Shari Gennaro

00:00Hey guys, did you know that April 22nd is Earth Day? Yeah, that's next Friday Earth Day. It's coming up and you know, the biggest concern out there is greenhouse gases and as restaurants, what can we do this all that to-go material these plastic cups They say biodegradable that they're compostable, but do you really compost them? Well, I tell you what the compost company is exactly the company that does that here's what they do They will supply you with your very own trash can you put a compostable bag liner in there and then all of your food waste All of your food waste and your compostables your compostable to-go boxes your compostable Glasses you can put them in there. They will come pick them up and you can do your part It's actually the biggest thing you can do to do your part It reduces greenhouse gases and landfills and they turn your compost into soil that gardeners and farmers can use and it is 100% local. I know we're gonna have Jeffrey Ezell who's the owner. He's gonna be on the show April 22nd Earth Day, and if you want to learn more about it before then visit www.compostcompany.com Or you can call Jeffrey at 615 866 8152 so we are super excited today to welcome in a brand new sponsor welcome Robin's insurance Agency to Nashville restaurant radio So I'm gonna start off and tell you guys that we use Robin's insurance company at both of our restaurants the Green Hills Grill and Maribor because they specialize in Restaurants, it's so important. I'm telling you if you buy insurance In anywhere that you buy insurance, it's so important that you're buying the right type of insurance And you know, I don't think people tell you that they just sell insurance But what the cheapest is but you know, sometimes you're paying the cheapest for insurance. You don't need so that is why Robin's insurance specializes in restaurants

02:01They identify exactly the type of insurance that you're gonna need to run your business so that you can sleep sound at night And that's super duper important y'all So I would like for you if you're curious about this you want to learn more give Matthew Clements a call his number is 863-409-9372 Or you can shoot an email at m Clements. That's m cl e m e n t s at robins ins comm Welcome to Nashville restaurant radio the tastiest hour of talk in Music City now, here's your host Brandon still Hello Music City And welcome to Nashville restaurant radio. My name is Brandon still and I am your host We'll be joined in the episode with the lovely and talented Jenny Chikawa super excited to have her in for these interviews and Today we're gonna be talking with a woman named Sherry Gennaro and Sherry is a former hospitality Worker employee she worked for the Hard Rock Cafe for 12 years and her husband. His name is Sandy Gennaro is the drummer for like Cindy Lauper and he's been a drummer for a long time and he's a motivational speaker and He spoke who he had him come in and he spoke with our restaurant I got to meet Sherry and we just kind of hit off had a lot of great conversation I said you should come on the show. We should have a blast and just talk about stuff So she wanted to do something she wanted to start her podcast something called Across the counter or like from the other side of the counter Which is just a story where?

03:52People in the retail and service industry get to talk about the people and stupid shit that people do and I love that idea I love this being an opportunity for us to talk about guests and things that guests could do differently And so that was a major part of the podcast I wanted to be able to do is that if guests listen to this podcast and they'll be able to say oh God, I do that. I can't believe I do that I need to not do that kind of what the talk and shift podcast is really meant for but today we got we get into a lot of stuff we get into a lot of just stuff and we talk about tipping and I I feel like I need to make a disclaimer because I'm I come down a little hard on tipping because I Think there are people out there just blind or really good tippers people who are very generous and I'm I'm down for that Down for that. I love that be generous always to people service industry people we like it but I'm also a huge advocate for providing an amazing level of service as a As tips as an acronym T IPS to ensure proper service I'm just a big fan of people going above and beyond to help somebody to help create an experience like a tour guide for what you're doing and sometimes People expecting tips for doing minimal things Is bothersome to me?

05:10I believe that you should tip a lot of people but they should earn it and that should be something you get out there And hustle for and you help create and manage experience. So I'm not anti-tip. I'm just anti Lazy tipping like I'm just I'm supposed to tip you and you didn't do a very good job, but I'm guilted into it I don't like that. I like people that go above and beyond. I love when people go above and beyond So Just we are fresh off come just got back late last night from Phoenix If you've been following me at Brandon underscore in our are I think I posted every picture of food that we ate while we were there I just wanted you guys to see some of the food that's happening in the Scottsdale Phoenix area a lot of fun stuff. We got some amazing amazing dance got to catch a diamond backs game on Wednesday and that was a lot of fun Beautiful weather just gorgeous. We had like tornadoes here and it was just gorgeous where he came from But got to hear a lot of a really really amazing speakers got to hear Bill Belichick speak Which was pretty neat get to hear the CEO of PF Chang's but there are so Many concepts and so many technology companies there and I got to meet so many amazing people that I am just excited to share with you guys some of the things that I learned so I Did this before Valentine's Day?

06:24I did an episode called line up topics Valentine's Day, and I'm gonna do a few more of those five to ten minute Lineup topics so these are gonna be ideas just thoughts that go through my head about the industry things that you could share with A team or a concept if you're in leadership or whatever you are That you could hear and kind of go. Hey that guy's full of shit or hey, that's an interesting tidbit there I'm gonna take a morsel of that But hopefully give you something to start off an idea or a thought to share with your team to help motivate your team That's gonna be a lineup topic Podcast I'm gonna put out. It's just gonna be a little bonus episode It's gonna be like 10 15 minutes 5 10 But I don't know however long I want to talk on it and hopefully you can enjoy that I've got some big things working super excited about next Friday is gonna be Earth Day and we're gonna have Jeffrey Ezell who's the owner of the compost company? Come on and tell us all about his company what he does and how you can get involved to stop greenhouse gases It's a big deal big deal, and he is making a difference in the city, and I love people like that Okay, wow, I think I just unloaded a lot of stuff everything that's been on my brain You're gonna get a lot more coming at me Monday. You're gonna be hearing from Bob Bernstein and our amazing interview That's coming out next Friday Jeffrey Ezell, and then we're gonna be talking to Marcy and star from ANSI blue We've just got episode upon episode Matt Pat Martin coming up again real soon probably in the next two weeks We may first. I think that's gonna come out, but Lots of things happening here. Thank you guys for listening. Enjoy this episode with Sherry Gennaro You Hey guys, I'm gonna jump in here real quick before we get into the show I Feel like I gotta say I just learned some news Two people two people in this industry who are both amazing people Jim Calpuri

08:25aka Buttercup It just learned it passed away Yesterday and His best friend Jimbo, right who was an amazing guy amazing guy also passed away and Apparently, I don't I don't know the story, but I know that Jimbo and Jim were like best friends and I Worked with Jimbo in 1998 at the boundary and Jim was a manager boundary from 2000 to 2005 I've been in contact with Jim But a year ago Jim and I were talking Jim Calpuri Buttercup where I were in contact to hopefully have him come in to do an episode of talk and shift because he you know, it was right in the middle of the scene and just a guy full of life and energy and Oh I'm shaking today. I'm shaking because Jimbo was one of those people that I Looked when I was 19 years old 18 19 years old at the boundary watching him Command the bar. Hey, babe. What's up? Hey, how you doing?

