I have had the debate for a long time that good service can change an average meal into an exceptional one. There are some that disagree and say that the food speaks for itself. It tends to be that the better the food, the better the service but I have had some atrocious service in supposed excellent restaurants and impeccable service in a Café.
One particular level of service that I’m not sure will ever be beaten was at a 2 Michelin starred saloon. Before even opening my mouth I was informed that my friend was waiting for me and that drinks were already at the table. How did they know who I was and who I was meeting? I find that sort of thing pretty impressive. The food is always incredible but would it be the same if the staff weren’t so exceptional? This level of service I like to have once in a while otherwise all other service would be a catastrophe in comparison.
When service is terrible, does the food taste different? I think so. I once had Quail and wild mushroom tagliatelle in a very popular restaurant. I like Quail, I like mushrooms and I like tagliatelle. Did I like this? No. Now was it because the food was poor or was it because the staff were some sort of joke. They were terrible to us – most likely because I wasn’t smothered in Jack Wills and Ralph Lauren. How can a restaurant allow its staff to be so judgemental and downright rude.
I once arrived at a restaurant and were stared at by members of staff in the car park – what was that even about? It’s not like I arrive in a Veyron but then I didn’t arrive in a Reliant Robin either. This restaurant has won several awards and even after being given a complimentary starter because the Yorkshire puddings hadn’t been cooked, when you’re sitting at the worst table in the restaurant – despite the fact it wasn’t full – you can see how the meal could be influenced. I certainly don’t want to overhear the bar staff talking about their Saturday night pursuits of drinking and violently vomiting while I’m trying to eat.
Both of the above restaurants are expensive and pretentious. I very recently enjoyed a six course meal with wine to match each course. This was £40 a head. Not only was it a bargain but the service was so amazing it shames the more expensive places. Did I like this meal more because of the quality of the food or because of the quality of the service? I’m pretty sure I liked it more because of the bounteous amount of booze I had consumed.
Maybe I’m expecting too much service for the money. You can see why I’m confused. Which affects the other the most? Take two bowls of the same carrot soup, would it taste the same in a place where you felt like the least important person in the room compared to a place where you are treated exquisitely. All this is before we’ve even factored the atmosphere, your personal mood and the restaurant design into the equation.
If an eatery has been deemed so fashionable that they need minimal lighting, can you really enjoy squinting at the menu to decipher what it is you’d like to order. If the restaurant has been set up like an assault course and to get to your table there’s a risk you can break your ankle on a precariously placed hand bag strap this might cast a cloud over your evening. If you eventually arrive at your destination after shouting at the sat-nav, declaring all road signs as ridiculous and no longer speaking to the people you share your car with, you can see how your experience could be hampered.
Where do you stand?
All That I’m Eating
my biggest problem is with unprofessional staff. Like you said, there congregated outside watching you come in, even smoking. And if the exterior of the restaurant isn’t cleaned and maintained you know the rest won’t be either.
As for service I can not stand, let me repeat that can not stand, when workers stand around talking about their week with each other. This goes for not only restaurants but supermarkets and anywhere you have customer service…..I’m there for a reason, and the reason isn’t to listen to them….and they are there for a reason, to work!
I attribute this all to poor management, even at the school I work at, when I arrived I demanded customer service be given the students, it was all about them, not us…..
and I do feel that in a restaurant good service can certainly enhance your meal, and even make you feel better about a poor meal.
Great post!
Dennis
I don’t care how good the food is, the service is bad I typically don’t go back. In extreme situations I have also notified management. The server is the person you have to deal with and the “representative” of the restaurant.
On the other hand you cannot blame a server for food quality. They are not back in the kitchen cooking it so you should not tip lousy if the food was lousy. Tipping is based solely on the quality of the service.
This is a great topic for discussion!
Service is both front and back end, which tips oftentimes go to both. I agree that the taste gets affected by service; after all, we don’t just eat with our mouths! It’s a full, sensory experience. Thanks for an interesting topic.
I second (third, fourth) all those who like the topic.
To me, it is a matter of expectations. What is acceptable in one situation might be totally annoying in another.
