Last week, I ate a Chinese restaurant in my area. I’ve been eating there on and off for years, but because of the great food. Their service was always kind of bland and they’re out of the way from my house, so I’d only go there if I was in the area. They’ve recently gotten new management and my experience last week was completely different. The new owner greeted me and my friends with not only a smile, but also an enthusiastic wave, as if we were old friends and he was actually excited to see us. We were led to our table where our orders were taken and our delicious food was served promptly. Throughout our meal, the owner made several excursions to our table (and the other diners as well) to see if our meal was good and if we needed anything. He kept making jokes and laughing with us, and it made our meal that much more enjoyable.

As we were finishing up, we were brought to-go boxes without even having to ask for them. To top it off, as we were leaving, we waved goodbye to the owner who was toward the back of the restaurant, and he ran over to us to give us each quarters to put into the gumball machine. It was just a nice, out-of-his-way thing to do. The way he treated me and my friends made us feel very comfortable and welcomed, like he cared about us as individuals, and not just as dollar signs walking in and out of the door. It was refreshing, to say the least.

In the service arena, it’s nice to feel welcomed and at home. If the quality of the food is delicious and the service is makes you feel great, most people will overlook the price and convenience to enjoy the overall dining experience. So take a tip from this restaurant owner and treat your patrons like old friends who are guests in your home.

 
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