In an industry plagued by high turnover and burnout, all three locations of Ray’s Restaurants—Ray’s on the River, Ray’s at Killer Creek and Ray’s in the City—have insulated themselves from the worst impacts by showing appreciation and loyalty to its employees across all three locations. The restaurant group has implemented a merit program that allows team members to accrue points—symbolized by branded poker chips­—that can be cashed in for rewards that include gift cards, concert tickets, rent, or even a three-day cruise.

 Recently, Telesa Weaver, a server and banquet lead at Ray’s in the City, earned enough merits to cover a month’s rent or mortgage payment. She earned her merits through a combination of stellar guest reviews, being an enthusiastic ambassador and training teammates to follow her example.

Another team member to benefit from the merit program is Garrett Shriner, a key employee at Ray’s at Killer Creek. Because of his work to implement a new training program and pursue continuing education opportunities, he has become invaluable to the team after just over a year of employment. After accumulating plenty of guest compliments, he also earned enough merits to cash in for a month’s rent or mortgage payment. 

The merit program was born out of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the early days of the pandemic, Ray’s retained their team members even when they were unable to serve guests, keeping them on the payroll to help with tasks like landscaping, deep cleaning and redoing the training manual. This investment paid off, as they were able to reopen without the staff shortages faced by other establishments.

“We became a place of safety for a lot of our team. We wanted to show our loyalty to them because, without our people, we would be dead in the water,” says Ray’s Restaurants president and COO Faith Vaughan.

Employees earn merits by going above and beyond their job description, picking up extra shifts, being mentioned positively in guest reviews and more. Since the merit program began in January 2023, some team members have exchanged their points for some big-ticket items.

The merit program is the newest way that Ray’s recognizes its staff, but it also rewards longevity and referrals. After milestone work anniversaries of one to 25 years, team members receive awards like gift cards, sporting event or concert tickets, trips to Barnsley Gardens or Disney World accompanied by spending money to use while they are traveling.

“With our gifts, we like to help them create memories with their families rather than just doling over cash,” says Vaughan.

Vaughan sees the restaurant group’s rewards programs not as a drain to the bottom line but as a testament to staff loyalty that pays off in the long run. Because of meaningful demonstrations of loyalty, the average staff tenure is around five years. 

“We look at it as an investment into our employees, not only their wellbeing and happiness but also into their longevity with us as a company,” adds Vaughan.