Dale J. Venturini
President/CEO, RI Hospitality Association
The books are closed, the receipts are tallied, and summer 2011 is now a distant memory. For many of us, this was our busiest summer since the recession began. More people are eating out again, and more people are resuming summer trips which may have been put on hold due to financial hardships. Now, more than ever, its paramount that the hospitality industry puts its best foot forward to reinforce to our guests that they are making the right decision to spend their hard earned money with us.
From my own time as a guest this summer, I was extremely surprised by the service, or lack thereof, that I experienced. On different occasions, I witnessed various faux pas that should never take place in a restaurant. While they weren’t the most egregious errors a server could make, it helped me start to think about some of the common things our staff may do, say, or forget to say, that not only reflects poorly on a particular establishment, but also on the hospitality industry as a whole.
Our work begins the moment someone walks through the entrance. The host or hostess should stop any private conversation and immediately welcome the guest. It may be cliché, but you only have one shot to make a positive first impression. If your guest feels like they have to wait to be welcomed, they will immediately begin to wonder what else they will have to wait for during serve.
Another mistake occurs when a server fails to recite the specials. It can be uncomfortable for the guest to ask what, if anything, is being offered. Even worse, make sure your servers do not speed through the items, or forget to offer the price. The only thing worse than listening to the specials be rattled off at lightning speed is listening to a server struggle to remember the details of each dish. It undermines the entire staff’s culinary authority.
When the time comes to serve the table, make sure you take note of who ordered what before delivering each dish. “So, who had the shrimp?” followed by “And who had the steak?” are not appropriate questions to ask. It only takes a brief moment to mark the position of each meal on a ticket, and the end result will ensure that guests can maintain a conversation without interruption instead of wondering if the next dish to be called out will be theirs.
A common misstep by an overeager server usually comes at the conclusion of the meal. Whether it’s the diner at the corner or the four-star restaurant downtown, the question “Are you still working on that?” has been spoken in every dining room in America. There may not be a problem if your guest has finished, but this simple question may make other diners feel rushed. Along the same lines, be careful not to begin clearing the table if someone is still eating. This can have the same effect.
The one question a server should never, ever ask comes at the end of the meal. “Do you want any change?” Often times, the intentions behind the question are innocent enough. The server is busy and can save an unnecessary trip back to the table, or the server hopes it will prevent one final interruption of the conversation. But, it’s important to remember that a tip is not guaranteed, and asking if the guest would like any change is presumptuous and in bad taste.
