What does an expo do at a restaurant

I've been working at a "casual fine dining" restaurant for the past 5 months with very little restaurant experience. I've been thrown into a trial by fire in dish, host, backwait, and outside expo with almost zero training. I'm surrounded by hacks that don't care throughout FOH and BOH.

I lack the knowledge, seniority, and confidence to really drive quality and speed. Our cooks are sloppy, and don't give a fuck.

I know that I will need to make a change to a restaurant that employs people that care, but I need to acquire more experience and general skills before this happens.

Please help me become better.

Are there days when your kitchen feels like it just can't keep up even though you have enough cooks on the line? Have you ever found yourself as a front-of-house manager or owner jumping in the expo window trying to help, but only making matters worse? If either these scenarios sounds familiar to you, I want to show you how you can avoid them all together and why the restaurant expo is critical to your kitchen. Click below to watch or keep scrolling to read the 11 traits of a great restaurant expo and how they affect your restaurant.

A great kitchen expo, whether a front-of-house or back-of-house employee can make or break busy shifts. What type your restaurant is ultimately dictates which department your expo comes from. For example, a sports bar could easily use a front-of-house team member because most everything, every item you cook is an 8–10 minute ticket time. They all come up virtually the same time, whereas a fine dining restaurant is best served by a back-of-house team member because they can override those fire holds. It takes culinary knowledge and not every front-of-house person has that.

No matter what department they come from or what kind of restaurant you have, here are 11 things a great expo does on a busy shift.

Number one, the expo only communicates with the wheel. They cut all communication so there are no front-of-house people yelling back to the kitchen that they need this or that and they need it now. Nope, the expo handles it.

Number two, the expo knows fire times and line processes, which means they are familiar with your menu and know the steps it takes to prepare every item. They need to know that if a well-done burger is going to take a little bit more time, that they're communicating with the team on the line and guide them. They know what’s happening and how to make it all flow.

Number three, they follow the pace of the meal. They need to understand when they look at a ticket, especially if there's a fire hold, to time the apps to go out first, what the ticket time is, how long it might take the guest to finish that and when you should be delivering that way. That way the guest doesn’t get overwhelmed with one part of the meal arriving on top of another part of the meal.

Number four, the expo must be quick and deliberate because by doing so, they build trust with the servers and the cooks. The must be on their toes. They know what's going on everywhere in the business, in each position, what the servers need, what tables are coming up, how many tickets there are, whether the timing is falling behind and so on.

Number five, they can anticipate orders. They need to be able to notify food runners and servers when to run things and when each table is coming out. The communication with the front-of-house is extremely important.

Number six, expos have to be confident because they must be able to refuse an item that's not to specification. If that plate is dirty, if that portion is too large, too small, if it wasn't cooked properly, they have to be able to kick it back to the kitchen.

Number seven, your expo is the eyes and ears of the kitchen and the voice of the service staff. They are literally that go between, the wall between front and back of house. The expo communicates and keeps it so that your front-of-house people aren't screaming and yelling, that your back-of-house people are paying attention to the wheel. This gives you a nice, calm and quiet kitchen. It's not chaotic.

Number eight, your expo must be clean, organized and calm under pressure. These people don't get rattled. They keep everyone calm around them. You’ve been there, when things fall down, when you're exposed, the kitchen's falling down and there's utter chaos. It takes a Herculean effort to get yourself back to a calm place (calm for a restaurant anyway).

Number nine, an expo must know table numbers, position numbers and server sections. With this knowledge they can direct people, or if they need to jump off the line to run the food. The expo is that quarterback making sure the food gets out to the guest properly.

Number 10, your expo must be a proactive person and a problem solver. Things happen all the time in the kitchen. When things go wrong, they need to be able to think on their feet and fix it with that kitchen/wheel person.

Number 11, the expo pushes your team to move faster to get the things done that are necessary. This is the quarterback again to your restaurant, ensuring the process is working between the kitchen and front of house.

Find the person whose personality fits that position, train them and test them under fire. Some people may or may not work in that position, but those that rise drive a smooth running kitchen and happy guests and happy team members. This is why your expo is critical to your kitchen.

If you would like to learn how to own a restaurant that doesn't depend on you to be successful, watch this free video course that teaches you three key principles to running a successful restaurant. If you're ready right now to make some serious changes in your restaurant, you can also book a 60-minute call with me where we talk about your challenges and figure out exactly what is holding you back from having a restaurant that doesn’t depend on you being in it to be successful. 

Be sure to visit my YouTube channel for more helpful restaurant management video tips.

Hi. I’m Jeff Smith. If you’re wondering What does Expo mean in a restaurant you’re in the right place. In this article we will cover that question in great detail. So what does an expeditor do at a restaurant? What makes someone good at this job? With that said, how much money can you anticipate making from being an exhibitor? Let’s take a look.

