Industry Insights
Problems are inevitable. How you respond is what guests remember.
Every server will face guest complaints. Rather than hoping they don't happen, we want to equip you with practical tools to resolve issues and turn a negative experience into a positive one.
Every situation is different, so there is no script to follow. Instead, focus on the principles, introduce as much hospitality as possible, and you'll be surprised how quickly most situations can be turned around.
The Framework
Five steps to resolving issues tableside
The recovery protocol is something I didn’t consciously realize I was already using to resolve issues until I had to articulate it to one of my servers. We were about to sit a table in his section that had arrived on time for their reservation but had to wait for the previous guests to leave before we could seat them. This resulted in them sitting 30 mins later than their reservation and they were obviously unhappy about this.
As long as it isn’t something major and it is promptly resolved, you get one honest mistake per table. After that you need to make it up to them by more than simply apologizing and correcting the issues.
Note: this is not to encourage mistakes or let anyone off the hook for being careless or unprofessional. This is simply a practical understanding that restaurants are hectic and things will happen. When they do it is important to stay calm and not compound mistakes.
"When it comes to resolving issues, think hospitality not compensation."
From the Floor
The Issue
One night a server asked me to touch one of their tables because the elderly couple was complaining about their meal. I got the impression it wasn’t about the salad or the wine at all.
The Takeaway
Focus on the bigger picture and the bigger impact you have on your guests and your community and the money will come back to you.
The Full Story
The Issue
One night we had a large bachelor party of 18 guys in our back private dining room. When entrees arrived they were one short — and genuinely no one knew why.
The Resolution
At dinner he was made to feel special in a bad way by being the only one of the group without a meal. We responded by making him feel even more special in a good way.
The Full Story