Good Service Matters

These days when I go to a fast food restaurant I almost EXPECT bad service. Often the person taking your order doesn't even bother to smile, or even make eye contact, or even speak clearly in complete sentences. And I understand that--especially at places like McDonald's or Wendy's, usually the servers are teenagers and this might be their first real jobs, and they're being managed by people who are maybe only a year or two older themselves and perhaps don't know much about customer service themselves, but still, when I go out to eat I'd like at least a smile.

Well, I guess today's post is practically an advertisement, because I wanted to give a shout out to one restaurant that's the exception. The Roly Poly sandwich shop in Erlanger is owned and managed by one of the nicest guys I've ever met. His name is Jeff (sorry, don't know his last name), and in the dozen or so times that I've been in the place, I've never seen him not there. He's extremely friendly, and he treats everyone like that person is a best friend that he hasn't seen in a while. And he insanely remembers things about almost every customer. As I said, I've been in about a dozen times, but that's over a two or three year period. I'm definitely NOT a regular, but he remembers that I used to be a vegetarian. And I've sat and watched him take others' orders while I've eaten, and he's that way with everyone.

The food is good, too. It's REALLY good, actually. Sort of like a Subway or a Penn Station, but better, and--instead of bread--the sandwiches are wrapped in tortillas and grilled. It's really very good. But it's the service as much as the quality of the food that stands out in my mind. Jeff will make suggestions, bring your order out to you, and joke with you.

The family and I ate there yesterday, and as I watched Jeff interact with customers I thought, I want to tell other people about this place, because good service SHOULD matter. So if you're ever in Erlanger and you're looking for somewhere fairly cheap to eat, you won't go wrong at Roly Poly.