Since Zagat
classifies restaurants by food, service and decor, I will as well.
Food should
be . . .
Good. Not
every item will appeal to all tastes, but enough choices so there's
an appealing selection to choose from on future visits.
Consistent.
Each dish should taste nearly the same each time it's ordered. If the
item changes each time, diners won't be able to determine if the dish
will be to their liking, and won't return. Chinese restaurants are
often deficient in this regard.
Not
overseasoned. Spicy dishes should be indicated as such, and the offer
to moderate seasonings should be made. Salt should always be
used sparingly. Diners can always add salt, but once oversalted,
cannot be salvaged.
At the proper temperature. Soup should be hot, not lukewarm
(which might indicate a food safety problem); bread should be at least
room temperature (if not warmed), and butter should not be served in
the bread basket (which cools the bread and melts the butter).
Appropriately priced.
Not make you sick. While I might overlook one minor digestive
problem from a familiar restaurant, a severe or second problem removes
it from my world (i.e. it is never considered again.)
Service
should be . . .
Pleasant.
Diners should be acknowledged soon after entering, and informed as to
seating wait, etc. They should feel welcome, and greeted upon a
return visit without being overdone. Diners who have returned after a
long absence should not be questioned why they've not been there recently.
Observant.
Diners should not have to seek their servers for bread, water, etc.
at any time; they should be unobtrusively maintained on the table.
Patrons should never feel ignored, either during busy or slack times.
Any problems brought to the attention of the server should be promptly
corrected.
Not
overzealous. Buspersons should wait until every diner at the
table is finished before clearing the table.
Decor
should be . . .
Appropriate to
the type of restaurant. Regardless of cuisine, there
shouldn't be anything inappropriate. If the location previously had
another name, it shouldn't appear anywhere.
Maintained. No
peeling paint, water stains on the ceiling, more than a couple of
burned-out light bulbs, etc. (Cleanliness is assumed, with no
roaches, mouse droppings, dust bunnies, etc. If there's no hot
water in the rest room, there may not be any in the kitchen either,
leading to food poisoning. Leave immediately!)
Hours of
operation should be posted by the entrance. If there are breaks in
service hours, they should be noted. Posting of menus are also
appreciated, allowing potential patrons to determine if the offerings
will satisfy to their needs.
Comfortable.
The thermostat should be set for the patron's comfort, not the
workers. It should be neither too warm or too cold. Seating should be
comfortable, neither too firm or too soft. There should be a comfortable
sound level, neither too quiet nor too loud. Remember, the longer the
customers stay, the more they spend.
If smoking is permitted, the restaurant should be divided into
smoking and non-smoking areas. Smoking areas should be isolated so that
patrons seated in non-smoking areas
should not smell smoke at any time, nor should their clothes smell of smoke when
they leave. A lingering smoke odor in the closet will remind those
customers not to return.
Two questions I always ask of my dining companions
and myself at a restaurant:
Would you order this item again? This is a more pointed
question than "did you like it?"
Would you come here again? This is the jackpot question,
encompassing decor, service, food and every other aspect of the
establishment.
Restaurant Qualities
,
revised Tuesday September 05, 2006
