Restaurateurs reply

Press, 9 May 1979, Page 13

Restaurateurs reply

A PETIT

“Restaurateurs are friendly people.” That is the message that comes through loud and clear from the comments we have had from restaurateurs on our March article, which made observations on restaurants generally. It is nice to have these comments. Everyone from the restaurant business w T ho spoke to us made the point that it is a hospitality business. Everyone in the trade is there to make sure that guests have a pleasant night out. “No restaurateur wants guests to walk away unhappy,” is the general consensus. Therefore guests should make their complaints known on the spot. “Legitimate complaints are always welcome,” said one hotel manager.

All restaurateurs agree that they would rather learn of complaints at once, than hear about them afterwards in a roundabout way. As one said: “You like to know about them before business begins to fall off; if that happens you must go to a lot of trouble analysing what has gone wrong.” “Many problems and complaints about food and service can be ironed out easily on the spot,” said another. That is why many restaurants and hotel dining rooms employ a hostess. Matters such as a steak which is not cooked according to the order can be rectified straight away, provided that people voice their complaint. Most restaurateurs agree that many people need educating in some of these matters, and are pleased to have an opportunity to put their point of view. However, they insist to a man that if guests think they are taken down, they should make their view known at once, to have the matter put right.

One hotelier observed that attitudes in a hotel differed from those applying to buying a second-hand car: he thought that many people were rather casual about the purchase of a car, while these same people went absolutely mad over froth on their beer. So far we have dealt with general observations, but many restaurateurs commented also on some of the specific matters we raised in our article.

On service: They complain that it is difficult to retain qualified staff because of public’s attitude. One comment referred especially to busy nights such as “dine and dance” when guests apeared to be particularly “smart.” Although staff received instructions in ways how to handle various situations with tact and diplomacy, unpleasantness occasionally arose. “Poor service should be complained of, because restaurateurs want to know,” this one said, “but guests should treat staff with courtesy.” Naturally, complaints can be made courteously or rudely. We heard of one instance where a manager came to a table to hear a complaint affecting a Samoan waiter when the guest began: “This black

Clarendon Hotel, 78 Worcester Street, Phone 798-440.

The Clarendon Hotel advertise their dining room as suitable for fast service or leisure dining, and this is indeed what it is. Dining is “a. la carte,” with a restricted but varied menu. We had been looking for the traditional — perhaps old-fashioned — table d’hote dining that only 20 years ago was virtually the only alternative to grill rooms on the piecart, but this type of dining is disappearing fast. However, we were not disappointed in either the style of dining or in the fare provided. We dined leisurely and well, enjoying the peace and quiet of the warn and comfortable dining room, and the style of food and service that were still reminiscent of bygone days. The pleasantly quiet music — a solo piano — and the warm colours of the traditional decor, as well as the unobtrusive but friendly service all contributed to this feeling of serene well-being. We started with venison pate. Although I suspect that it was a commercial product, it was delicious. This was followed by a cream of chicken soup and fillets of sole Mornay. Both had a beautiful flavour,

bastard . . .” Needless to say, this guest did not get a good hearing.

Another comment mentioned a lettei* complaining of the service received by a party of 20 diners. The complaints ranged from having to wait too long foi* service to complaints that the steaks were not cooked. “However, no food was sent back,” said the restaurateur concerned. “Of the party several had main course only, while others had appetisers, soup, and/or entrees; all main courses were served together and naturally some waited longer than others. These people will not be back, but most of their complaints could have been settled on the spot.”

When a large group order together but intend to pay separately, it would clearly help to tell the waitress in advance, to save confusion.

On size of helpings: We have learned that we are in the minority here, and that restaurants receive more complaints about helpings being too small rather than too large. “Most New Zealanders think that their steak should cover their plate,” although most restaurateurs agree that they throw away a lot of leftover food. Restaurateurs observe that when they present “silver service” i.e. vegetables served separately, guests may always ask for more vegetables, as they can ask for more salad. With this type of service — meat, potato, a little salad, and vegetables sened separately — the salad on the side of the plate is just garnish, they say. On music: “Of 150 people 10 may think that the band is too loud — although the night had been advertised as dine and dance . . However, if a request is made for a quiet table at time of reservation, you may be seated as far away from the band as possible ...”

On seating arrangements: “Tables for two cannot be economically handled easily, and should be booked early.” One restaurateur who had done some homework on this question remarked that in his establishment of 26 tables to increase the tables-for-two from six to 10 would cost him $30,000 a year.

A complaint from the trade is that frequently people book a table for a certain number, turn up with several more people than booked, and then are upset if they have to wait until tables are rearranged. The request is “please ring if there is a change, in the interest of all concerned.” In conclusion, one hotelier explained that he considered the restaurant an important part of the over-all operation, but that it was the most difficult part — for reasons already discussed and also because costs were fearfully high and continually rising. But the same man emphasised that he and his staff continuously endeavoured to have the restaurant “as perfect as possible.”

although I would have preferred the sauce to be of a little lighter consistency. For main course we chose the roast beef and the porterhouse steak provencale, with vegetables. The roast beef was a nice touch for this type of dining room, just the sort of thing we had been looking for. Both meals were all they should be. A beautiful steamed pudding was just the right way to complete the meal. The menu comprises several appetisers, two soups, several entrees, four grills, four sautees (such as chicken chasseur and whole flounder) five specials (scallops in the basket), and four choices of dessert. The wine list is extensive. Coffee is served in the lounge, and the house bar is nearby. The Clarendon dining room is open for lunch between 12 and 2 p.m., and foi' dinner from 6.15 to 8.30 p.m. Dinner for two, with a bottle of New Zealand wine, came to $19.85.