Evaluate a Restaurant
The pastime of eating out at restaurants is enjoyed by a wide variety of persons, young and old, from different walks of life. But of course, not every restaurant has the mass appeal - for reasons other than just the food! If you're a picky eater, this article will help you choose a good eatery - that is, if you ever had trouble finding good spots to recommend to friends.
Steps
There are many types of restaurants - some fast food, others fine dining, still others casual dining and so on. Each kind offers a different type of service or cuisine, and may attract different clientele based on those. Whatever the restaurant, however, there are some main things to look for in a good restaurant. Four are listed below:
- Atmosphere/Ambiance - As you step into the restaurant, what is the feeling you get? Is it neat, comfortable, elegant, accommodating? Your first impression can be very telling about the restaurant. After all, if you plan to spend at least 20 minutes sitting somewhere eating, you should feel comfortable, right?
- Cleanliness - Does the restaurant appear clean? Do you find yourself wiping the seats and perhaps the table before you sit down? Do you find yourself even judging where to sit, and not because of the view?
- Service - Were the servers pleasant, communicative, efficient, knowledgeable? This makes for a very high percentage of the dining experience.
- Food - Of course, this may arguably be the most important part of eating out. But how does it look? How is it presented? How does it taste? And how much does it cost?
Tips
Cleanliness
- Check the bathroom. It is the most revealing factor of a restaurant's hygiene habits. If it doesn't look suitable - and it's in public view - consider the kitchen where your food is being prepared!
- Check the floor. Is the floor clean? is there evidence of pests or rodents on the floor are anywhere?
- Observe the servers. Do the servers themselves look clean and tidy? If they do not take much pride in their own appearance, then most likely, little care will be taken in your food!
- Are there any offensive odours in the restaurant? This is usually a red flag that things are not properly regulated.
- Note the silverware, glasses and plates/food containers. Are they clean? Also, note the tables and chairs for cleanliness.
Atmosphere/Ambiance
- Observe the décor in the restaurant. Is it attractive and appealing? Are the tables and chairs comfortable and neatly arranged? If there are plants and/or flowers used in the décor, are they fresh? Is there any artwork to lift the appearance and create a warm, exotic, or ethnic feel, etc.
- Check the lighting. is it suitable for the restaurant? Too dark? Too bright?
- Note the temperature. Is it too hot? Perhaps too cold?
- Once again, check the servers. Are they neatly dressed to complement the atmosphere of the restaurant? Do they seem warm and accommodating?
Service
- If making reservations, are they quick to pick up the phone? Do they respond in a courteous and professional tone? Do they listen to you and your needs, or do they interrupt you to give you a standard line, like "Seating can be arranged between 2:00pm and 9:00pm"?
- If fine dining, note how you are greeted. Are you greeted at the door? How long do you wait on an available table? Do they compensate for long waiting by offering an appetizer or drink, etc.?
- Note your servers. Are the servers professional? Are they also polite, or do they seem annoyed, impatient, pushy, sarcastic, or just plain unpleasant?
- Does the server attempt to answer any questions you may ask, and if the answer is not known to them, do they seek to find out and quickly return to answer you?
- Note the time it takes for your food to get to you. Is the food cold by the time it gets to you? Are the waiters/waitresses communicative about any delays in the meals, or do they simply leave you to wait?
- Check your food. Are you served your order? Is the food served the exact way you want it, down to the "gravy on the rice only" or "sandwich cut in two with lettuce, tomato and extra mayo on the side"?
- If you have a comment or complaint, does the server listen keenly and act accordingly? Does the server apologise for any mistakes or shortcomings and try to appropriately make amends?
Food
- Check the other persons dining around you. How are they responding to their meals eaten? If you spot someone with your dish of choice, is it presented in a similar attractive manner?
- Check out your menu. Are the prices reasonable, given the surroundings, service and dish? Do the choices seen well balanced to put things together for a meal? Is there a wide variety available for persons with different tastes, e.g. vegetarian options, weight watchers options, etc.?
- How is your food presented? Does your food look and smell appetizing? Does it look fresh? Does it look mediocre or sloppy? Does it smell offensive? (Note, sniffing food in public is considered bad manners to many people. A good suggestion is to simply take a small whiff as the food passes your nose and heads to the counter or table.)
- Note the food as you take your first bite, or sip. Does the food taste good? Great? Mediocre? Terrible? Bland? Does it taste like something you could have easily made at home, or does it taste like something 'extra'? How is the texture of the food? Does the texture of the protein vary from the starch and the vegetables, or is everything one uniform mush? Is the food undercooked, overcooked, under-seasoned, under-salted or over-salted, too sweet, too sour, too spicy or too fresh? Do you long to eat more of the food?
- With these tips in mind when eating out, you can develop your own personal rating scale of any restaurant you find yourself dining in. Of course, good restaurants will generally have good ratings across the span of customers! Best of all, if you own a restaurant and these points are up to par, you will see flocks of customers in a really short time! Also, as a diner, you will be able to find a few really good gems of restaurants worth telling your friends about and visiting again and again! Happy eating!!!
