I have recently been thinking a lot about what is missing from the service we receive at restaurants, and although this is specific to my experiences in South Africa, it may resonate in other parts of the world.
I am not sure how many restaurant servers are permanent employees and how many are casual staffers, but in my experience many of them are heavily reliant on the tips they receive. In South Africa leaving a tip for a server is discretionary although at some establishments parties of 8 or more will have a minimum 10% gratuity added onto a bill (this is pretty fair). I like to tip generously where I can and this is where my discretion and the service I receive don't always gel.
As with companies and restaurants everywhere, COVID hit hard and sadly many places may never recover or have already closed their doors. And this is why I feel that attention to some basic service principles can go a long way to retaining loyal patrons, even if their support is small in the bigger scheme of things.
I have always believed that the easiest way for any restaurant to increase the overall bill is through drinks. This is such easy money to make. Once a table of patrons has finished their drinks, offer another round. Far too often I find that unless you chase the server for more drinks, you are likely to only have that one round, and ultimately, the restaurant loses out.
The second thing I find is that if a server ends up with a table of patrons who don't drink alcohol, there is a perception that the server won't make much money off the table, and loses interest in providing good service. This is a real pity - that table may not want alcohol, but who's to say they won't order three courses, or have extra sides or coffees. Their money is just as valuable as the money of someone who does drink alcohol.
And the third issue, which is a real bug bear for me, is when a server decides that instead of asking if any of the patrons would like something else (and in my experience, they often do), the server takes it upon themselves to present the bill. This can leave patrons feeling that they are being chased away and the repercussions can be undesirable for a restaurant.
We all know that word of mouth is incredibly good advertising, but it can also work the opposite way. I want to see restaurants thrive and grow and in this way contribute to job creation and help to improve the country's economy - they just need to play their part.
Am I nitpicking on this? Possibly. However, these experiences have not been restricted to one or two restaurants. It happens a lot more often than it needs to. And these are issues that are easily resolved with a little training and supervision.