What does Expo mean in a restaurant? A restaurant expo is a person responsible for making sure that food gets from the kitchen to your table.The word “expeditor” refers to someone who works behind the scenes to guarantee that every meal arrives at its destination on time and in perfect condition.

What is the Expos Role in The Kitchen?

The Expo is often referred to as a “first line of defense” because they have to ensure that food gets out on time and correctly. It’s their job to check tickets, ensure all steps are followed correctly, and the ticket goes out when it should.

What Does an Expo Do?

Expediting food takes skill and serious attention to detail. The Expo needs to be able to look at a ticket and know whether there are any problems with it (such as missing ingredients or incorrect quantities). They must also know how long each step should take to track how much time has passed since each item was brought into the kitchen.

In addition, they need excellent communication skills because they’re managing several people at once: cooks who need help with recipes; servers who need help sending things out; managers who may want changes made; etcetera.

What Does Expo Mean in a Restaurant?

An expo or expediter is a restaurant staff member who oversees the preparation and serving of food. Specifically, they act as the liaison between the kitchen staff and servers (or waitstaff) to ensure that orders are prepared at the right time and in the proper order. 

The expediter will work directly with both sides to ensure each customer’s order is fulfilled correctly and efficiently.

As well as coordinating when food should be sent out, the expeditor also ensures that drinks are refilled, condiments are replenished, dirty dishes are cleared away—and all other tasks necessary for running a smooth operation. 

An expeditor helps keep customers happy by managing these tasks efficiently by preventing long waits for their meals or beverages. 

In addition to making customers happy with efficient service, this also frees up server time so that they can spend more time interacting with guests instead of waiting on tables or running around after things like empty glasses or dirty plates (something which some restaurants have resorted to hiring staff specifically for).

What makes a Good Restaurant Expeditor?

As a restaurant expeditor, you must be able to multitask and manage your time well. Additionally, you must maintain your composure under duress and be able to work effectively with others. Staying organized will help you handle the busy atmosphere of a restaurant efficiently.

How Much Do Expos Make?

You can make between $20,000 and $45,000 as an expo. The exact amount depends on your experience, location, and the restaurant you work at. You may be able to earn more than this if you have a degree in culinary arts or business or hospitality management.

Does Expo Get Tips?

Expo is a salaried position, so tips are not expected or required. If you feel compelled to tip your Expo after the meal, know that they will benefit from it—but it’s up to you.

How to Become an Expeditor at a Restaurant

If you want to become an expeditor in a restaurant, there are a few steps you’ll need to take. First, take a course on restaurant management and learn about the ins and outs of running a business. Next, look for opportunities at restaurants by looking at job postings online or asking around friends who may know of openings. 

If you don’t find any jobs that fit your needs immediately, consider working in another aspect of the business—such as cooking or waitressing—to gain work experience before applying for more specialized positions like expediting.

Finally, when applying for an expediting position at a restaurant, ensure it’s what you’re interested in doing.

Many times people will be hired as servers because they lack experience with other options but then end up unhappy with their roles because they didn’t realize what they were getting into.

Is an Expeditor a Waiter?

The waiter is the restaurant’s face. The expeditor is at the back of the house, ensuring that food comes out promptly and all orders are correct.

The expeditor works closely with the chef and cooks to ensure that orders go out on time and accurately. The expeditor also coordinates with servers when they bring food to tables. Hence, customers receive their meals as quickly as possible.

Can a Good Expeditor Can Boost Your Restaurant’s Business.

One of the essential roles in a restaurant is that of an expeditor. The best way to understand what an expeditor does is by looking at their role and responsibilities.

An expeditor keeps the kitchen running smoothly by managing orders, coordinating production, and communicating with other staff members. 

They ensure that food is delivered quickly and efficiently without compromising quality or taste. In short, they help keep up with demand so you can start making money!

If you’re thinking about hiring an expeditor for your business but aren’t sure if it’s worth it, consider this benefit:

You’ll be able to serve more customers faster—and get them out faster, too (which means more Profit).

What makes a Good Expeditor?

An expeditor is a restaurant employee who manages the flow of food from the kitchen to the dining room. This means they serve as gatekeepers for food and beverages, deciding what goes to each table and when someone should be seated. 

It’s a demanding job requiring excellent communication, attention to detail, organization, time management, and problem-solving abilities.

A good expeditor should also possess good people skills; they need interpersonal ability to work well with their coworkers (the chef), customers (waiters), and staff in general (busboys). 

They need to be able to set an example and listen intently at the same time when others speak up about different ways of doing things at work or concerns regarding customer satisfaction levels.

