Helen RandellA question of service
March 3rd 2009 00:22
The other night we dined at the Earl of Leicester for a friend's birthday.
The wine list was good, our meals were well-cooked, but the thing which we all commented on the most was our wait staff.
A bit of a double-act throughout the night, our initial contact was with a lady who, while attentive, did not go out of her way to make us feel welcome. She did accommodate us with a couple of off-the-menu items, but there was no sparkle with her service. Our secondary contact was Paul. You will note, that I remember his name.
Paul was also very attentive, making sure our every desire was meet, but it was his sense of humour that really stood out. Apparently not impressed by our choice of a sparkling red wine (which was delicious), he wanted to know if the boys at the table would like some 'red cordial'. There were a few gauffs and giggles, then, after a pause, he actually brought out some red cordial for us - in a milk jug. Not something I have ever expereinced at a restaurant before, the cordial was quickly mixed into our drinking water and I think we all appreciated the sugar kick.
Now, Paul didn't have to do this, I mean really, we didn't even ask him to, but we all remember that he did. We continued to converse with Paul about a few different things, including the out-of-date promotions on our table and how the two large schnitzels which were accidentally served among our meals (there were two orders for small schnitzels) were actually finished off by everyone on the table.
Waiting staff can seriously make or break the evening - even if it is great food, if the staff are rude you'll think twice about going back. What are some of your experiences with waiting staff - how much do they change the way you feel about your dining experience?
The wine list was good, our meals were well-cooked, but the thing which we all commented on the most was our wait staff.
A bit of a double-act throughout the night, our initial contact was with a lady who, while attentive, did not go out of her way to make us feel welcome. She did accommodate us with a couple of off-the-menu items, but there was no sparkle with her service. Our secondary contact was Paul. You will note, that I remember his name.
Paul was also very attentive, making sure our every desire was meet, but it was his sense of humour that really stood out. Apparently not impressed by our choice of a sparkling red wine (which was delicious), he wanted to know if the boys at the table would like some 'red cordial'. There were a few gauffs and giggles, then, after a pause, he actually brought out some red cordial for us - in a milk jug. Not something I have ever expereinced at a restaurant before, the cordial was quickly mixed into our drinking water and I think we all appreciated the sugar kick.
Now, Paul didn't have to do this, I mean really, we didn't even ask him to, but we all remember that he did. We continued to converse with Paul about a few different things, including the out-of-date promotions on our table and how the two large schnitzels which were accidentally served among our meals (there were two orders for small schnitzels) were actually finished off by everyone on the table.
Waiting staff can seriously make or break the evening - even if it is great food, if the staff are rude you'll think twice about going back. What are some of your experiences with waiting staff - how much do they change the way you feel about your dining experience?
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