Watch Your Attitude

So many restaurants spend money on publicity and then practically chase customes away by the owner's attitude. Stop to think, please, who is really more important, your customers, your chef or your own cost-saving ideas? True, you have to keep your chef happy but not if he refuses to cook what the customer wants and you, Mr. Restaurateur: what good is saving a few cents here or even a dollar there, if the customer never returns?

No names here to protect the guilty, but if you recognize your- self, you're guilty! Awhile ago a friend and I had dinner at a restaurant I had passed. (Thankfully not a client.) It was French and it seemed charming. The owner greeted us, seated us at a nice table and we looked around. On a Saturday night, the place was practically empty.

We ordered and my entree was not as well done as I had ordered it. No one approached us to ask how we liked dinner so I kept quiet and ate it since it was obvious things were not running smoothly in the kitchen or the dining room. After dinner and over coffee, I was smoking a Gauloise, the owner came over (by now we were the only diners left), asked if he could join us and smoked with us. I told him about my entree not being well-done enough and, to my astonishment, he said, "it's lucky for you the chef has left for the night because he would kill you if he heard you say that." I asked,"who's more important, a customer or the chef?" and the owner replied, "the chef, of course."

When we left, I told my friend if the restaurant lasted more than six months, I'd be amazed. Well, I passed by about six weeks later, and, you guessed it, they were closed.

A few years earlier I passed another seemingly charming restaurant. A friend and I were looking for a place for dinner and decided to try it. The owner approached us immediately,seated us and explained that the restaurant had just opened and didn't yet have a liquor license. So, he was pouring a glass of wine for everyone free of charge. I had a small glass and we looked at the prix fixe menu. Among the appetizers was fresh fruit although I had something else. With my entree I asked for another glass of wine. The owner refused even though 1) my friend hadn't had any wine at all and 2)this was jug wine and a glass cost him 25 cents tops.

We enjoyed our dinner (the food was good) and laughed over the owner's attitude. When time for dessert, I said instead of the desserts, I wanted the fruit listed under the ap- petizers. Again, the owner refused, saying I couldn't have two appetizers. I was so annoyed I told him he knew nothing about running a restaurant and shouldn't even be in a business dealing with people. For spite I ordered cake and then didn't eat it, but smashed it with my fork so he couldn't serve it again. With his attitude, I'm sure he would have! P.S. Within a month he, too, was out of business. I doubt he even had time to get a liquor license. So here we have two restaurateurs who knew nothing about pleasing customers. Why did they even go into business when they were so penny-wise and pound-foolish?

One time I was in a well-known steakhouse. I ordered the steak and explained that I only eat meat when it's very well- done. "The chef won't make it that way," the waiter said in a huff. I asked to speak to the owner and asked him whether he was concerned about his diners' pleasure. He said yes, but...and I decided not to order steak and never to return.

As a publicist, I have often been in a client-restaurant when a waiter missed an opportunity to please a customer, usually because the waiter didn't care. I would immediately rise from my table, speak to my client who would rectify matters and the diner was happy and likely to return. Truth- fully, no client of mine would ever act like the aforementioned restaurateurs.

Too often restaurateurs forget this is a service business and you have to please your customers.

Miriam Silverberg is founder and owner of Miriam Silverberg Associates, a publicity firm in New York City and has extensive experience working with restaurants. She can be reached at silverbergm@iopener.net.

---

The Press Release is Dead (Now Will Somebody Please Tell the Clients?)

In competing for a piece of business not too long... Read More

Starting A Publicity Program

Successful buisnesses know that media attention reaches consumers better than... Read More

A PR Surprise for Managers

For those business, non-profit and association managers committed to PR... Read More

When Should You Outsource Your PR Efforts?

1) Do you NEED solid, consistant media exposure...week after week,... Read More

How to Form a Relationship with a Newspaper

How do you make a good relationship with a newspaper... Read More

Radio Interviews - How To Get Them!

Getting on the radio can be a great tactical move... Read More

Publicity - How To Get Your Story on Television

A press release telling about "Stevie, the Water-Skiing Squirrel" will... Read More

Press Kit Elements That Work

Considering how fundamental they are to the publicist's trade,it's always... Read More

Tough Times, Tough Tactics

When times are tough, it's no time to ignore those... Read More

Publicity: Financial Planners That Get It Follow One Rule

Advice about business and life often gets around to one... Read More

Dont Pay for Radio Interviews

It used to be that all you had to do... Read More

Leveraging Your Reputation - Making PR Work for You

We rely on all kinds of tools and advice to... Read More

Think Like a Reader, Viewer, or Listener to Get Great Publicity

About a year ago I read a feature story in... Read More

Transparency in Online Transactions

In these days of every increasing demand and competition, there... Read More

Anxious About Your Public Relations?

Shooting from the hip always creates anxiety.Especially when managers order... Read More

Maybe the Strongest PR on Planet Earth?

Strong for business, non-profit and association managers when they use... Read More

The Four Seasons of Publicity - Building an All-Year Publicity

If you're like most publicity seekers, you probably think oneproject... Read More

Financial Planners Get Free Publicity With Email

In previous articles for marketing-minded financial planners, I've discussed what... Read More

Why PR Packs a Punch

Done right, it delivers the key, target audience behaviors you... Read More

Media Relations: Ending the Press Release Crutch

When most people think of media relations, they think of... Read More

PR: Ouch! Tells the Tale

Ever get the feeling that your public relations program isn't... Read More

Detailing The Famous Kentucky Derby Train

The annual detailing of the Kentucky Derby Train is an... Read More

PR: How Sweet It Is!

The public relations goal and strategy make sense; the message... Read More

Get PR Off the Bench

Something that results in your most important outside audiences doing... Read More

Publicity: Five Tips for Calling a Reporter

Always ask, "Is now a good time?"Deadlines in journalism are... Read More

5 Critical Tests Every Press Release Must Pass

You've heard "them" say it, haven't you?By "them" I mean... Read More

Creating Event Magic through Planned Video Production

Once upon a time, there was a young, stressed out... Read More

How To Get Zero Cost Publicity For Your Business Part 1

Would you like to expand the volume of your business?... Read More

I Cant Afford A PR/Publicity Campaign -- Can I?

It's a phrase I hear over and over again from... Read More

Getting Articles Published - Eight Steps for Trade Publications

Trade publications present an excellent opportunity for organisations to gain... Read More

10 Tips for Tantalizing News Releases

Want to get radio interviews and coverage in print publications... Read More

Crisis Management

The Internet may have opened worlds for businesses and consumers,... Read More

PR Going According to Plan?

Think carefully! You're a department, division or subsidiary manager for... Read More