--- title: What to say to your hospitality team in pre-shift meetings description: Stand out from the pack by communicating effectively with your team, boosting morale, and achieve your goals with tips from restaurant expert Anna Dolce. image: https://blog.typsy.com/hubfs/What%20to%20say%20to%20your%20hospitality%20team%20in%20pre-shift%20meetings_650x350.png --- [Turn guest feedback into action with ReviewLearn ![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/svg-icons-2026/arrow-right.svg)](https://www.typsy.com/platform/features/reviewlearn) ![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/svg-icons-2026/user-profile-circle.svg) LOGIN [Member](https://member.typsy.com/) [Manager](https://manager.typsy.com/) | [![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/svg-icons-2026/headphones-white.svg) CONTACT US](https://www.typsy.com/contact) [![Typsy Brand](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/typsy-public-website/New_Typsy_Logo_Red_PMS.svg)](https://www.typsy.com/) [BOOK A DEMO](https://www.typsy.com/contact/demo) [![Typsy](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/typsy-public-website/New_Typsy_Logo_Red_PMS.svg)](https://www.typsy.com/) [Search courses](https://www.typsy.com/discover/courses) - Platform Platform [![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/svg-icons-2026/trusted-content-at-scale.svg) Trusted content at scale The world's largest and fastest-growing hospitality library.](https://www.typsy.com/platform/hospitality-training-library) [![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/svg-icons-2026/global-hospitalility-credentials.svg) Global hospitality credentials Industry-recognized Typsy credentials validating real-world hospitality capability.](https://www.typsy.com/platform/hospitality-certifications) [![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/svg-icons-2026/performance-intellgience.svg) Performance intelligence AI-powered intelligence that connects learning to measurable operational performance.](https://www.typsy.com/platform/performance-intelligence) [![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/svg-icons-2026/hospitality-learning-operations.svg) Hospitality learning operations Infrastructure that embeds workforce capability into daily hospitality operations at scale.](https://www.typsy.com/platform/learning-operations) Innovation & Tools [![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/svg-icons-2026/reviewlearn.svg) ReviewLearn](https://www.typsy.com/platform/features/reviewlearn) [![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/svg-icons-2026/smartcards.svg) SmartCards](https://www.typsy.com/platform/features/smartcards) [![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/svg-icons-2026/custom-content.svg) Custom content](https://www.typsy.com/platform/features/custom-content) [![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/svg-icons-2026/language-translations.svg) Language translations](https://www.typsy.com/platform/features/language-translations) [![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/svg-icons-2026/reporting.svg) Reporting](https://www.typsy.com/platform/features/reporting) [![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/svg-icons-2026/activities.svg) Activities](https://www.typsy.com/platform/features/activities) [![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/svg-icons-2026/assign-training.svg) Assign training](https://www.typsy.com/platform/features/assign-training) [![](https://orchardcore.typsy.com/media/nav_bar_svg_310x200/reviewlearn-pink.svg) ReviewLearn Turn guest reviews into targeted training automatically. 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They make it boring and glum by merely talking about new specials, 86’d items, and pointing out the negatives, like wrong uniform or schedule issues. Some even use this opportunity to reprimand their team in front of their peers, which flies in the face of the purpose pre-shift meetings. Here are some strategies and practices to make your pre-shift meetings more profitable, organized, and purposeful, rather than dreadful and disengaging for you and your team.   ## **![What to say to your hospitality team in pre-shift meetings\_650x350](https://blog.typsy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/What%20to%20say%20to%20your%20hospitality%20team%20in%20pre-shift%20meetings_650x350.png?width=750&name=What%20to%20say%20to%20your%20hospitality%20team%20in%20pre-shift%20meetings_650x350.png) Open with a bang** Good books start [with an engaging](https://blog.typsy.com/5-awesome-induction-activities-to-get-your-new-team-excited) story, pose a question or give an example to draw readers in. Professional speakers will often start with a joke, a quote, or “imagine” scenario to break the ice and get the audience loosened up. This approach also works for pre-service meetings. Eliminate: “How is everyone?” If you notice, most of your team members don’t even respond to this greeting, and if they do, you usually get a similar flat response back. This does not create engagement because it simply isn’t genuine. Instead, greet each person individually and thank them for being there. This makes each person feel seen, acknowledged and valued. Tell a quick story, acknowledge someone for making in a difference, pose a question or give an example of a great experience you had at a different restaurant. --- ## **No more than 15 minutes** Make your pre-shift meetings no longer than 15 minutes. This is enough time to inform and engage. Most of us have a short attention span