Have you ever been to a restaurant that serves respectable (or even amazing) nosh, but somehow fails in providing you the overall desired dining experience? Listen up restaurateurs, we (the guests) have got the gold.

Here are 10 things restaurants can do to enhance the overall dining experience.

#1. GREETING YOU BY NAME

There’s something comforting about being greeted by name upon entering a restaurant. Taking the time and effort to remember each customer by name (despite the number of people coming and going each day) shows just how much a restaurant values its guests.

#2. KNOWING THE MENU

Service staff that are well-versed in their menu offerings are better equipped to provide better service. Knowing the full scope of ingredients, how the dish is prepared, and how it tastes provides servers with the knowledge to recommend something that’s best suited to the customer’s personal preference, as well as avoiding recommending items may result in allergic reactions.

#3. PROVIDING DIFFERENT SEATING SECTIONS FOR DINERS WITH CHILDREN

Let’s face it. If you’re taking a date out for a romantic dinner, would you appreciate listening to mothers trying to shush children who are making a scene at the dining table? (Unfortunately, there are people who bring ill-behaved kids to fine dining restaurants.) Experienced restaurants with good foresight would do well to seat guests with children away from those without.

#4. SEEKING YOUR PREFERENCES BEFORE DOING IT

While taking initiative is good, making assumptions is not. Asking a customer whether he/she would like to their wine to be decanted shows good initiative; automatically decanting wine without first seeking their preference, shows a lack of customer understanding—even if it is something the customer usually requests for. Clear it with them to absolutely sure, “Would you like your usual coffee order, sir?”

Restaurants should never assume they know what the customer wants. Guests may occasionally like to try something different.

#5. ALERTING YOU TO CURRENT DISCOUNTS AND OFFERS

Who doesn’t appreciate service staff that actively assists in helping them save money? Not all customers will be mindful to ask about current promotions and discounts. Alerting a customer to the restaurant’s discounts and promotions shows the customer that you care about them (instead of only focusing on increasing sales).

#6. BE GENEROUS WITH COMPLIMENTARY FOOD AND DRINKS

Restaurants often show appreciation by offering complimentary food and drinks to their guests. Offering complimentary small ticket items is a small price to pay to work your way into a customer’s heart, and they will remember you for it.

#7. BE ATTENTIVE TO YOUR NEEDS

“Miss, I noticed that you’re shivering. Is the temperature too cold for you? Would you like a shawl and some hot water?” Being attentive to guests before being asked to do so displays care and concern for the customer’s well being. It can be as simple as bringing extra napkins when a customer orders messy food. We appreciate it.

#8. GENUINELY ASKING FOR FEEDBACK

Service staff can make or break an experience. Be genuine when asking for feedback. Allow the customer to freely express their opinions and be honest about their experience. If the customer only has praises to sing, thank them for it. If it’s negative, take it. Show empathy and be professional when handling complaints, and your guests will appreciate it.

Service trumps quality. The likelihood of customers returning to a restaurant that serves sub-standard fare but offers exceptionally warm and friendly service is higher than that of a restaurant that serves good food by bad service staff.

#9. EFFORTLESSLY TRANSFERRING TABS

Diners may have had an enjoyable night at the restaurant and wish to continue having drinks at the bar. Effortlessly transferring tabs without requiring the customer to first settle the bill provides customers with a seamless experience.

#10. GRACIOUSLY OFFERING TO SPLIT THE BILL ACCORDING TO EACH INDIVIDUAL DINER

We all have that one friend who orders next to everything off the menu. In cases like these, splitting the bill evenly may not be fair for the rest. While it may be a hassle to split the bill according to each individual diner, service staff who offer to do so will be highly regarded—especially as this is rarely offered in Singapore. Do this, and it’s likely you’ll be seeing more group reservations.

About the writer:
Mandy Lynn is a former I-S Magazine writer and current columnist at Nookmag; her dining and nightlife features are published in Appetite Asia, Food & Travel, and Singapore Tatler Dining. For bite-sized food recommendations, follow her on Instagram and Facebook, or join her Gourmet Adventures to keep up with the latest openings in the dining scene.

Have you ever served in a restaurant before? Or wondered what is it like to be one of those wait staff with big trays? How long are they on their feet each day, and do you think they have it easy?

Waiters are very noble beings. They wake up each day with a common purpose – to bring their best service to your table. Many times, we may have taken them for granted, and they really deserve more appreciation and respect; appreciation from customers, and respect from their employers.

We spoke with a few friends in the industry, and have them share with us some hidden messages they wish to share with customers so as to help make their workplace a better one, and for them to be motivated to serving you better.

