I think what today’s restaurants are missing is that dining out is an experience not a convenience. There are still celebrations! There are still late work days and hitting a restaurant to wind down the evening is wonderful! You want the server to establish a relationship off the bat with the table! That server sets the tone for the entire dining experience. Clean and unwrinkled attire, posture, eye contact with everyone, smiles and sparkling eyes! Introduction and a welcome is a must! Review specials, soups of the day, beverage specials and perhaps their favorite item on the menu with a be sure to save room for our homemade strawberry shortcake, it’s to die for and yes I’ll bring 2 forks for sharing!! How has your day been are you celebrating anything special, is this your first time here…serve from the right with ladies first unless it is a booth but always ladies first! Keep the water gasses full! Repeat table visits to ensure all is well. The manager should make table rounds too! Thank customers for coming in and recognize repeat customers. The hostess staff is very important too! Recognize repeat guests and wish them a good evening up exiting asking them to come back again! The cleanliness and the décor of the restaurant speaks volumes…I could go on but I might loose you! What I am saying is it is the experience that makes people frequent restaurants so step it up out there…make me want to come back!
You make some excellent points, @DebbieMRealtor56 !
I have only dined out a few times since the pandemic, but I have noticed that the best restaurants and servers are those that wear a mask and still also do those extra things to show they are attentive and care (expressive eyes, body language, hand motions, and more) that make you feel both safe and interested in returning again.
Have you dined out at all this year?
We don’t dine out much but when we do we try to avoid the rush hours. We live in a 55+ community so 4:00-6:00 is prime time for dinner but 7:00 is perfect! So we usually hit the restaurants after 7:00. It pays to know the habits of your community. Majority of the restaurants in this area have lessoned the amount of tables physically in the dining area and some have added outdoor seating as well. If we have a bad experience and it depends on the level because we all know everybody gets off kilter occasionally we will give them another try. I was a manager of a high end restaurant for many years so when we dine, I am particular to the experience.