does a hostess affect how you feel about the restaurant you are dining at?

Question

if you go to a restaurant does the hostess affect how you feel about the restaurant you are dining at even if your server is exceptional?

Answer 1

I work as a hostess and a server at an Italian Restaurant that is generally well known where I live. I have been hostessing since I was 16 (which makes it almost 2 years now) and have been waitressing for about five months. I do believe that a hostess does have an affect on the general dining out experience, but the waitress weighs more heavily than the hostess.

Most people, as someone stated before, do not realize how tough it really is to be a hostess sometimes. Where I work our customers have been coming for over 30 years, so they expect everything to go their way. Believe me, I don't mind serving. In fact, I love satisfying the people I help, but some are ridculous. There are people who will absolutely refuse to sit somewhere and for no reason at all. There are no kids, it isn't because of the size of the seating, or if there's a window. In fact, most of our customers are like this. I truly don't mind seating them where they like, but sometimes when almost everyone coming into your restaurant is specific... it is HIGHLY difficult to accomodate everyone. Not to mention the reactions from the servers who complain because you give them too many tables or not enough. And we, as host/hostesses, can't help it! We have to sit them where they like!

Honestly, and personally, from working in a restaraunt I have learned to be a lot more understanding with those who service me. Sure, there are some that are awfully bad... but sometimes people are having the worst time.

I always try my best, but sometimes working in a restaurant is one of the most tiring things to do.

Answer 2

Yes the hostess is your first impression of the restaurant. If the hostess is in a bad mood or rude to you, that isn't going to start your meal off right. The first thing most people would do after she left the table is start complaining about her. If the hostess is cheerful and smile, it could make the whole dinner better.

Answer 3

I think the hostess has something to do with it, but not all. Just b\c the hostess isnt as nice as you expect, it doesnt mean the server is going to be bad. Hostesses take a whole lot more from guests then what people understand. Simply bc its easier to complain to them since they are at the hostess stand, and the server is running around the resturant. People are so picky its ridiculus. So many people say they dont want to be around kids, or they want to be by a window, or they simply dont like a certain part of the resturant. And thats stupid. Going to a resturant, you have to understand that you arent always going to get what you want, and usually they complain to the hostesses and it gets really old after awhile. So they arent going to be as cheerful as people expect. But i also dont think its right for them to be just flat out rude either

Answer 4

somewhat. Last time I went out to eat the ONLY thing the hostess said to us was 'how many?' After we told her how many of us there were she picked up the menus, walked off, slapped our menus on the table and walked away before we even sat down.
Another time I went out to eat with my friend who is confined to a wheelchair...usually when we are seated they will pull a chair away for her and put it somewhere else...well this time the young man who was our host took us to our table and then told her she could "move the chair wherever she wanted"....rude! Needless to say, we were ticked for a little while, but we had a nice waitress so that made it better. But if the service from the waitress would have been anything less than exceptional, we probably would not have enjoyed our trip there simply because the rude host just ruined everything....

Answer 5

Since the host/hostess is the first person you see when you arrive and the last person you see when you leave, I believe they do affect my overall dining experience. The server/busboy affect my dining experience more but the hostess can add/detract from one's evening.

Answer 6

SURE! The hostess is the second most important restaurant employee -- next to the waitress, who, as we all should have learned in biology, is an important link in the food chain!

Answer 7

Definitely. S/he is the face of the restaurant. If s/he is not willing to help or treat you politely, then it's a good indication about how the service is going to be.

Answer 8

Yes because they are your first impression to whether or not your gonna come back to this place or not. If they are playing on their phone or talking to their friends instead of taking care of me. It shows me how the service and the food is gonna be which also affects how i order too.

Answer 9

I think so, because they are generally the first teammember to make contact with you. Something as simple as opening the door and quoting correct wait times goes along way.

Answer 10

ashley<3 its all about customer service hun... every one in the restaurant is representing the place... this is any where...yes