Thursday, September 6, 2012

Restaurants Catering To You

Restaurants know their regulars.Its a fact whether it's a high end joint or your local diner. Waitstaff know when diners  like their  rolls hot or if they prefer mashed potatoes or fries. In a way it's a good thing. Eating out is a pampering experience. It's extra nice when a favorite eatery pampers a custom even more either by remembering his or her preferences or even just a name.

This was the subject of an article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. Suzanne Craig interviewed various restaurant staff throughout Manhattan on the subject. She found that some restauranteurs classify their diners by various categories. Most diners are regulars and staff know whether these regulars live within a few blocks or travel there to eat a favorite dish. Staff cater to their quirks whether  it eating only the ends or bread or requiring only Coke to drink. Frequent visitors can also have their spending habits tracked as well, from their drinks selections to their choice of meats.In a way this is helpful in helping the owner know what to buy and what dishes are popular and on what days,.

Familiarity can breed contempt however. Owners know what visitors like to camp out or linger for hours over dessert and coffee. These table hoggers usually wind up being placed in an uncomfortable table during their next visit.WW stands for wine whales, those who drink more than one bottle. Those who scarf down the free appetizers and leave are usually categorized as SFN something for nothing.There are also other derogatory abbreviations however they newspaper couldn't print them. I'm sure there's one for those stingy tippers  also.

Restaurants have always had a reputation of treating their regulars like royalty. It does pay off. Treat them right, give in to their whims and get a loyal customer.There's nothing better than that,.

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