Random Acts of Kindness

I recently facilitated a new CRS course called Making Cents of your P&L to help various levels of restaurant operators (sessions included multi-unit managers, general managers, service managers, bar managers, kitchen managers, and corporate trainers) gain a better understanding of how to zero in and focus on impacting different aspects of the P&L.  We felt confident we had valuable information, tools, and tips to share with the group to really drive sales up and costs down – both ultimately impacting the bottom line in a positive manner.  Attendees confirmed we accomplished our goal with the positive feedback they shared at the conclusion of the sessions.

Aside from the content and tools we shared, the groups did a great job sharing ideas amongst themselves.  Out of all the suggestions discussed, I feel compelled to share the following one as it is one of the best ideas I’ve heard in a long time.

Melanie McSparron from Corner Bakery Cafe told us about the organization’s random acts of kindness.  Now, I don’t know about you, but when I hear “random acts of kindness” I get a warm and fuzzy feeling and after I heard about the program from Melanie, I can only imagine the way the recipients feel.

See, what Corner Bakery Cafés do is on a random day, in a random week, each restaurant chooses their lucky recipients of a random act.  Their act may show up in a surprise delivery to the local fire house to say thank you for keeping the community safe, or delivery of coffee to moms dropping off their children at a daycare center.  There were many more examples shared, but I challenge everyone to think of their own random acts to brighten another’s day.

The beauty of this idea is you never know where their random acts of kindness will show up.  People in the communities where they operate wonder where it will be.  People in the communities talk about when it happens and what a nice surprise it was.  Locals remember Corner Bakery Café when it comes time to decide where to go eat.  Why?  Because they’ve made a difference in the lives of so many people by simply being kind.

Great job and kudos to Melanie and the entire team at Corner Bakery Café!  Keep up the good work!  I’m thinking about moving closer to one of your restaurants so I can experience one of your tremendous random acts of kindness!  Then again, maybe as the recipient of this great idea, I already have.

Morreen Rukin Bayles