August 18, 2011

• Is Service in DSM Better or Worse?

  We receive a lot letters about bad service. Many of them insinuate that we played a part in their bad experience because we encouraged them to go there in the first place. My favorite read

  “After reading your review of Mama & Sons we visited only to find the place closed. In the future, you should do a better job of investigating the financial viability of restaurants before you review them.”

  I always read these letters, usually remember them but never have written about them, until now. A reader recently shared an exchange he had with Mars Café owner Larry James. After detailing a deal-breaking incident at the café, James responded: “While you indicated in your letter that you would not accept apologies, I apologize… If, by some change of heart, you wish to visit us again, please contact me directly. I would welcome a cup of hot tea with you and your wife.”

  Mistakes happen and a manager or owner can make things better or worse by dealing with them. Here are two lowlights:

  1.) A Summit Beer dinner at a West Des Moines Hy-Vee this year demanded prepayment and then informed me, the day of the event, that the event was being canceled – by leaving a message in my voice mail: “We didn’t have enough advanced sales to see how it would be profitable so it’s off.” OK, wine and beer dinners get canceled, more frequently than they should. Hy-Vee made a bad thing worse though. Though they took my money over the phone, they insisted I come into the store to get it refunded.

  2.) At the no longer in business DuBay’s, a waiter informed our table, which consisted of myself and the restaurant critic at the time for the big local paper, that he was about to take his cigarette break so, if we wanted anything in the next ten minutes we better tell him now. A majority of diners now resent being waited on by people who stink from recently smoking, so we felt justified in complaining but no one could tell us who was in charge that night, so no one wanted to hear about it.

  Overall, is service better or worse than it was 20 or 40 years ago? Here’s a recent letter I received:

  “I recently was charged twenty percent automatically for service. Time was when tipping that much was a diner’s determination of exceptional service, something beyond expectations of a quickly refilled glass of ice water, complimentary bread and butter, timely delivery and clearance of courses, and thoughtful boxing of leftovers. Now it seems to be perceived as an entitlement.”  

  Fifty years ago in Des Moines Italian restaurateurs established basics of good service. 1.) The owner was always there to take care of problems and make sure you knew your business was appreciated. 2.) Bread and butter were promptly served and glasses of iced water were quickly refilled. 3.) Courses were served and cleared in a timely manner. 4.) Leftovers were bagged to take home.

  Italian restaurateurs still do the best job of covering these basics in Des Moines. At Christopher’s, Sam & Gabe’s, Tursi’s Latin King, Noah’s, Chuck’s, Gino’s, Baratta’s, Café di Scala, and Orlondo’s. I expect that kind of service and am rarely disappointed at all. Same thing is true at non Italian gold standards like Greeenbriar, 801 Steak & Chop House, and Skip’s

  Lately I’ve been impressed by more courtesy tastings, offered to be diners who seem curious but wary about an item. One theory is that brew pubs, like CABCO and Raccoon River here, set the mold here by enticing customers with tastings and the practice jumped the beer barrel. Courtesy tastings, be there amuse bouches, chocolates with coffee, thimbles of soup or sips of wine are a mark of good service. I have seen chefs come out the kitchen at Dish and Mojo’s to offer courtesy tastings of new menu items. Amuse bouches at Baru’s and Bistro Montage extend a meal by a de facto of two. Even the soul food café Patton’s and the Mexican mom & Pop La Rosa’s practice this. Chip’s introduced the complimentary basket of freshly fried potato chips and some others have followed suit.

  The new bistro Luna takes the bread and water dynamic to a new level. With self serve breads from La Mie and olive oils, plus pitchers of iced water naturally flavored creatively with fruits, herbs and vegetables. Sbrocco, Dish, Alba have all offered little sample plates in the last year.

  　 Not being there is the biggest overall change for the worse. Babe Bisignano told me he closed his restaurant because he could no longer be on the floor all hours. He preferred closing to disappointing customers who expected to see him personally. Today his niece Linda Bisignano has not even allowed her chemotherapy treatments stop her from being at Chuck’s every night. Yet some restaurateurs don’t think this is important. I recall going to one place, no longer in business, three times without seeing the owner/chef. That place was only open four nights a week too. Another place, also no longer in business, was closed for three weeks once without putting a note on their door, on their answering machine, or in the PR airwaves. They just let customers show up and wonder day after day.

  Here are some other bad trends in service that readers complain about:

  1.) Allowing substitutions used to be a mark of good service at any level lower than haute cuisine. In an era when food allergies are suddenly prevalent, it should be easier than ever. Instead it’s often the opposite. Too many places complicate simple recipes (like hamburgers) with dozens of precise ingredients. If you ask them to hold the blue cheese, the caramelized onions, the smoked radish, etc, you still are charged for them.

  2.) The number of places that crumb your table between courses and replace a dirty napkin when you use the bathroom has decreased in the last five years. Sage was the best ever at such but some restaurants that used to do this don’t anymore.

  3.) Leftovers used to be cheerfully bagged. Now it’s common to have Styrofoam containers dropped off at your table, or to have waiters point to service table where they are kept. I was astounded recently when The Café wrapped my leftovers in Saran Wrap, bagged them and staple a hand written not identifying each bags contents. La Mie sometimes offers dinner customers a complimentary loaf of their exquisite breads as a parting gift. La Rosa has stuffed a complimentary tamale in my bag. Jasmine Bowl used to do the same thing but when that place changed to Mao’s Eggroll’s, that good service ended. More than once I had leftovers thrown away. Once when that happened at Trostel’s Greenbriar, a small piece of steak was replaced with an entire steak. And I was offered a complimentary beverage while I waited for the chef to cook it.

  3.) Things should cost what the menu indicates they cost. Too often this is not the case. Usually employees are empowered to fix such mistakes when they are pointed out. At both Culver’s and Aberlardo’s though, employees just told me that the cash register price was correct and that the menu price was wrong. Period. Stupid me.  

  There are some good trends in service too: No corkage fees; Twitter specials; Free live music.

  • 1:54 pm
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