Restaurant Raves and Rants

04/08/2022

The groups are still active but we are no longer in Washington so please understand if we are limited on the businesses we can help.

10/10/2018

Find yourself slumping a bit? Try a seasonal change to your menu. Keep the favorites! Fall is the perfect time to try a dish or 2 that are new. Make them a special! Find out which ones are a hit and which ones are a miss so you don't have to change the menu until you make it a permanent change!

09/05/2018

I know we haven't done a lately- but..there is something in the works. We have been working with the State as well as the County Health Dept on an issue that we are seeing more and more. We hope to share that information with you soon!

07/25/2018

A huge shout out to Jeff's Texas Style BBQ! Jeff is an active member in our Snohomish County page keeping tabs on what's happening with his customers- and he made best in WA State in Food & Wine Magazine!

Plus, at least one runner-up for every choice, because there's more good barbecue out there than ever before.

03/20/2018

Looking for a new way to advertise? I would like to see if we can celebrate how much our Snohomish County group has grown in the span of just a couple of years. If you are interested in donating a gift certificate to give to a group member, message us! There are over 7000 people in the group which means a GREAT opportunity to get the word out about your establishment. This is good for eateries/coffee stands/any place that sells food/drinks.
Non owner/manager- If you think your fav place is just the bee's knee's and want everyone else to tryit, consider purchasing a certificate and we will give it away! Message us if you'd like to do that!

03/13/2018

We are seeing in our groups a few comments on how many negative posts there are vs positive ones. This is a perfect example about how people share about their experiences in your establishment. The facts is the raves are outnumbering the rants 3 to 1, but our brain remembers the negative more often. The same when people tell their friends and family about their experience. For every good share, expect that it will be forgotten quicker then a bad experience. Those bad experiences will haunt you.
This is why consistency is SO important. If each guest has the same experience, it will minimize the bad experiences thus keeping your establishment out of the rant limelight.

02/19/2018

Currently, we are posting polls to our Snohomish County Group to find out what will turn a good customer into that customer that will never return. We have gone through some of the main reasons and broke them down. We are looking forward to bringing you a full assessment on our findings once done. Feel free to join the groups and see for yourself what is being said!

01/19/2018

We are in process of asking questions in some of our groups that can help streamline our tips. If you haven't joined yet, make sure you do!

01/16/2018

Do you remember back in June when we posted the tip about not deleting bad reviews and how to handle them on social media? Well, let's touch back on that subject. What about when they reach out to you privately, how should you respond?

-RESPOND to them to ensure they know you received their rave/complaint. Acknowledge ALL of their issues. If you just touch on the first point or a single point in their email. That devalues their attempt to communicate.
-APOLOGIZE for their experience. An "I'm Sorry" sometimes will fix enough for them to give you another chance. DO NOT share excuses. You don't want to hear them from your kids or employees, your customers do not want to hear them from you either.
-ASK them to give you another try. Up to you if you're willing to comp a meal or not. Depends on the severity of what they said was wrong.
-FIX the problems if there are any...you're getting feedback to HELP. If it's a particular server, make sure you share the concerns with them. Ask their side of the story. It may be an opportunity for retraining. What is really happening when you are not there?
-THANK them for giving you another chance if you see them or hear they came in. Going that extra mile shows how much you value their business. That will set you apart from any competition.

The key is this....bad reviews should be seen as an opportunity, not a failure. It's up to you as the owner or manager to grasp that opportunity and see it to it's full potential.

01/05/2018

It's a new year, and we have a new ! There are several complaints made by customers when it comes to all sit down eateries- from fine dining to the local diner and everything in between. Can you recognize any of these?

1) Drink/meals/courses come too slow
2) Nonpersonable waitstaff
3) Sitting 3-4 people on a table that is meant for 2
4) Excessively loud music
5) Checking in too much/too little

If you do recognize any of these, make this your establishments New Years Resolution! Find a way to fix these minor issues that are universally a large deal to most consumers! Most of these are simple changes made at a management level or with training of the staff! Think this can't really be an issue? I too can say I just had an experience the other morning where 3 of 5 of these were an issue in a local breakfast spot.

12/19/2017

Talking to some owners recently, the discussion came up of paid holidays. Tis the season afterall. We are in Washington State, so is there a state law that requires a paid holiday? Quickly, the answer is no. What about premiums for working a holiday? Again, the answer is no.
But, let's go back to loyalty and consistency in your establishment. That means having a staff that can consistently put your brand into action. Training can cost a lot. If you have not already, look at the cost effectiveness of training new hires vs keeping a healthy happy staff. Spend a little and receive a lot. Show your staff how you appreciate them maintaining your brand image.
Happy Holidays!

11/27/2017

We are bringing in an intern before the end of the year. While we are training him, we want to hear from you on what tips you would like to see in our next .