This is the third episode in the “It’s a trap!” series, and I ask readers’ permission to occasionally stray from the web to tell you about everyday situations.
I often go to a restaurant here in Mossoró that, considering the value for money, is very affordable given the flavor and variety of food available at its all-you-can-eat buffet, which is not charged by weight. The price is fixed at R$6.00. Another highlight is the juice; I have tried cajá and grape. They are definitely not watered-down drinks, but very well-made juices. And there is dessert, which I have not tried because I am not much of a sweets person, though I might make an exception one day.
But let’s get to the point. I was finishing putting food on my plate, and all that remained was to get the meat from the other side of the counter. I noticed there was little room, so I decided to put my plate across the counter and walk around without it, so I would not get in the way of the other customers. Just then I heard a waitress say, “Are you feeling lazy?” Since I had not understood her at first, I asked her to repeat what she had said.
After she repeated it, I took it in stride and replied that I was not feeling lazy; I had simply done what I thought was more practical and would not obstruct the other customers, and I tried to look at situations positively. She smiled and said, “Oh, all right then!”
I went on to enjoy my meal and juice, but I kept thinking about how unprepared the waitress was, because:
- Allow me a little artistic license when I say that the word “lazy” is not in my vocabulary. At least, not most of the time. :)
- There was a restaurant 100 meters from my workplace, but I walked 1 km to get to this one because I wanted a different kind of meal.
- I had deliberately put my plate over the counter to make things more comfortable for the other customers, even though I knew it might not have been the best solution. It was a thoughtful, courteous action, not something I did automatically just because it was customary. So I spent more mental energy deciding what to do than if I had simply walked around with my plate in my hands, not caring about anyone else—which rules out any possibility that I did it out of laziness.
You might ask whether I still go to this restaurant.
A possible answer, based on what many customers might say, would be:
I’m never going to that damn restaurant again—the waitress called me lazy.
But my answer is that I do go back. I see the situation as a sign that the staff are not prepared to deal with people, but I try to live positively, hoping that this can gradually change. Whenever possible, I share this with anyone who might read it, so they will not repeat these mistakes in their own businesses.
So today’s lesson is:
Owner: Invest in training your employees. Some companies even include acting classes in their training to help staff come out of their shells and make customer service friendlier and more human.
Employee: Never, ever, under any circumstances tell a customer that they are lazy or use any other negative word about them. Customers do not visit just to satisfy their hunger; they come for an experience, preferably an enjoyable one. Being treated that way makes them uncomfortable, undermines what they came for, and leaves them with a bad impression of the establishment.
Customers: Whenever possible, kindly and directly or indirectly, try to express your dissatisfaction with poor-quality service. That will push establishments to pursue innovations so they can serve you as well as possible.
Until the next edition of “It’s a trap!”
And now I’d like to hear from you.
Has anyone ever had bad service at a restaurant? If so, tell us what happened and share your frustration.