Do diners request specific food service requirements above the limitations of the menu and service available?

Question

Any assistance is greatly welcomed, and will hilp with my Year 12 assignment. Thorough is always welcomed =]

Answer 1

I own a cafe in Brisbane Australia. We have a limited set menu but customers always ask for something that is quite difficult to provide and get cranky if you can't do it. When we first opened the cafe and were keen for business, a gentleman asked for scrambled eggs with tomatoes at lunchtime at a time when I'm going crazy making sandwiches. Of course I obliged him the first time, but after that it became his expectation and because it wasn't a menu item that I'd taken the time to correctly "price" (and make a profit from), I ended up having to make it for him every second day during the lunchtime rush at a profit of nil.

The food industry is a very difficult one because the profit margins are so low. You really have to work long hours for little gain. In the last year, I've worked 16 hour days 7 days a week.

Customers get cranky if you don't provide to their specific requirements such as "gluten-free", "dairy-free", or even if you don't happen to sell muffins! They can be rude if they're kept waiting too long despite the fact that you've warned them they may have to wait a while for their meal.

I had someone ring the cafe at 1pm (our busiest time) and ask for a $4.50 sandwich to be delivered to her office 2 blocks away, because she simply couldn't be bothered getting off her chair to collect it. (Our normal order for a sandwich is $8.90 but she wanted one not on the menu and wanted it half-price because she only wanted a little bit of the ingredients.)

On the other hand, many customers are very polite and will be understanding and appreciative of the service given to them.

Some couples come in and want a meal split in half and served on 2 separate plates. That can be really time consuming at busy period and depletes the profits when each meal comes with a side salad and a half serve looks really measly, so you have to plump it up a bit with extras that they effectively get for nothing.

Good luck with your Year 12 assignment. It sounds interesting.

Answer 2

Many restaurants will honor requests for preparation of items in different ways than shown on the menu, maybe broiling instead of frying or something like that.

Answer 3

i believe that is your choice one of the last you will have carried out in this life, and your choice should be honored. or you could impose legal sanction that would direct the proceeding. and frankly a funeral is all about memories! how many have you attended and the groups of people are saying hey remember when ( BILLY,BOB,SUE,TOM) did this or that.

Answer 4

i've had customers ask for....
gluton free meals
no peanuts or peanut oil
no wheat
vegan meals
lactose free
no butter or no margarine in food prep

i've had handicapped people ask me to go thru a buffet line with them and plate what they want
others.......
peel an orange
crack crab legs
cut their meat
butter their toast