The restaurant business is one of the most exciting and lucrative in the world, which is just one reason that cities like San Francisco, CA and Portland, ME have more restaurants per capita than anywhere else in the country. Being a restaurateur is tough work, however, and certainly not for the faint of heart. What sometimes goes overlooked by those who are new to the industry is that a working understanding of Spanish can be extremely important in some scenarios. After all, you can’t expect either your customers or employees to all speak perfect English, and Spanish is one of the most commonly spoken languages in America.
Fortunately, dealing with translation issues doesn’t have to be quite as difficult for restaurateurs as many might think. Take the following tips into consideration, each of which can be a big help to your career.
1. Start With Your Staff
Communication in the kitchen (as well as front of house) is the key to any successful restaurant and should never be neglected. If you have Spanish-speaking employees, you’re going to want to devise a method of communicating that will save both time and energy, which can be quite difficult for those whose only language is English. You might want to consider learning key phrases, or perhaps use written communication as a go-to tool. It can take a while to form a good working relationship with anyone regardless of language barrier, so don’t get discouraged.
2. Keep Your Menu Simple
For Spanish-speaking customers, a solid English to Spanish translation is essential to building a menu that is understandable and easy to read. Using excessive wordage or those which are difficult to understand will do you no good in terms of catering to your audience and should thus be avoided entirely if possible. You might want to work with your head chef to determine what the best way to structure your menu might be, and by all means don’t hesitate to take your time — a rushed translation won’t do your restaurant any favors at all.
3. Hire a Translation Agency
The best way to ensure that your translations are accurate (both for employees and customers) is to hire a reputable translation agency. Language translation agencies work with businesses in every industry, providing high-quality translations and ensuring that you aren’t putting your business in jeopardy by printing faulty menus or posting poorly translated documents inside the restaurant. Even if you’re on a tight budget, you’ll get a lot of mileage out of hiring an agency that can help you to reach your goals.