Here are 5 things your waiter wants you to know:

#1. WAITERING IS A VERY DEMANDING JOB. BE NICE, THEY ARE HUMANS TOO

It is physically taxing and very back-breaking. Waiters have to deal with heavy trays and kitchenware on a daily basis, and it is not as easy as it seems. Imagine having to hold five 1-kg plates on a single arm, or balancing a tray of three bottles of wines on one palm. Imagine reporting to work at 6am for two hours of mise en place, then three hours of non-stop rush hour breakfast service, another hour of turnover before the lunch crowd comes in and keeps you busy for another three hours, and finally another evening of dinner service. This is the daily grind of a full-time waiter, and you bet it is not easy at all.

Be nice to them. A word of encouragement suffice to keep them motivated and to tide them through the long day of work. The next time you meet your waiter, smile and thank them when they bring you your food and cutleries. Tell them you appreciate their service and promptness.

#2 A WAITER DOESN’T GET PAID VERY WELL

They are not the best paid, neither are they the most respected profession. But they are in a noble line of service, and without them, our dining experience is incomplete. While they play such an integral part in an F&B business, they are actually not very well paid, and more often than not, they are the ones to sacrifice their weekends and public holidays to be at your service.

Some may ask, “why not implement minimum wage for the service industry so that they get paid more?”. It is not as simple as it sounds in reality. By implementing a minimum wage of $10 per hour, it puts the worker at risk of losing their job because it would mean additional cost to the company, and in order to keep costs down, they will be sure to terminate workers with poorer performance.

In the long run, will the remaining waiters get paid more than the minimum wage if they become better waiters? What if it takes ten years to raise the minimum wage?

To help a waiter do well in his job and earn more, restaurant owners should invest in equipment and systems that allows him to do more without having to work longer hours. This will increase the profits for the restaurant and a part of these profits can then be shared with the waiters.

As customers, we can give our feedback to the restaurant’s managers to commend good waiters, as well as give constructive suggestions how the restaurant can be more productive, instead of complaining on social media.

Show them your support by tipping them. This is the most practical way to show your appreciation. It brings us joy to give, and it definitely brings sunshine to their days.

#3 WAITERS ARE NOT THE ONES WHO MAKE YOUR FOOD AND DRINKS

Waiters are always the first point of contact, and they are responsible for serving you. They set your table, they bring you the menu, they put your order on the table, but one thing that they do not do is to prepare your food and drinks. Waiters have no control over whether your steaks are cooked to the right done-ness, or if your drinks are well-concocted.

Many times, we see unreasonable guests kicking up a fuss and screaming at the waiters because their orders are not in place, but is it really their faults? Why take it out on them and spoil their days? It is alright to be disappointed and angry when you do not get your order right, but instead of making life difficult for the waiters, why don’t we convey our unhappiness to the chef instead? This allows better communication and parties that are involved can step in to rectify the issues properly without unnecessarily causing unhappiness and demotivating anybody.

#4 WAITERS TAKE ORDERS FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE CAPTAINS

And so, many times when you are displeased with a certain action or lack of, it is actually not their decision. They have their bosses too, and the bosses are the ones to come up with the list of do’s and don’ts’s, can’s and cannot’s.

For example, when the waiter in a Korean restaurant serves banchan (complimentary Korean side dishes), the manager will probably instruct the waiters to give smaller portions so as to save cost as well as to prevent food wastage.

If you’d made a request and it is not acceded, ask the waiters politely what the issue is, understand their predicament and try speaking to the captains themselves instead of making it difficult for them.

#5 YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY DINER IN THE RESTAURANT

We all hate waiting, and the frustration from not getting what you want (fast enough) sure isn’t a nice feeling. But let’s face it – every waiter is responsible for a section/ number of tables, and you are not the only one they are waiting on. We cannot expect our glass of water to come immediately.

As diners, we deserve good service, but we have to exercise patience and empathy, too. During peak hours and busy times, give your waiter a bit more time to get to you. Your understanding will be very much appreciated by them, and they will definitely reciprocate with the best service they can give.

Waitering, and in fact, no other job should be a dead-end job. Employers granting respect to their employees and the job means that they should pay waiters fair wages for their work, and ensure that their skills are being constantly upgraded so that they are able to progress in their career.

F&B establishments should also send their waiters to attend customer service courses to equip them with the necessary skills to manage customers who throw a fit. With skills upgrading, it also makes internal career progression possible for waiters so that it does not become a dead-end job and motivates them to do well in their job.

Why should waiters be limited to minimum wages when they can get a career that pays better with progressive wages?

