What is your biggest hospitality pet peeve?
In a recent survey, Menu Matters asked consumers this question. Here’s a sampling of their answers:
“If there are TVs and they choose to have the news on.”
“My biggest pet peeve is when service staff are inattentive or seem disengaged, making the experience feel impersonal.”
“When they don’t welcome you into their establishment and they don’t say ‘Hi’ or ‘How can I help you.’ Let me know you’ll be right over.”
“Door greeters [that have no purpose]. A door man who opens the door for you, offers you a working shopping cart, or hands you a flyer and tells you about sales or specials would be great, but don’t just have them stand there telling you, ‘Hello.' Give them a purpose or don’t have them there at all.”
“Seeing dirty carpeting in a dining room where people have been eating all day and it’s never been cleaned up. I used to be a waitress and I kept my area clean. There’s nothing worse than seeing food on a carpet and on the floor and you’re sitting right above it.”
“When I walk into a place and I’m greeted with indifference or coldness by the staff, it’s like an instant mood killer.”
“Screaming kids with parents who don’t care. Kids throwing tantrums. Spoiled brats.”
“The kiosk that has overtaken the fast food experience.”
“Being asked how the food is when I have a mouthful and I have to mime.”
“I hate self-order or checkout. I don’t want to work there and if that’s all they have I will walk out and go elsewhere, even if I have to pay more for the same thing.”
“When I’m at a restaurant and my glass goes empty and I have to ask for more to drink. I feel as if I’ve been slighted if I have to ask.”
Some of top themes that came up over and over again were rude staff members or fellow diners (20% of the responses mentioned rude behavior in some way), staff members not paying attention to the customer, poor food quality, having to wait a long time, order accuracy, and being forced to use self checkouts.