Sometimes the little things mean everything.  This was certainly the case for us with a recent restaurant takeout order.  It was one of those restaurant experiences where you are so disappointed that you want to complain, but you also understand how tough it is for restaurants right now.

So much has changed for customers this past year (how we order, what we purchase, business hours, apps, downloads, payment methods, etc.) but I don’t believe that these have been a deterrent for customers.   Basically, we are willing to adapt in order to enjoy our favorite meals and support the restaurants our communities need and love.  But one thing is for sure… we all still want what we pay for.

We ordered online from a chain steakhouse and headed out the door to pick up one of our favorite meals to celebrate a special occasion outside on our deck.  Yes, it’s Florida!  My wife remained at the house and I pulled up 6 minutes before our order time.  By the time I had received our order, it had been a whopping 74 minutes.  “So sorry for the delay,” said the curbside attendant.  “No problem, did you get the extra rolls and butter we requested?” I asked.  She replied, “Of course.”  

Back at home, we opened the bag, and our excitement quickly became a major disappointment.  I think that most people are willing to overlook a few small issues like the salads being warm, no extra blue cheese included or if we received regular Coke instead of Diet Coke, but then - there it was. “Where are the rolls?” asked my wife, as though I was hiding them.  After a minute of looking through the entire order, NO Rolls.  It seems like a small thing, but this was the main reason we ordered from this particular Steakhouse.  Their rolls are legendary.

This pandemic has put pressure on employees and businesses like never before.  Most customers have overlooked delays, smaller menus, price increases, products not being available, reduced hours and, simply put, flat out mistakes with our orders, because we understand how hard people are working and how imperative restaurants are to communities across the country.  The problem is that customers are also battling multiple major challenges with the pandemic, the economy, and all the additional impacts both areas create.

When I think back on what really disappointed me during this experience, it was the 74-minute wait time with basically no attention.  The attendant came to my car once to take my name and a second time only to say, “It’s coming,” about halfway through my wait.  I was willing to overlook the several small mistakes like the wrong drink, missing dressing and warm salad, but sometimes that one item, like the rolls, means a lot.

The simple fact is that a few basic service standards could have changed the entire outlook on this experience.  If I had been greeted in a pleasant manner when I first arrived, if the delay was communicated to me, and if the rolls were in the bag (especially after we ordered and paid extra for them and asked the attendant if they were there), the experience would have been different.

A friendly, sincere gesture from any employee can easily make up for two or three simple mistakes.  When we do not feel appreciated, customers are typically much, much more focused on the little things.

The manager was friendly and apologetic when we called back.  She had rolls and extra dressing ready for us to pick up when we returned, but I can tell you that this type of experience will certainly reduce the frequency of our orders from this restaurant.  Hopefully they can improve the next time we order from them.