A while ago I got the craving for a really great hot turkey sandwich. I immediately thought of a local diner-style restaurant that prides itself on being authentic by making real mashed
potatoes. I figured if I would find a world class hot turkey sandwich anywhere in town, this would surely be the place.
I could already taste the thick slabs of real turkey breast as I ordered ... but when the sandwich arrived, it was made with some sort of shredded turkey-like product! I had never before even seen shredded turkey before.
The waitress came back a few minutes later to inquire about my meal. I told her the hot turkey sandwich was not at all what I expected and I was very disappointed. She said, "Yeah. A lot of people tell us that," and walked away!
BONUS POINTS
Everybody likes pleasant surprises. These little unexpected touches are opportunities to improve your score and put your guests in a better mood.
Remembering what a guest likes
In an ideal world, everyone in a restaurant would always know exactly what I want, how I want it and when I want it. I could just sit quietly and everything would happen effortlessly. Of course, it is not an ideal world, but the goal of always giving people what they want is worth pursuing.
RESTAURANT BASICS Service Stumbles
You can take some significant steps in this direction if it is important enough to you. For example, I have already mentioned that The Rattlesnake Club in Detroit keeps a card on all their regulars that lists everything the restaurant knows about what the guest likes. Each day they review the reservation list and the cards of the diners they expect that evening. How's that for improving your odds?
Knowledgeable suggestions
Selling is not a dirty word if your intent is to help the guest have a more enjoyable experience.
Remember that people do not go out to save money, they go out to have a good time ... and everybody likes to know the “inside scoop” on what’s hot and what’s not.
I tell servers not to worry about selling stuff ... but make a personal recommendation. What do you like? What looks really good tonight? What are you hearing rave reviews about? What is a particularly good deal? Guests will not take you up on every suggestion. Still, you know what the restaurant has to offer. If you know what the guest wants, you can help your patrons find items that will delight them.
Placing the coffee cup handle at 4:00
In standard American service, you place the coffee cup to the right of the diner. With the handle in the 4:00 position, the handle is just where it needs to be for the typical right-handed guest to pick up the cup. It is a small detail, but it shows your awareness of the guest's needs. If you notice the guest is left-handed, imagine their delight if you place the coffee cup on the left with the handle placed at 8:00!
Extra napkins for men with beards or moustaches
Men with facial hair have an additional problem when eating some foods. For example, you may eat an ice cream cone and it is gone ... but if you have a beard, an ice cream cone can last several hours!
Men with facial hair really need two napkins – one for the lap and one for the face. Particularly with a messy item like barbecued ribs, bring an extra napkin and let them know it is for their moustache. Your sensitivity will be so unexpected that they will remember you for a long time!
Anticipating guest needs
There are few touches more impressive than the service staff arriving with just what you want almost before you realize you want it! If you understand the meal process and look at
everything from the guest's perspective, you can more easily anticipate their needs.
Refolding an absent guest's napkin
This is such a small touch but it is so uncommon that it is impressive. When guests leave the table, they usually place their napkin on the table or on the seat of their chair. Just casually pick up the napkin, refold it quietly and place it over the arm of the chair. (By the way, this only works with linen napkins!)
Cafeteria self service
When I took over the foodservice program for the U.S. Olympic Training Centers, I inherited a military-type cafeteria operation. The athletes were being fed but they were not very excited about it.
One of the first changes I made was to turn the spoons around. I made the entire operation self- service, allowing the athletes to make their own selections. They could take as much (or as little) as they wanted. Some very unexpected things happened.
The first result I noticed was that my cost per meal dropped almost 15%. When they could take whatever they wanted, the athletes took less food than we were giving them before.
The most pleasant surprise was the change in the relationship between my staff and the athletes. Freed from their serving duties, my crew's main job was to keep the line replenished and looking attractive. Their conversations with the athletes changed from task-oriented ("do you want peas?") to being more personal. Everybody had a more enjoyable time.
This approach may not work for everyone, but it sure worked for our Olympic athletes!
RESTAURANT BASICS Attitude Errors