🔥 Holiday Gear-Up Series, Part 1: Tighten Your Systems Before the Rush (Or December Will Eat You Alive)

The next three months are the most profitable — and most exhausting — period of the year for hospitality. Christmas parties, school holidays, tourists, big bookings, frantic mornings, tired staff, and endless ticket times… it all hits at once.

And here’s the truth most venues don’t want to admit:

👉 If your systems aren’t locked in NOW, December will chew your venue up and spit it out.

The good news?

A few smart tweaks now can make your entire summer run smoother, calmer, and more profitable.

Let’s break it down.

🎯 Why Systems Matter More Than Anything in December

When the rush hits, you can’t rely on memory, “common sense,” or verbal instructions — especially with new staff, seasonal casuals, or a tired team.

Strong systems are the difference between:

Chaos vs control

Stress vs smooth service

Burnout vs momentum

Profit vs wastage

And most importantly:You staying sane.

🔧 The 6 Systems You Must Tighten Before December

These are the essential areas every café or restaurant needs dialled-in:

1. Prep Lists & Production Systems

Your daily and weekly prep lists should be:

✔ Clear✔ Portion-controlled✔ Prioritised✔ Updated for holiday trade volumes

This removes guesswork and cuts prep-time stress in half.

2. Opening & Closing Checklists

This is where consistency lives.Clear checklists mean:

• Faster open

• Cleaner close

• Fewer forgotten tasks

• Less drain on senior staff

And if someone calls in sick?Anyone can step in.

3. Kitchen & Bar Workflows

December exposes every weakness in the flow.

Now is the time to fix:

• The bench setup

• Pass organisation

• Prep fridge layouts

• Coffee station efficiency

• Ticket rail flow

Small changes = massive time savings when you’re full.

4. Hot Holding, Cooling, & Service Procedures

Heatwaves, holiday volume, rapid turnover…December is peak risk.

Make sure your procedures are clear, written, and actually used.

5. Communication Systems

This includes:

• Pre-shift briefs

• Order of service

• Specials communication

• Venue rules during busy periods

• Playlist rules (yes, it matters)

People can’t follow rules that don’t exist.

6. Front-of-House Flow

The guest experience must be tight:

• Tills / POS shortcuts

• Table numbers

• Cutlery/napkin restock

• Docket handling

• Self-serve areas

• Clear roles and zones

FOH chaos = kitchen chaos.

💡 Want the Shortcut? I’ve Already Built All These Systems for You

If you’re reading this thinking:

“Ben… we don’t even have half of this documented.”

That’s exactly why I built the Food Safety Success System and my Operations Consulting packages.

With these, you get:

✔ Pre-built systems

✔ Ready-to-use checklists

✔ Food safety documents

✔ Workflows

✔ Implementation support

✔ Everything written for Queensland venues

You don’t need to start from scratch — it’s all done.

👉 Explore the full services here:bambamculinaryconsultants.com/services

🎁 BLACK FRIDAY BONUS — Limited Time Offer

To help venues get Christmas-ready without the overwhelm, I’m offering:

🎉 20% OFF the Food Safety Success System

When you book a free 15-minute discovery call before 30/11/25.

No pressure.

No hard sell.

Just a quick chat to see what your venue needs — and how I can help you make December smoother, faster, and less stressful.

👉 Book your call here: bambamculinaryconsultants.com/services

This offer ends 30 November.Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Happy Black Friday — let’s get your systems sorted before the holiday chaos hits.