I hope by now, if you have read some of these posts over the past year, you realize that I have been guilty of just about every infraction I have described. You may think that I come across a bit holier-than-thou when it comes to the whole service and hospitality thing, but I have just…
Category: Consultant
It’s All in How You Handle It
It is never really about the mistake. It is always about how you handle it. Mistakes are going to happen. Restaurants, (if you are lucky) are busy places. So when those mistakes happen, and they will, deal with them properly. I wrote about another inappropriately handled experience a while back: https://tabletalkpdx.com/2013/08/02/ Let me tell you…
What’s the Rule?
I happened to be having a drink after work the other day, and overheard a conversation between the bartender and an employee of the place. “Don’t I get a discount on my food and drinks,” asked the employee? “Not this time,” the bartender responded. The employee, making not much more than minimum wage, left, clearly…
Choosing a Restaurant is Like Choosing a Movie
Whenever we decide to eat out, we go through the usual routine: “What do you feel like eating?” “I don’t know, what do you feel like eating?” “What’s a new place that we haven’t yet tried?” And so on… It is very much like trying to decide on a movie. When you are thinking about…
We Need to Leave in a Bit…
I love it when I put myself into the hands of a seasoned server and they take care of me. Someone who has worked in that particular place for a while, knows what is good and what isn’t, knows what works and what doesn’t. I also love it when customers try to live up to their…
I Love Food
Is there anything in the world better than a wonderful meal expertly prepared and served with care? Ok, I can think of at least one thing that is better, but seriously, that aside, I can’t think of a nicer experience than sharing good food and drink with a loved one. Hard to come by That is definitely…
How to Hit a Curveball
It’s actually not that hard. It starts with a lot of preparation. In the restaurant business, we call that mise en place. https://tabletalkpdx.com/2013/08/11 Every single night in the life of your restaurant, and every single day if you are open for lunch, you will be handed a bucketful of curveballs. The toilet in the women’s…
Don’t Forget, You Still Have Customers
My wife and I walked in to a place the other day, a full hour before they close, still at least half-filled with customers. We had a bit of difficulty getting the attention of the bartender, because he was busy wiping down the liquor bottles. I appreciate the need to do that, it does bring…
Charge What you Can
My wife will never believe that I am publishing this post. I know I have a reputation for complaining about the ridiculous prices that places charge these days–in that sense, I am truly a crabby old man. https://tabletalkpdx.com/2013/04/21/ However, I have seen the light. Somewhat. I have had my frustrations in the past with restaurants…
It’s Hard Being Me
After many years in this business, I have a few rules to live by. It’s a blessing and a curse: I don’t eat out on St. Valentine’s Day The reasons seem somewhat obvious to me, but to those who are not in the business, there is no way to know what you are potentially getting…
Customer Contempt
I never really understood this one. You work in the hospitality business, depend on the generosity of others to make your living, and yet you have nothing but contempt for those you serve. Those who pay your bills. I see it often when I walk in to places. That look on the face. “Oh no,…
Jager and Red Bull?
My wife often has to remind me when we go out that we are not the target market of many of these places. It can be difficult to keep that in mind when I watch someone saddle up to the bar and order something like Jägermeister and Red Bull. With a straight face. Usually I am reminded under the table…
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