In the USA, people in the service industry are paid not for the work they do, but (theoretically) for how well they do the work. This happens in the form of tips. If they serve well, they can expect their 15% and more. If they don't perform quite up to standard, they might fall a few cents short of that magical 15% mark - and when you are getting paid a pittance for your base wage, every cent that you get in tips will count.
As such, this is generally a place where customer service is good, if not great - people's livelihood relies on it. Therefore this is a society in which there is a strong expectation of swift, friendly, helpful service. Afterall, it is the customer who is paying most of the wage directly from their own wallet, and they want their money's worth.
Obviously where there are expectations, there are also disappointments. This high expectation of good service can become highly entertaining in circumstances where it isn't fulfilled.
On Saturday night RJ and his friends had a booking for about 20 people at a teppanyaki restaurant in a nice neighbourhood in LA (Fullerton). Knowing his friends well, guests were told that the booking was for 9pm, but the reservation with the restaurant was made for 9.30pm. The plan was mostly a success - come 9.30, 15 of 22 people were there and the other 7 were on their way. We took our seats, ordered drinks, and contemplated menus, knowing that the other 7 would merely order appetisers when they arrived (they were going to be too late to have their food cooked on the grill in front of us).
Just as comfort levels rose and small talk grew between new and old friends, friendly conversation over drinks and menus was interrupted rather rudely by a quick-tongued manager.
"Who is responsible for this reservation? I need to speak to the person responsible for this reservation."
"I guess I am responsible?" (April, RJ's lovely cousin who made the booking and was also celebrating her birthday)
"Well, I need to know how many other people are coming."
"Um, I think 5 people are coming. Either 5 or 7?"
"When are they going to be here."
"They are on their way, I'm not sure when they will actually arrive. But they're just ordering from the appetiser menu, so you can feel free to fire up the grill anytime - we don't need to wait for them." (Smile from April)
"But are they coming? When will they be here? Because I have 5 seats here that need to be filled. And if your friends don't come, I am charging you $25 a head for those seats."
I must interrupt here just to add that there was nobody waiting for tables at this stage, and there was two whole teppan grills going unused.
"Oh! But, they are coming? I just spoke to them, they are coming and ordering appetisers."
"Well, if you confirm that now, and I reserve these 5 seats for them, then I am going to charge you $25 a head if they don't show up."
"But you didn't make any mention of this when I made the booking? Is this a rule? You didn't mention this at all when I called before..."
"No, but I am the manager here and I am telling you right now that I am changing the rule, ok? This is how it is. Either you say yes, your friends are coming, and whether or not they turn up you pay. Or you say no, and I don't reserve those seats for you. That's it."
"... what?! But nothing was mentioned about this sort of a policy when we made the booking."
"No, but I am mentioning it now, ok!"
"Excuse me, but aren't we the paying customers here?" (Steps in Ahmed, one of RJ's more hilarious friends with a sizeable mouth)
"Yes, and I am the manager."
"So you are trying to run a restaurant, I get it. But we are the customers and you need us to run your restaurant. You made no mention of this policy when the booking was made, surely you should be willing to try and find some sort of compromise here for us."
"No, I am telling you now. Either you book those seats and pay, or I give them to the next people that walk in."
"No, we are the customers. You need to compromise. You made no mention of this before."
"I am telling you that this is how it is, ok?"
Manager walks away.
After a 30 second discussion and a unanimous vote, we all finish our drinks and walk out, completely stunned.
Despite the fact that I am still slow and unsure when it comes to leaving tips, I think the only tip coming his way that evening was the one from a member of our group on the way out:
"Thanks... FOR NOTHING!"
On a post script, we ended up at a place called Yardhouse, which was wonderful. Great atmosphere, brilliant staff, wonderful manager and fantastic food.
Post-post script, the 7 people who were late turned up at the teppanyaki place at 10.30, an hour and a half late. Then they decided not to join us at Yardhouse after we walked out of a restaurant for them. Shame.
All up, an entertaining and memorable final night in LA. Much thanks to all, even the manager.
As such, this is generally a place where customer service is good, if not great - people's livelihood relies on it. Therefore this is a society in which there is a strong expectation of swift, friendly, helpful service. Afterall, it is the customer who is paying most of the wage directly from their own wallet, and they want their money's worth.
Obviously where there are expectations, there are also disappointments. This high expectation of good service can become highly entertaining in circumstances where it isn't fulfilled.
On Saturday night RJ and his friends had a booking for about 20 people at a teppanyaki restaurant in a nice neighbourhood in LA (Fullerton). Knowing his friends well, guests were told that the booking was for 9pm, but the reservation with the restaurant was made for 9.30pm. The plan was mostly a success - come 9.30, 15 of 22 people were there and the other 7 were on their way. We took our seats, ordered drinks, and contemplated menus, knowing that the other 7 would merely order appetisers when they arrived (they were going to be too late to have their food cooked on the grill in front of us).
Just as comfort levels rose and small talk grew between new and old friends, friendly conversation over drinks and menus was interrupted rather rudely by a quick-tongued manager.
"Who is responsible for this reservation? I need to speak to the person responsible for this reservation."
"I guess I am responsible?" (April, RJ's lovely cousin who made the booking and was also celebrating her birthday)
"Well, I need to know how many other people are coming."
"Um, I think 5 people are coming. Either 5 or 7?"
"When are they going to be here."
"They are on their way, I'm not sure when they will actually arrive. But they're just ordering from the appetiser menu, so you can feel free to fire up the grill anytime - we don't need to wait for them." (Smile from April)
"But are they coming? When will they be here? Because I have 5 seats here that need to be filled. And if your friends don't come, I am charging you $25 a head for those seats."
I must interrupt here just to add that there was nobody waiting for tables at this stage, and there was two whole teppan grills going unused.
"Oh! But, they are coming? I just spoke to them, they are coming and ordering appetisers."
"Well, if you confirm that now, and I reserve these 5 seats for them, then I am going to charge you $25 a head if they don't show up."
"But you didn't make any mention of this when I made the booking? Is this a rule? You didn't mention this at all when I called before..."
"No, but I am the manager here and I am telling you right now that I am changing the rule, ok? This is how it is. Either you say yes, your friends are coming, and whether or not they turn up you pay. Or you say no, and I don't reserve those seats for you. That's it."
"... what?! But nothing was mentioned about this sort of a policy when we made the booking."
"No, but I am mentioning it now, ok!"
"Excuse me, but aren't we the paying customers here?" (Steps in Ahmed, one of RJ's more hilarious friends with a sizeable mouth)
"Yes, and I am the manager."
"So you are trying to run a restaurant, I get it. But we are the customers and you need us to run your restaurant. You made no mention of this policy when the booking was made, surely you should be willing to try and find some sort of compromise here for us."
"No, I am telling you now. Either you book those seats and pay, or I give them to the next people that walk in."
"No, we are the customers. You need to compromise. You made no mention of this before."
"I am telling you that this is how it is, ok?"
Manager walks away.
After a 30 second discussion and a unanimous vote, we all finish our drinks and walk out, completely stunned.
Despite the fact that I am still slow and unsure when it comes to leaving tips, I think the only tip coming his way that evening was the one from a member of our group on the way out:
"Thanks... FOR NOTHING!"
On a post script, we ended up at a place called Yardhouse, which was wonderful. Great atmosphere, brilliant staff, wonderful manager and fantastic food.
Post-post script, the 7 people who were late turned up at the teppanyaki place at 10.30, an hour and a half late. Then they decided not to join us at Yardhouse after we walked out of a restaurant for them. Shame.
All up, an entertaining and memorable final night in LA. Much thanks to all, even the manager.
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