Planning for a Successful 2026 - Team Questionnaire

As we begin to implement our plans for the fourth quarter that we discussed that last few

weeks it is important to begin planning for 2026. Many operators believe writing a plan for a new year means preparing a budget. That is not a good plan. An effective plan for the new year must be accompanied by a strategy to accomplish the financial, operational, and people development objectives for the new year. I recommend assessing your business as the Chief Listening Officer. reports. Go straight to the people who actually run your business every single day. Not to the executives. Not to the documents and digital reports.

Because let’s be honest, your frontline team knows the guest experience better than anyone. They hear the complaints first. They hear the compliments first. They feel the brand before it ever shows up in a Yelp, TripAdvisor review or a Google search. And yet in most restaurants their voices aren’t heard. Leadership pretends to know the guest experience, but

the truth is most leaders are guessing.

Here are the questions I’d ask your employees and then follow up with your

leadership teams asking the same questions:

1. What frustrates you the most about your daily workflow?

2. If you could change one system tomorrow, what would it be?

3. Do you feel leadership/ownership listens when you speak up?

4. What do guests complain about that never seems to get fixed?

5. Where do you see wasted time or wasted money every day?

6. What would make you proud to invite your family and friends to dine here?

7. What tools or training do you wish you had but don’t?

8. What makes you want to quit?

9. What makes you want to stay?

10. If you were the owner for one week, what’s the first change you’d make?

Now imagine if leadership actually listened to the answers. Not just nodded but acted on them. Imagine the culture shift if employees felt heard, respected, and empowered. That’s when you unlock loyalty. That’s when you stop bleeding talent to the restaurant down the street. That’s when your business goes from average to unforgettable.

This isn’t an HR exercise. It’s the foundation of growth. If your employees and feel invisible, your guests will too. If your employees and leaders are frustrated, the guest experience will fall short. And if your employees aren’t proud of your brand, you’ve already lost.

If you want to build a plan with a strategy that will grow your business include the frontline team members and leaders that are responsible for executing the plan. When the team is listened to and part of the process, they will take ownership of achieving the results. Start your 2026 planning NOW!