29 Restaurant Red Flags That Mean You Should Probably Not Eat There

Restaurants fail when the management and the staff aren’t on the same page. When there’s nobody at the helm, no communication, and no proper motivation for the staff, how can you expect success?

Forbes points out that poor leadership and bad hiring and training practices are to blame for restaurant failure. Meanwhile, establishments that have a toxic culture, serve forgettable food, and struggle with even basic logistics are on a downward trend, toward closing their doors.

The simple truth is that restaurants that don’t give a damn about their customers won’t stay in business for long. After all, if you’re constantly treated like you’re trash, and the food tastes like microwaved garbage slopped onto a dirty plate, why would you ever return?

Without satisfied, happy, returning customers, any restaurant is going to wobble and crash. Especially once word gets around town about how awful the experience is. And in this day and age, when it’s so easy for anyone to post internet reviews, reputation matters more than ever. You need to be at the top of your game every single day. You can’t let standards slip. Otherwise, you’ll end up being called out for it on social media and you’ll see your revenue stream dry up.

If you own a restaurant that needs turning around, you need to start with the very basics. Start with the kitchen: it needs to be sparkling clean—nothing less will do. Your staff needs to have a list of things that they have to clean daily, weekly, and monthly. They also need to have a clear understanding of the consequences of not following through on this. Dirty kitchens are worse than disgusting: they pose a real health risk to anyone eating at the establishment. They put human lives and the future of the business at risk.

Meanwhile, owners can’t be cheap when it comes to training. It’s vital that they spend money to give their servers and chefs the training that they need. When you provide your employees with the opportunity for growth, they’ll be more proud of their jobs. An owner who invests in your skills shows that they care about you and your future. 

While the kitchen is being scrubbed and the servers are learning how to treat their customers well, the restaurant owner can focus on creating a singular vision for their business. Essentially, what you want is a clear idea of what the restaurant is all about. When you have a concise understanding of your brand, it’s far easier to market it to the public than when you’re running a generic eatery with a menu thicker than all the Harry Potter books stacked on top of each other.

For some more stories about the very worst restaurant red flags, take a look through Bored Panda's earlier feature.