Congratulations!

Your hard work and efforts

have paid off—your Leaders have recognized you as
someone capable of taking on a leadership role. As
you jump into this new role, you may find yourself
overwhelmed with the balance between your new
responsibilities and leading a shift. Most experienced
Managers know that becoming a good Manager of
people takes time, practice, and commitment.
Moving from an hourly role, where you were only
responsible for managing yourself, to a position
of overseeing other people is a significant
transition in your career. However, with the right
focus, training, and application on your part, you will
succeed.
It is essential you start with a plan, work with your
Managers, and always be looking for ways to grow
and develop. As a Shift Manager, you play an
important role in Guest relations, Team Member
success, and restaurant success. You will spend a
significant amount of your time with other hourly
Team Members who, with your new responsibilities,
will be looking to you as a role model and an
example of what “good” looks like. When you step up
to that challenge, you will begin to see your success
in your ability to inspire and motivate the team to
achieve success.
The Shift Manager Training Program was created to
make your transition into a new role more successful
by focusing on critical skills needed to oversee the
shift and the team successfully. These lessons, when
applied, will help you achieve higher productivity
earlier in your transition. The Shift Manager Training
Program Guide, your Mentor/Partner, and your
Restaurant Manager and General Manager are great
resources as you begin Shift Manager Development
and unlocking your potential as a Shift Manager.

1 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

How to Begin
This is an exciting journey you’re about to embark on as a new leader on Denny’s management team.
Before you begin, it is essential you start with a plan. You’ll work with your General Manager to determine
a development timeline that works for you and your restaurant.

As you develop into your new role, you’ll use this workbook alongside Denny’s University’s
The Shift Manager Training Program in .

Throughout this experience, you’ll work with your Managers, and always be looking for ways to grow and
develop. As a Shift Manager, you play an important role in Guest relations, Team Member success, and
restaurant success. You will spend a significant amount of your time with other hourly Team Members who,
with your new responsibilities, will be looking to you as a role model and an example of what “good” looks
like. When you step up to that challenge, you will begin to see your success in your ability to inspire and
motivate the team to achieve success.

The Shift Manager Training Program e-Lessons in Ignite and this workbook will compliment the experience
and mentorship you leader will provide through this entire experience.

UNIVERSITY

SHIFT
MANAGER
TRAINING
PROGRAM

TRANSITION
from peer to leader

FOCUS
on the Guest experience

OPERATE
a successful shift

The Shift Manager

Workbook
2025 Edition

A learning path to understanding

management challenges and meeting
them head-on with dynamic training
Lessons + Workbook

E-Lessons in Ignite match with

Lessons in your Shift Manager
Training Workbook
 UNIVERSITY

SHIFT
MANAGER
TRAINING
PROGRAM

TRANSITION
from peer to leader

FOCUS
on the Guest experience

OPERATE
a successful shift

The Shift Manager

Workbook
2025 Edition

A learning path to understanding

management challenges and meeting
them head-on with dynamic training
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
MODULE ONE
ORIENTATION
Shift Manager Training Program Overview 7
Ignite e-Lessons + Shift Manager Workbook 8
Leading A Denny’s Culture 9
Your Role in Food Safety 14
Introduction to Effective Shift Management 15

MODULE TWO
EXCELLING AS A FIRST-TIME LEADER
Great First Impressions 20
Starting Strong 22
Change Isn’t Easy 24
Introduction to Key Systems, Tools, and Processes 25

MODULE THREE
LEADING A DELIGHT &
MAKE IT RIGHT CULTURE
What Our Guests’ Want 36
Building Loyalty Through Relationships 39

MODULE FOUR
OPERATING A DENNY’S WAY SHIFT
Living The Denny’s Way 50
Plan, Organize, and Direct 51
Coach and Monitor 54
Review and Recover 58

MODULE FIVE
THE EFFECTIVE SHIFT
MANAGEMENT CYCLE
Prepare Your Shift 65
Run Your Shift 67
Finish Your Shift 68

5 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM: MODULE ONE
ORIENTATION
The Orientation module is the first module in the Shift Manager Development Program. This module is
designed to help familiarize you with various aspects of the program, and the resources and support
available to navigate the program successfully.

Congratulations! Your hard work and efforts have paid off—your

Leaders have recognized you as someone capable of taking on a
leadership role. As you jump into this new role, you may find yourself
overwhelmed with the balance between your new responsibilities
and leading a shift. Most experienced Managers know that becoming
a good Manager of people takes time, practice, and commitment.
Moving from an hourly role, where you were only responsible for
managing yourself, to a position of overseeing other people is a
significant transition in your career. However, with the right focus,
training, and application on your part, you will succeed.

During this development module, you will complete all lessons:

6 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE ONE ORIENTATION
Lesson
SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING
PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Lesson Overview
The Shift Manager Training Program is designed to be simple to implement while targeting what matters the
most. Before you dive-in to the program, ensure you take some time to understand the prerequisites, program
outline, program resources available, and how to leverage support from your Mentor, Restaurant Manager
and General Manager to make the most of the program.

Prerequisites
Check the box once you’ve completed the foundational knowledge in other areas of the restaurant.

All Team Member Training: Host, Server, Cook, Server Assistant

Complete the STAR Trainer Program in

ServSafe Certified

Program Outline
01 ORIENTATION
02 EXCELLING AS A FIRST-TIME LEADER
03 LEADING A DELIGHT AND MAKE IT RIGHT CULTURE
04 OPERATING A DENNY’S WAY SHIFT
05 INTRODUCTION TO EFFECTIVE SHIFT MANAGEMENT

7 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE ONE ORIENTATION
Lesson
IGNITE E-LESSONS +
SHIFT MANAGER WORKBOOK

Lesson Overview
The Shift Manager Training Program is designed to direct you through the program. This easy-to-use
format will lead you through select activities as you learn critical business and professional development
topics. You will experience multiple types of learning from the self-paced study, Ignite lessons, Mentor
Moments, and Shift Activities.

SUBJECT

SME MATTER

EXPERT
SELF REFLECTION

N TO R
ME

M LEARNING WITH
O M ENTS
YOUR LEADER

T A L L TO G
GI E
IN
TH
LL
PU

ER

SHIFT
ACTIVITY

RESOURCES

8 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE ONE ORIENTATION
Lesson

LEADING A DENNY’S CULTURE

Lesson Overview
Creating the best work environment starts with you. You must act responsibly and ethically in everything
you do. Our firm commitment to our Purpose has driven success as America’s Diner and will guide us into
the future. Our daily actions in the restaurant are defined further through our Operational Tenets.

Our Purpose
We Love To Feed People – Body, Mind, and Soul.

Standards of Service
We Regardless of our past experiences, our bias, or our perceptions, the Denny’s family will come together to
build a culture of inclusion for our Guests and for each other through our Standards of Service:

01 Everyone is welcome to dine at Denny’s.

02 Everyone is treated like our Favorite Guest.
03 Everyone is shown kindness and respect.

When we participate in new experiences there is often a lot of learning that can take place.
Research shows that reflection has positive impact on an individual’s ability to apply what
they have learned.
SELF REFLECTION

How do you incorporate the Denny’s core purpose in your everyday work?

As you transition into a Shift Manager role, what will you do differently now that you are managing a team?

