Saturday, June 25, 2011

Bad restaurant service, what is it exactly?


Maybe I am becoming a cranky old woman but Bad Restaurant Service is becoming one of my pet peeves. I understand when restaurants are really busy or when there is only one server and the place is packed but when there are only about 3 table and 1 server then there is no excuse for bad service.

Case in point:

I went to a Sushi restaurant yesterday and there was about max of about 5 tables being served. There was a single lady next to me that must have been a regular. She was a very nice lady that thanked the server profusely. They brought her complimentary food and keep checking on her every few minutes. I am a quite diner. I just like to order my food, eat it, pay for it, thank the servers and then leave. I only ordered 2 hand rolls and a sushi pizza. The server never asked if I wanted a drink and never came to check if I wanted anything else. The sushi pizza was mini sized and not that extraordinary. I finished the small sized portions and sat at the table for another 15 minutes before anyone asked if I was done and then another one asked. Then I sat at the table with a $20 bill in my hand for another 15-20 minutes with no food on the table. Finally a server asked if I wanted to pay... ya think? I was sitting there clearly with money in hand waiting to pay. Even the nice lady asked if they forgot about me and didn't serve me when I finally paid my bill and left without waiting for change. Oh yeah they served me.....but well...not so much... I won't say where the place is ...but just know that it was in Vaughan.

Oh.. to make it worse there was a father and daughter who sat at another table beside me and then got served every 5 minutes while they would just walk past me and not ask if I needed anything.

Sometimes it makes me feel like walking into the kitchens and making my own food or getting what I need.

The Restaurant industry is the FOOD Service Industry but I don't know if it's just laziness or they hire the wrong people for the jobs but I am finding service seems to be getting worse and worse.

I am not one of those complaining diners that deserves bad service. I am quiet and polite and always thank the servers. I can't say that it was because I was there alone because there was another lady alone. So what was it??

Service should be consistent for EVERY diner and should be instinctive and proactive.

Good servers can read body language or at least scan a table and assess the needs of the people at that table. They should be trained to scan all tables as they are taking orders, and serving food and not just have blinders on to new customers arriving while letting the ones that have already ordered become ignored.

There are so many restaurants in this city. Many of them with bad food or bad service. When you combine both you are headed for disaster and a short restaurant life.

While I am no Chef Ramsay I am a person that dines out often and am getting increasingly frustrated with the quality of food and service that has become acceptable.

Message to future restauranteurs.

Please don't open a restaurant if you don't respect Food or the people that come to eat it.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Summer BBQ's

There is nothing that smells more like summer than a summer BBQ. Fire, smoke and the smell of charred meat just brings people and fun together.


Yesterday I went to my first official BBQ of the Season at the Canadian Film Centre for the Worldwide Short Film Festival. This is an annual event attached to the festival for filmmakers and media and to announce the film festival's award winners. Some years it rains but they have a large tent just in case but there is nothing better than having the temperature be 27 degrees and clear. It was so hot though that I had to leave a bit early because my already sunburned arms couldn't take any more burn.

What was great about this BBQ was that the Burger sponsor for the BBQ was Lick's. What a great way to have a Lick's burger, out in the sun at the Canadian Film Centre Estate with lots of film people. They also had Pizzaville pizza's, little mini cupcakes and some Gelato ice cream and of course wine, beer and soft drinks.

The day was beautiful and the set up was beautiful as well. Nice way to spend a sunday afternoon.

The last bbq I had at home was some PC Sirloin burgers which were incredibly good by the way and I also grilled some red peppers and asparagus and even some pineapple slices. Although it was only for myself and a friend who was painting my house at the time it was still great having some BBQ'd burgers instead of take out.

It doesn't matter what you put on the grill.. what matters is that it is cooked to perfection and tastes great and is always enjoyed more when shared with friends. That's what summer is all about. Spark up the BBQ and try something new. Grill some veggies or even pineapple or peaches for a great meal.

Enjoy.