09:41How you doing? Like just the way that he could do three and four things at one time like he was so damn good And I was just some punk kid, but he was always so kind and he was just so generous with me And he taught me things and through my career. I'd seen him all over I mean he Just in a beach or two and five and an urban grub, and I don't know what he was currently doing I haven't caught up them in a long time, but God, I know as an industry here in Nashville. There are people that are hurting today and This one's got this one's gonna be it's gonna be a tough one for our industry so Praying for their families and praying for all of their friends all you guys out there. I know there's a heavy heart and Damn hate to start the episode this way and Yeah, I don't even know what to say. I just know that Every day is special Special all right guys here. We go sherry genero Super excited today to welcome in sherry genero and Sorry, is there a title? What is it? You're just an awesome person Yeah, I mean yeah, that will work that works for me Well, I don't I I don't even know like I mean cuz we met Because we had your husband whose name is sandy genero And he came in and spoke to our team over at Maribol kind of he's a speaker But he is also a drummer. Yes. He's a drummer for Cindy Lauper and I mean Joan Jett and all these people right so I mean and you guys were there I think you guys were in the restaurant Valentine's Day. Yeah, is it Valentine's Day? You guys were dining with us yes, and we started talking and We we just kind of hit it off and I'm like, oh my gosh Tell me your story and you were you're 12 years. I think at Hard Rock Cafe

11:44Yes, I was downtown in New York City 57th Street. Yeah, maybe the best one. I've been to that well Yeah, I've never been to London never once in my life Okay, so we had a few technical issues right in the recording of this episode, but we are back now Okay, sorry about that. Hey there. She is strong today Starting off strong. So you're 12 years at the Hard Rock Cafe And then you told me you had an idea for a podcast. I did I do What is your idea and we're sharing it now? So don't nobody steal this. This is her idea. She's gonna do it Yes, this is my but it's loosely based I mean was not based on yours because I came up with it on my own But it's about the customer service situation because I don't think that it should be just us on the other side of the counter always given the customer service the customers have a Responsibility also and I think that they go into places and they lose their minds Well, and so I would like to talk to other people that work in industry whether it's Retail because I've been retailing restaurant my entire life. So it's retail restaurant Music, you know because a lot what Sandy speaks about in his in his program Has a lot to do with what he's seen me do over the years sure and we kind of meshed it together So the podcast really pretty much is people like us can get on there and bitch about the people that Screwed him over Well, and what how they should act when they go into a restaurant when they go into a store and what you should do And you know how you should act and how you can get things if you just act a certain way, you know So it's kind of like giving customers a secret and how to treat people on the other side of the counter Appropriately and they'll get what they want. It's it's a story being told about Customer service from the people who are providing the customer service on how the guest or customer should act, right?

13:52Right. So I thought that uber was the first company I thought that really did an amazing innovative thing and they had you rate the driver and the driver rate you Right. So immediately there's a bit of accountability Yes for the person that's coming in and that's something that we have Yelp. We've got tripadvice We've got all these different sites that rate the people giving the service, but there's no site to say That customer is an asshole that person is a terrible customer so that when they make a reservation on open table Hey, look, they've canceled three times. They had a party of 15 and did no shows at 7 o'clock on a Friday night I'd like to know that when they make the reservation that oh, they're a one-star guest, right? Right. So this would be rated Yeah, why shouldn't the customer get right? I've been talking about this so much recently that it's almost bizarre But I do think there should be some system or within open table or talk or resi or whatever you use that like has It goes beyond your specific restaurant. So like if mayor ball and cork and cow both use open table, which they do I think that information about oh they sit longer than they do usually do they don't like fish. They're allergic to whatever I think that information should be transferable Yeah, when you close out a check and you hit the total tip then it says feedback on your guest Sherry Gennaro sat at your table Would you want to if you drive lift at the end of when like cuz I drove left when you finish driving lift It says would you drive Sherry again and you have to hit yes or no and that's how they base it Like would you drive them again and you can hit yes And then it says how many stars and you can put anything in that you like you can But it's great as a driver. You can say this and sometimes I'll get a ride request I haven't driven a long time but like you would get a request and make somebody's a two and a half or three stars You're like, I'm not taking that ride, right? I don't want this person in my car and it's a It's a great way. I mean, right. I mean, I mean we're talking about I work to the hard rock

15:56Sitting at the front desk and and it's like 1987 I think 1986-87 Are you born then? No, okay. I don't think so. You're 90 90 90 90 hard 90. Yeah. Wow Okay, I got married in 90 Geez I feel really old More like a grandma But you're sharing your wisdom today, yeah, there you go, but a guy comes in and you know, we're busy We had two-hour waits I have kids in the bar and he had a bit of an edge and I was like well I can seat you at the counter and he was Called me all kinds of things and grabbed me by the hair and pulling me across the cow So, you know, it's like people don't realize That people in the service industry go through this get attacked That's how to control physically and Then they want you know, and then they go on Yelp and all this. Oh, well, this is horrible They have horrible customer service. Meanwhile, he could have been or she could have been totally abusing the the service person So I just think that we don't have the people in the service industry whether it's retail whatever service you're giving. I mean everybody offers a service nobody Everybody has customer service. I mean, you know you go into a lawyer's office like we are here But you know you go into a lawyer's office. They have a you know customer service They treat their customers or their clients a certain way and it just it There's no outlet for us on the other side of the counter and that's originally what I wanted to name My podcast was the other side of the counter But I didn't think it would pull in the music side either because I see being a musician's wife What they go through mm-hmm and you know fans are great. They're awesome We wouldn't be anywhere without fans, you know music bands you just that's who pays the bill

