You started your career bussing tables and years later, you’ve become the general manager of a popular restaurant. You’ve seen it all — from busy dinners and birthdays to impatient diners and picky eaters. You’ve managed to get through even the most overwhelming situations. And in your new role as a manager, you’re helping your staff get through them too.
When you’re having a day that feels like it won’t end, remember that you’ve persevered and triumphed before. If you need a little boost, read on for eight motivational quotes that’ll help you get through the day.
1. "Finding the happiness and finding the satisfaction in continuously serving somebody else something good to eat is what makes a really good restaurant.” ― Mario Batali
This quote may remind you of why you joined the hospitality industry in the first place – you love to make people happy. Especially when it’s because of your service and the meal they just enjoyed. Even on nights that are fully booked and a little crazy, you find great satisfaction in knowing that every diner is left with a smile, and you can’t wait to have another night like that soon.
2. "The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same." - Colin R. Davis
You won’t please every diner who eats at your restaurant. Even when you tried your hardest to make sure they had a memorable meal. But every time a customer wasn’t satisfied with your service, you learned how you can make it better for the next customer. Take every failure as a learning experience and go into your bad days knowing that you’ll learn from them too.
3. “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” - Estée Lauder
Remember when you were just a teenager, greeting customers at the host stand? Remember how you felt just being inside of a restaurant? Those feelings motivated you to work hard and get the role you have today. Continue to do your best, and you’ll reach your dreams in no time.
4. “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” - Thomas Edison
Though there may be days that you stay at work after your shift, or need to clock in early to make sure a private dinner is going to be a success, work has never really felt like work to you. Which is a motivation in itself.
5. “Be a positive energy trampoline – absorb what you need and rebound more back.” - Dave Carolan
This funny quote sums up why you love being a manager. You know you have a huge role in uplifting your team and boosting their morale. And if you clock into work in a good mood, chances are that happiness will spread throughout the workplace.
6. “I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.” - Lucille Ball
Taking chances isn’t everyone’s strong suit. But that often changes after they start a career in hospitality. Maybe you’ve created flexible schedules for working parents and students to ensure they can tend to their families and education, even if they weren’t traditional working schedules. Perhaps you’ve changed your menu to attract more customers, hoping your regulars didn’t mind that their favorite dish was modified.
Although not every risk you took was successful, you’ve learned from them all. Why would you regret them?
7. “Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice.” – Wayne Dyer
Keep this quote handy for one of your hardest days on the job. It’s easy to feel bad when it seems like customers aren’t leaving with a smile, or hardly touching the food on their plates. But it feels better to stay motivated and make the next rush of diners love every moment of their time at your restaurant.
8. “We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” - Maya Angelou
When frustrated customers make comments to your waitstaff or call you to their table, think back to your early days as a server and take in the resilience you gained in that role. You encountered many difficult service days, and though you left work exhausted, you mustered up the energy to come into the restaurant the next day with a smile. Continue to do that as you grow into your leadership role.
Bring home the bacon
All the hard work you’ve done throughout your career is continuing to pay off. Don’t let stressful days get you down. Part of being a restaurant manager means you need to keep your team productive, and you can start doing that by motivating yourself.
Want to learn more ways you can support your staff? Download a free trial of Deputy and streamline your workplace’s communication and scheduling.
