Magic
How a Colorado restaurant uses the art of service to elevate their dining experience above a simple meal.
Last night, Katie and I celebrated three years together.
To mark the occasion, we wanted to do something special. Our choice was Frasca, a modern Italian restaurant in Boulder. Having lived here our entire lives, we were well aware of their reputation as one of the premiere eateries in the state (they are the Infatuation’s highest rated restaurant in Colorado).
I (naturally) left work behind schedule, and we were going to be 10 minutes late for our reservation. I called to let them know, and they thanked me. When we arrived the hostess thanked me again for alerting them to our tardiness — the courtesy was small, but demonstrated an attention to detail.
That’s when the night’s service took a turn for the magical.
It turns out that they, too, were running behind. Several tables were just signing checks, and it would be a couple minutes until we could sit. Within seconds, we had complimentary glasses of wine in our hands. They were delivered with a smile, and a thanks for our patience.
Three minutes later, a woman, who I assumed was the evening’s manager, came by with a plate of hors d’oeuvres and two napkins. “A bite while you wait?” She asked.
We were eventually seated, but not before we were asked whether we wished to be seated next to or across from each other — a choice I had never considered important which now highlighted their attention to our evening.
I said we didn’t have a preference, and we were seated next to each other. When we realized that it would make conversation difficult, I asked a nearby waitstaff if we could switch, tacking on “I don’t mean to be high maintenance, but…”. Within seconds, a new chair was brought by, my place-setting was moved, and I was in a new seat.
As I sat down, the waitress jokingly said “so high maintenance.” She took her job seriously, and she kindly chided me for thinking I was getting in her way in my pursuit of a delightful evening.
Have you forgotten Frasca was running behind? We had. But they hadn’t. Expeditiously, a server brought an appetizer to our table as “a token of their gratitude for our patience.”
A minute later, our waitress came by to explain the menu, and quickly became the fourth to offer a quick and courteous apology for the delay.
Have you forgotten Frasca was running behind? We had. But they hadn’t.
Let me explain why this all felt so magical.
First, it was authentic. Never did any one say, “we’re so, so, sorry for running late! We’re horrible people! How will we ever make it up to you?” So many teams believe that good service means visibly showing how much you care, but over-the-top interactions like these often come of as disingenuous and trite.
Additionally, these bombastic reactions make the mistake about you, not your customer. At Frasca, we were thanked for “our” patience, putting us in the power position of the ones doing a favor for them (us! doing a favor for Frasca!).
Second, the entire waitstaff moved as a single organism. To coordinate their multi-faceted response, four (and likely more) people had to know exactly what was going on. The hostess, the manager, the server, and the waitress all were acutely tuned to our situation, and reacted accordingly.
“These bombastic reactions make the mistake about you, not your customer.”
Also peppered throughout the evening were references to the occasion that we were celebrating, including custom-printed menus, a greeting at the door, a mention by the waitress, and Katie’s dessert which came accompanied by a palm frond with frosting script.
Some of these acts were easy and are common “parlor tricks” of upscale dining. But at Frasca, they didn’t feel like tricks; they felt understated, intelligent, and intentional.
“How’s that cursive ‘Happy Anniversary’ palm frond going, Joe?”
To us, it felt like we were the stars of the evening. To put on such a show for us, we must have been the only topic of conversation behind the closed doors of the kitchen. “How many bites into the lamb are they?” “Did they enjoy the amuse-bouche?” “How’s that cursive ‘Happy Anniversary’ palm frond going, Joe?”
But that clearly wasn’t the case: they were successfully delighting every other table with the same well-practiced, authentic art of service.
Third, the staff was attentive without being overbearing. Though there were 15 to 20 men and women working that evening, they appeared and disappeared exactly when they needed to. When a member of the waitstaff arrived to clear the table and realized we were exchanging gifts, he disappeared faster than we could tell him we didn’t mind the interruption.
When I needed to use the restroom at the end of the evening, I had only just looked up quizzically before a waitstaff leaned over and asked, “restroom?” I nodded, he smiled, and pointed me in the right direction. “We get that look a lot,” he said.
And, I haven’t even mentioned that the winemaker whose work they were pouring in the wine flight that evening was going table by table to make conversation with Frasca’s guests — straight from of her direct flight from northern Italy. Not only does Frasca do good work, but they keep good company.
I’d like to think I dine well. I’ve had really good food for much cheaper than the evening, and I’ve also had good food for much more (the entire check, including wine and a hefty tip, came to $250).
But I have never had a meal where I’ve felt so delighted to sign the check while already planning my return.
None of the work that Frasca put into our evening was impossible, and, of course, none of it was actual “magic.” Instead, like skilled illusionists, Frasca’s staff has put in the work, practice, and attention to conjure up magic from a room full of tables, people, and delightful food.
The work they’ve put in is really hard, and that’s why most people don’t do it. It requires a pedantic — near insane — attention to detail. Behind the seamless “organism” of a team working together, there are likely hundreds of best practices, systems, techniques, routines, and contingency plans. These systems and practices are likely developed, iterated on, and adapted to new challenges.
“Like skilled illusionists, Frasca’s staff has put in the work, practice, and attention to conjure up magic from a room full of tables, people, and delightful food.”
It’s not enough to “want” to provide exceptional service; it’s a practice that requires time, attention, strategy, and money.
At Pana, the company where I am CEO, we’re working to reinvent service in the travel industry. It is challenging — consumer expectations are at an all-time high, and and the travel industry is pervasive with consumer mistrust.
We’re learning, and growing, and definitely not close to Frasca’s executional excellence. But, we’re working on it, and every day we get closer. And experiences like last night continue to reaffirm the worthiness of our pursuit, because when we get it right, it can be pure magic.
—
About Pana: Pana gives you a personal team of travel experts that’s only a text away. We’re your local guide, personal concierge, (21st century) travel agent, industry insider, and travel emergency lifeline.
To learn more and try a month free, download our iPhone app or check out our website.
—
About the author: Devon is co-founder and CEO at Pana. Previously, Devon developed and designed Flipboard for iOS and served as a mobile lead at Everlater, a travel technology startup (acquired by MapQuest in 2013). He graduated with a Computer Science degree at CU-Boulder. He is a recipient of multiple awards and fellowships.
—
About Frasca: Frasca is a restaurant in Boulder, Colorado serving refined Northern Italian plates based on locally sourced ingredients paired with top-shelf wines. The eatery was a semi-finalist for best restaurant in this year’s James Beard Foundation national awards and won the foundation’s award for best wine program in 2013. Owner Bobby Stuckey gave a TEDxBoulder talk on “Being a hospitalian” in 2014.