18:01however, they get a little aggressive and they get and they and they overstep their bounds and it's like all musicians like fans They just don't like Like pushy well, I like boundaries boundary Yeah, you know you would you do that to your friend would you know? So these are talking about my podcast. These are the things that I wanted to bring up in my podcast I just think there's no outlet for people in the service industry and I want to provide that outlet. So there it is There is the net that that's what it was when I was talking to you and I went up bet you we could talk an hour About this because that's an interesting topic you go on any of these bartender websites or server websites I follow a few different groups on Facebook and It's constantly People telling stories about guests, which is why I did a show called talk and shift It was a Sunday night show called talk and shift and we would Literally get four people and we would have people call in and just tell their stories like come in and tell your story Of what's going on in your restaurant today what happened to you today and let's talk about it if you need advice Call in and we'll give you advice. I've got this person owns a restaurant this person here like let's have this conversation So I thought it'd be really fun because that is a big topic of conversation out there. I think amongst everybody in the industry is bad guests bad guests and also owners of Establishments They their first customer is their staff Their first customer is their staff so You know, that's where they come in too So that's another another angle that I wanted to hit too because of people, you know They you know, they drill into their staff customer service customer service customer service Make sure you're speaking to people make sure you're doing this make sure you're doing that but they don't do that to their own staff Yeah, they don't treat their own staff that way Some I say they I mean like there there's a lot of people do a really good job of that

20:06There are the outliers that don't absolutely. Absolutely. And that's why I love working at the Hard Rock. Yeah You know, we had our moments, you know, there were certain people that you know in management that you know We're a little cranky but for the most part I loved being there because we were all treated equally and Everybody had a say and you know It's a great environment or was a great environment when I worked there anyway, the Hard Rock Cafe I feel like was one of my absolute favorite restaurants in the world because I am an Absolute nerd when it comes to music history And I love just walking around a Hard Rock Cafe and seeing the little pieces like going to the Rock and Hall of Fame It's like my Mecca like I just love walking around there and seeing the artifacts because it tells this amazing story and You were there for 12 years and that love all serve all that's I mean love all this one But I mean that's so Innovative. I mean you're talking how one to Hard Rock Cafe form 1971 June 14th, 71. I mean that's a topic conversation. That's today in 2022 like love all serve all is Something we're finally getting around to on a mass level 1971 they're saying that and it was a it didn't care who you were and they actually Embraced the weird Yeah, I was hired No, but I mean like that's to me I loved the vibe you walk into a Hard Rock Cafe and it was just Different it wasn't like anywhere else you walked into there was a vibe There was the the flair everybody had all of the pins But they were like moving and rocking and rolling and like there was like this energy this vibe and it's so intentional I love talking to who worked there. What was that like like getting up every day going to work?

21:59Was it as fun as it felt as a guest? Yeah, I mean, you know, obviously sometimes, you know things happen. But yeah, I mean it was always cranking and you know, I Started as a hostess and ended as a finance analyst or a regional finance analyst for that But anyway It was great. I mean, I I that was my college. I learned everything there. I learned, you know cost of sales I learned it. I learned all kinds of stuff everything and it was invaluable, but we had a great time They're my family. We have a Facebook page is a Hard Rock Cafe 57 so it's all the people in 57 Street. We all talk and we started it In 9-eleven because some of our bartenders and Security guys were firemen. So we wanted and and flight attendants and so we wanted to make sure that Everybody was okay. So we were checking on everybody and that's how it started. That's how the page started and So now that's how we keep up and still to this day I I still talk to they're like they're my college people, but it was great I mean, you know when somebody was down there was somebody there to pick them up we'd dance we'd pull people up on tables and Have the kitchen come out they would I mean it was just it was just as if I was a party You know, I mean I would go in at 345 for a manager's meeting and I would get home at 4 o'clock 5 o'clock in the morning You know, I mean that's that was my days. Yeah, those were my days as a manager Yeah, I mean they were 12-hour shifts 13-hour shifts and you would eat if you got a chance to but that's when it was rocking You know, but still I think that's funny to me eat food with a restaurant person. It's like a Seven-minute meal may you're sitting down for like a nice dinner. I still sit down and I'm like I'm done with my food Way in advance of everybody else like dude, what are you doing?

23:57I'm not used to sitting down and eating a meal like you got to eat when you can real quick I'm actually a little bad at it now. I go back with like right it's a thing. But yeah, I mean, you know I would have chips and Guacamole and pico de gallo and jalapenos at the end of the counter I'm going on put my napkin over and like Back out on the floor, but it was it was great. It was constant. It was we had great parties We would shut the doors, you know Any Murphy? I mean, I just saw all these people coming in and they're just Hey, how you doing and they just kept going but it was great. It was just great It was a great time in my life. And like I said, I learned a lot I learned a lot about customer service there, you know what people will take what they won't take You know what you can get by with and we can't get well I kind of feel like you know that like Dick's last resort. There's a side of the hard rock You could be snappy with people there To a degree and get away with it because that was the vibe. Yes, right. Yes. Yes Well, again plus I was in New York City, so, you know, we got a little bit of a vibe in New York anyway So you can get by with a little bit more in New York than anywhere else. They just you're a New Yorker. Yeah How many different rocks did you work for?

25:21Well, I mean my main hard rock was New York City. Yeah, I went and did some time down did some time. I went worked in DC for a little while they had a it was a You know a lot of people quit it was it was a management change and a lot of people weren't happy with it so there was a some unhappiness, so they sent me down there to Lift them up and bring some happy. Yeah, just show them appreciation again. That was a something that management did not treat their staff the way they should have as a customer and I went down there and treated them as my customer and they were my people and I took care of them and I made them Loved and that's what people want. You know, that is what people want it the core of it Yeah, I mean, you know your staff if you go up and ask somebody Hey, go over and bust that table You know, they were like, all right, you know, they'll go bust it, but they'll have an attitude. It's like hey, man I can't get to it. I saw this table Could you go bust that real quick and then I can get somebody to sit down there It's just like we said before is how you approach people and it's how you treat people and then in turn They're gonna bust the table. Hey, man, I got the table. You want me to seat them for you?

