The Price Of Service

David · Joined: 07 Jun 2004 Posts: 32

Just curious...when it comes restaurants, how important is service?

If the food is incredible, but you have to wait longer to be acknowledged, would it affect your decision?

What about restaurants where service is incredible, where they treat you like royalty, but the food is good, but not incredible, yet the price is quite high?

So I guess what I'm asking is what makes a good restaurant?

cocodrilo · Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Posts: 193 Location: Kurashiki, Japan

Overall, for me, the food is most important. Atmosphere is second and service is third. I have been waited on by fawning servers in America, surly staff in the former Soviet Union, indifferent wait-staff in Europe an clueless Japanese waitresses. Service is of course important and I have had some experience with above said staff that did put a bit of a damper on the dining experiences. In Asia, where tipping is not usually practiced(never in Japan, yet appreciated in cuontries like Hong Kong & Vietnam) the servers are most often part-time workers, college kids and the like. They know little, if anything, about the food being served. One just has to learn to accept this fact and, instead of asking the servers what's in the "sushi surprise", ask the chefs behind the counter!

As for the wait, in Asia, people DON'T wait. Going into a restaurant with a previous reservation and being told to have a seat and wait 30 minutes would be totally unacceptable. It is nice, because you are seated right away and the food comes out promptly after it is ordered!

salsachinita · Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2004 6:31 am Post subject:

Food comes first for me too........unless the service is absolutely unacceptable.

We don't have a compulsary tipping system in Australia (though it's definitely appreciated), so the service is generally quite good regardless.

cocodrilo · Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Posts: 193 Location: Kurashiki, Japan

salsachinita wrote: Food comes first for me too........unless the service is absolutely unacceptable.

We don't have a compulsary tipping system in Australia (though it's definitely appreciated), so the service is generally quite good regardless.
Salsachinita-
I heard it is also quite acceptable to bring in your own bottle(s) of wine into restaurants over there. In the US, they charge a "corkage fee"(like $10 or $20) but, if you're a wine snob, like most of the members of my family are, it is well worth bringing something from your own cellar. (Do people really have any idea what the mark-up on wine at restaurants is?! I buy wine wholesale so I know how much of a killing they are making! :evil: )

salsachinita · Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:56 am Post subject:

Yep. BYO wine is a well-accepted practice here, unless it's a licensed venue. Corkage (if charged) might be $1-3 per head......

I wonder if we are the only country who practice this :? .......

cocodrilo · Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Posts: 193 Location: Kurashiki, Japan

salsachinita wrote: Yep. BYO wine is a well-accepted practice here, unless it's a licensed venue. Corkage (if charged) might be $1-3 per head......

I wonder if we are the only country who practice this :? .......
Most likely. I think this practice would be frowned upon in Europe.

Pacion · Joined: 03 Aug 2004 Posts: 15

Re corkage, I have been to a restaurant here in London where they did that. I think they did not have a licence to sell alcohol? Most places don't do BYO/corkage but you might find one or two that do.

Service is always important and can in fact influence me to go again, even if the food isn't briliant. For me, it is not just about the food, but the experience, the setting, the memory. Rudeness I cannot take and will not put up with. I might have turned a blind eye once but not anymore, whether it is MacDonalds or a 'top' restaurant.

We had an early dinner at a pizza place tonight after doing some shopping. The stuff we bought was very heavy and I was tired from carrying it around. One of the waiting staff noticed that I was labouring to cut the pizza. She asked me whether I would like it sliced and I said very gratefully, yes please. The other staff were quite attentive. Although tips are always welcomed and 10% is the norm, we left close to 20% and on my way out, I made a point of telling them "Thank you for looking after me" which I could see they in turn clearly appreciated as people are often quick to complain but more reticient to say "Thank you".

On another occassion here in London, I was somewhere dining by myself. Two guys came in about 10 mins after me and although I had requested my drink already, they ordered their drinks and got it before me. They also had their meal order taken before mine. I quietly asked for the manager and explained that I was unhappy with what was going on - that the two men came in after me and were having their orders taken and I was there before them. He apologised, took my order and things improved quite a bit after that. Hmm, don't remember if they gave me a complimentary coffee/dessert but I have found that I won't tolerate poor service anymore. I am not for making a scene but, I will make my displeasure known.

In short, I won't compromise on the service. 8)

cocodrilo · Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Posts: 193 Location: Kurashiki, Japan

Pacion-
I had a HORRIFIC dining experience in London in June. My mom & I were at Chez Gerard (the opera terrace branch, in Covent Garden). There, the waiters were clearing dirty dishes off tables then handling new silverware and OUR FOOD! One waiter even moved a big, slop-covered garbage can, then was carrying fresh plates of food to customers' tables! Another waiter got out a tissue and blew his nose, audibly, right in front of diners! I was so sickened I couldn't eat my meal! I complained to the "manager", who was actually one of the waiter-flunkies, who said "Oh, I'm sorry."(That was IT!) and I said I would pay my bill(59 quid!) but I was not leaving a tip. When I returned to Japan, I wrote a letter describing, in detail, the unsanitary conditions at that branch of Chez Gerard and I received a reply from the restaurant owner. They apologized nicely and said they would treat me to a very nice bottle of wine upon my next visit. LIKE I WOULD GO THERE AGAIN?! Pacion, stay away from Chez Gerard! I have dined at restaurants all over the UK in my 4 visits there and have NEVER seen anything like what happened that night at that restaurant! :evil:

Pacion · Joined: 03 Aug 2004 Posts: 15

It has been a few years since I dined at Chez Gerard in Covent Garden. I wasn't ver impressed with the food even though it was supposed to be a good restaurant.

The last few times I was there we just had drinks (and olives :D ) - I like the outdoor terrace and prefer that to being in a smoky environment (and the friends I was with smoke :roll: so it was useful for us to be outside, as I am a non-smoker :lol: )

cocodrilo · Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Posts: 193 Location: Kurashiki, Japan

The weather was great the whole time we were in London, so we ate outside when we could. One chain place that had absolutely great Italian food was Bella Italia. The one in Leicester Square differed a bit from the one in Covent Garden(where we sat outside) in the portions/presentation of the food, but the taste was 100% and the wine was good & affordabel. If you're looking for something trendy(good food & wine, iffy if not a tad snobby service, but CUTE waiters) check out Quod on 57 Haymarket in Picadilly. The place is HUGE and has funky mural-like paintings covering the walls. We went there post-theater(right up the street from "Phantom") and were seated right away.