They say things happen in threes.
I told you about my Grumps experience by the seaside. Well within 48 hours we stopped in the Gower past Swansea in Wales for a Sunday brunch special. A pricey one to be honest, but one I saw good recommendations on.
“Hi, I had a reservation for 5 but 2 children will be joining us. Can you make it a table for 7 if one is available?”
Now I knew asking this made me a bit of a jerk. I reserved for 5 and now I was asking last minute for 7, so I get it if the host was annoyed.
“So you reserved for 5 and you’re asking me now saying you want SEVEN?”
She wasn’t smiling nor scowling, which made her even scarier.
“What if I put you outside?” she asked.
Now the outdoor seating was mostly baked in the sun and it was a warm day. But to be honest, I didn’t have much of a leg to stand on given my changed request.
“Sure, but I noticed many of the seats were in the sun. Do you have shaded tables?”
“We have umbrellas.”
“Ok. Let’s take a look and let me see,” I replied and walked to the outdoor area.
It was as sun baked as I could remember and the umbrellas were covering nothing.
“What if we…” and I stopped my sentence.
She wasn’t there. In fact she never bothered to join me.
“Go F yourself and your 7 seats” was the message I heard loud and clear.
I was about to collect everyone to leave when a young server came over and asked if I had decided what I wanted to do.
“To be honest I have no idea. How is your outdoor seating working? Can we take this table and move it under the shaded spot?”
“Should be no problem. Let me check.”
Natalie asked me what was going on and I explained the situation.
“I told you to call about the 7.”
She was right.
I was going to make sure I tattoo the number 7 somewhere visible next time so I never neglect changing a reservation again without 96 hour notice and a certified letter to that effect stamped by King Charles himself.
The young server came back.
“I checked and actually we have a table that left 45 minutes early so you can take that one for 7. I’ve set it up for you.”
I was impressed and we went to sit inside.
Now what is the lesson of this story?
The meal was excellent. The service was good. But none of that is what stuck with me.
I’ll tell you what did in the next email, and why it should worry you if you own a business.
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George Sotiropoulos recounts a restaurant experience in the Gower, Wales, where a cold and dismissive host abandoned him over a last-minute request to change a reservation from 5 to 7 seats, while a young server stepped in and solved the problem effortlessly. Part 1 of a two-part story setting up a lesson on customer experience and what determines whether a business thrives.