Customer service, is, when you think about hospitality, the essence of what it’s all about really. Taken to its lowest common denominator, the two simple ingredients of good customer service and good food equate to a successful hospitality business. What I don’t understand is why so many in the industry just don’t seem to get that simple fact!
Rita and trusty dining-out friend Kelly breakfasted yesterday at the new-ish Infusion (previously Cafe Mojo) in South Hobart.
Whilst the food was fine, the lax service left me thinking perhaps we’d become invisible. The 40 minute wait we had between when we finished eating our eggs and when someone came to our table to enquire as to whether or nor we wanted something else (we DID – we wanted another drink and something else to eat) was astounding, considering we were THE ONLY OCCUPIED TABLE IN THE RESTAURANT!
During the long interval mentioned above, we got up and went across to the cake/dessert fridge to see what else we might want to graze on – and even then no one picked up on that cue and came across to us to check if we might want something else.
Unbelievable.
Last night I wrote the most blistering account of our experience, leaving you in absolutely no doubt as to my feelings about it, but deleted it this morning, and watered down my account to what you see above.
Kel had poached eggs with their special of the day which was beans with a spicy flavour – which were fabulous. I tasted them then wished I’d ordered them myself. I selected poached eggs with hollandaise, bacon and hash browns. The hollandaise was beautiful, and I was much relieved they’d made their own.
I topped off this meal with a bowl of their beautiful poached fruits – a selection of (I think they had started life as dried) apple, apricot and prune, poached gently with the spicy clove flavourings which highlight the subtleties of these beautiful winter fruits. I had thickened cream with this, as opposed to the menu suggestion of yoghurt. Kel had some lime cheesecake – which she declared stunning as well.
To sum up, despite the fact that the food was fine, the neglect washed away any residual positive feelings I had about my experience.
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11 comments:
That surprises me Rita. Will you be going back there?
I tried to have lunch in two different cafes in Salamanca today but in the first one I waited 15 mins while all the staff stood around and chatted, I was desperate for a coffee so after staring at this gaggle of staff for a few minutes (with no response) I got up to try my luck elsewhere. Oh dear! The next place was worse I sat down and was told that someone would be by to wipe down my table and give me a menu. I sat around and waited while the three other tables that came in after me got there menus and orders taken. That was it I left and went to one of my favourites, sometimes I wonder why you would want to try somewhere different????????
I tried to have lunch in two different cafes in Salamanca today but in the first one I waited 15 mins while all the staff stood around and chatted, I was desperate for a coffee so after staring at this gaggle of staff for a few minutes (with no response) I got up to try my luck elsewhere. Oh dear! The next place was worse I sat down and was told that someone would be by to wipe down my table and give me a menu. I sat around and waited while the three other tables that came in after me got there menus and orders taken. That was it I left and went to one of my favourites, sometimes I wonder why you would want to try somewhere different????????
Sorry to hear that Rita. Sounds like total indifference from the wait staff to me, no excuses & what a bunch of morons frankly.
I hope the owner reads this post & takes a stick to them!
Interesting Rita, as I went there for lunch on Saturday and was totally overserviced, to the point that our main course was brought out before we had finished our shared fish cakes for entree.
Usually i wouldnt have two courses for lunch, but given we were going to a wedding that afternoon which was to be cocktail style I knew we should line our stomachs well for the night ahead, and also, GP's recent review of the Infusion fish cakes giving Joff and Flathead a run for his money, I just had to have them! And they were worth it!
That said, the red beef curry and the duck salad which we had for mains, were just okay (nothing to write about so I won't!).
TJ
PS we were one of three tables at 1pm on a Saturday for lunch.
You're the one who should have taken a stick to them Rita.
It must be in the air, Rita.
Last Tuesday we had a long wait for our grub at Cafe Namaskar in Channel Court.
Only baine marie stuff. so how long does it take to put on a plate and take into that small ``black hole of Calcutta'' dining room.
Too bloody long. I nearly got up to say something but the missus didn't want a fuss.
Then at teatime a long wait at Burger King in the city, locked in a car queue. It's supposed to be fast food. What a joke.
PS Rita...Burger King was at the request of a certain grandchild, so I had to wear it.
We had all just been to the movies. For a fast-food burger it was, well....let's say tolerable.
Thanks for enlightening me on that salient fact Sir G! I was wondering if you'd 'turned'!
Mehitabel - I'm not into violence so that wouldn't happen!
TJ - interesting that we should have such opposite experiences there on the same day, and frustrating for that to happen to you. Interesting too that you were only one of 3 tables there for Sat lunch.
I asked owner when he was starting the takeaways and he said end of June, but if it were my business and it were so quiet I'd be getting them going yesterday. Surely better to do takeaway sales than have empty restaurant, possibly throw food out, and utilise rostered staff. In these times of most people watching their outgoings, they're going to choose takeaways every time over a sit-down, more expensive restaurant meal.
Wayne, thanks, but it actually was the owner serving (or not)!
Anon - it appears yet again the lack of customer service issue rears its ugly head again. Damn! But don't stop trying new places. That's what makes the excitement greater when you actually find somewhere that has all the boxes ticked for you.
Thats disappointing to here about the lack of service. Maybe the staff havent woken up yet? When i went there i couldnt fault the service or the food. I might stick to the food store after reading this and leave dinner to infusion. Although surely they know the direct competition to them is the food store?
Talked to a friend who dined there last week in a group of 6 and not one of them left happy!
Not good.
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