Is Giving A Free Meal Good Customer Service?

An all too common issue with restaurants is when to give out a free meal and when to know you are being taken. Sometimes things don't go right such as a customer sitting there for 30 minutes and then the waitress finds the order is still in her pocket. They should definitely be compensated in some way. Other times though they are just complaining about anything and everything in an effort to get the food for free.

They wanted you to comp their meal and set out to get you to do just that. They aren't going to stop complaining until that offer is extended to them. It is expensive when restaurants have to comp meals because they don't make any money off the sale at all. Yet it can be a great way to get a customer who didn't have a wonderful dining experience to come back again.

This can be quite a dilemma to deal with because you don't want to run the customer off for good. Unhappy customers can cost you money as they won't be returning. They can also post information online about the experience as well as tell those they know. It can certainly result in many more people not coming to your restaurant either.

It also shows good faith in your customer service values. It lets your guests know that mistakes can be made but that there are solutions. It shows that you really do care about more than just their money - you want them to have an amazing dining experience. Most people are willing to let the issue go if you find a way to make it right for them.

The handful of people who will take advantage of such gestures though have to be watched. You may not be able to catch onto their scam if they are good enough with it. There are a few signs to watch for though such as they get extremely loud and the issue takes place when the restaurant is very busy. Experience has shown them the manager will act fast to keep others from finding out what is going on.

People brag online about doing this several times a week at various restaurants. It works best for them in larger cities where they have more selection. They will choose busy times of the day or night too. That way dealing with them is something that the staff wants to do rapidly so they can get back to taking care of their other guests.

It is important for the restaurant to have a plan of action for dealing with such issues. That way they don't escalate out of control. This is a decision that the manager needs to execute though rather than the staff. This way discretion can be used to determine when offering a free meal is right and when it is a ploy that someone is after.

You will have to decide what lengths you want to go to in order to keep your customers happy. Some of them will really appreciate the gesture while others walked out with exactly what they went it looking for. You definitely want to be fair but at the same time you don't want to be taken advantage of.

About the Author

Patricia Farnham has a wealth of experience in the restaurant industry. Check out her website to some valuable veteran insights, warnings and advice on owning a restaurant.

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