Top Restaurant Complaints

We’ve all had that customer that seems to gripe about everything, but many customers who may sit in silence could actually also have some issues with your restaurant as well. While you may think that this isn’t necessarily of concern when these issues aren’t brought up within your own four walls, the fact of the matter is that those complaints may result in less loyalty, return patronage, and even some social media blunders down the road. So what are some of the most common complaints that customers have about restaurants? Survey says…

Consumer Reports has compiled a list of results detailing the most common restaurant complaints of 1,003 adults surveyed in March 2014.

• Dirty Utensils, Tables, Restrooms: A whopping 76% of those polled complained that dirty utensils and tables was their biggest gripe, while a close second at 73% said that it was dirty restrooms that concerned them the most. Stock your janitorial closet with everything your staff needs to tend to these areas regularly, and ensure that your bussers understand what ‘clean’ really means.

• Improper Serving Temperatures: Getting excited about your meal to come can completely do a 180 when that meal is served cold or at an improper temperature. Nobody likes a lukewarm cup of coffee or a chilled center to a pot pie. Be sure to have your ticket station set up efficiently and that your staff members are well-trained on ticket times. 66% of respondents complained about this, so it’s a huge chunk of your client base that has experienced this somewhere at some time.

• Server Issues: Impolite waiters and waitresses? Servers that make you feel rushed? There are a multitude of things that can go wrong when human error is to blame. 72% complained about rudeness with their host/hostess/server, while 61% complained about feeling rushed by their waitstaff. If your waitstaff is having a bad day, be sure that it doesn’t impact their customer service skills, as this can ensure that your customer is less likely to return in the future.

• Wrong Meal, Wrong Picture: If you’ve ever been served an incorrect meal, then you’ve probably wondered whose fault it was. 61% of people complained about getting a different item than they ordered while 54% complained about getting an item that didn’t look at all like was pictured or described in the menu. Stay true to form and be sure that your waitstaff always rechecks meals before they’re served, as chef mixups can happen easily.

At the end of the day, we’ll all likely experience complaints that may seem silly. Be sure to take note of each and every one, and hone your restaurant and waitstaff to cater better to your customers.

LENNY TELLER

Contract/Design/Engineering

CKitchen.com

E Friedman Associates

(917) 335-1127

lenny@efriedman.com