Rant (Customer Service)



Where has all the customer service gone? The food service industry is a hospitality industry this seems to be forgotten by some employees and establishments. I have been eating out a lot lately (maybe writing a food blog has something to do with it) and some service has been amazing and others downright brutal.

I do have varying levels of expectations when I go out. I am trained as a chef/pastry chef. My eyes catch more than most others, because I have had many years of training in that field (from quality of service, timeliness, to sanitation). My varying levels of expectations do change when I'm at a fast food joint verse a buffet verse a fine dining establishment as they should. But customer service and hospitality are basics and they need to be taught and done well.

Today, I stopped at a mid-priced modern bistro in Baltimore for lunch. I had horrible service and requested from the server that the cook come out from the kitchen. The same cook who had cooked my very delicious and well plated meal. I then proceeded to tip the cook right in front of my server. You know the server won't hear the end that for a while. Maybe his service will improve.

I will go to a place with great food and terrible service a few times but I will not go to a place with terrible food and great service more than once. Just remember everything matters in the food service industry and if something bad happens people will tell ten friends (or write a blog about it) if something good happens they only will tell two or three people about their experience unless it was amazing.

So servers, hosts, managers, and owners be nice to your customers, show some hospitality, and the tips and shifts will probably look a little nicer that way.

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