Harnessing Collective Wisdom: How Restaurants Can Innovate Menus by Involving All Staff

In the competitive world of hospitality, staying ahead often hinges on creativity and collaboration. 

While many restaurants rely on their chefs and managers to design menus, there’s an untapped resource that could revolutionise how menus are created: the combined knowledge and wisdom of the entire team. 

From the cleaning staff to the head chef, every team member brings unique insights and perspectives that can inspire new and exciting food and drink offerings.

The Value of Diverse Perspectives

Every staff member interacts with the restaurant in a distinct way. Servers are on the front lines, hearing customer feedback firsthand. Cleaning staff notice which dishes are left unfinished and which plates are scraped clean. Bartenders experiment with flavour combinations daily, while kitchen assistants may have ideas rooted in their cultural backgrounds or personal experiences. Even those who don’t directly handle food may have creative suggestions based on their observations.

By creating an inclusive environment where every voice is valued, restaurants can draw on this diversity of experience to craft menus that resonate with customers and reflect genuine innovation.

How to Foster Collaborative Brainstorming

Hold Regular Team Meetings

Schedule monthly or quarterly brainstorming sessions where all staff are encouraged to contribute ideas. Ensure these meetings are casual and inclusive, making it clear that no idea is too small or too unconventional.

Create Suggestion Channels

Establish a suggestion box or digital forum where staff can share ideas at any time. Anonymity can encourage contributions from those who might feel shy about speaking up in group settings.

Celebrate Cultural Diversity

Many staff members may have culinary traditions or drink recipes from their own cultures. Encourage them to share these, and consider incorporating them into the menu to offer something unique.

Taste-Testing Events

Host regular taste-testing events where staff can sample potential new dishes or drinks and provide feedback. This not only boosts morale but also ensures the final menu reflects a range of palates.

Reward Creativity

Recognise and reward staff members whose ideas make it onto the menu. This could be as simple as a public thank-you, a bonus, or even naming a dish after them.

Benefits of a Collaborative Approach

Fresh Ideas

The more perspectives you gather, the greater the chance of uncovering innovative ideas that stand out in a crowded market.

Improved Staff Engagement

When staff feel their opinions are valued, they’re more likely to take pride in their work and contribute enthusiastically to the restaurant’s success.

Stronger Team Dynamics

Collaborative brainstorming fosters a sense of camaraderie, breaking down hierarchical barriers and uniting the team around a shared goal.

Customer-Centric Menus

By involving staff who interact directly with customers, you can design menus that better cater to customer preferences and trends.

Conclusion

Innovation doesn’t have to come solely from the top. By tapping into the collective wisdom of the entire team, restaurants can create menus that are not only exciting and unique but also reflective of the diverse talents and experiences of their staff. In doing so, they foster a culture of creativity, inclusivity, and shared success—qualities that will resonate with both employees and customers alike.

Why not start today? Your next best-selling dish might just be an idea from the person you least expect.

Tesco CEO backs petition calling for new offence to protect shop staff

Tesco’s UK CEO has thrown his weight firmly behind a new petition calling on the Government to make violence or abuse against retail workers a standalone criminal offence.

The petition which has been lodged with Parliament recently by a Tesco staff member, calls for lawmakers to act and toughen up the laws protecting shop staff.

It comes amid a rising tide of verbal abuse and physical assaults on retail workers, with Tesco reporting violent incidents against its store workers are up by a third on this time last year and British Retail Consortium figures showing 850 incidents each day of violence and abuse towards British store staff.

Tesco UK CEO Jason Tarry said: “I'm fully behind the petition to make the abuse of retail workers a standalone offence. We want our colleagues to be safe in their workplaces. Creating a standalone offence not only sends a strong message to the small but violent group of people who abuse and attack shopworkers, but also makes it perfectly clear to shopworkers that as a nation we take protecting them seriously. I'd encourage anyone who wants to see retail workers better protected to sign the petition, as every signature will make a difference.”

The petition was started by Jenny Whyte, who works in Tesco convenience stores in the North of England.

“Nobody should come to work afraid they could be assaulted or abused for just doing their job,” she said. “Things have definitely got worse over the past several years, and some of the incidents colleagues have had to deal with are truly shocking. The Government could show it's serious about protecting retail workers on the front line with a specific offence, and I hope this petition will encourage them to do this.”

