Tag: customer experience

Beyond Service: Why the Experience Is the Real Secret Ingredient

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During these uncertain times when restaurants are working harder than ever to stay relevant, profitable, and connected to their communities, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind of food costs, staffing challenges, online reviews, and social media trends. Yet through all the noise, one truth stands taller than the rest: what truly sets a restaurant apart today isn’t just its food, or its décor, or even its service. It’s the experience.

Food is fundamental — it’s the heart of the business. Ambience adds atmosphere. Service ensures functionality. But experience is what gives a restaurant soul. It’s what lingers long after the last bite. It’s what transforms a meal into a memory and a visit into a story worth retelling. It’s what keeps people coming back.

Customer experience is often misunderstood. Many believe it’s interchangeable with customer service, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Service is about what you do for a customer — taking orders, delivering food, clearing tables, thanking them as they leave. Experience is about what the customer feels while all that happens — seen, heard, cared for, and appreciated. As Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Every great restaurant in history, whether fine dining or fast casual, lives and breathes by that principle.

Think of the restaurants you love most. It’s probably not just because the food is good — though it surely is. It’s because the place makes you feel something. It feels familiar or inspiring or comforting. You trust that when you go there, you’ll be treated like more than just another customer. Maybe it’s the owner greeting you by name, the bartender who remembers your favorite drink, or the server who anticipates your needs before you ask. Those moments of connection are not accidents. They are the foundation of customer experience.

In an industry where competition is fierce and expectations are constantly shifting, experience has become a restaurant’s most powerful and effective marketing. A satisfied guest might leave a decent review. But a guest who feels emotionally connected will tell everyone they know. They’ll post about it, talk about it at work, and bring their friends the next time. They become ambassadors for your brand, doing what no paid advertisement can — telling your story with authenticity and heart.

A positive experience doesn’t just create loyalty; it drives measurable business results. Guests who feel valued spend more. They visit more often. They’re more forgiving when mistakes happen because they trust your intentions. That kind of goodwill cannot be bought — it must be earned, one interaction at a time. In contrast, one negative experience can undo months of effort. It’s not always because the food was bad or the service slow, but because something emotional went wrong — a sense of indifference, a lack of empathy, a feeling that the restaurant cared more about the transaction than the person.

So, to today’s restaurant owners, I ask: when was the last time you dined in your own restaurant as a guest? When was the last time you truly listened to how your team interacts with customers, not just to see if they’re polite or efficient, but to see if they’re genuine? Have you created a culture where employees understand they are not just serving meals, but crafting experiences? Have you given them the freedom and encouragement to connect with people, to show kindness, to notice the small things that make a big difference?

And to today’s restaurant brand leaders, who oversee multiple locations or entire chains: how well are you protecting that emotional connection across every store? Are your brand standards focused only on operational consistency, or do they also measure emotional consistency? Do your marketing messages promise warmth, community, and connection that your locations actually deliver? Are your training programs teaching your teams to smile because they have to — or because they want to?

The restaurant industry has evolved dramatically, especially after the challenges of recent years. Technology has transformed ordering and delivery. Automation has improved efficiency. Digital marketing has expanded reach. But none of these things can replace the human element. At the end of the day, restaurants are still about people — people cooking, people serving, and people gathering. No algorithm can replicate the feeling of being genuinely welcomed, the comfort of being remembered, or the joy of being part of something shared. That’s the magic of hospitality, and it’s as timeless as it is powerful.

A great restaurant experience is not built by chance; it’s designed. It’s the result of leadership that understands emotion is as important as execution. It’s built in the details — the lighting, the music, the pacing, the body language, the attentiveness. It’s built in how the staff treats each other behind the scenes because that energy inevitably flows into the dining room. Guests can feel authenticity. They can sense pride, passion, and sincerity just as easily as they can sense indifference.

Every restaurant has a brand, whether intentionally crafted or unintentionally developed. That brand isn’t defined by logos or slogans — it’s defined by how people feel when they think about your restaurant. That feeling is your brand. That feeling is your marketing. That feeling is your future.

As we move deeper into this new era of dining — one defined by convenience, digital connection, and shifting expectations — the restaurants that will thrive are those that remain deeply human. They will be the ones that remember that hospitality is not a task or a trend but a calling. They will understand that a meal may satisfy hunger, but a great experience nourishes the heart. Because long after guests have forgotten what they ordered or how much they paid, they will still remember how your restaurant made them feel — welcomed, valued, and inspired to return.

That feeling, above all else, is what keeps the doors open, the tables full, and the brand alive. It is the single most enduring ingredient in the recipe for restaurant success.

About the Author

Paul Segreto brings over forty years of real-world experience in franchising, restaurants, and small business growth. Recognized as one of the Top 100 Global Franchise and Small Business Influencers, Paul is the driving voice behind Acceler8Success Café, a daily content platform that inspires and informs thousands of entrepreneurs nationwide. A passionate advocate for ethical leadership and sustainable growth, Paul has dedicated his career to helping founders, franchise executives, and entrepreneurial families achieve clarity, balance, and lasting success through purpose-driven action.

Ready to elevate your business or navigate today’s challenges with confidence? Connect directly with Paul at paul@acceler8success.com — because every success story begins with a meaningful conversation.

