Front of house · 4 minute read
How to handle a complaint from a guest
For floor staff at any level: listening, fixing the problem, following up, and knowing when a manager should step in.
Something will go wrong on most shifts. Guests rarely remember the mistake itself. They remember how you handled it.
Listen first
Let the guest finish without interrupting or explaining. Face them, stay calm and keep your voice low. Defending the kitchen at this point only makes it worse.
“I'm really sorry, that's not how it should be. Let me fix it for you now.”
“The chef always cooks it like that.”
Fix it, then follow up
- 1Listen to the whole complaint.
- 2Apologise once, sincerely, without blaming anyone.
- 3Offer a fix: replace it, recook it or take it off the bill.
- 4Tell the kitchen and your manager what happened.
- 5Go back after the fix and check it is right this time.
Be specific about time. 'Your new steak is about eight minutes away' lands far better than 'it's coming'.
When to get a manager
- The guest asks for one.
- You have offered a fix and they are still unhappy.
- It involves an allergic reaction, an injury or someone feeling unwell.
- Someone is aggressive or upsetting other guests.
- The fix needs a discount or comp you cannot approve.
“I'd like to get my manager, Sam, so we can sort this out properly for you.”
“That's not my call, I'll find someone.”
Check yourself
A guest says their pasta is far too salty. What should you do first?
- Explain how the chef makes the sauce
- Offer a discount straight away
- Fetch the manager immediately
- Listen to the whole complaint without interrupting
Show the answer
D. Listening comes before any fix. Explaining or defending the kitchen makes a guest feel brushed off.
In the Academy this lesson ends with questions like this one, and every answer has to be right for the lesson to count.