"How's the ___?"
For the sixth straight year, October is Dining Month on OnMilwaukee.com, presented by Concordia University. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, delectable features, chef profiles and unique articles on everything food, as well as the winners of our "Best of Dining 2012."
Sometimes I'm absolutely amazed at how stupid I can be in a restaurant.
I have no idea how many times I've asked a server a question that goes something like, "Is it good?" or "how's the (fill in the blank)?"
For some reason I think that the server is going to tell me the truth and steer me away from something on the menu and toward something else.
I can't imagine the reaction of an owner who hears a server tell a customer that something "isn't all that good."
I wonder if I'm alone in this or whether other people ask the question and whether they've ever gotten a truthful answer. Seems to me that would inspire serious loyalty to the place.
Talkbacks
pjmleckie | Oct. 11, 2012 at 1:34 p.m. (report)
Agree with the recommendation question. Or you can ask what their favorite item is. I have gotten some honest answers to the "how is it" question, but you have to non-verbal cues. Example, I had a server answer "The chef is very excited about it" while her body language was saying "but no one else is."
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littletinyfish | Oct. 11, 2012 at 10:18 a.m. (report)
Dont' ask, "How's the ____?" Instead, ask "What do you recommend?" If you have to ask how a dish is, you might ask yourself why do you dine at places you don't trust.
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