A Restaurant Manager’s Guide to Customer Service

Another bad review was submitted today with the same issues - long wait for food, server didn’t act like they cared, manager was even less apologetic.

Restaurants can be crazy places, but we all love them and we all love to hate on them when something goes wrong.

What surprises me most about these bad reviews is—with a little kindness and care—a manager should have been able to turn these customers around.

For all you restaurant managers out there, let me reiterate 3 things you should do in order to please your customers:

1. Touch every table. This means go to every table and ask the guest if everything is ok. Don’t take their first knee-jerk reaction. Look them in the eye and see if they are being truthful. Often, people will say all is fine when really, they aren’t happy.
2. Resolve complaints effectively. Kiss your customer’s butt and get the issue fixed, no matter what it takes.
3. Keep the dining room out of the weeds running effectively so guests don’t have to wait. This means: helping to refill water glasses, take orders, and yes, roll up those sleeves and bus some tables!

I don’t understand why some managers don’t think all these steps are important. If you don’t like being hospitable, get out of the hospitality industry. Bad service matched with an uncaring attitude is a surefire recipe for losing a customer and forcing them to write bad reviews for everyone to see.

And customers, don’t forget the #1 Rule: If you’re having a bad time, say something. Never leave unhappy.

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