Top 10 Ways to Become a Regular at Your Restaurant of Choice*
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. Here are 10 ways to help you become a regular at the restaurant of your choice.
1. The obvious one: Frequent the dining establishment. Once a week at first, then taper off to a couple times a month.
2. Always say “Please” and “Thank You” when ordering. A little courtesy goes a long way.
3. Smile. A sincere smile says I like you, you make me happy. Dale Carnegie said it well: “Your smile is a measure of your goodwill…To someone who has seen a dozen people frown, scowl or turn their faces away, your smile is like the sun breaking through the clouds.”
4. Introduce yourself by name, then find out your server and sommelier’s name and use it.
5. Ask the server or sommelier what wine they are passionate about, and then buy what they recommend.
6. Once you know what wines your server or sommelier is passionate about and have begun to build a relationship with the staff, bring in a bottle you know they’ll love and offer it to them to taste. You may even get your corkage fee waived.
7. When the waitstaff approaches to take your order, be courteous and halt your conversations. 7 seconds is the maximum to keep a waiter hanging, . It may not seem like long to you, but it is an eternity to them.
8. Tip well. 20% is probably your best bet. Whatever percentage you choose, be consistent.
9. Tip on anything complimentary you receive as a result of being a regular, whether it is a glass of port or an experimental appetizer sent from the kitchen for you to taste test. And be sure to tip on your entire bill, including wine.
10. Do your homework. Chalk Hill’s can help. For instance, Sean Crowley’s favorite wine region is “Champagne, baby! Champagne!” Now you have a great starting point for conversation the next time you visit Aqua in San Francisco (Sean is the Wine Director and Sommelier at Aqua).
*Inspired by making the rounds on Digg and Lifehacker. Adapted and expanded to focus on wine.