anyway, due to the countless distractions coming at us all the time. [Keep your meetings short and sweet](https://blog.typsy.com/10-practical-time-saving-tips-for-hospitality-managers) if you want to keep the attention of your staff. --- ## **Prepare in advance** Prepare your talking points in advance and have an agenda sheet with all attendees’ names, daily goals, sales numbers, sales contests, menu specials, ideas and events. Document what was covered in each meeting and follow up on any assignments that were given out. After each meeting, keep these agendas in a binder as a business document to refer to later if and when needed. --- ## **Inform your team** Pre-service meetings are a good opportunity to let your staff know about any current and upcoming local events which may affect your restaurant sales, a conference, sporting event or a concert. Give suggestions on how to best anticipate and [capitalize on the new business](https://blog.typsy.com/how-to-design-your-restaurant-for-profit) these events can bring. Go over [daily menu](https://www.typsy.com/courses/art-of-menu-engineering) and drink specials, limited availability dishes or drinks, promotions and any special occasions being celebrated that you know of. This is a good time to let your team taste the new item on the menu, go over its details and the best way to sell it to guests. --- ## **Include Front of House & Back of House** A common error in how pre-service meetings are conducted is only including people who come in direct contact with guests, such as your servers. The truth is, there's a lot going on behind the scenes that influences the flow of the service and the success of servers. All departments in a restaurant are interdependent, and thus, important. Include your kitchen crew, bartenders, bussers and the remaining managers in the pre-shift meeting as much as possible. Let each department know how they can support each other and that they are an integral part of others’ success and progress. Restaurants run well when Front Of House and Back Of House work in sync and are invested in each other’s success. Including all departments in the pre-shift meetings unites everyone and focuses them on a common goal. It also eliminates  the “us vs them” mentality that’s present in most restaurants between front of the house and back of the house teams. --- ## **Know your numbers** A big part of a restaurant manager’s job is to maximize revenue and manage cost. Pre-service meetings are an opportunity to get your team invested in the  restaurant’s sales goals. Before each pre-service meeting, make sure you know your budgeted sales for the shift and for the day, broken down by category (food, liquor, merchandise, etc). The same way that a football coach will create plays to drive the ball to the end zone, a restaurant manager creates opportunitiesto maximize sales in each area of the restaurant. Take time during these meetings to direct your staff the same way as a coach would. Example: If Julie’s station is the closest to the entrance, let her know that between her rounds she has the opportunity to help the host [greet the guests](https://blog.typsy.com/use-the-voice-of-the-customer-how-to-improve-operations-at-your-restaurant) when the line of guests starts forming at the front door. She can also sell drinks to the waiting crowd before they even get seated. This is how you make and maximise sales! --- ## **Have teachable moments** Many restaurants stop educating and developing their staff after the initial new hire training. The truth is, even though your employees show up to make money, money alone won’t keep them engaged to stay working at your restaurant. What keeps people engaged is growth. We, humans need to feel that we are growing and progressing at work. At each meeting create teachable moments. Give out [hospitality resources,](https://youtu.be/qkU3uwWyAn8) effective sales techniques, efficient side work tips, history of your restaurant, industry developments, [skills training](http://typsy.com) etc. Take few minutes at each meeting to educate and pour value in to your team. ![What to say to your hospitality team in pre-shift meetings\_650x350\_2](https://blog.typsy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/What%20to%20say%20to%20your%20hospitality%20team%20in%20pre-shift%20meetings_650x350_2.png?width=750&name=What%20to%20say%20to%20your%20hospitality%20team%20in%20pre-shift%20meetings_650x350_2.png)   ## **Give credit to your team** Most restaurant employees are rarely praised for their efforts and often only noticed for their mistakes or shortcomings. Yet, the biggest need we humans have is the [need to be seen and acknowledged](https://blog.typsy.com/appreciating-empowering-staff-tips-andrew-carlson). At each meeting find at least three people to give credit to. No contribution is too small to recognize your team for. Whether it’s getting through a big rush with minimal bad meals, or helping a fellow server with their sidework, [make sure to recognize your team for it](https://blog.typsy.com/5-fun-ways-to-reward-your-hospitality-staff). Don't just say “good job”, let them know exactly what they did and how they made a difference. For example: “Jason, the way you were calling out the orders and communicating with your team in the kitchen last night really helped all of us get through the rush smoothly and made us shine in our guests eyes. Thank you for leading and taking on such an important role! You really made big difference.” Also, ask each person to take this opportunity and thank someone on the team. This will help create a positive habit amongst your team of noticing and rewarding positive behaviors and attitude. The result: what gets rewarded gets repeated. --- ## **Open floor** Make sure you’re not the only one talking. Open the floor for questions, ideas or suggestions. But, don't say, “Do you have questions?”