How To Get Great Service in a Disney Restaurant

[DisneyFamily123]

Who's to blame? The waiter or the customer? Discussion anyone?

I've always had great service at Disney. Am I lucky, or just not picky? I think the attitude of the customer makes a difference. As a customer, I take a personal interest in my waiter and I have empathy for them.

As an assistant waiter (or busboy), it was my job to be invisible.. to remove things from the table and serve things without interrupting the table. But the waiter has a different job... they are giving personal service, not just taking your order and delivering food. A busboy could do that.

If it's busy, I'll let the waiter know "Wow, it's busy here tonight, you have a tough job". I'll ask them questions about where they are from (look at their name tags for their hometown). The waiter asks about my day at Disney, and often I get great information and tips about Disney.

I don't act entitled, and I don't start complaining right from the start. If I'm not happy, I tell them why and what they could do to make my meal better, and give them a chance to make it right. The only time I ask for a manager is to tell the manager how great the meal is and how wonderful our waiter is. And you should see the look of surprise when they realize I have compliments, not complaints.

I wonder why some restaurants get such mixed reviews. Love it or Hate it.... Some people just made a poor choice -- went to San Angel Inn but don't like Mexican food, went to a buffet but don't like buffet food, went to Biergarten but don't like sitting with other people, etc..

Sometimes, service really is bad, and sometimes, the food really is bad. But I'd think that's rare and has a lot to do with expectations. If I go to a character buffet, I don't expect the finest cuisine with perfect presentation. I expect a clean restaurant, good-tasting food, and lots of choices for everyone, that's all.

What do you think?

 

[MissBritt]

Customer's attitudes can certainly make an impact on service, but in general, a crappy server is a crappy server no matter who they are waiting on.

 

[sydneysmom]

While I agree with alot of what you've said, I think that sometimes it depends. We've had experiences where no matter HOW nice you are, the server is either totally lazy, doesn't care or they're just so peeved w/ their job that somehow it's everyone else's fault.

But I do agree that most times if you go in and you're nice and have some appreciation for the back breaking work that waiters and waitresses do, I think it goes along way. I've overheard kids bossing around servers in restaurants....now, you tell me, are the servers likely to be nice to that family ? of course not !! So that family might write a horrid review of that restaurant. there's always 2 sides to everything. But if that same family went in, the kids were well mannered and well behaved, the family didn't talk condescending to waitstaff, I think the entire experience would be very different.

It's no different than any other business. You extend extra service to people that are appreciative and nice.

 

[daisygirl902]

I agree with this for the most part. If you are generally a pleasant customer most people in the service industry will go out of your way to please you! If you are cranky and act "entitled" and walk in with the attitude "I'm paying for this meal therefore you shall bow down to my wishes" you more than likely will get sub-par service.

I have been a waitress before and do always acknowledge that it's one of the toughest jobs out there - you are at the mercy of not only the customer, but the kitchen staff as well...you basically have little control over the food that goes out, yet you are the only face the customer sees! So if I have any issue with the food, I am very polite about it, and always stress that "I know this isn't under your control, however..."

I also am sure to point out to a manager when someone does a good job - I did this last year at Kona for the server, Peter, and i thought the man was going to break down in tears! They obviously don't get that a lot...

All of that being said....I also think it's important to a manager to hear when the service IS terrible. For example the first (and likely the last) time I went to Ohana the service was horrendous! They literally slammed all of the courses except dessert on the table all at once then disappeared! Before even taking our drink orders...We asked twice for more potstickers and then just watched the waitress simply forget and keep "doing her thing".

I did ask to speak to the manager, only because I know if I were in charge I would want to know. I do not ever curse them out when this type of thing happens, I simply point out that what happened didn't meet my expectations, and explain why. I always do this after the bill is fully paid, as I hate when the solution is to give me freebies in exchange for the bad service. Free food doesn't solve the problem, I would rather someone provide some support and coaching to the staff member so the situation improves!

 

[Mamu]

In all are trips, only once did we have bad server. We always have great service, we talk to our server, ask where there from, how long they been working there, what they like most about working for Disney especially the servers in Epcot, what it like where they live, how long they been here and how do they like America. Also what they recommend on the menu. I must admit when you open up a decor with a server you usually get good service.

If were really pleased with our server, (which we usually are) we ask to see the manager and give them a good review. Were always told when a client ask to see the manager it usually to complain and they appreciate hearing something good.

 

[goofy4tink]

I am probably one of the nicest people you will find when it comes to eating out. My mother, on the other hand, treated servers as if they were her personal servants...it was downright embarrassing to be part of.
I am pleasant, and seldom have any special needs. I will eat pretty much whatever is brought to me if it is close to what I ordered.
BUT...if I'm at a buffet and I can't get my glass refilled in a timely fashion, or if I have to move my used plates around in order to eat from the new ones, or if I have to go in search of my server in order to get a bill...then, you are not going to see me in the nicest of moods.
I don't have high expectations. I want the food I ordered, prepared the way I ordered it, brought out in a timely fashion. I want to be asked if it is to my satisfaction and replaced if I ask..with graciousness. I don't want to be hovered over, but I don't want you to go MIA either.

It really is true that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. I try to treat others as I would want to be treated. It usually works out just fine.

 

[MrsLS]

We have pretty much had good to excellent service with the occasional bad server (like at Narcoosees, we've gone twice and the second time our waitress was more than great, the first time the waiter was horrible). I think it just depends on the particular server and I don't think it has anything to do with the customers, at least unless maybe if you annoy them or something.

 

[prttynpnk]

I have to agree with the origianl poster and add that when i have had a bad experience, it's often due to my inexperience with the menu or the setting- I can't expect someone to read my mind or know interpret my thoughts. A good experience is partly the diners responsibility!

 

[everythingALICE]

As most others have said, I think a lot definitely depends on attitude. I am a waitress, so I think I am more empathic towards the server when going out to eat than most. Sometimes others (even those I am dining with) will get irritated because drinks were not brought out soon enough or the bill wasn't picked up quickly enough, but I try to be understanding because it could be super slammed or understaffed, and that's not really the fault of the server. Of course we all want quick, attentive service - and I'm not saying that I NEVER complain - but the meal is much more enjoyable if I just enjoy the company of those I'm dining with opposed to tapping my feet and staring at my watch. Of course there is never an excuse for a server to be just plain rude to the customers, but then there's no excuse for rudeness to be shown to the server either - and it DEFINITELY won't get you better service.

 

[Marine Mom]

I totally agree!

 

[OwlDisneyGirl]

I tend to agree with OP. Also, if you have somewhere to be, let the server know when he/she first stops at the table. We've done this on a handful of occassions and 1 time the server warned DH that what he wanted to order took about 20 minutes to cook and that combined with getting a salad, etc that he might want to consider this other dish instead. She got us in and out in the time we needed.
In the summer at WDW I tend to warn the server if I'm really thirsty so that they know that I might go through my drink quicker than most (sometimes before they've left from taking our order!).

 

[Tricia1972]

Just a reminder, please take a moment to check out the Tipping Discussion guidelines for the restaurant board before bringing up tips.

This is a great discussion and hopefully it can stay open.