It’s rare that I rant and grunt about restaurants, this is one of those days. Constantly advocating that successful restaurant offer a complete dining experience, few owners have opened their eyes. As a result, a high percentage of restaurants go belly up. Complete experience means

(great food) + (service) + (ambiance)

On Monday, I dined with Stephanie, a former co-worker/friend from California Culinary Academy at San Tung. I go there for their specialty items. The caramelized dry friend chicken that created a tune of sweet and sour melodies. Their pork dumplings are pillowy in texture. (Read my San Tung review) Ending the meal around 2pm, the waiters clearly did not take restaurant service training. Our check arrived without our request and the waiter was hawking like eagles in a barren desert- waiting for us to pay our bill. I understand if there were people waiting in line, but this was not the case.

Note: Don’t be offended if you’re not Chinese and get poor service, it happens to all of us.

Burning question? Why are Chinese restaurants known to have crappy service. I did some digging and interviewed a famous Chinese restaurateur whose name will remain anonymous. As the owner of a successful seafood restaurant, he admits that despite great business, he has trouble motivating his staff to provide great service. Unraveling the truth, I now know why.

Ninety percent of Chinese restaurant use communist tip style. This means that all the tips customers pay are tossed in a big pool. The tip pool is then divided among the number of waiters. Hence, whether you provide crappy service or great service, a waiter has no incentive. On a recent trip to one of Bay Area’s best Chinese seafood restaurants, our waiter’s faceless expression resembled a zombie.

Vice versa, waiters at most American restaurants receive the tips that patrons leave at their designated table. When I was a sushi waiter, this was the format and it gave me the incentive to provide better service. Waiters are motivated by money. Chinese restaurants, with their large banquet tables, can not convert to this format. Imagine Chinese waiters pushing and shoving like a cattle run to assign themselves to prized large number tables.

So there you have it. Puzzle solved. My father, a former food and beverage director at the Marriot, taught me “great service make a good meal great.” Its no wonder that there are only a few successful Chinese restaurants that have scaled (grow) successfully. P.F. Chang’s, started by white entrepreneur Paul Fleming, has successfully created a Chinese restaurant with average food but excellent dining experience and operations. They are now publicly traded on the Wall Street. I have dined at their PF Chang in Las Vegas and service was great.

Best Service Restaurant
Gary Danko: I felt like a prince for a few hours. Attention to details such as folding napkins, refilling water, and great customer service.
Ritz Carlton Dining Room: Come here for a complete dining experience. Quiet ambiance with old world charm from their decor.

Consultant hat.
“Customer are king.” They hold the cash. Restaurant owners need to provide value and this includes great service. You best marketing tip from me is to create people who champion your food. In return, word of mouth spreads like wildfire. Stop spending thousands of dollars on print advertisement. Look at your core operations: food and service.