26:37You know, it's just a positive thing and I just it's it's really like, you know That's why I didn't do the other side of the counter because it's really both sides. You got it You gotta look at both sides too. Yeah. Well, man, you can there's always another side of the counter Depending on what side you're standing on right? It could be your could be your tagline. Yeah, there's always another side of the counter Depending on what side you're standing on today. We're standing on the guest side We're talking about you or whatever it might be. Yeah, exactly. Exactly I do think the old adage of like the guest is always right is something that people have finally said, okay That's not actually true anymore. I remember the first time like an owner manager said that to me It was in Nashville and it's the company I still work for And they were like no that wasn't right like they were not right It is okay that they were not right and I was like, okay and I just felt this like big freedom as like a server to be like Okay. Yeah, that wasn't okay Like I don't have to pander to you just because you're here because this is my home more than it's your home You're a guest in this home, correct Which I think in locally-owned and operated restaurants you can do I remember talking to trace Yacha from the farmhouse And he was telling stories somebody that came in that was rude to their service. I get get the fuck out of here I don't want you at what how dare you like no, dude. This is my restaurant. You're rude to my team You're gone and he would just kick people out of the building and I was it's so foreign to me And how much turnover did he have this year? I mean, right almost nine I mean, yeah the restaurant right now to like we've all I've been there on and off for six years The rest of the team has all been there at least three Like everybody is one of them has been there ten years like what you know, there's never an opening there That's why I was at the Hard Rock for 12. Yeah, I mean you you when you're treated properly It just it goes that way, you know, I mean when somebody's got your back you know, like when the guy pulled me across the Host that's a salt. Yeah Well, it is it is but I had about 15 guys and management right there with me untangling his hair

28:40And he's lucky he didn't get hit by a car on 57th Street because that's where he landed. Yeah No, I mean, that's where he landed. I mean, seriously, they picked wholeheartedly agree with that You know, but it made me feel okay. I'm protected. I'm okay This is gonna be okay because at that point I was a little scared honestly Yeah, and I think when somebody has your back, it's like the best feeling in the world Just know and that that's something that we need to do all the time. So let's talk about some guest behaviors Oh, yes. All right. So if you're listening to this and you go out to eat This is I want to get into some of the things that you don't do some like just some some big, you know, no-no's snap your fingers I Think that's number is that number one your fingers at me or clap? Clap oh, yeah, I've had people clap. Yeah to get my attention. I'm like, oh no. Oh, no, you're in New York Honey, you'll lose those. Yeah, I mean you won't clap again. I've had be yeah. Oh people put their fingers and you know touching You know getting getting in my personal space. I'll do whatever you want me to do Degree, but I'll do whatever you want. Just don't get my space respect me I'm gonna respect you respect me and I think that people go in and was like, you know I want to be waited on and you're gonna do whatever I'd say because I'm the customer and that's that's their mentality But yes getting in my personal space is a big thing with me It's just like a like the golden rule just apply So much to this like do unto others as you'd have do unto you like when you go into more Just be nice to somebody just be nice. Is it that hard? Well, I you know It's I'm not trying to take the the customer side, but it does go both ways I mean if the server's having a bad day and it takes you ten minutes to get to the table and I'm in a relative Hurry, I got 40 minutes of my lunch break and now ten minutes of my lunch break is gone because you were outside smoking a cigarette When you arrived to my table and the waft of cigarette smell is there and then you give me attitude right, I know I think that we in the service industry have to do better to just on the

30:43the way I Went so that's something like that happens to me and I give me an attitude like oh, I'm sorry, honey You're not having a good day today and They look at you and like did she just ask me I was having a good day and they'll say no I'm really sorry. Well, we're we're good here. We're patient. So you do what you need to do, but it disarms them But if they're if they look at you, so why would you say I was not having a good day? I said because you've got a little bit of an attitude. I will call them out but in a nice way so again, you know it it Bodes well with who the customer is and if they've never been in the service industry that won't work We are gonna take just a moment to hear some words from some amazing people who make all this possible Hey everybody today. We're talking about my good friend Ben Ellsworth and GigPro after years of spending too much time and money on useless staffing software Ben Ellsworth knew something had to change so out of necessity GigPro was born GigPro is the on-demand marketplace for hospitality staffing. They're changing the way people work and hire If you download the GigPro app today You can get the help you need GigPro has an exclusive promo offer for Nashville restaurant radio listeners sign up at go gigpro.com nrrbiz and make sure that you use that code I want them to know that you came from Nashville restaurant radio that again is go.gigpro.com forward slash nrrbiz That code will get you your first gig for free up to two hundred dollars. Go check them out right now Alright today we are talking about net checks Man I tell you what net checks you heard I start thinking about net checks.com and I just get I get excited. I mean payroll taxes

32:43human resources, oh This is my jam Yeah Hey, look, I'm a restaurant person and I'm good at dealing people do all the things But you know what all this HR payroll taxes that is not necessarily my jam Which is why net checks is here. They make it so darn easy Recruiting and onboarding Performance management human resources. They do the scheduling. They're like a program you can go and put your schedule It'll fill it out for you. You need that that makes your life easier. Stop using an Excel spreadsheet They do payroll they do taxes and it's all wrapped up nice and neat in a mobile app You need to go check them out right now If you are like me and don't like doing all these things they make it so easy that anyone can do it right now Net checks is always on the employee experience and you can get a hold of net checks right now Please call Lauren domain at six one five three one nine ninety two hundred. She is their restaurant Specialist that's Lauren domain at six one five three one nine ninety two hundred Next we're gonna talk about sharpie a's bakery Wow I tell you what we did this episode with Aaron Mosso last week and it went Wow one of the most Listen to episodes I've done in a long long time apparently you guys like Aaron Mosso and if you don't know who Aaron Mosso is go back and listen that episode and Give her a call and buy your fresh baked bread from her. Her number is six one five three one nine sixty four fifty three That's not a number that you're gonna call that it's gonna say if you're looking for new, that's her cell phone You directly call her cell phone This is a locally owned and operated business that appreciates each and every single one of their customers And they do custom bakes for them I walked around that toward the facility a few weeks ago and man what an amazing amazing place that she's got going on there and

