Vibe Check: How to Shape the Culture Gen Z'ers (and Everyone Else) Want

At Kitchen Eighty-Eight in American Fork, Utah, owner Taylor Christensen isn’t just running a restaurant – he’s building a people-first culture where team members, most of them in their 20s, feel respected, supported and genuinely proud of their work. Even with a slightly higher labor cost, Christensen – who’s in his early 30s himself – says the ROI is clear: happier employees, better food and loyal guests. We asked him how he creates such a positive, fun vibe – for his guests, and behind the scenes.

Q: What do younger team members value most from restaurant leadership today?

A: We recognize that younger employees value meaning, flexibility and real feedback. We’re intentional about offering purpose, not just a paycheck –even though we do pay well. We also understand that they want life balance, so we focus on smart scheduling, tech-forward communication and a team-first mentality where people help each other out. A crew member recently had a family emergency, and everyone pulled together some cash to help without management knowing. This is what happens when employees care about each other and feel like they’re a part of something – not just a cog.

Q: What are some specific strategies you use to keep the lines of communication open?

A: We hold frequent open forum sessions: These are regular team huddles and monthly ‘idea circles’ where all levels can pitch changes, ask questions, bring up issues or even offer menu ideas. We find out a ton of info from these sessions, and we make our laundry list of things that we need to attend to afterward. We also leverage digital tools, which our younger employees love, and even our less tech-savvy employees have enjoyed using.

Q: What’s your management and training structure?

A: Our team has some redundancy – we have 10 shift leaders, even though we only have two shifts daily. We can’t get to every crew member all the time, so we support them through our shift leaders. So, we do a little bit more hands-on work with our shift leaders. We have a Zoom call with them every week – even if it’s short and people are in their pajamas – where we can talk about what’s working well, what’s not, who needs a little more help – even down to what equipment needs servicing.

Q: How do you empower your employees?

A: We believe in ownership through delegation – we give team members ownership over certain parts of the operation, based on their interests. For example, we let anyone participate in social media, and create videos and posts – even though I’ll review everything before posting, our team has come up with some really funny content that our guests love, and it makes all our employees feel like they’re a part of building our brand. They even wear their uniform shirts on the weekend when they’re not working, because they’re proud of where they work.

Q: What does growth and recognition look like for your team?

A: We believe in quick feedback loops: We don’t wait for annual reviews – we give real-time coaching and recognition using our communication platforms. We call it ‘praising publicly and coaching privately.’ When it comes to career mapping, we show our team members how to go from part-time to management – if that’s something they aspire to – and give the steps to get there. At the core of it all is a relationship. The stronger that is, the easier it is to communicate, coach and grow together.

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