The “tip-out system” is vital to the survival of any restaurant service profession for a variety of reasons. Tips are often the primary wage for many restaurant service workers, and should always be shared with all customers with complete care and respect. For example, you may have customers who tip all the way to the waitress in order to “top off their check”. This is a poor practice, and one that should be avoided at all costs.
Managing The Tip System
In addition to the obvious “tip” that is left for diners after each visit, many restaurants use “dessert carts” as an alternative to the actual restaurant table. These carts contain food items that are only available for a limited time, such as specific types of food, or while certain hours of the day. When these types of specials are run, they should be clearly posted so that the guest will know what they will be paying for. Many diners like to mix and match from their favourite restaurants to make an even more diverse experience. However, many times the food will not remain fresh until the next morning. Therefore, when this type of promotion is run, the restaurant should be aware of the fact that the customers may have food allergies or similar concerns and design their promotions accordingly.
Another problem that is often a problem for restaurant service is providing adequate restrooms for all of the guests that are expected to visit a establishment. Not only must these restrooms be clean, they must also be kept well stocked. Some restaurants use empty handicapped stalls as overflow areas for overnight guests. While this provides the restaurant owner with additional profits, it can also create a safety hazard. If the restroom is not cleaned often enough to prevent the spread of infection, then the restaurant owner may be liable for any damages that result from their negligence.
Managing Staffing And Performance Issues
Many times, it is not the fault of the restaurant owner but rather the management of the restaurant that is fault for the quality of their restaurant customer service. Many times the owner fails to keep the restaurant adequately staffed to cover any shifts that are lost due to overworked employees. In addition, the lack of staff leads to long wait times for tables and chairs, which leads to a loss of customer satisfaction. Many times, restaurants will post their hours of operation to try to attract more customers during off peak hours. Unfortunately, many of these restaurants do not take into consideration the amount of traffic that can come in during popular times of the day.
If you have had a bad experience with a particular restaurant customer service department in the past, chances are you won’t want to go back. That is why you need to keep some things in mind when looking for a place to eat. Be sure to review the menu and check out the reviews for each establishment that you are considering. This will allow you to find one that has excellent customer service and will keep you happy.
