March 2009 Weddings
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
A Few Questions..
In looking for ways to build our business, I'm going to ask you girls a few questions, feel free to answer, ignore, and/or add any extra comments 
1.) Describe your opinion of a great server, or give an example of an experience you had at a restaurant that made you say "wow" and want to return?
2.) What appeals you to try a new restaurant? Adverstising? Specials? Word of mouth?
3.) What would make you become a "regular" at or frequent a restaurant?
I think that's all I have so far, lol.
Re: A Few Questions..
1. A great server would not disappear for long periods of time, but also not be around so much that they interrupt my conversation every 3 minutes. There's a delicate balance of the right amount of attention.
2. I like to try every new restaurant, unless my friends tell me it's horrible. Rodgers doesn't like to try new places unless we have a coupon - that way if it sucks, we haven't wasted much money.
3. * Good food. * $10-15 for one dinner. More than that, and we'll only be able to go on special occasions. Less than that, and it's probably fast food. * Convenient location - we usually go to places that are right here in our neighborhood or close to the mall. * and a place where Rodgers and I can have a conversation. The best steaks in town are in a very noisy restaurant, so we hardly ever go there.
1. I'm with Alyssa - I hate having to ask for refills on my drink. It also drives me batty when servers don't know specifics about items on the menu. Having to ask about something strange is fine, but if I ask if something has mayo in it (in any form), you should know that. Servers need to be friendly, but not overly familiar, and available but not hovering.
2. Usually word of mouth. Also price and location. A restaurant has to be REALLY special for me to want to drive more than about 20 minutes to get to it.
3. Again, price, location, and also good food. I'm not about to spend my money at a restaurant where the food isn't better than something I can make at home. And atmosphere. I don't usually enjoy places where I have to shout to hear the person across from me. And I certainly don't go to them often.
(okay, that all sounded super b!tchy. sorry. i'm still at work, and very tired.)
A great server to me is one who is genuinely nice and polite and doesn't try to be over the top...spends their down time checking out their tables instead of taking a smoke break...attends to me quickly when I have a need, like others said. I think it's obvious when a server takes ownership in the restaurant and they show it when they know the menu, feel comfortable giving suggestions, and act professionally.
I try new restaurants when people suggest them or if I hear something interesting about it...I like to try locally owned restaurants because I so desperately want small and/or family owned businesses to succeed. I like to know a little bit about it. If I'm trying a chain restaurant, I need them to have a menu on their website, with prices, so I know what I'm getting into. A lot of chain restaurants have similar menus and taste the same so I don't like to pay more at places just because they have prettier decorations on the wall.
I make restaurants my regular restaurants when I know I can predictably get good service, food that is better than ordinary (I think Meghann said better than she can make at home...I agree), and prices that I feel comfortable with- here in the midwest I feel like I should be getting something particularly nice if the entree is more than $15, and spectacular if it's more than $20. For me, distance isn't really a factor, but that's because nothing is close. I have gotten a lot pickier about restaurants since we started living on less income.