Adam Reiner

When we want to learn how to cook, it's very easy for us to go buy cookbooks, or we watch videos on YouTube to find out how to make recipes.

And we have resources to learn how to do that.

We don't necessarily think of dining out as an improvable skill.

One of the problems is that there's really not an authority to look at for, you know, to help us do that.

Another problem is that a lot of people think that when you dine out, it should be a passive experience.

I shouldn't have to worry about how I behave.

They should take care of me, which to some degree is true, but you still have.

you know, at least half of the year, at least 50% of the dynamic that's going on at the table.

And you should be mindful about how your behavior about how your attitude affects the quality of your service.

You know, a lot of these these things, you know, really, the restaurant is it doesn't like what I'm saying is not to suggest that restaurants shouldn't be responsible for greatness.

But when the customer goes into a restaurant with the understanding that you can have a bad experience at a great restaurant or a great experience at a bad restaurant, ultimately the constant variable in all of those experiences is you.

So you really do set the tone for whether your experience is going to be a success or failure.

Certainly the restaurant should perform at a high level, but ultimately it is about your attitude, how you engage customers,

Language is very important.

You know, one basic thing that I think is so great that I hope that your listeners would consider doing is when you walk into a restaurant, the first person that greets you, tell them that you're really excited to be there.

There's something very disarming about that.

And when you do say,

I'm really excited to be here.

It shows that you've come to the restaurant for the purpose of dining and enjoying your meal, which obviously there are people that come to restaurants where the restaurant is sort of a secondary part.

It's just to see a friend or such and such.