We decided to explore the garden before we ordered our food. The manager caught us just as we were starting down the path. He was apologetic:
“Excuse me… sorry… the food can take a long time to come at the restaurant – up to an hour after you order it. We suggest that you order first and then enjoy the garden while you wait.”
It was good advice. The food took about an hour to come, but the gardens were big and beautiful, so we had a good time waiting. And the food was worth the wait.
We were glad he caught us, too – with two young kids, it would have been one of those minor parenting catastrophes if we’d explored and then ordered and then had to wait.
I chatted to the manager later, and he explained that people often complained about this, but the thing was, their food was fresh, often picked-to-order, and cooked ‘homestyle’. Good food takes time.
The thing is, he didn’t need to apologise – he just needed to turn the slowness of the food slow from a flaw (and apparently one that he had to explain and apologise for to every guest) to a feature.
Not: “Sorry to inform you, but the food takes a long time to come here.”
Instead: “We serve slow food here. Good, wholesome, freshly picked food which takes time to prepare. If you prefer fast food, go to McDonald’s. Please order on arrival, and enjoy the gardens as you wait.”
Promote it on the website. Put up notices and point them out to people on arrival.
“This is what we do and how we do it, and why. You are welcome.”
Make the wait deliberate, part of the experience that everyone signs up to and enjoys, and you’ve turned slow service into selling point – an oasis of time to share with friends. You’ve made a restaurant that prepares you to enjoy your meal at the same time your meal is prepared for you.
You’ve turned a complaining guest into someone who’ll tell their friends about the fantastic time they had slowing down for an hour in your garden-oasis.
The Gardenia Country Inn is in Tomohon, North Sulawesi. Worth the trip, and worth the wait.