Page 41 - foodservice news - July 2018

MANAGEMENT
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The more you pay for a meal, the less the experience is judged purely by the food. Yes, you may choose to go to a certain cafe or restaurant because they are known to feature good food, but there are a number of other considerations that come into play with your selection.
undertaken as the vehicle to develop or celebrate social or business relationships. If your environment is not carefully managed it can easily create negative perceptions, no matter how good the food is. An example of this is coming to the fore as a result of the fashion for industrial fit-outs. This kind of
décor can be extremely noisy in peak times, and the noise can rise to a crescendo as people struggle to communicate across a table and raise their voices in order to be heard.
If you had been to a restaurant and found it very difficult to communicate, would you go back to host a business dinner, or an important family celebration?
Likewise, if you have tables that are uncomfortable due to proximity to the kitchen or bar where staff are constantly moving to and from, or sections of your restaurant where the air
conditioning is creating cold spots, or draughty seats near entrance doors you are creating negative perceptions. People need to be comfortable in order to enjoy food.
Total customer perception is made up of 40 per cent food, 40 per cent service and 20 per cent environment. The investment you make into each area in terms of time and money must reflect awareness of the holistic way your customers view you.
Yes, your food is important but it is not, on its own, going to make you successful. It’s not all about the food.