So what is all the fuss about service? Get it right and you will win the word of mouth award, and that’s the most effective advertising available.
A week or so back my family and I took a few days on the Sunshine Coast to unwind and relax a bit. We stayed at Alexandra Headlands right opposite the beach and pretty much just kicked back only surfacing to find food. It goes without saying that there are pre conceived ideas about how things should go when ordering a meal but we experienced a couple of gems which I would like to share with you.
Firstly, “The Lime Grill” on the main street became our haunt. My wife, daughter and father in law discovered it when they went out for a quick bite. The items on the menu were sumptuous to read and did not disappoint when served, however the way they were served was a delight to experience.
There was an eagerness to please which was refreshing and welcoming all at once. It did not matter which staff member interacted with us as they all seemed to have the same attitude towards their customers. Extremely friendly and willing to do what ever it takes is almost an inadequate description as they easily went above and beyond to simply ensure that we were happy.
They had put a tantalisingly humorous slant on the names of their dishes and drinks. One of their energising health drinks which springs to mind is “Love Potion”, a freshly juiced concoction of local fruits and vegetables which positively sprung to life in your mouth. It was an extremely enjoyable experience and one which I am the richer for having.
I should mention that every time my father in law ordered a small drink he was given a large (at the price of a small), and the staff usually rounded down the bill to the nearest dollar as well. Small savings I know, but one to guarantee loyalty. I highly recommend “The Lime Grill” for any time of the day that you feel you need some nutritional sustenance.
Secondly, on the Saturday night we decided to have Thai and walked across the road to a little place called Sang's which appeared quite popular given the amount of patronage they were serving. Luckily we were able to secure a table for the five of us as we had not booked. We saw many people turned away as we enjoyed the atmosphere over our wine. Happily chatting and laughing as we sipped our drinks, we got right down to ordering and set about celebrating my daughters first 12 months with her boy friend.
Our entrée’s arrived very quickly and we were quick to compliment the waiter on the speed of the delivery. After a long while Dad piped up and said that the mains seemed to be taking a long time. We flagged the waiter down and asked how long the meals would be?
He checked with the kitchen and returned saying that our order docket had been incorrectly placed after our entrée’s were served and the chef was busy creating our meals immediately. He was extremely apologetic and tried to assist us however he could.
My wife having been in the restaurant industry was very understanding and explained to the rest of us that they were doing the best they could. It was just a simple mistake which happens. The staff were very attentive prior to the incident but even more so after.
When we had all finished our meals I went to pay the bill. The manager again apologised and asked if we had enjoyed the evening. During the small talk at the counter he discounted the bill by $30 (a significant amount seeing the total was $130).
I did not have to ask and was not really that concerned but I truly appreciated the gesture and told him that should we be in the area again we would come in for another meal. His actions had turned a negative into a positive. Sure it cost him, but then he knew the value of a happy customer. I’m sure he would say “short term loss equals long term gain”.
Suffice it to say that our time out was one of good fun and enjoyment. We were very impressed with the service and surroundings and I expect we will go back for some more r and r and a right royal nosh up in the future. In fact, my mouth is watering just thinking about those waffles at ”The Lime Grill”.