9 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 SECTION ONE Consider the following scenarios. Reflect on your learning and write your
responses to each question.

LEARNING WITH
YOUR LEADER
SECTION TWO Ask your Manager to share his/her thoughts on the following questions.
Ensure you understand his/her expectations of you as a Shift Manager.

SECTION ONE SECTION TWO

Scenario 1: You find yourself in a situation where How will they approach this situation? What specific
one of your team members, Jon, is not abiding by feedback do they provide?
the ‘Standards of Service’.
As a Shift Manager, how will you approach
this scenario?

What specific feedback will you provide to Jon?

Scenario 2: You have a new team member, Cathy, How do they train new members on these rules and
who does not know the ‘Standards of Service’. ensure they are implemented?
As a Shift Manager, how will you help Cathy learn
the rules?

How will you ensure Cathy implements the rules?

Scenario 3: Your team member, Ben, has always set How do they recognize the team and set an
a great example by embodying the ‘Standards of example for others?
Service’.
As a Shift Manager, how will you recognize this
positive behavior?

How will you ensure your team is inspired to follow

Ben’s footsteps?

10 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

Operational Tenets
To ensure our restaurant environment thrives, we have core Operational Tenets that drive our culture within
the four walls. These key Operational Tenets represent the DNA that will support Denny’s approach to how
we operate, train, develop, and motivate our employees, and, most importantly, delight our Guests. They will
enable us to focus on what we can do as a team to ensure our restaurants’ success, as well as meet and
exceed the Guest experience.

Breakthrough Leadership was

created on the foundation that there’s a Leader in all of us.
As part of your role as a Shift Manager, you’re also responsible
for your team’s development.
You need to foster an environment that cultivates personal
growth and empowers every Team Member to lead.

To consistently operate great restaurants, we must define how we maintain our restaurants, prepare our food,
and treat our Guests.
This is where we rely on The Denny’s Way, which includes six key areas critical to our ability to deliver
outstanding food and service to every Guest, every shift, every day.

11 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E For this exercise, you need to identify and partner with three people—preferably with each filling a
different role in the restaurant. For each of the six key areas of The Denny’s Way, find out what

TH
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SHIFT it means to them and how they ensure they consistently get it right. For the “Build Great Teams”
ACTIVITY
and “Drive for Results” areas, you will need to partner with a peer or a Manager.

KEY AREA PARTNER 1 PARTNER 2

To effectively incorporate any learning, you need to reflect on how it applies to your work.

SELF REFLECTION

1. Do you see the same message across the board? If so, what were the common themes?

2. How can you support your team in living The Denny’s Way?

12 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 At Denny’s, people are the heartbeat of our restaurant. We believe our Team Members
are the best in the business, and we make it a point to recognize them for it.

When good gets noticed, good becomes great!

As a Shift Manager, your role includes creating a work environment where people feel valued and appreciated.
By providing timely recognition and positive feedback for good behavior, you are motivating your team to do
better every day.

Consider a Scenario
You’ve been having a rough day. A Team Member called in sick, and you picked up their shift. You
worked through your scheduled morning shift and stayed through the swing shift to support your team.
You had your hands full but managed to complete both shifts efficiently with great results. At the end of
the day, your Manager approaches you and shares how appreciative they are of all your hard work. They
round up the team and tells everyone what a great job you’ve done to support the team.

To effectively incorporate any learning, you need to reflect on how it applies to your work.

After completing the activity above, take some time to reflect on what you have learnt and
answer the following questions.
LEARNING WITH
YOUR LEADER

What advice can you give to a First Leader when it comes to Sharing the Love?

What are some of the techniques you use to recognize your team?

13 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE ONE ORIENTATION
Lesson

YOUR ROLE IN FOOD SAFETY

Lesson Overview
Food safety and food quality are critical to the bottom line and success of our Denny’s brand. Denny’s HACCP
(Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) system depends on educating and training Management and
Team Members in the importance of their role in producing safe/quality products.

Critical Control Point

By consistently using the Critical Control Point Log, we emphasize and reinforce our commitment to serving
only the highest quality products.

Hot food holding between 160°F and 180°F. Cold food holding at 40°F or below.

The texture of the product is a good indicator of its quality.

If a product doesn’t look right, there could be an issue.

Check clock labels for expired product.

Spot check taste food product.

Take corrective action.

14 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE ONE ORIENTATION
Lesson
INTRODUCTION TO EFFECTIVE
SHIFT MANAGEMENT

Lesson Overview
Effective shift management is key to running a great restaurant. Throughout your Shift Manager Development,
you will learn many tools are needed to run an effective shift such as a walkthrough checklists and the hourly
travel path. Understanding how to use all these tools together will help you manage your shift effectively.

Run Your Shift

Coach
Monitor
Part 1
As you watch the video of the Effective Shift Management Cycle, check off when you see the
hift

Plan
Finish

following happen:
Review
our S

Organize Recover
Direct
eY

Yo
ar

ur

Sh
ep ift
Pr

 Leading The Denny’s Way  Monitors shift and Team Member performance
 Focused on Food Safety  Visits Tables
 Plan, Organize, Directs  Reviews shift results
 Provides feedback  Shares the Love
 Review KPIs  Utilizing Key Systems, Tools, and Processes
 Coaches throughout the shift  Results focused

IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E
Part 2
TH
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PU

ER

SHIFT During your next shift, observe how another manager leads through the Effective Shift
ACTIVITY Management Cycle. What was similar about what your saw in the video versus the shift,
what was different?

15 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

ORIENTATION
NEXT STEPS

CONGRATULATIONS!
You have reached the end of the Orientation module. Before you move on to the next module, here are a few
steps to ensure your learning is complete.

1. Take the Orientation Quiz

2. Complete your end of module reflection
3. Complete your Orientation Review

REFLECTION
A piece of paper, a pen or pencil, and a few quiet moments can help you find clarity about your learning
experiences. Use this Reflections Worksheet to help you reflect on your learnings in this module and create
plans to apply what you learned.

MY LEARNING EXPERIENCE
What did I learn or experience?

MY REFLECTIONS
What is “my take” on this learning experience? What do I think and feel about it?

16 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

ACTIONS I WILL TAKE
How can I apply what I’ve learned or experienced? What actions can I take?

RESULTS I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH

What results do I want to see or achieve as a result of my actions?

ORIENTATION MODULE REVIEW

Now that you have completed the module, it’s time to check-in with your Restaurant Manager. Discuss your
training progress with your RM and review the activity checklist together to ensure all activities in this module
are completed. You can also use this opportunity to showcase what you learned and how you are applying
your learnings to elevate your restaurant. Specifically, spend time reviewing the following questions.

ORIENTATION ACTIVITIES COMPLETED

• Program Kick-off Meeting with your Restaurant Manager and General Manager

• Standards of Service – Coaching Moment

• The Denny’s Way – Shift Activity

• Your Role in Food Safety – Shift Activity

Discussion

1. How does Denny’s core purpose impact your everyday actions?

17 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

2. What is your role in Breakthrough Leadership?

3. What are two things you will begin doing today to live The Denny’s Way?

4. Who did you recently appreciate and recognize? How did you Share the Love?

5. What role do you play in Food Safety and quality? How will you help the team practice proper food
preparing and handling techniques?

