I’ve noticed that in many ways restaurant staff go above and beyond to attend to their customers’ needs—returning food that has been ill-prepared to the kitchen and replacing it with something more to the customers’ liking, making adjustments to seating to accommodate unexpected large parties, and allowing for substitutions to entrée items, just to mention a few. Though not all restaurants attend to their patrons in this manner, many do, which is greatly appreciated.
There is one thing in particular, though, that restaurant staff tend to do that results in a less than ideal dining experience. What is it? I’m glad you asked. Restaurants have a tendency to engage in the practice of immediately removing extra place settings from the table when a person is dining alone—a practice that is certainly logical on the one hand, but can come across as being inconsiderate on the other hand. Grant it, this may seem like a small thing that shouldn’t really occupy anyone’s attention, but small things are often capable of rendering huge outcomes.
Though some people may be in such a state of being where experiencing something like that doesn’t really phase them, others may not be so fortunate. That seemingly simple act of removing place settings can noticeably remind the person dining alone that they’re doing just that, while also overtly notifying the rest of the people in the restaurant of that person’s dining status. It may seem insignificant, but when a person is already dealing with heavy hitters like loneliness or loss, that seemingly small act can take on the mountainous size of King Kong.
Now, I don’t think that restauranteurs intentionally do this to inflict potentially scarring emotional damage on their patrons, but I do think that some of them might be neglecting to consider the fact that their patrons are full human beings, who are all dealing with different challenges, and oftentimes are fighting battles that feel and seem to be unable to be won.
Cutting out this practice of removing extra place settings from the table when individuals are dining alone won’t alleviate all discomfort that patrons experience, nor will it solve a number of the problems that they may be facing. However, it can cause them to feel a little bit less aware of the fact that they’re alone, especially when they don’t want to be, as well as make it possible for them to feel less awkward in that aloneness, and alternatively leave them feeling thoughtfully considered rather than negatively singled out.
I don’t suggest that the powers that be at restaurants completely revamp their processes, but I am suggesting that they put some additional thought into the possible fallout that some of their practices can cause and maybe choose a better option, one that is more empathetic and compassionate. That’s all. Be blessed. #lovebythedrop
love by the drop 