Does good service sometimes outweigh mediocre food?

A good server and a customer service-focused manager (when called in to fix a mess) can overcome almost any problems the kitchen creates.

Acknowledging the problem and comping things and/or providing a free round of drinks while stuff gets fixed is all it takes to keep me happy.

It's really not that hard...but only managers have the authority to comp things and most are not paid very well and all are focused on cost, so good ones are hard to find.

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Does good service sometimes outweigh mediocre food?

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It is definately appreciated but if the food is mediocre the service itself is not enough to get me back.

I go to Starbucks every day at the same time and greet the same Baristas. It's amazing how their level of cheerfulness changes from day to day.

For example, the moodiest they've ever been was on Christmas morning. I guess that's understandable. It's 7 am on Christmas morning and you're working. They were really grumpy.

The best mood they've ever been in was TODAY. The morning after Valentine's Day. I'm pretty sure they got a little sumpin sumpin last night.

That's a good point, mouton...spotting the *ssholes who want free wings because it took longer than they were willing to wait for their apps versus a couple who's had their meal royally screwed by the kitchen. My comment was not made to disparage anyone.

My wife makes fun of me every time I say this, but I always say (almost always to some youngster who's waiting on us) that working in a restaurant (expediter, then waiter) made me a better human being. You either get it or you don't, and where the hungry masses meet the poor bastards serving their food, you can learn quite a bit...