To tackle the increasing abuse of shopworkers, Tesco has brought in further measures to protect its colleagues, including body cameras colleagues can choose to wear, and new toughened glass safety screens being fitted in over 300 Tesco Express convenience stores and petrol station kiosks.

Thousands of people across Britain have already backed the petition, and if the number of signatories passes 10,000 then the Government will have to respond to it. If it gathers 100,000 signatures it may be debated in Parliament. To sign the petition visit: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/647093

We have already signed the petition.

Tesco introduces new safety measure to protect staff

Ever mindful of its duty to protect colleagues, Tesco is introducing new protective screens at hundreds of Express stores and petrol station kiosks in a further bid to protect its colleagues from criminal assaults. 

The retailer, which has already introduced body worn cameras across its stores as part of a range of measures to protect and look after colleagues, is making the move amidst a rising tide of retail crime, with British Retail Consortium figures showing violence and abuse towards retail workers has doubled over the last four years. 

The toughened glass screens, which fully enclose the colleague side of the till and stand above head-height, have already been installed at over 110 Tesco sites, and are now being introduced to over 250 additional stores as part of a multi-million-pound investment in colleague safety. 

The screens places a defensive barrier between colleagues and any potential attackers, protecting shop workers against both physical assault and from the threat of having liquids or other items thrown at them.  

Tesco UK CEO Jason Tarry said: “The rise in retail crime has been widely talked about during recent weeks, but the most troubling aspect is the surge in assaults and abuse we have seen against our colleagues in stores.  

“This is something that impacts the entire retail industry, and something too many of my colleagues have had to endure first-hand, incidents of violence against our colleagues up by a third year-on-year. 

“The safety of our colleagues is our top number priority. And that's why we've rolled out a number of safety measures, including these screens, to help protect our colleagues from the small minority of people who would wish to do them harm, and offering our colleagues additional peace of mind when they come into work each day.” 

Nisa Wickramasinghe, the manager of an Express store in Southwark, is among the Tesco colleagues glad to see the screens put in place. She had found herself shaken up by an incident in which an attacker jumped over the counter and behind the till, forcing her to jump over the counter herself to make her escape.

“Now we have the screen I feel a lot safer to come to work and so do my colleagues too,” she said. 

Last year, the Government made attacking shopworkers an aggravating factor in convictions, thus meaning stronger sentences for those who assault retail workers. But Tesco’s Group CEO Ken Murphy recently asked the Government to go further and make violence against retail workers an offence in its own right. 

Retail union Usdaw’s National Officer Daniel Adams backed the latest move by Tesco and the calls for a specific offence.  He said:  “Usdaw has been working closely with Tesco on measures the business can take to improve safety and welcomes the introduction of these additional security measures for employees." 

He went on to say: “However, this is not something that can be solved by employers and unions alone. With such appallingly high levels of violence and abuse much more needs to be done to help protect shopworkers and give them the respect they deserve. Part of this has to be the introduction of a specific offence for acts of violence against shopworkers.”

www.tesco.com

Looking for a job in food retail? Then Aldi could help you

Aldi, which is the fourth-largest supermarket in the country already employs some 40,000 people over its 990+ branches.

And it's committed to creating over 800 jobs in new stores across the UK between now and Christmas. And they aren't just temporary jobs, either. 

Because Aldi is opening new branches in towns and cities like Oldham, Flitwick and Coventry plus many others up and down the country.

Beginning pay for Store Assistants at Aldi is £11.40 per hour nationally, and £12.85 per hour inside the M25, with the supermarket also paying for breaks, too.

Roles available include managerial roles, caretakers and cleaners, plus Store Apprentices.

Kelly Stokes, who is the Recruitment Director at Aldi UK, said: “As we continue to invest in new branches, we are seeking out hundreds of extra colleagues to join our incredible teams all over the country.

“Working at Aldi offers a great working environment, plus real opportunities to advance within the business and we look forward to welcoming even more people to be a part of our success in the future.”

Those interested in applying for a career with Aldi should visit www.aldirecruitment.co.uk as soon as they can.