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Published on April 15, 2008

"We're looking back to the restaurants' starting point, to see which direction we should go next," said general manager John Heinecke.

Reviews of its core products, services and restaurant atmosphere have found the chain should reinforce its chicken-steak, pork-steak, beef-steak and seafood menus, because these are Sizzler's signature products. The restaurants currently offer six signature dishes ranging from Bt225 to Bt360.

The company is also planning to launch a "service-master programme" this year, featuring a three-day training course for branch managers from around the Kingdom. After that, all branches will be required to participate in service competitions. Those with the best service will win special prizes, including trips abroad.

The service-master programme will focus on hospitality, service-mindedness, product knowledge and the ability to serve customers properly at their tables.

The company began last year with a "grill-master programme," focusing on its steak menu.

"We need to offer both knowledge and incentives to drive our staff. Operations are at the heart of all businesses," Heinecke said, adding that the incentive programmes required about 5 per cent of total sales.

The two programmes are home-grown strategies developed by SLRT in running Sizzler restaurants in both Thailand and China. As well, SLRT hires a company to check food and service standards constantly at all of its branches.

Apart from the service, atmosphere and steak menus, Sizzler is also renowned for its salad bar. Heinecke said SLRT was constantly reviewing all of its menus, taking out those with low preference and strengthening popular ones, as well as trying to boost Sizzler's reputation as a restaurant with healthy food.

"Consumers today have so many restaurants to choose from, including Chinese, Japanese and other Western food, so our job is to try to convince them that Sizzler is a restaurant with healthy Western food," Heinecke said.

In Thailand, Sizzler serves about 5 million customers a year. SLRT expects to open three new branches this year at a cost of Bt20 million.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation