When "The Booz Crew" was asked to do the quality project, the first thing we did was drop by Logan's Roadhouse for incognito meals so we could check out the resturant from the diner's perspective. Logan's is noted for western-style steaks specials, baby back ribs, and spirits from the bar. It is located off loop ten on Atlanta Highway in Athens. Customers are welcomed with losts of paking, an airy dining room, neon signs dotting every wall, convival bar with TV, an open grill, the blaring jutebox, and a floor filled with peanut schells. Logans' is also one of the top ten steak houses in the nation. However, Logan's is not just steak; nearly 55 percent of sales come from seafood, chicken, and rib entrees. All of these choices come together for a great eating experience

However, since Logan's is a new resturant in Athens, there are several little "kinks" to work out. Once such kink that the Boozcrew decided to take on is the employee training process- concentrating on the expo line area. The expo line deals with plate preperation and presentation and appetizers. Logan's manager expressed great interest in improving the quality of this line, and in turn, the quality of food being served. We dealt with total quality control concepts which involved preventing errors at the source, and process improvment through training.

Our plan begins with implementing a Head Trainer at each station of the resturant. Having a Head Trainer will ensure that each new employee is trained completely as well as giving the managers a break in responsibilites. On the expo line the different duties will be broken down into separate training days. After each day of training, the Head Trainer will go back over all the steps, answer any questions, and generally review the day. Since the Head Trainer will also have their regualr duties to perform, Logan's well need to add a pay incentive of fifty cents per hour for each training hour. This will help the trainees feel more comfortable in the work atmosphere when thay begin to work on their own, and the trainers will feel compensated for their extra effort.

The second part of our solution was to develop a checklist for the new employees' records. This checklist will contain everything from the paper work that is filled out when the employee is hired to the last day of hands on training. The checklist can be a reminder of things that need to be done, and a place to go back to if things aren't going as the should. If the "new guy" is not doing well in a certain area, the manager can look at the checklist to make sure he was trained for that task. The checklist should be signed by a manager when each part of the training porcess is completed.

This is a quick break down of each day of training in the expo area.

This is the new employees' first day on the job. The first order of business is to insure that he has properly filled ou and turned in all the correct forms. In doing so, the head trainer or manager is the use the checksheet. Once the forms are comepleted that employee is given an orientation of the resturant and their job. This orientation is to include a tour of the entire store, observation of the food service, food preperation, and the equipment used throughout the expo line.

The trainee will only work a short shift that should occur in off peak hours such as 2p.m. to 5p.m.. After the shift the trainee will recap their day with the Head Trainer or Manager.

The second day will be the trainee's first full shift. Today, they are to learn the job of grease dropper. The trainee will learn how to clean and operate the deep fryers as well as watching the food preparation.

Today the trainee will work the appetizer staion. They will work closely with the "grease man" taking the cooked apps and placing them on the outgoing plate.

Today the trainee will work the garnish area. They are no longer working with appetizers, but with the entrees. This job consists of applying the correct condiments (such as butter and sour cream to a potato), making the finished product look good, and placing it in the outgoing window in the proper order according to the ticket.

Day five the trainee is known as "potato man." Their job today is to put the correct side item (usually a potato or fries), but more importantly, to listen to the Window man so that the trainee can learn not to read the tickets when they come down the line. This step can save precious time in peak hours.

By implementing total quality control comsepts into Logan's Roadhouse, we improved the process of training, and in turn, improved the quality of food. Our plan of using Head Trainers at each station, providing these trainers with incentive pay, and organizing the training process with a checklist can benefit Logan's employees and in return help Logan's customers recieve the best overall service.