Restaurant Customers Appreciate Good Service Even More Than Good Food!
I came across this recent study by Opinion Research USA and thought that the results may interest you.
Rude waiters have the most negative impact on both the dining experience and hence a restaurant's reputation, according to one quarter of respondents who participated in Opinion Research Corporation's latest study. Following closely behind an impolite wait staff were hosts who underestimate the waiting time for a table (20%). Issues related to the food itself were considered much less bothersome, with only 12% of respondents citing ill-prepared meals and 10% identifying cold food as their greatest dining out dissatisfaction.
"Eating out is one of America's favorite pastimes and is increasingly a necessity for today's time-pressured consumers," said Jeffrey T. Resnick, President of Opinion Research USA. "The smart restaurateur will make certain that great service is part of the customer experience. It will win loyalty and build profits."
Differences in household income also have an impact on tolerance thresholds. Respondents with an annual household income of over $75,000 are more likely to take issue with rude waiters than those in the $25K-and-under income bracket (29% versus 24%) or confront hosts who underestimate waiting times (24% versus 15%).
The survey yielded the following list of top dining out "Ouch Points":
25% Rude waiters
20% Hosts who underestimate waiting time
15% Slow service
12% Poorly prepared food
10% Cold food
3% Being quickly ushered out after paying the check
2% Dirty menus
1% Fast service
