I agree with you about having integrity with their positioning. If their positioning is “We are the steak experts”, then yes, we would have respected their commitment to their art. But this is not the case.

In fact, when we went to another branch of theirs, they served the meal according to our request… with a smile. So we frequent that branch now. And this new branch is always packed.

I enjoyed your blog post, and broadly I agree with your main point that you ought to sell what the customer wants, not what you have. However, at times it’s OK to fire your bad customers or the customers who don’t “get it.”

I come from the school of thought that a high quality steak should be eaten “bloody as hell.” And, I believe if you talk to steak aficionados they would concur.

Sometimes a restaurant like the one you described view the “art of their craft” above the “demands of their non-core consumers.” This may be an example of the restaurant saying: “Listen we are the number one steak house for a reason. It’s because we know steaks. You come to our domain to enjoy our mastery of the craft, and if you don’t understand that, then don’t come back. We only serve people who “get it.” And, burning up a steak for you goes against our philosophy of preparing an excellent meal. And, nothing (not even a paying consumer) will diverge us from that path.”

At the end of a day a business needs to protect the integrity of their product and delight their core consumer base above all else. It’s a balancing act. To judge whether the waiter made the right or wrong judgment for your wife’s situation, I’d ask this: How’s their business doing? And, are they keeping the customers that matter most delighted?

–Elliott Garlock

http://elliottgarlock.wordpress.com

You are adding great values into our Lives!

By the way, I also like to eat my beef 100%
cooked because It’s more healthy & Safer…

I Like you, Sant…

You gave me the solutions!

1) _____________________
2) _____________________
3) _____________________

* I went to McDonald & a
nearby coffeeshop to find
out the answer…

Cheers!

Bottomline, We learned from their experiences &
isn’t this make sant wrote this article online so We
all can learn together!!

Hopefully, They also would read Sant article as well…