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A good restaurant is one that makes the dining event an experience that is pleasurable. This can happen at a family restaurant or even a chain. It is expected at a fine dining restaurant.

As we eat more and more of our meals out of the home, the convenience of eating out is key. We eat out because we want someone else to do the cooking, and the cleaning up. We want to focus on what is important to us. That varies from person to person.

Some of us want good value for the money. Others want to eat healthy, or eat special foods they enjoy, but don't have time to shop and cook. Still others eat in restaurants for the social aspect of sharing a meal with friends or family.

From the moment one enters the eating establishment, feeling welcome and taken care of can go a long way in providing a positive experience. In the casual restaurant, a simple greeting is nice: "Welcome to ...." In a nicer restaurant, being asked for seating preference should be added, along with offering the choice of tables. If there is a wait, everything should be done to keep that wait pleasant.

The wait staff should be trained to know the menu and be able to answer questions. They should be promoting special dishes, if applicable, and have tasted them so they can recommend them or at least have an honest opinion. Ideally, wait staff should be a fan of the restaurant's food. Great for sales and for enjoyment.

Trained wait staff knows enough to give the right amount of service. Interrupting conversation every couple minutes is too much, but disappearing for long periods of time doesn't work well either.

It goes without saying (yet, here I am saying it), that good restaurants serve good food, with fresh ingredients. They are clean, and keep up with the meal. Timing is everything.

A manager that walks around and checks on the experience of diners, is good business, too. Be willing to give a drink or dessert for any customer with a bad experience. Naturally, if legitimate, be sure and "comp" a dissatisfied diner's meal. Be sure and empower wait staff to do this, if a manager is not available.

Following guidelines like these is not always easy, but worth it for the diner and for repeat business. Word of mouth is one of the least expensive and most effective ways to a successful restaurant!

Learn more about this author, Mary Murck.
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