For example: One reason I said we could increase sales is that repeatedly we suggested putting a menu list further from the order window so people could see and decide what to order before we asked for their order. Management refused to even listen. Often someone would drive up and then spend time reading the menu before deciding what to order.
Compare this to my local Dairy Queen, they have two menu displays. One right beside the order intercom and another two car lengths earlier, I often see people when they drive to the order area give their order right away because they know what they want, they already had time to make up their minds.
The fact is, in most places management sucks at their job.
The other aspects to consider are, are the customers willing to pay the extra marginal cost for the marginal increase in utility, and will objectively, will the cream of the crop stick around for these jobs?
It’s pretty well opined that customer service/retail/restaurant type jobs have the worst quality of life for those working in them. The amount of money needed to offset the quality of life issues at work is simply not possible for most restaurants.
And you would never be able to pay enough to keep them and still sell at the low prices. They will move on to bigger and better things as soon as they can, and the proof is the astronomical turnover in almost the entire mid and low tier restaurant market. There’s a reason it has the widespread reputation of being the least desirable, dead end jobs.
The proof of my statement being true is reality. All the management at retail stores and restaurants and hotels are not stupid, they just know that the market for buyers willing to pay the extra marginal cost required for buying upper tier labor is too small, and that even with the high turnover, most customers are satisfied and unwilling to pay extra to reduce turnover.
It’s similar to how 80% of people’s needs are solved by tools from Harbor Freight rather than festool or snap on or other fancy tool brand.