"When we want to learn how to cook better, we buy cookbooks, but we never think about dining out as an improvable skill. As Danny Meyer says, hospitality is a dialogue. But I think that the Danny Meyer approach does not really emphasize the guest's role in building that relationship. I want to convey to people that I think that it's worthwhile - and it will result in better service - if you take the time to become a more engaged and mindful diner."
"One thing I recommend is to avoid "storyboarding" your meals. People have a very prescribed notion of what they're going to order. When I worked at Carbone, people would order what we joked was the "Number One," which was like the McDonald's combo for Carbone: the Caesar salad, spicy vodka rigatoni, meatballs, veal parm. Each dish is a great dish, but together, it's not a great meal."
Dining out should be treated as an improvable skill. Hospitality functions as a dialogue in which guest behavior matters as much as staff actions. Becoming a more engaged, mindful diner leads to better service and more satisfying meals. Many diners 'storyboard' meals with prescribed combos that stack individually good dishes into an unbalanced overall meal. Repeating predictable orders reduces the opportunity for memorable plates. Asking a server to choose or guide courses invests staff in the meal's success and encourages attentive follow-up. Small behavioral tweaks by diners can significantly elevate restaurant experiences.
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