You can’t call in Gordon Ramsay every time your chef has a brain freeze and stuffs the avocados with custard.
Mishaps and misadventure are simply part and parcel of the catering and hospitality industry – that’s what makes this line of work so fast-paced and exciting.
However, while you can’t predict the flaming sambuca will set fire to Colonel Crumb’s moustache, there are simple yet effective ways you can future-proof the reputation of your restaurant.
Make everybody welcome
Overly discerning restaurant managers have a bad habit of hitting the news. In the worst cases – thankfully rare – it’s when patrons have been turned away because of their religion, ethnicity or sexuality.
More often access is denied because of informal dress or an entourage of noisy, greasy-fingered children.
Remember: the finest, most talked-about establishments are the most accommodating, bar none.
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Always be accurate
A certain well-known food chain prided itself on selling vegetarian morning sandwiches . . . until a spot check revealed the veggie bacon contained as much animal fat as full rashers of Babe.
The bad publicity that followed almost did them in.
The lesson is: always be 100% honest in your advertising, right down to the way dishes are described in your menu.
Never dish the dirt
As Granny Ina is often fond of saying, as she wipes her doughy hands on her apron, cleanliness is next to Godliness. This is the number one rule of every kitchen.
It’s not just the sight of someone licking their thumbs before carrying the plates to the table that puts patrons off.
There could be serious health implications – for diners and for your profits – if the highest hygiene standards are not met.
Treat the customer like your boss
The chef knows the haggis fritters were cooked to perfection. You know they were. If Michel Roux Jr were here, he would know they were.
But guess what? Mr and Mrs Grump in the corner table think they were salty and undercooked. So they were. Fact.
Arguing the case won’t change this. Offer an alluring alternative or a free glass of fizz instead. Every time you go beyond a customer’s expectations is one more victory in protecting your reputation. It might even get a smile from the Grumps.
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