. Become great at asking open ended questions that are specific to a situation or an event. Example: “What were the most challenging parts in getting guests intrigued about our newly released menu?”, or “Which part of the new scheduling software is the most or least useful to you?”. Open ended questions create the most fruitful ides and conversations.   --- ## **Close with something fun** And lastly, close the meeting with something uplifting. Don't say: “Have a good shift”, or “thanks everyone”. A manager I worked with used to say: “You all are already great, only thing left to do is to do great things!” --- [![Typsy We teach hospitality to the world typsy.com blog banner \_ (1)](https://blog.typsy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Typsy%20%20We%20teach%20hospitality%20to%20the%20world%20%20typsy.com%20blog%20banner%20_%20(1).png?width=996&name=Typsy%20%20We%20teach%20hospitality%20to%20the%20world%20%20typsy.com%20blog%20banner%20_%20(1).png)](https://www.typsy.com/sign-up?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Social+media&utm_campaign=Blog+banner&utm_id=Blog) With some of these tips your meetings should hopefully be more productive and leave your team feeling motivated, aware and ensure that everyone is on the same page. **Start your online hospitality training with Typsy, and watch our course on an [Introduction to hospitality management](https://www.typsy.com/discover/courses/introduction-to-hospitality-management/).** --- | ![Anna Dolce.png](https://blog.typsy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Images/Anna%20Dolce.png?t=1535605591321&width=170&name=Anna%20Dolce.png)  | **Anna Dolce** is a life and business strategist, restaurant and small business expert, writer and speaker. Anna helps restaurant owners and various entrepreneurs grow their businesses and get the most out of their lives. Anna has spoken from the [TEDx stage](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkU3uwWyAn8), major conferences and industry shows on the topics of service vs. hospitality, entrepreneurship, leadership and restaurants. Visit [annadolce.com](http://annadolce.com/) to get in touch.  | | --- | --- | ---   **You might also like:**   | [![6 essential interview questions to ask when hiring hospitality managers\_200 x 113](https://blog.typsy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/6%20essential%20interview%20questions%20to%20ask%20when%20hiring%20hospitality%20managers_200%20x%20113.png?width=200&name=6%20essential%20interview%20questions%20to%20ask%20when%20hiring%20hospitality%20managers_200%20x%20113.png)](https://blog.typsy.com/6-essential-interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-hospitality-manager) [6 essential questions to ask your next hospitality manager](https://blog.typsy.com/6-essential-interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-hospitality-manager) | [![How to get promoted as a restaurant manager](https://blog.typsy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/How%20to%20get%20promoted%20as%20a%20restaurant%20manager.png?t=1535605591321&width=200&name=How%20to%20get%20promoted%20as%20a%20restaurant%20manager.png)](https://blog.typsy.com/how-to-get-promoted-as-a-restaurant-manager) [How to get promoted as a restaurant manager (and kill it)](https://blog.typsy.com/how-to-get-promoted-as-a-restaurant-manager) | [![5 Tips to Help You Build Your Confidence as a Leader-2.png](https://blog.typsy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/5%20Tips%20to%20Help%20You%20Build%20Your%20Confidence%20as%20a%20Leader-2.png?t=1535605591321&width=200&height=113&name=5%20Tips%20to%20Help%20You%20Build%20Your%20Confidence%20as%20a%20Leader-2.png)](https://blog.typsy.com/tips-to-become-a-more-confident-leader) [5 tips to help you build your confidence as a leader](https://blog.typsy.com/tips-to-become-a-more-confident-leader) | | --- | --- | --- |   [Team performance](https://blog.typsy.com/topic/team-performance) [Leadership & management](https://blog.typsy.com/topic/leadership-management) ## Similar posts Restaurants & Bars ### [How to become a restaurant manager your team will love](https://blog.typsy.com/5-steps-to-be-the-manager-your-team-wants-to-work-with) Before you can manage a restaurant successfully, you have to be the kind of manager your team enjoys working with. Find out how with strategist Anna... Anna Dolce Apr 26, 2017 Restaurants & Bars ### [The 3 most common misconceptions about restaurant managers](https://blog.typsy.com/the-3-most-common-misconceptions-about-restaurant-managers) So you want to become a restaurant manager? That’s great! But before you go looking for a promotion, it’s important to understand what being a... Anna Dolce Sep 5, 2017 Hospitality operations ### [Management skills that can help you in business (and in life)](https://blog.typsy.com/restaurant-manager-skills-help-business-and-life) Restaurant management will help you develop skills that can serve you in any industry, as well as in life. Let's take a look at the big ones. Anna Dolce Nov 5, 2017 ### Get notified on new marketing insights Be the first to know about new B2B SaaS Marketing insights to build or refine your marketing function with the tools and knowledge of today’s industry. 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