What makes a great dining evening?
As a waitress I'm always looking for great tips for better ones. What made your most memorable evening out? What, besides great food, inspires you to come back to a restaurant?
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8 Comments:
My faves are the ones who treat me and the other diners at my table as if we're the only people they're waiting on. Of course this can only go so far, but it's the perception of this treatment that really counts. Attention to the details at our table through the entire meal is what makes this work.
But at the same time, having things go the other way once was great as well. My wife and I were freshly married and were at one particular restaurant as the result of a gift certificate. But the server had a problem ... a woman at another table who seemed to think the server was only for her and was literally demanding all of her time. As it was a "we're in love" dinner, Mary didn't notice. I noticed, but for the same reason, didn't mind and didn't bug the server about it. The server did notice, apologized about it once or twice, then at the end of the meal, gave us a gift of some creme brulée to take home! This was three years ago ... not only are the owners of that place some of our closest friends now, we also work with them on occasion and are in there all the time. And our server, Sherry, still brings that night up on occasion as it really ended up bothering her that we didn't get the service she felt we deserved.
LunaPierCook at 5:13AM on 10/11/07
First and foremost, the right companion. I could be served a world class dinner with a complete dolt and not enjoy it; or a big garlicky hot dog with kraut but in great company - and enjoy that more.
Everything else is secondary.
chiff0nade at 11:54AM on 10/11/07
Re: Waitstaff - that's easy. A waitperson who appears to actually listen to my requests always gets my appreciation (both verbal and financial).
I posted this somewhere on this site so if it's repetitious, forgive me. After questioning the waitperson about fish that was fried, making no bones about the fact that I was avoiding fried foods, I ordered fish tacos. They consisted of FRIED fish fillets stuffed into soft tortillas. Did it not occur to this girl that I would not have ordered the fish tacos if I knew they were fried? The fact that the fish was fried did not appear in the menu description of the dish - but she should have gotten the gist of my intentions from the barrage of questions I had about fried fish. I was with a large party - or I would have completely stiffed her.
Shortly thereafter, a more astute waitperson said, "The broccoli usually come steamed but they put butter on it. I will tell the kitchen not to put butter on it, would you prefer olive oil instead?" That simple question resulted in $$$$$ for waitperson.
Recently, I had the pleasure of dining at a world class restaurant called One If By Land Two If By Sea. My BF and I ordered the chef's tasting. The waitstaff did a magnificent job of explaining menu choices, presenting the food and making sure that our every culinary whim was satisfied. My BF is a heavy tipper to begin with but the waitperson could probably have used a wheel barrow for that tip.
chiff0nade at 12:02PM on 10/11/07
The customer is always right. Reserve your judgment. Come back and fill drinks often, especially water. If something went wrong, do not avoid the table. Smile. Be attentive but not overly attentive. And let me just repeat this one more time: keep water glasses full.
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 1:13PM on 10/11/07
Try to seat couples and all adult groups near each other. Let families with noisy children seat apart from the adults. It's very disconcerting to have a romantic or serious conversation next to loud children and babies. And yes, keep the drink glasses full.
Lavendergirl at 4:37PM on 10/11/07
I like a helpful, attentive, yet not overbearing wait person. Timing the serving of the courses, so the evening is relaxed, but not drawn, out is important. I recently ate in a great restaurant, and the evening was perfect until dessert. There were 5 of us, and we ordered desserts to share. One was an order of mini doughnuts, and it came out with 4 pieces. If I were the waiter, I would have requested an extra doughnut from the dessert chef. It wasn't a major faux pas, but it would have been a thoughtful, over the top notion.
Mich23 at 7:23AM on 10/12/07
Gordon Ramsay describes the perfect waiter/waitress as one who manages to do their job without being noticed. Looking back at some of my greatest dining experiences, I'd say he's right. The only time I never noticed the wait staff was when I needed them, and when I did, they were right next to me without my even having to lift a finger.
Attentiveness, without being imposing. Friendly, yet reserved. Tactful in all situations, even if the customer is being a jerk. Those are the signs of a remarkable water/waitress, and definitely a large part of the customer's overall perception of a restaurant that'll ultimately make them repeat customers!
Side note: I was recalling my experience from Per Se in New York while describing the above. Truly impeccable wait staff!
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druz99 at 4:04PM on 10/16/07
Lavendergirl said: "Let families with noisy children seat apart from the adults."
Word. Recently I dined at The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant, and the host seated a table of 2 adults and 5 boisterous children right next to us. Our party was made up of five adults.
The waiter ran over to our table without even being asked and whispered, "I'm going to get you guys moved right away." He spoke to the Manager and got us away from the kids. He got a big fat tip.
Normally kids wouldn't bother me in a restaurant but for crying out loud! In a Fondue place? Although we weren't on a date, it's a common date destination! Who would bring a bunch of screaming kids into a fondue place, knowing that dinner could take a very long time. Kids are squirmy enough when service and food are quick to come by.
chiff0nade at 4:13PM on 10/16/07