On a recent trip, my wife, Penny, and I had dinner at 2 different restaurants with 2 completely different results. We had made our reservations on a national online booking service, and told each one about Penny’s severe lactose intolerance- no dairy whatsoever- on their comments section. We also repeated the information when we arrived at each restaurant.
Both places were in the same price range. The first was an upscale national chain- very corporate, impersonal and LOUD. Even though we let them know about Penny’s situation in advance and also told the server, he still gave her a dipping sauce made with butter. His reaction? “Oh, yeah, right. Sorry about that.” In addition, her food was tough and mine was bland, and we felt rushed to make way for the next customer. Needless to say, the tip was low, since our problems were due to the server’s inattention, and we probably won’t go to one of their other locations. It could be an isolated case, but who needs the aggravation or the lingering bad taste in your mouth? I certainly didn’t savor the justufiable rancor of the woman next to me in the car as we left, but at least it wasn’t directed at me.
The second night was, well, night and day. This time it was a stand alone restaurant, one that has been a neighborhood fixture for years. Sometimes established places can become lax in their attitudes and take things for granted, but not here. When we were seated, the chef came to our table with a menu he had marked with the things Penny couldn’t eat as well as suggestions for substitutions and adjustments to others. He spent a fair amount of time with her going over the options. Wow. We’ve never had that happen before. Good service doesn’t always equate with good food, but in this case, the meals were outstanding, as was our server’s wine recommendation. All in all, it was a memorable evening..>
It’s the same in any business. We all appreciate good service, but, really, good service should be a minimal standard. If a business just goes through the motions and follows its company’s customer service guidelines without going beyond them, is that enough? In order to truly succeed and bring people back, you have to go the extra mile.
Granted, the 2 examples above are at the extremes. The first place violated a fundamental rule of engagement- listen to what your customer is telling you. And if you make a mistake, however minor it seems to you, don’t just shrug it off with “Oh, sorry about that.” Do something to correct the oversight. Our server didn’t have to comp the whole meal, but a sincere apology and offer to correct the problem was definitely in order. His offhand dismissal was inappropriate and decidedly detrimental to his bottom line- his tip.
The second experience was so unexpected that it still resonates with us. It only took a few minutes for the chef to make a few notes on the menu and talk to us about it. Maybe it was a slow night and he had the extra time, but that was only part of it. The server also understood and made doubly sure everything was right. Of course, her tip reflected that as well- only in “up” direction.
The trickle down effect also came into play. Restaurant #1 got a bad review on the reservation web site. Since they’re a national chain, we’ve advised others of our experience. #2 came out smelling like a rose (or a really great steak) both online and by word of mouth.
It’s possible the food wasn’t really as bad at the first place or as good at the second as we thought. Our perception of the food quality was almost certainly affected by our treatment, which is a very important point. Dining out isn’t just about the food, of course, it’s the total experience, and all facets of it affect your degree of satisfaction.
Choosing a restaurant, especially in an unknown city is always difficult. You never know what to expect. I do know that when we visit that particular city again, we’ll have at least one great dining experience to look forward to.
I design and build custom contemporary furniture and accessories at my studio in Lisle, IL, a western suburb of Chicago. You can see my work at my website, http://www.alancarterstudio.com
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