18 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM: MODULE TWO
EXCELLING AS A FIRST-TIME LEADER
This module is designed to help you navigate the challenging transition of becoming a first-time leader.
This module will provide you an understanding of the skills and competencies necessary for the Shift Manager
position. You will also get an introduction from your Restaurant Manager to the key systems and and
processes utilized to run great restaurants.

As you learn about the primary responsibilities of a Shift Manager,

you’ll check-in with your Restaurant Manager and General Manager
to discuss the specifics you need to know when managing your shifts
in your restaurant. You will hear candid advice from Mentors about
how you can influence your Team Members and Guests and start
strong as a first-time Manager.

During this development module, you will complete all lessons:

19 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE TWO EXCELLING AS A FIRST-TIME LEADER
Lesson

GREAT FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Lesson Overview
Reporting to the General Manager and Restaurant Manager, the Shift Manager is responsible for running
the restaurant in the absence of exempt management personnel. Understanding the expectations of your
position is the first step to becoming successful in your role. When you understand the task and duties that
you are expected to perform—the Key Performance Indicators you will be held accountable to managing,
and your responsibilities to the team and the Guest experience—you are better prepared for each shift you
work. This section has an overview of the essential duties of the Shift Manager position.

Your Restaurant Manager and General Manager will help you define the specifics you need
to manage your shift effectively.

LEARNING WITH
YOUR LEADER

Use the checklist below to make sure you cover all key areas with your Manager. Once you have the discussion,
jot down any next steps and action items in the space provided.

 Discuss the position profile with your Manager. Share areas of your current knowledge, strengths, and
development opportunities.
 Discuss the specific expectations your Manager will have for you as a Shift Manager. Your responsibilities
can change based on restaurant-specific needs; learning the details directly from your Leader is the best
way to ensure you are completing the right tasks at the correct times.
 Review the Shift Manager Training Program together. Work with your Manager to plan when your training
will occur over the next few weeks.
 Summarize your responsibilities as you understood them and review the immediate next steps. Now is an
excellent time to set up ongoing one-on-ones with your Manager.

20 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

Professionalism: How Do You Show Up?
As a Shift Manager, how you show up for work matters. It is important that you consider the tone you will set
for the shift, your Team Members, and your Guests.

01 Dress to Impress
02 Do What You Say You Will
03 Set the Example
04 Talk
05 Set the Tone

How Do You Show Up?

N TO R
ME

As you listen to advice from the Mentor Moments video, consider the conversation as it
M
relates to your performance:
O M ENTS

21 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE TWO EXCELLING AS A FIRST-TIME LEADER
Lesson

STARTING STRONG

Lesson Overview
In this section, , you will explore how to get comfortable delegating and overseeing work, to switch your
mindset from “me” to “we” to ensure team success, to help your team learn and grow, and to influence
your team to drive for results.

What Got You Here

N TO R
ME

As you listen to advice from the Mentor Moments video, consider the conversation as it
M
relates to your performance:
O M ENTS

It’s About WE, Not Me!

N TO R
ME

It’s likely you are being trained for this position because you are great at your current position.
M
You worked hard and achieved a certain level of success as a result. Now that you are training
O M ENTS
to be a Shift Leader, you will play multiple roles in achieving success. You will need to help
your team become as successful as you are in your current role, and, at times, you may have
to jump in and get things done.

What to Do: What Not to Do:

22 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 How You Manage Matters
N TO R
ME

As you listen to adviconversation as it relates to your performancece from the Mentor

M
Moments video, consider the:
O M ENTS

Leadership is Ultimately Just Influence

N TO R
ME

As you listen to advice from the Mentor Moments video, consider the conversation as it
M
relates to your performance:
O M ENTS

23 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE TWO EXCELLING AS A FIRST-TIME LEADER
Lesson

CHANGE ISN’T EASY

Lesson Overview
Change is never easy. It takes time to adapt to change. As you transition into this role, you need to realize
that a lot of aspects of your job will now be different. The nature of your work relationships will change, and
you might now be leading a team that was previously your peers. You need to manage a team of different
age groups, some younger, some older than you, each with different skillsets. You need to be comfortable
providing timely feedback and having difficult conversations when required. How effectively you deal with
change will determine how successful you are at your role. The key is to acknowledge the change, plan for
it, and proactively manage it.

Moving from Peer to Boss

N TO R
ME

As you listen to advice from the Mentor Moments video, consider the conversation as it
M
relates to your performance:
O M ENTS

Feedback is a Requirement of the Position

N TO R
ME

As you listen to advice from the Mentor Moments video, consider the conversation as it
M
relates to your performance:
O M ENTS

24 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE TWO EXCELLING AS A FIRST-TIME LEADER
Lesson
INTRODUCTION TO KEY
SYSTEMS, TOOLS, PROCESSES

Lesson Overview
At Denny’s, we use various systems, tools, and processes that help us operate our restaurants effectively and
efficiently. As a Shift Leader, it’s imperative that you understand the importance of these systems and how
they work. In this section, you will look at an introduction to the key systems, tools, and processes.

Walk Through Checklists

The Shiftly, Daily and Weekly Walk Through prepare you and set you up for success during the shift. Capture
your notes here as you learn about these critical processes.

Shiftly Walk Through

Daily Walk Through
Weekly Walk Through

Critical Control Point

By consistently using the Critical Control Point Log, we emphasize and reinforce our commitment to serving
only the highest quality products. Capture your notes here as you learn about these critical processes.

25 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E Now that you have had an opportunity to learn about the key tools, systems, and
processes, it’s time to get a hands-on experience in your restaurant where you can

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SHIFT
practice and apply your learning.
ACTIVITY
For this activity, partner with your Restaurant Manager to learn about executing each
system and process in your restaurant. For the next week, shadow your Restaurant
Manager as much as possible and practice your skills.

Use these two methods to complete each activity:

• Shadow and observe your RM to learn how to execute a system
• Perform the task yourself and get feedback from your RM
Make a note of your learnings, strengths, development opportunities, “aha” moments,
and challenging aspects of each activity using the notes section below.

Activity Activity Details

Day 1 Conduct a Use the Shiftly Walk Through Checklists and complete a Walk Through.
Shiftly Your goal is to:
Walk Through • Learn how to use the checklist
• Complete the checklist for one shift
• Note down any item on the checklist that does not meet our standards
• Coach Team Members on standards
• Recognize a job well done

Day 2 Execute the Use the Critical Control Point Log to execute a temperature check. Your
Critical Control goal is to:
Point Log • Learn how to complete the log
• Complete the log for one shift
• R
 ecord any items not meeting standards, along with the corrective
action taken
• Involve Team Members and take advantage of coachable moments
• Take corrective actions when you see substandard items

Day 3 Complete a Complete a Travel Path with a focus on the seven key areas. Your goal is to:
Travel Path • Observe what is happening by looking and listening
• Give direction and coach to performance standards
• Follow up
• Touch each area of the restaurant

Day 4 Perform the For any shift, observe how the Prep & Pull process works. Your goal is to:
Prep & Pull Pro- • Learn how the process works
cess
• Learn how to complete Prep & Pull sheets
• Learn how to verify if Prep & Pull was completed correctly and on time

26 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 Activity Activity Details

