Appropriate Compensation?

I'll give you the scenario and you tell me what compensation you think is appropriate.

Two upfront points:
1. I'm not going to name the establishment at this point.
2. Compensation was offered and accepted.

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Scenario:

Restaurant staff are busily moving tables around to accommodate a larger party. As the server delivers our food, she collides with one of these workers. Food is dropped/projected/etc. and a substantial amount of black beans (*let's all not start guessing the establishment now!*) ends up on my (brand new X-mas gift) jeans from ankle to thigh. When I got home, I also noticed that there was a significant amount on my fabric shoes, including enough on the shoe laces where I had to remove them and wash them. Apologies are offered, we are moved to another table, and a good dinner continues. Compensation is offered and indifferently accepted.

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I did very little talking with the manager when he appeared because 1)I had been up for 24 hours already flying from Seattle and 2)I had already had my fun with customer support in the form of Delta Baggage Care. The dinner at the local establishment was meant to relieve my frustration, not add to it!

So, what would you have offered the customer or expected as a customer?

First, I relate to your Delta experience (as do many, I imagine). The driver knows which porch at my house to use to leave the bag(s) that are frequently delayed by a day or so while they travel to some exotic destination on their own.

On the compensation issue: I think a heartfelt, sincere apology is the only compensation I would ever accept. If they ruined clothing with the mistake, then asking to replace it seems appropriate. Other than that, comping some bad desert or cheap drink only insults me more than the act that caused the attempted comp. We all make mistakes. An apology should usually suffice. IMHO, of course.

I personally would comp the whole meal, or at least all food which was dropped. I would also offer a gift certificate to ensure a return so we could make it up to them with a perfect experience. It's not exactly like "our food was only luke warm" or " "our service was mediocre". Dropping all of a tables food itself, let alone dropping a tables food on top of the person who ordered it is a huge deal. I think it deserves a great deal of compensation.

Looking at it from an owner/manager perspective, if I were in their shoes in this situation I'd offer to make sure all clothing was cleaned or replaced to the condition when you walked in the door and I'd offer a follow up meal for two to make up for your ruined experience.

I don't think this is compensation as compensation is generally earned but repayment of what they cost you - clothes and a bad experience.

Looking at it from an owner/manager perspective, if I were in their shoes in this situation I'd offer to make sure all clothing was cleaned or replaced to the condition when you walked in the door and I'd offer a follow up meal for two to make up for your ruined experience.

I don't think this is compensation as compensation is generally earned but repayment of what they cost you - clothes and a bad experience.

+1

Many great comments so far. Lots to respond to. I will let this simmer for a day or two and then respond with how it played out. To tease the situation, I'm torn with how I feel about the whole situation. Not sure if there is an appropriate solution. More soon.

[Robin Garr]

Not sure if there is an appropriate solution. More soon.

I'm starting to think that the solution varies with the individual, Matthew. One big factor might be how massive a sense of entitlement you feel, or whether your personal philosophy bends more toward justice or toward taking advantage of a situation to rake in all you can.

Looking at it from an owner/manager perspective, if I were in their shoes in this situation I'd offer to make sure all clothing was cleaned or replaced to the condition when you walked in the door and I'd offer a follow up meal for two to make up for your ruined experience.

I don't think this is compensation as compensation is generally earned but repayment of what they cost you - clothes and a bad experience.

What Brian said.

I'm starting to think that the solution varies with the individual, Matthew. One big factor might be how massive a sense of entitlement you feel, or whether your personal philosophy bends more toward justice or toward taking advantage of a situation to rake in all you can.

Well said, Robin.

Having been on the offending side of this once long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, when I was a server, I spilled a glass of orange juice on a female out of town visitor that was heading to The Oaks. She had planned on wearing the same white linen outfit to Derby as well. We picked up the tab on the rush dry cleaning job (1 hour Martenizing!) and also comped their entire meal. Luckily for us, the Dry Cleaner did a great job and she was quite satisfied with the result and the fact that she didn't have to shop for a new outfit that we would have also probably had to pay for. Other than that, I wouldn't know what other compensation someone would expect unless they got burned by some hot soup.
Keep in mind, no one did this on purpose. They have an expression S#%+ Happens! I'm almost certain that it was just as unpleasant of an experience for the server who dropped the tray as much as it was for you to get stuff spilled on you. The poor bastard who did it not only had to attempt to clean you AND the big mess they made up infront of a bunch of shocked or snickering people and also try to ease your temper; they also had to go back to the kitchen and tell the cooks that they have to re-make an order they had just prepared.
I know I felt genuinely really bad when I dropped that glass and I did everything I knew how to, at that time as a young 20 something, outside of offering them a blood sacrifice, to make sure that they were satisfied and made whole from the bad experience. Even though I knew I had basically ruined their morning.

Having been on the offending side of this once long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, when I was a server, I spilled a glass of orange juice on a female out of town visitor that was heading to The Oaks. She had planned on wearing the same white linen outfit to Derby as well. We picked up the tab on the rush dry cleaning job (1 hour Martenizing!) and also comped their entire meal. Luckily for us, the Dry Cleaner did a great job and she was quite satisfied with the result and the fact that she didn't have to shop for a new outfit that we would have also probably had to pay for. Other than that, I wouldn't know what other compensation someone would expect unless they got burned by some hot soup.
Keep in mind, no one did this on purpose. They have an expression S#%+ Happens! I'm almost certain that it was just as unpleasant of an experience for the server who dropped the tray as much as it was for you to get stuff spilled on you. The poor bastard who did it not only had to attempt to clean you AND the big mess they made up infront of a bunch of shocked or snickering people and also try to ease your temper; they also had to go back to the kitchen and tell the cooks that they have to re-make an order they had just prepared.
I know I felt genuinely really bad when I dropped that glass and I did everything I knew how to, at that time as a young 20 something, outside of offering them a blood sacrifice, to make sure that they were satisfied and made whole from the bad experience. Even though I knew I had basically ruined their morning.

Agree on clothing cleaned or replaced and a comp meal. And I can tell you that this is some of the worst things that can ever happen as a waiter. I still shudder at the memory of a waiter bumping into me while I was showing a dessert tray to a table and everything flew off of it and onto the guest... Lester Holt. Couldn't just be anyone. No. Had to be someone on television. This was 20 years ago.... Bless him and his dining companion. They were completely gracious.... and funny. I was beyond embarrassed. One of those "please let the earth open up and swallow me" moments. Learned a lot about how to turn an awful situation around from this, but I still want to climb in a hole anytime I see him on TV!

I am sure that the original poster is bummed out, but unless the restaurant was really uncaring, stuff does happen. No one means to do it BELIEVE ME. That waiter PTSD doesn't go away.