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If you see comments about your food establishment either positive or negative,this is the place for you to respond. All Restaurants have off nights, and things happen that may have had a detrimental affect on your service or food for a particular time. If you are adding new dishes,alcoholic beverages, new hours, going to a smoke free establishment, new decor, etc...then let the readers know. The readers of this post want you to succeed in building your food establishment into one of the areas best. We are sure, that if you knew about some of your service not being up to par, or certain dishes not meeting the expectation of your customers you would make the necessary adjustments.
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quote:
Originally posted by unclegus:
I find it sad, this post has been here for over two weeks and not one response from any restaraunt owners or managers. Is it they don't care, Im sure some has to be aware of these post's. It makes me think about not eating out as much.


Hey Gus, I’m guessing most don’t know about this area of TD. And most restaurant owners work LONG hours and might not have time – but I agree with you, they SHOULD be on here.

If the advertising staff at TD would inform the food establishments when they sell them ads, it might get them visiting this forum. I would be more inclined to support a restaurant if I saw the owner making an effort to communicate with their customers.
I see where you all are coming from on this. I've heard many people many times that own stores , car lots and alot of public businesses.

They have heard and know about this food forums and news forums. When people like them are home the first thing most of them want to do is forget about their jobs whether it's a bad day or a good day.

I know the feeling. I know one person that used to own a store. He says you cannot go home and forget about the day. I'm sure that's pretty much the way these resturant owners and managers and employees feel.

They're always thinking what they need to do the next day and when they get there they forget part of what they meant to do. Owning and operating a public business is not a simple job.

They have the time , they just don't want to fool with this forum.
OK, I AM A RESTAURANT OWNER. REALLY DONT HAVE TIME FOR THIS, BUT JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW THINGS FOR ALL RESTAURANT OWNERS, MANANGERS AND THERE EMPLOYEES.
AS IT HAS BEEN SAID WE PUT IN LONG AND HARD HOURS THAT IS VERY STRESSFUL, CANT FIND ALOT OF TIME TO READ ONLINE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT OPINIONS OF EVERYONE THAT DECIDES TO TALK ABOUT OR JUDGE EVERYTHING FROM WHERE YOU THINK THE FOOD WAS MADE FROM SCRATCH OR FROM A FREEZER/OR COMMERCIAL FOOD OR WHETHER THE SERVER ASK IF YOU WANT LEMON IN YOUR TEA. IF YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT. ASK FOR IT. IM SURE HE OR SHE WOULD BE GLAD TO MAKE SURE YOU GET IT . I WOULD RATHER HEAR FROM THE CUSTOMER AND HOW WILL THEIR MEAL AND SERVICE WAS AT THE TIME OF THE VISIT. IT IS HARD TO GO BACK ON A CERTAIN DAY AND TIME TO FIND OUT WHY THE MEAL OR SERVICE WAS GOOD OR BAD AND WHO THE COOK OR SERVER WAS THAT WAS AT FAULT OR DID A GOOD JOB. AND IF YOU DID GET A BAD MEAL OR SERVICE AND YOU LET SOMEONE KNOW AT THAT TIME. YOUR PROBLEM WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF. I UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS FORUM WAS SET UP TO LET THE OWNERS OR MANANGERS KNOW THE OPINION OF THE CUSTOMERS. I DONT GET TO READ THIS MUCH, BUT ALL I SEE IS THE SAME FEW GOING AROUND TO DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS SPENDING THEIR TIME TRING TO FIND EVERYTHING THEY CAN THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE WRONG AND GO ON THIS FOURM AND SAY WHATEVER THAY CAN THINK OF ABOUT THE PLACE INSTEAD OF GOING INTO A RESTAURANT AND ENJOYING THERE MEAL AND IF IT WAS ALL THAT BAD FIND A MANANGER AND LET THEM KNOW SO THAT THEY HAVE THE CHANCE TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR YOU AND THE NEXT CUSTOMER THAT COMES. AND AS FAR AS A RESTAURANT RUNNING OUT OF AN PRODUCT HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO PERDICT WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO EAT FOR 200 OR MORE DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE RESTAURANT A DAY? AND ALSO ALOT OF RESTAURANTS DO NOT HAVE THE COOLER OR FREEZER SPACE TO HAVE IN STOCK ENOUGH OF EVERYTHING BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WE CALL THE ITEM OF THE DAY WITCH IS SOMETHING THAT IS ORDERED THEN IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY ORDER AFTER THAT IS THAT SAME ORDER ,THAT NORMALY DONT SELL THAT MUCH OF. AND THEN NEXT THING YOU KNOW YOU ARE OUT, WITH NO WAY OF GETTING MORE RIGHT THEN. YOU CAN NOT PERDICT PEOPLE AND WHAT THEY WANT TO EAT. WE DO OUR BEST TO PLEASE YOU SO LET US KNOW YOUR NEEDS. AND ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU THAT ARE ALWAYS ON HAVE EVER OWNED, MANANGED, OR EVEN WORKED IN A SMALL LOCAL OWNED RESTAURANT BEFOR, THANKS FOR LETTING ME AIR FOR A WHILE.....
WWW.MH, I will let someone else inform you the miscomings of using all caps in your post. I do have understand a lot about your post, but one thing I want you to understand is that if I complain to the manager chances are I will not be back to that particular restaraunt. Posting on this forum give me anominty I would not get if I complained while at the place of business. The reason I will not complain at the business and return is because the one I complain about will know who I am, and by reading some of the posts by former food servers I am not going to subject myself and family to what surprises may be in store.
When I go out to eat I intend on enjoying myself, and if I have a bad experience I am not going to make it worse by being a spectable and possibly ruining the dinning expierence for the surrounding patrons, which will affect their opinion of the said place.
I think the forum is a good place to judge the performance of your establishment. You can at least make enough time in your day to see if there is an opinion about you place so you can make changes, or amends if you feel the need. By doing that, you may very well save yourself from losing business. This forum can be a useful tool for you, use it!
wow WWW.MH! You have such a great attitude! I hope it is the same attitude that you take with you to work and that you influence all of your employees to have, as well. Let's see... you don't have time for this? Then don't post! Your hours are long and stressful? No duh, you work in the food service industry. We know that and we don't pity you. My eyes get dry. Because I stare at a screen all day. Every job has it's crap. You can't find a lot of time to read about everyone's opinions? Well I hope that your place of business has not been critiqued. Let me let you in on a little secret. I read these forums, as do many other folks - over 4000 registered users and no telling how many lurkers.