About Acceler8Success America

Acceler8Success America is a comprehensive business advisory and coaching platform dedicated to helping entrepreneurs, small business owners, and franchise professionals achieve The American Dream Accelerated.

Through a combination of strategic consulting, results-focused coaching, and empowering content, Acceler8Success America provides the tools, insights, and guidance needed to start, grow, and scale successfully in today’s fast-paced world.

With deep expertise in entrepreneurship, franchising, restaurants, and small business development, Acceler8Success America bridges experience and innovation — supporting current and aspiring entrepreneurs as they build sustainable businesses and lasting legacies across America.

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Wherever you connect, you’ll find one consistent message — empowering entrepreneurs to succeed faster, smarter, and with greater purpose.

Domino Effect of a Customer Experience

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Here’s a story that was shared with me during our last recession. I recently thought about how such an experience can ultimately affect a franchise brand (or any brand, business or organization) today. So, franchisors, and anyone else that may want to chime in, please keep the following questions in mind:

  • How would you handle this situation if you became aware of it through a customer complaint?
  • If asked by a franchisee about what to do in a situation like this or how to avoid it completely, how would you respond?
  • Are scenarios like this covered in initial and ongoing franchisee training?
  • Ultimately, if similar situations are repeated, how could it affect the franchisee’s bottom line and how could it affect the franchisors’ bottom line?
  • How should a franchise organization go the extra mile in working and communicating with its franchisees about customers, ultimately, the brand’s customers?

When the story was shared with me, I immediately thought about a question that had been posted on a discussion board about what companies were prepared to do in order to retain customers during a recession or time of economic uncertainty.

Domino Effect

Late one morning, a client of mine was told by his boss to purchase gift cards to be given as prizes for that afternoon’s golf tournament. The company had decided to increase the number of prizes as the response to participate by local businesses was overwhelming. The tournament was to start at 12:30PM and my client was playing in the event and also had several of his clients playing with him. Therefore, it was imperative he make it to the golf course by noon at the very latest.

At 10:35AM he went to a national chain restaurant location and found it closed but saw a lot of activity inside by the front desk. He knocked on the door and explained his need to purchase $1000 in gift cards. He was rudely told the restaurant didn’t open until 11:00AM. My client explained his circumstances and the need to get across town to the golf course and not having to wait 25 minutes would really help him. He asked to speak with a manager. He was told the manager was not available and emphatically told once again, we don’t open until 11:00AM. The door was abruptly slammed shut before he could utter another word.

Instead of waiting, my client went across the street to another national restaurant chain location and found it also didn’t open until 11AM. However, as he was looking in, a cook noticed him from the back, hurriedly walked up front and opened the door. Upon listening to my client’s request, the cook cleaned his hands and with the help of two other staff members in the restaurant, they were able to put together enough gift cards to make up the desired amount and complete the transaction. All within a matter of minutes!

Here are a few thoughts to consider:

My client frequently takes clients out for lunch. Do you think he’ll frequent the first restaurant in the future? Do you believe he would go out of his way to dine at the second location?

The gift cards were given to ten participants at the golf tournament. Do you think they may spend above the gift card denomination when they redeem the cards? And is there a possibility their experience at the restaurant may be their first to the restaurant and if they enjoy the experience, they may visit in the future?

How many people will my client inform about his bad experience at the first restaurant and with how many people will he share his great experience?

The list of questions could easily go on with respect to my client’s boss, others in their organization, participants at the tournament, etc.

Yes, there’s a domino effect with a bad customer experience. However, the same is true with a great customer experience. Maybe even more so when the experience is positively memorable.

But the most important questions to ponder are, how much does a negative domino effect hurt a business or brand during a recession or time of economic uncertainty and conversely, how much does a business or brand benefit from a positive domino effect during that same period of economic challenges. And especially in an era of review sites, social media and influencers?

Franchise brands are few and far between on list of top brands in customer service!

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Despite repeatedly hearing that exceptional customer service is paramount in today’s economic environment, franchising sees few brands make the list of top brands in customer service.

Do you believe it’s possible for a franchise brand to consistently deliver positively memorable customer service along the likes of Apple and Amazon.com, just to name a few of the brands that are repeatedly mentioned when discussing exceptional customer service and customer experience?

Are franchisors dedicating enough resources on customer service training? Are franchisees focused enough on providing exceptional customer service?

Personally, I believe it all starts with the culture of the Franchisor and the same must be conveyed to franchisees, not only through training, but in the way franchisors treat franchisees. It must be a top-down effect to start the process and must be on the forefront of everyone’s mind at all times and at all levels of the franchise organization. I also believe an extremely high level of providing positively memorable customer experiences is a key component towards improved unit-economics, and also in helping increase interest in franchise opportunities.

50 Brands Named ‘Customer Service Champions’ as posted on MediaPost.com March 15, 2012

In the faltering economy, the importance of customer service has reached new highs, overtaking even price as a purchase determinant, according to a J.D. Power report.

Read the complete article.

Want to learn more about customer service in franchising?

Mindy Golde, Director of Sales at Listen360 (formerly Systino) discusses Consumer Sales and Customer Experience at the upcoming Franchisee Sales & Marketing Summit. Listen to what she has to say about franchise brands and customer service! FranSummit is March 26-29.

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