Day 5 Assign Servers Use the Floor Breakdown diagram to assign Servers to tables. Your goal is to:
using Floor
• Learn how to use the Floor Breakdown diagram
Breakdown
• Balance the number of tables per Server with the number of Servers
• Communicate the sections to the Servers
• Learn to adjust for breaks and how to add additional Servers

Day 6 Introduction to Learn about management administrative functions you will perform on a
Management shiftly basis.
Administrative Your goal is to:
Functions • Learn how to complete a cash pull, drawer audit and drawer pull as
part of the cash reconciliation process
• Learn to perform Manager POS functions
• Learn to generate, read and understand implications of the information
on key back office reports for Sales, Labor (Productivity), Speed of
Service and Server Scorecard

Day 7 Review the Learn more about the Pride Review, BPR, and Health Inspection process.
Pride, BPR, and Your goal is to:
Heath Inspection • Review the most recent documents
documents and
checklists • Understand the process and how it works
• Discuss your role in the process
• Make a note of key takeaways

NOTES
Day 1: Conduct a Shiftly Walk Through

Day 2: Execute the Critical Control Point Log

27 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

Day 3: Complete a Travel Path

Day 4: Observe Prep & Pull process

Day 5: Assign Servers using Floor Breakdown

Day 6: Introduction to Management Administrative Functions

Day 7: Review the Pride, BPR, and Health Inspection reports

28 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 The following questions are intended to allow you to reflect on your learning and summarize
your understanding of the tools, systems, and processes. Review your learning with your
Restaurant Manager during your Coachable Moments time.
SELF REFLECTION

1. What is the Denny’s Travel Path? What are the specific areas of the restaurant that are part of the Travel
Path?

2. What is the purpose of the Shiftly Walk Through? How many times a day should it be performed?

3. How does the Prep & Pull process work? What is your role in the process?

4. What is the purpose of the Floor Breakdown and Daily Line-up tools?

5. During a Critical Control Point Log, you validate and document temperatures to ensure high-quality, safe
food is being served. What is the significance of monitoring temperatures throughout the shift and how does it
differ from completing the CCP Log process?

6. What key reports should you review during the course of a shift? Discuss how often you should review each
report and why.

29 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 IT’S TIME TO CHECK-IN WITH YOUR RESTAURANT MANAGER

LEARNING WITH
SECTION ONE Reflect on your learning and write your responses to each question.
YOUR LEADER

SECTION TWO Ask your Manager to share his/her thoughts on the following questions.
Ensure you understand his/her expectations of you as a Shift Manager.

SECTION ONE SECTION TWO

What are the key areas you will focus on during What do they do during the Travel Path to
the Travel Path? How will you take advantage impact an effective shift?
of coachable moments?

What is your goal during a Shiftly Walk Through? What are some best practices they follow
during the Shiftly Walk Through?

What is your role in the Prep and Pull process? How do they ensure the Prep and Pull process
How will you ensure your Team Members are is completed correctly during each shift?
trained on the process?

How will you use the Floor Breakdown and Daily How do they use these tools to assign tasks to
Line-up tools while running a shift? Team Members?

30 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 SECTION ONE SECTION TWO

How will you execute the Critical Control Point How do they execute the Critical Control Point
Log? What corrective action will you take if you Log? How do they provide feedback and help
find a substandard item? Team Members learn?

What do you do when a piece of equipment is How do they handle situations when things
not working, such as a walk-in cooler? don’t work according to plan?

How do you respond if emergency situations

occur that could pose a risk to the food, such
as power failure, interruption of water service,
backed-up drain, etc.?

What are the food safety implications of both

scenarios?

What activities will you be involved in during a What is their role during a Pride Review?
Pride Review?

What’s your role in a BPR or health inspection? What are best practices during a BPR and
health inspection?

31 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

EXCELLING AS A FIRST-TIME LEADER
NEXT STEPS

CONGRATULATIONS!
You have reached the end of the Excelling as a First-Time Leader module. Before you move on to the next
module, here are a few steps to ensure your learning is complete:
1. Take the Excelling as a First-Time Leader Quiz
2. Complete your end of module reflection
3. Complete your Excelling as a First-Time Leader Module Review

REFLECTION
A piece of paper, a pen or pencil, and a few quiet moments can help you find clarity about your learning
experiences. Use this Reflections Worksheet to help you reflect on your learnings in this module and create
plans to apply what you learned.

MY LEARNING EXPERIENCE
What did I learn or experience?

MY REFLECTIONS
What is “my take” on this learning experience? What do I think and feel about it?

ACTIONS I WILL TAKE

How can I apply what I’ve learned or experienced? What actions can I take?

32 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

RESULTS I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH
What results do I want to see or achieve as a result of my actions?

EXCELLING AS A FIRST-TIME LEADER MODULE REVIEW

Now that you have completed the module, it’s time to check-in with your Restaurant Manager. Discuss your
training progress with your RM and review the activity checklist together to ensure all activities in this module
are completed. You can also use this opportunity to showcase what you learned and how you are applying
your learnings to elevateyour restaurant. Specifically, spend time reviewing the following questions.

EXCELLING AS A FIRST-TIME LEADER ACTIVITIES COMPLETED

Connecting with your Leader
Starting Strong Shift Activity
Systems and Processes – Coaching Moment
Systems and Processes – Shift Activity

DISCUSSION

1. Based on your understanding of a Shift Manager’s responsibilities, what areas do you consider as your
strengths and development opportunities?

2. What changes will you implement on how you show up for work? Specify with examples.

3. How will you establish yourself as a strong and approachable Leader?

4. How will you influence the team to achieve specific objectives?

33 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

5. How do you plan to navigate and address changing relationships with your peers?

6. How comfortable are you providing feedback to others? What are some areas you need to practice and develop?

7. D
 iscuss the purpose of each system your RM introduced to you to help run great shifts, i.e., Walk Through,
Travel Path, CCP Log, etc.

34 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM: MODULE THREE
LEADING A DELIGHT & MAKE IT RIGHT CULTURE
In this module, you will learn how a Shift Manager understands and executes on Guests’ expectations, how to
use coachable moments to teach Team Members to execute Delight and Make it Right, how to encourage and
recognize Team Members, and how to provide effective feedback to help the team learn and grow.

As you learn about learn how to support your team and Delight
your Guests during their 45-minute dining experience, you will use
TACT to make things right when Guests have a less-than positive
experience, and how to use the Travel Path and table visits to
engage Guests and exceed expectations.

During this development module, you will complete all lessons:

35 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE THREE LEADING A DELIGHT & MAKE IT RIGHT CULTURE
Lesson

WHAT OUR GUESTS’ WANT

Lesson Overview
Our Guests should be delighted every time they dine with us, and at the heart of these experiences is a
Denny’s Team Member dedicated to Delight and Make It Right. More than a simple slogan, this is a shared
promise that guides the way we take care of our Guests. The Leading a Delight and Make it Right Culture
module is designed to help you understand the role of a Shift Manager in living and leading the Delight
and Make it Right culture.

What a Guest Wants

N TO R
ME

As you listen to advice from the Mentor Moments video, consider the conversation as it
M
relates to your performance:
O M ENTS

36 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E It’s been proven on brain scans over and over again: There is no word we love to hear more
than our own names! For the next five shifts, seek out a Guest and introduce yourself and

TH
LL
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SHIFT then ask their name. During your interaction, ask questions to discover what matters to
ACTIVITY
them. Be prepared to Make It Right when something isn’t. Once you develop the habit,
carry it forward on every shift. Taking the time to engage with the Guest is always a good
investment. Use the space below to document the Guests you met over th course of the
five shifts and what matters most to them.

