One time I was in a well-known steakhouse. I ordered the steak and explained that I only eat meat when it's very well- done. "The chef won't make it that way," the waiter said in a huff. I asked to speak to the owner and asked him whether he was concerned about his diners' pleasure. He said yes, but...and I decided not to order steak and never to re

No names here to protect the guilty, but if you recognize your- self, you're guilty! Awhile ago a friend and I had dinner at a restaurant I had passed. (Thankfully not a client.) It was French and it seemed charming. The owner greeted us, seated us at a nice table and we looked around. On a Saturday night, the place was practically empty.

We ordered and my entree was not as well done as I had ordered it. No one approached us to ask how we liked dinner so I kept quiet and ate it since it was obvious things were not running smoothly in the kitchen or the dining room. After dinner and over coffee, I was smoking a Gauloise, the owner came over (by now we were the only diners left), asked if he could join us and smoked with us. I told him about my entree not being well-done enough and, to my astonishment, he said, "it's lucky for you the chef has left for the night because he would kill you if he heard you say that." I asked,"who's more important, a customer or the chef?" and the owner replied, "the chef, of course."

When we left, I told my friend if the restaurant lasted more than six months, I'd be amazed. Well, I passed by about six weeks later, and, you guessed it, they were closed.

A few years earlier I passed another seemingly charming restaurant. A friend and I were looking for a place for dinner and decided to try it. The owner approached us immediately,seated us and explained that the restaurant had just opened and didn't yet have a liquor license. So, he was pouring a glass of wine for everyone free of charge. I had a small glass and we looked at the prix fixe menu. Among the appetizers was fresh fruit although I had something else. With my entree I asked for another glass of wine. The owner refused even though 1) my friend hadn't had any wine at all and 2)this was jug wine and a glass cost him 25 cents tops.

We enjoyed our dinner (the food was good) and laughed over the owner's attitude. When time for dessert, I said instead of the desserts, I wanted the fruit listed under the ap- petizers. Again, the owner refused, saying I couldn't have two appetizers. I was so annoyed I told him he knew nothing about running a restaurant and shouldn't even be in a business dealing with people. For spite I ordered cake and then didn't eat it, but smashed it with my fork so he couldn't serve it again. With his attitude, I'm sure he would have! P.S. Within a month he, too, was out of business. I doubt he even had time to get a liquor license. So here we have two restaurateurs who knew nothing about pleasing customers. Why did they even go into business when they were so penny-wise and pound-foolish?

One time I was in a well-known steakhouse. I ordered the steak and explained that I only eat meat when it's very well- done. "The chef won't make it that way," the waiter said in a huff. I asked to speak to the owner and asked him whether he was concerned about his diners' pleasure. He said yes, but...and I decided not to order steak and never to re

We ordered and my entree was not as well done as I had ordered it. No one approached us to ask how we liked dinner so I kept quiet and ate it since it was obvious things were not running smoothly in the kitchen or the dining room. After dinner and over coffee, I was smoking a Gauloise, the owner came over (by now we were the only diners left), asked if he could join us and smoked with us. I told him about my entree not being well-done enough and, to my astonishment, he said, "it's lucky for you the chef has left for the night because he would kill you if he heard you say that." I asked,"who's more important, a customer or the chef?" and the owner replied, "the chef, of course."

When we left, I told my friend if the restaurant lasted more than six months, I'd be amazed. Well, I passed by about six weeks later, and, you guessed it, they were closed.

A few years earlier I passed another seemingly charming restaurant. A friend and I were looking for a place for dinner and decided to try it. The owner approached us immediately,seated us and explained that the restaurant had just opened and didn't yet have a liquor license. So, he was pouring a glass of wine for everyone free of charge. I had a small glass and we looked at the prix fixe menu. Among the appetizers was fresh fruit although I had something else. With my entree I asked for another glass of wine. The owner refused even though 1) my friend hadn't had any wine at all and 2)this was jug wine and a glass cost him 25 cents tops.