34:47Guys, this is this is your opportunity. Stop making bread. Stop buying that frozen bread get fresh baked bread delivered Daily buy it from sharpie a's bakery again. That's Aaron Mosso six one five three one nine sixty four fifty three. I Wait on people mostly never in the service industry because my restaurant is like fancy steakhouse And so everyone they're like our clientele is local Franklin, which is I mean obviously very affluent and anyway I I think one of the things that like drives me nuts is and it's always really I was talking about this last night to my Other server friends. I'm like, isn't it funny when like a couple goes out and one of the couple is just kind of cold Not necessarily rude just like cold Yeah, and then the other person in the couple like makes up for it and they're like overtly sweet And I always find that really interesting cuz I'm like, okay I have to make this person like me a little bit because I don't know who's paying right? Like I hope it's the really nice one, but like it usually isn't So I have to make the other one really like me and I I think most of the time they're hangry Because yes by the third course or like halfway through the second they're usually like how so how was your day today and I'm like Okay, we're good now. Like you just needed a shrimp dip apparently It's a thing so I think it's hard but then there's also been times where like they really are just like Demanding rude not understanding the fact that we are still coming out of the global pandemic and the Lippman Hack and all of these things were like there's the inventory is different We don't have the availability of things the prices are higher like that understanding of the guests I think is something I desperately want and I I think they should know but I'm like I question that like do I think they should know just because I know and it's so Everywhere in my life right now because I own a restaurant and I work in a restaurant and gas is high and groceries are high I don't know I struggle with like what is the guest responsibility in that because in my mind it is a responsibility to understand that I just can't Get every line in right now. I just can't do it Well, I mean it would be different if they didn't watch the news, but we know they watch the news

36:49It's not like it's not but every news reports things differently too So it's like if you go to the grocery store milk is more expensive eggs are more expensive Everything is more expensive and then when you come into the restaurant complain about why the prices went up I totally agree with you. It's like I also think restaurants were and are this escapism place for people of like That's not the real world like they're not always going out to spend $100 per person at dinner You know what I'm saying? Like this is like this special place this place We chose to go not this place We have to go and so I wonder if that like logical of like oh gas is now $4 and some change a gallon. Well, of course my steak is gonna be more expensive I don't know that that translates to them there because it's this magical getaway. You know what I mean? Yeah, it goes back to people going out and they haven't been out in two years, right? But still even before two years is they're going out. Yeah, and they've worked all week They've you know waited on their spouse their significant other all week. They've cooked all week They want to be waited on and I get that because I want that Yeah, I mean I I want that when I go out to a restaurant But like when we came to mirror bulls, it was lovely Everybody came up was talking the waitress, you know and the waiters there everybody was great and it was but but and to me That is a reflection on management Because if you again, I keep going back to it because I've worked so many places that they didn't understand How I worked as far as customer service is concerned because I treat my staffs Everywhere I've gone like they're my customer they're they're mine and you know, and then they go out and they do a great job, but I Just like you said the customers they just and some of them like when they're not in the service industry They just don't understand it and they just I think you I think you're all of this is culture and you know

38:49I mean, I think a culture where your your guest focus, but you think you have to hire people who have a spirit of service and It's a type of person that Needs to serve people, right? So I mean, there's the people we've all heard the people who come and they say I need this Or this is a job until I get my real job Or they're a musician or they're an actor actor or whatever they do But this is just something that to make cash in between and they don't really give a shit They care if they make a hundred dollars tonight. They care that they make their money and it's about them And I I'm not While that can be helpful and I think a lot of people have those people working for them I want restaurant people working in my business. I want to create an environment people can retire from But I don't want this to be a restaurant that you just come to work at because hey look I get I'm working this shift To make more money I want people that want to take advantage of our 401k plan and that want Insurance and that want to come to work because at the end of the day they feel Satisfied that they helped other people have a memorable experience, right?

39:59Yeah, but just to push back a little bit like you're allowed to I think the I think the hard thing without that is like right now Specifically, I think restaurants are kind of pushing forward this like look at all these benefits and whatever right but the servers are not making The money that they need to make and so in a lot of places not necessarily One over the other but just they're not and so it is kind of hard to to go into Work with this like great. Yeah, I'm here because because honest I mean hand to God nobody would be there if we weren't also paying our bills with it Of course if we write so like there's that aspect too that I think I mean in that hospitality page that we're in that I think is like becoming very very toxic. Mm-hmm. I part of the issue I have with it is Nobody knows anyone else's budget So if a restaurant can only hire at $15 an hour and that's not acceptable for somebody else That's okay. Like they don't have to apply for that job, but that's that restaurants budget Yeah, so to are the servers though, like I do need to make X amount to pay whatever so I just think there's this symbiotic thing that like It all has to work well for them to work in that restaurant. Well, and I think that's why servers Leave until they find their home base company Sure, no, I I Completely agree with that, but every single person in this entire world has different needs Yeah If I'm a single person 22 years old and I live with my parents my needs are different than you who is married with twins Totally, you mean, you know, so I mean, but that's like something you decide though Yeah, and how many hours you work and which effort you can put into it?

41:32I mean I can tell you how many times like I can I be cut can I leave? I don't want to be here tired. Yeah, it's like shut the man. Why'd you come in? You know, I mean it's and then they can those people the next day to come back and say I'm just not making enough money Here it's like you you called out three days this week and you asked to leave early yesterday like right I mean that work more hours That's a different thing to me than just like the person that does show up does want to do well But still isn't just getting what they need out of it. Then you have to move on, you know, I think but yeah Now we're getting controversial. I like it No, I agree with her totally Yeah, because I Mean, I don't I mean what you said was perfect. I mean that that's exactly the way I feel I mean, I just feel that Customers when they come in and They expect so much when you know, like a steak is is $50. Okay It's it's $50. It's a nice cut of meat Whatever But then they nitpick and then they try to feel that you know They try to figure out how they're gonna get around tipping right that $50, you know And then you have back to stuff that drives me nuts is doubling the tax for your tip I was gonna say we all need verbal tips. Do not pay my bills No, don't tell me I was fantastic and then tip me 15% I can tell you I still think you're a dickhead Now way more actually, but I I never leave a table without a tip whether it's 10% 5% because again back to what you said, they could have been having a bad day. Yeah, you know the server could have been I never leave less than 20% I don't care how bad the service was. I have ones. I Mean, it's very rare. But yeah, I mean like it's kind of I'll just never go back Yeah, no, but I I do hate verbal like that that bothers the shit out of me. Yes, and it's a thing It's a total thing where they're like, oh my god, you made our night It was so incredible blah blah blah, and I'm not saying you needed to then leave me a hundred dollars if that wasn't 20%

43:37But you do need to at least leave 20% the other thing that like grinds my gears and tipping is If we have to comp something as a restaurant because you didn't like it and I'm not gonna make you pay for something that you Don't like I'm happy to take it off. Yeah. Yeah, like I'm happy 100% to take that off I don't think you should pay for things. You don't like I get it But tip on that total or gift cards don't tip on what you paid on your car just because you had a hundred dollar gift Card tip on like what it should have been like I don't deserve to be hit on hit because you know what I mean? I hate that right, but I also don't don't like if I've tipped what I can tip and it's almost always 20%. Yeah, sometimes it's even more than that especially if it's great service, but The server, you know not liking the tip and go was there something wrong with your service Well, I've never told you can't do that. I've never done that now. Oh, I've seen it. Oh, and I've been done to me Wow, and I'm like Actually, I was okay with the service, but if you feel that I've given you too much Then I'll be happy to take some away Well, no, I just wasn't no I Have somebody before I've actually I've actually had to write up servers for chasing people out the door Want to know where their tip was Wow. Oh, yeah. Well, this is New York again. No, I know You know, I this is a we both work like in the suburbs, you know So we're like in Franklin and Brentwood and Green Hills, right?

