Atwood Cafe

SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

PROPOSAL: OVERVIEW The Atwood Cafe is located in Chicago’s Central Business District. This area also overlaps with the Theater District and State Street Retail Area. Many people stop by to enjoy the colorful dining room featuring contemporary American food. In addition to those that patron the 80 seat, Atwood Cafe, there are those 20 people, that work daily to serve all of these various types of customers.

CAPABILITIES

Not only do the employees of the Atwood continue to serve comforting food and beverages, but the restaurant and its staff offer multiple other services that expand their capabilities and offerings. There are many various roles that fulfill these responsibilities that may be interesting to explore.

1. EVENT PLANNING

The whimsical environment is perfect for hosting quaint events. When scheduled for a cocktail and appetizer event, the intimate floor plan can accommodate 200 people. There is still a feeling of openness; the windows are expansive and capped by the soaring ceilings.

All of this provides a backdrop for special occasions such as birthday parties, graduation celebrations, bridal showers. The staff at the restaurant has the ability to be dynamic and

adaptive to various situations, some of which are very sentimental.

2. PRIVATE DINING

The Atwood Cafe has currently opened a private dining room which is located on the Mezzanine of the Hotel Burnham. This space, referred to as the, Reliance Room is great for professional meetings. The space is equipped with everything needed to conduct a presentation.

Atwood Cafe can accommodate private and semi private events for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. The semi-private area of the dining room can hold up to 25 people for a sit-down dinner or 40 for cocktails and appetizers. As the employees interact with the professional patrons, they attempt to understand the specific needs of these customers. The staff also understands how to deal with varying group sizes.

course menu for theater goers to indulge in before the show. The restaurant encourages the customers to come after the show to finish dessert and coffee. The wait staff has a strong pull towards the arts, and an even more specific focus in theater.

CURRENT OBSTACLES

In addition the Atwood has recently felt some stresses with the construction taking place at Block 37. The restaurant has accommodated the customers with valet parking, but the staff deals with it regularly.

3. PARTNERSHIPS

The restaurant has created a solid network with the local theaters. If you attend the theater you are able to have your parking paid for by the Atwood Cafe. The server is able to validate this parking when you are finished with your meal.

The Atwood has received great reviews from the theater community for welcoming touring theater companies as patrons. In addition to this, the restaurant extends an offer of a three

SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

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JOURNAL1: ENVIRONMENT DATE: 09 APRIL 2008 TIME: 2:15 PM I went to the Atwood Cafe today to feel the space and observe the workings of the restaurant. As soon as I walked up I was greeted by a host, she offered to seat me at a table or at the bar. I chose to sit at the bar. I realized that there was no bar tender there. I started looking around and the host walked behind the bar and asked me what I would like to drink and if I am interested in eating. I said of course, and she handed me a menu and I ordered. Shortly after this, a server came up to me and placed a place setting in front of me and a napkin in my lap.

Eventually the bar tender appeared. Him and I talked briefly. My food came out and I enjoyed every bite. The bar tender cleared my plate. I hung around a while after that just to see what more goes on at the Atwood Cafe.

The space is expansive, the ceilings are tall and the window walls create transparency between the occupants and the hustle and bustle of the city sidewalk. There is a column grid that creates nooks and niches for the patrons to feel a sense of intimacy. However with this limited floor plan, there is also a cap on workspace for employees to hustle between stations or to stand when at ease. The employees primarily loiter

around the host’s stand near the entrance or an area near the service area of the bar. At times employees have reason to be at these stations, like to check reservations within their section, or to receive a beverage from the bar for a customer. Other times, the staff will just hang out in these areas, creating a bottleneck at the entrance of the restaurant and at the entrance to the kitchen.

When the staff crowds around an area, with a specific intention, it usually a machine that draws them to that area. Some of the high uses machines were the fountain spout behind the bar, the espresso machine, the host computer and the telephone. These devices have frequent use by multiple people. All of this technology is located within a ten foot diameter which inconveniently blocks the entrance to the awkward stair that leads down to the bustling kitchen. These machines, their interactions and their placement within the space are vital to the daily operations at Atwood Cafe.

