You would think with the economy stuck in neutral and the restaurant industry in parts of the country going in reverse that new restaurants, places that are willing to open in this environment, consider the importance of training. Staff training is not that difficult. That is if you do it. Service, or lack thereof, remains one of the single biggest issues that diners complain about.
What do we as diners expect? Really not that many outrageous things. We expect:
–To be greeted upon our arrival at the Reservation Desk. Not that hard.
–To be seated at a table with silverware and glasses. Do not need the annoying upsell bottles of expensive water or wine bottles. Let us decide our beverages.
–To be served water when requested and water glasses to be refilled without having to tackle a server.
–To be guided through the menu if we have a question. Give us a real answer or check with the chef or someone else. A shrug spells uncertainty or disinterest, hard to know which; maybe both.
–To be presented food in a timely fashion. Actually it should be our food, not that of another table that has anxiously been awaiting some sign of food delivery.
–To be given at least warm food. OK, that one’s a little tricky. My warm may be someone’s hot. NOT hot from the plate having sat under the heat lamp at the counter, but the food itself should be served at least warm to the touch.
–To be served fresh bread. Or, here’s an idea, don’t serve bread if it’s stale. Or better yet, don’t heat stale bread and mask it as hot out of the oven!
–To be served an ample number of fries. If fries accompany a dish, they should number more than 10 skinny ones. This is especially touchy when you dine at a restaurant that pairs meat or seafood with fries or their national selection, frites!
–To be recognized and have the bill taken away in a timely fashion. Once the bill is presented and a credit card is visible, it would be nice if someone collects the bill and processes it without our having to do the “YMCA Dance.”
Simple requests. Keep your restaurant in the planning stages until you can deliver. If you open for business, be ready.
We expect service with a smile.
OK, just service will be a good start in the right direction.
We expect it.
