The Restaurant Industry According to Hollywood #1
Have you ever dined by yourself in a restaurant? If you are in the biz you likely have, but you probably went straight to the bar. As an insider, you know that’s where you go to avoid feeling awkward about dining alone, but your average guest doesn’t always get the memo. This means that we are regularly faced with the moment this scene depicts.
The lesson here is to train your team to be observant. As an operator it always bums me out when I arrive at a restaurant and the host says, “Hi, two?” By training our staff to always lead off an interaction with a welcome greeting, we can avoid making the solo diner feel self-conscious. People understand you need to know how many are in their party and will typically offer the info without you needing to ask.
Unfortunately, Hollywood thinks we get this one wrong, so it’s a fair thing to say we need to pay attention. Why? Because Hollywood shapes the preconceived notions of your guests. So, watch how your hosts and servers greet diners and remind them that this first impression may be the only one if you don’t make everyone feel welcome.