45:07So we're in pretty good areas that people typically do that. Well, I can't imagine if you're listening as you work downtown Because people who are transient you're just here for the weekend. I'm never gonna see you again You know and when it comes down to hey, I'm in New York and I'm never coming back here again I'm never gonna see this server again, but like in our restaurants, we see these people we can week out the regular So there's almost like this. I I'm not gonna leave a bad tip because you're gonna see me next week and I want to eat here again So I want better service when I come in which is a great thing about working in the suburbs is you have regulars You have people that come in all the time and they take care of you because they learn about you They learn about Jen and her twins and her husband and they go visit him at soy Like they want to come in to see her this it's weird because it's not even a I'm just here to have food like people Start caring about you and they want to come in and find out. How are the kids doing? How's this? How's that? How's that? And that's a really cool feeling. That's one of those bonuses of working away from downtown You can work make $400 a night in downtown $500 a night or what a thousand dollars now I don't know what it is, but there's a lot of bullshit. You got to put up with I worked in downtown for a while My first CMA fest this woman said I don't need any change and it was like a 30 cent change like literally like 30 cents I said, yeah, I should fucking hope not and she was like like no, of course, you don't fucking need change This is all shit. That's all she left me like leave. You're good. Bye Yeah, so fine find some vising um No, I Forgot what I was gonna go with that. I'm so sorry right out of my head. It's alright I think I think you know if I think tipping is a really interesting topic of conversation People don't know how to do it They don't know whether to suppose a tip on the on the only liquor on the you tip 100% on the whole thing I always tip me too. I always tip on plus I include the tax on the tip Yeah, and 20% really easy to do. Yeah, and then I add like five or ten bucks Whatever it is, it's I go 20% then I just add and I were always rounded up to an even number, right?

47:10Yeah, I do this I do the same thing but it's yeah if it's good I mean if it's even better than you can go even more than that, but I will tell you I Think tipping people that aren't expecting tips is a really fun thing. And then my biggest pet peeve is like Starbucks Yeah, he so he hates he likes tipping like server assistance and stuff because they're not expecting it. They're not getting it I like tipping the butcher at Kroger Yeah When he goes when he goes in the back and cuts me like my center cut fillets that aren't sitting out in the thing and he Goes back and cuts him and hands into me. He gets a five spot. He gets a ten spot Like that's a dude you went above and beyond. I love finding people like that. I always keep $2 bills on me Cuz my grandfather did that when he passed away. I said I'm gonna carry on that tradition for him So I always have like a $2 bill that I'm waiting for that person doesn't really special and I'm like, hey This is a little something like this is and I tell a little story behind it and it's a little happy something make people Happy, but I think when you go somewhere and now all restaurant tipping software The restaurant software like that you use if it's toast or whatever square square you put your card in and I'll give an example Right here. I went to honey fire the other night. Yeah, honey fire barbecues in Bellevue yeah, it's not owned by Shane as me anymore, by the way Shane is out of honey fire and And you go you stand in line and then you go in the line and you pay about you know Did it do it a couple sandwiches couple kids popcorn chicken out of the popcorn chicken? So we got sandwiches, but It was like a $49 tab and the guy flips the screen around and he goes if you want to pick a box and then sign and it's like the box is like 15 20 25 percent and I'm like I Know because I've eaten there many many a times that they don't do anything So when I said they don't do anything like literally you put 15 or 20 percent and on 50 bucks That's $10 and then they give you a little number 37 You go sit down at a table and then you have to go get yourself where you have to get your napkins There's like little you have to go get everything they had you cups you go fill up your drinks

49:12You go sit down and then they bring the food to you like they'll bring the food to you at your table But then you have to clean your own table and do the whole thing and I'm like I just left you $10 Right and you brought food to me and I think there's a side of this It's like well it's a pandemic and I did that throughout pandemic because you go well people are coming to work and we need all the help the industry and you go Yeah, but just because it's a tipping like I don't feel like that's the obligation of turning a screen around and saying pick a box puts every single person in a weird position of like What do you do? I think you have to I think you I genuinely think there needs to be a service To ensure proper service. That's tips, right? You got to do something for the tips. What am I my crazy? No I just think that the reason that that square is there is because everyone pays via credit card where there used to be a jar With dollars in it when people you know what I mean, so I don't think this practice is new I think it's just updated. Well, I don't think that I think that but I hips are to ensure proper source Yeah No I when you're at your table You bust your ass and you do everything you possibly can and you go above and beyond you learn the menu you learn the wine List you learn your cocktail menu you make recommendations. You're a tour guide. Yeah, you still come in You're saying let me tell you about our USDA prime steaks and I think that could cover a wood fire at counter service, too I think it's just up to what it doesn't when it's a given you turn it around like if it was something at the end where it's like no not necessarily because I like Soy bistro does that we have a flip that you can tip but at soy bistro too We are on diners drive-ins and dives it's the restaurant my husband and I own so we get a lot of first timers because they Saw us on the show and they're coming in, right?

