Top Ten Dining Challenges

publication date: Mar 24, 2008

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author/source: Michael Cervin

The old saying, "the devil is in the details," is true of any industry, especially the restaurant business. I first started in the restaurant industry as a busboy/dishwasher. From there I worked as a server for several different restaurants, and also worked as a line cook. Now I'm the restaurant critic for the Santa Barbara News-Press in Santa Barbara, California. In an effort to make the dining scene better, not just in Santa Barbara but everywhere, I recently ran this list of easily fixable, common problems in place of my weekly review. I offer this as an encouragement to owners, managers and staff everywhere. Attention to a few details can make a huge difference.

One: Open Sesame. Restaurants need to open and close their businesses when they say they're going to. I've shown up exactly when some establishments open, only to be told they aren't quite ready yet. But it's lunchtime, I think to myself. Conversely, some restaurants close early because the place is empty leaving last minute diners out in the cold. Define hours and stick to it.

Two: Smell This. Few things can ruin a meal faster than staff cleaning a table next to yours. A few sprays from the squirt bottle and the cleaner falls like mist on your food. Preferably, staff should squirt the cleaner on a rag, and then wipe the table. Additionally, some staff wear too much perfume/cologne. These offensive odors put a damper on a good meal. Drop the additional scents, including cigarettes.

Three: Um, Like, I Dunno. Wait staff should know exactly how dishes are prepared and the ingredients, including daily specials. The refrain of, "I'll ask the chef" is pretty lame. Additionally when customers ask "what's good?" and staff replies, "everything's good," this means your server doesn't eat there, so why should you? Customers sincerely seek advice from knowledgeable staff and expect their staff to be honest with them.

Four: Weeble Wobble Village. An unbalanced table or chair is seriously annoying. Lean on your table and your beverage slides away. Cut a tough piece of meat and it feels like a major temblor. Every manager has an obligation to sit at every table and chair at their restaurant and make certain they are even. No more stuffing sugar packets under the legs!

Five: Keep It To Yourself. Leave you opinions and family problems at home. At one restaurant I recently visited the owner held his crying daughter as he rung up the bill while the mom stood idly by. Just because they're your kids doesn't mean everyone thinks they're cute. At another upscale restaurant, my waitress felt the need to share about her family's medical problems, then she bad-mouthed the restaurant. It's dinnertime, not therapy.

Six: Refills, Where Art Thou? Some people drink copious amounts of tea, coffee or water. When a restaurant offers refills, they had better make certain the refills keep coming. It's everyone's job, from bussers, to wait staff to managers. The team approach always works. To consistently ask for water is embarrassing.

Seven: World Wide What? All restaurant websites should be updated to reflect actual prices and menu items. Many restaurants haven't updated their prices or menus for years. You arrive craving the chicken only to find out it's off the menu, or else it costs more than a feedlot.

Eight: Answer This. It's deplorable to phone a restaurant to find out hours, address and other basics only to have the phone ring and ring. Communication is essential. To not have an outgoing message that gives pertinent information means your customers will go elsewhere.

Nine: Dude, Where's My Check? You have a nice meal, the service has been great, and then, it all falls apart. Why does it take so long to get a check? Managers and staff should never rush anyone, but at the same time, service isn't fully completed until a customer has left the building. Many restaurants seem to feel that once the entree has been delivered, their obligation is done. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Ten: Are You Talking to Me? As a catchall; inattentive servers, bussers and managers will kill an otherwise great experience. If your job is a server, then you'd better be serving, not text messaging your BFF or dreaming about a "real" job. One of the great things about major cities is that the job of a server is taken seriously and it's actually a career, not a means to make extra cash so you can buy an Ipod. Every restaurant needs well-trained and contentious staff to bring respect and grace to their local dining scene.