I was inspired by an article in the Nation's Restaurant News interviewing Chip Roman, chef/owner of Blackfish in Conshohocken (try saying that out loud!), PA. When asked the question "What is your greatest asset?", he responded "The staff". Roman goes on to say "We have extra-great service. A lot of places are cutting back and using managers to do things like bartend and serve. My response is to do the opposite. I hire more staff and take a little less for myself. A lot of people are still going out to eat. With restaurants cutting corners, people with start to notice. People are extra vigilant and will say something about it. I just want to make sure people know we're still trying to give them a great product." (Gise, p.38, Nation's Restaurant News, May 11, 2009)
After noticing the trend in corner-cutting at few of my previously favorite restaurants, I agree....
Value perception goes even deeper than menu prices and selections. If patrons are well attended to, they are more likely to spread the news to others and/or make a return visit. Swift service means your tables turn over faster. If your restaurant isn't fully staffed or if servers are not trained well, your customers (and ultimately you) are the ones who suffer.
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