SHIFT 1

SHIFT 2

SHIFT 3

37 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

Feedback Matters
At Denny’s, we believe that providing feedback empowers and supports others to achieve their best. As a Shift
Manager, you will provide feedback in two situations:

When a task is done correctly, you want to encourage that person to repeat that behavior.
At Denny’s we call that process “Share the Love”.
- or -
When a task is not done correctly, your role is to provide directions and guidance so they
can get it right the next time.

There are three steps in Denny’s feedback model:

01 What = Action or behavior and the topic of the feedback

02 How = The consequences of the behavior or action
03 Why = Creates motivation and awareness of why
improvement is need

IT’S TIME TO CHECK-IN WITH YOUR RESTAURANT MANAGER

As a Shift Manager, providing effective and timely feedback is one of the most
important skills you need to develop. Talking to your Restaurant Manager or mentor
LEARNING WITH
YOUR LEADER on best practices will help you gain insights into how to approach and work on this skill.
How often do they provide feedback to their team?

What are some of the techniques they use to provide feedback?

How do they handle challenging situations that require providing constructive feedback?

What are their expectations from you on providing feedback to your team?

38 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE THREE LEADING A DELIGHT & MAKE IT RIGHT CULTURE
Lesson
BUILDING LOYALTY
THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS

Lesson Overview
When you are building these relationships with your Guests, pay special attention to how you role-model the
desired behaviors. Remember, your team is always watching. Your goal is to build relationships with Guests,
with the intention to delight them and keep them coming back while influencing your team to do the same.

WE HAVE 45 MINUTES TO GET IT RIGHT

IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E Pocket Pennies
TH
LL

Put five pennies in your left pocket. As you notice someone doing something good,
PU

ER

SHIFT
ACTIVITY acknowledge them, and move the penny to your right pocket. Don’t finish the shift
until you have moved all your pennies.

OUR SERVICE RECOVERY MODEL: TACT

39 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E Think about how you, as a Shift Manager can best use the 45 minutes.

TH
LL

Please be specific, for example, what will bring a smile to the Guest’s face when they
PU

ER
SHIFT
ACTIVITY walk in the door? How do I ensure the Guest receives their meal exactly the way they
ordered it?

Write down those ideas for each of the steps below.

Welcome/Beverage/Food Order

Meal Presentation

Guests Enjoy Meal

To effectively incorporate any learning, you need to reflect on how it applies to your work.

SELF REFLECTION

What two things will you now do differently to leverage those 45 minutes?
1.

2.

40 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 IN
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T A L L TO G
E COMPLETING A TRAVEL PATH SHIFT ACTIVITY

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SHIFT This activity contains two parts.
ACTIVITY
Exterior & Curb Appeal
Restrooms • Building Entrance
• Floors/Walls/Toilets • Windows & Window Ledges • Front Entry Way
Part 1: Complete the hourly • Sinks/Mirrors • Lighting/Signage • Foyer
• Changing Stations • Parking Lot • Guest Greeted & Seated
Travel Path during your shift. • Trash • Dumpster/Grease Bin • Floor Breakdown Used
• Soap/Paper Towels/ • Landscaping • Station Rotation
Toilet Paper • Sidewalk, Trash Can • Adequate Change
• Odorless & Ash Trays in Drawer
• Light • Floors, Doors,
Windows & Ledges Clean
• Accurate Wait Quoted
Dining Room
• Friendly
• Guest Ready
• Table Touching
• Floor/Walls
• Temperature
• Music
• Lights FOH
• Tables, Chairs &
Booths BOH
• Windows & Ledges
• Ceilings & Vents

Service Aisle Kitchen

• Floors • Clean & Organized
• Counters • Stocked
Pass-Through
• Trash • Recipe Adherence
• Cook Times Below
• Stocked • Cook Time Coordinated
10 Minutes
• Coffee Procedures • Safe Food Handling
• Prompt Food Delivery
Followed • Clock Labels
• Picture-Perfect Food
• Sanitizer Buckets • 3 Compartment Sink
• Proper Food Temperatures
• Job Aids procedures
• Orders Accurate &
Complete

Part 2: Answer the questions below about completing a Travel Path and Sharing the Love.

1. D
 uring your Travel Path, identify 2-3 pieces of positive feedback you gave to a Team Member. Don’t forget
to move the pennies to your other pocket.

1.

2.

3.

2. Describe how your Team Members reacted to receiving positive feedback.

3. During your Travel Path, identify 2-3 areas of opportunity identified and what feedback you gave to a Team Member.

41 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 It’s time to check-in with your Restaurant Manager and General Manager.
For this Coaching Moments exercise:
• Complete the questions in Section One
LEARNING WITH
YOUR LEADER
• Schedule a 15-minute meeting with your Restaurant Manager and General Manager
• Review and discuss your responses in Section One
• Discuss your manager’s thoughts on the questions in Section Two

Section 1
Consider the last few times you interacted with a dissatisfied Guest. Write your responses to the
following questions.

1. How did you approach the conversation?

2. What did you do or say?

3. Did you trust the Guest? What did you do or say to illustrate your trust and desire to make the
situation, right?

Section 2
Schedule a fifteen-minute conversation with your Restaurant Manager and General Manager to discuss the
role of trust in Guest recovery. In addition to learning your Managers thoughts, ask the following questions.

• How do they approach an unhappy Guest? What do they do/say?

• How do they help others understand the importance of trusting the Guest?
• How do they help team members who struggle with feeling the Guest is “wrong”?

42 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E During the course of your work week, identify a Guest complaint and describe how
you were able to use the TACT process to delight the Guest.

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LL
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SHIFT
ACTIVITY

Problem:

Trust: How I responded

Apologize: Words I used

Correct: How I fixed the issue

Thank you: What I said

It’s time to check-in with your Restaurant Manager and General Manager.

For this Coaching Moments exercise:

LEARNING WITH • Schedule a 15-minute meeting with your Restaurant Manager and General Manager
YOUR LEADER
• Share your notes from the Shift Activity and ask for their feedback
• Discuss your Manager’s thoughts on the following questions
• Understand their expectations from you as a Shift Manager

What was a recent Guest complaint they had to manage?

How did they use TACT to make things right?

What are their expectations from you on how to effectively use TACT?

43 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 GETTING GOOD AT TABLE VISITS
T A L L TO G
GI E
IN

TH
LL
PU

ER
SHIFT For the following activity, you will need to conduct table visits for a week and learn
ACTIVITY 3-5 things about the Guests at one table visit that you couldn’t have known
without talking to them.

Reflecti

Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

Day 5:

44 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 To effectively incorporate any learning, you need to reflect on how it applies to
your work.

SELF REFLECTION

What is different after the week of gathering Guest data?

Have you had any repeat Guests since then? If so, how did you engage with them on their next visit?

Have you identified any areas of opportunity?

How have you engaged Team Members on your findings?

