Guest Recognition and the Name of a Pizza
If a pizza is named after you, have you eaten too much of it?
In 2019, we dropped in to escape the heat on a hot August afternoon. Within seconds, we knew Skinny Duke’s Glorious Emporium was different from most restaurants.
Yes, it had a cool name. What is a “glorious emporium”?
Yes, it had a seventies theme and decor that looked like the basements I partied in during my teenage years.
Despite the cool name and retro decor, it was the first words that came out of the server’s mouth that convinced me that this place was something special.
In the spirit of standardization and efficiency, many servers automatically ask, “Can I get you something to drink?” as they unceremoniously drop the menu on your table. Even places that have 24 or more beers on tap don’t seem to consider the fact that you may not have memorized the list before you sat down and before you saw a menu.
“Hi, my name’s H. What are your names? I try to learn as many names as I can. At Skinny Duke’s we want to get to know you!”
“Skinny’s” put the customer first. It didn’t take long before we were regulars.
Sometimes for dinner, sometimes for a quick drink or a nightcap.
The staff got to know us and we them.
They accepted us although, when we walked in, the average age of their clientele rose noticeably.
Almost overnight, everything changed.
In early March 2020, the writing was on the wall.
The pandemic would dramatically impact our lives.
While we still could, we decided to have one last night out.
It was Friday the Thirteenth and the decision to spend it at “Skinny’s” was an easy one.
Our server on that fateful Friday before lockdown knew her job was in jeopardy.
Just like the service attitude at Skinny’s her attitude when faced with the looming closure of all restaurants was different from most people.
“I’ll likely lose my job in a few days,” she said. “But if you think about it, this is a really interesting time to be alive. We’re going to learn a lot!”
A few days later, the doors to the glorious emporium were closed.
When restaurants were allowed to reopen, it was takeout or delivery only. Skinny Dukes chose to test the waters with a limited menu; it was exclusively pizza.
They had always named their pizzas after people that had historic ties to their location and the bars and restaurants that had been housed there over the years.
Their Instagram post for that Saturday said,
“we kept with our regular tradition of naming the pies, but this time they're named after people in our community for whom we are grateful”.
This is what we saw when we flipped through the menu:
Imagine how we felt!
Considering that no one was struggling more than the hard-hit hospitality industry, it was such a special gesture.
Guess how many nanoseconds it took before we phoned our order in?
One of the owners came out to say hello when we picked our pizza up.
“The staff insisted on naming one after you. I just had to meet you and say thanks for being such good guests.”
The warm welcome we felt on day one was because the owners hired people that were as caring as they were themselves.
The people at Skinny Duke’s made us feel special, included, and cared about.
When you recognize every guest as a person and not just a customer, you’re laying the groundwork for success.
Whenever I see Skinny’s sign or logo, it reminds me of the theme song from the 70’s sitcom, Cheers.
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.
Hospitality. It’s the people.
Stay safe, Always Care
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