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What makes for a fine dining experience? Is it the ambience, the food, the service, or the drinks? It is the fifth option of all of the above. Whether at a high-end restaurant or mid-range food joint, it is a perfect melange of everything that amplifies the dining experience and makes you want to revisit the same place.
However, have you stopped to wonder what makes the staff remember you? Unless you are a celebrity, it is your gesture or the way of talking that makes the waiter or the manager remember you. At the restaurant, it is usually the staff with whom you interact. Whether it is placing the order or getting your dish served, your waiter is the primary contact for heartfelt notes and grievances.
Image Credit: Chef Devika Manjrekar/ Instagram
While most customers are humble, there are a few who treat the staff poorly. Addressing the same issue, Chef Devika Manjrekar, owner of Toast Pasta Bar and Toast Doughnut Shop in Mumbai, took to Instagram on August 5, 2024, and shared how some of the customers in Mumbai “have become an abomination.”
In her edition of ‘Thing I learnt after opening a restaurant in Bombay without investors as a chef and owner’, she highlighted unreasonable demands and poor behaviour of a handful of customers towards the staff. She added, “If only restaurant staff could Google review you, you wouldn't ask us to pick out chopped parsley from a bowl of fried potatoes because your kid doesn’t like the colour green.” (seriously?)
Image Credit: Chef Devika Manjrekar/ Instagram
“Neither would you send back a plate of pasta and ask us to scoop out the parmesan because you forgot to say ‘no cheese’ whilst ordering,” the post further read. She shared an experience of a customer in a restaurant where they yelled at the server and told him that they wouldn’t not be paying for the meal and that he should be the one paying for it. She ended a post with a crisp suggestion, “Pick on someone your goddamn size, you bullies.”
Not only does it go on to show how some people like to oppress others and play the class divide, but highlights how they have lost all sense of humanity. Chef Devika Manjrekar is not the first and only restaurateur to talk about the subject. Slurrp connected with chefs and restaurant owners around the country to share their views on the same.
Dealing With Rude Customers Is A Part And Parcel Of Restaurant Business
Debaditya Chaudhary, Managing Director of Chowman, Oudh 1590, and Chapter 2, said, “It is often a situation where we have to tackle unexpected mishaps, and dealing with rude customers is unfortunately part of that.” He shared an incident where a complaint regarding late serving was made, however, the investigation revealed that the family of four was bickering over personal issues and asked for the immediate serving of food.
Evan Gwynne, Executive Chef at Olive Bar & Kitchen Goa, added, “Unfortunately we live in a world where people feel entitled to treat others with disrespect especially when they have a certain amount of wealth. This is not always the case. However, it’s more often than not, especially in the service industry.”
He shared an incident where a female guest relations executive allowed a group to look around the property. They sat on a reserved table and when the staff politely asked them to sit somewhere else, a man from the group started yelling. “He acted very rude and aggressive and shouted that he could buy the whole restaurant if he wanted to all the while flashing his Amex black card,” Evan Gwynne added.
Why Could Be The Reason Behind Rude Behaviour Of Some Customers?
It might be true in some cases that certain people feel entitled but in many cases, other things can also play a role. Debaditya Chaudhary said that many times, the staff finds that the customers are not in a good mood. In such situations, they would limit their visit to the table unless necessary. They are also trained to give space to couples and not bother them.
Luv Dhingra, Founder of Trippy Tequila, said, “Instances of customers being rude to staff members for no reason can be attributed to various factors such as stress, personal issues, or a sense of entitlement.” To handle such situations, the staff is trained to stay calm and empathetic while resolving the issues.
Training Of The Staff At The Restaurant
If you are a millennial or boomer, you must have witnessed a drastic change in the restaurants around you. It is not just the interiors and menus featuring global cuisines but also how the staff treats you. Gone are the days when you had to wait for a server to give you water along with the menu.
Luv Dhingra believes that the staff today greets you, escorts you to the table, serves water and brings the menu after you have settled, takes your order, asks about allergies, serves you, and often pops up to ask you about the food or refills. This has collectively helped to take the dining experience up a notch.
Debaditya Chaudhury explained that if you visit one of the Chowman's outlets, you will notice that the staff will inform you about the spice levels, texture, and colour of a dish. They also disclose potential allergens and check whether the customer has tried the dish. Combining training and technology, restaurants are constantly evolving and reinventing their services.
Evan Gwynne said, “I feel there has been a shift In the service industry when it comes to the way staff are encouraged; not only to be polite and courteous but also maintaining assertiveness and self-respect.”
He added that many restaurants have a training schedule that empowers the staff and teaches them to answer any question regarding the menu.
Kind Gestures Of Customers
People who behave poorly with the staff is a small percentage when compared to humble customers who walk in and out of restaurants. Slurrp asked the experts to share kind gestures of people towards the servers. Sharing his inputs on the same, Luv Dhingra added that these heartfelt gestures include expressing gratitude for good service, leaving a generous tip, and being polite during conversations.
Debaditya Chaudhury explained that their outlets often experience a footfall of customers during Durga Puja making it difficult for the staff to provide immediate seating but customers cooperate, remain polite, and maintain a harmonious environment.
Evan Gwynne has witnessed customers giving five-star reviews in the name of the staff, giving them warm hugs, patting them on their shoulders, and giving a special mention to their superiors.
Representative Images From Unsplash
