I'm Sean, the co founder of OpenPantry Company and this is the pre list.

It's your compact hospital hit to start the week strong.

Every single week.

Now, I haven't made content in over a year, but I had this gut feel for a while now that it's time to get back behind the mic and start again.

And when I look at what operators and teams are dealing with right now, this format just made sense.

Each Monday I'll give you four quick hits to help your venue run even better.

One trend I'm seeing one tool or system that's actually working in the marketplace right now.

One smart move from a standout operator and one question to ask your team this week.

This content is made for prep time.

You know, that little bit of space before the rush.

Nothing fluffy, just stuff you can actually use.

So here's the first one.

The trend to watch.

One trend I'm seeing everywhere, from cafes to pubs to bakeries is this one.

Teams are getting smaller, but the expectations certainly haven't changed.

Whether it's because of wage pressure, recruitment gaps or just keeping things lean, more venues are running with fewer people.

But here's the interesting part, right the ones doing it well aren't compromising, they're simply simplifying.

What I mean by that is menus are tighter, roles are blended, systems are sharper, chefs are training dishes, managers are behind the point of sale more.

Everyone's moving a bit more as one team.

The best venues aren't trying to be superheroes.

They're choosing where to focus and cutting what doesn't serve them anymore.

So if you're feeling the same squeeze, ask yourself what can we drop, delegate or automate without losing what makes us great?

Because you can run a lean team and still deliver on experience that makes you feel full.

So the second part is technology.

So let's talk tech and how it can help small teams without feeling like a cop out.

We worked with a cafe earlier this year but that wanted to protect their steps of service.

You know those little things like greetings, check ins, farewells.

But they were being stretched.

Especially on the weekends where I'm the busiest.

Upsells are being missed and the staff felt like they were always rushing.

They used me and you and we implemented that with them to quietly manage part of the order flow, especially around those small add ons and upgrades.

Think sources, sides, coffee, extras, second drinks, those kind of different things.

If you haven't heard of me and you before, it used to be called Mr. Yum early in the day, in 2020.

But now it's changed into this amazing platform around QR ordering plus marketing.

And we've known the team for a long time and really back them.

The result from our client was the following.

They had an higher average spend, well over 30%.

There was less pressure on their staff, leading to an improved culture and lower staff turnover.

There was more space for connection with their guests because they were taking the boring bits out.

And it didn't replace service, it freed them up.

And that's the point of good tech.

It should back up your people, not bury them in dashboards they don't use.

Diane, who's my co founder from Open Pantry Co, has been helping venues cut through the noise so they're not wasting cash on five tools when two will do.

If your system isn't making your team sharper, it's probably not the right system at all.

Our venue shout out this week's goes to.

To be Frank, who's a client that we've been working with the last couple of months?

Now they've got two locations in Melbourne, one in Collingwood, which is our OG store, and their newest site in each Brunswick, which is just open in May this year.

And anyone that's experienced before knows they've built something extraordinarily special.

One of the most loved products and one of the highest selling is a cinnamon morning bun, a croissant dough covered in cinnamon sugar with a bit of a hint of orange zest that gives it a subtle lift.

It's nostalgic and it's clever all at once and has become a product that anchors their brand.

But here's the clever bit.

Once someone walks in the door for that one product, they walk out with a loaf of bread, a flat white, maybe a couple of pastries for later.

It's a great reminder of the power of anchoring in your brand.

You don't need 47 items to make noise.

So what's your cinnamon morning bun?

What's the one product your venue could own and that gets people talking, returning and bringing in others with them?

That's your goal for the week.

And finally, the team question for the week.

What are you tolerating?

Every venue has something that they tolerate.

It might be a rostering system that never works or a point of sale screen that has too many taps to get the modifications of that coffee order or a waiter station that is a mess after 2pm so this week's question is a simple and powerful one.

What is one thing in your venue that you tolerate but deep down you know is not working?

For you anymore.

I want you to bring it up in your daily standup with your team or drop it in your group chat this week.

And the most important part of this is to listen, especially to the newest.

Team members often spot things that the veterans have stopped seeing.

So pick one answer and do something about it.

It doesn't have to be a full fix, just a better version of what you've got now.

And that's the prep list for this week.

If this has sparked an idea or given you something new to try, flick it to someone in hospitality you know right now who needs a reset.

And if you want more of this kind of thing in your inbox, subscribe to the Sandwich Press newsletter.

It lands every second Friday from us with tools, trends, insights, Q&As with those in the industry and hints on what's actually working behind the scenes of those best venues.

The link to sign up is in the show Notes of this podcast or wherever you're watching this right now.

And as always, if your teams are under the pump or your systems are a bit cooked, get us a dm.

We're here to help quietly behind the scenes.

Thanks again for listening and I'll see you next Monday for the prep list.