Our goal here at FLAT® has always been to provide an array of innovative products to help restaurant owners and operators “stabilise their customer experience.” Over the years, we’ve had the good fortune to work with thousands of restaurateurs who are passionate about their guests’ dining memories and resolve issues that have impacted the industry for years—wobbly and misaligned tables.
We’ve had the good fortune to work with thousands of restaurateurs who are passionate about their guests’ dining memories and resolve issues that have impacted the industry for years—wobbly and misaligned tables.
We recently were discussing this issue—and how FLAT solutions can impact a business—with John Switzenberg, Director of Operations at John Wright Restaurant in Wrightsville, PA. The restaurant is part of a reclaimed facility built in 1916 that has been everything from a warehouse to a silk mill. Needless to say, the original builders of the facility were not at all planning for the structure to be used for something as specialised as an upscale dining and events venue.
Here’s what John shared about the challenges at John Wright and how FLAT became a valuable part of their operations.
FLAT: Jim, thanks for meeting with me. Can you tell me a little bit about your history with the John Wright Restaurant?
Jim: Sure! I was brought in about 13 years ago as a consultant to give the restaurant some redirection and industry expertise to help them as they had been struggling. As I worked with the owners and their team, I started to realize what a great space this was and saw the potential the business had. So, the next year I became a partner in the business and started directly contributing to the daily operations.
My background was as a chef, so my first focus was on the food and getting the menu right. I wanted us to create a menu based on what I called “real food.” All our dishes are scratch made in-house and use local ingredients wherever possible. Guests recognize when things are made from scratch, and it provides them with a sense of the care and dedication the staff is providing to every dish.
The John Wright currently has two distinct dining experiences available. One is our beautiful reclaimed formal dining room environment with large picture windows that overlook the small town of Wrightsville, PA, and the Susquehanna River. It’s a very picturesque location and draws a substantial number of local guests as well as tourists.
Our second is a summer, outdoor, wood-fired, pizza restaurant. The outdoor dining room is all antique reclaimed brick patio, which means that there is nothing completely level about it.
Even if we don’t have a scheduled event or banquet on a Saturday, we will still feed over a thousand people. People gravitate to John Wright because of the atmosphere and history of our facility—and because of the reputation our kitchen has cultivated for sure.
FLAT: You said you saw the potential when you became a partner. What is your vision for the business?
Jim: Currently we are maxed out in our dining footprint. The facility is completely at capacity both for seating and our kitchen. However, we have been developing a plan to add a new facility to support a working culinary training facility. One of the things the entire industry is struggling with right now is attracting and retaining qualified staff. Most people who have an interest in the culinary field can’t afford to pay for an expensive culinary degree that takes up so much of their time that it is difficult to work to make a living.
Our facility would allow someone to work and train at the same time. As far as I know, this would be the first school of its kind in our industry.
When I first got the pitch from FLAT, I was pretty skeptical. However, they told me what their product could do and how they’d stand behind it, and they’ve both completely lived up to those promises.
FLAT: Can you tell me a little about the clientele you serve at John Wright?
Jim: Our clients are very diverse from night to night. If it’s trivia night, we’ll have a very “Cheers” bar atmosphere with lots of locals and regulars crowded in and having a great time. On the weekends. it’s definitely more formal, but still eclectic in the kinds of people we host. At Sunday brunch, we might have a group of bikers sitting at a table next to a local pastor and some of this congregation. It’s truly a wide variety of people.
We also have a lot of tourism in the area. The town of Wrightsville has a population of around 3,600 people, but we feed more than that number every single week. It’s really a perfect location.
FLAT: What problems did you experience that attracted you to FLAT?
Jim: Well, as an upscale restaurant located in a reclaimed historical building, we’ve always struggled with unstable tables. I doubt there’s a level section of floor anywhere in our dining rooms! The space was never designed or properly set up as a dining space, so the flooring is beautiful, but horrible for what we are doing. We are also constantly playing “table Tetris” to reconfigure the dining room to accommodate groups of different sizes. So, the tables are constantly being moved around throughout the day. That means there was always a scattered set of wedges or other material littering the floor where we’ve been having to re-level tables and then they get moved.
FLAT: Why does this matter to you?
Jim: As a customer, a wobbly table always drives me nuts. It just frustrates the hell out of me! It also makes me think that the kitchen is probably equally as unconcerned with the quality of the food they’re serving. I find it incredibly embarrassing as an owner and a chef to see my staff having to fix a wobbly table or pick up loose shims throughout the day—or worse to see one of my guests crawling under one of my tables to fix the problem themself.
It also has meant the world to my servers. They thought I was a hero when I first brought FLAT into our dining rooms. It was a game-changer for them.
FLAT: Do you think this matters to your guests and staff?
Jim: Yes, of course it does! It reflects on our cleanliness, our customer service, and our concern for our food. No one wants to serve a dish they’ve spent so much time curating and preparing on a crappy piece of furniture!
It also has meant the world to my servers. They thought I was a hero when I first brought FLAT into our dining rooms. It was a game-changer for them.
it’s been a complete game-changer that I’d invest in every time without question. Our professionalism to clientele went up exponentially thanks to the FLAT products that resolved one of our biggest issues.
FLAT: How has your experience with FLAT products and team been?
Jim: They’ve both been amazing. I’ve been in this industry for a really long time, and I’ve heard a lot of claims from vendors and manufacturers. So, when I first got the pitch from FLAT, I was pretty skeptical. However, they told me what their product could do and how they’d stand behind it, and they’ve both completely lived up to those promises.
The FLAT team has been shockingly good and generous with their service. That’s why I continue to use them and why I can’t imagine using any other table manufacturer in our restaurants.
FLAT: Can you quantify the savings you’ve experienced by using FLAT® Table Bases?
Jim: I don’t know if I could put an exact dollar amount on it, but perceptually as an owner, it’s been a complete game-changer that I’d invest in every time without question. Our professionalism to clientele went up exponentially thanks to the FLAT products that resolved one of our biggest issues. Everything is now in line with my expectations for a great dining experience and looks the way it’s supposed to—even in a challenging facility like ours. As an owner and operator, I’m confident the FLAT products have influenced the success we’ve enjoyed over the past 8 years.
FLAT: Any other benefits to your business or customers?
Jim: One thing I would add is that I have several servers that have been with John Wright for the entire 8 years I’ve been using FLAT products—and I don’t think that’s a coincidence. I’ve heard from several of them how much the change meant to them. I think it shows them that I’ll invest in their bottom line as much as my businesses. In today’s environment, that’s a huge dividend for a relatively small investment.
Thanks to Jim for sharing his experience with FLAT. The stories our clients share is a constant affirmation that what we are doing makes a huge difference for so many within our industry. It also gives us focus to continue to innovate and provide new technologies to put a permanent end to the painful frustration wobbly and misaligned tables create for owners and their guests. If you have a story to share, let us know!
If you’d like to learn more about our products or schedule a demonstration with a member of our team, we’d love to hear from you!