The daily operations vary depending on the time of day. I arrived right after the lunch hour rush. The customers were few, but definitely represented specific user types. There were the business people, tourists and seniors. These groups all had various motivations that pulled them toward dining at the Atwood Cafe. The tourist could be coming in because they are

SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

guests at the Hotel Burnham, or because they were walking buy on State Street. The business people are coming into the Atwood Cafe possibly for its convenient location and quality standards. The seniors patron the Atwood Cafe for possibly some of the same reasons, additionally they may be patrons of the theaters as well.

I watched an interesting interaction between a tourist and the bar tender. The tourist came in and asked the bar tender to tell him about Chicago. The bartender asks him if he wants to hear something cultural and the tourist scoffs in disgust, and says no. So the bartender proceeds recommends some other bars in the area and the tourist finishes his beer and thanks the bar tender and walks out.

AREAS TO EXPLORE: • • • • •

Lunch hour rush Manager’s roles & responsibilities/hierarchy Customer types/Employee Types Employee shifts Floor plan

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OBSERVATION: SPACE DATE: 09 APRIL 2008 TIME: 2:15 PM

ACTIVITIES

INSIGHT: The downtime between rush hours allows for the staff to participate in various activities. Some activities are work oriented, some are not.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Greeting Talking Laughing Seating Ordering Prepping Walking Running Serving Eating Bussing Cleaning Answering Phones Transacting

ENVIRONMENT

INSIGHT: The layout of the restaurant has many columns which create blind spots for tables, along with narrow path ways in high use/traffic areas.

• • • • • • • • •

Host Stand Bar Stairs Sections (5) Quiet Expansive Bright Warm Welcoming

INTERACTIONS INSIGHT: The employees are constantly adapting their conversations and expressions for various customer types, while portraying their real personalities to other employees.

• Employees with Employees • Employees with Customers • Employees with Machines

OBJECTS

INSIGHT: The high use machines are in high traffic areas which creates scarcity of space where it is needed most.

• • • • • • •

Computers Phones Espresso Machine Fountain Spout (Bar) Dishwasher (Bar) Tables Chairs

USERS

INSIGHT: The various customer types remain constant, and the employees are use to the flow, however the manager turnover is high.

• Employees • Manager • Host • Servers (2) • Bar Tender • Busser • Food Runner • Customers • Business People • Travelers • Seniors

* Areas to explore

SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

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SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

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SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

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SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

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JOURNAL 2: DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SERVER STATUS: FULL TIME EMPLOYED: 4 YEARS Female, 26 This server keeps herself busy with various activities. The primary focus of her life right now is completing her thesis for the graduate program which she is set to graduate from in May. She completed her undergraduate education at the School of the Art Institute, where she continues her advanced degree.

She has been at the Atwood Cafe for 4 of the 8 years that she has been in Chicago. She works there full-time and feels confident in her position.

Within the last 6 months she has been spending time at the Chicago Cultural Center doing research as an intern.

Interestingly, she travels the same route, in most circumstances to get to any of her three primary social interactions.

PRIMARY SOCIAL INTERACTIONS • School • Work • Internship

SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

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OBSERVATION: DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SERVER DATE: 15 APRIL 2008 TIME: 2:05 PM

Time: 2:05PM Location: Home Activities • Writing Thesis • Listening to Radio • Browsing the Web People: None

Time: 2:54PM Location: Train Activities • Reading Research • Listening to iPod People: Commuters

Time: 3:35PM

Location: Burnham Hotel Activities • Greeting Valet/Bellboy • Rushing to side entrance • Descending down into locker room People: Pedestrians, Work Associates

SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

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OBSERVATION: DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SERVER DATE: 15 APRIL 2008 TIME: 2:05 PM

Time: 2:05PM Location: Home Activities • Writing Thesis • Listening to Radio • Browsing the Web People: None

ISOLATION

Time: 2:54PM Location: Train Activities • Reading Research • Listening to iPod People: Commuters

Time: 3:35PM

Location: Burnham Hotel Activities • Greeting Valet/Bellboy • Rushing to side entrance • Descending down into locker room People: Pedestrians, Work Associates

SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

INTERACTION

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OBSERVATION: DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SERVER DATE: 15 APRIL 2008 TIME: 2:05 PM

Time: 3:45PM

Location: Locker Room Activities • Changing Clothes • Rushing • Emerging upstairs People: None

Time: 4:00PM

Location: Atwood Cafe Activities • Greeting Staff • Cracking Jokes • Discussing Line up • Clocking in People: Staff

Time: 4:22PM

Location: Table #51 Activities • Discussing the “line up” • Reviewing the “specials” • Folding napkins People: Staff, Managers

SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

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SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

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OBSERVATION: SOCIAL LIFE OF A HOST STAND DATE: 23 APRIL 2008 TIME: 4:07 PM

CUSTOMER approaches the host stand to request a table, thank the host

HOST stands at the host area to greet customers, answers phones, take reservations

SERVERS (2) stays near the host stand to check reservations, access fellow employees information

SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

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OBSERVATION: SOCIAL LIFE OF A HOST STAND DATE: 23 APRIL 2008 TIME: 4:07 PM

MENUS

needed constantly, however the only place that they are located is at the host’s stand and when the host is busy, the servers will seat customers, reaching over the host and grabbing menus

TELEPHONES (2)

used to book reservations, so it is necessary to be located near the computer however there are two phones located right next to each other

POINT OF SALE COMPUTER

accessed when all other POS computers are taken, allows for servers and the host to ring up the patrons and to check the status of orders

HOST DATA COMPUTER

accessed by host to schedule reservations, also referenced by servers when starting shifts

SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

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OBSERVATION: SOCIAL LIFE OF A HOST STAND DATE: 23 APRIL 2008 TIME: 4:07 PM The host stand is located in a place that is easily accessible from all angles of the cafe. Since the host stand has many additional purposes, it becomes a hub for communication. The staff go to the host stand to access information and various channels.

Because of its central location it also becomes a social gathering place for the staff. The host stand can be compared to the “water well” of all communities. Being such a popular destination the stand often becomes an obstruction, bringing more inconvenience then necessary.

MAIN ENTRANCE

EMPLOYEE STAIR

PATIO AREA

SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

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OBSERVATION: ACTIVITY, ACCESSING HOST COMPUTER DATE: 30 APRIL 2008 TIME: 3:32 PM A primary activity that is done at the host stand is checking the reservations for the day. Emerging from the downstairs locker room, servers will check the host data computer. This helps servers understand what to anticipate for that shift. Some of the key questions that servers may look for are: • Who has reservations?

• What are those customers’ names and preferences?

• Am I the right server for this customer?

• How do I locate a server if I want to switch sections?

MAIN ENTRANCE

EMPLOYEE STAIR

SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

This process of checking reservations, schedules and responsibilities is cumbersome and inconvenient.

Many servers may need to check the host data computer simultaneously. In addition to this the host stand already serves as the home for many other objects and functions. All of these additional activities add congestion to the area and make it difficult for servers to get in to the right social mode.

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RECOMMENDATIONS DATE: 07 MAY 2008 TIME: 2:05 PM After observation of the Atwood Cafe and it’s tangential social groups, I have realized many insightful things within the space, with the objects within the space and with other people. The staff is made up of a group of busy, but very fun people. The servers are involved in various other social groups, they are constantly switching their social mode at the beginning of each shift.

When attempting to prep themselves socially for the day, they are distracted by various other activities that are around the host stand.

I would recommend for The Atwood Cafe to invest money in a communication system overhaul for it’s employees. By allowing the servers to have touch points at locations besides the host stand, the Cafe frees up space and labor hours to be more efficient and productive during the servers time at work. In addition to this the, server feels empowered because they are able to prepare themselves adequately before work by: • • • • •

Record and view shift notes for each day Capture phone numbers, email and mailing addresses View customer reservation histories at-a-glance Track special occasions such as guest birthdays and anniversaries Easily enter or modify reservations while viewing guest histories

SOCIAL GROUP OBSERVATION

AMY BATCHU : SOCIAL HUMAN FACTORS : JUDITH GREGORY

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