45 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

LEADING A DELIGHT AND MAKE IT RIGHT CULTURE
NEXT STEPS

CONGRATULATIONS!
You have reached the end of the Leading a Delight and Make it Right Culture module.
Before you move on to the next module, here are a few steps to ensure your learning is complete:
1. Take the Leading a Delight and Make it Right Culture Quiz
2. Complete your end of module reflection
3. Complete your Leading a Delight and Make it Right Culture Module Review

REFLECTION
A piece of paper, a pen or pencil, and a few quiet moments can help you find clarity about
your learning experiences. Use this Reflections Worksheet to help you reflect on your learnings
SELF REFLECTION in this module and create plans to apply what you learned.

MY LEARNING EXPERIENCE
What did I learn or experience?

MY REFLECTIONS
What is “my take” on this learning experience? What do I think and feel about it?

ACTIONS I WILL TAKE

How can I apply what I’ve learned or experienced? What actions can I take?

46 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

RESULTS I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH
What results do I want to see or achieve as a result of my actions?

MANAGER REVIEW
Now that you have completed the module, it’s time to check-in with your Restaurant Manager. Discuss your
training progress with your RM and review the activity checklist together to ensure all activities in this module
are completed. You can also use this opportunity to showcase what you learned and how you are applying
your learnings to elevate your restaurant. Specifically, spend time reviewing the following questions.

LEADING A DELIGHT AND MAKE IT RIGHT CULTURE ACTIVITIES COMPLETED

What a Guest Wants – Shift Activity
Share the Wins – Shift Activity
Feedback Matters – Coaching Moment
We have 45 Minutes – Shift Activity
We have 45 Minutes – Coaching Moment
Completing a Travel Path – Shift Activity
It all Starts with Trust – Coaching Moment
TACT – Shift Activity
TACT – Coaching Moment
Table Visits – Shift Activity

DISCUSSION

1. How will you help the team execute Delight and Make it Right? Specify with examples.

2. How will you observe and coach your team during the 45 minutes of the Guest dining experience?

47 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

3. How will you help your team practice the TACT service recovery model? How will you evaluate and provide
feedback?

4. Describe some scenarios where it is important to Share the Wins.

5. What are the key areas of focus during your Travel Path?

6. Script five different conversation starters or questions you would ask during a Table Visit.

48 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM: MODULE FOUR
OPERATING A DENNY’S WAY SHIFT
In this module, you will learn what it takes to live The Denny’s Way, how to plan and organize your shift, and
how individual check-ins help you align with each Team Member. You will also learn how to drive results by
monitoring and observing your team, the importance of training and coaching the team, how to review the
effectiveness of your shift, and finally, how to recover and reset at the end of a shift.

To consistently operate great restaurants, we must define how we

maintain our restaurants, prepare our food, and treat our Guests.
This is where we rely on “The Denny’s Way,” which includes six key
areas critical to our ability to deliver outstanding food and service to
every Guest, every shift, every day.

During this development module, you will complete all lessons:

49 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE FOUR OPERATING A DENNY’S WAY SHIFT
Lesson

LIVING THE DENNY’S WAY

Lesson Overview
Operating The Denny’s Way Shift module is designed to help you understand how to put all the elements
together to lead a great shift, living The Denny’s Way. In doing so, you will delight the Guests and develop the
team and im-prove performance.

What a Guest Wants

N TO R
ME

As you listen to advice from the Mentor Moments video, consider the conversation as it rela-
M
tes to your performance:
O M ENTS

50 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE FOUR OPERATING A DENNY’S WAY SHIFT
Lesson

PLAN, ORGANIZE, DIRECT

Lesson Overview
To be most effective Shift Manager, you must start with a good plan. Proper planning includes organizing
and prioritizing items that are most important. It is your chance to focus the team into directing their
collective energies toward a singular mission: Delighting Guests and creating memorable dining experiences
that exceed expectations.

Executing With Efficiency starts with a great plan. Before you begin to plan
for the shift, you need to gather information.

01 Have a shift debrief with the departing manager

02 Conduct a Shiftly Walk Through
03 Perform the CCP Log
04 Supervise Prep & Pull
05 Check the numbers; daily labor, guest count, etc.

IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E COMPLETING A SHIFTLY WALK THROUGH
TH
LL
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ER

SHIFT The Shiftly Walkthrough prepares you and sets you up for success during the shift. Once you
ACTIVITY have completed the walk through at the beginning of your shift, you can plan, delegate and
follow-up to ensure all shift readiness issues have been addressed.

For this section, you will need to complete the following activities:

Schedule time with your Restaurant Manager to shadow you completing a Shiftly Walk Through. Share your
vision of the operations in preparing for shift readiness. Use the space below to capture notes and discuss
key points with your manager.

51 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

Organize to Deliver The Denny’s Way
01 Assign stations
02 Assign cash drawers
03 Complete Daily Line-Up

IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E COMPLETING A DAILY LINE-UP
TH
LL
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ER

SHIFT Use the form below to practice creating your daily line-up for the shift. Make sure the team
ACTIVITY knows this document contains the basic information they will need to complete their work.
Ensure you continue to post this list in the same place each day; you want to make sure your
team knows where to find it.

D ai l y L i ne -Up and F ocu s A re as

Day Shift

Name Shift Time Station Side-work Deep Cleaning Break

Michelle Bell 9AM-2PM 2 Salad Bar Clean Salad Bar Gaskets

The Daily Line-Up.

Schedule a 10-minute meeting with your Restaurant Manager to review the daily line-up.
Ask if there are any other activities you should incorporate. Talk to your Restaurant Manager
LEARNING WITH about your successes and challenges with completing, communicating, or using this tool.
YOUR LEADER

52 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

Organize to Deliver The Denny’s Way
01 Pump-Up Meetings
02 Updating the Restaurant Success Center

The Restaurant Success Center has information that is updated periodically throughout the week and is a great
place to start sharing new information with the team.

IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E COMMUNICATING FOR SUCCESS
TH
LL
PU

ER

SHIFT Since Team members arrive at different times throughout the day, some restaurants have
ACTIVITY a prominently displayed Daily Line Up Board for front-of-house and back-of-house Team
Members’ daily assignments and any relevant updates. Create a sample Daily Line Up
Board similar to the graphic below and discuss with your Restaurant Manager to see if your
format would work for your restaurant.

53 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE FOUR OPERATING A DENNY’S WAY SHIFT
Lesson

COACH AND MONITOR

Lesson Overview
There is one simple truth about leading a successful shift – you can’t do it by yourself. The best Shift Managers
are present, observe, ask questions, and listen during the their shift. The ability to train and coach are critical
to successfully lead a shift. You may find opportunities throughout a shift where training is required to address
a knowledge or skill gap.

Executing With Efficiency starts with a great plan. Before you begin to plan
for the shift, you need to gather information.

IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E MONITORING TICKET TIME
TH
LL
PU

ER

SHIFT We focused a bunch on the Guests desired experience in Module 3, in Leading a Delight &
ACTIVITY Make It Right Culture. It’s easy to think that Delight & Make it Right is all about serving the
Guest. That’s not the case. Delighting the Guest ensures we execute at a high level in all
aspects of our operations, from having a clean and inviting restaurant to delicious, hot
meals prepared in a timely manner.

Part 1: Monitor ticket times from the kitchen closely for five shifts. Note below positive things that drove
consistent execution or root causes that resulted in lower than desired ticket times and/or bottlenecks in the
workflow in the kitchen.

