Reviewing a restaurant is much more than gathering a group of friends, ordering different items on the menu and then telling readers what you liked.
A committed critic has dozens of checkpoints. These help determine the star rating used by The Chronicle. And after the first visit, there are at least two more. Each has to be considered before the final stars are awarded.
Determining Professional Service:
- Does the waiter know the menu and wine list and explain them in an articulate way?
- Is he well groomed and at ease at the table?
- Does he answer questions completely or find out the answers promptly?
- Does he remove and replace plates and utensils between courses?
- Does he put the plates in front of the right person?
- Does he wait until everyone is finished before removing the plates?
- Does he check in periodically to see if you need anything?
- Does he perform his duties in an unobtrusive manner?
- If there is a delay in the kitchen, does he communicate what's going on?
- If you complain, does he listen and act accordingly?
- Is the waiter able to "read" your table and adapt his behavior? (Some people want lots of interaction, others don't. The best waiters are adept at determining that)."
Source: "Questions to ask in evaluating restaurants" by Michael Bauer (Between Meals Blog, May 8, 2006) [via Slashfood]
About Me
- Jeffrey Summers
- I am the expert you call when you need to learn how to increase top line sales, lower your operating costs, increase your profit margin, hire and train better managers and staff, evolve your operation into more and better ways of doing business, buy or sell a restaurant, improve your service, engineer (or re-engineer!) your menu, market your business better and less expensively, keep yourself from going nuts because you have no life anymore, open more and better restaurants, don't want to have to give up your first born child to pay a consultant and have more fun! My mission is to enhance the quality of life for my clients by providing the best products and services to help them achieve their personal and professional goals. I take great pride in my clients, my company, my commitment to service and the products I sell. I am a recognized expert in the hospitality industry with over 24 years of success at planning and executing strategies for delivering dramatic results, a former "GM of the Year" for 2 major, full-service, franchises, an Award winning Multi-Unit Executive with 2 of the largest restaurant chains in the U.S., published author, husband and father of two.