An important factor in a pleasant pastime is the right choice of an institution in which the rest will take place. I will tell you how to choose the right bar or cafe, depending on the situation and financial capabilities. Following these recommendations, you will find the best option in the shortest possible time.
1. Purpose of visit
First you need to decide with whom and for what reason you go to a bar or cafe. Restaurateurs divide the purpose of the visit into four groups:
- family holidays and friendly gatherings;
- business meeting;
- romantic date;
- banquet (birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, etc.).
Each group has its own selection criteria. For a romantic date, important factors are: quality of service, cozy interior, live music.
When choosing a place for a business meeting, they pay attention to: the prestige of the institution and the contingent of its visitors, the speed of service, the noise level (the less the better).
To relax with friends or family, they are guided by such indicators: the best price / quality ratio (the cost of dishes should be adequate to their quality, in this case it makes no sense to overpay), proximity to home (especially if there are children in the company), a wide range of alcoholic drinks, service speed.
In the case of a banquet, important indicators are: the availability of a spacious hall, secure parking and the cost of dishes.
2. Collection of information
After the purpose of the visit has become known, they proceed to the choice of a particular institution. First you need to collect as much information as possible about the candidates closest to your home. Perhaps one of the establishments will suit you. If there are none, you will have to expand the search area.
Information can be taken from directories, brochures, the Internet, or you can ask your friends about their favorite vacation spots. Now more or less reputable restaurants, bars and cafes have their own website, which indicates: the exact address, a map, photos of the interior and even the approximate cost of dishes.
Another advantage of the Internet is that on the forums you can find reviews of visitors who have been there. I advise you not to ignore such a source of information. If there are a lot of negative reviews and specific shortcomings are indicated, this may indicate problems in the institution.
3. Pre-visit or call
A very important stage during which the institution is evaluated. Of course, it is better to go and find your bearings on the spot, but this is not always possible, so many people make an order by phone.
During a visit or a phone call, I advise you to evaluate the politeness of the staff’s answers and the completeness of the answers to questions. The representative of the establishment who is talking to you should give out maximum information himself, and not wait until he is asked questions.
An important factor is the time after which you paid attention. Indirectly, this speaks of the speed of service. If no one answered the phone for a couple of minutes, or during a personal visit you had to wait a long time for a representative of the institution, it is quite possible that the ordered dishes or the waiter will also have to wait for ages.
In addition to questions depending on the purpose of the visit, you need to ask the representative of the institution the following:
- the presence of a ventilation (air conditioning) system in the hall where you will relax;
- cuisine style (Russian, French, Italian, etc.);
- are there any alcoholic drinks that your company prefers, for example, people who are used to drinking grappa find this drink far from every bar;
- the presence of security;
- the number and contingent of other visitors who will be with your company in the same room;
- payment methods (cash only or non-cash payment is possible).
4. Order and booking
If everything suits you in the institution, you can proceed to placing an order. First, book a table, indicating the date, time and number of people. Next, you need to agree on the menu and ask the staff to calculate its cost. Pre-order solves the problem with the lack of free seats, favorite foods and drinks. You will also know the amount that a visit to this institution will cost.