Cooking
Ever notice how in a restaurant when the service is good, you barely even notice it? When service is perceived to be off, people are likely to complain and yet when it's perfect they don't even remember it! That's the way it goes in the front of the house.
Research seems to bear this out, according to Zagat's 2006 America's Top Restaurants Survey, service ratings are behind food ratings everywhere by almost two points (on the Zagat scale). When asked what irritates people the most about eating out, there was a great deal of consistency in responses -- "poor service" was the top response in every city. Which is part of the reason managing the "front of the house" is such a challenge. Anything less than perfect service is a real problem for most diners.
To read more about the view from the front of the house, check out my interview with Mario Nocifera, the new general manager of restaurant Scott Howard. It's online at KQED's Bay Area Bites.
- I Heart Instacart!
Since August I have ordered groceries from the online delivery service Instacart more than 10 times. Crazy, right? Not at all. I am absolutely thrilled with their service and here’s why: ChoiceI can choose from among several stores. Not just big...
- Zagat Survey
It's that time again. If you register with Zagat, then rate three or more San Francisco restaurants, you will receive a free copy of their popular guidebook. The survey has been streamlined this year and it's much easier to fill out. This year...
- San Francisco Food Lover's Guide: Review
You might have noticed all my caveats about the Zagat Survey the other day. I have none to report for the fourth edition of Patricia Unterman's San Francisco Food Lover's Guide. As the last edition did, this one shall sit right next to the Zagat...
- Citizen Cake Restaurant Closed
The older I get, the more service seems to matter to me. I don't expect great service in a dive or a diner, though I am pleased when I get it. But in a moderate to expensive place, it really bugs me if the service is less than top notch. I do recognize...
- Learning To Serve
When the Culinary Institute of America opened its Greystone campus, the school decided to offer a wine program in addition to the normal food classes. The campus is well positioned for a comprehensive program: it's in St. Helena in the Napa Valley,...
Cooking
Waiter, waiter!
Ever notice how in a restaurant when the service is good, you barely even notice it? When service is perceived to be off, people are likely to complain and yet when it's perfect they don't even remember it! That's the way it goes in the front of the house.
Research seems to bear this out, according to Zagat's 2006 America's Top Restaurants Survey, service ratings are behind food ratings everywhere by almost two points (on the Zagat scale). When asked what irritates people the most about eating out, there was a great deal of consistency in responses -- "poor service" was the top response in every city. Which is part of the reason managing the "front of the house" is such a challenge. Anything less than perfect service is a real problem for most diners.
To read more about the view from the front of the house, check out my interview with Mario Nocifera, the new general manager of restaurant Scott Howard. It's online at KQED's Bay Area Bites.
- I Heart Instacart!
Since August I have ordered groceries from the online delivery service Instacart more than 10 times. Crazy, right? Not at all. I am absolutely thrilled with their service and here’s why: ChoiceI can choose from among several stores. Not just big...
- Zagat Survey
It's that time again. If you register with Zagat, then rate three or more San Francisco restaurants, you will receive a free copy of their popular guidebook. The survey has been streamlined this year and it's much easier to fill out. This year...
- San Francisco Food Lover's Guide: Review
You might have noticed all my caveats about the Zagat Survey the other day. I have none to report for the fourth edition of Patricia Unterman's San Francisco Food Lover's Guide. As the last edition did, this one shall sit right next to the Zagat...
- Citizen Cake Restaurant Closed
The older I get, the more service seems to matter to me. I don't expect great service in a dive or a diner, though I am pleased when I get it. But in a moderate to expensive place, it really bugs me if the service is less than top notch. I do recognize...
- Learning To Serve
When the Culinary Institute of America opened its Greystone campus, the school decided to offer a wine program in addition to the normal food classes. The campus is well positioned for a comprehensive program: it's in St. Helena in the Napa Valley,...