Name: John M. Martin
Age: 39
Position: Regional Director of Operations for The Capital Grille (oversees The Capital Grilles of Providence, Boston, Chestnut Hill and Washington, D.C.)
Background: Started with company in 1986 as a waiter at Hemenways in downtown Providence. Worked with Ned Grace in 1989, helping to develop The Capital Grille – he served as a managing partner when it opened in July 1990. Also opened The Capital Grille in Boston (1992) and in Washington, D.C. (1995) as a managing partner – returned to Providence as Regional Director of Operations in 1998.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in food service and restaurant management, Johnson & Wale University (1986)
Residence: Providence
Family: Married, two children
JOHN MARTIN: ‘Competition… makes sure that you are executing at the highest level.
Seifert Systems Invests in Energy Efficiency to Strengthen Operations
For manufacturers, energy is more than just another operating expense. It plays a critical role…
Learn More
PBN: You started working as a waiter for Ned Grace at Hemenways back in 1986. What were your aspirations at that time – did you expect to be running a string of upscale restaurants?
MARTIN: I originally got into the business to become a chef. Then I realized that the work was a lot harder, there was no good wine there – I had to get out front. My real passion was wine. I had gone to culinary school and I loved the restaurant industry. It is an energizing business. You are always on the move. That’s what attracted me to it initially.
When I think of the restaurant industry I think of hard work, late nights and long weekends. What balances that out?
That’s all true. But there is a lot of gratification. There is almost instant gratification when you perform at a high level. Being able to build something that works is also exciting. With this Capital Grille, I was here in 1989 before it opened. Not so much at the management level with Ned Grace, but at the ground floor – making decisions on such things as glassware and wine lists. That’s exciting. We built a concept, starting here in Providence. Now we have 11 Capital Grilles – soon to have 15. It’s exciting to have been part of a concept that has led to success in other cities.
What is the ownership of The Capital Grilles?
Rare Hospitality International, based in Atlanta. We have three main concepts. Longhorn Steaks, Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse and The Capital Grille. We also own Hemenways and the Grist Mill in Seekonk. Those were the original pieces from the Ned Grace days.
We hear a lot about the tight job market and the fact that many restaurants and hotels are having a difficult time finding service workers. What has been your experience at The Capital Grille?
Locally, our experience has been good. We have a large staff of originals. We have some folks who have been with us for 10 years. We have less of a problem here. A lot of that is reputation. People know they are going to be treated well, and they are going to make great money. In the newer markets it can be more of a challenge, where people don’t know of your reputation. And here, the colleges help.
Has there been any difference in terms of hiring trends between The Capital Grilles in the different cities?
In Boston and Washington, D.C. – the big markets where we are established – we have an easier time hiring. Kitchen staff is always tough. Whether you are in casual dining or upscale dining, the front of the house is easier because as the employee works up to this level, they make great money and they become easier to retain.
This summer marks the 10th anniversary of The Capital Grille. In the beginning there were plenty of folks who doubted that the Providence market would sustain such an upscale restaurant. Ten years later, do you carry a certain sense of vindication?
Our business is at an all-time high. We have been growing this business consistently every year for 10 years. I have personally had questions, looking at all the development. I wondered where all the people would come from to fill these restaurants. But our business has been up. When we stood out here 10 years ago, we could look 180 degrees and the only thing between us and Boston was the State House. There was nothing there. It’s kind of fun now to look around at all the buildings, the mall…We feel that we have been a piece of the renaissance here. It is interesting to have watched this part of downtown develop.
With the Marriott Courtyard completed, are you beginning to get the sense that all the pieces of this area are in place – that you have been through the worst in terms of the construction and disruption near The Capital Grille?
The only potential now is that the East End of the lot here could still get developed. The hotel (Marriott Courtyard) and all the development on this West End is no surprise. It goes back to 1989 when we signed our lease. On paper, that area was always supposed to become a hotel and in front of us – where Waterplace is – was always supposed to be a park. It just took longer because of the economy. On drawings, the East End is supposed to mirror the West End. But that could be 10 years away. We aren’t too anxious about it – we’ve got bigger fish to fry at this point. If it happens, we’ll work around the development any way we have to. Ultimately, all of this development is good for us and good for the city. As long as we can keep attracting the customer base to the city itself. If you look at Boston, it is so expensive.
Do you get a lot of out-of-state visitors?
We do get a fair amount of business travelers. We get a good portion of folks from southern Massachusetts. There are a lot of folks who come down from this side of (Route)128, who find that it takes as long to get to Providence as it does to get to downtown Boston. More people come this way because of the airport. I used to live in Boston, but we moved down here – partly because I used to travel a fair amount and I would usually end up flying out of T.F. Green.
With the Providence renaissance has come much more restaurant competition, much of it within walking distance of The Capital Grille. Is this good or bad for business?
Competition is good. It makes the area more of a destination for people dining out. And hopefully, competition makes you better. It makes you evaluate what you are doing. It makes sure that you are executing at the highest level. We don’t worry much about external forces. Now, obviously having a hotel built in our parking lot was a pretty traumatic event for us. We flourished during that period even when it was pretty ugly out there and getting here became difficult. We used to have great parking right in front of the restaurant, and you could get right on the highway. Now, you have to sort of circle around and find us. But our guests seem to fight through that – which I see as an example that we do a lot of things real well.
What percentage of your customers are regulars – returnees?
We have a fair amount of regular customers. We have a lot of folks who come to celebrate a birthday, an anniversary. It may not be once a week, because we are at a price point that may be prohibitive for most people to come in once a week – though we do have guests like that. But we do have a lot of guests who come in two or three times a year.
Do you often have to make special accommodations for people – whether it be a business deal that needs to get done or a political dentate of some sort?
That’s a big part of our job – executing those special requests. At this price point, there are high expectations.
What is the average lunch and dinner tab?
There is usually less alcohol served at lunch, so we’re probably between $18 to $22 per person. Dinner – depending on what you drink – would be between $55 and $65 per person. Again, that depends on your taste in alcoholic beverages.
Do the different Capital Grille restaurants learn from one another?
We still use the Providence Capital Grille as a kind of benchmark for the other restaurants, from a service point of view. We look at building a database, attracting guests over and over. We do a lot of our corporate training out of this restaurant. We bring senior managers here. It’s a great tool.
