I remember Memorial Day the year before we opened. Bob and I on the porch with a host of friends, just watching the parade. The construction project was well underway, the issues to be resolved were many & the time before opening continued in flux. Finally setting a date was a major milestone in my mind.
That year, all the drinks & snacks were brought in and we went on to the South Main St picnic. Needless to say, the parade was great, as always!
Last year we were open and the unknowns were many - will people be mainly out of town for the weekend, hence we would not be too busy or would those who were home want a great breakfast or lunch, the busy, busy. We had a good busy weekend and on Monday we did a big breakfast and a bit of lunch with some folks enjoying the parade from our porch. I was invited by a few to join them and watch, however I had my work cut out for me inside!
This year we will be well staffed up and we hope to see a good number of new and "old" friends over the weekend.
One datapoint does not a trend make, however it feels good to have that one datapoint anyway.
We do a good bit more planning when we know that we might have a fun holiday weekend. Putting interesting special items on the menu and making sure we are well staffed up.
This weekend the specials include something I've wanted to offer for a while - a jam omelet - it is a really great item that not many folks will have had, so I'm hoping you may try one if you are in this weekend. Also, the ever popular chocolate pancakes with wild blueberries or raspberries or chocolate chips.
And a few great seafood oriented dishes for lunch -- enough said.
I find an amazing number of "unintended" consequences and results of being part of The Blue Rooster. One that I never thought would have the impact it does is our feedback card.
I expected to hear the issues of portion size, flavor, hotness / taste / - I guess what I'm really saying is that I expected to hear the negatives.
We do get a few - and we take action on them all - thank you to those who write about issues and concerns. Also, thank you to those who are willing to speak up about something that isn't right in their view about the dining experience at the BR. It is not easy to be the one saying - the bean salad is just 'alright' - but it really is so helpful to me. Just Tues, a woman was in for the first time & when I asked how everything was, she did say that a new item - a white bean with rosemary & garlic salad was just OK. Just OK is not how we want any of our food to be and so I went out and had a bit of the salad. It did not have the flavor of the trial batch made over the weekend that prompted me to put it on the menu and so we went back and adjusted the herb and garlic to bring the flavor to where it should have been. Without this feedback, it would have been the next day before we had another tasting of it and hopefully would have found the problem.
The favorable comment cards can give anyone of the staff a boost when it's needed to keep up the pace & keep up the striving for as close as possible to perfection. I read them regularly to the cooks & of course verbally tell them what I hear from customers.
Here are a few from the last 4-5 days alone:
"breakfast was excellent"
"we look forward to coming again. Our waitress was great!"
"the food was excellent. All A+++!"
"the service and food were excellent. Will definitely return again!"
"great atmosphere/excellent service/tasty food"
"a very fine dining adventure"
"lovely place, lovely food, lovely service"
"you're zeee Best!"
On the days that seem too long and the times it seems there is no break in sight, those little treasures from customers really make a difference.
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