How Good is your Restaurant Management?
How do your managers treat patrons, clients, customers 5 minutes before closing? Have you ever called the restaurant randomly through out the day when you are not there to see how the phone is being answered and how well you have trained your staff? I have.
My Wife is a master of disguise and quite beautiful, decided to test the local restaurants in our neighborhood outdoor mall, a swanky little mall in our community
She dawned the baseball cap, football jersey and sweats and took my three youngest children out for a stroll through the mall yesterday evening. the mall just happens to have a wishing well (ok several) and my wife had a handful of change. So for s@#$’s & giggles she went to the first restaurant to see if they would cash her coins for pennies right before closing.
here is her findings
Happy Sumo Sushi Provo Utah, were not happy, helpful but down right rude. After about a 5 minute wait just to be noticed the manager came over clearly put out that my wife and 3 children (they range in age from 5 to 9 years old) interrupted his ever so important conversation. Following is the dialogue;
Manager
table? (snotty)
Wife:
No I was just wondering if you could change some dimes and nickels into pennies for the wishing well
Manager:
no we cant do that we are busy and we dont have any change
Wife:
Excuse me
Manager
We are very Busy
Wife
You Just Failed! and walked out
Light bulb went off and off she was to the restaurant next door
My wife and 3 children walk in and is greeted almost immediately and asks the exact same question
the Employees face lights up and oh how wonderful, of course I can help you,
Wife
Thank You for your help would it be ok if we made a wish for you?
Employee
Thank You I need to pass my tests
Wife
How about we wish for straight A’s
Employee
that would be so great
Interesting difference literally 12 feet away from the not so happy sumo
So what did my wife do? she went to Marleys Gourmet Sliders the brand new little burger joint (sliders) and Does the same thing this time is 5 minutes before closing
Manager
we are closed
wife
its not 9 oclock yet?
I just need some change for the wishing well
manager
we have already closed and counted down the till (really restaurant speak when you are being rude)
Wife;
You Failed and left the manager perplexed
Next Stop La Jolla Groves Provo Utah
My Wife sent the children in first this time they waited for over 6 minutes before she walked in and was helped almost immediately, this time my wife told the manager that she had sent the children in to buy some cinnamon rolls from the bakery
Manager
of the bakery is closed
Wife
is the owner Steve in this evening?
manager
oh uh what did you need?
Wife
some cinnamon rolls
manager
well come on back, let me take care of that for you
Now this is a great little restaurant that has changed their closing time at least 3 times since opening, and recently the bakery slash take out. I have been in there after close, because of this, and often hit some barriers, however I do not allow a manager or employee talk me out of buying stuff because they decided to close early, change closing time etc.
So tell us your stupid restaurant management experience, we would love to share them (for educational purposes, really )