7 Restaurants, 1 Winner: My Restaurant Service Experiment

I just got back from Atlanta this week where I was putting on a seminar for independent restaurant owners like you.

And let me tell you something…

What I witnessed during my four days there absolutely SHOCKED me.

Here’s what happened:

I ate at seven different restaurants while I was in town. SEVEN.

And out of those seven places, only ONE – just ONE – delivered the kind of service that would make me want to come back.

The rest? Not so much.

At one place near Buckhead, we waited 15 minutes just to get acknowledged. The server never introduced herself, got my order wrong twice, and when I asked about their signature dish, she literally said, “I don’t know, I just started last week.”

Another spot in Midtown? The food was actually pretty good, but the staff acted like we were interrupting their personal conversation every time I needed something.

But here’s the kicker…

You’re Only ONE “Big Domino” Away From Transforming Your Restaurant

Throughout my years of working with restaurant owners like you, I’ve discovered ONE THING that separates the packed restaurants from the empty ones…

The successful ones from the struggling ones…

The profitable ones from the barely-surviving ones…

And it’s NOT what you think.

It’s not your food (though that matters).

It’s not your location (though that helps).

It’s not even your prices…

It’s Your SERVICE.

Here’s the brutal truth: The number one reason people won’t return to your restaurant isn’t bad food, dirty bathrooms, or loud music.

It’s bad service.

And if you can knock down this ONE big domino – if you can master the art of delivering exceptional service – everything else will fall into place faster than you could possibly imagine.

From Struggling to Thriving: The Service Revolution

Let me tell you about a place that gets this completely right…

In Atlanta, I experienced something that reminded me why service is EVERYTHING.

The fifth restaurant we visited was a little place called Pour Calvin’s. It was out of town and honestly, kind of hard to get to.

But here’s the thing…

You couldn’t get a reservation until after 9 p.m. So we decided to go for after-dinner dessert instead.

And from the MINUTE we walked through that door?

Pure magic.

The host already knew our names because of the reservation we’d made. He used my name, and told us they were going to take great care of us, and seated us at a very comfortable table.

Now get this – they were completely out of the crème brûlée (which we’d specifically come for), but the way our server handled it was absolutely masterful.

He recommended the apple pie empanadas with such genuine enthusiasm that we forgot all about what we originally wanted.

But here’s what really blew me away…

This server understood something that 99% of restaurant staff never figure out: the FLOW of a dining experience.

He was attentive without being pushy. Personable without being bothersome. He knew exactly when to come to the table and – more importantly – when NOT to interrupt.

You know how some restaurants have servers who hover over you like vultures? Or others where you can’t flag down help to save your life?

This wasn’t either of those extremes.

This was service perfection.

And guess what? Even though we only went for dessert, we’re already planning to go back for a full dinner next time I’m in Atlanta.

THAT’S the power of exceptional service.

The 5-Step Service System That Changes Everything

As restaurant owners, you can never overlook the need to pay attention to every detail of your guests’ experience. But most importantly, you need to focus on the service they receive from the minute they walk through your door until the time they leave.

Here’s your action plan:

1. Exceed Expectations Every Single Time If you’re serving a $15 meal, give $50 service. When your perceived value skyrockets, you can raise your prices and customers will gladly pay them.

2. Make It Personal Does your staff introduce themselves by name? Most corporate chains don’t do this consistently. This could be your BIG advantage over them.

3. Script Your Success Don’t leave anything to chance. Create guidelines for what you want said to guests – from your host to your counter person to your busser. Script it all out.

4. Knowledge Is Power When someone asks your staff what’s special about your place, what the specials are, or what’s happening this weekend, can they answer confidently? They better be able to.

5. Daily Pre-Shift Meetings Even if you only have counter service, you or your managers should hold daily pre-shift meetings. Let your team know what’s happening and what their goals are for the day. This motivates them and eliminates miscommunication – the number one killer of good service in our industry.

Your Next Move

Here’s what I want you to do right now:

Walk through your restaurant as if you’re a first-time customer. Really look at what your guests experience.

Then ask yourself: “Does my service exceed my guests’ expectations?”

If the answer is anything other than an enthusiastic “YES!” – then you’ve found your big domino.

Knock it down, and watch everything change.

Because when you master service, you don’t just get customers…

You get RAVING FANS who can’t wait to come back and bring their friends.