This message is part of a ladyironchef x Labour Movement project where we seek to share with you insights on the different initiatives by the Labour Movement to give workers in Singapore better jobs, better pay and better work-life balance.

When we were in the US, one of the daily happenings that we noticed is the stark difference in service and professionalism displayed by most of the restaurants’ waitstaff as compared to that in Singapore. We can’t help but wonder if the poor service standards in Singapore is due to the lack of a tipping system.

Waiters, by and large, is not a respected profession like doctors and lawyers. In recent years, chefs are starting to get more recognition due to media publicity of celebrity chefs around the globe. Waiters? Not a chance. And the irony is waiters are the frontline staff in the restaurant and they have the ability to make or break your dining experience.

What do you think? Would tipping improve service standards in Singapore? Here, we look into tipping in Singapore, as well as the pros and cons of tipping.

PROS OF TIPPING

The benefits are obvious. Tipping serves as a motivation for waiters to provide better service. It is also the most practical way of showing your appreciation – let’s face it, you would yearn for that too if you were one. Service staff are not being paid a lot to begin with, so leave a tip and thank them for their good service. A small gesture like this goes a long way. Who knows? The next time you return, he or she might make even the most ridiculous request possible – just for you.

In a recent conference, Labour Chief, Mr Lim Swee Say voiced his thoughts on how “it is possible to improve service productivity and customer satisfaction with a lean workforce through the innovative use of technology and business process re-engineering.” Sometimes, it not only about the latest technology, but perhaps making a small tweak to business processes may help to increase worker’s productivity.

Think about it, service staffs will be more motivated to provide better customer service, so that they can get a bigger tip, resulting in fewer customer complaints for the company, and more effort can be spent on developing their business. Sounds like a positive cycle doesn’t it?

CONS OF TIPPING

On the flip side, some restaurants are able to pay higher wages to their staff because of the mandatory service charge. In fact, some upscale restaurants in America are starting to adopt a ‘no tipping’ policy and charging 15% higher prices to cover paying higher wages to staff. On a side note, tipping might cause ridges between the staff – one who did not receive any might feel more inferior to another who had better luck with generous tippers. And this might in turn cause unhappiness, job dissatisfaction and lack of motivation to work.

WOULD TIPPING IMPROVE SERVICE STANDARDS?

While having a tipping system serves as an motivation for waitstaff to provide better service, it may not change the ecosystem entirely. As we have discussed before, service is something that involves three parties – workers, employers, and customers. It is definitely not a one-sided affair when it comes to providing good service; employers and customers contribute to the ecosystem and have parts to play, too.

At the end of the day, businesses need to understand what motivates their workers to improve their services so that they may be more productive at their work. Regardless of the system, we certainly hope that service standards will improve gradually to befit Singapore’s growing reputation as the dining destination in Asia, if not the World.

This message is part of a ladyironchef x Labour Movement project where we seek to share with you insights on the different initiatives by the Labour Movement to give workers in Singapore better jobs, better pay and better work-life balance.

What ruins our mood most when we dine out is not the food, nor the ambience, but very often the service and attitude of wait staff. All it takes is a smile to set things straight; similarly, an unfriendly staff can spoil things with her rudeness, and an unhelpful staff can affect the overall dining experience.

Some time ago, we shared about what everyone can do to expect better service, and while more often than not, we complain about poor service when dining out, diners should also reflect and think about how we play a part in making the whole dining experience memorable.

Service is not just about the workers, but it also involves employers and customers. In this day and age, more is expected, thus more has to be given. As NTUC’s Labour Chief Lim Swee Say puts it: “The globalized world thrives on mutual dependency, mutual support and mutual acceptance. Good services beget good customers, and good customers beget good services”.

Today, we will like to elaborate with five more ways on how diners can be better customers.

1. LEAVE A FEEDBACK FOR THE STAFF

When a service staff is exceptionally good, leave a feedback to praise him/her. A simple gesture like this will not only make his/her day, it will also boost his/her career advancements and opportunities when the management is looking to promote their staff. Your note of encouragement means more than what you think.

In fact, such feedback will be useful for the management to identify gaps in the service process and re-train their staff to fill in the gaps. Only when their skills improve, will they be able to provide higher levels of customer service.

2. LEAVE A TIP

Tipping may not a common practice in Singapore, but the truth is service staff are not being paid a lot, and leaving a tip is the most practical way of thanking the staff for their good service.

However, this cannot be a long term solution. Employers should also take responsibility in ensuring all staffs receive fair wages and focus on new and innovative solutions to improve productivity, as well as upgrading their skills. Even service staffs deserve progression in their career instead of a mere dead-end job.

3. HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

Like what we have mentioned before, expectation is the root of all problems, and sometimes, customers have unrealistic expectations and demands – this is something we all must accept and know what can be offered and done, and what is out of the question.

For example, it is absurd to expect immaculate standards when you are dining at a casual restaurant or eatery. And dining at a five-star establishment does not mean the wait staff should give in to every single request – even if they are out of the norm. Have realistic expectations and be better customers.

4. TREAT OTHERS HOW YOU WOULD WANT THEM TO TREAT YOU

Service is not the easiest job. Besides having long hours and sacrificing their precious weekends and public holidays to work, service staff also do not earn a lot, and they are often short-handed and being overwhelmed by the crowd during peak hours.

Service staffs are also human, and they deserve our respect. Treat them how you would want them to treat you. It is only natural that when we are polite and nice, they will be even happier to serve us in their best efforts.

5. SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION AND SAY THANK YOU

“We should remember that people serving us are people too. Let’s treat each other as equals with courtesy, respect and appreciation” – Lim Swee Say

The easiest way diners can be better customers is to smile and thank the staff sincerely. When the staff walks you to your table, when he/she bring you your glass of wine, when he/she change your cutleries, smile and thank he/she with your heart. That sincerity goes a long way.

This message is part of a ladyironchef x Labour Movement project where we seek to share with you insights on the different initiatives by the Labour Movement to give workers in Singapore better jobs, better pay and better work-life balance.

In our line of work, we meet people from the hotel industry a lot – Marketing Managers, Rooms Managers, Housekeeping staff, F&B staff… and while people in this industry are generally more exuberant, it is actually by no surprise that more often than not, they speak of their lethargy, unhappiness and lack of motivation too. And why is that so? Because only they are unsung heroes working hard behind the scenes. Their working hours are longer than usual, weekends and public holidays are always sacrificed; on the corporate side, promotions can be slow and remuneration is not very much better.

So what it takes to stay on is the sheer passion and love for the industry. But everyone gets worn out someday, somewhere. And can employers improve the situation for these staff, and up their happiness level to improve the overall productivity and sense of satisfaction?

Yes. They can. They sure can. Today, we look at five simple ways Hoteliers can refer to and reflect upon, to be better employers and to create a better workplace so as to keep your employees happy at work, and to attract more talents in to your property:

1. LISTEN TO YOUR EMPLOYEES

The first and most important point – listen. Always take the effort to interact with and listen to your staff. Human resource is your vital asset, and they are not just mere employees. They are the ones who front your property, who serve your guests, who host your medias, who feel and work your daily functions – both back end and frontline. And they are the ones who can tell you exactly just how your property is faring; guests would share their experiences with the operations staff, and media would respond to your marketing efforts.

Four Seasons Resorts Jimbaran Bali did just that, by speaking to their porters to find out peak periods where porters need extra hands on deck to fetch guests to different locations within their large compound. The hotel arranged for additional porters on duty during these peak periods so that each porter would not be pressurized to rush through their work and compromise on safety during chauffeuring guests, which made both employee and guest experiences much more pleasant.

Take time out to sit down with your staff, for it is a rewarding journey that you should embark on to suss out avenues to improve on and to better the property on a holistic level.

2. ALWAYS GIVE DUE RECOGNITION AND REWARDS

On top of being heard, your staff needs to feel belonged and recognised – Esteem and Self-actualisation, Maslow would call it. You do not want to have your staff feel like they are simply here on a job; you want them to know that they have careers with your property, you want them to understand that all of you are there to cross-pollinate and to grow together as one, because when the company prospers, the staff reaps benefits too.

Do not be stingy with praises. If a staff has done well, acknowledge his/her hard work and give them the due credits. If possible, a little monetary reward would be ideal. Remember that a smile and a praise can greatly touch lives and work wonders. When staff morale goes up, so does their productivity.

For example, the spa at Kayumanis Villa, Ubud implemented a Progressive Wage Model to map out a clear career ladder with fair wages for their staff based on productivity, skills and job responsibilities, ensuring staff feel duly recognised and rewarded at work.

3. ORGANISE REGULAR TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITIES

To boost morale, to improve communications, to instil motivation and confidence, to learn about each other’s strengths and weaknesses and to strategise how to work together better… these are but a few to speak of. As long as they are fun and challenging, it will benefit one and all.

Channel a budget for team-building activities, for this investment goes a long way. Plan for day outs and retreats, or simple tea parties. Inculcate games and exercises in accordance to the objective. They can be done once a month, or once every quarter – whichever you are comfortable with.