Let's say your place is Mega Hotdogs (MH - get it? LOL). Someone posts that they had a bad experience and another person seconds that opinion. When I am driving around the Shoals wondering where I'm going to eat - MH's place will be last on my list. If I am with a group of friends / family, I'll tell them why. If someone mentions Mega Hotdogs, I'll tell them "I read on the TD Forums where more than 1 person had a bad experience there". If you take the time to read the thread about your business then you might get some insight. No, you can't fix the things that the posters complained about on their particular visit - but you can take steps to make sure it doesn't happen again.

I've worked in several restaurants. I know they run out of food. It is part of it. I also know that it is not too hard to change a menu. It is not too hard to change "the special". It is also not too hard to tell your wait-staff "we are out of frog legs, so let your customers know that we are instead suggesting the chicken wings". Not a big deal. It IS a big deal if you are out of two or three different things. In that case, you might want to rework your menu and try to use more of the same ingredients in different dishes, use more ingredients that you can obtain locally in a pinch, and keep better track of what items are in demand and what drives that demand. Could be the weather, the day of the week, the time of the month, or other things going on around town. For example- people want hot soup more on cold rainy days, they want bigger meals on the weekends, and maybe more expensive entrees around the beginning of the month. Fish dishes probably won't sell well when the local Fire Department is having their fish fry.

Here's what I got from your post: thanks for sharing your opinions, but I really don't care. I don't care if you read mine or not. It's not for you. It is for the other customers on this forum. We are trying to help others from spending their hard earned money and wasting their precious time going to a third rate food joint and having a bad experience. Keep that in mind.
WWW.MH.... First of all, ditto to what everyone said since your post. Secondly, a lot of us have indeed worked in "the biz" but even if someone hasn't, we/they have used these forums either for praise or critiques that should be brought to a restaurant owner's attention. Moreoever, these posts should have been used to your advantage rather than for you to "AIR FOR A WHILE" which I think you mean "venting". I know that I have personally tried new restaurants based on the forums and shunned just the same. I realize that you are new but I would suggest that you pay attention to the forums because the posters who take the time to visit the food section are particular about their food!
quote:
AND ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU THAT ARE ALWAYS ON HAVE EVER OWNED, MANANGED, OR EVEN WORKED IN A SMALL LOCAL OWNED RESTAURANT BEFOR, THANKS FOR LETTING ME AIR FOR A WHILE.....