I have less problem with poor service than I do with poor ambiance, with the exception of getting my water glass refilled. If it stays empty, the tip decreases accordingly. Honestly though, if I’m in a noisy restaurant or it’s too bright or too dim that affects my eating experience more than the person that appears at my table for a brief moment.
After all, I can tell them to show up more often, stop picking their nose around me or tell them I’m not interested in their life story. I can’t turn down the volume on the loud table next to me, the music that’s blaring or turn up the lights so I can see what I’m eating.
Enjoyed your post.
I’m with Dennis!
LL
I absolutely agree. Good service can turn ordinary food into a special evening but poor service can ruin a good meal.
In Derbyshire we are awash with good eating places but so many of them let themselves down by not training their staff properly. Consequently we only frequent the ones where the staff are attentive, the premises are clean, the toilets are spotless and the music not intrusive. Especially if the food happens to be good as well.
Actually, I would also include too much faffing around as poor service – we don’t appreciate pretentiousness either. It’s a difficult balance to get right, I’m sure, but if a restaurant does, they’re a winner.
Poor service can really ruin your meal.
We have a bad habit iin Australia of turning our nice, homely pubs into upmarket nightmares – I went to one once and the staff were so snobbish I felt uncomfortable for the whole meal! I guess I wasn’t wearing the right brand name or something … in a pub!
With fine dining, there is also a fine line between being too intrusive and not giving enough good service – some places just get it right.
I would seventh, eighth, ninth most of this–I really will not go back if the service was rude. Like your examples, if I go in and they give me a crap table and the place is half empty, I am not going back. I don’t always “look the part” but I go out and spend money on food (all the time), and I will only spend it where I get a great experience. I am more likely to forgive some food issues than service. Really nice post!
I think we pay for the total experience. If a restaurant has a reputation and I’m unhappy with any aspect of that experience I write the local food critic as well as the manager of the restaurant. See, the thing is if they seat me they have to impress me, not vice versa. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Bad service ruins a meal and I hate rude staff, I don’t understand how they have a job in the first place when they have such poor customer service skills?? It makes such a difference when you get a lovely waiter or waitress, it makes me want to return and tip well, win win surely!
Great article! Service is an extremely important part of a meal when you are dining out. As you say, it can ultimately make or break the whole occasion. If there is a restaurant that I’m considering eating at, but I hear somebody has received bad service, then my attitude towards the place changes. It does not mean that I would never eat there, but it would go to the back of my very long list. However, that does works the other way too.
Did anybody in the UK see Michel Roux Jr’s Service, which finished yesterday on BBC2?
I agree with you! It is a full experience, and definitely you don’t want to be judged according to what you are driving or wearing when all you want to do is to enjoy some good food and have a good time. Once I get frustrated with something, it affects my taste buds definitely!
Service is absolutely important. There are too many great places to go (at least for me) there is no reason to give the little money I have to spend going out, to a restaurant with poor service. Good food plus good service equals my loyalty. It doesn’t matter if you’re a $10 burger place, or a $50-a-plate restaurant. Just give them more than one chance if you like the food. Everyone has bad nights.
Thank you all so much for your comments. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who is influenced by all aspects of eating out!
All the comments are great.
One of the major reasons one, or two, or three….you get it…people go OUT to dinner is so that you don’t have to cook or SERVE yourself or your friends. So I agree totally…SERVICE DOES MATTER…and this is coming from someone who has spent a good portion of her adult life as a Waitress, Bartender, Hostess and Dining Room Manager. I know what it takes, I know what I expect and I’ve experienced it all 🙂
BTW… I would love it if you might be interested in a creating or submitting a guest post to my blog? I love your writing style and I think my writers would dig it!
Heidi
Totally agree with what you all say – Jean particularly hit the nail on the head: “Good service can turn ordinary food into a special evening but poor service can ruin a good meal”. Increasingly I find over-attentive service more prevalent and annoying than inattentive – I really do NOT need my wine/water topped up every time I take a tiny sip! I wonder if the problem of poor service steams from the fact that we as a country have a negative attitude to ‘service’ roles – in countries like France and Italy service is a noble and worthwhile career. Some bored students looking to earn extra booze money are never going to be the most enjoyable dining companions….