How global perspectives shape team culture — and the guest experience
Voices from around the restaurant industry
The culture of your surroundings is inherently connected to the culture you create within your organization.
July 14, 2026
Walk into any restaurant and you'll immediately notice the food, the décor, and the atmosphere. But the most important ingredient isn't listed on the menu. It's culture.
Not the culture of a country — well, at least not at first.
Internally, it's the culture that exists behind the kitchen doors, in the pre-shift meetings, between managers and line cooks, and among every employee who contributes to the guest experience. That inner culture determines whether guests feel genuinely welcomed or simply served.
How do different countries’ cultures impact your team culture that in turn impacts your customer experience? Let’s explore.
Having lived, worked, and traveled in many different countries across three continents, most recently spending time in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Japan, I've come to realize there are really two cultures every hospitality business must understand: the culture of the world around us and the culture we intentionally create within our organization.
What fascinates me is the two are deeply connected.
Every country has its own definition of hospitality and how it’s weighted in their respective culture. In some places, meals are meant to linger for hours. In others, time efficiency is valued above all else. Some cultures communicate directly, while others rely on subtle cues and unspoken understanding. When working in various countries, I’ve experienced cultures where you see employees do whatever’s possible to never say “no, it cannot be done,” while another says, “no, it’s not my job.” Expectations around personal space, volume of voices, tipping, eye contact, conversation, and even silence can differ dramatically. These differences aren't obstacles, but instead, opportunities to broaden our perspective. It was so apparent to me that hospitality is an integral part of the culture across Asia. It is felt from beginning to end, in all aspects from non-verbal communication, delivery of the product and brand promise (whether food, a hotel room, or a service), or problem solving issues that arise which make the customer leave wanting to return, refer, and leave great reviews.
It therefore impacts and is an important part of the financial equation as the direct contribution of hospitality and tourism impacts the country’s GDP. For example, in Japan, it’s about $237 billion (roughly 5.6%) of the GDP. Vietnam's tourism sector accounts for approximately 8.8-9.2% of its GDP with the country experiencing massive post-pandemic recovery; it’s targeted to grow to 14% of GDP by 2030. In Hong Kong (China), tourism is one of the four traditional pillars of the local economy. It contributes about 5% to the GDP based on direct statistics, while total economic impact is estimated even higher by tourism councils.
Travel has taught me that food is one of the world's most universal languages and it crosses all borders and differences. While I do love speaking to locals in their native tongue, I’ve found that breaking bread together unites us regardless. Sharing and experiencing one another’s cultures through food and hospitality is the best. Trying unfamiliar flavors, discovering local ingredients, learning why certain dishes matter, are eaten for certain holidays, and watching families and friends gather around a table all reinforce a simple truth: restaurants are about much more than feeding people. They create human connection.
The same principle applies to our teams.
Restaurants today often employ people from many different backgrounds, languages, and life experiences. Diversity isn't simply about demographics — it's about perspectives. Every employee brings traditions, communication styles, work habits, and stories that can strengthen a team when leaders create an environment built on curiosity and respect. Diversity embraced gives your company a distinct advantage.
This is where company culture becomes the defining factor.
Whether you're operating a single family-owned restaurant, a multi-unit franchise, or a national corporation, your internal culture answers one important question: How do we treat each other?
Mom-and-pop restaurants often create strong family bonds and personal relationships, while larger organizations may rely on systems, consistency, and standardized training. Neither approach is inherently better. What matters is whether employees feel valued, heard, and empowered.
When people feel respected, are shown what respect and trust looks and feels like, they naturally feel happier and extend that happiness and respect to guests.
I've experienced restaurants where employees from different countries help introduce unique authentic flavors, cooking techniques, and cultural traditions that ultimately enrich the menu and create memorable dining experiences. I've also seen teams struggle because language barriers or cultural misunderstandings weren't addressed with empathy and intentional leadership.
The difference wasn't talent.
It was culture.
Hospitality is contagious. The way leaders communicate with managers influences how managers support their teams. The way employees treat one another influences how they greet guests. Every interaction creates a ripple effect.
Guests don’t see the morning meetings, the kitchen conversations, or the coaching that happens before service begins. But they absolutely experience and feel the results.
A smile can't be scripted. Genuine care can't be mandated. Trust can't be faked.
They're all products of culture.
