Vocabulary

barley a sort of grain for beer

brew to make beer, tea, coffee

carafe a glass container with a wide neck for wine and water

dispense (v) to give something to people, especially in fixed amounts

fermentation a process in which the sugar in beer or wine changes

to alcohol because of the action of yeast

foam a mass of small bubbles on the surface of something,

such as the sea or coffee

in bulk (adv) to buy large amounts of goods

liquor a strong alcoholic drink, such as whisky

liqueur a sweet and very strong alcoholic drink, drunk after a

meal

mark-up (v) to increase the price of something, so that to sell it for

more

than it was paid for

malt grain, usually barley, that has been kept in water for a

time

and then dried, used for making beer, whisky etc

pint a unit for measuring an amount of liquid ( especially

beer contains 20 ounces)

profit margin the difference between what a business pays for

something and what they sell it for

proof the standard strength of some kinds of alcoholic drink

storage the act of keeping something in a special place while

it is not being used

vineyard a place where grapes are grown

vintage a particular year in which a wine is made

yeast a substance used for producing alcohol in beer, wine and

for making bread rise

Unit 11. Dealing with Complaints

It is clear that the purpose of a restaurant is to encourage customers to enter, enjoy their meal and spend their money. However, some difficulties may arise. If the restaurant staff listen to a guest politely, check the problem and then offer a refund with an apology if needed, the customer will remain loyal and will come back. Sometimes there are complicated problems, such as a complaint about staff rudeness. In this case a manager is usually called in. If the matter cannot be solved, because the customer refuses to listen or to accept the offered solution, it is referred to someone higher up.

1. Pre-reading 1.1. Which actions from the list below you consider correct and which would be incorrect in the case of a customer’s complaint?

1. Apologize to the customer.

2. Be polite and calm.

3. Listen carefully to the customer.

4. Ask questions to find out more about the problem if necessary.

5. Tell the customer that he or she is wrong.

6. Explain the restaurant’s problems in detail.

7. Talk more loudly than the customer.

8. Take prompt action.

9. Suggest that the customer is complaining about something that is not

important.

10. Call a senior member of staff (e.g. Head Waiter ) if you feel that you cannot deal with the problem.

11. Tell the customer what you are going to do.

12. Maintain the customer’s confidence in the restaurant.

13. Say nothing and continue serving.

14. Thank the customer for bringing the matter to your attention.

Pre-reading 1.2. A. Make a list of things which customers may complain about:

The food: e.g. cold

The service: e.g. slow

Equipment: e.g. dirty cutlery

The environment: e.g. too hot in the dining room; or smell from the kit-

chen

Accident: e.g. wine or sauce spilt on guest’s clothes

B. Then make a list of problems which customers may create for restaurant staff:

For example: Guests are drinking too much and disturbing other customers.

Pre-reading 1.3. Think about an action the restaurant staff should take if:

- The food or drink is split on guest’s clothing.

- A guests feels unwell.

- The wrong dish is served.

- The food was not served as ordered by the customer.

- The wine was bad.

- The waiter forgot to serve a dish.