Restaurant Customers And Comping Meals

Are you saving restaurant customers when you comp meals or are you losing money? It depends on what they given situation is so you need to be open to the idea. Sometimes it is the right course of action to take and other times it is a waste because that was the intention of the customer to begin with.

Many customers just want you to take notice of the problem so it doesn't happen again. They may be annoyed but they certainly don't expect a free meal. If you offer it they will be very gracious about accepting it. Those that demand it though are the ones you need to watch out for. They may just feel that is what is deserving but they may have this down to a science as well.

This can be quite a dilemma to deal with because you don't want to run the customer off for good. Unhappy customers can cost you money as they won't be returning. They can also post information online about the experience as well as tell those they know. It can certainly result in many more people not coming to your restaurant either.

When you do try to make things right with offering a free meal, it does show your commitment to customers. They will remember what you did to remedy the situation and that will likely get them back in the door. Most people are willing to forgive things that occur if they feel the mistake was sincerely addressed well.

However, it is important to understand that there are people out there who will take advantage of this. They will go to a restaurant with the intension of not paying for what they ordered. They will complain and often create a scene. Of course the restaurant wants to keep them quiet to paying for their meal is often offered.

It doesn't seem practical that people go out for dinner with the intention of getting it paid for, but many do. You only have to search this information online to see how true that is. You will read stories from those who have done it as well as the restaurant owners who are tired of it. This game is hard to prove and it is costing the business money.

It is important to know how your particular restaurant is going to handle such situations. That way you are prepared for them when they occur. This is a type of decision that only those in charge should be allowed to make. That way there is very little room for other staff to get caught in the middle of it. Find out what happened so you can decide if the situation only warrants an apology or a free meal to go along with it.

You will have to decide what lengths you want to go to in order to keep your customers happy. Some of them will really appreciate the gesture while others walked out with exactly what they went it looking for. You definitely want to be fair but at the same time you don't want to be taken advantage of.

Article Source: http://www.rightarticle.com

Patricia Farnham has a wealth of experience in the restaurant industry. Check out her website to some valuable veteran insights, warnings and advice on owning a restaurant.

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated