Earlier this week I wrote about our first experience at a Smokey Bones restaurant in our area. In addition to my post, I also contacted Smokey Bones Corporate via their website since I was not able to talk with a manager while in the restaurant. My goal was just to express my concern to management so they were aware of how the restaurant, and customers, were being handled.

Immediately on Tuesday morning I received a phone call from the manager requesting me to call them back and explain what exactly happened. All week I played phone tag with the manager, but eventually managed to get in touch with him earlier today.

I explained that it was our first time, and that the food really was good. In addition, I told him I was not trying to throw the waiter or staff under the bus, but I explained how the service was really, really slow. The manager was very apologetic and wanted us to return for a future meal so that our first experience was not our last. They were going to send us a gift card in the mail to use at our leisure.

I thanked the manager for his prompt attention to the matter as well as his response. We will gladly give the restaurant another opportunity as we really did enjoy the food. However, I want to be clear and subjective and not be influenced just because we receive a free meal.

My intention for making the management aware of the situation we experienced was not to receive a free meal. As any waiter will know that serves us, if you do a great job, you will be rewarding for it. My wife and I both have funny sense of humors and like to laugh and joke around with our servers. It sets the mood for a great meal and service. At the end of the meal, we always typically leave at least a 20% tip. If you were really good, we will leave more, and if you did not quite hit the mark, we might decrease it some. In addition, if a restaurant hits the mark for service and food, we not only write about them, but also encourage our friends and family to also go. We routinely have tried out new places that have now become favorites.

So when our service was that bad at Smokey Bones this week, I just had to be able to tell someone. It was sad that I could not even find a manager while there to discuss our situation, and that I had to take it to corporate. However, they say they have addressed the situation, and we will try them again in the future.

It is kind of unfortunate how the staff can influence ones opinion of a restaurant. The food service industry is very cut-throat with low margins, so there is little room for error. Customer service and communication really are key in any business to keep clients returning. Smokey Bones prompt response and professionalism won high marks in my eyes. Now go enjoy some BBQ.