The Budapest Steve Feketa sat in his closed, dimly lit restaurant and contemplated the events of the day. First, he and his lawyer walked through the restaurant to check that all was in order; then a long meeting was held at the bank with the former owner of the restaurant, lawyers for both parties, and a bank official to transfer the prop- erty and grant Steve a mortgage on it. It was a big step and only the first of many that had to be taken to turn his dream into a reality Steve was born and spent his early years in a small village not far from Budapest, Hungary. As the war clouds of World War II were forming, his parents attempted to escape the coming conflict by immigrating to the United States. Steve's uncle Piesta in New York City helped them to settle in an apartment in Manhattan on an East Side street that housed many other families from Hungary. Steve went through school and as a teenager worked part time in his uncle's restaurant. Partly for financial rea- sons and partly to make Steve a "real American," Steve was sent to a Midwestern state university, where both the tuition and cost of living were relatively low. After college, Steve returned to Manhattan and worked for his uncle. He mar- ried and had two children but devoted much of his time to the restaurant. Gradually, Steve took over more and more of the management responsibility; his major in- fluence was gradually to shift the image from that of a family restaurant catering to the Hungarian emigrants to an upscale restaurant catering to the New York busi- ness community. Uncle Piesta, who had no children, regarded Steve almost as a son; on his death in 1983, Piesta willed the restaurant to Steve. Time passed. The children went off to college, then got married, the restaurant prospered, and life fell into a routine pattern of work and home life. Then one day Steve woke up to discover he was 65 years old, and for the first time he began to think about retirement. He realized he was tired of his grueling routine. But he had worked all his life and knew he would be bored to death if he stopped work- ing completely. He must have something to do, but he couldn't keep up his pres- ent pace much longer. As fate would have it, about that time Steve got a phone call from an old col- lege roommate proposing that Steve, several other old college chums, and their spouses get together for a reunion at their old alma mater. After a few calls among the group, it was agreed that they would meet the following summer. The reunion was greatit gave the men a chance to reminisce about the old days and the wives a chance to meet one another and the men they had heard so much about through the years. Steve found it especially nice to be away from the pres- sure of New York life and into the relaxed atmosphere of a Midwestern college town. He was impressed with the diversity, quality, and availability of cultural activities. And the fact that, by and large, people still treated one another in a civil manner. Back in New York, he and his wife discussed their experience and agreed: they would sell the restaurant in New York and move to the college town. Steve had worked all his life; he knew he couldn't just stop "cold turkey." He decided that he would start a Hungarian restaurant in the college townnot a large one, just big enough to keep him occupied and for him to break even financially. By phone, he contacted a prominent realtor in the college town, explained what he was look- ing for, and waited for something to happen. The following spring, the realtor called to inform Steve that there was a place on the market that might suit Steve. After a few more phone calls, Steve flew to the college town, inspected the restaurant, and made an offer that was accepted. He then sold the New York restaurant to a small group of loyal employees at a very reasonable price, but a price that nonetheless was several times what he was paying for the new establishment Steve and his wife moved from their New York apartment to a spacious, well- appointed house they bought in the college town. Today he closed on the restau- rant. He knows that the location and physical plant are excellent and in keeping with his aim of providing a first-class dining experience at an affordable price. To express his aim, he has decided to adopt a modified version of the Ritz-Carlton's statement: "We are courteous people serving courteous people." And he has de cided he will call the restaurant "The Budapest." In his mind he is reviewing all the other things he must do. Where to start? Discussion Questions 1. Formulate a quality policy for the restaurant. 2. List the major processes of the restaurant that will impact the quality of a dining experience. 