Service failures - recent trends?

To start, I'm no expert in any respect, just a second year hospitality student at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, UNLV. 

Over the years I feel like operations have forgotten what it means to give customer service and I find myself realizing it every time I go out to eat. You hardly experience a time where standard service is provided, much less moments where the server or operation blows you away. 

I don't think great service has to blow you away at all, just meeting your expectations is more than adequate. It seems as if operators are forgetting to do either at times.

My most recent outing, to Holsteins at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, brought a particular service failure to my attention. A failure not unique to Holsteins, but most restaurants in the mid to upper service scale. How often do you find yourself patronizing a restaurant where certain appetizers are offered free of charge, but at that particular visit you don't seem to get the same benefit as some of the other patrons?

This was particularly apparent at this outing. Holsteins is not only known for their amazing burgers and shakes, but also their signature bucket of popcorn they offer patrons while they wait for their food. It was a shame to hear the server ask whether we had dined with them before, which we made clear, only to be neglected such a small gesture. Not to single Holsteins out, but I've noticed this at plenty of other restaurants; Maggiano's Little Italy and Carrabba's Italian grill, just to name a few others. Maybe its just my age and the lack of respect it carries, but I've begun to notice this more and more.

Who's at fault? Such a service failure can't be the intentions of the restaurant itself, but rather a server who doesn't see the value in putting in extra effort for a table that probably won't tip very well. However, in retrospect, shouldn't the restaurant operators be responsible for making sure servers are performing their duties in the first place?

The dilemma. Whether its the responsibility of the operator or the server, one thing doesn't change, the tip that still needs to be added. When such service failures occur I find myself perplexed when the check comes out. Does poor service warrant a good tip? No you'd think, but leaving a poor tip only adds to the stereotype that servers often have about younger customers. It's almost like an endless cycle, with no clear cut way of fixing it from the consumers perspective.


Maybe I'm just ranting, but if you're an operator or a restaurant owner and plan on distinguishing yourself as a quality restaurant, might as well start acting like one.

Has this ever happened to you? Share your thoughts.