Can I take your order?

Lori and I went to a local restaurant the we frequent quite often for lunch. The place was virtually deserted when we went entered. Shortly after we seated ourselves the waitress took our order and brought our beverages.

Not long after that another family came in and asked if they could get served if they sat outside. The response of the waitress peaked my interest. She replied that she would prefer they not sit outside because she was the only one working. I was dumbfounded by her response. Lori and I were the only other people in the place.

I just completed a book entitled "You don't need a title to be a leader" by Mark Sanborn. In the book he speaks of a situation in which a customer went into a diner to have breakfast but had previously purchased a cup of coffee at a STARBUCKS, or something like that, and had brought it in with them. The waitress in the restaurant told the customer that they were not allowed to bring coffee in from another establishment. The customer took his STARBUCKS and left. Mark suggested that the better response from the waitress would have been since we don't allow customers to bring in coffee from other places, let me pour that coffee into one of our cups so that you can enjoy it while you have breakfast.

I think the waitress in the restaurant Lori and I were at today could have taken a more proactive, positve response to the request of the customers wanting to be served outside. She could have said that they certainly could enjoy their food outside, however since she was the only one working, if the dining room got very busy it may take a few extra moments for her to get outside and tend to their needs. It was a beautiful day outside. I don't think the customer would have had a bit of problem with that response.

I'm just stunned at the decline of service that is given today. Every day it seems that it becomes an its more about "me" world than what can I do to make your life better.