My GM wanted $850 a quarter for a contest called "Seconds Shaving." I wasn't crazy about the name… but I agreed.

How We Turned Speed Optimization Into a Team Sport

Hospitality

May 20, 2026•2 min read

One of my GMs once requested a budget of $850 per quarter for an optimization contest.

He called it:

Seconds Shaving.

I wasn’t crazy about the name…

but I agreed.

The concept was simple:

Submit an idea that would either:

i. shave seconds off the bar or kitchen

ii. save the company time

iii. eliminate unnecessary steps altogether

The prizes:

1st place — $500

2nd place — $250

3rd place — $100

At first, the ideas trickled in.

Then people saw two things:

1. the prizes were real

2. the winning ideas actually made their jobs easier

That’s when the floodgates opened.

Some ideas were small but had huge compounding gains:

→ streamlining the POS

→ moving tools closer to the point of use

→ reworking garnish prep

→ reducing unnecessary movement during peak hours

Other ideas were bigger:

→ eliminating slow-moving menu items

→ batching popular cocktails

→ redesigning prep systems

→ reworking station layouts

But the real win wasn’t just speed.

It was ownership.

Our team started to see continuous improvement as something they had both a voice in and a responsibility for.

That’s a major cultural shift.

Because most bars and restaurants treat optimization like a management project.

The best operators make it a team sport.

The people closest to the work usually know exactly where the friction lives.

But most businesses never ask.

And when they do ask…

they rarely reward the answers.

The bar and kitchen are always changing.

So we decided we would change with it.

Quarter after quarter.

Second by second.

Because in hospitality, speed is not about rushing.

It’s about removing friction so your team can deliver better hospitality at scale.

Sean Finter

Sean Finter is a Canadian-born entrepreneur, consultant, and speaker renowned for his significant contributions to the hospitality industry. He began his career at the age of 12, working as a dishwasher in a truck stop, where he developed a deep appreciation for the intricacies of the restaurant business. In 1999, Finter founded Barmetrix, a consulting firm specializing in assisting bars and restaurants in enhancing profitability and operational efficiency. Under his leadership, Barmetrix expanded its reach, establishing offices in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, and has collaborated with over 1,000 on-premise accounts. Finter is also the creator of "Napkinomics," a methodology derived from a 20-year study aimed at understanding why some restaurants succeed while others fail. This approach provides tools, guidance, and strategies to help hospitality businesses thrive. As a sought-after speaker, Finter shares his expertise at various industry events, such as the Lisbon Bar Show, where he discusses topics like brand building in the digital age and effective competition strategies for bars and restaurants. Throughout his career, Finter has been dedicated to elevating the standards of the hospitality industry by offering insights into decision-making, growth, marketing, and creating unique guest experiences. His commitment to excellence continues to inspire and guide bar and restaurant owners worldwide.

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