Shift 1: Date/Time: Average Ticket Times:

Shift 2: Date/Time: Average Ticket Times:

54 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

Shift 3: Date/Time: Average Ticket Times:

Shift 4: Date/Time: Average Ticket Times:

Shift 5: Date/Time: Average Ticket Times:

Part 2: Answer the following questions about your experience monitoring the kitchen ticket times:

1. What actions or behaviors did you observe that contributed to consistently achieving ticket times?

2. What actions or behaviors did you observe that contributed to failing to achieve ticket times or cause bottlenecks?

3. Discuss how higher ticket times may have been prevented by proper execution of a system/process.

4. D
 id you observe shifts where ticket times either improved or got higher over the course of the shift? What
changed to cause the change in performance?

55 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

5. W
 hat types of questions did you ask during the monitoring and observation periods? Did the answers to
the questions give you the insights you needed to understand what was driving times?

6. Based on your observations, discuss one thing you will do to improve ticket times on a shift.

MONITORING RESULTS
Schedule a quick 10-minute meeting with your Restaurant Manager. Your goal is to learn
LEARNING WITH
directly from them what results you should be monitoring during your shift. Share the
YOUR LEADER
results of your Shift Activity and discuss your next steps to aid in consistent execution. One
great way to find out is with a really simple question: what will you look at to know the
shift was a success? Note anything they share below. If you are not comfortable finding
any of the metrics they mention, ask them to teach you how to find the results.

56 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 Train and coach for effective execution.

IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E
PROVIDING EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK
TH
LL
PU

ER

SHIFT As we mentioned earlier in this program, providing feedback is critical for your success.
ACTIVITY Schedule a 20-minute meeting with your Restaurant Manager, a peer, or mentor. During
the meeting, they will play the part of the Team Member in the scenarios below (read the
scenario to them). You will provide feedback based on Denny’s feedback model.

1. Y
 ou witness a Team Member going above and beyond to ensure a frustrated Guest receives the best service
possible. He delivered timely service, caught a mistake on his plate and had it corrected before serving it,
and made sure he had refills. He successfully delighted the Guest and created a Guest for life.

What would you say to the Team Member?

2. W
 hen a Team Member returns from break, the restaurant is slammed. She rushes through the hand-washing
procedures so she can return to the cook’s line quickly.

What would you say to the Team Member?

3. A
 t the end of the shift, you notice a Team Member failed to complete her side work before leaving. She
will return to work tomorrow at 2pm.

What would you say to the Team Member?

57 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE FOUR OPERATING A DENNY’S WAY SHIFT
Lesson

REVIEW AND RECOVER

Lesson Overview
You started your shift with a plan, you organized and communicated goals, you monitored throughout
the shift. Now it is time to review your results and recover the shift to transition to the next manager
on duty (MOD)..

IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E
REVIEWING YOUR RESULTS
Use the form below to review the effectiveness of your shift. Once you have completed the form,
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LL
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SHIFT
ACTIVITY
schedule a 10-minute meeting with your Restaurant Manager and General Manager. Review
your thoughts and solicit his/her input.

What were the big goals for the shift?

Did you achieve the goals? If not, which goals were not met? What prevented you from achieving the goals ?

What three things went well?

Identify three Team Members that did a great job. Recognize them!

Did you complete all to-do items? If not, what’s left? Why did these items not get completed?

58 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

What could you have done different for better results?

What do you need to share with the incoming manager for the next shift?

Do you have any reminders/updates for your Manager?

Metrics: Document your shift results in the spaces provided below.

Net Sales:

GCA:

Discounts:

Promos:

Voids:

Walk-Outs:

BADA:

Average Table Turn Time:

Cook Time Min < 10 minutes Achieved:

Window Time < 1 minute Achieved:

Ticket Time, 11 minutes Achieved:

59 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E Complete a Recovery and Identify Commonly Forgotten Items.

TH
LL

For this activity, lead a shift recovery and identify commonly forgotten items.
PU

ER
SHIFT
ACTIVITY

Shift Forgotten Item Notes

RECOVER RESULTS
Schedule a quick 10-minute meeting with your Restaurant Manager. Share your list and
notes and discuss ideas for avoiding missed tasks in the future. Ask questions such as,
LEARNING WITH
YOUR LEADER “Does a Team member need additional training to complete a task?” or “What can
I do to motivate my Team Members better?”

60 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

OPERATING THE DENNY’S WAY SHIFT
NEXT STEPS

CONGRATULATIONS!
You have reached the end of the Operating The Denny’s Way shift module. Here are a few steps to ensure your
learning is complete:
1. Take the Operating The Denny’s Way Shift Quiz
2. Complete your end of module reflection
3. Complete your Operating The Denny’s Way Shift Module Review

REFLECTION
A piece of paper, a pen or pencil, and a few quiet moments can help you find clarity about your
learning experiences. Use this Reflections Worksheet to help you reflect on your learnings in this
SELF REFLECTION module and create plans to apply what you learned.

MY LEARNING EXPERIENCE
What did I learn or experience?

MY REFLECTIONS
What is “my take” on this learning experience? What do I think and feel about it?

ACTIONS I WILL TAKE

How can I apply what I’ve learned or experienced? What actions can I take?

61 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

RESULTS I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH
What results do I want to see or achieve as a result of my actions?

MANAGER REVIEW
Now that you have completed the module, it’s time to check-in with your Restaurant Manager. Discuss your
training progress with your RM and review the activity checklist together to ensure all activities in this module
are completed. You can also use this opportunity to showcase what you learned and how you are applying
your learnings to elevate your restaurant. Specifically, spend time reviewing the following questions.

OPERATING THE DENNY’S WAY SHIFT ACTIVITIES COMPLETED

Complete a Shift Walk Through – Shift Activity
Complete a Daily Line-Up – Shift Activity
Communicate for Success – Shift Activity
Monitoring Results – Shift Activity
Teaching Others – Shift Activity
Providing Effective Feedback – Shift Activity
Reviewing Your Results – Shift Activity
Complete a Reset – Shift Activity
Reset Results – Coaching Moment

DISCUSSION
1. How will you help the team live The Denny’s Way? Specify with examples.

2. What are the most challenging aspects of planning for a shift? How will you address those challenges?

62 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

3. What impact do you see from the check-ins with Team Members using the Daily Line-Up?

4. If your Team Members come in at different times, how will you communicate with them to ensure
a successful shift?

5. How will you train and coach your team on The Denny’s Way?

6. Why is the recover process a critical aspect of running great restaurants?

7. How have you adjusted your shift plans based on your review of shift results?

63 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM: MODULE FIVE
THE EFFECTIVE SHIFT MANAGEMENT CYCLE
In this module, you will watch an animated video of the Manager of Duty (MOD) Prepare, Run, and Recover
their shift. You will be challenged to identify what components were missing from the Effective Shift Manager
Cycle. You will see firsthand what happens to the shift when we don’t effectively use the tools and manage by
leading The Denny’s Way.

As you’ve seen, effective shift management is key to running a great

restaurant. Throughout your Shift Manager development, you have
learned many tools are needed to run an effective shift such as
walkthrough checklists and the hourly travel path. Understanding
how to use all these tools together will help you manage your shift
effectively.

