Camille and I went out to dinner in Tupelo on the Saturday before Valentine’s. We were hoping to beat the crowds as well as celebrate with a good meal. As we were thinking about where we would eat, we both somehow found ourselves craving a certain chain restaurant that always seemed to be dependable as we have eaten there in many different locations. What made this of note is some of the experiences we had at the Tupelo restaurant which served to kind of turn us off to eating there in the future. I don’t know how exactly we came to the decision to try this restaurant again, but soon we found ourselves pulling up to it.
In our previous visits we found the service lacking and the food either cold or not well-prepared. We noticed as soon as we entered the restaurant, something had changed. We were warmly greeted and escorted to our table very efficiently. Our server appeared next with a warm greeting and a very engaging presence. It wasn’t long until we were enjoying our salads which were very nicely presented and tasty. We also couldn’t help but notice a couple of other things we hadn’t seen in our prior visits. First, there were servers everywhere. All of the guests were being attended to with great urgency. We also noticed someone from the kitchen staff who was making their way around the dining room inquiring of the diners how their food was in a very genuine way. We ended up having a wonderful meal, eating too much and thinking about what must have happened for such a change to have taken place!
One thing I had forgotten about the previous, unsatisfactory visits is that they occurred just after restaurants were reopening after the first wave of covid. Looking back on it, I can understand why the experience was not great. Prior to the reopen, restaurants survived not on in-person dining but rather on carryout meals. That means that their entire world was flipped on its head! Before covid, I suspect that carryout meals were a very small part of the business model. How would you manage the start-up of in-person dining again when you have no idea how many to staff for, etc.
Over time, I suspect the number of carryout and in-person diners developed into a rather predictable pattern that the managers will be able to see and staff the restaurant to more consistently and efficiently. Obviously, someone had made some adjustments and now things were excellent.
This brings me to the point of this blog post. As we are trying to determine the effects of covid on society, I think it will require a bit more reflective thinking in order to get the answer correct. With that in mind, maybe we should try to forget about some of the bad experiences like we had and give the businesses another try. I know in the Church; we have been faced with all sorts of situations and decisions that none of us were prepared to handle. Some things we did well and others maybe not. I would hope that all of us would realize these simple truths and extend lots of grace to those tasked with making and implementing decisions in a never-before experienced time. I know I have been grateful for the many warm comments I have heard as life got difficult and radically different. I am also grateful for gracious people who don’t stand back, like I did with the restaurant, and be critical especially when I don’t know all the facts.
For me, I’m always glad to find or rediscover a great place to enjoy a great meal. My recent experience helped me do that. But more important than that, I am grateful that things don’t always have to stay the way they are and that there may be reasons why it is now. And, most importantly, I was reminded that extending grace isn’t just a “church” thing. It’s something I should be doing daily.
Leave a Reply