The 5 Basic Rules
I have 5 main rules when I go out to eat in a restaurant. They’re the underlying ways I assess whether or not I enjoyed my experience as well as whether or not I would ever recommend the restaurant to others. I feel very strongly that you can have a wonderful time at a restaurant even if the food is just mediocre (and vice versa)- it’s all about the service and the ambiance and the company you’re with. That being said, I thought it would be fun to start a blog based on my own contrived rating system for restaurants I eat at. After reviewing my year end credit card statement from last year and seeing that I spent over 25% of my spending on restaurants alone (and that’s just my statement, not including what John spends), I feel that I have reasonable experience on which to base my judgements. I have also worked at a restaurant before so I do have a frame of reference other than just as a consumer.
The 5 Basic Rules:
Rule #1: NEVER remove a fork from a plate and put it on the table for the customer’s next dish.
Rule #2: NEVER remove a plate when other people at the table are still eating.
Rule #3: Give the customer a bread plate and a bread knife.
Rule #4: Pay attention to the customer’s beverages.
Rule #5: Split the bill.
And now for some more elaboration on the 5 Basic Rules:
Rule #1: NEVER remove a fork from an appetizer or salad plate and put it on the table for the customer’s next plate. There is no excuse for this behavior. Bring new silverware to replace soiled ones. It’s very simple and silverware is not exactly a scarce resource (Especially the quality of silverware found at the establishments so often found breaking this rule).
Rule #2: NEVER remove a plate when other people at the table are still eating. Doing so makes the person who is still eating feel rushed and uncomfortable because now they are clearly the only person eating. Or vice versa- if your plate is removed and no one else’s is- it not only signals to your dining-mates that you ate all your food already, but it also suggests that you ate too fast. Customers should never have any of these feelings while dining in a restaurant. It should be noted, however, that some people want their plates removed so they stop eating. This is not the restaurant’s fault that this person is rude and it should not be seen negatively if the restaurant acquiesces to this request and removes a plate. It just should not come at the recommendation of the server/bus-person/etc.
Rule #3: If you serve bread or some kind of nibble before the meal, give the customer a bread plate. And if there is a spread involved, give them a butter knife as well. No one wants to use a giant knife for a small slice of butter and then have it overtake the butter plate and fall off and make a scene. And no one knows what to do with bread if there’s no bread plate. Do you put it back in the basket? Do you hold it? How do you butter the bread if your hands are full? It’s a bad situation all around that can easily be avoided with a simple bread plate and butter knife.
Rule #4: Pay attention to the customer’s beverages. Fill their glass when it’s almost empty. This rule shouldn’t’t require explanation but since so many restaurants don’t understand this rule, I’ll spell it out. If a customer is drinking enough to finish their drink, they are either a) thirsty, b) enjoying what they are drinking, or c) both. Don’t limit their overall enjoyment by keeping their drinks away from them. This is something they need you to do for them and they shouldn’t have to hunt you down to get a refill. Simple as that.
Rule #5: Split the bill. This is something new so I think many restaurants have not caught up to "modern day trends" but the reality of the situation is that people rarely cash anymore and sometimes, people don’t want to be the only one paying for dinner. It can be awkward on so many levels. It doesn’t cost the restaurant ANYTHING more to split a bill between credit cards so just do it. Everyone wins. And though it’s probably not scientifically pr oven, personal experience shows that servers are likely to get a higher overall tip when it’s split as there is now more than one person rounding up on a tip. Separate checks is an acceptable alternative to splitting the bill on several credit cards.
Now that you know the rules, I hope you enjoy reading my reviews of the restaurants I go to. My "official" ranking system is still being developed. For example, you expect more from a fancy French restaurant than you do from a neighborhood Italian cafe. Hopefully you’ll join me as I work on this process and see it develop. And definitely feel free to voice your own opinion on my posts as they come up as well as recommend places I should try.
Bon Appetite!
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on Saturday, March 3rd, 2007 at 4:26 pm and is filed under Food and Drink.
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