Restaurants are a business, just not YOUR business
As long as I have been in the hospitality industry, I have never understood the guest who comes to a restaurant and then insists on ordering an item that’s not on the menu.
Not only is the item not on the menu, but it tends to be an item that the restaurant doesn’t even carry.
Restaurants survive by selling what is on their menu. In addition, in today’s world, you can go online and review the menu prior to going in, so that you know there are dishes there for you to enjoy.
But, sometimes, diners will go to a steakhouse and ask, “Can you prepare handmade pasta with marinara sauce and topped with vegan cheese?” To me that’s the equivalent of going to a gas station and asking to fill the tank with cheesecake! If you do not want the food on the menu, why are you at this restaurant?
There is a big difference between ordering something that is not on the menu vs. making an adjustment to an existing menu item. Certainly, you can have dressing or sauce on the side. You might want oil rather than butter, or because of an allergy, or remove an item totally from that dish.
The staff won’t mind adjusting menu items, but they hate when the guest orders something that’s not on the menu. First, the server is forced to go to the chef and ask if they can make this item. They are often afraid of the reaction of the chef, especially if it the restaurant is busy. (What? You’ve never watched “The Bear”?)
Most chefs will say no to this type of request because they are not only busy, they also don’t want to “wing it” and prepare a dish that you might hate. Restaurant owners and chefs work hard at putting together a menu that guests will enjoy. My recommendation to all my restaurant clients is stick with what you do best and always deny off-menu requests.
However, if you still insist on ordering something that is not on the menu, here is what you might want to think about. First, make sure the menu offers the ingredients that you want. If they offer pasta with meat marinara, you may ask for a meatless marinara. If the restaurant has a number of salads and you want to add chicken, fish or meat, that can work as well.
There is a right way to go about making a special request. First, consider the time of day. It’s not likely a restaurant will honor a special request on a Friday or Saturday at 7 p.m.
The best way to get what you want and avoid disappointment is to call the restaurant in the morning, or even the day before, and speak to a manager about your request. This way, the restaurant has time to accommodate you or let you know that it can’t be done.
In a similar vein, it’s never OK to bring your own food to a restaurant. If you are walking into a restaurant and you have not finished your Starbucks, take a last sip and throw it away.
The restaurant is in the business of selling food and beverages. They are not just a building with seats where you can bring in whatever you want. When you bring in your own food or beverage you are insulting the restaurant owner and staff, and it costs the restaurant money.
Simply put, be considerate. It’s fun to dine out so why not enjoy what the restaurant works hard to offer you?
• Izzy Kharasch is the founder of Hospitality Works, a consulting firm that has worked with 700+ restaurants and small businesses nationwide. He is offering Daily Herald restaurant owners a free consultation by contacting him at Izzy@HospitalityWorks.com.