The seafood restaurant Bruce Buschel is building will have excellent service—or else. Some staff members, he acknowledges, "will no doubt protest some or most of what follows," but he's the boss, and he presents 50 rules in his New York Times blog. A tasting menu:
- "Do not take an empty plate from one guest while others are still eating the same course. Wait, wait, wait."
- Make sure the table is level and the wine glasses clean before anyone sits down or orders a drink.
- Keep your hands to yourself, not on the rim of a glass or the spout of a wine bottle, and certainly not on a guest: "Never touch a customer. No excuses."
- "Saying, 'No problem' is a problem. It has a tone of insincerity or sarcasm. 'My pleasure' or 'You’re welcome' will do."
- "Never remove a plate full of food without asking what went wrong. Obviously, something went wrong."
To see the complete list—the first of two installments—click the link at right. (More
restaurant stories.)