sked you to recall the 2 or 3 most memorable dining experiences in your life, it's likely you could detail what happened that made them memorable. Some experiences are so extremely positive that whenever we think about them, they still make us feel good inside. At the other end of the spectrum, incredibly bad experiences we've had also stick with us.
Back in 1998, we had such a memorable experience. It was at a new (and at the time) "up-and-coming" restaurant. The atmosphere was casual and eclectic and the music was good. Almost all tables were occupied when we arrived. After being seated, one of the first things we noticed was that the staff's attire made them pretty much indistinguishable from the customers with the exception that every one of them appeared to have at least one visible tattoo.
Nothing particularly memorable happened until we were finished with our appetizer and plates were removed. Then we sat and waited . . . and waited . . . and waited some more.
Our server walked by at least 12 times in each direction but not once did she look at us, much less stop by. It seemed like an eternity but we were committed to waiting it out without initiating contact. We actually began to take bets between us to see how long it would be.
At about the 45 minute mark, through the small opening into the kitchen, we could see some of the staff feverishly flipping through the order slips. A few minutes later, our server came and told us that our meals had been inadvertently delivered to guests seated at another table and the kitchen was preparing new entrees for us. After she delivered them 10 minutes or so later, she didn't return until we were done. One of the meals wasn't even hot but we chose to let it go. Being gluttons for punishment on this "extreme" dining experience, we opted to order coffee and a dessert to share. The dessert was served about 8 minutes later. No coffee accompanied it. A few minutes after that, we stopped her in passing to ask about the coffee. All that she said was that it was being brewed. Needless to say, the coffee was never served. Were we surprised? No.
The bottom line is that our very lengthy and disappointing visit lasted a memorable 2 1/2 hours. Not once did our server ever apologize nor did she clue the manager in as to the problems we had experienced and that she had pretty much ignored. Clearly, she did not know (or care?) that her poor service and lack of communication ruined our visit. We know that things happen but she demonstrated little concern for us. As a result, it was our first (and last) visit.
Seventeen years later, the restaurant is long gone (no wonder) but the memory lingers on.
Creating a memorable experience for your customers is critical to success no matter what kind of business you are in. It's what builds the foundation, fosters loyalty and gets people talking about you for all the right reasons. Just remember to make it positive.
Back in 1998, we had such a memorable experience. It was at a new (and at the time) "up-and-coming" restaurant. The atmosphere was casual and eclectic and the music was good. Almost all tables were occupied when we arrived. After being seated, one of the first things we noticed was that the staff's attire made them pretty much indistinguishable from the customers with the exception that every one of them appeared to have at least one visible tattoo.
Nothing particularly memorable happened until we were finished with our appetizer and plates were removed. Then we sat and waited . . . and waited . . . and waited some more.
Our server walked by at least 12 times in each direction but not once did she look at us, much less stop by. It seemed like an eternity but we were committed to waiting it out without initiating contact. We actually began to take bets between us to see how long it would be.
At about the 45 minute mark, through the small opening into the kitchen, we could see some of the staff feverishly flipping through the order slips. A few minutes later, our server came and told us that our meals had been inadvertently delivered to guests seated at another table and the kitchen was preparing new entrees for us. After she delivered them 10 minutes or so later, she didn't return until we were done. One of the meals wasn't even hot but we chose to let it go. Being gluttons for punishment on this "extreme" dining experience, we opted to order coffee and a dessert to share. The dessert was served about 8 minutes later. No coffee accompanied it. A few minutes after that, we stopped her in passing to ask about the coffee. All that she said was that it was being brewed. Needless to say, the coffee was never served. Were we surprised? No.
The bottom line is that our very lengthy and disappointing visit lasted a memorable 2 1/2 hours. Not once did our server ever apologize nor did she clue the manager in as to the problems we had experienced and that she had pretty much ignored. Clearly, she did not know (or care?) that her poor service and lack of communication ruined our visit. We know that things happen but she demonstrated little concern for us. As a result, it was our first (and last) visit.
Seventeen years later, the restaurant is long gone (no wonder) but the memory lingers on.
Creating a memorable experience for your customers is critical to success no matter what kind of business you are in. It's what builds the foundation, fosters loyalty and gets people talking about you for all the right reasons. Just remember to make it positive.
