The Diner’s Manifesto: Define “Exceptional” Customer Service when #eatingout

When it comes to London’s food scene, we — the customer — entitle ourselves to judge the experience. We have the right to praise. We have the right to complain. When it comes to restaurants and pop-up street food, reviews can make-or-break someone starting out. But how often do you really evaluate the customer service?

Being treated well is a big deal. Which would leave a worse taste in your mouth? A bad meal or bad customer service? I’d remember a rude waiter/waitress just as much as a beige plate of over-boiled vegetables. I’m not saying one is exclusively worse than the other. We know what a bad meal tastes like, but how you’re treated is just as much part of the experience.

Here’s a few things that help to define what makes a restaurant team stand out. What are our expectations of the experience? What do they expect from us? For equality’s sake — I’m definitely waiters and waitresses as “wait staff.”

Care.

It’s that easy. Jobs unfairly define us. Sometimes wait staff don’t choose to work in hospitality as their first option. Sometimes they hate it. It’s survival work to them. But we, as diners, still chose to come to this restaurant, over the 1,000s of other ones. Somehow, they can care. They can be grateful and show it. Even a simple smile, using 8 facial muscles will suffice.

Don’t use the “B word”

It’s not easy to go a whole day without saying the b-word. “I’m sorry but..” isn’t always good enough and a really-late-dish or a mistaken-drink is not always the fault of the wait staff. So we expect wait staff to stop making excuses. Don’t just point at the problem. Explain why it can’t be done. Provide an alternative. Solve it.

Knowledge about where to find the answer

No one knows the answer to everything. We’re all human, not Google. But as a representative of a restaurant / company / idea, it’s crucial to know where to go next. Customer service and hospitality = be a map, not a dictionary.

Make a genuine connection

Authenticity is what we all strive for. Brene Brown’s TED talk about vulnerability and being genuine is trending like crazy. Behind the façade of language, tone and method of presentation, every one of us still has a voice. And even wait staff can find ways to creatively make that connection that makes you feel respected and appreciated.

Be efficient AND realistic

No one can do everything at once. Wait staff shouldn’t need to apologise when they can’t. “I’m doing the best I can” SHOULD suffice. It is more genuine.