Houston, Now We've Really Got a Problem!: Part II

Our server walked up to our table and sat down the entrees.  "Here you go, guys," she said, and walked away.  There are a couple of things wrong with this picture.  For one thing, we needed ketchup for our potatoes, for another, our drinks were empty.  So, without further ado, here come mistakes #s 5 and 6.  Lord have mercy.

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#5:  Never drop plates without asking the guests if there's anything else that they need.
Nothing is more frustrating to a customer than receiving their food without being able to eat it immediately.  It's like a mountaineer reaching a false summit - just when you think you've gotten there, you find out that the march goes on.  


#6:  Don't neglect to assess your tables.
Be aware.  Look for the obvious.  Refill drinks and pre-bus plates before being asked.  It's about being procative, not reactive.


Dismayed, but hungry, my friend and I decided to tuck into our dishes even with the absence of fresh drink or condiment.  We had both ordered the same thing; an eggs benedict with the house's "special green chili hollandaise".  At last!  Too bad it was lukewarm and none-too special.  So, let's review mistakes # 8 and 9.


#7:  Don't serve hot food cold and cold food hot...capeche?
Any chef or server should know that plates need to go out blazing.  It's been years since I've had any feelings in my fingers - mainly because the nerve endings have been deadened by zillions of boiling-lava hot plates.   Likewise, nothing is sadder than a warm salad.  Well, maybe there are a few sadder things - orphans, clowns crying on the inside - you get my drift.  Use heatlamps, use coolers, mainly though, utilize timing!  Mistempered food makes customers angry and bunnies cry.


#8:  Use accurate descriptors on your menu.
Ensure that you put your money where your mouth is.  If the menu states that a dish comes topped with "special green chili hollandaise", or anything signature, it better pack a punch.  Trying to find green chili in our sauce was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.  Desciptors need to accurately convey the components in all menu items.
At this point, my friend and I were discussing what else could possibly go wrong.  That's a problem.  When guests start actively looking for more issues, they will find them - guaranteed.  I wish I could write that nothing else did go wrong, and that things ended up peachy keen.  Unfortunately, that was not the case.


After finishing about half of our meals, my friend finally stood up from the table and walked toward the computer terminal where our server was talking to another employee.  "Can we get some more juice?"
"The manager just went to the store to get some more," she replied.  Mistake  #9 seems pretty obvious, but my old days of Cub Scoutery insist I say it:


#9:  Always be prepared.
Ordering a glass of orange juice in a breakfast joint shouldn't be like ordering a rack of bunny at a vegan restaurant.  Sell out of specials if you have to, but don't run out of the basics.


Given the risk of this segment becoming a tirade, however, I will summarize.

Overly critical or not, my experience at the restaurant was far from being all that it could be.  The real takeaway is that all of these mistakes could have been avoided with proper training and hiring.  
If you would like to learn about proven education methods that will help your restaurant circumvent these kinds of pitfalls, contact me at petegentzler@yahoo.com for a free, personalized consultation.  
Thanks again for taking the time to visit!