50:54So it has to be well, I don't know what to get and it's Korean and Japanese So a lot of people don't know these words on the board, right? Sure. So it's like what's the Oh the goshujang that's a paste. It's a chili paste. Blah blah So like the staff has to know the information so to me that service but it's similar in You know, I'm telling you about the menu I'm explaining what these things are I'm showing you how to what's best what I recommend things like that We also do clean up after guess and we will also like give them things they need through last time I ate there I sat down and I got checked on four times. Yeah, they asked to it. Can I get you another drink? Yeah, but like every time I go there I feel like wow I feel special because there's somebody Circulating the dining room constantly helping but other other places can do that if they instill that that's important practice So it sounds like the place you were just didn't you know what? I mean, that's and that's in every and I know that because I go there right a lot So I don't have an issue with the flip the screen and like tip because I want to do that for places like soy and stuff Like that, but yes, I don't do it every time Yeah, I can also leave cash. Yeah You feel like hey, well you guys did a really good job Great, you know, I will I like to leave something for the person. Yeah, but I mean and maybe I'm old-school Maybe it may be a terrible person. No, but oh no, but I like I like to feel like I'm special. I like to feel like I got great service. I think that's the that's the differentiator Right, you know when you feel like you somebody really took care of you and you feel special. That's a different But how do we change the perspective of customers that when we do give good service and when we do do that that They they're they just Walk out without tipping. How do how do how do you change somebody's?

52:54mental thing about tipping I I Personally don't feel like that's to me that goes beyond tipping that goes to entitlement and I Refuse to wear that that is my job That is your fucking job as a human on the planet learning how to interact correctly with other humans and not be a dick It is your whole job. We are all here to walk each other home. So I Don't take responsibility For those individuals and I try not to like wear it on myself and feel like I did a bad job if they give 10 or 15 percent, honestly, I've never Very maybe just in my 30s now, but like very rarely is in my tipping life Have I felt like oh I did a bad job Truly there are times where I've been like, okay. Yeah, that was my best but Now I'm like no no that's on you. Like you don't know what's expected You don't know how to interact correctly like and I just think that that's they're gonna learn that lesson because I believe everybody does In some capacity and it just might not be I'm not the teacher for it But I could be alone on that. No, no, I I don't think you're alone. I just I'm just curious, you know, that's I Just don't know where people's heads go when they go out whether it's restaurant I mean again, I've been restaurant and retail my entire life. So there's the retail part that it's It's the same but it's different, you know in retail. It's I work to the place I'm not going to mention it because it's in the area, but people would come in and just you know, it's clothing What kind of discount you're gonna give me?

54:32Do you do you work here? Oh Yeah, no, they asked for my they would ask me That's what I'm saying was somebody asked you like this kind of like well, do you work here? Like no, then do you feel like you deserve an employee discount? Like what do you know that? No, they wanted to discount Because Dave Ramsey told him to ask for it. No Well, that's totally a thing. Yeah, Dave Ramsey says ask everywhere you go ask for a discount You'll be surprised how many people give it to you. I wouldn't cancel him I was I was told I had to give him a discount and I'm like and then I was told well Why aren't your margins your profit margins up? Well, because you guys make me give discounts when I don't need to give this I mean it was crazy. So it's like, you know people just come in and they just they they think they own the restaurants They own the stores. They own the staff, you know, I pay your I pay your Paycheck, that's another good one that I've heard Wow, this is rude. Yeah. Oh, I Years and yeah, I mean I've been I've been in like I said restaurant retail since I was 16 And I'm not gonna tell you how old I am, but that's a long time. It's a long time at least 20 years. Oh That'd be kind of weird cuz my daughter's gonna be 28, but that's Really young bride But yeah, I just I just think that it just people need an outlet and I think it's time that you know It's just a big resignation. Well, you know, they can't find anybody to work in restaurants and work in retail They can't find anybody to do these jobs. Well, it's because you've been treating them like garbage. I agree with you I agree with you too garbage. I do I also I mean and I've said this before I also think you know as a country we lost How many people seven hundred fifty thousand people died eight hundred thousand? That's a lot of people now not part of the country so I do think some of it is that but I genuinely believe that yeah, they were treated shitty by guests or Managers or co-workers or whatever it is and they were like, yeah

56:32I don't have to do it because you don't like the skills you get in a restaurant are Transferable in so many different ways or in retail. I worked in retail to it. They're fully transferable skills There are hard skills in that you just have to figure out what they are. Yes, but I just and I think that's why there's We're finding it so difficult to find people to work. I mean, I Didn't go back to work after I was laid off But I didn't have to which was which was awesome and that I've never had that in my life You know cuz Sandy's always been on the road and you know the music part and we all know musicians It's it's like this, you know, it's up and down. It's up and down. So I've always had to steady gig. So when he said sure Don't worry about it. I Didn't know what to do with myself. So then I started thinking what did you do with yourself? Well, that's when I came up with the idea of the podcast because I'm like, well, you know for years and years I was gonna write a book called the other side of the counter just to just to give like people's an idea of what they should be doing when they go into stores and how they should be treating people and what Corporations are asking their staffs To-do I mean, you know each corporation has their own customer service Thing one of the best personally that I've worked for its coach Great customer service great atmosphere. It's another really good company to work for my coach handbags. Yes And you see I knew what that was Yeah and and some of some of the people that I've hired and and the different jobs that I've had I've been from Wendy's Wendy's has one of the best trainings for for people I've had some Like to gonna say my husband hires anyone from Chick-fil-a Chick-fil-a You know Chick-fil-a is a good one to Chick-fil-a and Wendy's both they came in they were from Wendy's and it was on their resume I would really really like pay attention because they have a really good training program

58:37And so I mean it again it all falls everything It's like you said before it's all gotta everybody's got to play together in the same sandbox and that goes from owners to staff to customers to just you know, just Be smart. Like you said, you know, you don't have to be a dick You can walk if you're having a bad day and you want to walk in and be waited on great I'm here to make your day better, right, you know, but don't be a dick I Didn't I didn't do to you what was done to you before you walk through the doors, right? Just like the last customer was a dick. I can't be a dick to you because you weren't the dick right they were You know, so I agree. It's all playing in the golden rule guys telling you Dusty muffin I knew you're gonna I knew that was I was gonna say Dusty muffins Betty white God rest her soul. Okay, so People want to follow you they hear you they go. Wow, I'm interested in what this person has to say You can go on Instagram. You are at Shugs 11 Shugs 11. Yeah, that's my nephew when he was a baby. He couldn't say Shuggy and he can say Aunt Sherry So it came out Shugs That's it shug s One one, yeah 11 is my number so I'm an 11 I like that So one of the things I see on your Instagram page is you do a lot of meditation Yes, I do very much if I didn't let's talk about meditation. I'd love to I'd love to we like eight minutes Okay to talk about meditation because it's something that's incredibly important in my life And I don't think a lot of I think a lot of people think it's hard to do Mmm Well, it depends on hey What your intentions are when you sit down?

