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Do you dine out much?
Hot on the heels of the functions I introduced last year to the hotel I work for, the manager now wants me to turn my attn to turning the restaurant around.
So what makes a great restaurant?

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

For me it's always good service.

Chuckles

yep service, food, ambience, that is what the critics all base reviews upon.

but you think service is the most important?

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

If you have a crappy server the whole experience is bad...The service will make the food seem not as good when the service is bad...

Bad service is slow to get your drink and food order..Servers that get your order wrong...servers that don't check back with you to make sure everything is ok...

I can't stand the restaurant that have one person take your order, one person deliver your food and then the mgr comes by to make sure all is ok..I like to form a bond with my server....

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Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

That's my answer right there, Vicki. We had this conversation just a few days ago and this was what we had decided.

Of course good food is Key..But I like to be pampered and thanked by the manager for coming in...The server should look great, Clothes well pressed ..Hair well groomed and always have a wonderful attitude..Give the employee the freedom to fix problems...Not always have to run back to the manager...That way they will treat it like thier own...Bottom line....inspect what you expect..

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Nick

The food itself is first and foremost.  Good service is also important.  To me there's a fine line between good service and almost TOO MUCH good service.  I for one don't need to be asked every three minutes "can I get you anything else sir?", "more coffee sir", "are we ready for desert yet?" or "how is everything?".  Also if it's a big multi-course dinner and there's not a lot of conversation at the table between diners, don't have long periods of time between courses if you can help it.

Good point Don. I don't consider a waitperson who is constantly nagging me as good service. To me they are just unable to see for themselves that my coffee or tea is still full, etc. A certain amount of attentiveness is necessary. I also hate to be interupted by a waitperson so they can take my order. I will pause at a stopping place to place my order so they don't have to wait.

Of course, food has to taste good and look good. It also has to come out in a timely manner.

Vicki, it might help to know what find of dining your hotel offers so we can stick to that type of response.

Very valid point Sharon

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

at the moment Chuck its fine dining (a la carte). But the decor is dated and to be honest the service staff can be so transient that one never really has control over the level of service.

So I have said to the Hotel Manager that I am not going to go half baked with this. The decor needs to be refreshed and the whole thing changed and relaunched for it to have any credibility.

I went down the promoting new chef etc 15 months ago and while it worked kind of, it still didnt alter peoples perception of it just being a hotel dining room and not an a la carte restaurant.

So this time I want to create ambient surroundings and that illusive X factor that will keep folk returning long after their initial interest has been satisfied. So yeah food, service and ambience are all important...but there is an illusive other thing as well that I want to tap into....how do I do this when I dont know what it is.

All I know is that its the difference between sucess and failure

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

How about charm?

Here's my example. The four of us from DFW went out to eat once at a place that seemed like a chain restaurant. You would expect such an atitude as individuals don't matter, the attitude many chains have. It comes down to the customer too in this case. This place was different. The employees really liked working there so we really enjoyed eating there. I don't know how they did it, but they did. It created a lot of charm.



That might be why the staff took a personal interest in the service and the customer. Each server is the personal guide and not just a server, that's what we got at that one place. The food was really good too.

Somehow they made an environment that the employees respected and enjoyed.

Does this make sense?

of course it makes sense, but how to achieve it?

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Give the waitperson the option to make changes or corrections for the customer as mentioned by Nick.

Also, keep good communication with staff. My employees loved working for me because I listened to them. I often couldn't do what they wanted but I still listened. If you ask the employees what they want, it might be something you can actually give.

I have that relationship with my boss and to a degree yes it makes a difference. Or it did until he said yes to the raise 2 months ago and it still hasnt materialised.
Now I am starting to feel less valued.

Guys I have to head to work for about an hour. Will be back later

 :hug:  :hug:

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

The best waiters/waitresses that I remember; you didn't have to ask for anything.  If your where drinking tea or coffee, they kept watch on your glass or cup and just came by and filled it.  If, you ran out of rolls, they brought more by.  Only when it was obvious that you were through did they come by and ask if you wanted desert or anything else.

Great food and service have to be together.  I can overlook atmosphere as long as I have the other two.

Kelly

My father owned two very popular restaurants in Atlantic City (and formerly a night club).  I suppose his formula was very simple:  use the best quality foods, give them a lot and charge less.  He could stay in business and make a profit because of more return customers who would dine there more often than they would normally because of the value.  I don't know what this has to do with anything, but he never would turn the lights up in the places (although they were scrupulously clean) as he he said it made it more "intimate", which I would have to agree with.

for me, and I eat out a lot, and am particular.

#1 GOOD service.
nothing will runing a reswturant faster than bad service.  The food could be 5 star, but if the service is crap, I will never go back.

#1 GREAT food!
Fresh ingredients, I hate pre-package anything, and I can taste it immeadtly.
A cook/chef that  DOSEN'T smoke.  I cook/chef that smokes CAN NOT tell if the food they send out is any good.


#1 A CELAN resturaunt.
Nothing will turn me off faster than a dirty resturaunt.  I have been know to ask to see the kitchen.  A messy kitchen means crap food.

Note:  All of the above are #1, they must all be adresses seperatly, but none is more important than the other.  Fall back on one of them, and the WHOLE is ruined.

Yes, I did work in the food service industry for a few years, and I am very particular.

To me, the answer lies in a combination of several things: service, food, atmosphere, and value. If I go someplace and enjoy a good meal, get great service, enjoy the atmosphere, I might still only go back for certain occassions, but if I think it was a great meal at a great value, I will certainly go back and usually often...especially for a great Chicken Fried Steak! or great Mexican food! Hey! I'm just a cowboy from Texas...that's what I like to eat!--Mike

so what is going to keep you returning? full plates? cheap? what constitutes value?

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Good food for less (i.e., no strain on the purse when feeding the entire family).