“What’s outstanding today may not be tomorrow. “We have a tremendous commitment to develop our people,” Ranney adds. The company’s Talent Development Team – led by Jill Norton, vice-president of human resources, design and construction – develops and implements all the company’s training materials and systems. “We want all of our GARStars to operate at the outstanding `wow’ level,” Ranney says. The grid uses both internal reviews and guest comments to measure progress. To achieve these goals, the company has an internal performance grid to measure performance and offers extensive professional development to employees (GARStars). “We’re taking on three goals – to have best in the biz hospitality, to have outstanding food quality, and (grow) outstanding leaders and managers.” Setting Goals We want to be recognized as world’s best,” Ranney says. “We are fanatically committed to being the world’s best operators of casual restaurants. All of the company’s restaurants are upper-casual concepts. The group owns and operates 10 restaurants: Artie’s, Carlyle, Coastal Flats (two locations), Mike’s “American,” Sweetwater Tavern (three locations), Silverado, and Jackson’s Mighty Fine Food & Lucky Lounge, as well as the bakery Best Buns Bread Co. The company’s eight concepts will be expanded to nine with the addition of Ozzie’s Corner Italian in Fairfax, Va., this fall, Ranney says. The northern Virginia-based restaurant group – which has grown from a single 16-table pizza place to an 11-location regional staple over the last 36 years – is looking to release another blockbuster hit in 2010. “When we open up a new restaurant, it’s like opening up ‘Avatar’ at the movie theaters,” President Mike Ranney says. When Great American Restaurants opens a new location, it’s more than just a grand opening – it’s a major event.
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