3 Best Practices for Training New Restaurant Employees

Training new restaurant employees is one of the biggest challenges restaurant owners face. When you get it right, you build a team that runs smoothly, keeps customers happy and sticks around for the long haul. But if you get it wrong, you're stuck in a never-ending cycle of hiring, retraining and putting out fires. I’m going to show you exactly how to train your staff the right way so they succeed — and make your life easier.

The biggest mistake restaurant owners make

Too many restaurant owners rely on a flawed training approach: they tell new hires, "Just follow this person around for the next few days and figure it out."

The problem? This assumes the trainer is doing everything exactly the way you want it done — which is probably not true. Then, when the new hire starts working independently, they get corrected over and over again.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

This cycle demotivates employees, kills confidence and increases turnover. The same thing happens with new managers. They shadow another manager or the owner for three days, learning how to open and close, count the bar drawer, check out servers and more. Then suddenly, they’re expected to do everything perfectly on their own.

What happens next? The owner or general manager walks in every day pointing out mistakes. More correction. More frustration. And before you know it, your restaurant becomes a place no one wants to work.

If you want to be an employer of choice, you need a better training strategy. The best restaurant teams aren’t just found — they’re trained. Here’s how to do it right.

No. 1 Train restaurant employees using all learning styles

Not everyone learns the same way. There are three main types of learners:

• Visual learners – They need to see the process in action or read about it.
• Auditory learners – They need to hear instructions to understand them.
• Tactile learners – They need to physically do the task themselves, over and over again.

If you want training to stick, incorporate all three learning styles. Show them how to do something, explain it clearly and then let them practice while receiving feedback.

No. 2 Build restaurant training from strong job descriptions

A great training program starts with a clear job description. Each bullet point in the job description should tell employees:

• What the task is
• How to do it
• What tools to use
• How well it should be done
• When it should be completed

Each bullet point becomes part of the training process, ensuring new hires know exactly what’s expected of them.

No. 3 Follow the golden rule of training: PPETF

At Disney University, they follow a structure called the Golden Rule of Training: PPF, which stands for:

1. Prepare yourself – If you want to master a skill, teach it to someone else. It forces you to become an expert.
2. Prepare the learner – Before training starts, explain what they’ll be learning and why it matters. (Example: This will help you make more money, have an easier shift and create happier customers.)
3. Explain the job – Clearly define what needs to be done, how to do it and why it’s important.
4. Try out performance – Let them practice while you observe.
5. Feedback & follow-up – Reinforce what they do right and correct mistakes immediately. Keep following up so training doesn’t become a one-and-done event.

When you use this method, employees feel supported, learn faster and actually retain what they’re taught.

Why most restaurant training fails

Most restaurant owners fail at training because they don’t have a documented process. Without written steps, every employee is trained differently — leading to inconsistency and frustration.

Here’s where it goes wrong:

• "Follow this person around" assumes the trainer does everything correctly—which they might not.
• No reinforcement. If employees only hear corrections, they’ll feel discouraged and disengaged.
• No structured training plan. If training isn’t written down, it doesn’t exist.

I firmly believe we don’t find bad employees — we create them by failing to train them properly.

How to document your restaurant training process (even if you don’t have time)

I know what you’re thinking: "I don’t have time to sit in front of a computer and type out training procedures."

That’s why I recommend this quick method:

1. Record yourself – The next time you train an employee, record yourself explaining the task.
2. Upload the video – Store it in the cloud and share a link with the trainee or manager.
3. Have them write out the steps – Ask them to document the process based on your video.
4. Edit their notes – Review and refine their documentation like a teacher marking up an essay.
5. Store the final version – Add it to your operations manual and save the video for future reference.

Now, every new hire has a clear, consistent training guide. And when they forget something? They can refer back to the manual or video — without constantly asking for help.

Training is the foundation of a great restaurant team

Training isn’t just about getting new hires up to speed. It’s about building a team that runs your restaurant the right way. When you train correctly, employees learn faster, perform better and stick around longer.

Are you ready to transform your training process?

Be sure to visit my YouTube channel for more helpful restaurant management video tips.