With Valentine's Day falling on a Sunday this year, all we could hope for at BT was a busy weekend, and with that weekend being President's Weekend as well, it was pretty much guaranteed...what we didn't hope for was 3.5 snow days within the week prior. On Thursday, during the second full day of Blizzard II, we had the epiphany that, hey! maybe we should open up for Valentine's Day dinner! The question was, how do we advertise this change of schedule? Of course the answer was, "internet". Between the Brooks Tavern Facebook Page, this blog space, and the 116 or so members on our email list, we got the word out: we have about 60 reservations! Thank you so much! Our staff is excited to have the work, and Kevin and I weren't ready to face another day at home avoiding chores - will we ever get the Christmas stuff back up into the attic?
It has been a pretty busy weekend, especially last night. And it hasn't gone all that smoothly either... On Friday night we disappointed at least one regular twice during the course of his meal, and while he was exceedingly gracious about it, it certainly put a damper on his evening out with friends. Whenever we have complaints about food like his - which were legitimate enough - I have to wonder about all the other guests who don't complain... Did they suffer through the same experience without saying anything, but left unhappy just the same? We are not so naive that we believe that all of our customers are always pleased all of the time, no matter what they say out loud. Bad things happen to good food. Steaks get overcooked, fish gets oversauced, desserts get overlooked. The point is - say something to us. It is as important to hear the criticisms about the BT experience as it is flattering to hear the compliments. We can't correct problems that we don't know about. We can recook the steak, replate the fish, replenish the dessert and with any amount of luck, retain a happy customer! That is, after all, our goal - happy customers.
Saturday night we had a few unhappy customers. Mostly it involved the fact that we had a wait starting at 6PM. Almost an hour wait. By 6:15, when the "Talls" came in, we were packed, no room at the bar or the tall tops, and they were furious. "We called", said Mr. Tall. "They said to get here by 6." All I could do, as he stormed out, ranting and raving all the while, was apologize and agree that they must be very unhappy. When he ended his tirade by telling me that he had "been here five times and had three bad meals", I knew I had lost a customer for good. He said as much.
A little while later, a party arrived to claim their 7PM reservation. When - admittedly a bit relieved when I realize they were four, not a six that really may have made a reservation that I had screwed up - I explained to them that they must be mistaken, since we generally take bookings for parties of six or larger. This was not a satisfactory response - especially in light of our hour long wait. Someone had taken their reservation, yesterday, and no it wasn't possible that they could have called the wrong restaurant. They weren't taking no for an answer, but faced with the options of waiting at the bar for the next available table for four - along with the rest of the hoi polloi milling about the lobby, dining room and bar area, they opted - angrily - out. Once again, all I could do was agree that someone somewhere had created some confusion somehow, but I was - and remain - fairly certain that no one on my team had mistakenly taken a reservation. First of all, I am the only one who takes the reservations. And secondly, everyone is pretty much on the same page about the "six or more" thing. All I can guess is that they misunderstood whatever information they were given, if indeed BT was actually the place they called to make their 7:00 reservation for four. I don't imagine they will be back either, and it wouldn't surprise me to see some more vitriol about my handling of their disappointment on TripAdvisor.
Thankfully the goods outweigh the bads! A really busy night like last night is bound to have more than the usual glitches and missteps; we try to learn from them and avoid making them again. But you know what? Mistakes will continue to happen and we will continue to deal with them as best we can. We will never, ever please every single person we encounter in this business, but we will treat them all with respect, courtesy and fair-mindedness.
Which is why "Everyday is Valentine's Day at Brooks Tavern"!
It has been a pretty busy weekend, especially last night. And it hasn't gone all that smoothly either... On Friday night we disappointed at least one regular twice during the course of his meal, and while he was exceedingly gracious about it, it certainly put a damper on his evening out with friends. Whenever we have complaints about food like his - which were legitimate enough - I have to wonder about all the other guests who don't complain... Did they suffer through the same experience without saying anything, but left unhappy just the same? We are not so naive that we believe that all of our customers are always pleased all of the time, no matter what they say out loud. Bad things happen to good food. Steaks get overcooked, fish gets oversauced, desserts get overlooked. The point is - say something to us. It is as important to hear the criticisms about the BT experience as it is flattering to hear the compliments. We can't correct problems that we don't know about. We can recook the steak, replate the fish, replenish the dessert and with any amount of luck, retain a happy customer! That is, after all, our goal - happy customers.
Saturday night we had a few unhappy customers. Mostly it involved the fact that we had a wait starting at 6PM. Almost an hour wait. By 6:15, when the "Talls" came in, we were packed, no room at the bar or the tall tops, and they were furious. "We called", said Mr. Tall. "They said to get here by 6." All I could do, as he stormed out, ranting and raving all the while, was apologize and agree that they must be very unhappy. When he ended his tirade by telling me that he had "been here five times and had three bad meals", I knew I had lost a customer for good. He said as much.
A little while later, a party arrived to claim their 7PM reservation. When - admittedly a bit relieved when I realize they were four, not a six that really may have made a reservation that I had screwed up - I explained to them that they must be mistaken, since we generally take bookings for parties of six or larger. This was not a satisfactory response - especially in light of our hour long wait. Someone had taken their reservation, yesterday, and no it wasn't possible that they could have called the wrong restaurant. They weren't taking no for an answer, but faced with the options of waiting at the bar for the next available table for four - along with the rest of the hoi polloi milling about the lobby, dining room and bar area, they opted - angrily - out. Once again, all I could do was agree that someone somewhere had created some confusion somehow, but I was - and remain - fairly certain that no one on my team had mistakenly taken a reservation. First of all, I am the only one who takes the reservations. And secondly, everyone is pretty much on the same page about the "six or more" thing. All I can guess is that they misunderstood whatever information they were given, if indeed BT was actually the place they called to make their 7:00 reservation for four. I don't imagine they will be back either, and it wouldn't surprise me to see some more vitriol about my handling of their disappointment on TripAdvisor.
Thankfully the goods outweigh the bads! A really busy night like last night is bound to have more than the usual glitches and missteps; we try to learn from them and avoid making them again. But you know what? Mistakes will continue to happen and we will continue to deal with them as best we can. We will never, ever please every single person we encounter in this business, but we will treat them all with respect, courtesy and fair-mindedness.
Which is why "Everyday is Valentine's Day at Brooks Tavern"!
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