James Corden reminds us how not to complain at a restaurant
As someone who eats out an average of 10 meals a week and hosts a weekly online Q&A that has more rants than raves, I’ve learned a little bit about human behavior and how to behave in a restaurant . Based on a manager’s report in June, the only What Corden did right when he found a hair in his main course was to call the staff’s attention immediately. Complaining in the moment gives a restaurant a chance to correct a mistake; hindsight lets a problem marinate, and not in a good way.
let me be clear It’s okay to complain. Conscientious restaurants use customer feedback to improve their performance. Loud music can be turned down, hard seats can be fitted with cushions, a table can be removed to give customers freedom of movement, and a lighter touch of salt or spices can result in plates being licked clean.
With shorter menus, reduced opening hours and higher menu costs, diners who have been loyal and patient with the people who serve and feed them deserve to be heard – provided they do so with honey and not vinegar. According to the June manager’s report, Corden became “extremely mean,” demanding another round of drinks “this second” and insisting earlier drinks be compensated. The TV host also reportedly used a four-letter word that’s sure to rock a restaurant: Yelp and the threat of a bad online review. There’s a particular hotspot for guests who not only personally berate workers, but are also piling up the bile on social media.
On a recent brunch visit to Balthazar, Corden reportedly got angry after homemade fries were shipped with his wife’s newly made egg yolk omelet when a salad was requested. “You can’t do your job! You can’t do your job!” In a report from a manager, the socialite was quoted as yelling at his server. “Maybe I should go into the kitchen and make the omelette myself!” (Really, sir? Does this work the other way around if one of your jokes goes haywire?) Yet another breach of etiquette.
The best complaints stick to the facts and use a polite tone. Guests who sweeten a topic with a compliment are even more empathetic: “Everything has tasted very good to us so far. Thanks for that. But is it possible to share this (insert disappointment) with the (chef or whoever is in charge) and (fix the problem)?”
In what felt like a snap of his fingers, Corden is said to have apologized to McNally, who then lifted his ban on the Brit.
But! But! But! Corden then told the New York Times and others that he “didn’t do anything wrong, on any level” and that the allegations were “stupid.” McNally responded by encouraging Corden to admit his mistakes and apologize to his staff: Demonstrate sincerity.
Like the accomplished restaurateur that he is, McNally used a carrot rather than a stick to address the celebrity. If Corden apologizes, McNally said, “he can eat for free at Balthazar for the rest of the year.”
No word on how this offer was received by the employees.