While over 20 years of management experience, including working in the restaurant industry as a teenager and owning a full-service 150-seat restaurant, has helped Geoff Garrity grow his Sarasota, Florida, Island Fin Poké location, there is one significant element that has acted as a driving force behind all his decisions: passion. By Brianna Bohn
While over 20 years of management experience, including working in the restaurant industry as a teenager and owning a full-service 150-seat restaurant, has helped Geoff Garrity grow his Sarasota, Florida, Island Fin Poké location, there is one significant element that has acted as a driving force behind all his decisions: passion.
Garrity, who prides himself on the strong relationships he builds with guests, enjoys helping first-timers navigate the build-your-own menu, which includes rice, delicious protein options, sweet and savory mix-ins, sauces and toppings. “We had a first-time guest a few weeks ago, and we explained our process and helped her build an amazing bowl. She was amazed at all of our choices, was excited to eat her bowl and took it to go. After she left, I told our team that she is the reason why we get up every day and give exceptional service. Ten minutes later, she was back with her bowl and her husband for him to build his own bowl, too,” Garrity explained.
Such engaging interactions come easily to Garrity, who, with his wife, Kris, received the “Hang Ten” award at the Island Fin Poké conference in September for “excellence on social media leading up to their opening and then continuing that through the months [they] have been open.” President and CEO Mark Setterington applauded the Garrity’s efforts, noting that, on the first day of opening, guests felt like they had known the Garritys forever.
If you are curious about Garrity’s natural knack for success, expect a humble response from the franchise owner. “I speak to a lot of potential franchisees and most of my guests daily. I tell them all the same thing: We didn’t reinvent the wheel. We are putting high-quality ingredients that are cut and prepped every day in the right order and giving exceptional guest service. You just need to trust the process and make sure you have an A-plus location,” Garrity shared.
And, thankfully, he and his wife know that they can rely on the support of the Island Fin Poké team to help with other operations and management questions as well. “I really appreciate the help I get from Mark and his team,” Garrity said. “It doesn’t matter what time of the day or night I reach out, I get a response right away.”
For more information about Island Fin Poké’s fast-casual concept, visit islandfinpoke.com/franchise.
– Brianna Bohn