We enjoyed our dinner (the food was good) and laughed over the owner's attitude. When time for dessert, I said instead of the desserts, I wanted the fruit listed under the ap- petizers. Again, the owner refused, saying I couldn't have two appetizers. I was so annoyed I told him he knew nothing about running a restaurant and shouldn't even be in a business dealing with people. For spite I ordered cake and then didn't eat it, but smashed it with my fork so he couldn't serve it again. With his attitude, I'm sure he would have! P.S. Within a month he, too, was out of business. I doubt he even had time to get a liquor license. So here we have two restaurateurs who knew nothing about pleasing customers. Why did they even go into business when they were so penny-wise and pound-foolish?

One time I was in a well-known steakhouse. I ordered the steak and explained that I only eat meat when it's very well- done. "The chef won't make it that way," the waiter said in a huff. I asked to speak to the owner and asked him whether he was concerned about his diners' pleasure. He said yes, but...and I decided not to order steak and never to re

When we left, I told my friend if the restaurant lasted more than six months, I'd be amazed. Well, I passed by about six weeks later, and, you guessed it, they were closed.

A few years earlier I passed another seemingly charming restaurant. A friend and I were looking for a place for dinner and decided to try it. The owner approached us immediately,seated us and explained that the restaurant had just opened and didn't yet have a liquor license. So, he was pouring a glass of wine for everyone free of charge. I had a small glass and we looked at the prix fixe menu. Among the appetizers was fresh fruit although I had something else. With my entree I asked for another glass of wine. The owner refused even though 1) my friend hadn't had any wine at all and 2)this was jug wine and a glass cost him 25 cents tops.

We enjoyed our dinner (the food was good) and laughed over the owner's attitude. When time for dessert, I said instead of the desserts, I wanted the fruit listed under the ap- petizers. Again, the owner refused, saying I couldn't have two appetizers. I was so annoyed I told him he knew nothing about running a restaurant and shouldn't even be in a business dealing with people. For spite I ordered cake and then didn't eat it, but smashed it with my fork so he couldn't serve it again. With his attitude, I'm sure he would have! P.S. Within a month he, too, was out of business. I doubt he even had time to get a liquor license. So here we have two restaurateurs who knew nothing about pleasing customers. Why did they even go into business when they were so penny-wise and pound-foolish?

One time I was in a well-known steakhouse. I ordered the steak and explained that I only eat meat when it's very well- done. "The chef won't make it that way," the waiter said in a huff. I asked to speak to the owner and asked him whether he was concerned about his diners' pleasure. He said yes, but...and I decided not to order steak and never to re

We enjoyed our dinner (the food was good) and laughed over the owner's attitude. When time for dessert, I said instead of the desserts, I wanted the fruit listed under the ap- petizers. Again, the owner refused, saying I couldn't have two appetizers. I was so annoyed I told him he knew nothing about running a restaurant and shouldn't even be in a business dealing with people. For spite I ordered cake and then didn't eat it, but smashed it with my fork so he couldn't serve it again. With his attitude, I'm sure he would have! P.S. Within a month he, too, was out of business. I doubt he even had time to get a liquor license. So here we have two restaurateurs who knew nothing about pleasing customers. Why did they even go into business when they were so penny-wise and pound-foolish?

One time I was in a well-known steakhouse. I ordered the steak and explained that I only eat meat when it's very well- done. "The chef won't make it that way," the waiter said in a huff. I asked to speak to the owner and asked him whether he was concerned about his diners' pleasure. He said yes, but...and I decided not to order steak and never to re

One time I was in a well-known steakhouse. I ordered the steak and explained that I only eat meat when it's very well- done. "The chef won't make it that way," the waiter said in a huff. I asked to speak to the owner and asked him whether he was concerned about his diners' pleasure. He said yes, but...and I decided not to order steak and never to return.

As a publicist, I have often been in a client-restaurant when a waiter missed an opportunity to please a customer, usually because the waiter didn't care. I would immediately rise from my table, speak to my client who would rectify matters and the diner was happy and likely to return. Truth- fully, no client of mine would ever act like the aforementioned restaurateurs.

Too often restaurateurs forget this is a service business and you have to please your customers.