Danny acknowledges that his restaurants depend on word of mouth. The restaurant has to be top of mind for people to refer it. They aim to be as helpful as possible to accomplish that.

He was able to proactively avoid those logjams and continuously improve the “pace, flow and progress” of service

“Athletic approach to hospitality, sometimes playing offense, sometimes playing defense, but always wanting to find a way to win.”

Offense: enhance experiences with free desserts on birthdays, wine for regulars

Defense: overcoming mistakes, defusing problematic situations. Always being on the guests side in how they framed solutions/provided options, really trying to show when making reservations on a busy night for example empathy and effort to get them a reasonable solution even if it wasn’t what they had originally hoped for. They trained hosts in particular to be customer advocates instead of gatekeepers.

Don’t unnecessarily interrupt guests…every interaction should provide value. Every part of the restaurant experience should be designed to provide value and pleasure for the guest.

To become an “unofficial club” for a certain group of people/businesses is a strength that can lead to more business. To do this, you have to become part of that group, part of the neighborhood.

Turn over rocks : look for the story behind the story. Details help signal opportunities for improvement whether that’s a guest drumming their fingers on the table, looking around the dining room, leaving a meal largely uneaten, etc. Seeing those things and addressing them = turning over rocks. Take interest in people a la Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Shared ownership : a restaurant becomes uber successful when people talk about a restaurant as soon as it’s theirs. People generally feel like a restaurant is theirs if they feel loved and important in that restaurant, which builds trust and a sense of affiliation. Danny fosters this by encouraging team members to build relationships with guests. That may be as simple as asking where someone is from to build a connection, the chef coming out to say hi and ask what questions or feedback they have on the meal, the GM saying “thanks for being here.” Danny shares a story about serving a couple from Kansas City at his bbq restaurant and how skeptical they were of eating bbq in NYC. Danny was able to build connection by asking if they’d sample the Kansas City bbq sauce they were piloting and give input, giving them a sense of ownership in the future of the restaurants.

Always be collecting dots : the more information you have about people, the more you can connect them. Connecting dots requires turning over rocks. This requires paying attention, making eye contact, being proactive, asking for feedback, saying thank you, being open. Danny shares a comment card with every guest to share opinions about food, wine, ambience, and service. Managers respond to every card to resolve the issue and thanks them for sharing their feedback. Assistants review the reservation list every morning to find more dots to connect. The more they know before a guest visits (is it someone’s birthday, first visit, do they have preferences that we can accommodate) the more they can create an amazing experience. For regulars that Danny knows, he will reach out to them in advance of their reservation if he can’t be at the restaurant. People love to feel important. Pay attention to the tiny signs.

Google people : obvious but useful.

10 minutes, 3 gestures a day : Danny encourages managers to take a special interest in guests and to create 3 delightful experiences everyday.

Pay attention to the little things : Danny tells the story of a late night at the restaurant where he told the last table that he’d have to cook them breakfast for dessert if they stayed much longer (nicely). The table mentioned eggs daffodil, which Danny had never heard of, but he used it as an opportunity to tell the chef to figure out how to make it and deliver it to the table at 2AM. The table loved it and still talk about it to this day.

How to decide on a new venture (direct quotes)

Passionate about the subject matter

Will get challenge, satisfaction and pleasure from the venture

Meaningful opportunity for professional growth and people at the company who are ready to take on those growth opportunities

Adds something new to the dialogue, groundbreaking, could be leaders in this

Financial projections for profit warrant risk being undertaken: right context for the right idea at the right time in the right place for the right value, timing is right to execute with excellence

Enhances company’s strategic goals

Existing businesses will benefit and improve

Excited to do business in this community

Context is the right fit. Restaurant and style of doing business will be harmonious with its location

Don’t extend your brand until the core brand is clearly established.

Know who you are before you go to market.

“A business that doesn’t understand it’s raison d’etre as fostering community will inevitably underperform”

It’s the business owner/CEOs job to communicate the core principles/values of the business

Constant, gentle pressure: hold your people accountable as you hold yourself accountable. A strategy to keep people focused on continuous improvement.

Salt shaker story: one of Danny’s friends tells Danny to place a salt shaker in the middle of the table. Danny’s friend questions whether it’s centered. Danny adjusts it. His friend moves the salt shaker 6” off center and asks where he wants it now. Lesson: everyone else…staff, customers, the media, are moving the salt shaker from the center of the table. Don’t get pissed when this happens, just keep moving the shaker back.

constant: always bring things back to center

gentle: do it in a way that doesn’t challenge people’s dignity

pressure: standards

breathe fire to motivate others

fire in bellies to motivate self

fire to singe anyone who strays from the bar of excellence set

Addressing problems: mistakes can be a problem to repair and strengthen relationships

awareness: pay attention so that mistakes don’t go unnaddressed

acknowledgement: say it out loud

apology: I’m sorry this happened to you (no excuses)

action: “say what you’ll do to make amends then follow through”

additional generosity

remember, policies are guidelines. err on the side of the customer when possible. we’re here to give customers what they want.

