And the BIGGEST complaint we have at restaurants is...

Can you guess what the single biggest complaint people have at restaurants is? I'll give you a hint: it's not the food.

What diners grumble about more than anything else, per a recent study, is bad service. And this comes as no surprise, at least not to me.

Bad food -- whether it's soggy fries or a steak that's a tad rare -- is more forgivable in that the waiter or waitress can simply bring you another item. Restaurants get busy, especially on Fridays and Saturday nights. No harm, no foul.

But poor service leaves an indelible impression -- a bitter taste in our mouth. I recently went to an Outback restaurant and had one of the worst dining experiences of my life. The waitress never came around for refills and forgot to bring me ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise for my burger. My friend complained that this soup was cold and he requested that she heat it up for him, to no avail. Needless to say, we asked to speak to the manager, after which we received what we wanted.

Many people get so ticked off after receiving terrible service that they not only turn against the waiter -- but the restaurant itself -- and refuse to go back. And rightly so. We work hard all week. We're not just spending our hard-earned cash on the food, but on the overall experience. If the manager fails to put the customer first, he risks seeing patrons bolt to the competition. It's as simple as that.

On the other hand, those who prioritize their clientele will be rewarded with higher sales, glowing reviews on the internet and through word-of-mouth and, more importantly, loyal customers. Without a loyal following, a restaurant doesn't stand a chance of surviving.

Comments

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it? After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n...

An important note to women about men and attraction

I was raised by my mom, grandma, and two older sisters. Growing up, never did I ever take any interest in the girls at school who tended toward exposing more skin. I always treated them as I would my female family members -- with the utmost courtesy and respect. And anytime I suspected that a male friend or acquaintance of mine adopted a hump-and-dump attitude toward women, I nixed them from my life. I held men who treated women as objects in very low regard, and still do to this day. If women feel empowered to show off their bodies because they love and work hard on their physique, more power to them. In other words, if they're doing it to please THEMSELVES and no one else, good for them. However, those who do it specifically to curry men's favor are making a big mistake. It sends the wrong signals and actually makes it less likely that a man will want to stick around for a committed relationship (if that's what you want as anyway). Granted, if you're not lookin...

How To Understand People

Search This Blog