I'm still sulking about how that hiatu's joke laid such a big salmonella-infected egg -- and my first post, too!
It didn't make a very good first impression -- which is funny, because I had been thinking that my first Top Ten list should be about first impressions and how a restaurant can make a good one.
It's easier to come up with negative examples, maybe -- that dead-eyed hostess, those greasy menus -- but there are some signs I always receive as good omens. I would love to hear about a recent restaurant experience of yours that started off on the right foot and kept its stride -- or one that didn't, or one where just the opposite happened.
Top Ten Good First Impressions after the jump
- The web site provides its address, phone number, and hours of operation on the homepage (and on every page).
- The person answering the phone (or promptly confirming your reservation) tells you his or her name.
- A valet greets you politely even when you arrive on foot.
- When you walk in, the place smells good, like fresh bread, rosemary, or money.
- At the entrance, an employee without direct responsibility for waiting customers makes eye contact with you.
- Someone has set the lights below "ice-cream parlor" level.
- The bartender exchanges pleasantries with you before demanding your order. (Depending on the place, this greeting could be "Good Evening, Sir," or "sup.")
- The other diners and the cuisine appear to share the same country of origin.
- You see an employee stop to pick a bit of debris off the floor.
- Relish Tray!
Baltimore Sun Staff/Karl Merton Ferron