How to complain

(Shrugs)
Actually Adriel, I don't even go to restaurant FB sites. I don't find them that useful. Perhaps because you're not managing them for them. I find they seldom have any of the wanted info I am usually looking for like hours of operation or a menu in high enough def that it can be read or a useful map. And I personally would never post a negative experience on a restaurant's FB page. Isn't there a setting where you can disallow posting from the outside? But that stops all the flattering posts? Ah the disadvantages of inexpensive advertising. Guess there's a trade off for everything.
I still think any restaurant using the old " how can we know how bad we are if you never complain?" argument is phooey. A restaurant opens its door offering a certain amount of expectations. It will either deliver or not. Teachers may offer grades and tell you where you went wrong but they get paid for doing that. Diners do not. If a restaurant needs constant feedback to know when they are getting it right or wrong maybe they should hire some consultants?

Carla, I'm available! "Ronnie Dingman, Restaurant Consultant!"

Sorry, I agree with Steve P. on this one. I don't always have time to hang out, wait for a manager to show up then rehash an unpleasant experience. If the manager is out on the floor chances are pretty good he's on top of a bad situation already. If not, well sorry, it's not my job to see your restaurant runs smoothly. And you should hope we just go home and pout, instead what we do is go home and plan our next outing elsewhere. We share both our good and bad experiences with friends. And if a restaurant doesn't want negative posts on their Facebook account then it's time to use more traditional advertising mediums or develop your own honest to goodness website. Cutting corners is cutting corners is cutting corners and does not pay off.
And that's my opinion based on my and my family's years in the restaurant business.

Carla .. I could have written this message only you probably did it better.

especially this
"well sorry, it's not my job to see your restaurant runs smoothly. And you should hope we just go home and pout"

Carla, I'm available! "Ronnie Dingman, Restaurant Consultant!"

I'd recommend they hire you!

I'm pretty much down with Carla's take. Dining out is a source of enjoyment and relaxation. Dealing the with restaurant's problems reduces the enjoyment and increases stress. Unless it's something egregious, I will always elect to soldier on and make the best of things. This serves to maximize my enjoyment, or at least minimize my disappointment. Once the thrill's done gone, it's gone.

Now, if a manager stops by and asks how things are going, I will generally answer truthfully. So, if you want to know what I think, just ask me. The best thing you can do to compensate me should you choose to do so, is cover my bar tab. That would actually help me recover!

On the flip side, I very, very rarely make negative posts online about any restaurant. So, don't blame me for the negative rep!

(Shrugs)
Actually Adriel, I don't even go to restaurant FB sites. I don't find them that useful. Perhaps because you're not managing them for them.

True that!

Curious I have never seen complaints as doing consulting work for restaurants, I see it as an attempt to get what you want, on that visit or the next. If the problem is systemic in the restaurants business plan I just don't go back.

Curious I have never seen complaints as doing consulting work for restaurants, I see it as an attempt to get what you want, on that visit or the next. If the problem is systemic in the restaurants business plan I just don't go back.

Quiet, Adriel! I'm trying to get work over here!

Curious I have never seen complaints as doing consulting work for restaurants, I see it as an attempt to get what you want, on that visit or the next. If the problem is systemic in the restaurants business plan I just don't go back.

Quiet, Adriel! I'm trying to get work over here!

LOL! My bad!