24 January 2007
Service Please..? How can establishments get the food so right and yet get the service so wrong?
I recently travelled to Durham with my husband and daughter to attend the university open day. The journey took just over 3 hours. We arrived ready for a bite to eat before embarking on the 3 hour show round of the wonderful city and colleges. We choose a good quality hotel and sat on beautiful comfortable sofas in the lounge area after deciding on a light bar snack to keep us going until dinner. Waiting for a member of staff to serve a much needed drink and offer the delights of the bar menu, we waited and waited eventually having to go and locate the waitress by asking the chef on duty from the kitchen entrance if anyone was serving.
Eventually a young man came with very short trousers in a rather stained waistcoat and took our order. He returned shortly afterwards placing his fingers around the rim of each glass whilst placing them on the table. He then took our order of sandwiches and a portion of chips which on arrival looked beautiful, rare roast beef served on the softest rye bread with peppery rocket, creamy horseradish and the crispest chips imaginable.
“Could we have some salt, oh and vinegar would be great”. The vinegar arrived 5 minutes later in an egg cup with a teaspoon to sprinkle over what was by this time luke warm chips. We skipped coffee and paid, reluctant to leave a tip.
On the return journey home we stumbled on a wonderfully situated country pub. Opening the doors to a roaring log fire, home brewed beer and blackboard specials we had found a real gem. Sitting at the table having got our drinks from the bar our mouths watered as we read the imaginative menu and specials available to us sourced from the best local produce and freshest ingredients. I was told to place the order at the food counter and duly took my place behind a man already ordering. I stood for 5 minutes listening to the manager behind the counter take a booking for a Christmas party. I stood for a further 5 minutes listening to wine choices, room set ups and how many balloons would be on the table at the party. No acknowledgement from the man behind the counter was made to me and he could clearly see I was waiting to place my food order. Many staff were walking round the place not very busy and one girl was standing behind the bar picking her nails, talking to a colleague.
At last, some response from the manager from behind the food counters. “I won’t be a minute”. My stomach thinking my throat had been cut, I returned to our table, no food ordered thinking he would come to me when he had finished with his Xmas booking. He then disappeared into the office to print out a receipt for the customer, 5 more minutes passed and we were beginning to feel a little faint. Eventually food was ordered and it arrived looking absolutely delicious, hot and very appetising. Asking the waitress for another drink to go with my supper,” Order at the bar please” was the reply so again, I waited in another queue to gain a couple of soft drinks and a glass of wine by which time sitting back down for my long awaited meal was eaten cold. For the second time that day sweets and coffee were not worth the hassle and we left.
How bitterly disappointed I was and how very often this is now the case when I go out to eat. How can establishments get the food so right and yet get the service so wrong? Too much emphasis is now on the produce, the food, the whole back of house operation. How Chefs can let their excellent produce and creations leave the pass to be so poorly served to the customer? Why is it so difficult to buy further drinks, wine, coffees etc.? Why aren’t staff trained to sell when customers clearly want to buy? It’s about time the Industry started focusing on excellent service, we go out to eat this beautiful produce and want it to be served well. The Industry needs a Gordon Ramsey in food service, someone who can echo his uncompromising standards and take them to the front of operation to complete total customer satisfaction