During this development module, you will complete all lessons:

64 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE FIVE THE EFFECTIVE SHIFT MANAGEMENT CYCLE
Lesson

PREPARE YOUR SHIFT

Lesson Overview
Regardless of which shift you will be managing, it is important you carefully prepare for it. The basic elements
in this phase are planning, organizing and directing. To be most effective Shift Manager, you must start with
a good plan. Proper planning includes organizing and prioritizing items that are most important. It is your
chance to focus the team into directing their collective energies toward a singular mission: Delighting Guests
and creating memorable dining experiences that exceed expectations.

DURING THE PREPARE YOUR SHIFT PHASE;

YOU SHOULD COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING TASKS EACH SHIFT

 Debrief previous shift with departing manager

 Complete Daily Line-Up and assignments
 Review key metrics
 Daily and Shiftly Walk Through Checklists
 Food Safety Temperature Checklist
 Check Ignite Communication for messages
 Update Restaurant Success Center
 Conduct Pump-Up Meeting and provide assignments
 Supervise Prep & Pull
 Create a Daily To-Do List

As you watch the video of the Effective Shift Management Cycle, jot down notes about the shift as it unfolds.
What would you do differently?

65 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

Lesson Overview
During your next shift, Prepare Your Shift by filling out the Daily To-Do List. As a Shift Manager, you want
to get in the habit of doing this every shift.

66 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE FIVE THE EFFECTIVE SHIFT MANAGEMENT CYCLE
Lesson

RUN YOUR SHIFT

Lesson Overview
In the first phase of the Effective Shift Management Cycle, you invested time to prepare for your shift and now
you are ready to run the shift. The basic elements involved are monitoring and coaching.

DURING THE RUN YOUR SHIFT PHASE;

YOU SHOULD COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING TASKS EACH SHIFT

 Travel Path each hour (see Pocket Operations Guide)

 Observe and coach, as needed
 Table Visits
 T.A.C.T when needed
 Assist, as needed (remembering you should be the last in and
first out when things level out)

As you watch the video of the Effective Shift Management Cycle, jot down notes about the shift as it unfolds.
What would you do differently?

67 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 MODULE FIVE THE EFFECTIVE SHIFT MANAGEMENT CYCLE
Lesson

FINISH YOUR SHIFT

Lesson Overview
As you approach the end of your shift, you need to start reviewing the shift and preparing to transition to the
next Manager. The basic elements of this phase are calledreview and recover.

DURING THE FINISH YOUR SHIFT PHASE;

YOU SHOULD COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING TASKS EACH SHIFT

 Daily Shift Review for wins and opportunities

 Recover shift for next manager
 Follow-Up on completion of assigned responsibilities
 End of Day procedures, if applicable

As you watch the video of the Effective Shift Management Cycle, jot down notes about the shift as it unfolds.
What would you do differently?

68 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 IN
GI
T A L L TO G
E During your next shift, Finish Your Shift by filling out the Daily Shift Review Form. As a Shift
Manager, you want to get in the habit of doing this every shift.

TH
LL
PU

ER
SHIFT
ACTIVITY

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PREPARING FOR YOUR VALIDATION PROCESS
NEXT STEPS

CONGRATULATIONS!
You have completed the Shift Manager Training Program, but your development is not over! These next steps
will reinforce key learnings from the program and help you assess your strengths and areas of opportunity for
ongoing development.

NEXT STEPS
Here are the next steps to ensure your learning is complete.
• Take the Shift Manager Training Program Final Quiz
• Complete the Shift Management Review with your General Manager
• Complete the Final Program Validation Discussion with your General Manager/Multi-Unit Manager

SHIFT MANAGEMENT REVIEW

The purpose of this process is to confirm that you have an understanding of the skills and competencies
required for a Shift Manager role and are able to apply the skills to manage an effective shift. Your General
Manager will plan the validation that best fits the training schedule and restaurant needs.

FINAL VALIDATION DISCUSSION

Your General Manager will conduct a Shift Management Review for your final validation. After the
review is completed, you will meet with him/her to review their observations. You should identify areas
of opportunity and strengths in your current role. Use this meeting as an opportunity to discuss your
development and career with Denny’s. Discuss any specific goals or objectives that you need to be
working toward and the support you will need from your direct supervisor to be successful.

Use the space below to capture notes, takeaways, and key action items.

NOTES

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 Shift Management Review
OBJECTIVE: To observe, assess, discuss and provide feedback on a leader’s ability to effectively manage and guide a
shift in a Denny’s restaurant.

INSTRUCTIONS: Check “Yes” (Achieves Expectations) or “No” (Needs Improvement). If “No,” include notes undnerneath
each section for review.

Manager Observed: _______________________________ Date: __________________

Reviewer: _______________________________________ Hours: _________________

PASSION FOR CULINARY YES NO

1 Cook/pass through times monitored with immediate corrective action taken as needed.
2 Ensures Cook & Server lines are always stocked and ready for business.
3 Prep & Pull completed corrctly and on time.
4 Identifies and coaches proper recipe execution. Made Right, Tastes Right.
5 Ensures proper coffee program execution (equipment maintenance, temperature, hold times and
clean coffee cups).
6 Understands the application of Pass Through/Expediter execution, knowledge.
7 Coaches food and beverage execution throughout the shift, including current module.
8 Identifies and acts on food outages to minimize guest service disruption.

COMMENTS

OBSESSED WITH HOSPITALITY YES NO

9 Coaches Team Members on proper execution of Delighted to Serve (the five Steps of Service).
10 Observes and coaches staff on Make It Right and T.A.C.T. if something goes wrong with a Guest’s
experience.
11 Visits all tables and enhances the Guest’s experience: introduces self as manager and asks about food
soon after delivery.
12 Identifies and resolves concerns and complaints prior to Guest departure.

COMMENTS

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 Shift Management Review
EXECUTE WITH EFFICIENCY YES NO
13 Effectively guides all transition duties for end-of-shift and peak periods.
14 Fully staffed to meet forecasted need. Staff utilized appropriately throughout the shift. Anticipates and
addresses needs for current and upcoming shifts.
15 Uses the Effective Shift Management Basics to manage the shift.
16 Able to identify and correct service bottlenecks.
17 Ensures that food orders are entered accurately and completely in the POS.
18 Key restaurant areas are organized for maximum efficiency: kitchen, walk-in cooler, freezer, dry
storage, dish area and server aisle.
19 Manager administrative duties completed with no adverse impact to Guest service. Delegates
responsibililty as needed.

COMMENTS

PRIDE FOR ENVIRONMENT YES NO

20 Executes all Walkthrough Checklists and cleaning systems throughout the shift.
21 Exterior maintenance system in use (parking lot, landscaping and dumpster area).
22 Completes Travel Path regularly during shift; coaches and provides feedback.
23 Aware of food safety criticals and takes appropriate action.
24 Team Members are smiling and engaged, interacting with guests and teammates to create an upbeat
environment.
25 Team Members and Managers maintain a professional appearance with uniform compliance.
26 Appealing and welcoming atmosphere. Attention to cleanliness, temperature, music, lighting and
aromas.

COMMENTS

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72 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

 Shift Management Review

Item #
What is the main issue?
See it!
Root Cause for the issue:

Action Plan
Own It!
What can be done immediately?
Solve It!
Assigned to:
Do It!

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73 SHIFT MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM