Food blogging has given me interesting insights into the Food & Beverage industry. All I can say is it is definitely not an easy business, and I have nothing but respect for restaurateurs and the folks working there.

But sometimes, I’m really annoyed by the simple things that are missing. It seems like a no-brainer to me to do things the way they should be done, but it too often goes wrong somewhere. If I had it my way, here are 5 Changes I’d like to see in restaurants.

Provide free wifi

It’s nice to read that the Malaysian government just passed a law to mandate free WiFi for all restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. Being a frequent traveller, there’s nothing more frustrating than to keep searching for free WiFi hotspots.

While we are lucky that Singapore is one of the countries in the world with high internet penetration rate, not everyone has internet data on the go. Moreover, tourists will usually patronise restaurants that provide free WiFi, or at least it is one of the main motivating factors in choosing a place to dine.

Get someone who can speak well to handle the phone.

This is the first level of interaction between the restaurant and the (potential) customer. Screw this up, and you will never hear from the customer again. So for goodness sake, get someone who can speak well to handle the phone.

“Can I make a reservation for dinner on Monday night?”
“Can you prease repeat that?”
“Can I reserve a table for two on Monday night?”
“Oh ok lor, I will chope you a seat on Tuesday.”

Have a nice website, get on twitter and facebook.

In this modern era where everyone is connected to the internet, it is a must for restaurants to have a presence online. Every restaurant should have a decent website/blog to provide the basic information (more on this in another post), while building the relationship with customers via twitter and facebook.

Reward staff with 10% service charge.

The service line in Singapore does not have a very good reputation. This is hardly surprising since it is not seen as a respectable career, and it doesn’t pay very well.

From what I understand, not all restaurants give the 10% service charge collected to their staff. I know it is not easy for restaurant owners to run the business, but I think it is only fair to motivate and reward staff with some incentives.

Offer free tap water.

In Singapore, it is safe to drink water straight from the tap, and it is free. So there is no excuse for restaurants not to offer tap water. While drinks are a lucrative source of revenue, restaurants should not deny customers the option of having tap water.

What are some of the changes that you would like to see in restaurants?