01:00:37It's only hard if you don't take the time for yourself and realize it's time for you. It's not time for everybody else it's time for you and you need to sit down and and Listen to yourself or not. Listen to anything and just like be open-minded and go Yeah, you know, I probably could think about that a little differently like when we were talking about Tom Brady before you were right I should I I shouldn't just call him a dick because of a mistake that he made But you know a whole pre conversation we had nobody's privy to but yeah, I mean you're right I mean it helps me. I don't know if it helps you I mean, you know, but it helped it's I've been you know I mean that part of my life where you know, it's changing and and it helps me keep You know same same yeah, that's the insanity for me I mean I started I've meditated before when I was a drinker but like now as a way to Mindfulness, but also just just I don't know how to calm down Like I'm wired all the time. I go go go and like it's it. It's that just that little bit of time for me It's a re-centering moment, right? You know, like There's a flow of your day and there's this thing that you get into and sometimes you need to re-center you need to stop And re-center and go again. I can get way in my head. I get crazy in my own head I'm insane Like I really do and I want to control everything and everything and all of a sudden I go Whoa, I did my energy and I have to stop And I take a moment everybody around you. Yeah, and it's super important and you know children for me I think right now, you know because they've been they've been in You know doing school from home and they've been they have I I use headspace. That's that's the I love headspace and They have up on there for children and I think that people need to get their children involved in meditation now. I mean

01:02:43We do if you go to church every every Sunday or if you don't go to church and you still pray or you whatever That's a form of meditation. I mean that's that's meditation also So I incorporate both I do the meditation and I and I incorporate, you know prayer with that I do the same thing I do that be I do do my prayer beforehand and then I meditate and that clears my mind that takes the worries off of my mind a family of Gufavid sickness or something like that and then it allows me to meditate more clearly When I when I'm you know, what's all that's off my off my brain So I'm glad you brought that up headspace because if you go to headspace, they're not a sponsoring thing But like if you go to headspace There's a there's ten. There's like a beginners It's free to do the beginners thing and it's ten different meditations and they start with it's a guy who's speaking sweaty balls He's doing he's he's it's a terrible accent. He's a monk. He was a monk the guy's a monk Was he Australian? Yes, he is. Oh then you're close. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, it's definitely it's definitely like this It's very you're gonna be like, you know, he's not that he speaks. He's like let your mind relax Just yeah He was a deep breath in and take a deep breath out and you can do it and it's like it's very calming But it's nice to hear somebody they'll guide you through How to meditate and taking five minutes or taking ten minutes reading a book written by James Clear called atomic habits And one of those things is that one of the things I'm trying to do every day is create all these tiny little habits that I do every day and meditating for five minutes every day is one of the things I'm Attempting to do it. It's hard to find the time but like if you make the time and that's part of your routine then you can do it well because you have to say to Yourself is it's either make the time now or Later down the road Yeah, it's gonna it's gonna come out somewhere else and something else you're doing So, you know, it's like, you know, why buy organic eggs?

01:04:46They're so expensive. Well, I would rather give vital farms the money then my doctor because I'm you know I'd rather put good stuff in my body and pay for the good stuff because if you don't you put all the bad stuff in You've already paid that money and now you gotta go pay the doctor more money because you screwed up your body So I mean, you know, I'd rather give it I'd rather give it to myself and take care of myself So the headspace it's you know, that's a way I'm like what it's a hundred and whatever a hundred dollars a year or something like that for headspace But I would rather did that that hundred dollars is well spent. Yeah I mean less than Amazon now, huh less than Amazon Prime now. Yeah, yes their rates. They're they really? Mm-hmm Yeah, he didn't have enough money. So yeah, we got to yeah You got that big building going in downtown. They got to pay for it somehow. Yeah. Yeah, he's yeah Well, he don't he's not even there anymore, right? It's I thought he was still do you leave? No, there's a new CEO Oh Well, then he didn't have enough money. He said I need to get I don't I don't know I'm making all this up, but it is more expensive now. It's like 138 years. Would you shipping would you like to?

01:05:56Segway into our final segment. I always do it. Why don't you do it? Okay, but I'm gonna use the reference use whatever you want to do Okay, so at the end of every show we give the guests like the you have Jerry's final thoughts, do you know that reference? Okay, it's retired officially I Told dad I told I told him that nobody knew the reference and then I've been like Goating him into using it and still nobody knows the reference anyway So it's retired officially. What is the reference Jerry Springer? Oh At the end of every show he did Jerry's final thought where he surmised the episode all the bullshit that happened He would go in life. You have to do this and this and this and this and then he had this final thought It was like oh so why is what he just said Jerry's amazing Yeah Anyway, so but he ended the show with whatever he wanted to say So your turn you get to do that too and the show with whatever you'd like to say about anything at all Wow, I could go for an hour on that one. Okay. No, it's not two minutes Okay, go an hour you get two minutes. I just want people To learn to love each other again and to stop just stop being ugly stop being angry stop Accusing other people of the stuff that's going on in your own life and just sit down and think about What the big guy upstairs really wants us to do. It doesn't matter what political party you're from It doesn't matter who your parents are who your kids are who your husband is be Fucking nice. I'm over it. I'm over. I'm over the tailgating here in Nashville It's just crazy people Driving nuts. They're just they're out of their freaking mind And when you come to Nashville act like you got some damn sense when you're downtown. Okay, stop

01:07:59Just stop there's people that live here and there's people that work here and we're we want to have a good time That's what Nashville's about. It's about having a good time and we want you to have a good time But just stop losing your damn mind when you get here and be nice and You know, you don't really need a gun That at the very end you hear that yeah, you don't need a gun I love you don't need a gun This is your gun. Your mouth is your gun. I'll a mentor that will your head and use your use your mouth Yeah, well That was a bitch slap. He should be bitch slap for that. Oh Sorry, well, I used to like you buddy There we go, that was a great ending There you go. I do too. I'll amen to the no guns Sherry Gennaro. Thank you. Thank you for joining us on Too much. You did great Alright and sweaty balls Oh Right Sherry Gennaro. Thank you for joining the show so much fun having you here and I'm not gonna leave you guys the whole bunch Kind of said it all towards the front again Guys be safe out there if you need help call somebody it's okay call a friend But Definitely I'm thinking of you and I guess I hope you're being safe. Love you guys. Bye