3. Formulate procedures for (a) Selecting and training personnel (b) Taking reservations Greeting and seating customers (d) Ordering kitchen supplies e) Preparing food (f) Cleaning the restaurant 4. Formulate instructions for (a) Setting a table (b) Serving a customer (c) Cleaning the restaurant The Budapest Steve Feketa sat in his closed, dimly lit restaurant and contemplated the events of the day. First, he and his lawyer walked through the restaurant to check that all was in order; then a long meeting was held at the bank with the former owner of the restaurant, lawyers for both parties, and a bank official to transfer the prop- erty and grant Steve a mortgage on it. It was a big step and only the first of many that had to be taken to turn his dream into a reality Steve was born and spent his early years in a small village not far from Budapest, Hungary. As the war clouds of World War II were forming, his parents attempted to escape the coming conflict by immigrating to the United States. Steve's uncle Piesta in New York City helped them to settle in an apartment in Manhattan on an East Side street that housed many other families from Hungary. Steve went through school and as a teenager worked part time in his uncle's restaurant. Partly for financial rea- sons and partly to make Steve a "real American," Steve was sent to a Midwestern state university, where both the tuition and cost of living were relatively low. After college, Steve returned to Manhattan and worked for his uncle. He mar- ried and had two children but devoted much of his time to the restaurant. Gradually, Steve took over more and more of the management responsibility; his major in- fluence was gradually to shift the image from that of a family restaurant catering to the Hungarian emigrants to an upscale restaurant catering to the New York busi- ness community. Uncle Piesta, who had no children, regarded Steve almost as a son; on his death in 1983, Piesta willed the restaurant to Steve. Time passed. The children went off to college, then got married, the restaurant prospered, and life fell into a routine pattern of work and home life. Then one day Steve woke up to discover he was 65 years old, and for the first time he began to think about retirement. He realized he was tired of his grueling routine. But he had worked all his life and knew he would be bored to death if he stopped work- ing completely. He must have something to do, but he couldn't keep up his pres- ent pace much longer. As fate would have it, about that time Steve got a phone call from an old col- lege roommate proposing that Steve, several other old college chums, and their spouses get together for a reunion at their old alma mater. After a few calls among the group, it was agreed that they would meet the following summer. The reunion was greatit gave the men a chance to reminisce about the old days and the wives a chance to meet one another and the men they had heard so much about through the years. Steve found it especially nice to be away from the pres- sure of New York life and into the relaxed atmosphere of a Midwestern college town. He was impressed with the diversity, quality, and availability of cultural activities. And the fact that, by and large, people still treated one another in a civil manner. Back in New York, he and his wife discussed their experience and agreed: they would sell the restaurant in New York and move to the college town. Steve had worked all his life; he knew he couldn't just stop "cold turkey." He decided that he would start a Hungarian restaurant in the college townnot a large one, just big enough to keep him occupied and for him to break even financially. By phone, he contacted a prominent realtor in the college town, explained what he was look- ing for, and waited for something to happen. The following spring, the realtor called to inform Steve that there was a place on the market that might suit Steve. After a few more phone calls, Steve flew to the college town, inspected the restaurant, and made an offer that was accepted. He then sold the New York restaurant to a small group of loyal employees at a very reasonable price, but a price that nonetheless was several times what he was paying for the new establishment Steve and his wife moved from their New York apartment to a spacious, well- appointed house they bought in the college town. Today he closed on the restau- rant. He knows that the location and physical plant are excellent and in keeping with his aim of providing a first-class dining experience at an affordable price. To express his aim, he has decided to adopt a modified version of the Ritz-Carlton's statement: "We are courteous people serving courteous people." And he has de cided he will call the restaurant "The Budapest." In his mind he is reviewing all the other things he must do. Where to start? Discussion Questions 1. Formulate a quality policy for the restaurant. 2. List the major processes of the restaurant that will impact the quality of a dining experience. 3. Formulate procedures for (a) Selecting and training personnel (b) Taking reservations Greeting and seating customers (d) Ordering kitchen supplies e) Preparing food (f) Cleaning the restaurant 4. Formulate instructions for (a) Setting a table (b) Serving a customer (c) Cleaning the restaurant