A Foodservice Assessment
By Kimberly LaBrecque & Melania Temidis
NTR313
Spring 2013
The Greek House
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
27 Third Street, Troy
Opened in June of 2011
Scope of Services: storefront restaurant & catering services
Customer Base: locals, students & seniors
Average Served: ~150 customers per week
Hours: M-Th 11am-9pm; F-Sa 11am-10pm
Price: $$, affordable, student discount program
Employees: owner/manager/chef, 4 waiters/staff
Mission
The Greek House Restaurant is dedicated to serving
high quality authentic Greek food to the Capital Region.
The Menu
 The restaurant’s greatest





strength
Static/set menu
Mix of selective &
semiselective menu
Authentic Greek food,
wine & beer
Value pricing
Daily specials
 Offers vegetarian and
vegan dishes along with
gluten-free pitas
 Most popular items are the
pita bread wraps and
eggplant fries
 The menu features locally
sourced ingredients when
available
The Facility
 Small dining room, seats




about 20 customers
Small kitchen: display
cooking
Unisex bathroom
Blue walls, architecture
& images of Greece
create a Mediterranean
motif
Greek music, radio &
television
The Facility
The Kitchen
The Kitchen
Personnel
 Five employees including the owner
 Owner is also the cook, manager & handles all aspects
of purchasing, receiving, inventory, accounting, etc.
 Family-based staff lends a home-style atmosphere
 Informal style of management
Personnel
Strengths
Weaknesses
 Size of staff and use of family
 No specific job descriptions;
members is cost effective
 Meetings are on an individual
basis; makes employees feel
valued
 Employees of Greek origin
create an authentic
atmosphere
no separation of duties
 Restaurant cannot operate
without the presence of
owner
 No absentee control program,
safety training programs, or
formal staff meetings
Fiscal Policies
Strengths
Weaknesses
 Finances managed strictly by
 No formal budget
owner
 Due to small size, owner is
intimately familiar with all
financial aspects of business
 Current method of record
keeping is cost effective
 No computerized software;
accounting done by hand
 Difficult to forecast
production & sales without
electronic methods
 No calculated food cost; labor
cost per day
Purchasing
Strengths
 One main vendor supplies




most of the food once a week
Good rapport with vendor
Purchases locally sourced
foods whenever possible
Informal purchasing enables
quality and specification
control
Use of specialty vendors in
NYC ensures authenticity of
Greek products
Weaknesses
 Relying on a primary vendor
may prohibit competitive
pricing
 Utilizes just-in-time
purchasing for emergencies
by purchasing from a
supermarket; higher prices
Mythos, Greek beer
Original Gyro with Eggplant
Fries
Receiving
Receiving & Storage
Strengths
 One person controlling
purchasing, receiving &
inventory prevents theft
 No formal system of receiving
products because of good
relationship with vendor
Weaknesses
 Owner takes care of receiving




& inventory himself
The front entrance & dining
room is the receiving area
Main storage area is an
unfinished basement
Old, original brick floor in
the basement makes it
difficult to clean
Owner does not check
temperatures or weigh his
products
Food Production
Strengths
Weaknesses
 Dishes made to order using
 No written, standardized
fresh products
 Prep done by owner & father;
ensures quality control &
consistency
 Family-based recipes create
authentic Greek dishes
 Certain specialty dishes are
made in advance in large
quantities & are frozen
recipes
 Owner approximates portions
visually; does not use
measuring utensils/equipment
 No food safety program or
controls
Classic Greek Salad
Dolmadakia
Rice-stuffed grape leaves topped
with avgolemeno sauce
Food Delivery
 Casual American style
table service
 Tables are preset with
flatware, paper napkins
& menu cards
 Since food is made to
order, there is no need
for hot holding
 Family-oriented,
congenial staff
Other Aspects of The Greek House
 Catering services are offered but are infrequent and do
not generate much revenue
 Once every five months
 No preventive maintenance program
 No emergency plan but maintains hazard insurance
Media Marketing
 Website:
thegreekhouse.net
 Restaurant profile
updates on Facebook &
Twitter
 Featured in reviews in
Metroland, Times
Union, The Record &
Capital Region Living
Reflections
Opportunities
 One of the few authentic
Greek restaurants in the
Capital Region
 Use of locally sourced
products supports small
businesses in the Capital
District
 Promotional discounts &
affordable prices attract
students and senior citizens
 Expanding hours to
accommodate student
nightlife may increase
revenue
Threats
 Adjusting to changes in food
trends may compromise the
restaurant’s mission
 The location is not in a
heavily-trafficked area
 Negative perceptions of
Downtown Troy may deter
potential customers
 Difficulty in competing with
franchised restaurants
Summary
 The menu supports the
mission of the restaurant
& drives the business
 Lack of departmental
budget & food safety
program could be
potential risks
 Home-style atmosphere
& family recipes support
authentic dining
experience
Questions?