In addition: multitasking abilities are essential since you will find yourself juggling many responsibilities simultaneously during your shift—like moving multiple carts full of dishes out onto busy restaurant floors at once. 

A good memory helps too because there is often much information stored inside your head about previous orders placed by specific customers, which needs access whenever possible during shifts too.

Who is most likely to be the expediter in a kitchen?

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, an expo is a person who orchestrates the flow of food through a kitchen. 

At its simplest, they make sure that whatever has been ordered is prepared and ready to be served when it’s supposed to be. They might coordinate deliveries from suppliers and pick-ups from local farms or purveyors in more complex kitchens.

They must ensure their chefs have everything they need—foodstuffs, equipment, and people—to prepare dishes on time.

How to expedite food in a restaurant.

If you want to improve your food expediting skills, you can do a few things. First, you must learn how to read tickets correctly and quickly. 

A good way of doing this is by practicing on your own with some practice tickets from home or work (if your restaurant provides them). 

Once you’ve got the hang of reading tickets correctly, try moving on to more difficult ones—for example, tickets with incorrect or incomplete information. 

Finally, take some time every day before starting your shift at the restaurant so that when it comes time for dinner service, you’ll be able to make those orders happen ASAP.

What is a restaurant expeditor’s salary?

While the exact salary of a restaurant expo depends on where they work and their experience, it is generally around $30,000. The average salary for a restaurant expeditor is $40,000 annually in the United States. 

Some higher-end restaurants can pay even more than that. Expeditors are responsible for getting food out of the kitchen and onto tables as quickly and efficiently as possible. 

They also help keep track of what foods need to be prepared or cooked by observing how much food is left on each table before it’s ready for another round of orders from guests who want to eat at home after leaving the restaurant—also known as “carry out” or “takeout” orders.

 Who Is a Restaurant Expeditor?

The expeditor is the person who assigns and times orders, checks food quality before it leaves the kitchen, coordinates the work of other kitchen staff, and resolves issues as they arise.

Expeditors are responsible for assigning orders to specific cooks and ensuring that the correct number of each item is prepared. They also make sure that enough food items are available on hand at all times so that no one has to wait more than five minutes for their order after it’s placed.

Finally, expeditors ensure that food is served in an organized fashion—no one wants to sit there twiddling their thumbs. At the same time, everyone else gets their meals first!

In addition to plate assembly, expeditors are responsible for assigning and timing orders, checking food quality before it leaves the kitchen, and coordinating the work of other kitchen staff. 

They are also responsible for communicating with waiters about what is ready regarding orders.

Their role as leader/manager is to ensure that all stations operate efficiently by monitoring production times and keeping track of food used out of inventory.

Expediting is one of the most stressful jobs in restaurants because all other kitchen staff depends on you to get it right.

In a way, you’re the captain of your kitchen. If a ticket is open and the expediter doesn’t respond, someone else will have to take care of it until you tell them what to do. 

Suppose a dish comes out late or not. In that case, that can be very stressful for everyone involved—the cook who prepared the food, the server who has to deliver it cold or missing ingredients or sauce, and especially for diners who wait longer than they should for their meal.

Expediting takes practice and experience, but it becomes second nature once you get good at it. Here are some ways an emergency menu change can affect your service:

You may have fewer runners available to help with specials just because they didn’t know beforehand.

Cooks might not know how long something takes in different pans (e.g., baking times). This could result in food coming out overcooked or undercooked regardless of how well-prepared they were beforehand!

While many restaurants require expeditors to have 2-3 years of prior experience or formal cooking training, some chefs teach expediting on the job. 

These chefs have developed their style and methods for training, which may include hands-on guidance, demonstrations, and written instructions.

Additionally, some restaurants require that the aspiring cook develop their skills through an in-house program. These programs typically last about two weeks and involve culinary classes covering food safety and recipe preparation.

The Expo is an essential part of restaurant operation.

You likely won’t have the opportunity to work with an expo in your first few jobs, but it’s important to know what they do!

Expeditors are responsible for assigning and timing orders, checking food quality before it leaves the kitchen, and coordinating the work of other kitchen staff. 

It may seem to be a lot of responsibility, an efficient and organized expo is essential for smooth operation in any restaurant.

Conclusion

In summary, it is the job of the Expo to ensure that your food arrives at the table promptly. This requires an ability to think quickly, solve problems and deal with situations that arise unexpectedly. An expeditor needs to be able to keep his cool when things get hectic to maintain his composure and keep everyone else on track.

Jeff Smith is a Restaurant Consultant with over 20 years of hospitality experience ranging from server to owner and general manager.  He focuses on Restaurant point of sale technology as well as restaurant marketing.  Make sure to check out our world famous restaurant resources page for a comprehensive offering of hand picked resources and tools to help your business.  You can also check out some of our other restaurant business articles.