4. IMPLEMENT A JOB ROTATION SYSTEM

We may love ice-cream, but eating it every day can be quite a bore too. Similarly, doing the same task five days a week can result in a lack of motivation and ultimate stifling of creativity.

Job rotation is a management technique that vastly boosts staffs’ morale and staff efficacy. So it is always good to allow your staff to maximise their potential by assigning them different roles or to change their designations once in a while.

Offering opportunities for job rotation can even attract talented workers to your organisation, just like how The Spa Artisan at the Fullerton Hotel attracted one of their spa consultants to work for them.

5. PROVIDE EMPLOYEES WITH MORE TRAININGS AND UPGRADING OPPORTUNITIES

Similarly, with opportunities to grow and to develop, the staff feels valued and important.

Sheraton Towers not only trained their staff to use 3 new technologies to increase productivity, which helped guests check in faster and receive their ironed clothes sooner, but this hotel was even able to give their staff a pay raise and let them go off earlier if they finished their jobs for the day.

Pairing training/upgrading with innovative tools and systems helps to make employees’ work become easier, smarter and safer. In turn you will win your staff over and make them more productive, loyal and engaged in their work – which translates to better profits numbers for you, of course.

Being a better employer is simply about learning to bring out the best in every worker and treating them better.

This message is part of a ladyironchef x Labour Movement project where we seek to share with you insights on the different initiatives by the Labour Movement to give workers in Singapore better jobs, better pay and better work-life balance.

Singapore always scores global rankings, but when it comes to service (and happiness level), it is safe to say that we are nowhere near the top.

Eating is Singapore’s national hobby, and it is not exaggerating to say that Singaporeans is obsessed with food. According to statistics, there were about 6,700 establishments, with total operating receipts of the food & beverage (F&B) services industry at S$7,836 million in 2012. There is no denying that the future of Singapore’s F&B industry is bright, and it will continue to grow at a dazzling speed to become a food mecca in Asia, if not the world. Yet, service in the local food & beverage industry leaves much to be desired. It is not unusual to know of complaints about poor service when dining out.

Service is something that involves three parties – workers, employers, and customers. It is definitely not a one-sided affair when it comes to providing good service; employers and customers contribute to the eco-system and have parts to play, too. Here are some pointers on what everyone can do to expect better service.

B E T T E R  E M P L O Y E R S

While it is true that it is extremely challenging to find the right employees – especially in the F&B industry where shortage of staff is a perpetual problem – it is the employers’ responsibility to equip their team of service staff with quality training, so as to ensure they are sent out to serve with substantial product knowledge and service etiquettes. After all, service staff are the always and forever the first point of contact and is the most impressionable – a consumer’s experience is very much dependent on their interaction with the service staff, and that very interaction is what makes or breaks an experience.

It is also important to remember that the customer is not always right – employers should value every worker, trust and protect their staff, because there will always be unreasonable customers who might expect the impossible from the service staff/ company. Service staff needs to feel respected and must not be subjected to threats and humiliation, and only this will cultivate a healthy mentality that they bring to work.

B E T T E R  W O R K E R S

So they say, “take pride in whatever you do.” This is a rule of thumb for all employees, because every job and position is essential. A cleaner and a CEO are equally important, and their efforts contribute to the companies in their respective ways. Feel proud of your designation, and give your best. Know that your sincerity and passion will go a long way.

Upgrade yourself regularly; go for courses and trainings for self-development; believe in yourself, because a healthy mentality really matters. It is your attitude that determines your altitude, especially so when you are in the frontline. Serve with your heart, and touch hearts with your positivity. Everyone has a part to play in this society.

B E T T E R  C U S T O M E R S

Expectation is the root of all problems, and sometimes, customers have unrealistic expectations and demands – this is something we all must accept.

After NTUC Chief Lim Swee Say’s May Day call for people to be better customers, there were differing opinions whether the onus should be on customers or service staff to be better first. While cash is king (to a certain extent) and we reserve rights to our purchases and experience, we must always remember to show mutual respect for fellow mankind because the old but gold saying goes, “kindness begets kindness”.

We can be forth about what we want, but there is almost always a limit for everything. Like, we cannot step in to a restaurant and expect a free meal just because the staff took a while to bring us our pizza. Neither should we raise our voices when we want something. It is quite a natural process that when we are courteous and polite, service staff will be happier to serve us and bring us the best they can.

This message is part of a ladyironchef x Labour Movement project where we seek to share with you insights on the different initiatives by the Labour Movement to give workers in Singapore better jobs, better pay and better work-life balance.