I went to Chipotle with a friend who has celiac disease. Once she informed the staff of this, it initiated a seamless procedure to serve her safely. They imperceptibly shared a signal with each other and everyone knew what to do: one person got out new serving utensils, another wiped down the preparation counter, someone procured a fresh bin of guacamole out of the refrigerator and everyone put on new gloves. It took an extra minute but there was no drama about it, no confusion, and it was certainly no big deal for the staff or the others behind us in line.
Think about how your organization handles requests outside the norm. Have you thought through the steps that are required to address routine variations? Do you have a process in place where the staff knows what to do with such efficiency that it doesn’t make the requestor feel uncomfortable? Have you ever considered that the ability to customize your offerings could be a lucrative niche service for you?
Allergies and dietary needs are prevalent in the restaurant business, but every industry has sub-groups of audiences that have different needs. Finding ways to cheerfully and easily accommodate them earns five stars for both your organization and those it serves.
#Chipotle