When living and working in Italy, France, Spain, and the UK, it was very interesting to learn the general approach to life in Europe through their attitudes and practices expressed through hospitality. There are career waiters and servers, being paid a living wage who embrace the hospitality value of taking care of their guests. As a way of life, Europeans take mid-day breaks to rest, creating a more balanced lifestyle. In Spain, while they don’t even begin their evenings dining out until 9-10 p.m. at the earliest, restaurants, bars, and clubs are packed at 1 a.m. In Cambodia, it’s known that businesses stop between 12-2 p.m., the hottest time of the day, to eat lunch and nap in hammocks you’ll find around many restaurants. In Vietnam and Japan, you feel like a king and queen when walking into a restaurant or hotel, whether a local dive or a high-end establishment, greeted immediately with genuine smiles and accommodations to make you feel taken care of. The value of the customer is evident, and it’s clear that this hospitality warmth comes from a genuine place within the culture of the country and company. The two are inseparable. A smile can't be scripted. Genuine care can't be mandated. Trust can't be faked. This is a deep part of their culture.
On one visit to Japan, I was with my family and my sister’s family in a very small rural area with one tiny restaurant. Thinking we were being polite by helping keep our young kids quiet through engaging them with a card game at the table as we waited for the food to arrive, we learned upon leaving that we deeply insulted the owner/chef. We were ignorant to their cultural view of respect, and almost celebration of sorts, toward the art of a proprietor/chef’s restaurant. Eating there was his invitation to guests to experience his special space, his food, his home of sorts. Our understanding of pride of hospitality grew from this experience; it’s one we will never forget as we take this lesson forward to apply in other circumstances.
As our industry becomes increasingly global, restaurant leaders have an incredible opportunity to learn from cultures beyond their own. We can embrace new cuisines, celebrate different traditions, encourage multilingual teams, find a common language within your unique company culture, and remain curious about the people we serve and those who serve alongside us.
When we build workplaces where people belong, we create restaurants where guests feel they belong too.
What’s most exciting and energizing to me is when I bring my past international experiences across multiple industry careers with my foundation in the restaurant industry, to every brainstorming session, every problem I help leaders solve. When we are exposed to other people’s culture through their country or continent values, we can think so much broader and appreciate so much more. The world of hospitality just gets bigger and more joyful.
At its core, hospitality has never been just about food.
It's about making another human being feel welcome.
And that experience always starts from the inside.
Send your questions and thoughts to [email protected] for a chance to be featured in a future Ask Jill! article.
AUTHOR BIO
Jill Raff is the globally recognized EX2CX Advisor, working with executive leaders who recognize the paradigm shift: the non-negotiable creation of a more humanized culture prioritizing their people. She helps organizations that recognize their people are their greatest asset but need help creating new systems and procedures to develop the culture resulting in higher retention and greater productivity. Companies experience employee and customer lifetime value using her methodology connecting the employee experience (EX) to the customer experience (CX) — EX2CX.
Jill grew up working with her parents, owner/operators of McDonald's franchises, starting with store No. 150. Her customer service philosophy of Transforming Transactions Into Interactions starting with the employee originated from observing her parent's work and their interactions with legendary founder Ray Kroc. EX and CX is in Jill’s DNA. Based on her diverse background working in multiple industries — and living in 7 countries — Jill developed her Inside-Out Framework based on her “3+1 Recipe” to build a culture creating attraction and retention, often described as “where McDonald’s & Michelin meet.” Contact her at [email protected].
About the Author
Jill Raff
EX2CX Advisor
Jill Raff is the globally recognized EX2CX Advisor, working with executive leaders who recognize the paradigm shift: the non-negotiable creation of a more humanized culture prioritizing their people. She helps organizations that recognize their people are their greatest asset but need help creating new systems and procedures to develop the culture resulting in higher retention and greater productivity. Companies experience employee and customer lifetime value using her methodology connecting the employee experience (EX) to the customer experience (CX) — EX2CX.
Jill grew up working with her parents, owner/operators of McDonald's franchises, starting with store No. 150. Her customer service philosophy of Transforming Transactions Into Interactions starting with the employee originated from observing her parent's work and their interactions with legendary founder Ray Kroc. EX and CX is in Jill’s DNA. Based on her diverse background working in multiple industries — and living in 7 countries — Jill developed her Inside-Out Framework based on her “3+1 Recipe” to build a culture creating attraction and retention, often described as “where McDonald’s & Michelin meet.” Contact her at [email protected].
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