No, I haven't "mananged" a restaurant "befor". But I'm sure most of us HAVE worked with the public, some of us in ways you've never imagined, under circumstances way the hell a lot more stressful than frying a cheeseburger, and we've certainly done it with a lot more finesse and sensitivity than, apparently, you have in your reply. Which, of course, explains the customer service experience we've had in some of the restaurants.
Yes, I am a restaurant owner. The reason that I found out about this forum was when an employee was talking about how our business was being bashed a little while back on this forum. No one knew this existed or told me. Being an owner/manager-here many hours a week, I would much rather people customers complain to me than on this forum. I had no idea about some of the things people were complaining about. I wish I did, because that is not what our restaurant is about. Customer satisfation, quality product and friendliness is most important. We have comment cards on every table and bag that leaves our property and none have said what was said on here. The reason why we have them is to prevent things like the bashing on forums. We try our best to make everything right-if we mess your order up, let us know and i'll bet we will make it right. One major problem is employees-can't find any good ones that want to work and that you can trust. I feel like we need a manager for every employee. It doesn't work that way. i try to do everything possible for everyone to have a great experience, but can't be here from open to close 7 days a week. its not possible. thing happen, people make mistakes-we leave out things, put the wrong toppings on, we don't do it on purpose, it was a mistake but let the manager know and we will make it right. i don't want to offend anyone or cause any problems but i didn't know about this forum and another local owner didn't know about it either
908, if you see someone on here complain about your establishment, you do have the option to PM that person and try to make amends. I would bet that if you did, that person would let that be known also, which may give you a better impression than if you do not.
Most people give sympathy to someone who will attempt to correct the problem. When you do, other people will see that you do care, and will want to give you business too.
All establishments are going to make mistakes from time to time. Do your best not to be accused of making the same mistake twice, because that is when people are going to look for other problems too.
As a business owner myself, one of my goals is- When I am done and gone, I want my customer to be just a little bit happier than what they thought they was going to be. It can be done many ways, but if you have to correct a problem and do it with a smile, your customer is likely to be happier than they thought they would be. What really counts, is what they tell your other prospective customers. That is word of mouth, and that is what this forum is.
Another thing, if someone posts a good reply about your establishment, let it be known that you do appreciate it. This forum can be a useful tool for you, use it!
I'm not a restaurant owner, but I don't see how it's their duty to come here and defend themselves. In the forums about Vick and Bush, do you expect them to come here and discuss what they've done wrong? A response would be nice, but it's not like they HAVE to. Every restaurant I've been to accepts comment cards or you can call them personally. It's not their job to go out and collect complaints. Give them a break.
Steve:
You are correct it is not their duty...but if you are a smart manager or owner...you better be aware of what is being said on this forum...

If the complaint is specific and most are...you should reply...even if the owner does not reply...he or she should be making corrections so those things will not happen again...
I grew up in the restaurant business, been there done that...they is nothing I have not done to get a quality product out to the customer..
It is not the 1 or 2 negative post that people start to pay attention too...it is when the trend leans in a negative direction that poster and readers pay attention too...
Good example! Big Mikes...if I was a owner or manager I would be all over my staff and kitchen personnel to correct those complaints being posted...those compliants are being listed time after time after time...which indicates either the owners don't know about this forum or they frankly don't give a crap...either way the doors are going to be closed in the future if things do not change...
History shows that...
I know if i were an owner especially, i would want to know whats being said. All places dont have comment cards and alot of people will go home quietly, only to get on their puters and post here or just email a friend. Word of mouth can either hurt you or help you. Basically it is your choice as an owner whether it is the hurt or help. People talking up your place of business is the cheapest form of advertising there is. But then again you dont want to be like the Steak Out deal i had where the owner had someone talking for him. Very unprofessional. Trader and Unc may remember that one. But it does pay to know whats being said about your place. And it takes, what? 5 minutes to check this forum?
quote:
Originally posted by OriginalBama:
I know if i were an owner especially, i would want to know whats being said. All places dont have comment cards and alot of people will go home quietly, only to get on their puters and post here or just email a friend. Word of mouth can either hurt you or help you. Basically it is your choice as an owner whether it is the hurt or help. People talking up your place of business is the cheapest form of advertising there is. But then again you dont want to be like the Steak Out deal i had where the owner had someone talking for him. Very unprofessional. Trader and Unc may remember that one. But it does pay to know whats being said about your place. And it takes, what? 5 minutes to check this forum?



Exactly...
Word of mouth advertising is worth it's weight in gold. It's long-term advertising. Newspapers,radio or TV ads may bring someone to your place once, but if your business has a bad reputation, all the ads in the world aren't going to help. Conversely, if your business has a good rep and word of mouth advertising, you won't need many ads.
Some marketing company did a study, years ago, and said " if a customer has a good experience in a place of business, they'll tell on average one person", but if they have a bad experience they'll tell on average ten people".
So how about this-for patrons and owners/managers/waitstaff alike:

If someone has something to say specific about a restaurant, start a new thread about that restaurant and let everybody else go to town. For example, if I had a good or bad experience about say, Zaxby's, I would start a new thread within the food section and talk about it. Then other patrons could jump in and the owners/managers/staff could as well.
I also am an owner and I do read this almost daily I am thankful for good reviews so far.I only wish people would continue to come and enjoy ,not just try it.so keep up the good job guys .(I also use this forum to find places to try) I have found most of the rap on this forum to be the same experience I have had at the same places..stick with it
quote:
I also am an owner and I do read this almost daily I am thankful for good reviews so far.I only wish people would continue to come and enjoy ,not just try it.so keep up the good job guys .(I also use this forum to find places to try) I have found most of the rap on this forum to be the same experience I have had at the same places..stick with it



You can't seriously think we'd STOP griping because someone didn't like us, did you?

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