Prioritize employees first. If people are pumped to come to work, work will be a better experience for everyone (them, customers, leadership, the business). You can tell which restaurants have great team work by how efficiently the dining experience is run, people actively trying to help each other, a feeling of mutual respect.

Prioritize customers so that they know that you are always on their side. Find the win win acting as an agent not a gatekeeper.

Constantly balancing two competing voices in his head:

succeed, expand, grow

caution: go deeper, go slower

“you can only be in one place at one time, you can only do one thing well.”

Write a great last chapter: if something has gone wrong that’s ok, but make sure the customer leaves on the best possible note

• Business & Money
• Hospitality, Travel & Tourism

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Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business Audible Audiobook – Abridged

In this landmark book, Danny shares the lessons he learned while developing the winning recipe for his way of doing business � what he calls "Enlightened Hospitality". This innovative business philosophy emphasizes putting the power of hospitality to work in a new and counterintuitive way: the first and most important recipients of hospitality are the people who work for you. In descending order of priority, the next most important receivers of hospitality are guests, the community, suppliers, and investors. This way of setting priorities stands more traditional business models on their heads, but Danny considers it the foundation of every success he and his restaurants have had.

Full of behind-the-scenes history on the creation of Danny's most famous restaurants, and the anecdotes, advice, and lessons he has accumulated on his long and ecstatic journey to the top, Setting the Table is a treasure trove of innovative insights applicable to any business or organization.

• Listening Length 5 hours and 33 minutes
• Author Danny Meyer
• Narrator Danny Meyer
• Audible release date September 28, 2006
• Language English
• Publisher HarperAudio
• ASIN B000JCE38O
• Version Abridged
• Program Type Audiobook
• See all details

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• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 73% 16% 7% 2% 2% 73%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 73% 16% 7% 2% 2% 16%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 73% 16% 7% 2% 2% 7%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 73% 16% 7% 2% 2% 2%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 73% 16% 7% 2% 2% 2%

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Customers say

Customers find the book educational, useful, and well-written. They say it's an easy read with a lesson on every page. Readers also appreciate the exceptional storytelling, saying it keeps them engaged. They mention the anecdotes flow smoothly and are interspersed with clear presentations of Meyer's philosophy.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book educational, with valuable insights and good things to think about. They say it's a great read about business and entrepreneurship. Readers also mention the author has an amazingly broad and deep appreciation of food and hospitality.

"...an important and well-written book that outlines an enlightened, customer-centric , at times counter-intuitive, but consistently effective approach..." Read more

"...This is an extremely powerful concept and is rooted in the integrity theme Meyer has throughout the book...." Read more

"...That said, this is a minor criticism of an otherwise very useful book that is easy reading." Read more

"...Setting the Table" is an easy read, and can be digested in several sittings without losing the plot or the author's thoughtful but gently charming..." Read more

Customers find the book well-written, easy to read, and engaging. They say it's an incredible book of common sense for anyone running a business. Readers also mention the author is brilliant and shares valuable insights.

"...This is an important and well-written book that outlines an enlightened, customer-centric, at times counter-intuitive, but consistently effective..." Read more

"...this is a minor criticism of an otherwise very useful book that is easy reading ." Read more

"..."Say please and thank you.""Setting the Table" is an easy read , and can be digested in several sittings without losing the plot or the..." Read more

"...It reads easily and quickly . A must for restauranteurs!" Read more

Customers find the story telling exceptional, entertaining, and educational. They say the author keeps them engaged with his stories and well-phrased rules. Readers also mention the action moves quickly, with flowing anecdotes interspersed with clear presentations. They describe the book as a great collection of industry stories as well as an incredible guidebook.

"Danny Meyer tells his story exceptionally well and runs his business the way the best of the best tell you to do it-execute your vision, pay..." Read more

"...The action moves quickly. The flowing anecdotes are interspersed with clear presentations of Meyer's philosophy for handling employees, guests, the..." Read more

"...information but that aside I do think he does a very fair job of portraying his story ." Read more

"Mr. Meyer's entertaining and educational story of his life in the restaurant business serves as an instructional manual for anyone involved in..." Read more

Customers find the writing in the book to be heartfelt, sincere, and human. They also say the book is informative and personal. Readers also mention the author is honest, charming, and has great care for people.

"...read, it was engaging, and especially the short but beautifully portrayed delicate relationship between Mr. Meyer and his father...." Read more

"...Danny Meyer is a wise, witty and charming man who has something valuable to add to the conversation on any topic...." Read more

"...success of his restaurants...and it's not great food... it's great care for people , a fundamental business concept that is sadly missing in the..." Read more

"...It was a book written in heart and soul and a book that make me feel touched and inspired. It was a great book, one of the best I have read in years." Read more

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