Always Keep An Eye On This Customer
Being the hospitality professionals that you all are, I know I’m probably preaching to the converted, however, it’s always helpful to be reminded sometimes of those things that seem less important in the grand scheme of things, yet can have a big impact on your business.
I’m talking about the customer dining alone, the solitary figure in your bar or dining room. This is the customer you need to pay that little bit more attention to. He’s the customer that has nobody to talk to, nobody to distract from the goings on in the bar or restaurant, nobody with him to distract him from the stains on the menu, the food debris on the floor and the length of time it has taken the wait staff to pay attention to him.
I was that lone diner tonight. I was the lone diner that counted the minutes between entering and ordering. I spotted the dirty floor, the inattentive staff and the questionable hygiene practices through the serving window of the kitchen. I also tweeted about some of the things I saw (without mentioning the name of the restaurant), but would other diners be so forgiving? I wasn’t offered a newspaper or a distraction and every inefficiency probably seemed bigger and more impactful without me having anythiong else to do as I sat and waited and waited and waited for my meal.
When I trained in hotel management, we were taught that a guest staying on his own could easily be a hotel reviewer, a restaurant critic or a tourism board representative measuring us for a star rating. That taught me to always pay a little bit more attention to the guest without a companion.
The next time you have a single customer, offer them a newspaper, chat a little bit longer and push the kitchen to get the meal out that little bit faster. Time goes a lot slower for the customer waiting for a meal to break the monotony!
I'm Barry Chandler and I'm The Bar Blogger. I've been involved in the bar and hospitality industry for 16 years. From Bartender to Bar Manager and from Food & Beverage Controller to Small Business Owner, I have worked with more than 500 bars in the last five years to help them streamline their costs and run a more profitable business and more than 800 bars and clubs use my Management Toolkit which can be accessed at ManageYourBar.com.
so true!! very easy to take care of these folks and what would happen if your place became known as the place to go when your on your own! huge opportunity
Having been the “lone diner” several times in a previous job, you are 100% right. I almost always appreciated a little extra conversation and remembered the places that didn’t provide it.
Also, when I was dining alone, people watching (including staff) was one of my favorite ways to pass the time. It’s amazing what you notice when you have nothing else to distract you.
One final note, that person dining alone might also be a mystery shopper on-the-job. Many shoppers don’t dine alone, but some of them do!
Great post.
Cory Jensen, Owner
I-Spy Mystery Shoppers
Paying attention is definitely a gesture but never overdo it – the customer may like to be alone and in peace…
Another great point of view and again, another captivating headline to get me interested to open the story. That is a great talent I respect.
Juliet
Excellent article and excellent advice. Barry is so right. Good read.
Thank you for sharing,
PT
Amen! About once a month, after a tough day at work, I will take a break from cooking for the family and go down to our local English-style pub. The have an excellent selection of beers and a great fish and chips special. But you are so correct about how much more aware one is of any fault in service when you are alone. I don’t mind eating alone at all, but when things go wrong–when the barkeep is surly, when there is no paper, when I cannot get my beer refilled–it can really dampen my mood. Thankfully, my local pub usually gets things right.
Glad to hear they’re getting it right Steve! Thanks for the comment!
Hopefully I can keep the headlines interesting! Delighted with your feedback!
Good point. There is nothing worse than over-service. It’s probably worse than no service at all!