Knife's Edge - Restaurant Rants & Raves

Owning Up, Part 2

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1My original post seems to  have touched off some feelings and perhaps some misunderstanding about what makes me uncomfortable about on-line review sites. So, up front let me say, I have no problem with people expressing their opinions. My only problem is when people express their opinions in a dishonest or disingenuous way. What set off my original rant was a post written about someone else's restaurant. Yes, the person also posted annoying things about mine, but that didn't get to me in the way his other post did, because in his other post he "hoped" the owners would read the post and then do something about the problems. That's where I get mad.

In the comments Marie makes excellent points. However, all the things she suggests, I do, and more. I'm on the floor 5 nights a week. It was better when the GM was here, so that at least one of us was here 6 nights a week, but The Sardine is keeping her busy. But, when I'm on the floor I try to make it a point to visit with each and every table. I don't always make it, especially on the insanely busy nights, but I get pretty close. And I'm really trying to solicit opinions. Someone tells me the food is fine, I know I've failed and I ask, "How could it be great?" I buy food for people, I give them desserts, glasses of wine and do what I can to help them have a good time.

All our employees have the authority to do what they think needs to be done to make someone happy. We are going to make mistakes, I tell them. It's how we recover from those mistakes that make the difference. Also, when they're dealing with a situation they've had to finesse in some way, they know to tell me about it. Not so I can second guess their judgment, but so I can be aware, and if needed, add to the resolution.

When the check is presented, there's a comment card along with it that asks for some contact information, let's them know we'll be sending them special offers and asks the question, "What one thing could we improve?" We figured everyone could come up with at least one improvement, and if we got and implemented great ideas, we'd be constantly improving. Unfortunately the space is sometimes left blank, or often, we're told we don't need improvement, which is a nice ego boost, but really isn't helping me. I personally answer all cards with relevant comments, both positive and negative

On the check itself, at the bottom, by the total, where people should notice it, it says, "Thank you. If you had a great time, tell your friends. If you didn't, tell us." with our names so people know who to contact. I try to thank everyone on their way out, offer suggestions on where they might dine tomorrow if they're from out of the area, and once again try to solicit feedback.

What I can't do is make people be honest. Even with all the opportunities for feedback, there are people who would rather post some craven crap on-line, than to just be honest about their experience. I don't say things behind people's back that I don't say to their face. That doesn't mean I'm always nice.

Here's an example of how I think things should work. Last night we had a couple in who have visited us a time or two before. The gentleman ordered a hanger steak and was unhappy with it because he found it tough. He asked me if that was representative of a hanger steak or if there was something wrong with his. I told him the hanger is a chewier, flavorful cut, and so, what he had was representative of a hanger. He said he'd be happy to pay for it, he just wouldn't order one in the future. I took it off the bill. He also told me he had asked the waiter which was the tenderest steak, was told the filet mignon, but he ordered the hanger anyway.

When he left I said goodbye and he told me I didn't have to take the steak off the bill. I replied, "It's true, I didn't have to. But when you inquired about a tender steak the waiter should have known better than to sell you a hanger steak, so we didn't do our job." He left happy, I was happy. It could have gone a very different way.

I'll disagree with Marie that the internet is just a larger water cooler. I used to think that myself. The difference is obviously one of scale, but also one of interest. The water cooler isn't necessarily focused on one area, or topic, or hobby, but sites on the internet are. And yes, people who are very interested in a particular subject might hang around a forum long enough to distinguish the nut jobs from people with valid opinions but a lot of people don't fit that description. Particularly when discussing restaurants, hotels, travel destinations, etc. Many people are just checking a site to find out about an area, what to do, where to go, where to eat. They're not there long enough to sort the good opinions from the bad.

The other thing is bad is far more injurious than good is good. Years ago, the GM and I instituted a personal policy because the few bad interactions we had with customers overshadowed the overwhelmingly great responses we get. We can still tell you details about the negative experiences, years after the customer has come and gone. Those linger, long after the raves fade. The policy was this. The GM would go over every table with me, every night, listing every detail she could about the people, where they were from, what they had to say, all the relevant points of their conversation. It got tedious for her I know, and we eventually stopped the practice, but it turned around the negative tables in our minds. They no longer assumed such importance. Yes, if there were problems to be fixed, that was important. But we realized how many more people we made happy than not.

So please, don't think I want to stifle negative opinions. Yes, I'm a business owner and would prefer positive remarks to negative, but I am emphatically not interested in abridging anyone's First Amendment rights. I still say it's bullshit to post a problem on the internet that you haven't told to anyone who could fix it, but that's merely my opinion. It's also my opinion that this leads to greater societal problems. It's OK to have disagreements, it's OK to have opinions, and it's OK to express them. I just ask that we express our opinions personally when we can, rather than broadcasting them. If we are reduced to calling each other names anonymously on the internet, we have taken a step backward as a species.

Owning Up

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1This is another whiny post from a chef/restaurateur about posting reviews on social networking or reviewing sites. I'm leaving aside bloggers because, well, I'm one, and because (most) bloggers are accessible, identifiable and willing to engage in constructive, open dialog. Some "foodie" or social networking sites, however, offer a much greater degree of anonymity, and often, no dialog.

