Russian restaurateurs have made the same mistakes for years that have deterred guests and often frightened them. We tried to make a list of these annoying things.
First mistake: hang a TV in the living room.
Apparently ten years ago, plasma was removed from the expense item when restaurants were opening. And not just like that! Firstly, savings, and secondly, nothing logical can be shown to them anyway. It’s either quiet music videos where the music in the living room doesn’t match, or just pointless nature pictures or stock food. Another problem is that children and adults draw their eyes like magnets, and as a result we only remember sticky images from the scene instead of enjoying the food and atmosphere.
The exception is usually sports bars, where the presence of screens and TVs makes sense, but there is a nuance here. Many modern sports bars position themselves as restaurants where the whole family can come, not just during sports broadcasts. And there are still televisions on all the walls and not even a separate place for a quiet lunch.
Second mistake: add a tip to the bill.
Frankly, this puts the guest in an uncomfortable situation every time. Maybe he never wanted to part with them because the service left much to be desired. Maybe he didn’t order anything that really needed careful maintenance. The program also automatically calculates the tip amount for the entire check, although it is considered quite reasonable to pay 10-15% of the amount of food according to etiquette, which does not take into account alcohol, which can be an important part of it. control.
Legally speaking, a tip is a payment for service that is already included in the price of the meals. After all, if he goes on a separate line, this should mean that he can be abandoned. But who will let you into the kitchen for your plate?
In general, we will secretly tell you that under Russian law you have the right to actually request the removal of this line from the check if you wish.
Third mistake: making bad coffee.
The coffee industry has developed so strongly in Russia that it is better not to include it on the menu at all than to brew bad coffee. For example, we had a situation when they served coffee from a coffee machine in an expensive restaurant on Red Square, where the average bill was more than 2,000 rubles. From those who usually stop at gas stations and automatically make cappuccinos that are indistinguishable from a latte.
To the logical question “Why pay 400 rubles here?” the manager exclaimed angrily: “We don’t have a coffee shop, they don’t come to us for coffee!”
It would be better if they didn’t say anything and just focus on the tea card.
Fourth mistake: not knowing the menu and terminology.
In the 21st century, it seems it’s time for all waiters to know what “vegan”, “lean”, “lactose-free” and “gluten-free” are. Otherwise, it turns out you want creamy shrimp pasta and are on a dairy-free diet. And they really do bring cream-free pasta, but heavily sprinkled with parmesan. Or if you ask what is vegan, you get a surprised look and the answer is “nothing”. And on closer inspection, you’ll find about a dozen positions, some of which are clearly made for people who don’t consume animal products (the Georgian dish with Tofu is unlikely to have come about by chance).
In fact, it is quite surprising that the waiters do not know the menu and the composition of the dishes. Modern institutions do not have such a wide range of products, they usually fit on 1-2 pages. And every day they work with him for a long time, picking him up from the kitchen, checking whether the nuts can be removed. After a week of such work, an attentive person understands what is on each plate.
Fifth mistake: do not train staff.
Given how many service coaches are starting to emerge, this issue is definitely being worked on. But the finish line is still far away. About fifteen years ago, it was believed that waiters and bartenders are ordinary staff, that it is difficult to “carry a tray” there, that no one attaches much importance to their education.
But then restaurateurs began to realize that this was the face of both the establishment and the salespeople, and an opportunity to soften their impressions of other disadvantages a guest might face.
There are many pitfalls in authorized selling, and it’s important to set aside a budget for training, even at the beginning. So later, at a loud opening, the waiter can tell why those intricate desserts the chef has carefully considered are made, and not beat the guests’ desire to return just by the way he speaks.
Error six: not listening to guests.
Of course, it is not possible to please everyone, and the claims of the guests are sometimes ridiculously ridiculous. But when something like “cucumbers are already stale” is said, the guest is at least not answered by the staff: “Thanks, we’ll take care of the kitchen and check it out”, “No one has complained before!” – immediately fights the desire to revisit the place.
If a particular person’s tastes and wishes are not important to you, he or she doesn’t belong here either.
Mistake seven: Making a kids’ menu of nuggets and chips.
It is clear that many children do not eat anything else, but not all. It’s especially awkward when a family comes to an expensive restaurant where the menu includes octopus, marbled meat, and oyster paste, and the child is presented with heated nuggets from a can on a beautiful plate.
We are raising the delight of the younger generation ourselves. Finding a dish that will appeal to children is not an easy task, but such a restaurant will definitely score a hundred points in the eyes of modern parents who figure out how to feed their offspring with vegetables at home.
Mistake eight: Not pouring the water for free.
It doesn’t even make sense to post it here. Money is money, but water is a basic human need. He won’t change his free water plan if he asks for coffee or lemonade. We don’t live in Africa, after all, filtering an institution was a heavy financial burden.
The Ninth Mistake: Consider the visual part of the concept unimportant.
It turns out that if it is delicious, people will understand, even if there are no beautiful photos. And food photographers are so expensive, I really don’t want to spend money on them, so far not even a profit in sight.
But it is not. In today’s world, everything is visual. In delivery pickers, people prefer mouth-watering professional photos, and before visiting a cafe, they almost always check their social networks to see exactly what they want to eat.
Yes, and you no longer need to spend money on expensive equipment – a good phone and imagination are enough.
Tenth Mistake: Invent your own rules.
Cafe bans, dog bans, mandatory tips, non-refundable deposit, refusal to put drinks in your own mug, not accepting slightly torn banknotes – all this not only annoys guests, but also violates the law.
Arguing over lunch is usually not in the mood for people, but such things automatically show the restaurateur’s attitude towards visitors.
There is usually no desire to return to a place with an inflexible approach.
The author expresses his personal opinion, which may not coincide with the editors’ position.