FOOD NEWS
Want To Become A Restaurant VIP? Bring The Kitchen A Gift
By Christine Barba
Whether you dine out frequently or have a spot you go to for special occasions, you're probably familiar with the warm, fuzzy feeling of having "your place," where you greet the owner, waiters, and waitresses with a friendly hello. If you have yet to establish this type of relationship with a restaurant but would love to become a restaurant VIP, you can enter the spotlight in several ways.
Cesar Nuñez, executive chef of Longway Tavern in New Orleans, Louisiana, shared a tip for becoming a more memorable restaurant guest, telling Insider, "[My] number-one secret is to bring a gift for the kitchen. Alcohol is always appreciated, but [any] token of appreciation is always nice."
Bringing a gift to a restaurant staff can help you establish a good relationship with the employees, and can potentially earn you advantages like avoiding a long wait time or getting a spot on the guest list. Maitre d' Billy Carter of Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab said, "After a while, we get to know you and we start a relationship—you're a regular. It could take a week. It doesn't take years."