I read a review of my restaurant on one of these that was irksome on so many levels. The post is dripping with passive-aggressiveness (not that that is in short supply around these parts) and really backhanded. The guy lives locally and I read some of his other reviews. On another place, that admittedly has some major service problems, he lambastes them and says in his review he wishes someone there would read the site and do something to change things. Hello, jackass. Go in there, talk with the owner and express yourself like a concerned ex-customer if you really want to fix things.

I know I'm not telling my readers anything they don't already know, but just in case someone is stumbling upon this blog and needs the reminder here goes. When you are evaluating your restaurant experience I want you to make a major assumption. Unless you are at an obviously corporate owned place, please assume that there is a person, group of persons, or family that owns the restaurant and is counting on the place to earn them a living.

Given that assumption, some other assumptions can follow. It is relatively safe to assume that these persons want you to be happy. That these persons want you to return. Often. Even in the most touristy of locales, where the diners may only come once in a lifetime, that owner wants you to be happy. The owner wants you to go home and tell all your friends what a great time you had. Because the owner wants your friends to come and be happy also.

So, if you're not happy, tell the owner. Believe me, the owner wants to know. And believe me, the owner wants to do something about it. Telling the manager is great, telling the server is great, but please, please, please, tell the owner.

With that major assumption in mind, before you post on that "foodie" site, ask yourself, "Have I told the owner about this?" Because if you haven't, you have no business putting things on-line. And you definitely have no business putting things on-line, "hoping" the owner will read the post, take notice and do something about it. Especially in a small town, especially to a restaurant that clearly needs help and clearly isn't computer savvy.

I'll recover. I've got great press, a great crew, great word of mouth and that continues, despite the occasional blowhard who spouts off  before trying to let me make him happy. The other place, the only review is his. And that's going to hurt them.

This applies to any business, people. If there's a problem, resolve it. Don't complain about it to people who can't resolve it like your friends, your mom, or the internet. Tell the owner. The quality of everyone's experience will rise.

Gentlemen

1do not put boogers on the wall of the bathroom. That is both a statement and a command.

Projections

This blogging habit once lost is hard to reacquire. Every day I tell myself to get back on track and every day I get lost reading other's words and looking at other's images. My childhood dream of having every book or magazine I ever wanted is basically a reality. However, I no longer have the hours of childhood. Or rather, I do have the hours of childhood, but they are no longer those of my childhood.

When the Sardine is asleep, the GM and I are getting things around the house straightened up, having quick talks about things that need to be done, discussing work-related stuff and just enjoying a few minutes with each other. Between that and work there has been little time for blogging.

That said, we have slid into my absolute favorite season. Pumpkins to carve (I've got two prime specimens on the front porch, I have high hopes for after dinner), things to braise, projects to tackle. At the restaurant this is also my favorite time of year as the check average goes up and the number of covers goes down. This means I work less to make nearly the same amount of money. Granted, it would be better if the check average would go up and the numbers of covers stay the same, but that's not the way it is around here.

That means it's also time to take on projects around the restaurant that have been sitting. Like repainting the chairs. A year's worth of keys rubbing through pockets and god knows what else have left the chairs looking a little worse for wear, along with the baseboards and trim on the dining room walls. Like learning about the new system we have for entering events on our website and being able to make the events actually look nice, rather than just throwing text up there.

Like working on our beverage list. I've moved Guinness out in favor of a local stout and we're getting a couple of seasonal specialty brews from some other local brewers. I'm debating expanding the wine list. Right now everything (well almost everything) we serve is available by the half-glass, glass or bottle. I have to keep a pretty tight list, we only serve things from our county and have only about 20 offerings. This means there are a lot of wineries in our area I'm not representing, because I just don't have room for all those open bottles. We're getting a new office space and are looking at uses for the old coffin office. We could fit a good amount of wine in there.

When we get comments about the beverages, an expanded wine list is one of the most frequent things people tell us we could improve. I'm not convinced that carrying the extra inventory will do much for us in sales, but there are people who will judge us based on the wine list (some of them are critics, guidebook reviewers or others whose reach is a little further than others). I'm not convinced we won't sell more either, but cash flow in the winter becomes quite important and thousands of dollars tied up in wine that's not moving.....

I also want to seriously work on our non-alcohol offerings. The GM and I don't drink and I'm not a big soda drinker. I'm always on the lookout for good alternatives, that aren't too sweet, look nice in the glass, compliment food, etc. I haven't been too impressed with any of the commercial offerings I've tried. I've had Dry Soda, Fizzy Lizzy, GUS, and they're OK, but not spectacular. I'd like to have a bunch of house-made mixes that we add filtered sparkling water to, but I just haven't had much success selling them. Perhaps because they've been run as specials instead of being printed on the beverage menu. Perhaps because my clientèle would prefer Coca-Cola to a house-made walnut soda.

It's also time to work on the PR. Our 10 year anniversary will be here before we know it and I'm hoping for an amazing event.