The Short Version
Unreasonable Hospitality is full of amazing restaurant stories. But most of us don’t work at the best restaurant in the world. So today, I’m turning Will Guidara’s ideas into seven practical lessons you can use in any job: in an office, a shop, a classroom, a hospital, or a team on Zoom.
Lesson One: Know The Difference
Start by separating service from hospitality. Service is black and white: did the thing get done correctly? Hospitality is color: how did the person feel?
Try this. Write down the three most common interactions you have with customers or colleagues. For each one, ask two questions. Was it correct? And how did it feel? Most teams measure the first and ignore the second.
Lesson Two: Use The Rule Of Ninety Five Five
Guidara’s rule: manage ninety five percent of your business down to the penny, and spend the last five percent “foolishly” on the people you serve.
You don’t need a big budget. Your five percent might be time instead of money: ten minutes a week for personal notes, a small fund for surprise thank yous, or one flexible hour where your team can fix something for a customer without asking permission. Protect the ninety five so you can afford the five.
Lesson Three: Listen For The Hot Dog
The hot dog story worked because Guidara was listening. He overheard four guests say the one thing they hadn’t eaten in New York was a street hot dog, and he acted on it.
In your job, the clues are everywhere. A client mentions a birthday. A colleague says they’re nervous about a presentation. A customer’s kid is bored. Train yourself to notice, and keep a simple list of what you hear. Hospitality starts with paying attention.
Lesson Four: Make Legends A Habit
At Eleven Madison Park, these personal surprises were called Legends, and they became a system, with Dreamweavers whose job was to create them.
You can do a small version. Set a weekly goal, like one Legend per person per week. Keep a shared list of cheap, quick ideas: a handwritten card, a favorite snack, a personalized playlist, a follow-up email that remembers a detail. Then celebrate them in your team meeting, so they spread.
Lesson Five: Treat Your Team Like Guests
Guidara is clear: you can’t expect your team to give guests unreasonable hospitality if you don’t give it to your team first.
That means clear, beautiful communication, like the pre-shift notes he designed himself. It means recognizing people specifically. And it means giving everyone, not just the stars, room to be creative, so their work isn’t only carrying out someone else’s ideas.
Lesson Six: Build On Excellence
Hospitality is the color on top of black and white. If the basics aren’t right, no surprise will save you.
So fix the boring stuff first: response times, accuracy, clear processes. Guidara’s restaurant got onto the World’s 50 Best list by sweating every detail. The Legends worked because the foundation was already excellent.
Lesson Seven: Know Your Nonnegotiables
When things got complicated, Guidara and his team went back to basics with one simple line above the time clock: to be the most delicious and gracious restaurant in the world.
Write your own version. One sentence that says what you’re for. Then use it to cut what doesn’t serve it. It’s easier to be generous when you’re not trying to do everything.
A One Week Plan
Here’s how I’d start. Monday, map your three key interactions. Tuesday, pick your five percent. Wednesday, start a list of what you hear. Thursday, create your first Legend. Friday, recognize someone on your team in a specific way.
Repeat for a month, then share what worked.
Common Mistakes
A few traps to avoid. Spending on gestures while the basics are broken. Making Legends generic, like the same gift for everyone. Burning out your team by expecting magic without giving them time. And forgetting that hospitality is for colleagues too, not just customers.
Your Turn
What’s one small, unreasonable thing you could do for someone this week? Tell me in the comments. My summary and review of the book are linked below.
